We were up at 5:00 a.m. this morning to make pies for the extended family dinner today. I am the only member of the family who makes pie and everyone wants pie. How did this happen?
The pies for 2009 are apple (with the pie bird in it), turtle chiffon (front and center), lemon meringue, and pumpkin. Picture #2 shows the remains of the evening. I guess no one wanted apple.

I wish that I could show you delightful ice luminaria but the weather has been against us. In the previous 60-72 hours we received the typical amount of snow that falls in the entire month of December. We have all been shoveling and shoveling and shoveling more. We are extremely tired. Wednesday night the temperature did not drop low enough to freeze the luminaria. I wondered if the ones that we had already made would even be suitable to use last night; they are not the best ones ever but did look nice at night with their candles. Today the temperature was above freezing and we had a light, drizzling rain on and off all day. Either tonight or tomorrow, the temperature is supposed to drop significantly. All of the slush will freeze into hard mounds. Driving will be very bumpy and rough for a while.

I hope that your day has been a beautiful one and that you have a collection of memories that will warm your heart when you recall them in the future.