It was a bit of Germany in Utah. The open fires, the food, music and dancing, and of course the wonderful wooden ornaments were all there. Fortunately it was also uncommonly mild which made for a long evening of leisurely walking.

The first Christmas we spent in the Utah house we realized that the tree we had purchased some years earlier was not quite right for a room with a cathedral ceiling.  We bought another that suited the room better but noticed that artifical trees these days are significantly higher off the ground than the older ones.  For two years now we have placed a tree skirt around the bottom, noticed the vast space between that and the branches, and said to each other, "Hmm.  That really does look odd being SO high."  

Given our very traditional holiday decor, I had been looking at the new tree collars available and fell in love with the ones like this that were fashioned like Christmas drums:

 I was not in love with the price tag however, which ran up to $85 some places, especially since many wide trees need two collars to fit around.  We found this video online and ended up DIY-ing a collar for about ten dollars.  It was putzy but easy and I am ridiculously pleased.  If this is not your thing please just scroll quickly lol.  I'm a little tree obsessed.  While we are at it, I stumbled upon this tutorial a few years ago and it turns out there is a proper order to tree trimming.  I have incorporated some of their ideas such as the floral picks.  Cheap and easy way to fill in your tree and add texture. 

So now that you know what a tree geek I am, if you are still with me, here are some phone snaps of the tree collar process.   I cut heavy posterboard to the desired height (floor to bottom of tree) and taped those together to get the circumference needed. 

We covered the resulting long strip of poster board with wrapping paper.  Fabric would have been nicer and sturdier, no doubt.  We were aiming for speed and cheap and have no toddlers at the moment.  Next, I glued gold ribbon. 

Then we trimmed the top and bottom with plaid ribbon. 

There you have it. One woman's giant paper drum.  I can laugh at my own ideas y'all.  I can laugh.  I'm still happy I did this. 

Being homeowners we had enough paint cans lying around to place one between each leg of the tree base to round it. (per the video)  Then we wrapped this tube around, clipped it with a large chip clip, and tossed a white sheet inside.  I wanted the drum effect but not enough to do any more DIYing.   

PS – there are some strong opinions in cyber space about artificial versus tree farm trees.  They both have their merits!  I love a fresh tree.  Due to some allergies and budget and the recent fires in the west we are happily decorating our faux tree for now.  

Gaudete! The foundation of the Christmas decorations are in place. Reason to rejoice right there! We have a steady stream of arrivals starting early this week so this is essential.  From here out we will be making rooms ready and baking special treats.  There will be flowers to arrange and paper stars to cut out and carols to practice.  There are other things we could not get to this advent.  Hand written Christmas cards were on that list.  It makes me sad, but in the end it is most important to keep things light and let go of what cannot be happily done.  

I hope you have a fruitful final week of advent, enjoying the simple things of this season, wherever you are reading this. 

"When we recall Christmas past, we usually find that the simplest things—not the great occasions—give off the greatest glow of happiness."

Bob Hope

While Tess served as St Lucy this morning I thought back over so many, many cinnamon rolls served by braided little girls in our home. It takes a little extra planning to remember to pick up the rolls and set out some white clothes but as Charlotte Seims' words reminded me in my morning reading:

"Traditions create a sense of belonging and comfort. Children relish those things that 'we always do,'  and the once-a-year foods and décor call up a sense of wonder and excitement like nothing else."

Like nothing else, truly.  It's not the once in a lifetime big events, but the repetition of little things year after year that brings so much delight.  It's what we always do in our family on this day and it is wonderful.  I like to think it is as comforting to them as it is to me to slip into a groove laid down over the course of so many years. 

Happy New Year!  Happy new liturgical year that is. It is the first Sunday in Advent.  I'd like to say it was full of holy contemplation but the truth is I have been all sixes and seven's, my attention divided many different ways.  It snowed, however, which drew two little girls out into the late afternoon dusk to roll together a very twiggy, leafy snowman.

In true Austin Family fashion we complete approximately one bit of holiday preparation each day.  Today we hung wreaths in the front windows.  True to our family fashion, I keep finding one of them on the carpet. Darn generic command hook.  Another day we replaced the girls' curtains with a hand-me-down holiday lace set.  I love seeing the sunlight shine through the little stars and toys in the mornings. 

Maria Von Trapp's Where Did Advent Go?  popped up in my box this morning. It reminded me we are not 'behind' but rather have "weeks of preparation" for a reason.  These monumental "commemorations cannot be celebrated in a single day each. Weeks are needed."  This is always a good reminder.  It isn't just me.  It takes a long time. 

The other essay I read this weekend was from Waldorfish but the message is relevant to all those who incorporate ritual and festivals into their family rhythm. Along the same line of thinking I shared the other day, they pose excellent questions:

+ which of the festival options for this season will help us achieve that feeling?

+ do we need to do all of them? (seriously. do you?) 

+ is there one that resonates the most with our family's values?

+ how can I keep this simple?

+ what ONE or TWO activities might we do?

A very good read if you worry you are giving your children – or practicing yourself – a somewhat "less than experience."   

I often quote a line from a column I read back in the day that encouraged women to look around themselves and consider what was right in front of them already. "What is in your hand?"  It is both a nod to Exodus 4:2 where God performs wonders with a simple stick that Moses already had in hand as well as a broader exhortation to make use of what you already own.  

Catalogs and magazines show us what we can purchase to beautify our homes, which poses two problems.  First, it requires resources to make the purchase.  Second, it makes demands on our space to store the newly purchased items. We don't always have both of those. Truth is, we often already have simple things that could be arranged differently to brighten up a space and give it a new look.  

We did that after putting away the Indian corn centerpiece and other autumn decor.  We aren't in full blown Christmas mode yet.  Just moving in that direction, gradually.  A few things came together when resetting the table.  First I had to reach behind a set of delft candle sconces which were in a cabinet since I don't have a place to hang them.  The ended up working well on the table to warm up these newly dark evenings.  I pulled a bowl of blue and white ornaments to the center.  We set the table with the Dollar Store dishes.  Then we added the collection of heavy cobalt blue glassware we have been picking up for a dollar a piece at thrift stores lately.  They don't all match.  It doesn't really matter.  

"Do what you can, with what you have, where you are."   Theodore Roosevelt

So grateful for:

watching the deer leap across the lawn in the early morning

a firstborn sitting at our table this week

able hands in the kitchen

a husband who is keenly aware of when I need to be done in the kitchen (and organizes a clean up crew)

loved ones who shared this day with our far away children

calls and texts just to say "you are loved"

full bellies, full hearts

"When it comes to life, the critical thing is whether you take things for granted or take them with gratitude." GK Chesterton

So, for a hundred and four totally legit reasons I have not sat down here much lately.  I'm pretty sure everyone is carrying on with life elsewhere just the same, but I've missed recording and reflecting.  Taking a few moments tonight to share a visit to the aquarium just because it was wonderful.  I don't like water much.  Or fish.  Or fish in water.  Nor gooey, slimy, wet creatures.  At least, I didn't think I did. This little field trip left me feeling super chill, however. Round and round they went – the fish that is. And there I stood, transfixed. 

See that fish just southeast of center?  (below) It's my spirit animal. 

As you can see others in my family are ok-ish with wet, slimy water creatures. Having just watched the Dora movie for the first time though I was cringing a little imagining the starfish muttering under their breath.

Overhead water? We did that too.  

The aquarium had an oddly soothing effect. I'm glad we made the trip. 1997 Homeschool Mom would probably have had the children complete a multipage follow up report by now. 2017 Homeschool Mom said, "THAT was incredible, wasn't it?  Where should we go for dinner?"  Like I said, it left me super chill. 

It got to be too long.  It was that sort of too long between visits where it didn't matter that they had tickets and the holidays are almost here.  We couldn't wait another day.  So, we packed up and headed over the mountains.  Good call, that. 

Sleepovers at big brother and sister's apartments are the best.  The very best.  They do your hair.  They feed you whatever you want.  They stay up all night watching movies you get to pick.  

The days before the trip we had been crafting like crazy.  Moira's wedding florals fit perfectly into the pumpkin we brought. 

It was every bit as wonderful to see the guys.  They played their new favorite albums for us and have me totally sold on vinyl.  Side note: one child discovered we were talking about records all this time.  

"THESE are VINyalls??"  

"Vinyall? you mean VINE-al?"

"oooooooohhhhh"

They made me fresh ground coffee.  

And we laughed a lot.  But not nearly for long enough. We didn't take nearly enough pictures.  I now have about five thousand things I want to talk to them and ask them about.  The holidays can't come soon enough.  

"We were together…..

I forget the rest."

Walt Whitman