Off we went with sister, Emily and friend Brandon to the Roloff Farm in Oregon for our annual trip to the Pumpkin Patch.
For our first Thanksgiving we had the Rich Jacobson family and the Duchemin family over for dinner. It was so special to cook for everyone and then sit around a table and china cabinet that we inherited from Ben’s grandparents. Alex even tried a turkey recipe that no body had had before and it was a big hit!
The Jacobson family.
The Ben Jacobson family – with Ipa-Mae and Marley-Moe.
Here are 3 generations of Alexander/Duchemin women.
Here we are in The Cider House, warming up and having a cup of cider. It started to snow while we were there.
Here is the tree all decorated. We used ornaments from Alex’s childhood and then some we had received together in the past two years. Our favorites were an ornament we inherited from Ben’s Aunt Julie, a red and green beaded bulb, and the pearl J’s that were used on our centerpiecs at our wedding.
On Christmas Eve we attended the Duchemin family party and chruch was cancelled due to bad weather. Later that evening we had sisters Tonie and Emily and friend Brent Giestbricht over for gifts and games. We had so much fun exchanging gifts. We even got Brent a Beta Fish! Alex received a beautiful engraved “married” Bible with my new married name on it from Ben. Such a treasure.
Then later we headed to the Duchemin house for Christmas morning. After exchanging gifts and stockings we had a rousing “recycled” gift exchange. Alex went home with 3 used (and unbeknownst to her, winning) lottery tickets. Ben got a grass pot, a decorative item for the bathroom.
After the gift exchange and breakfast we adorned ourselves with humorous costumes and played a rousing game of Texas Hold Em. Even Alex’s 85 year old grandmother got involved! What a holiday season this was.