a few sparkling points

this year's tree.

it's so dark!

so dark so early.

it's a little hard to keep the spirits up when it feels like bedtime at 5 p.m., no?  but we do what we can.

some things that shone in this dark day were these items:

1) my house is (temporarily, i'm sure) clean and decked out with decorations made and put up by my kids (plus d.j. and anna!)

the snowflakes.

2)  reading time with moses. phrases like "the greek war host", "the black ships", "single combat", and so on.  i'm becoming a nerdy little boy.

christmas list 2012.  a girl after my own heart.

3) cecily's christmas list with annotations and marginalia.  i love this gal's thinking.  she's such a good little writer and i really enjoy reading her creations every day.

this is the annotation to "totoro"

4) lula's salad:  kale, spinach, toasted pine nuts, oranges (supremed, like i taught her), fennel leaf, and meyer lemon garnish and vinaigrette. i added some cucumber and avocado because i needed to use them up before they started to turn.

in regards to line items "d.s." and "webkinz"

5) dessert made by the jasplund's.  holy, holy.  it was one of the best things i've ever eaten:  a spicy, dark gingerbread cake topped with a beautiful burgundy pear poached in unsweetened cranberry juice and spices, a dollop of whipped cream.

the annotations to "crutches"

legwear:  black leggings

looking forward to:  tomorrow's guest blog by one of my all-time sheroes

inspiration:  handmade holiday decorations, poached pears