the mystery gift

Bet ya can't guess what this is! We wrapped it so it would be a surprise even though the recipient was with us when the purchase was made. Despite the two month delay, he maintains enthusiasm and so it seemed fitting to disguise the gift and bring it downstairs to further the torture of the wait!

Excitement is running high, boxes are being shaken and guessing is rampant... but nobody's talking. The pat answer to, "So, what's inside the box?" is "A Skillsaw." We adopted this reply when M was little because she tended to be a bit too honest when pumped for information. In order to have some surprises on Christmas morn, every package contained a Skillsaw until opened. It stuck and now, unless you want to hear "Skillsaw", don't even bother asking!

no need to knead

S recently brought home a book from the library titled, "No Need to Knead" and what a find it has been. I love fresh baked artisan breads (and have the bazooba to prove it!) but making them seemed time consuming and intimidating. Not any more. This method uses ONE BOWL, the dough is stirred with a spoon and the overnight refrigerator rising gives it the texture and taste of an expensive store bought loaf. Best thing is the loaf is made without fat! We have enjoyed the first experimental loaves hot out of the oven for lunch the past week and are now tweaking the recipe to incorporate more spelt, less white flour. Yummy, yummy in my tummy.

a chin hair

We made the discovery yesterday - E has his first chin hair. With a mixture of emotions for us all, we welcome this milestone and celebrate this little hair and all it stands for in our newly 14 year old's life.
You're growing up, E!

toys for tots

Yesterday, M and I tagged along with the boys to sort toys for Toys for Tots. It was such a blessing to serve alongside the seasoned volunteers. The number of donations were incredible - hundreds and hundreds of new toys piled 6 feet high generously given by the people of our county.

The gifts arrived at the warehouse in big trash bags by Uhaul truck (5 trucks full!). Our job was to open the bags and distribute the toys to their appropriate age group. It was like Christmas morning! I couldn't help but think about the recipient's beaming face upon receiving the present. Each child will get three gifts plus stocking stuffers.

I came home encouraged and my Christmas cup full. The spirit of giving is alive and well!

a Scottish Christmas

On Monday past, we attended a Scottish Christmas at the Mondavi Center. Wow, what a gorgeous place! Sitting in the nose-bleed section allowed us to take in the building as a whole. The fir used was salvaged from the bottom of lakes in Canada! Other materials included sandstone and bamboo. The unique combination turned a huge room into an elegantly warm arena.

The concert was great. Bonnie Rideout was the featured fiddler and violist. Accompanying her was a Scottish harpist whose accent reminded of us of our dear friend :), an Irish guitarist, a bag piper from Yonkers, N.Y. and a drummer from the Marine Fife and Drum Corp. They played traditional songs dating as far back as the 1500's. It was a beautiful addition to our season and we are reliving the evening with the CD.

heather hair

At our church, we've met the sweetest young lady with the most gorgeous long brown wavy hair. Coming from a family with hair as straight as uncooked spaghetti, M wanted to experience the Heather phenomenon. So last night, while we watched the new "Pirates," I covered her head with little braids. She woke up this morning, removed the rubberbands, and wahlah - instant (almost) Heather Hair!

what's new in Christmas tree design

Thanksgiving weekend all the boxes come down from the rafters and the Christmas season officially begins. First up is the tree. Below is a paragraph E wrote about this year's tree trimming:

It all started a few days after Thanksgiving Day when we were putting up our artificial Christmas tree.

“We’ll need to get a new tree soon,” Mom remarked. “Ours is starting to look rather old.”

After some dialogue on whether to get a new tree this year, S**** suggested, “Why don’t we just set up our tree differently?” I undertook the task and mixed up some of the rows of branches until the tree took on the shape of an hour glass with a pointed top. When my younger sister, M****, came into the room, she looked at the tree, sat down on a nearby chair and started crying.

“It looks hokey!” she sobbed. She retreated to a corner of the room and sulked. We reassembled the tree to its original form so Mikaela wouldn’t be upset for the rest of the season. However, we did take multiple pictures to keep the possibility open for next year.

This is J's "unobstructed view" design.

o Christmas tree

We finally made these too cute cookie trees. I bought the cookie cutter kit years ago and decided the 'perfect time' was NOW! M made them with a little friend one night and the boys constructed theirs the next.

Sugar and Christmas go together at our house (followed by a month of detox in January). The kids make...and eat...their gingerbread houses and cookie trees. Other seasonal treats include See's candy, 3 way tins of popcorn, blintzee with syrup, and of course, Christmas cookie favorites. We sing with gusto, "It's the most wonderful time of the year!"

fire and slush

11-28-06
The first fire in the fireplace celebrated with toasted marshmellows.
Our fireplace serves as a catalyst for evenings together because it's the only warm place in the house unless you want to go to bed! Who can make the biggest fire, keep it burning the hottest, or start it the fastest are part of the season long Fireplace Olympics.












On the other end of the thermometer we have milk slush. In order to keep up with the high demand of cow juice, we buy bulk and freeze. The freezer is milked at night so the gallon of milk will defrost by breakfast. As you see, that doesn't always happen...especially when the nights are 32 degrees!