Holiday Game Night

As I mentioned before, my family is big on game nights. Especially as the days grow shorter and the nights grow colder, we all love to settle in around the game table (yes, my parents actually have a table dedicated to board games, as well as a significant amount of closet space) and spend the night shouting at each other.

Holidays are especially good for these sorts of activities. I can remember as a wee baby child being jealous of the adults and my older cousins who were allowed to play "big kid games" (aka, Monopoly and Scattergories) at family parties. Whether it's at my parent's house, my grandparents' houses (either one), or with Sailor's family...it's a safe bet that we will be playing games.

Black Friday is not a day on which I want to go out. Lucky for me, my mama hosted a Tastefully Simple party on Black Friday, after which she informed us would be a Risk throwdown. Booyah! I'm in!

G-Free Apple cake at the Tastefully Simple Party

The Tastefully Simple party was crowded! I did not realize my madre was inviting so many peeps! It was nice though. I got to catch up with some folks I had not seen in a while. Plus, my mom had requested that the Tastefully Simple representative bring along a good selection of gluten free things to taste. Perfection! Yumm-o free food and friends? Not much can beat that. If you are doing gluten free and want some truly decadent desserts, I would recommend Tastefully Simple. A word of warning, the mixes are pretty pricey. But yummy. Those brownies. Ohmy. Sogood.

Looong game table and a cracklin' fire

Nothing says festive like a fire in the fireplace

Grandma, roasting mallows

World domination

My clever skills and astounding gracefulness caused me to dump my entire cup of water onto the table within the first two minutes of sitting down. My yarn was soaked! Good thing we had a fire.

Nice and toasty

Crocheting, eating, and taking over the world with my family. Who could ask for more? Not I. No sir. Does your family get wild and crazy when you play board games? Is there serious trash talk like we throw down? It can get pretty cray when we all decide to game it up.

Yours competitively,
Carolyn

Dat bunny lump

Happy Thanksgiva-Hanuk-Birthda-December-kkah!!

December!

I'm not sure whether to be excited or scared. Probably a little of both. I've lived my while life in the Midwest, but in March Sailor and I moved farther north than either of us have ever lived. This will be our first full winter here. Ehhh....

I trust you lovely-loves had a wonderful Thanksgiving (and Hanukkah and my birthday, if you were celebrating any of those on the 28th). Sailor and Bunn-ster and I had a busy but enjoyable time. Lots of food, lots of pictures, lots of laughing. T'was nice.

The aftermath of our Thanksgiving meal

This weekend, we stayed with my in-laws who surprised me with a big basket of gluten-free tasty treats for my birthday! And a really nice hoodie. And yarn. It was delightful. I sampled some coconut cookies and the Gluten-Freeda oatmeal already. Both are awesome, lemme tell you. I guess my mother-in-law did a lot of research and ordered a ton of stuff online for me. She was excited to see if I liked it all. So far, it's all highly enjoyable!

My maternal Grandmother hosted Thanksgiving. She is a very accomplished cook, so it is always wonderful to eat a meal made by her. This being my first gluten-free holiday....I was a bit nervous. It can be daunting to go over to someone's house and not know what is in all the food even if the cooks mean well and blahblahblahanxiety. My grandma called me about two weeks ago and told me she was going to do a gluten free Thanksgiving meal for me!! EXCITEMENT. I went over early to help her cook and set up. It was fantastic. I cannot emphasize enough how awesome it is to know that almost every dish was safe to eat. Holla at me Celiacs if you know what I'm sayin'!

I'm new to this whole g-free game, so it was extra special. Plus, not only was it my first holiday gluten free, it was also my first birthday gluten free. A double whammy of g-tastic temptations. My mom and sister colaborated on supplying me with a pan of g-free brownies (from a Tastefully Simple g-free brownie mix). I've had the brownie mix before, but it was no less awesome this time around. SO FUDGEY. SO GOOD. Everyone else at the party enjoyed them as well. My Grandpa could not even tell they weren't "normal" brownies! Woot!

The pan of nomnoms

I had three pieces. Shhh. Don't tell.

My family always plays some card or board games when we all get together; probably one of my favorite family traditions. It's great. Eat all the good food, then laze around and laugh and pay games. This year it was golf (which I didn't play, because I don't remember how) and Telestrations. The latter is a hilarious game that combines telephone and Pictionary. Kind of. Whenever we play Telestrations, it ends with us laughing so hard we cry. I recommend it.

Playing golf in the living room

How was your holiday? Got some old or new traditions that just warm your heart? Some fun g-free holiday dish you love? Did you let your bunny play with a Teddy Roosevelt action figure in an army jeep? I sure did. That's right, you heard me.

Arlo was a little skeptical at first...

...But he and Teddy got along in the end

Yours festively,
Carolyn

TURKEYDAY

Guys, this happened to me as a wee baby child.

Annnddd Happy Birthday to MEEEEE!!!

Hope you all have a blessed day with your friends and family. Eat lots of turkey! Because, let me tell you, those demon-creatures are foul (haha...foul....fowl) and sly. I speak from childhood experience. So, party hardy!

Love always,
Carolyn Michelle