Weekly Update: 12.14.24
But the main thing is, Tootie, that we're all going to be together, just like we've always been. That's what really counts. We could be happy anywhere as long as we're together.
Esther, Meet Me in St. Louis
Judy Garland's classic "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" floated through the room while we worked. Bonnie-Jean and our mom stood at the mixer, whipping up batch after batch of cookie dough. Erin and Grace portioned and shaped the dough, rolling it in sugar as needed. I baked batch after batch, doing my best to acheive a fully cooked yet soft result. It was a rare moment in the soon-to-be-kitchen all together, synergizing while reenacting a family tradition. We baked about 400 cookies of five different kinds that day, all while watching back-to-back Christmas movies. It was a fun break from our routine.
The rest of our week was full, mostly of productivity but also some stolen moments of fun. We spent most of the weekend shopping. On Saturday, we made a run to Springfield, picking up stove pipe and some lumber. We also made our holiday stop at Costco.
The next day, we commemorated the Second Sunday of Advent by making what we call sugar-plum cake. It was my Memaw's favorite, and we never make it without thinking of her.
The rest of the week, Grace and I did odd jobs in the bunk house. We painted the wood stove -- which ended up being a multi-day project because we ran out of paint and had to order more. Grace painted some window trim. I did a bunch of cleaning -- again. Sometimes keeping the bunkhouse clean and somewhat organized feels like more than a full-time job in itself. On Friday afternoon, I finally got back to the hearth and made decent progress for the amount of time I spent on it.
It was a good week -- more balanced than many we have had. We knocked off work early most days, in time to watch a Christmas movie and make headway on some homemade gifts. I feel like we have also spent more time together than we regularly do -- which seems odd since we all live together. Homestead life has a way of pulling us all into different directions most days, and we often find that we have very little quality time with one another. We still dealt with a fair amount of chaos this week, but I think we did better finding time to just be together. Afterall, we all know that being with the people we love is what makes the holidays truly special. As Esther says in the iconic line from Meet Me in St. Louis, "That's what really counts."
