Happy Christmas Eve...

...from our "village" to yours.



If you lived closer,
we would bring you some of these...




And as the billboard near our home reminds us,
don't forget to wish everyone a very
Merry Christmas...




Joyeux Noel!

My Name is Suzanne and I am a Homebody...

There...I said it!

The official definition of a homebody is "a person whose life and interests center on the home."
Yep...that's me!

Especially at Christmas.

Maybe because we have been so busy leading up to the Holidays.
Maybe because I just love being home with my family, regardless of the time of year.
Maybe it's because I realize how quickly the years are flying by and there will be plenty of time for dinners out and parties when we have an empty nest.
(But if you think I won't move mountains to keep my girls nearby, you don't know me at all:-)

Don't get me wrong, I love a festive Christmas party as much as the next person.
In fact, in my own humble opinion, I could throw an amazing Christmas party...and every summer I say I will.
Then the Holidays get closer, I realize we have a window of one weekend to do it...usually the one right before Christmas...and I can't do it.
I can't do that to myself because by that time I am craving peace and quiet at home.
And I can't do it to friends who want the same.
But one of these years I will...maybe next year. But I think it will be a Christmas open house late afternoon/early evening on a Sunday. Maybe that will be less stressful. People can stop in for a bit of Christmas cheer when it is the most convenient for them. Yes, I think definitely next year;-)

In the meantime, it is the Friday before Christmas and I am probably the only person out there who is sooooo happy for a few simple things.

I am happy...

~that we have nothing to do tonight or tomorrow night (We are busy on Sunday night and Tuesday so I do have a bit of a life, in case you were worried, and I think my husband has a little party at the hospital so he can be social and them come home to us homebodies:-)
So...we get to stay home tonight...Yay!!!!!
(By the way, the Nutcracker is over...I'm kind of happy/sad for that, too...and my ballerina was beautiful, thank you all for the good wishes!)

I am happy...
~that we are having a very rainy day.

Hey...it has been so hot down here...very un-festive! At least with clouds and rain, I can pretend we are snowed in and make a comfort food dinner. If we turn the air conditioning way down, we can wear sweaters and socks and be really happy!

I am happy...
~that I can curl up on my cozy couch with them...




...and sip hot cocoa



...and eat tons of Christmas cookies...



...and watch Christmas movies...




...with the lights of the Christmas tree twinkling in the background.



That's it!


See...I told you I am a homebody...and proud of it!
Hope you all have a very happy weekend.

XOXOXO
Suzanne

Sugar Plum Fairies and Sisters...

My sweet Taylor is dancing in the Nutcracker this weekend. We are all so excited to see the show. In case you missed my post about it earlier in the year, she has 5 parts, including the parts of demi-solist for the snow scene and soloist (Dew Drop) in Waltz of the Flowers. She has not missed one rehearsal in all these months...and I mean they had a lot of rehearsals. Long rehearsals!!!!! Many nights she danced from 4:30-9:00...and loved every second of it!


To Taylor, I would like to say how very proud we are of you. Watching you dancing so gracefully, smiling brightly for all to see...it is clear you are doing something you love. People always come up to me after the show...people I don't know, telling me what a beautiful girl and beautiful dancer you are. They tell me they couldn't take their eyes off of you, that your smile was so sweet and it was as if you were dancing for them. I am always amazed at this...not because I don't agree because you know I do. But I never stop to think that others are enjoying your performance as much as I am. And they say how nice you are to the other girls, especially the younger ones, helping them with little tips along the way.



We can't wait to see you in the Nutcracker and we will enjoy every moment of every scene, clapping loudly with tears in our eyes...tears of joy! I love you!


There is also another person who makes us proud, who does everything she can to help you follow your dream. That would be your sister Jordan, who is your biggest fan. (Well, besides me:-) I know you sometimes get frustrated with her but she thinks you deserve all the best parts all the time:-) While you are backstage preparing for the show, you do not get to see your little sister and how excited she is for you. She loves it and clearly she is very proud of you. She sacrifices a lot for your dancing...sometimes willingly and sometimes not so willingly...but deep down she knows this is what makes you happy and more than anything she wants you to be happy. I feel the same way but I'm your mom...I'm supposed to feel that way:-) Somehow it is even more remarkable coming from your sister.


To Jordan, I am so very proud of you also. In addition to being an amazing daughter, you are so supportive of your sister and understanding when night after night, we have to make that long drive to dance.

You agreed to take tennis lessons at a new location that was in the same part of town as the ballet studio, just to make my life a bit easier. Even though I know you now love it, I realize it was a sacrifice and I am very grateful to you for doing this. Thank you for all that you do to help me...with dinner, the puppies, keeping me company in the car...you know. I couldn't do it without you. I love you, my Starbucks buddy:-)!

Well girlfriends, this has been a crazy December for us. From being sick to dance rehearsals to unexpected company, we are way behind in the usual stuff...like shopping, baking, decorating, watching Christmas movies.

But we are blessed more than most because we have each other.

From the land of sugarplums and marzipans...

Suzanne