Monday Thoughts

One more week of vacation yall!! One more week! I must admit the l-o-n-g vacation has gone by faster than I expected. This week I'm down 2 kids - God Bless my mother who took Julia and Emma to Camp Gagi for 5 days!! So this week feels like a different kind of vacation altogether. It's much quieter without two children, one of which talks from the time she wakes up until she goes to bed. And the laundry - I didn't realize how much laundry 2 extra children produce! Or, should I say how much less laundry I have with 2 kids gone! I think Lily has enjoyed having the time without her sisters - lots of playdates, shopping and no sharing!

I took down most of the Christmas decorations today. I wonder if I'm the only person who gets excited about taking them down? Don't get me wrong - I love, love Christmas. I love putting up the decorations and getting the tree and all that. But, when it's done..I'm done. Move on and clean out. Just have the tree lights left - boo hoo - worst job ever. Every year when Paul and I are fussing at each other I think that lights really aren't that expensive - can't we throw the tree out with lights on it? But...he says no. Sigh..tomorrow we'll tackle that.

And one more thing...today I was driving down Walnut St and got behind a car that had a bumpers sticker that read: Republicans for Obama. Which made me think..really? Wouldn't that make you a Democrat? Since, you know, Obama is pretty much anti-republican in almost all political facets? Whatever.

Christmas!!

It's been a great few days! Christmas was great!! My kids are at such great ages for enjoying Christmas - it was so fun! Christmas Eve Paul worked in the morning and we hung out and prepped food for the evening. We traditionally all get new Christmas pajamas on Christmas Eve. I had told the kids in the morning that we could open 1 gift when Daddy got home from work. They kept wondering which one they could open (again see my early post about how they remember what they want to remember - neither of my older girls could remember that they get jammies every Christmas Eve). They were just super excited to open a gift and seemed excited about getting the pajamas even though jammies weren't on any list. About 3 seconds after they opened the gift they had changed out of their Christmas outfits and into the pajamas! A highlight of the day was the Santa tracking. Emma was obsessed with noradsanta.com.

We met Paul's family at church for Christmas Eve service and they came back to our house for dinner and to celebrate with us. We had a good meal and a great time opening gifts. The girls were all super exited with all they got - lots of arts & crafts kits, new dolls and some other toys. Jacob had a big time climbing on the boxes and playing with the wrapping paper! We finally got the kids to bed about 9.

Thankfully it was dark & rainy Christmas morning so I think that helped the kids sleep a little later. Lily got up about 7 but the rest of them not until almost 8! They kept asking "Did Santa come? Did Santa come?" Indeed he had! Everyone seemed excited about what they got. We opened our stockings then I (the present nazi) made everyone wait until after breakfast to open the family gifts. We opened more gifts and all the kids played with their new stuff. My dad and his wife stopped by for a quick visit and then we got ready for my mom and her family.

Gagi and Grampy arrived in the afternoon and then my aunt and cousins arrived shortly after. More present opening - American Girl dolls! Bitty Baby! Clothes! The excitement was too much! Lily kept saying "I got a lot of stuff". No joke! We had a nice meal and enjoyed just hanging out and playing with the new stuff.

All in all a great holiday. It was really all about the kids this year. They were super cute and their excitement was certainly contagious. Thankfully they got enough new things that they ought not be bored until they go back to school at least (7 more days!). Now to find places to put this stuff and see what stuff we might want to pass on....

Hope you and your family had a wonderful Christmas!!!

PS - I might add pictures later but I posted a bunch of facebook....

Elephant Memory?

Don't they say that elephants have amazing memories and never forget anything. I think they have that confused with my kids. Oh wait..let me take that back..they remember everything they want to remember and everything you want them to forget. Like no one can ever remember what they did at school that day yet amazingly they will remember how you accidentally hit them on the head with a plate when they were 2.

This morning the kids were excitedly talking about Santa when Emma brought up the wrapping paper that Santa used last year. (At our house Santa only wraps the stocking stuffers.) Apparently last year he used pink princess paper with all the Disney princesses on it. Emma described it in great detail. The problem? I totally forgot that's the paper Santa used last year and the paper I used this year to wrap all their gifts from Paul & I. Whoops!! Suddenly I had visions of my frantic text to Paul to Get! More! Paper! And being up until 2am re-wrapping all those gifts. But then I thought I'd try the "you're wrong" tactic and said "that's not the paper Santa used...he used the Santa paper." Totally didn't work. At all. I had 2 of them telling me I was wrong. Then it came to me...I said "oh that's right...you know I found that wrapping paper in the attic and wondered where it came from. Santa left it for us since he didn't use the whole roll last year." Thankfully they bought it. Whew...problem escaped. I'm so glad it's Christmas tomorrow..I can not keep up with the "Santa lies" any longer.

Hope you have a wonderful Christmas Eve!!!

A Baking We Will Do

I've lost count of the number of pounds of butter, sugar and flour I've been through this season. Which is probably a good thing. We've (and by that I mean me) have been baking like crazy since Thanksgiving. For one thing I really enjoy it (well mostly really enjoy it) and it just seems like there's constantly been an occasion to make things for. I am however about thisclose to being over it and I am thankful there are only 2 more big meal occasions. Only a little more baking that needs to be done. Thought I'd share what we've been making and our review of it.

Amish Friendship Bread - Cinnamon, Lemon and Butterscotch variations - I actually started making this earlier in the fall but had about a million starters in the freezer. I stopped feeding the starters because I was just over it. I found a recipe using just the starter and it turns out good bread. Cinnamon is my favorite but the other variations are good too. Just know that if you start this you are committing yourself to making endless loaves of bread. One good thing is that each time you make 2 perfect for Sunday School teacher gifts.

Soft Ginger Cookies - these are a staple now for the holidays - they are easy to make and almost always turn out perfect. They freeze well and are good for cookie exchanges

Snowballs - I've made a couple batches of these since they are Paul's favorite. Another easy cookie and there is no egg in them if someone you know has an egg allergy.

Red Velvet Biscotti - this was a Paula Deen recipe that I tried for the first time this year. It won't make my holiday short list of things to make again.

Chex Mix - love homemade chex mix and the kids liked helping me make it.

Sugar Cookies - standard to do at least once during the season. We made ours early in the season this year.

Ooey Gooey Butter Cake - made this Paula Deen recipe for the first time last night. And it was ooey gooey goodness. Will definitely make again and super easy.

Mint Brownies - made these yesterday and Paul loved them. They are rich and decadent but it's the holidays. They also look very festive with the green layer in them.

Bread Pudding - This is my old Chef's recipe from when I worked at the hotel. It's the best. dessert. ever. I only make it Christmas and Thanksgiving. The calories last the whole year through though.

Pumpkin Bread - always make a few loaves. Kids love it. Love to freeze it. Good stuff.

Buckeyes/Peanut Butter Balls - Lily's favorite - she could eat her weight in them. She loved helping me make them. One of our must have favorites

Mint Bark - I found this easy bark recipe using oreos/white chocolate. Thought I'd spice it up using candy cane oreos but alas there were none to be found at Walmart. However, they had cool mint oreos which seemed to be about the same thing. The result - super yummy and Emma's favorite. Also super easy. Bonus!

Snowman Cupcake Cake - Made this for Julia's preschool and it turned out cute. I "borrowed" the idea from Kroger and it turned out cute.

Overnight Cinnamon Rolls - I have been wanting to find a good cinnamon roll recipe and I stumbled upon one. They turned out good and very pretty. I'll be making these for Christmas morning.

Cowboy Santa Cookies - we got a mix in a jar of these and made them - they were pretty good - kids gave them mixed reviews.

And last but not least I'll make a "Happy Birthday Jesus" cake for Christmas Eve. It's tradition and I try to pick a different festive cake each year. Not sure what we're doing yet but it will get done today.

So..what have you been baking? What your favorite holiday treats?

The Snow That Wasn't

We were supposed to be snowed in this weekend. We weren't. All week last week they said we were going to get snow. And man were my kids E-X-C-I-T-E-D. Friday morning we watched the weather - they said snow - yay! Friday about 1pm when I put the little ones down for a nap I looked out the window and SNOW! Big flakes..beautiful flakes..falling fast. We ran up to the attic got our "snow gear" (leftover from our days in MA). My neighbor texted me and the big girls and I ran outside to "play" in it. Emma put out a bowl to collect snow for snow cream. Convinced we'd have enough soon. Sadly the snow lasted about 30 minutes..no accumulation. The news said it was a lull - there would be more later. There wasn't. It rained. And rained and maybe a little freezing rain and sleet. No snow. Boo. I'm not a huge fan of snow but at Christmas it would be nice -you know just and inch or 2. Don't think it's going to this year - the forecast I saw today said 58 and rain for Christmas Day. Oh well - winter has just begun. Here are few pics my neighbor took of the girls in the "snow."

Gingerbread Village Making

Every year we do a premade gingerbread house kit. One of our many Christmas traditions. Every year someone gets upset and yelling ensues because "you're not doing it right." I *want* to let the kids have their creative freedom but sometimes it just drives me nuts. And, I am too cheap to buy more than one premade gingerbread kit. But this year I saw the perfect thing at Target: the Gingerbread Village. Five "houses" (well technically 2 houses, 1 building, 1 church and a chalet). I thought this is perfect - each kid can have their own to do and there will be no fighting. And actually that's what happened! The girls have been asking to do them for a couple weeks but we held off until yesterday afternoon. Cold...forecast for snow..what a perfect afternoon for gingerbread village making! Jacob even got in on the action - trying to steal the candy and then eating the icing. They were so proud of their creations.

Meadow Lights

I'd heard about the Meadow Lights from a couple friends via Facebook. It sounded like a fun place to go to see some Christmas lights so called up our good friends the Dickeys and decided to make a night of it. Our kids always have a great time together and with 7 kids between us there is no shortage of entertainment. We met them for a quick dinner at Chickfila and then headed east toward the middle of nowhere to see the lights. After a navigational error on my part we finally made it. Apparently we weren't the only people who eyed the 10 day forecast and decided the lone night that it was going to be 49 (even with a fine mist in the air) would be the best night to go. The line was long but it moved fast. They have 3 trains that take you around the lights. At $2/person it was quite a bargain (especially considering how much it cost to do the hayride at the Lights on the Neuse). The kids really enjoyed the ride and loved making up stories about the lights. After the lights we headed over to the old fashioned candy store. Apparently no trip to see lights is complete without candy. We had a quick visit with Santa (no pictures) and then rode the carousel. Fun times. The weather ended up being perfect - cold enough that it felt like Christmas but not so cold that our faces were numb. I highly recommend the Meadow Lights - fun and a great bargain. Maybe not as good as the Lights on the Neuse but considering the cost (all of us rode the train at the Meadow Lights for what it would have cost 1 of us at the Lights on the Neuse) it was totally worth it. Add in the Dickey family and you have a perfect pre-Christmas night!

Christmas Fun

Phew...busy weekend! Fun weekend!! Friday night I went to my monthly Scrapmania with my scrappin' gals. Fun night! And I got a lot of scrapping done. Saturday we spent the day in Rocky Mount with my dad's wife's family (got that?). There were a bunch of kids there and my kids had a great time. Santa even showed up right before lunch!! Apparently he was in the neighborhood and dropped by to check on everyone and remind them to be good for 2 more weeks. So cute! Last night Paul too the kids to Disney on Ice and I got to go out again. I know..spoiled I am..but since we are only on week 2 1/2 of our 5 1/2 week track out I really needed it. My friend Lauren was in town and hosted her annual Ornament Exchange Party. So fun! Though I ended up with votive candle holders in an ornament exchange Yankee swap. Seriously - it was an ORNAMENT exchange...who brings votive holders to an ORNAMENT exchange? Apparently they did not understand the directions. I was sort of bummed...I mean I was looking forward to adding a new ornament to our tree - not votive holders to my mantle. Hoping someone has a regifting party in January - totally know what I am bringing.

Today we had our church Christmas production, a birthday party, AWANA for the girls and then going to my dads to celebrate his birthday. This makes me sort of happy the girls are out of school - crossing my fingers they will sleep in tomorrow!

The Gospel According to Emma

Emma and Lily got invited to go to A Christmas Carol with my dad's wife tonight. They were pretty excited and I thought they should dress up a little for the occasion. I helped Lily pick out one of her Christmas dresses and instructed Emma to go ahead and get dressed as well. She complained about this..wanting to stay in her Tinkerbell dress and black leggings ensemble that she now wears every time it's clean. I insisted and she begrudgingly went upstairs to change. She was up there for quite some time and I could hear her muttering and grumbling to herself. She finally comes downstairs, teary faced and reports this to me:

"Mommy..Christmas is not about pretty dresses. Christmas is about Jesus's birthday and in the Bible it says we shouldn't worry about what we wear. And we need to listen to His word and obey."

Well played Emma..well played.

One Down Four to Go

We survived the first week of our L-O-N-G winter break! I don't know if I've mentioned it but my older girls are out of school for 5 1/2 weeks. We have our normal 3 week track out but this year the timing coincided with the Thanksgiving and Christmas breaks giving us a grand total of 5 1/2 weeks. Out Nov. 26 through Jan. 4. Seriously. I had intended (ha!ha!) to be done with my Christmas shopping before the break began but I think we all know how that turned out. Not well. In fact, not one single gift (unless you count the Scholastic book order I decided was a gift) had been purchased before the break began. Oh well. I've got some ground to make up over the next few weeks. Thankfully I purchased a gift for myself the week before break - a package of hours at the local drop off daycare. Merry Christmas to me!! I have plans for come certain children to be spending some time there next week.

The week actually went pretty well thanks mostly to some awesome neighbors who invited the girls over for playdates. Julia still has preschool so we have some of our normal routine for the next couple of weeks at least. I must say it's been nice to have some time away from the carpool line. And from packing lunches. Busy weekend ahead and then we'll start week 2..wish us luck!