Jingle Bell Running...

Caitlin, Emily, Carol

Once again, Caitlin, with her Dickson Medical Clinic family, ran the Jingle Bell Run in Bellingham. It’s become a Christmastime tradition that I think I would miss if she decided not to run…

…But not enough to run it myself. Thankfully there is a walking option available.

Anyway, we picked up Olive so that she could join in on the fun. She was so excited and relieved to see Girl!

"Girl! Girl! I haven't seed you for ONE hour, Ithoughtyouweregoneforever!"

And the Jingle Bell Run is virtually a Dog Parade anyway…So many happy dogs, big and small, walking along…

 

And a couple of mini horses…

I’ve never seen suspenders used this way…

 

There was even a goat, but I missed getting a picture of that…And I missed getting a picture of the DMC trio running at the start. I was told they are somewhere in this…

 

They all finished well – and got interviewed about their trend-setting costumes.

 

Girl does make a pretty cute Leg Lamp! 

And then it was off to the Hilltop Restaurant, and a scrumptious late breakfast…No wonder I love this Christmas Tradition! First, a cold morning (with no rain this year!!!) outside cradling a cup of hot coffee, and festivity all around; then more deliciousness with a hot breakfast.

And I don’t have to wear a costume!

Later that afternoon, we headed to Stoney Ridge to get our tree. Jess came along for the event…He hasn’t been along for a few years now.

Of course, we headed over to the stands of cut trees – which did not have very many leaning on them anymore. I said to The Farmer, “Hmmm…We may have to go out and cut one. There aren’t many left.” He replied, “What do you mean? What is wrong with this one?” and grasped its top and pulled it from the stand. Jess helped him turn it to look for a shy side, and there wasn’t much of one…I said, “You’re right…This one looks good to me!”

Within 3 minutes of arriving at Stoney Ridge, we were in line to get the tree shaken…And Jess said: “I came along for this?!”

That’s how empty-nesters roll, kid.

Of course, then we had to go see Moses, the camel, and visit with multiple people, so we still didn’t get home for a long and cheerful hour.

Finally on Sunday, we put it up and decorated it…And Caitlin gave me a wonderful Christmas gift.  She put the lights on it for me!! I didn’t even ask her to do it…I received the gift with joyful gratitude – and mother-guilt…allowing my kid to do something I hate to do…Oh my! It’s hard to be a recipient after all those years of mothering.

But I’ll work on it…’Cause I think I’m gonna like it.

Here’s the tree in all its eclectic themed glory. I’ve seen many prettier, but that doesn’t keep me from enjoying my own random collection of ornaments, old-fashioned multi-color lights, and the wonderful scent of fir. I know that cut trees are costly – but I figure that you can’t get any other flower arrangement so large and so pretty for $50 bucks, not to mention it lasts a month…

Excuse me while I go sit in a chair and gaze upon it…