The Ultimate Puzzle Box

Every year, my sisters and I anxiously awaited opening our special puzzle boxes.  Granddad would spend months designing and creating them, revealing his masterpieces to us on Christmas morning.  Throughout the year, he bounced ideas off of Grandmom, his greatest cheerleader and tester.  Carefully, he handmade and assembled each box.  Elm, oak, and cedar, selected from trees on their property, composed each box.  Magnetic apparatuses and trick openings fooled even us seasoned puzzle solvers.

Granddad always seemed to one-up himself year after year.  On December 25th, my sisters and I would compete to see which one of us could get to the hidden enclosed money prize the fastest... winning bragging rights for the rest of the year.  After we started dating, Tony also joined in on the game.  Granddad would get such a kick out of our excitement and struggles with his unique inventions.

Granddad passed away earlier this year.  It saddens me to know there will not be anymore puzzle boxes to add to my collection... that this chapter in my life has come to an end.  The holidays will be a bit less cheery.  This will be the first year he won't be at the Christmas table.  I will miss our competitions, and marveling at Granddad's newest designs.

Last month, Tony and I received a special gift from my grandparents' estate: a set of unique lounge chairs.  They were quite possibly Granddad's favorite possessions.  My mom recounts that Granddad saved up to buy 4 of these Eames Lounge Chairs in the 1950's.  For many years, they were the only furniture filling my grandparents' living room.  Fitting to Granddad, their design was one-of-a-kind: the perfect marriage of comfort and ingenuity. As a kid, I appreciated their unparalleled smooth turning capability as I spun around in them for hours.  And as an adult, I cherish them as a reminder of my special grandparents.

It was quite a process, moving these 80-pound chairs from NY to TX.  Each had to be disassembled, packed into large boxes, shipped across country (thanks, Mom and Dad!!), and later reassembled. Tony and I spent a weekend putting them together.  As we aligned shock mounts, heavy glides, and back stand-offs to wooden and metal frames, we discussed memories of my grandparents.  Tony and I recalled many college weekends, traveling to Binghamton to share good food and conversation with Grandmom and Granddad in these chairs.  We remembered Christmases.

After many hours, with the rust-red leather cleaned and the aged wood oiled, we finally sat down in our comfy new additions.

And, Tony remarked: It would only be fitting that your Granddad's final gift to us would be the ultimate puzzle box.

Couple's Christmas

One of the difficult aspects about working in the medical field: people still get sick on the holidays.  2012 certainly has been a reminder of that.  My family has been experiencing this first hand, as my Granddad has been in and out of the hospital over the last month.  And, Tony and I knew when we graduated medical school in May that holiday time off no longer would be a guarantee.

This year, I was blessed with a glorious 4-day weekend over Christmas.  But, my other half was not so lucky... he drew the short straw and ended up having to work in the Cardiac ICU this December.  It is quite clear that heart attacks take no heed in holiday time off, as Tony ended up having to work both the Christmas Eve and Christmas shifts.

This meant no trip to NY for Christmas... we would not be enjoying "Drama Derry Doo" (aka potent champagne punch) at my family's house... 

...nor tasty home-cooked meals with Tony's family.  

We honestly were feeling a bit bummed heading into the Christmas season.  Given it is the holiday dedicated to celebrating Jesus' birth, friends and family play a pretty central role in the celebrations... after all, it wasn't just Mary and Joseph hanging out at the manger with Jesus.  Nevertheless, Tony and I were determined to make the most of this special holiday.  

In the weeks leading up to the big day, Tony and I enjoyed playing Santa by creating gift boxes to send home to family.  We had fun finding neat presents to send home.  We filled pretty boxes with Texas-style treats and festive decorations for family to enjoy.  

In the days leading up to Christmas, we planned our first (and likely last for a while) Couple's Christmas!  Given my time off, I took the head role in planning our special time together.  Butters happily kept me company during the preparations, prancing around the house in his little Santa hat.

For our Christmas Eve and Day, we enjoyed special meals filled with our favorite holiday foods... 

...prime rib, honey baked ham, homemade mashed potatoes, peppermint bark, and Christmas cookies. 

I tried some new recipes too, preparing homemade apple sauce, baked brie, and lemon vinaigrette salad topped with candied almonds and goat cheese.  

Butters (as usual) looked on longingly at the spread... and was pleased as punch to have a taste of prime rib with his dinner.  

Together, we listened to Christmas music and opened presents.  We teared up with the special reminders from home as we opened special gifts from family... especially those designed with Baby Bean in mind.  Tony and I felt like we were dating again, as we shared surprise gifts with one another.  Tony put one of my gifts in a decoy box... he certainly got me... I found my present tucked inside a Dr. Pepper fridge-pack box.

I finished up Christmas night with a special surprise for Tony.  This year, we joined many others in enjoying the Elf on the Shelf tradition.  We were a little late to the game, finding out about this cute idea just a week before Christmas.  For Tony's final gift, I created a scavenger hunt.  

Tony had to find numbered pieces of paper, 1-25, hidden in different places throughout the house... 

...using hints provided through photos of our elf, Marty.  

I was pretty proud of myself... it took Tony more than a half-an-hour to finish the game!

Overall, it turned out to be a pretty special Christmas.  It was difficult spending our first year away from home and family.  But, throughout our celebrations we were reminded over and over of our greatest blessing... each other.

Christmas Future

Since Tony and I have been together, every year has felt pretty darn great.  We have been so blessed to have one another, and that feeling has filled us with happiness year after year.  At this time last December, life felt pretty complete as we set up our Christmas tree, baked cookies, and wrapped presents together.

Then, this little fur ball arrived in mid-December.

And, suddenly Tony and I could no longer imagine how life had ever felt complete without him.  With his comical expressions, food-begging antics, expert cuddling skills, and laughable (at best) attempts at fetching, he has brought Tony and I so much happiness over the past year.

God willing, next year this photo will contain 2 little rascals.  Our hearts are already growing with the love for our little baby on the way.  I look hopefully towards future Christmases, filled with the distinct new personality to join us in the coming year.  I fully expect lots of dirty diapers, late-night wake-up calls, and scattered toys on the living room floor.  But, I know that this new addition will leave us again wondering... how had life ever felt full before?

Christmas Present (2012)

This past weekend, Tony and I had a golden day off together.  We enjoyed our special time traveling around San Antonio, taking advantage of the many Black Friday Weekend deals.  In the process, we found some additions for our growing Christmas collection.  Bringing home our new finds, we gained some motivation to put our house back together from Thanksgiving and decorate for the holiday season.  

Tony and I continued our yearly traditions... dancing to Christmas music, burning our balsam scented candle (to give our artificial tree that "real" feel without all of the pine needles), and drinking hot chocolate... all the while finding the perfect places for our decorations.  

It was fun blending a little bit of the old...

... with the new.  

And, we were pretty satisfied with the final effect.

We ended the day with one of our favorite parts of decorating... hiding the pickle!  As a kid, Santa would hide the pickle for my sisters and I to find.  The first to discover the pickle would win the coveted opportunity to open an extra Christmas present!  The gift would be shared among the sisters, but finding the pickle was kind of a BIG DEAL to us as kids.  Tony and I have made our own adaptation to this over the years, as we will hide the pickle for each other to find over and over again throughout the Christmas season.

Tony kicked off the tradition with this...

I think he will have to step up his game.  I may be pregnant, but my vision hasn't deteriorated THAT much.

Overall, I would have to say that 2012 is our best decorating year yet!  

We have come a long way from the single miniature tree we had in our first apartment.  And, it is just in time for our first child... whom will surely destroy our comfort level with anything fragile, but will bring us new joys for the holiday season.

Christmas Past

In the first few years of our relationship, Tony and I experienced Christmas decorations vicariously through our families.  Since we were in college at the time (and predominantly stuck in cramped dorm rooms), we really didn't do too much of our own holiday preparations.  We would look forward to the trip home from Ithaca to Albion, NY, where we would enjoy brightly-lit trees at our parents' homes and time off from school.

It wasn't until we moved into our first home in Buffalo that we set up our own full-sized tree.

We didn't need to buy many ornaments, as both of us already had collected quite a few over the years.

Some were gifts from family friends and relatives.  Others were homemade (including our ELEMENTARY SCHOOL creations).  Tony in particular brought several ornaments that reminded me of childhood... including a matching Ninja Turtle stocking and ball ornament

And, it was a time in our relationship when we realized a very important lesson.  When you marry someone, you have to accept all of them...

...even their creepy ornaments.

Most of my ornaments are beautiful.  One of my family friends, Mrs. Baker (aka Grandma Sue), gave my sisters and I each an ornament at Christmas time every year of our childhood.  It brings back wonderful memories of opening my special ornament during my parents' annual Christmas party.  And, I love seeing them year after year.

But, there are a select few in the bunch that some people (ie: Tony) would be happier without.

More specifically, they include...

... see-through Santa (not to be confused with Naked Santa)...

... Huge Cat Face...

...and Mutant Christmas Tree.

As we finish up our Christmas decorating for 2012, we look forward to seeing our old favorites (even the creepers) and adding a few new ornaments to the collection.  And, we have compromised on the less appealing ornaments... they will help fill in the back.

Thanksgiving 2012

Before 2012, I had never missed a Thanksgiving with my family.  I would look forward to the holiday season for weeks, heralded by Turkey Day.  Mom and Dad would be up bright and early in the kitchen, prepping the turkey and tasty side dishes.  The morning would progress with all of us gathered around the TV watching the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, sharing appetizers and enjoying one another's company.  I looked forward to the Dog Show in the afternoon (and anxiously awaited the appearance of the year's winning Cavalier King Charles Spaniel).  When Tony and I began dating, we enjoyed discovering one another's family traditions.  I joined in on the Thanksgiving football games and that fantastic green bean casseroles at the Murek's household.  I had a chance to savor Tony's dad's fantastic pies.  The food was always delicious and the house warm in NY's cold November weather.  But, the greatest part was being surrounded by loved ones, knowing that we had each other regardless of the year's challenges or tribulations.

When Tony and I moved to Texas, the saddest part was knowing this year would be different.  I can see why the holidays can sometimes be a time of sadness for people.  Losing loved ones, busy work schedules, failing health, military deployments... times of challenge and change only become more pronounced when the holidays arrive.  Tony and I felt some heaviness of heart as the holiday season approached.

However, I have realized that many others around us are sharing in that same adjustment.  Working in a hospital, many of us are faced with the prospect of working holiday shifts.  Most of our fellow service members also are many miles from home, missing family as well.  There is a comfort in knowing we are not alone.  Over the last several months, I have discovered so much to be thankful for; particularly, the blessing of newly found friends.

2012 marked Tony and my first opportunity to put on our own holiday celebrations.  Thankfully, Tony and I both had the day off... as did many of our friends!  This Thanksgiving represented the union of old traditions and the formation of new ones.  We had a blast co-hosting with our dear friends, Mamie and Jon.  We all put put on a fun get-together for our San Antonio friends, fusing bits and pieces of our individual Thanksgiving experiences from years past.

Thanksgiving Day started with a full breakfast, just the four of us, to gain some strength for the long day of cooking ahead!  Mamie and Jon cooked their fabulous blueberry pancakes, with sides of sausages and eggs.

Mimosas (and sparkling orange juice for me) were a special treat.  As always, the day started with plenty of laughter... mostly secondary to "food faces" (of course, instigated by my husband).

Butters also put on his best food (begging) face, perching from his favorite spot on the love seat.  The Macy's Day Parade played on the TV in the background, making me feel a little closer to home.

For the main event, we decided on 2 turkeys... my family's traditional baked turkey recipe and Jon's cajun fried turkey.  Tony and I worked together on the oven-roasted bird.  We even had a chance to "cook together" with my parents through Face Time, as we in TX and they in NY both prepared the traditional Lyman stuffing and turkey.  The distance didn't feel quite so far, as we all chopped celery, sautéed sausage, cut up the bread, and added spices to our turkeys.

Meanwhile, Mamie and Jon tackled the fried turkey.

I had never had fried turkey before (probably, because it is too chilly in the north to tolerate anything outdoors for long in November), and enjoyed watching the set-up process for the frier.

We ladies carefully looked after the roasting bird.  Mamie and I were sure to frequently baste to give our turkey that perfect golden tan!

Tony and Jon took on the daunting task of peeling the mountain of potatoes.

The Dog Show came on midway through.  The guys (ehhhem...Tony) seemed a little too excited about the start of the show.  Butters, on the other hand, was more interested in finding scraps on the table from breakfast than cheering on his fellow Cavalier on TV.

By noon, other friends started to arrive.  I met Sean and Sarah, motorcycle friends of Jon and Mamie's, for the first time.  We had a chance to see our friend, Michelle, whom is certainly Mamie's Surgery Residency partner in crime.  Dorian and Jess joined in as well, a couple that Tony and I have enjoyed numerous double dates with since moving.  Everyone brought drinks and dishes to pass, and we all had a chance to socialize while dinner simmered.

We prepared a selection of tasty appetizers to hold us all over until dinner.  Mamie made the fried pickles, and Jon put out his crab dip.

Butters made his rounds too... he offered guests numerous kisses in exchange for (all of) their appetizers.  I did find a sizable amount of dip on those little legs by the end of the night

In the meantime, Tony and I teamed up to make the special cranberry garnish.

It is a recipe that my mom introduced the year that Tony and I started dating... it now is a permanent staple to the Lyman family Thanksgiving menu, as Tony has been such a big fan of it since!  Together, we chopped up the celery, cranberries, and oranges.  I added the messy (but necessary) pomegranates.  I think Baby Bean wanted to help.  I could feel him kicking as Daddy and I worked.

I'd say we made a pretty great team!

As dinner drew closer, the guys handled the very manly task of frying the turkey.

It was seasoned to perfection...

...and pretty neat to watch the whole process.

Jon and Mamie really did an awesome job of prepping that turkey for the big dip!

Mamie and I returned to the kitchen to finish the final dishes: garlic mashed potatoes and green bean casserole (one of my favorite recipes from the Murek household).

And, by the time we were done, the turkeys were ready to be carved.

From our large shopping trip earlier in the week, Tony and I had collected a few too many cranberries.  Tony had thought 3 bags of cranberries meant PRODUCE BAGS full... not the small pre-packaged ones I had in mind.  I attempted to creatively use the (many, many) extra cranberries to decorate the oven-roasted turkey.  It made for a great picture...

...but did happen to make quite a mess when we went to serve the turkeys.

Of course, there was my little "helper," ready to eat up the stray cranberries... a big NO NO for little doggies

Thankfully, Jon was also there... and much faster than Butters.

With all of the food finally lined up, the buffet style method worked out really well...

... and, luckily, Tony and I had the foresight to set the table up the night before

The attempt at getting a decent photo was pretty much a fail... multiple times.

But, it really didn't matter.  As we sat down to our meal, I felt so thankful to be surrounded by such a great group of friends with laughter and good food to fill our bodies.

Although we all (not just Baby Bean) felt pretty much ready to pop by the end of the night, we had to make room for the desserts!  Sarah made a great selection of pies, all with pretty decorations to include dough leaves and braids.  Dorian and Jess added the great key lime pie.  Tony and I had made some apple and pumpkin pies as well, with Tony's dad in mind (AKA, the master pie baker).  It was hard to choose from such a great spread!

Overall, Tony and my first Thanksgiving away from home turned out to be a great success.  We missed our families so much, but had reminders of them throughout the day as we shared family traditions with others.  Being surrounded by great friends made the day special, and gives Tony and I so much to be thankful for.