christmas is coming!

this will be the 1st christmas ever that i will spend in my very own home! my sister is suddenly moving back to the opposite coast, so my husband and i now have only one christmas guest. i foresee a cuddly morning opening presents next to our mini tree, with mugs of spiced cider and pumpkin bread.

i've collected evergreen boughs and distributed them around the house--one bundle in a swag on the front door, some on the advent wreath, another little bunch bundled with raffia on the sideboard, and random surprise bits here and there. my husband is celebrating the season by decorating in his own way: a snowboard propped against the dining room wall, and a christmas present to his car under the tree.

i'm not really planning much of a christmas dinner, but all attending have expressed great interest in ham. so christmas ham it is! i have more frozen pumpkin and canned evaporated milk, so pumpkin pie will be in the plan, too. i think some mashed potatoes, homemade honey-wheat bread (i'm perfecting my recipe), and veggies-of-the-week from our organics box will round out the menu.

the rest of our christmas guests arrive on the 26th, so that's when the partying will really start! snowboarding (not for me, this year), scrabble tournaments, sightseeing, possibly a new year's party at auntie trish's... and, of course, last-minute baby-stuff shopping with my MIL.