FHE roasting by an open fire...

I have been very bitter that we aren't going home for Christmas.  Whenever the song, "I'll be home for Christmas comes on" I have changed it instantly because it mocks my Christmas pain. Anyway, the other day that song came on Pandora and I realized something very simple. I am home. Yes, I am not able to come home for the Christmas program where Tay makes his pecs flex to "jingle bells" and Mike busts out his traditional "Little Drummer Boy" and we eat clam chowder and all sleep over in the same room on Christmas eve like the last 28 years of my life; but that doesn't mean that I can't be home here too.  Home is with Garrett.  Home is holding Liv.  Home is where you feel safe and happy and yourself.  SO, after that holiday epiphany, I decided we need some of our very own new traditions.  I saw chestnuts on sale and I thought, "Hmm. That's the quintessential Christmas song right there in a bag for $1.99".  Since I was on activity for FHE I thought they would be perfect to bring the christmas cheer and maybe even start a new tradition....

So after a homemaker's delight dinner, we pulled the slobbered drool soaked chestnuts away from Liv and "scored" them as the directions indicated...

 

 After this festive activity, I put on a lit a candle as a substitution for a fire and found the classic song sung by none other than our friend Justin Beiber.  Anticipation and expectation was sky high, we're talking Santas sleigh in the sky kind of high...

Unfortunately, our chestnuts hopes and dreams came plummeting down to a level lower than the coal mines where we live. We decided that this tradition was a one year thing.  You can see why when we pulled out the oven roasted chestnuts below:

They tasted worse than they looked. Hairy black brains. Vile. We decided to watch fear factor and eat rocky road ice cream instead.

 

Liv didn't know about the black hairy chestnut brain disaster.  She's always our activity anyway.  I love family night. Even when it ends in crossing off potential traditions from our list....