***Holiday Planning, 2019***

[Nancy]

I tried a new recipe, did not quite turn out I used the wrong size pan but it was tastey.
Got replacement muffin pans today yea!

[Harriet]

((Harmony)) Maybe make your own reservations at the place that would be your first choice for how things might work out, then try to encourage that option? If it didn't work out, you could call and let the reservations go. But if it did, you would have one thing all taken care of.

BookSaver, I always love hearing about your many-small-gifts adventures. Happy thoughts.

Nancy, I'm glad you found a new pan quickly. Recipes that don't work out perfectly are good experience!

Our plans are so "up in the air", if they were balloons they'd float away. As I look forward through the calendar, I have NO idea. This is undoubtedly the season that could go any way at all! Last year we knew exactly what we were doing - Thanksgiving with everyone, Christmas with no one (because of HRH's immunity). This year, the variables are all over the place. Dependence on how HRH feels, on my course, on the "state" we are in around here after a year of unexpected events, and, of course, feeling nostalgic for the Christmas we didn't even get to decorate for last year. Hmmm... ...

[Twins' Mom]

Holiday planning is stressful! I don't know if I had mentioned that dh made hotel and plane reservations in the early summer in NYC for a full week at Thanksgiving, thinking we would spend Thanksgiving with his cousins in Summit, New Jersey. Then they announced that they might not be having Thanksgiving there this year so we started trying to make other plans, and now they've waffled back that they are having Thanksgiving there. I'm going to spend a day doing research at the NY Public Library (or another repository possibly.)

And we really enjoy a relaxing day on Christmas!

[Harmony]

I could make reservations somewhere, but that may or may not work out. The fact that we're all spread out over half the state makes it all harder. One family's kids are shared with another parent and that changes every year. I don't think we got together with them last year as they were out of state for that day... and you'd think I could just get on the phone and say: where are the kids this year? Well, she is very stressed with a stressful situation right now, so we have decided not to bother her about plans until she's ready... and there is always the possibility that they all end up here.

I need to start that sewing project for Christmas present... and I'm just dragging my feet on that... once I start I will be full speed ahead, but for some reason it's just inertia getting to the starting line. I did think about it and realize some material I will still need not bought yet. I thought I had it all. Maybe I'll look at that today.

Wishing everybody a happy and healthy holiday season and Twins, your relaxing Christmas Day sounds heavenly!

[Twins' Mom]

Yeah, Harmony, but I have this big day next Monday. The count is at 56 people including us, and six kiddos. Wish we could plan on nice weather so we could spill outside into the yard, but the high is going to be 95 degrees. I keep checking the forecast hoping that it changes somehow, but it doesn't.

I'm getting my house cleaned up anyway, I guess that's the upside.

Honestly, if I were invited to my party, I wouldn't want to go.

[Harmony]

Twins, 56 now? EGads it keeps growing! I've never prepared for a group that large.

I gotta just keep plugging along here.

[Twins' Mom]

I happens every year, Harmony, that it creeps up the last few days because with a group that size, what's one or two more? I usually stop counting at this point.

Last night the adult dd of friends reassured me that, although we had a lot of people, she had never felt too squeezed in or overwhelmed by the size. She said she always felt warmly welcomed and happy to be here. I was bemoaning the size of our house and the numbers but she was quite reassuring. I always feel it's a great mix of friends, with some that we've known 30 something years and other new friends, and older people and younger and interesting friends making connections. I recall one year two families with autistic adult children meeting each other.

There are still a couple of people I don't think I've heard from. If they show up, they do.

[Harmony]

How's everybody doing? I have to put the binding and label on my quilt then that is done. She wants a pillow (throw) to match so I've started on that. I made a 4 patch 10" square for the front and will put a border on...then I made one for the back which will not work because of the overlap so that's a do-over. I've been so busy I haven't been able to help DH much on our other project. He got the last coat of poly on it this morning. 2-tone stripe on top came out nice! Need to sand an edge and touch up and screw on handles and that's done. Still need to order 2 sets of the things to go with to make the game complete. This will make 3 out of 6 grandkids done!

[Nancy]

I gave one of the "pratice loaves" of quick bread to dd this afternoon. Dgd got a round dish cloth
For a friend who had surgery, glad I had some made up ahead to have on hand!
Now that garden season is over I have been able to get the main p art of the house back in shape glad about that.

[Harmony]

DD called. Older DD not in a good place to host Thanksgiving (I suspected that might be the case) and she doesn't have the boys this holiday year. So, we're having one family here, DxSonil, DD, 2 Grandsons and perhaps the other Grandson if he can come and doesn't stay behind to spend it with his serious girlfriend and her family. 7 of us and I can think of a couple more I'll invite. We'll have to schedule around DSiL's family whatever any of them are doing because his whole family is sometimes here, sometimes not.

Trying to think how I can simplify the meal this year.