Christmas Day aka the day we lost power

It all started out like we planned!

This may look like a picture of the front of my church on Christmas Eve but it is really a picture of the Advent Wreath.  Our family read and lit it that night.  That is a big deal because 10 years ago we also did the reading and Andrew lit himself on fire.  I think our pastor knew that Andrew wasn't going to be in town so he asked us!  Robert lit the candle and did just fine.  It was a non-event.  Whew!

My favorite part of the service is singing Silent Night by candle light!

This good looking fellow was there!

Along with his good looking parents.  Didn't get a picture of the rest of the group!

This was our tree this year.  We opened presents with just us four and then John, Marisa, Atticus and her brother, Marc and sister, Kaelyn, were to come over for more presents and supper.

One of my favorite gifts!

Robert looking at his new watch.

Kaitlin and Papa looking at some spices she gave him to use on the grill.

So the weather got bad faster that we expected.  We decided to gather up their presents and go to their house.  This fellow was playing and sitting up like a big boy when we got there.

We stayed about an hour.  We all opened up presents and took lots of pictures.  They are on the camera and will be seen soon.  I love this picture of Atticus.  With all these new toys he prefers a ball off the tree.

We got home just as the ice started to fall.  We cooked a wonderful supper of brisket, hash brown casserole, BBQ green beans, mac and cheese plus sister shuberts.  It was wonderful.  I sent lots to Marisa.  We lost the rest, see my very sad face here.  About 11 that night, we lost power.  That was Tuesday, we left on Saturday, we still didn't have power.  More about our trip soon...  I am going to bed and sleep under my electric blanket and I am enjoying having power.  It is a wonderful invention!

Anticipation

I decided that this year I would make a list of what I like about this season.  I am trying to pinpoint what makes this season special for me.  As I was making my list, I realized that what makes this season special is lots of little things not just one day.  Here is my list:  listening to Christmas music in our house and in my van, getting our tree, decorating the tree-telling all the stories that the ornaments remind us of, decorating the house, seeing the outside lights lit up, getting up before anyone else and sitting in the den with just the tree lights on, baking, giving away lots of our baking, buying presents, giving presents, reading Christmas books, driving around looking at Christmas lights, the Advent Wreath at church, the Lessons and Carols church service, the Christmas Eve service- especially the part where we light candles and sing Silent Night, being together as a family, being with special friends, having Carl home more than usual, playing games, writing Christmas cards, and getting Christmas cards.  I am sure I have left a few off.

My friend, JillM, pointed out that I usually don't like anticipation.  I very seldom read a book from front to back because I like to know what is going to happen!  I told Jill that I love this anticipation because i know how this story ends!!

I've been listening to the group Glad on my Ipod at the gym.  One song on one of my play lists has a line about how the angels sang when Jesus was born and can you imagine how they will sound when He comes back.  I've been pondering that.

What's on your list?

Ann Voskamp rocks!

I love the way Ann Voskamp makes me think.  10 things to do on Christmas Day  got me to thinking.  We hope to spend some time outside, light a few candles (I know those who know me are saying- you plan to light candles), have a few folks over and go spend time with our church family worshipping.

Merry Christmas Eve!

Do you like to bake?

So I have been baking.  I usually make a list of all I want to bake and then I go through all the recipes to see if we have all the ingredients that we will need to bake.  After I have my list I go shopping.  Since I like to bake, I normally keep 'usual' baking goods around so that means that when I am shopping I don't hesitate to grab an extra pound of butter or bag of chocolate chips.  Well.. it seems this year I have been grabbing parchment paper, really.  Parchment paper!  What do I plan to do with this?  I know that I can line my cookie sheets with parchment paper but 7 boxes of it???  How many cookies do I think I plan to make??

KimT and Andrew I think I need a parchment paper intervention!

If any of you see me at Walmart or Kroger and I have parchment paper in my basket, you have my permission to just take it out and walk away.  I may protest but I will realize that you have my best interest at heart.

I am practicing now, Just say No to parchment paper, Just say No to parchment paper, Just say No to parchment paper...

Around our house at the holidays

 I love Christmas trees!!!  Here is some of my collection before they were put around our house.

These are new this year!

                                                       

 These are on my desk

 This is not a tree but it is a new, fun addition to our Christmas decorations.  It is a remote control for the lights on our deck.  So I can lay in bed and turn the lights on in the morning before my feet hit the ground.  And at night the last thing I do is turn the lights off after I have enjoyed them in the darkness.

 This is now referred to as our monkey tree.  It is on top of the fridge along side of a bottle brush tree that my mother had on the top of her fridge.

Another grouping of trees that is on the dining room table.  My friend, Sandy made this arrangement.  She used another new tree I got this year from my fellow kitchen worker, Barbara.  It is the taller green tree.  Many of these red ornaments were used last year to decorate the tables at John and Marisa's rehearsal dinner tables!


I am savoring being able to look and enjoy all our decorations this season. 

Carl works with wonderful people!

Kaitlin getting a lesson on how to spread masa

 Carl has a co worker, Angelica, who is from San Antonio, TX.  She grew up in a large family and every year between Thanksgiving and Christmas they would set aside a day to make home tamales.   When she and her husband moved to our city she missed her home made tamales.  So she started the tradition here in 2007.  Since her large family isn't here they invite friends, family and coworkers and we all become family.  Carl, Kaitlin, Robert and I got to participate this year.  What a wonderful experience!

In 2007 they made 26 dozen, in 2008- 42, in 2009- 72, 2010- 91 and in 2011- drum roll please-----1222 total or 101 dozen!

Robert spreading masa

 On the table above from left to right is a bowl of chicken, a bowl of masa, corn husks ready for masa, corn husks with masa and Carl getting more masa to add to another husk.

First you add masa to a husk then meat is added and it is folded and put in a pan.

Nicki, who is seated to Kaitlin's left, could add masa to a husk with one sweep of a spreader.  It was like a ballet move.

  

At the table about five folks at putting masa on a husk while three take that same husk and add meat to it.

 These folks step in to hand more meat, pull up sleeves, get water for the folks at the table, wash dishes, and laugh at all the jokes.

 After a large metal pan is full of tamales then Angelica takes them and steams them on the stove.

our wonderful hostess!

pots with tamale steaming, sauce and meat is cooking

 Tamales are made in rounds, somewhat.  When a pan of meat is ready then the tamale making begins and that round ends when that meat has all be used.  At the end of every round, you bring all your utensils to the sink and they get washed.  You also wash your hands and rest.

 Here are Keith and Barbara.  Keith has very clean hands and he is ready for his turn at making tamales.

Keith took this very artistic picture of Barbara and me!

Kaitlin and Angelica at the snack table.  I was glad Angelica got to sit down for a minute because she was in constant motion the rest of the time.


We all had such a laughing good time.  We came home with some wonderful tamales.  We look forward to the laughing good time next year.  Thank you Angelica for such a wonderful tradition!!!

One of my favorite decorations

This was my mama's.  This angel is usually in a different spot every year.  This year she is in the den.  A wonderful reminder of holidays past at my mama's.

Christmas tree

I love Christmas tree lights!

My Christmas view

My beautiful view is even better with my Christmas lights!

My Christmas list

December 26th

I can't believe it.

I am sad that the Christmas music on Directv has already been turned off. I like to wean myself off of Christmas music. Christmas music is one of the things that 'makes it' Christmas for me.

What makes it Christmas for you?

I was listening to the radio one morning early in December and they asked their listeners to call, text or email them what one thing makes it Christmas for them.

This got me to thinking.

I don't think just one thing 'makes it' Christmas for me. I have a list. It helped me to think about my list. Some years, it just doesn't feel like Christmas and I never knew why. I think it was because 'things' didn't get done and I didn't realize how important they were to me.

Here is my list in no particular order.

1) Smelling citrus fruit. My mother always put out oranges on the coffee table during the holidays. When I smell them, I am in my living room in Birmingham and I can see our tree. Taylor loves to eat grapefruits. Each time she ate one the smell was wonderful. If you see me eating a cutie, I smell it deeply first.

2) Baking cookies and breads and making fudge. I love seeing the tupperware containers stacked up with the products of our labor in them. I love the kitchen with my measuring cups and flour and other special ingredients all over.

3) Getting the tree. Ahhh the wonderful smell of fresh evergreen.

4) Decorating the house. I love decorations all over the house.

5) Christmas lights in and around our house. Carl has Christmas lights up in my room so that I go to sleep by Christmas light. I love that!

6) Christmas cards. I love getting them and sending them. I plan to start writing my tomorrow. I didn't want them to compete with Andrew and Taylor's visit.

7) Having Carl home more. I love having him here for day to day life.

8) Getting up before anyone else in the morning, turning on the Christmas tree and sitting in the dark to bask in it's glow. It is magic to me.

9) Laughing with Kaitlin about who is going to put up the next part of our Advent Calendar. She tries to put up baby Jesus every single day and I have to be on top of her to keep him off til the 24th.

10) driving around and looking at Christmas lights.

11) hearing Isaiah 9:6 And His name shall be called Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, The Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace

12) singing Christmas Hymns in church

13) going to a few Christmas parties

14) giving gifts

15) being with family

16) watching bowl games

17) hearing Christmas songs on the radio

This year every thing on my list was done and then some. Some years the list has to be changed. Sometimes life gets in the way.

I hope you have a wonderful Christmas season. I hope everything on your list has been seen, felt, smelled or done.

Care to share what is on your list?

Merry Christmas!

I am thankful for the greatest gift ever given, Jesus Christ.This year I am blest to have family and friends near. The gifts are all opened and it is about time to start the monkey bread. I am savoring every second of my many blessings. I am praying you are too.

Blessings on your Day

Merry Christmas!This is my new Nativity. It is for the fridge. I love it.

Savoring

I am trying to slow down the days of this advent and Christmas holiday season. I am working at enjoying the little things like all being together in the car, enjoying the tree every morning, being thankful for presents to wrap and loving the smells of the cookies baking.

I get too caught up in the busyness of the season and the need to cross things off my to-do list.

Today I am thankful for today and all that today brings.

I am picturing this as if I had a cherry life saver in my mouth and I want to get every last drop of the flavor.

Enjoy your savoring today.

More around the house

This Christmas tree was always on top of my fridge when I was growing up. Now it sits on top of fridge.

these are the lights that I go to sleep by. Before Carl gets in the bed he turns them out.




my newest nativity. Kaitlin got it for me at a craft show in nw AR.

Around Our House

Here is a tour of the decorations around our house. Marisa, Kaitlin, Jennifer-who had Thanksgiving with us, John, and Carl did an amazing job of getting everything up.

Here are my Jim Shore Wise Men/ Nativity in the kitchen

Precious Moments




This was our first Nativity after Andrew was born. He asked when he was 3 if we could get one where Jesus wasn't fastened to his car seat. This was it.

When I was a little girl we had these little red angels that spelled out NOEL. My brother, Charles, always changed them to LEON. So the tradition continues

tree in the den. I love the way it reflects off the windows.
I love getting Christmas cards. I love displaying Christmas cards. I saw in a magazine this idea of using raffia to tie them to garland. Here is my garland waiting on your cards. I'll let you know how it works out.
tree in dining room
kitchen window over sink
kitchen window.I have a few more but I'll post them tomorrow. Have a wonderful December Fool's Day. Did you see one of our Christmas pictures as you were looking at the decorations?