Holiday Happenings 2011

:::Family and Good Food:::

The holidays are a blur from November through January.  You can hardly tell where Thanksgiving begins and the tree comes down after New Year. One thing is for certain this year, though… my cards might not be making it out before March. Hey… I hear Jesus’ birthday was probably closer to spring anyway.

“That’s my story and I’m stickin’ to it.”

Here’s the quick photo breakdown, from right to left, top to bottom…

1) Jessie and Morgan (cousins) trying to see who was the tallest. Morgan is growing like a weed and is now just barely an inch shorter than her mama.
2) My Thanksgiving Turkey – sharpie on Solo – mixed media.
3) Grandma Betty’s Pilgrim and Indian salt and pepper shakers (cute-tastic).
4) The tiny man in Nana’s upstairs game room baby corner – peeking out of the play house.
5) Three of my sweeties in the sunlight – sitting on aunt Paige’s couch
6) My signature dish at Thanksgiving: Sweet Potato Bliss.
7) Someone I always miss at the holidays: my grandma – with Aunt Paige back in the 70’s
8) Aunt Sara’s turkey cookies. God love her, the girl can bake like a ninja.
9) Aunt Angie, Paige and me. Everything looks better in black and white.
10) Chipotle Tacos. Because they are tasty. (off topic, I know)
11) A big catty yawn. Because the holidays make you TIRED.
12) Marsha’s picture of people picking coffee beans. Because you drink lots of coffee when you travel as much as we do for the holidays. #roadtrip

What are you up to this Christmas?

I’ve done a lot of things this year that we haven’t done in ages.  Like cooking our own Christmas meal at home. A friend of mine gave me a free turkey and it just sort of ‘happened’ that we had Christmas dinner with mom before we went to go celebrate with Kevin’s side of the family. It was a really nice treat. Kev said it was the best turkey he had ever eaten. {I love it when people compliment my cooking.} We had sweet corn cake, baked sweet potatoes, and baked rosemary potatoes to go with our mouth watering turkey and gravy.

Morgan said at the table Tuesday night, “So this is what it is like to have a cozy family Christmas at home? I like it.” It was the first that she can remember. We had one like it when we were living in Arkansas away from family, but it was much better having my mother to share it with us last week. The presents that Chickie got the kids are on layaway still, so maybe we’ll do that in January.

We bought gifts this year, too. It has been a long time since we have bought more than just one or two gifts. We don’t even buy gifts for each other most years. We put gas in the car and take the kids to open gifts at their grandparents as our “present” for the holidays, and rarely we sign up for the gift exchange name draw. This year, a little birdie told us that the cousins were buying gifts for our kids, though. It just so happened that there was enough money left from the transmission loan that Kev took out to fix our SUV to buy some gifts this year.

It felt great to spend an evening wrapping gifts with my 12 year old. I taught her how to tape and tuck and create her own tags from wrapping paper snips. She helped me shop, too. It was a rare treat to be part of the “crazy” last minute shopper mayhem with her. She told me she loved giving presents more than getting them. I couldn’t agree more. I can’t wait to see their cousin’s faces when they open the presents on Christmas day.

I’m looking forward to Christmas eve feast at Grandma Betty’s house tomorrow night. I’m taking baked Cauliflower and Spanish Rice. I think they will be having ham and tamales… sweet potatoes, twice baked potatoes, cheese and crackers, sweet tea, WORM PIE, apple crumb cake, red velvet cake roll, creamed spinach, rolls, sugar cookies, egg nog, cake balls, green beans, corn pudding, cabbage… and more. Nobody does cookin’ like a big Tex-Czech family does cookin’.

If our tire pops on the way home, Kevin can just put me on the bottom of the car and keep driving. I’ll be a big fat roll of jelly by the 26th. Just in time for the 17 Day Diet to start back up on New Years Day. I’m dreading preparing myself to eat like a rabbit again…

And then there is my birthday week coming up… which is a whole ‘nother topic all together. If I told you how old I was turning, I’d have to kill ya. But at least I’m getting what I want for my birthday this year. It’s something I’ve wanted since I was five years old. You’ll have to wait and see what it is… because there’s a big, long story attached to it.

Subscribe to Sprittibee by Email