The Kickoff to the Holiday Season!

The weekend after Thanksgiving always marks the kickoff to the holiday season. We celebrate this kickoff with our annual Christmas tree cutting event. This is a favorite in our household.

Andrew donning a festive hat for the activities.

Soon all the boys joined in the hat fun.

Papa, those aren't for playing with.

It was such a gorgeous day. A bit chilly (which we enjoyed), but perfectly clear skies and sunny. Soon after arriving (and after a bit of goofing around - which you saw in the above pictures) we began the hunt for the perfect tree.

Of course we stopped for a few pictures in a gorgeous little clearing.

Then we scouted out and found the perfect little Charlie Brown tree. Our own Lincoln tradition.

Ritchie's a skilled lumberjack.

Max was very excited about having found the perfect tree.

Very, very excited.

The whole gang enjoying a final picture before going home to dress

the tree with twinkling lights and sacred ornaments.

It was, as always, a fabulous kickoff.

A Peek Inside

I was going to do a Thankful post. And while I'm SO truly thankful this year for many, many things I'm feeling the need to just blurt out what's going on in this head of mine instead. So, here goes... (randomly and in no particular order)

• How did I go 28 (almost 29) years without Hummus? It's seriously the most delicious thing I've ever had in my entire life.
• It's so damn cold!! Brrrr
• How on Earth am I going to crochet 11 more hats and potentially 2 scarves in just over 25 days?
• I hope Ritchie gets this job, I hope Ritchie gets this job...
• (may sound mean here) I am so happy that our roommate is moving out. We love him dearly as a friend, but I'm thrilled to have the space, the storage, and to not have to worry about Max being woken up from his nap anymore.
• I've got to start being nicer to Gracie... poor pup has been cast aside.
• Max must be the cutest kid on the planet. He's simply amazing.
• I hope all of those teeth cut through soon so he stops being so fussy.
• How do I raise a child to be confident, considerate, and grounded without religion? Must read to find out...
• I want at least 50 presents under our tree this year. Why this is important to me is something I also must search into. But, for now, I guess I better get crocheting.
• So excited to cleanse my body of chemicals and artificial ingredients in January. I need that.
• I love love love my house sometimes. I don't particularly enjoy the ever circulating infestation of rodents and insects, but we're getting that under control.
• Can't wait to plant a vegetable/herb garden in our backyard this spring.
• Baby fever is in full effect for us here in the Lincoln house. I blame anyone on FB who has recently had a child and posted pictures of them. Darn you and your precious babies who make my uterus ache.
• I need to figure out a way to stop spending money. Like, NOW.
• Ritchie and I will have been together for 8 years on Friday. Feels like it's been so much longer in some ways and yet I also can't believe it's already been 8 years. I love this man with every fiber of my being. Don't know how I got so lucky.
• Speaking of how not to spend money, I need to grocery shop for game night tonight.
• I hate how far away my friends live. I hate that I don't have close friends here.
• I wish I were a more outgoing/likeable person. Maybe then I'd have close friends here?
• What kind of Christmas cookies should I make this year? Really, they are all so delicious.
• I want to see that Paul Rudd, Reese Witherspoon, Jack Nicholson, Owen Wilson movie so badly!
• My 30th birthday will be fabulous. I know, I know - it's a year away. What kind of self absorbed person plans their birthday over a year in advance?
• We must begin rolling our coins from our Christmas jar so we can go shop for the tots! It's beginning to be one of my favorite Holiday traditions. It feels good to give.
• I hope Max takes a good long nap today.
• I hope I won one of the Silhoutte machines out of the three I entered to win.
• I love all of my family. I'm a lucky girl and I hope they know how much I love them.

Whew! Okay, I think that's it. I also think I hear Max waking from a not-so-long nap. Oh well, you can't win em' all.

A Day of Thanks in Pictures

Today was everything that Thanksgiving should be. Words fail me right now as I'm in my tryptophan turkey coma. I'll leave you with some pictures that capture our beautiful day and a brief captions because that's all I can manage tonight. I'll be back tomorrow with a more detailed summary of my many thanks as well as pictures from Christmas tree cutting!!

My day started with a heavenly dutch baby. Yummm.

We bundled up and headed to the park for a long walk and some play time.

Someone's got some new kicks!

The trail was just breathtaking today. We are so lucky to have this right down the street. Oh, and who says California doesn't have seasons? Hello, gorgeous fall colors!

A hilarious series of Maxton enjoying his favorite activity at the park, the slide.

At the end he just lies there like a slug, like he's so overwhelmed

by the fun that he just can't move.

Another series that shows off someone's newest skill ;)

Yup, he's mastered getting up all by himself!

Grandma Rieger and Uncle Andrew cooking away in the kitchen.

Max all gussied up playing happily.

Gracie taking a turkey day snooze.

Happy Thanksgiving from the Lincolns!