homey.

That just about sums up our holiday celebration in a word. We spent three days at my mom's house and did the exact same things countless families around the country were doing - feasting, watching tv, talking, playing dominoes, entertaining kiddos, reading sale papers, telling stories. Americana in a weekend, yesiree.

When mom was planning the meal I volunteered to make my favorite Cranberry Apple Relish. Then I volunteered Brent to make the delicious pecan pie that he prepares every year. Or so I said. Upon relaying this to Brent he informed me that he's never made a pecan pie in his life. Really? Huh. Must be my other husband. I could have sworn we had a long-standing tradition of Brent making pecan pie but apparently I was wrong. So instead he made his first annual pecan pie...and had all of us cracking fresh pecans from his Aunt Alice' tree. Slave-driver.



I guess that's what I get for volunteering him. It's a good thing he's cute or I wouldn't have been so willing to oblige...



My grandpa was willing to chip in too. As long as he could enjoy the fruits of his labor every now and then...



Love that man. We don't see him often enough which is why we loved on him as much as we could...



Then we glued ourselves to the Macy's Parade...



and the sale papers...

And called it a successful celebration.