Holiday Hullabaloo

It is full blown Christmas at the Carmens!

The boys have been busy with holiday crafts, decorating and drawing. Because the colder weather draws us indoors and off our scooters and bikes (though we still go on walks these days in the bike trailer all bundled up) 

Our house these days looks more like this:

We’ve had so much fun doing all the typical holiday crafts and baking with the boys! We went to Queensgate Gardens where they got to meet Santa and make their own ornament. We also made a Costco ginger bread house (you guys this thing is $9 and prebuilt!), snow globes, sugar cookies, decorated foam gingerbread men... the holidays are the best to fill your time up with kid activities. 

 

                                           

Finally, and for the first time ever I have a dedicated crafting space. We are still in our apartment saving and waiting for the perfect house to pop up, and paying down medical bills. In the meantime, having this space has been so amazing. Austin found me a drafting table on Facebook Marketplace (which has become my best friend this past year.) I pulled up my 3-cube shelf and baskets for supplies, and the rest is history. On my wall in front of my desk is all my locker pictures and workplace memories. I have been going to town with watercolors, aprons, quilting, you name it --most recently I made advent calendars. We always used to do a yarn and plastic wrap one, but I thought it would be fun to give our count-down-candies a permanent home. 

Since 2020 will be our second Christmas in Washington, we are trying to develop traditions locally. Last year we had so much fun driving to see all the decorations, and we found a really good Churreria which is SO good when it’s cold outside. We even discovered more of the Tri Cities as we drove such as the light house area by the cable bridge.  I don't think we've even driven on the cable bridge before now! 

                                           

Austin mentioned he wished he could eat really traditional Asian food everyday, and I realized I was now home all the time and had the time at home to make the food. I am always running around in circles with the boys, but we are home and I can have a stock pot boiling for 6-8 hours with pork neck bones, chicken bones, beef bones... whatever. It's completely "easy" in that you do a lot of this stuff in stages, and you just have to be near. It has opened an entire world to me after this realization that I could be doing this while at home and caring for the boys. I now have my favorite markets (most recently visited one in Kennewick with my good friend!!) and have access to everything I want to make. I have been following .:THIS:. webpage for all the best traditional recipes. I'm almost cooking my way through like Julie & Julia. 

^This soup's broth was made from scratch by boiling pork neck bones and chicken bones, then handmade noodles were tossed in with the rest! 

^Rice cakes ("mochi"-Japanese or "teok"-Korean) are super popular around New Years! Even though it's not super close just yet, I can't resist a sticky rice cake melted in my soup when it's cold outside! 

^Handmade dumplings (potstickers which typically refer to the Chinese version, "mandu"--Korean "gyoza"--Japanese) These were Umami Chinese Dumplings made with chicken and Shiitake! 

^ This one I didn't make, it was freshmade at the Columbia Market Asian store in Pasco. I buy these suckers up and they are the best quick lunch! (Bao with Vietnamese meatball and egg.)

 

So excited to have all the ingredients I need, even if it's just fresh vegetables! It's been a long time since I've been able to find Enoki mushrooms! 

We, and Austin would say myself only... got suckered into the fun that is Elf on Shelf. I dunno about the rest of the world but I have fun with it haha! Our Elf (R named him Captain) doesn't always do everything fancy, but here are a few snaps of him and his adventures! 

^Captain brought the kids pop (oh my! Sugar free...) and cereal (DEF not sugar free hahahaha) with his face plastered on the front! 

^Captain getting into a sticky situation with the gummy sharks...

^Super classy. 

^Crocheted himself a sweater :) 

^Got into the wrapping gear...

^Captain having a late-night binger with Mom and Dad's diets and popcorn!

^Spy antics with candycanes! 

^Joining the boys at breakfast with his bowl full of sprinkles --an Elf's favorite! 

^Captain bringing letters to our mailbox all the way from the North Pole from Santa! 

It has been such a crazy holiday season, and so much fun. It's so different from any we've had because of the boys and myself being at home. It's truly magical! But also insane, too haha! Now, to celebrate Christmas and have fun with Austin who is taking a whole week off for the holidays!!

Xoxo, 

from Washington!