The Obligatory Post About Our Christmas

Christmas 2010:
Much like Christmas 2009, except with a borrowed Christmas tree as our sole decoration and a couple of sick kids.
I made cinnamon rolls and peppermint hot chocolate in the early morning.
Matt made our traditional sausage and gravy brunch in the late morning.
He and the boys played the board game Risk for several hours.
The girls played with their Barbie dolls for most of the day.
Luke was enthralled with his race cars and other new toys.
Nathan...well, let's just say that there's nothing that boy doesn't get into.  He makes motherhood exhausting.
Me -- I was exhausted. I drank a lot of coffee.

Yes, Christmas 2010 was much like last year -- except that last year Nathan wasn't a toddler, he was a newborn. Last year was much less exhausting.
And - last year I assured the kids we'd have a better Christmas in 2010, because Matt would have a job and we'd probably be living somewhere besides Oklahoma.  We might even visit Grandma and Grandpa in Florida for Christmas. Yes, surely this would be the scenario for Christmas 2010!

I was wrong.

I'm not making any predictions for Christmas 2011.


The End.

December 23

Today is what our kids call Christmas Eve-Eve, a phrase they adopted from the movie "Eloise at Christmastime". It is cold and dreary outside with the threat of rain -- not snow, much to their chagrin.
Matt noticed today how our holly bushes are thriving. I remember when we first landscaped the property in 2007, those holly bushes were tiny little things. The following summer we transplanted them from the front yard to the back.  By that time they had matured and were quite heavy to move.

While most bushes flower in the summer, hollys do so in the colder months.  They produce brilliant red berries and the sturdy leaves stay green even in the coldest weather. When God created them He must have known that we would enjoy a splash of color amidst the grey of winter.
I took these photos this morning.  Notice how they're already dressed for Christmas in their red and green!

A Lovely Gesture

Is there anything as tasteful and thoughtful as a homemade gift? Our neighbors Phil and Shannon brought over these goodies yesterday. (There were 10 cupcakes but the kiddos devoured them before I took the picture.)  The entire tray was wrapped in a billow of celophane and topped with a large gold bow. The jam is a labor of love from Shannon and their daughters.  It's so pretty I hate to open it; but I can't wait to enjoy some on biscuits this weekend with my morning coffee. The loaf is a fragrant and delicious pumpkin bread, which is similiar to the loaves I coincidently had baking in my oven when they stopped by.
They also brought over their yellow lab Copper, whom the younger children adore.  It was a bit too cold to play outside with him, but they were thrilled to briefly pet him on the front porch before the unforgiving wind forced everyone - except the dog - inside.
This Christmas season has been different from any we've experienced before for obvious reasons, but this sweet gift from thoughtful friends warmed my heart. I hope that next year we will be the ones delivering a timely gift and boosting the spirits of someone in a difficult time.

Oh, Snap!

I discovered this recipe a few years ago.  These cookies live up to their name -- they really are the best-ever gingersnaps!  We've made several batches already this season because they are so easy to whip up, and they disappear quickly. I decided I need to share the recipe in case there's a gingersnap-lover in you.
Last year I made a few batches extra-special by dipping half of each cookie in white chocolate, but these babies are delish just plain with a piping hot cup of coffee on a cold evening. The recipe also works well for making gingerbread men.
Enjoy!

Southern Living's Best-Ever Gingersnaps

1 c. sugar (recipe doesn't specify but I use brown)

2 c. flour*

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

3/4 c. shortening

1/4 c. molasses

1 egg, slightly beaten

*I use 1 cup of white and 1 cup oat or wheat flour, and add an extra egg

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Combine sugar, flour, salt, soda,and spices; stir lightly. Cut in shortening to resemble coarse crumbs. Stir in molasses and egg.

Shape dough into 1" balls and roll them lightly in sugar. (Abby used red and green sugar once and they looked really cute.)  Place on ungreased baking sheets and bake for 10 minutes.  If desired, flatten slightly with spatula after baking.  Remove immediately from baking sheets. Cookies will firm quickly as they cool.

Happy Munching!

A Must-Read

I've been whining a lot lately.  Things aren't going the way we thought they should.  In fact, saved to my drafts is an entire post devoted to complaining about how difficult our lives are right now.
Then....I received a good, old-fashioned "God-smack" (for lack of a better term).  He brought something to my attention which changed my entire outlook.  Even though I'm ashamed and humbled when He does that, I'm grateful.  It reminds me that my loving Father is teaching me and spurning me on to become more like Christ and less like Rebecca. 
The blog "Land of Milk and Honey" is the tool He used to change my heart and teach me gratefulness.  (The link is at the end of this post.) It caught my attention because of the author's honest, humble approach and her raw emotions.  I wept for her as I read of her loss and I realized once again that I don't have a right to complain about anything.   I don't know this woman, but her family has been on my heart and in my prayers since I first read it.
So -enjoy. I hope it moves you the way it's moved me.  Warning:  she's quite graphic when it comes to some of the chores she undertakes on her farm. However, you can skip those posts and go directly to the one titled "Good Grief".  It's beautiful and poignant.
Blessings to you, my dear friends and readers. Have a lovely day.

http://landuvmilknhoney.blogspot.com/2010_12_01_archive.html

The Long and Short of It

This is what our oldest son looked like this morning.  He's been growing out his hair to the point where we can't see his eyes most of the time.

Matt and I couldn't stand it anymore and insisted he get a haircut.  We compromised with him and said he could keep it longish but the shagginess had to go. He hemmed and hawed and finally agreed. 
This is what he ended up with, by his choice.  It's so nice to see those beautiful eyes again on my dashing boy!

A Break from the Monotony

It's been a while, hasn't it?  That's because there hasn't been anything to report job-wise or otherwise.  Try as I might to conjure up positive and upbeat posts, sometimes it just ain't happening. Sorry.
Today however, I took the girls to a fun event and I thought I'd post the pics.  OKVA (the girls' online school) hosted a "Gingerbread Winterland" at a local ice arena.  There was skating, meet-and-greets for each grade and an optional gingerbread house contest.  It was attended by a few hundred people and we enjoyed getting to know other homeschoolers in our area.  Matt had fun hanging out at home with Nate and Luke for a few hours so I wouldn't have to keep track of them at the busy, cold rink.

Here are my lovely daughters before we went inside:

Madi and Katie enjoyed looking at the gingerbread houses.

Madi, Ally and Abby skated really well!  I was impressed, considering they've never ice skated before today. Katie and I were chicken and stayed off the ice.

 
Who in this picture needs a root touch-up? Sheesh!!! L'Oreal is calling my name!

Bonus pic:  Nathan has taken to running through the house with laundry on his head. I thought his expression here is priceless!