Christmas Re-Cap

Sometimes, I'm not sure I really belong in my family. This Christmas would be a good example. When planning for Christmas Eve menu, I offered to bring cider. My brother said he already had 15 bottles, but I was welcome to bring more. I declined...didn't seem necessary. However, upon my arrival, I discovered that I had missed the memo. This was not Christmas, it was Ciderfest '09. Everyone was required to buy at least two bottles of cider every time they went to the store. I also declined that edict. Silly boys. It was then announced that we would be spending Christmas Day making vases out of the used up bottles....of which there were 30 by then. We had every flavor: mixed berry, marionberry, peach, red grape, white grape, cherry, blueberry, strawberry, pear, and of course the plain apple. I was told that the only flavor they couldn't find this year was peach-mango. So sad. So I guess the plans are already in motion for Ciderfest '10. They are planning t-shirts, and bottle labels, etc. It was such an important thing to me, that I neglected to get a single "ciderish" picture. I'm sure I will be sent some after today.

However, here are a few other pics of things I thought were important. :)


The Most Beautiful Tree Ever


Also...the fastest dying tree ever.


Graham Cracker Gingerbread House


Peppernuts


Bundled Brother's Bunking Together


The Cutest Baby in the World



Christmas Quartet


Gingerbread Men - and yes, ear infection.


7th grade boys re-enacting the Christmas story in their 7th grade boy way.


Silly brothers thinking mom will enjoy her work more if she has to drag one of them around on each leg.


Ugly Christmas Sweater Event


Bohemian Brother Gets a Bongo


Batman!


Heelys!


Brothers!


Bongo


and more Bongo



Brutus doesn't want left out


Fake Nickelback tickets - for the bro that hates Nickelback


Puzzles- every piece had an edge
I hate puzzles.


Games, games, and more games.


Video Skyping with the Gifford family having Christmas in Louisiana


More Puzzles. Did I mention I hate puzzles?

Okay...so about puzzles. This is another area where I'm convinced I don't belong with my family. What is it with puzzles? Why do we have to do them? Why do we have to start another one if we finish one. My family was here for four days, and they did at least three puzzles. Brothers even offered money if other brothers could finish the puzzle that had all edge pieces in a certain time frame. I don't understand puzzles. They are so...well...puzzling. I don't get spending hours pouring over a table, looking for little pieces to put something together, just to tear it all apart. I don't get all family games being suspended until we can get paid for finishing a puzzle on time.

Growing up, our family room was decorated with....you guessed it: puzzles. After we finished them, my mom would mount them and hang them on the wall. One of my brothers is mad to this day about it, and has spent a chunk of his short adult life, finding those old puzzles on e-bay and buying them to do again because puzzles shouldn't be mounted. Can you guess which brother that would be? He happens to be the same one who earned $50 finishing a puzzle with all edge pieces in one day.

I pretended to like puzzles for one year of my life. It was 1994. This cute Southern Gent moved to Idaho and was friends with my dad. He liked puzzles. He had no family in town. He would come over to do puzzles with my parents. So, that year, I liked puzzles. It was the only excuse I had to join the cute Southern Gent in the basement while he was over. I began to hate puzzles the day he confessed his love for me. They were useless to me at that point - and forevermore.

Christmas Letter '09

If you want to bore yourself through a re-hash of our entire year, please see our 2009 Christmas Newsletter!

Psalm 20

1 May the LORD answer you in a day of trouble;
may the name of Jacob's God protect you.

2 May He send you help from the sanctuary
and sustain you from Zion.

3 May He remember all your offerings
and accept your burnt offering.

Selah

4 May He give you what your heart desires
and fulfill your whole purpose.

5 Let us shout for joy at your victory
and lift the banner in the name of our God.
May the LORD fulfill all your requests.

6 Now I know that the LORD gives victory to His anointed;
He will answer him from His holy heaven
with mighty victories from His right hand.

7 Some take pride in a chariot, and others in horses,
but we take pride in the name of the LORD our God.

8 They collapse and fall,
but we rise and stand firm.

9 LORD, give victory to the king!
May He answer us on the day that we call.
(HCSB)

Jonathan, Michelle, and Audrey came over for dinner tonight. The outfit Audrey is wearing was my Father's Day gift to Jonathan. :)

Pfeffernusse

There are many kinds of Peppernuts. My sister in law's family makes them with anise. They are larger and whiter than the ones I grew up on. This is my Grandma and mom's recipe that is traditional to our family. The original recipe actually calls for pepper. I'm not sure why it is left out. I'm sure there is a story somewhere. So, traditionally for our family, these cookies are to be tiny. In fact, it was kind of a status thing to see who could get their's the smallest.

Pfeffernusse (Peppernuts)
1 c. butter
4 c. brown sugar
1 T. baking soda (in a little hot water)
1 t. salt
1 t. cinnamon
1 t. cloves
1 t. nutmeg
4 eggs
6-1/2 c. flour
1 c. chopped nuts
Mix butter and brown sugar. Add the eggs and baking soda in water. Mix well. Mix in the dry ingredients and then stir in the nuts. Refrigerate overnight. Roll into rolls the width of a pencil. I keep my rolls stacked in a cake pan in the freezer until I'm ready for them. Slice very thin (1/8" or so), lay on baking sheet about 1/2" apart. Bake at 400 degrees. If you work quickly, you will be able to lay out the next tray before the other one is done baking. It is a continuous process that can go on for hours. This recipe makes 1,000's.

One Week Before Christmas

To go out the door this morning:

*11 teacher gifts
*1 tray of cookies for 7th grade language arts party (food donation box went yesterday for the families the school adopted)
*1 tray of cookies for 4h grade party, $1 for party supplies
*1 wrapped book for 2nd grade book exchange
*1 tub of red frosting for kindergarten party
*1 large bag of warm clothes to donate to the 3rd grade class, who is putting together survival kits for the homeless.

Can you guess what I've been doing lately?

I had a bit of an emotional day yesterday. There were several factors involved. I'm sleep deprived and surviving on easily grab-able Christmas goodies. :P I had a two hour with my laptop and You Tube yesterday, and they won. But what really got me going was reading the list of donation items needed to make survival kits for the homeless. There were things like tents, blankets, etc. I'm already getting shaky. Sleep in a tent in this weather? Reality is setting in.

But the item that just sent me into full fledged tears was this:
Socks - matches or not (can even have holes)

Okay. I have an entire pile downstairs that fit in that category. I'm always hoping for the day I succeed and find all their matches. But this is someones Christmas wish? Holey, unmatched socks? Sob.

We've been so blessed this year. It is no secret that we've struggled a lot financially. It seems every year, we are wondering how we are going to pull off Christmas, or if we can do it at all. This year, right before Thanksgiving, God blessed us with an anonymous gift from someone. We were able to pay off some medical debt, have some cushion as we transitioned from unemployment checks to a new pay schedule with Bill's new job, and we were able to think about Christmas. Last week, while I was out and about, someone filled my van with food and presents. We came back to the van, and had to find seats for the kids because it was so full. We have been blown away. For one thing, we don't need any of it. But God has been extravegant with us this year, and I am humbled.

...and if you lost a glove last night in the parking lot by the resort, don't worry. I picked it up for you - and donated it! :)

If your interested, I posted an article last night on Those With Young, called the Unsung Hero of Christmas.

My Southern Gent

Over 15 years ago, I met a man that would change my life. He is my complete opposite in every way - which is probably why he stood out to me so much.

He was quiet, and rarely expressed his opinions. I...well..I had never met an opinion I didn't like to share.

He had a degree in fine art, pottery specifically. I didn't generally know one artist from another.

He was the baby of six. I, the oldest of 5.

He had four sisters (and a brother). I had four brothers.

He liked to do everything on the fly, and I liked things well planned out.

He was a night owl, and I an early bird.

He was was from the south. I was from the north.

....and that right there introduced three more pages of differences.

But I appreciate my Southern Gentlemen. He doesn't burp at the table. He treats me with respect. He says "Yes Ma'am" and "Yes Sir" to anyone he's addressing. He cares how he looks when he goes out in public, and he thinks I need a corsage on Mother's Day. (Did you know that southerners where different colors of flowers on Mother's Day to represent if their mom is living or has passed? I had no idea of such things.)

Most of all, I'm grateful that he has stuck with me. He has told me he loves me probably at least four times a day for the last 14 years. He's put up with me while God tamed my wild heart and taught me to show him respect. He's loved me through eight dress sizes and as many years of post-partum depression. We've been through our best and our worst together, and God knew how much I was going to need him.

Happy Birthday to my Beloved! I'm so grateful for you!