a hanukkah fiesta

Today was the first night of Hanukkah. Days ago, Ethan had requested burritos and I sort of went with some sort of Hanukkah Fiesta theme. Hanukkah was a little all over the place this year, what with being away from home and my husband having to return home to work and miss our festivities, so I wanted it to be special. Which is hard when you're vacationing in a place where Hanukkah isn't as widely celebrated as it is back home (to say the least). But there were homemade tortilla chips and beans and rice and my perfected burrito rolling technique (thank you YouTube) and Ethan made sombreros and my aunt and cousin were able to come spread some Hanukkah cheer. A couple of years ago I threw a bridal shower for one of my close friends at my family's lake house and I reused the antique teacups and decorations for our Hanukkah Fiesta -- because they were there. And cute, although a little irrelevant. It was a little quirky, and we missed my husband's presence, but Ethan's Hanukkah Fiesta otherwise went off without a hitch and I think he had fun -- especially with his new Automoblox that Grandma and Grandpa got him for Hanukkah.

This is me. With mangled hair. And eyebags, because I haven't slept for more than four hours in days. And serving as a prime example of why I'm so excited about my Hanukkah gift. Hello, flat iron, you beautiful thing, you.

Happy Hanukkah, friends!