merry christmas

Our Christmas morning's going to be pretty low-key this year, but I love that. We opened our presents on Thursday, because my dad's on-call and Jonathan (our newest family addition!) was here. So this morning we're free to just relax, eat my mama's delicious brunch and spend time with relatives.

These pictures are the product of my Christmas present - an incredible camera that my photography skills do not deserve, but hopefully will someday. And this cake is the handiwork of my mother ;) She's baked a cake every day for the past three days - Tiramisu, Peppermint Cheesecake and now Gingerbread cake. She's amazing!

___

Here's a verse I love and have had time to think about this Christmas in the absence of frantic present-wrapping...

"But to all who did receive Him, who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God, who were born not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as the only Son of the Father, full of grace and truth."

John 1:12-14

Merry Christmas!

let's rewind for just a moment

Okay, I know this post is a bit belated, but better late than never right?

Here's our Morris family Thanksgiving before...

... and after we dug in.

Thanksgiving has always been my favorite holiday, because there's no pressure. I mean there's some pressure to make delicious food and set festive tables, but I kind of like those tasks. Christmas, Valentine's Day and birthdays all come with built up expectations. On Thanksgiving all you have to do is stuff your self, spend time with family and watch football.

Every year my mom lays out brown paper on the tables so that people can write what their thankful for.. or draw it if they feel so inclined. This year I stumbled upon a role of brown paper decorated with silverware. (I found it at Sophie's, the adorable store Jonathan's mom works at in Chattanooga.) I think people were a little confused about whether or not they could write on it, but it added the perfect extra touch to our tables!

P.S. I also have to say for anyone who's never been to my house - my mom is seriously the best cook in the entire world. She made almost the entire meal, and she even whipped up a special creme de menthe chocolate pie for me! Not very conventional, but she knows mint-chocolate is my favorite ;)

happy thanksgiving!

Yesterday was pretty wonderful from start to finish. I woke up, ate breakfast at Rise and Dine with my friend Olivia, watched Emma with Kate, stumbled upon an adorable restaurant called Sun In My Belly (above), wandered Piedmont Park with my dad and sister and finished the day with a "whole family dinner" as we like to call them. Those are pretty rare nowadays, so we savored it.

Today I'm thankful for....

my mama's incredible cooking

watching the Macy's parade and sipping coffee with my sister

chilly fall days

peppermint tea

huge family gatherings

brothers

Jonathan

Brit (who's birthday is today!)

my dad who shares his secret stash of dark chocolate with me

my roomies/athens family, and that includes SB ;)

mini pumpkin muffins

a fire in the fire place

my cozy home

sleeping past 7

my little cat Stroodle