I'm Dreaming of a Brown Chrismoose.

What a muddy Chrismoose we had this year.

On Chrismoose Eve we ate lunch at Sarah's Empanadas and then took a loooong hike on one of our favorite trails.

This hike was longer than normal because the torrential rain from the night before had left the river way above normal height and most of the trail was washed out.

This trail has a spot at the end where the river meanders and has huge boulders. It's a local swimming hole. This section was completely transformed due to flooding and was awe inspiring to look at. The water was so powerful that we saw a whole tree with the root ball still attached glide by.

After our hike we made a quick stop at some stores for supplies and bought the Bear  a new bed.

Doesn't she look angelic?

Instead of making dinner at home we opted to go out for Indian food and it was a great decision. We were totally stuffed and sleepy when we got home....but we managed to wrap presents and watch a Christmas movie because we are committed to the cause.

On Chrismoose Day it was p-o-u-r-i-n-g buckets. Our yard was flooded and the streams in the area were overflowing.  G made apple cider waffles for breakfast and then we opened presents. Some highlights of the Stocking Stuffer Challenge:

The hint was, "Yum, yum, yummy." G hates mayo so of course we got him the grossest mayo in the world.

One challenge was to get the weirdest but best tasting potato chip flavor. I bought creamy dill, Old Bay and CORN. CORN FLAVORED POTATO CHIPS?! Cause they don't make corn chips? Weird.

All of my challenges this year rhymed. I wrote, "Inky, blinky, stinky, rinky dink and thinky."

After presents we got coffee, paid for a stranger's coffee and then went home to start prepping for fish stew.

Which was a challenge on accounta the pouring rain.

But this is not our first tarp tent rodeo.

As a "light" lunch B made some sushi. Holy cow was that good. 

And I made a smores pie for after dinner. This pie was SO DANG good. You need to make it. Kroger has marshmallow fluff for ten cents right now. G ate two pieces.

It was cozy under the tent. Well, at least until the severe thunderstorm rolled in.

Time for the eggs!

G's girlfriend, G came over to celebrate with us this year.

And our friends the Frega's came over and helped us eat and then we played Scruples and Exploding Kittens!

  
I felt a little like an exploding kitten after all that yummy food and I didn't even eat a grilled cheese.

Today we ate salads for lunch and now we're starting to cook for the Feast of Seven Fishes at my parent's house tonight.