spirit.

The decision to not get a tree this year was probably smart, but a bit of a bummer. Though the holiday spirit is all around in the lights on peoples' homes and the wreaths on cars to the holiday music playing everywhere, I just wasn't feeling very holiday-ish. And I think our decision to move to New Zealand has been so intensely on the brain that Christmas has taken a back seat in the psyche. So in an attempt to bring the spirit into our home recently, we decided to pour on the holiday activities. Thick, people.

One night Tyson made fudge while we watched the Family Stone - and if you haven't seen it, its effing great. I want to BE Diane Keaten to a tee as a mother, should that role come up in my life.

Let's see, we made Christmas lists, baked cardamom and orange zest sugar cookies (thanks for the cookie cutters, Mom!), shopped at the market for gifts and we played music from Charlie Brown Christmas among a plethora of others. I have to say, it worked. Its fun to be geeky and just get into these sorts of things. Looking forward to the big day with my family in MN!