holiday matriarch

so one of my favorite mom blog's ( kellehampton.com) had a post about becoming the holiday matriarch. no longer being absorbed into your families traditions/celebration but because you live far away you have to set the stage...you have to start your own. you have to be the one "throwing" the party.

sigh. as i read this blog entry, of course my soul reasonated. this is me. i am going to be setting the tone for our holidays, whether i like it or not...At first this was very daunting and overwhelming being that my husband and i come from such rich families and amazing traditions, feasts, gifts, and festivities.

but alas, i let it settle over me and i let my heart get stirred to really embrace this- for better or for worse i am the Holiday Matriarch here.

of course i could not be too hard on myself this year, having a 6 week old in the mix, but i let myself get envisioned and succomb to the magic that Christmas and the Holidays can bring to a young family. and man i loved it.

first things first, i racked my brain for what essential desserts needed to be present during the holidays.

these amazing creme wafers were a must. they are a doozie but shout of christmas's of old. my aunt cindy used to bring a huge platter of christmas cookies over to our home and these were always the first to go.

( i had a picture of me baking them because it was SO classic. i had a little fussy babe in the wrap while i was cooking these. at one point i am changing a very explosive dirty diaper when i hear the timer go off in the kitchen letting me know these delicate cookies could be burning...)

and then i had to have a cookie decorating party. it is a must. claire is still too young to really help with these ( maybe next year) but she sure loved them as a tea party staple. =) and it is SO fun to give these to our Arab friends.

so fun that Liz was there!

i made mel pic her favorite that she decorated.

and then liz picked her favorite little guy....=)

anyways, all that to say...i am blaring the the christmas music, donning the christmas apron, stocked with butter and flour, and dreaming of cozy christmas nights with my littles!!!

i love her little grasp on the blanket!!!