Holiday highlights

Ryan and I stayed in Portland this year instead of traveling to one of the other three corners of the country where we have family outposts. I took remarkably few pictures documenting the holidays and my week off, but just imagine a bunch of eating and napping, some craft project brewing, and no less than four (it will be five today) visits to Powell's. Because, well, you know.

Recap:
We spent Christmas Eve with some of our oldest friends in Portland. Parents were there, a toddler was there. Dogs were there. Great food was served (love the cioppino and the truffle cheese, the figs and the pickled onions). It was merry and delicious and familiar and festive. And after sitting around the table for hours, we retired into the living room to assemble Christmas goodies for the baby from Santa . I loved it.

One of the friendly faces at the table is sick. You'd never know it looking at him but he is terminally ill, too young. I felt grateful to share the holiday with him and his family, and overwhelmed by their love and cheer and celebratory spirit.

Christmas day brought with it more excellent food, goodies under the tree, and spirited phone conversations with family from the previously mentioned corners of the country. I love that my grandma, Oma, always answers the phone with an ubber cheerful "Merry Christmas?!" greeting.

We ate grapefruit, cinnamon rolls, bacon, mushroom tarts, and quiche for breakfast. Dinner consisted of several appetizers (remembering fondly the artichoke dip, mac & cheese balls, and wasabi almonds), a marinated tri-tip worth its weight in gold served with a horseradish sauce and roasted mushrooms, mashed potatoes, roasted squash with apples, pears, and rum (yum), and fresh rolls. Not surprisingly, there was no room for the chocolate coffee cake and pumpkin pie for dessert; fortunately those make for good breakfasts, too.

After dinner there was a slide show projected on our living room curtains. It started with photos from Tera's recent travels through Europe and ended with a frenzy of You Tube gems.

For New Years Eve, we settled in at Christian's with the old gang, eating and talking and playing games. The boys pulled together an impromptu and very charming concert. I'd use the word serenade but it wasn't that romantic (notice Adam is rocking two instruments at once). Then all of a sudden it was 2011.

And here we are. Let's make it count!