Thanksgiving, Black Friday, and the Beginning of the Season

Happy Black Friday, readers.

Hooray for. . . Romulus.

I'm going to do a quick two-day recap of how the Houghs celebrated their Thanksgiving and Black Friday (or, perhaps more appropriately, 'Kick Off.')  We tend to get more excited about the latter instead of the former around these parts:  I've never really been a huge fan of Thanksgiving (see: Hough Family Curse), and Kris isn't really, either.  Still, we make a drive down to scenic, bumblef*** Romulus in order to visit with her extended family for the day (a twelve-hour day trip, thereabouts.)

We make so little of this endeavor that we rarely pack an SLR, if that says anything.

The following day, Black Friday, is the day we throw up both Christmas trees.  This is a far bigger deal for the Houghs than Turkey Day, and as you can see below this is reflected in our picture-taking.

I'm going to just jump into things, since most of you folks are well-versed in our family's traditions and what-not already.

Let's do this. . .

Once again, Kris refused to stop off at the Landing Strip so I could get a Lap Dance and a Salisbury steak.  Lame.

Nobody took many pictures at all during this visit at Kris' uncle Wayne's house.  The girls brought down a deck of cards so they could play Spoons, which had the distinction of being one of the few moments captured.

A super-pixelated group picture of Kris' extended family.  A relatively low turnout compared to previous years, but there were a few additional people over at Kris' aunt Margie's house (next door) - why they didn't wait for everyone to come over for the picture, I don't know.

Some enormous dogs 'round these parts.

The girls always enjoy hanging out with their cousin Lily.  Shortly after this, we packed up our stuff and drove over to Kris' uncle Jeff's (from her dad's side of the family), and visited with them until about 9pm before heading back north.

The next morning, Abby insisted on taking pictures with my phone while I made up some breakfast.

I'm a snappy dresser.

After breakfast, the girls began pestering me about putting up 'their' Christmas Tree in the basement.

This tree is where all other Holiday ornaments go that don't otherwise make the cut for the main Christmas Tree upstairs. 

This includes all kid-made ornaments, bulk bulb ornaments (from Target, Walmart, etc.), or old vintage ones from me and Kris' own childhoods.

(I don't think the girls have caught on to this yet, though.)

A rare display of teamwork.

Mission accomplished.

I painted those Sesame Street ones as a kid.  Shit still looks good.

Abby, swept up in the sudden spirit of the Season, wrote her sister a Christmas Card and then wrapped up a few cheap odds and ends from her bedroom (a small stuffed animal, a little journal, a set of unopened paints, etc.) and gave it to her as a 'present.'

. . . of course, I then overheard her tell her sister, "Part of the spirit of Christmas is giving gifts back to the people that gave you a gift."  At this point I had to step in and tell Abby she couldn't force her sister to give her presents.

After lunch, it was time for some music practice.  Alayna recently signed up for Orchestra through her school, and selected the violin as her weapon of choice.  She's picked it up a lot faster since having taken piano lessons the last couple years.

Abby was expecting new leotards for gymnastics in the mail today, which Kris purchased through Amazon, and was so excited to get them that she waited by the window for about a half an hour.  I know the feeling - I get worked up over my Amazon purchases as well.

After the kids went to bed tonight, it was time for Kris and I to decorate the Christmas Tree.  This is always the first moment in the Holiday Season, for me, that warrants a Merry Irishman - my all-time favorite Holiday cocktail (a bit on the strong side, so I save it for special occasions.)

A tried and true Hough Family Christmas Tradition.

A work in progress.

If you don't love this movie, I don't think I can be cool with you.

We need to seriously start buying stock in Hallmark. . .

Watson has his own designated spot on the couch, which we cover with a blanket so he doesn't dog-stink it all to hell.

I frickin' love The Muppets.  Despite our many, many Hallmark ornaments, I only obsessively collect two series in their catalog:  Indiana Jones (which they stopped making, but I own all of them), and the Muppets (ongoing, and I'm only missing 2008 and 2010.)

The 2018 Hough Family Christmas Tree.  I took three pictures of it, as our tree is constantly fading in and out between all-white and multi-colored.

- Brian