Thursday, December 27, 2007

Christmas. . .

Well, Santa was a big hit this year. He brought everything the boys could possibly want. Of course with my memory trouble we did have a lost present. But, I did find it before we left to visit the relatives. You will never guess where it was. Yep, right under the tree wrapped and tagged. We made our trips to the Grandparents. I think my boys had the best Christmas ever.

This is what I heard as the kids got up to see what Santa had brought; Wow, awesome, that is so cool,

Saturday, December 22, 2007

Random Christmas Hoopla!!

OK, sorry it took so long. Been crazy around here.

12 things ok here we go.

1. Christmas Eve Lovefeast at Church and the party afterwards at Marks' Moms house. Tradition

2. Santa always left our gifts unwrapped too. We unwrapped so much on Christmas Eve when I was little I don't think my Mom could have cleaned up another round of wrapping paper if Santa wrapped his. There was always some little cool something in our stockings. I am the youngest of three.

3. We still get together at Moms' on Christmas Day. Me and my family and my sister and brother and their families.

4. Mom is a wonderful cook so I always look forward to eating at Moms. She always has BBQ. I know you would think I would be tired of it living here. BBQ at Moms' is not like what we have here. It is more a tomato base.

5. Ok this one may be bad. When Jack was little it was so nice to be able to sleep til 9am on Christmas morning because he was in his crib. There was no possibility of him getting up early and catching Santa.

6. The Church I grew up in was Baptist and we had a live Nativity.My family supplied a horse. I was one of the angels.

7. I always love to see the Christmas decorations around town. Mark and I have always gone on little road trips to check out everybodys' decorations. If you are ever down in Lexington around Christmas one of the houses that is behind Hayes Jewelers has the most beautiful decorations. If you roll your windows down they also are playing Christmas music. The entire house is done up with dolls. There are spot lights and lights inside and some of the dolls move.
It really is cool.

8. We have our first Moravian Star this year. I am so excited I have always wanted one but never really had a place for it. They are so pretty.

9. We have a Christmas pickle too. If you don't know the pickle tradition here it is. It began in Germany. The pickle is a symbol of good luck. It was the last ornament placed on the tree. The first child to find the pickle on Christmas morning was rewarded with an extra gift from St. Nicholas. This tradition is supposed to make the children appreciate all the ornaments on the tree and not just rush to see what Santa brought them. We have the pickle but we have not started the gift thing yet. I don't think my kids are ready. I fear my tree would be in a pile in the middle of the floor.

10. I love watching my kids faces light up when they see what Santa has brought them. They are so funny sometimes.

11. We go every year to Tanglewood to see the lights. Sometimes we pick up food and eat along the way and other times we go somewhere nice to eat and then go while our food is settling.

12. My mother told me a story about one Christmas way before I was born. She had stashed Santa in my Sisters' closet. So they waited till she fell fast asleep and then they had to go in her room and in the closet to get Santa out. Well, while they were getting things out my sister started stirring. My Mom locked my Dad in the closet and left him there for several hours. He was all hunched over and crammed in this little space. My Mom said she wanted to make sure my sister was asleep before she went back for him. Every time I think of that I just laugh. I am sure it has happened to many Moms and Dads.

Christmas is my favorite time of year. I bake a lot around this time too. I love giving gifts. Especially those not expected.

Saturday, December 8, 2007

Memory problems. . .

OK, I cannot be the only one that loses things around the house. I know you're out there. Well last night Mark and I were trying to figure out what we had the kids for Christmas. We took everything out and started sorting. This is for Jack no, this is for Thomas, no maybe this is for the neighbor kid. I don't know I cannot remember! Well, Mark and I have been buying things for the kids all year and putting it aside. Mark came home with a deal on a leapster cartridge for Jack. I had already bought that very one and had it put up but forgot that I had bought it. Last night I found it. So I will be returning the one I purchased at a greater price than my thrifty husband. I had also bought a watch earlier in the year for Jack and now I cannot find it.

I am my mothers' daughter. I will never forget (HA HA) my mother finding a Barbie Doll some 15 years after she was supposed to have given it to me. It was hidden in her closet. I guess in 15 years that Hot Wheels watch will turn up. Hey, maybe it will be a collectors item? I know it is still in the box.

Wednesday, December 5, 2007

Holiday Baking. . .

Beth, I know you talked a little about this in your blog about "the Stollen" but I could not help but to talk a little about it too. I love Christmas. It is my most favorite Holiday. I love to cook especially if it involves sweets. I try to bake homemade things and give those to my neighbors. I always enjoy homemade goodies from folks. My cousin always makes us something for Christmas and I love it. I make a lot of the same things my Mom makes for the Holidays. Growing up, she always made; Hello Dollies (7 layer cookies), pecan sandies, fudge, pecan tassies, and chex mix. The dollies are my favorite, they have chocolate chips, nuts, butterscotch chips, and sweetened condensed milk. I guess the dollies are the one thing I would come home for. You know it is getting close to Christmas when Mom is making her Hello Dollies.

To give my goodies to my neighbors and friends I usually buy a festive tray or platter to put them on so that once they are gone they have something to hold on to. I feel it gives it a little something extra. Everyone gets a little sample of what I have baked. If they have kids I usually through in something kid friendly, like chocolate chip cookies. Some kids don't know the joy of the "Dolly". I have tried to make fudge before with no luck. I think it sat on my table for a week and never got hard. I don't do fudge anymore.

My first attempt at making Moms' pecan sandies was terrible. Of course you could imagine since I have issues with getting the recipe written down right. I had written Moms' recipe down wrong. Her recipe called for 1 1/2 cups of flour and I wrote 1 1/2 tbsp of flour. Well, you can imagine what happened when I added the stick of butter. I thought something was weird when they were very sticky. I made them up and put them in the oven and in case you cannot guess what happened. With in minutes my oven was smoking and my cookies were running all over the place. Mark laughed of course. He now calls my pecan sandies the incredible melting cookies. But he loves em. I think my neighbors enjoyed their goodies too. I have since added homemade bread and Moravian sugar cake to my Holiday baking. The homemade bread will be for another post. The sugar cake, however, is to die for. I can whip it up in no time. Most folks like it. My kids love it.

PS: Jack wants to make fudge. He has found a recipe he wants to use. It seems pretty easy, but you know how good I am about reading a recipe. I will save this one for the future.
Stay tuned. . .