5 thing Friday - gifts, gnomes, firepit, oatmeal, grief

 This photo of the kids' gifts looks very much similar to last year's pile, and yet, I feel like its still "not enough" and what a sad feeling.  They don't ask for a lot.  They don't ask for anything, really, unless prompted.  I know Christmas should mean more than stuff.  I wish I could think of a way to make it so for them in a meaningful way.  

Because I sure don't want my gifts to my kids to be just for the sake of "stuff".  I stayed within my budget and have a couple of gifts for the group that I am very jazzed about.  I am going to make them some good food.  I want to tell each of them a very heartfelt Merry Christmas and hope they can make their way, successfully, through this next year.

On the way home from work last week I stopped into Hob Lob and found a few things to make me smile.  I haven't made any fun crafts this year or gone crazy with decor.  But these two guys came to live in my kitchen.

I still haven't gotten the hang of splitting logs for my firepit.  But Bubbie had us a nice one going the day after turkey.  He and The Girl, along with Teddy, sat out with me and enjoyed some gingerbread latte drinks.  Perfect weather, perfectly sized fire.

I made a pan of baked oatmeal.

Regular oatmeal was getting boring.  Admittedly, I will need to switch to quick cook oats in order for it to hold together better, but the addition of leftover cranberry sauce from Thanksgiving took it up a notch.  I portioned it out for easy breakfasts on working mornings.

Food for thought.

They say the second Christmas is harder than the first.  On the first, your brain protects you by tricking you into thinking its not forever; its like they're gone on a business trip or something.  But it is.  Every Christmas from now on will be short a person, no matter how many new family members we add.

Gina