It was a double duty merry Christmas and happy birthday to Joe in Chicago with his family. Yes, my husband has to share his birthday cake with Jesus every year. We spent a quiet Christmas with just the immediate family on Joe’s side at his parents’ house on a snowy wintry day. Thanksgiving was spent with my family. We try to take turns. My mother-in-law, sister-in-law, and I hustled around the kitchen to put dinner on the table.
And of course we set the table with our Christmas decorations in place:
I also decided to whip up a birthday cake, as a surprise dessert. Good thing I carried around my piping tips in my luggage! Why don’t you? Since Joe loves strawberries, I made sure that the filling had a whole bunch.
His dad asked why I only stuck one candle in the cake. Confession: I just didn’t want to ruin my hard work and the look of the cake with all these hole marks from the candles. I cared more about my vanity than my husband. I know, I know, for shame! But luckily, the birthday boy didn’t mind.
We all sat around with cake and tea and talked about life. It was definitely a casual, but comforting Christmas and I’m truly thankful for our family.
