For Christmas, I always want to throw twinkly lights all over my house. I usually have to settle on just a few strings, however, or the mister starts to complain about our electric bill...
 I used to be a real-tree-only purist. These days, worrying about little ones, fires, and having to clean up too many pine needles--we just do the fake tree thing. We scored this one after last Christmas at Walmart for $20! We've been waiting all year, literally, to use it.
 I'm a total sucker for Christmas decor, I'd put it up in July if you all wouldn't judge me...
 When our pastor & his wife moved to England a couple months ago they gave us a lot of Christmas things to sell for them at our yard sale. But I couldn't let these cute little vintage figures go so I bought them myself...
 Eisley was super excited for her cousins to come play! She talked about it all morning...
 I decided to keep my great-grandmother's Johnson Brothers china stored this year and instead went for a kitschy look with the vintage Corelle dishes I've been thrifting all year. The patterns I collect match the vintage Pyrex I own, and when I see them in good condition at Goodwill I always buy them--they're only 49 cents a dish, can't beat that.
 Since we had to move out our fake fireplace for the Christmas tree, I moved my rag-tied lights garland over the window. I think I prefer it here.
 With the house all ready & the food prepared, it was time to wait for family to show up...
 Eisley was so excited to see her grandmas & papa. Violet was a little freaked out...
 But she warmed up quickly.
 Spiced Apple Cider Cocktail!
1/2 a gallon of apple cider
1/2 cup dark rum
1/2 cup cinnamon schnapps
1/2 lemon, squeezed

Combine all ingredients into pitcher and serve over ice with skewers speared through Granny Smith apple pieces. SO delicious!
 Here's the best part of having a professional brewer for a brother-in-law, he always brings plenty of beer to share. Noah brews at Oskar Blues Brewery. For Thanksliving he brought 3 growlers of his very own Pumpkin Old Chub {or, "Old Chumpkin" as we called it.} It was delicious!
Appetizer's table, a must. Left to right there was: baked brie, buffalo chicken dip & chips,  Port Wine cheese snowman, cream cheese & pepper jelly dip, bacon wrapped smokies {I have another name for these, but I can't say it here...ask me sometime}, monkey bread, and finally--yes, those are Little Debbie snacks :-)

I know, this is silly, but fun for the kids, cheap, and they make cute easy petite fours, right?
 This little guy is cute! Too cute, I think, no one wanted to eat him.
 Ayla also brought a plate of Play-Doh cookies to share. She said to her parents, "We can't show up without bringing something!"
Justin & I went crazy this year and instead of cooking a turkey, we decided on a sir loin roast instead. I know! But the Tuttles & us just didn't feel like a classic turkey dinner this year...



 Mom's famous corn casserole. Best ever! Justin requests this every year...
 A new recipe, balsamic roasted carrots & parsnips. It was good!
 Winter Fruit Salad with Lemon Poppyseed Dressing.
I didn't get a picture of the roast {darn!} but it was PERFECT and served with this, Whipped Horseradish Sauce:
It's a tight squeeze in our tiny dining room, but we all fit in and feasted.

 Good food. Good wine.
 Good time.
 After dinner, but before stuffing ourselves any further with dessert, we played a rousing game of Catch Phrase. That's a great game to get everyone laughing, for sure.
 Last but not least, and although no one was hungry or up for more food, we all had some dessert. I made a marble pumpkin cheesecake and pecan pie. Great recipes, they turned out amazing! With homemake whipped cream they were divine.