I Like Thursday 12/23

 Thank you to Leeanne of Not Afraid of Color for reminding me to notice things I like. 

I like that first fire of the year.
Actually I love every fire in the fireplace.

 I like the weird mushrooms that appear in fall.
My friend says these are good to eat. 
Ummm... no.

 I like visiting art museums.
These were my 3 favorite paintings
at the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art in Kansas City.

 I like the deer that live in our woods.

I like the tree at the end of our driveway.
It's fabulous in every season.

I like like it even after the leaves fall.

I like my painting workspace.

I like my pretty little flock of backyard hens.

I like this guy.  He likes me too.

LeeAnne's  get-to-know-you writing topic this month:

Tell us a funny story about a Thanksgiving you spent... we all have things happen unexpectedly at holidays  so share a funny moment you have had over the years.   I am completely blank on a funny Thanksgiving story, so I'll tell our funny Thanksgiving weekend tradition.  We always decorated our house and tree for Christmas on Thanksgiving weekend. For many years there would be a moody teenager on the couch being less-than-helpful and less-than-joy-filled.  There came a day once the kids were grown-ish that we realized that neither kid was a moody teenager.  That's when my husband it was tradition, so he'd take that role and lay on the couch while we did the decorating.

Do you send Christmas cards?  Are they unique like a photo from this year, or say, hallmark boxed ones?  When will you aim to send them out?  Oh, I basically never did for years and years. As a teacher, December is such a hectic time, I just never got around to it.  I still forget to get around to it in time, but... for the last couple of years, I've done a Valentine card. That's been kind of a fun thing. At the top of the card, it's said something like "Merry Christmas... Happy New Year... Happy Valentine's Day!"  It was kind of an accident the first time, but I liked the surprise of it. I think I'll do it that way again.

Extra credit: do you do craft projects with your old cards? When I was teaching, I always saved them.  My students would use them their art projects. 

Describe your perfect Christmas party, where, who's there, what food and drinks are served, etc  Only family... Our 6 little ones do plenty of running and laughing and squealing.  Food would be kid friendly. Drinks would be soft drinks or juice (with lids for the kids).

1. Real or fake tree? Fake and pre-lit.
2. Star or angel? Nothing.
3. Tree up before or after Thanksgiving? That weekend.

Unwrapping gifts on Christmas Eve or Christmas morning?  Christmas morning was always our tradition.  But as we now share our kids with their in-law families, we're fine doing it on a different day when we need to.  

Do you prefer Christmas or New Years? Christmas Do you have a usual way to spend NYE and or NYDay? Not a very interesting answer, I suppose. Just being home.

Would you rather kiss in Paris or kiss in a tent in the woods on NYE? How about my house (which is in the woods) instead of a tent.

Would you rather be at a big fancy party where you all scream happy new year at midnight, or at home on your sofa or with a couple friends playing cards etc  100% I'd rather be at home, preferably sound asleep at midnight.