Wednesday, January 4, 2017

Home for the Holidays

Just before my departure to spend Christmas in Pittsburgh, Denver entered the second "deep freeze" of the season. It was swift and fierce. Anna and I enjoyed watching the spectacle from her apartment during our sister sleepover.











Before the city was able to thaw out, I set off to spend a week in the 'Burgh. I hadn't been back since I left in March, so I was excited to see family, friends, and what had changed.


One of the biggest changes was coming home to a different house! My parents down-sized this year, selling their home in the North Hills of Pittsburgh. They are currently renting a townhouse closer to the city until they decide what's next for them. Despite the new space, it still felt like home.



















I spent much of the week helping my mom cook and bake--everything from stromboli to ravioli to apple pie. Everything homemade, everything from scratch. Needless to say, I remained in a food coma for the duration of my stay.





































When we weren't in the kitchen, my family was goofing around or watching Christmas movies--Griswold-style. It was fun to be reunited again.





















I was also fortunate to spend time with old friends. We had much to catch up on.



The annual Christmas Eve party was held at my cousins' house. This Italian tradition is always a fun night. Each year seems to get bigger, louder, and have even better food.



On Christmas Day, my grandma and aunt came up for lunch.



The second feast of the day was spent with Alex's family--Scottish-style.


The week passed quickly, and already I found myself headed back to the airport. I left feeling grateful to spend time with loved ones. I would miss them dearly, but also felt the beckoning call of CO.