Christmas

It is so frustrating that I ALWAYS upload my pictures in the wrong order. Oh, well. Here is our Christmas -- backwards. We decorated our sugar cookies on Christmas day because we wanted to deliver them to the fire station and the hospital for those who had to work on Christmas day. Kind of our way to thank them for serving our community even on the holidays. It ended up that we just made it to the fire station, but it was still a good experience and the rest of the cookies were delicious.

We had such a fabulous Christmas. The whole season was just wonderful. We really don't have normal kids. They are just too good. We did an entirely homemade Christmas, and they said it was the best Christmas ever. They really didn't get toys, but it still took us quite a while to get through opening presents. It was really cute to see what they had made for us. I think that was really why they enjoyed it so much. They each had made several presents for everyone in the family. When Ryan found the M&M's in his stocking (no, I didn't make those, but I didn't buy them either -- they were given to us) he had no interest in anything else.

Our gingerbread house. I saw a kit in the store for a gingerbread Christmas tree that looked really fun, but Nikki still wanted to do a house. So I made both. Yes, I made the gingerbread and the icing. It was a project for an entire day, but we weren't shopping and wrapping up until Christmas Eve so it was okay to spend a little extra time on one of our fun traditions. I thought the tree turned out really well! And I was proud of myself for stepping back and letting them decorate it. You can see the contribution Ryan made.

And finally, our celebrations started the week before Christmas when JW & Alli kept all of our kids for four days. Did I say in an earlier post that JW was our hero? I was remiss -- I didn't mention Alli. I don't know many other women who would take on 7 seven kids while 7 months pregnant. This is a picture of the dinner and cake Nate made for me on my birthday that weekend. It was really good, Nate. Thanks! We didn't go anywhere. We just stayed home and enjoyed a house that stayed clean, some peace and quiet, and the time to finish up a project or two. It was fabulous!

2009 in Review

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

I already emailed this to anyone who views my blog, but I thought I would post it here for my own sake.

Chocolate Cake Truffles

Kellee, I was going to include this recipe in your Christmas box as an idea for a gift for neighbors, teachers, and friends (although it's probably not Luke-friendly), but I hadn't tried it out yet and didn't know if the recipe would work. Hannah and I made them yesterday, and they are delicious! So, even though it's a little late, maybe you can tuck it away as an idea for another year. Chocolate Cake Truffles

1 devils food cake mix
1/2 cup apricot or peach jam (or any jam as long as there are no seeds)
1 square chocolate
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/2 cup cocoa
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup butter
more chocolate to melt for dipping (I used Almond Bark, which was the cheapest I saw and it tastes good)

1. Prepare cake mix as directed, let cool.
2. In sauce pan melt butter, add cocoa, sugar and chocolate square, stir until smooth. Add jam and vanilla. This makes a chocolate syrup.
3. In another bowl crumble cake, add syrup and mix until blended and moist. Roll into balls and dip into melted chocolate.

It made a little over 60 truffles for me.

This is Nikki's face when she couldn't eat any truffles -- but don't I see chocolate on her face?

And even though I forgot to plan for any kind of packaging, a little plastic wrap and tissue paper later, I think they turned out rather cute. Even if not, they at least taste good!

A little more from last week

Also last Friday, Nikki was a huge helper as we were getting ready to go to the recital. I made Mexican wedding cookies (or ladyfingers) for the reception afterwards and Nikki rolled them all in powdered sugar for me. She did a great job!

Kellee had this link for these cool snowflakes on her blog. Hannah loved it! I think she did a great job.

Lots Going On

I haven't had a chance to post about last weekend yet, and this is why. Here is my journal entry from last night. It's nothing notable for anybody else, but for me to accomplish this is very noteworthy.

"I was so busy today, and it was wonderful. I got up and read scriptures with Nate and by myself. I exercised, got the kids to school, cleaned the kitchen, dressed Ryan, showered and did my hair, cleaned the bathrooms, changed the sheets, did the laundry, vacuumed, made yogurt, granola, tortillas, and dinner, cleaned the kitchen again, checked homework, helped Nikki prepare and give our family night lesson, read scriptures and said prayers with the kids, made fudge for Hannah's Activity Days party tomorrow, and even sang a few Christmas carols. Wow. I don't have the capapcity to do that all on my own. I know the Lord has strengthened me today and I am so grateful that He helped me do all of that for my family. Oh, I also crocheted a mitten for Nikki's Christmas present, and took three kids to the post office and library."

If I hadn't been so busy I would have posted about Hannah's piano recital last Friday. I was so proud of her. I got to play the duet part with her on her two songs, which was really fun. On the first one, she had her left hand in the wrong spot, but I didn't figure out what was wrong until she was about halfway through. She totally lost me but she kept going and acted so calm about it. Nikki got the video, so it's kind of hard to watch, but I am just so happy she is learning to play the piano that I can't resist posting it.

Then, I just have to say that if I could choose two people out of this world to be my brothers, there couldn't be any better choices than the ones I've got. On Saturday, Nate went to Goldsboro to do some repairs on the house we are selling. JW is our hero, and that is all there is to it. Nate said he watched while JW went to town fixing a whole list of things that were not all that simple. Jay, we can't thank you enough! And on Sunday Mike called to check in on us. I just really appreciated that he is still watching over me and is willing to help us with whatever we need. I really do have an amazing family.

The Christmas Spirit

24 degrees?

Running outside when it's 24 degrees? I don't think so. So this morning I did this instead. Hannah was watching for a little bit, and she said, "Mom, she has something right here (pointing to her abs). What is that?" Those are muscles, sweet Hannah. It's always humbling to get an innocent reminder from your children that your body doesn't remotely resemble that of a fitness expert. I will say that Cindy Whitmarsh is almost too chiseled, but then I really shouldn't because I don't have room to say anything.

Nikki's New Look

Handel's Messiah

Last night Nate and I went to a Messiah sing-in at the Edenton St. Methodist Church in downtown Raleigh. It was so wonderful!! I have never been to a Messiah sing-in before, but it will definitely be a new tradition we will continue. Next year I think we'll even take Hannah and Nikki. I don't have my own copy of the music score, but I will by next year. We stopped in at Krispy Kreme with some friends from church afterward, and you just can't beat a night like that. What a wonderful beginning to our Christmas season!

The Tree

Here is our tree. It's just really simple and I love it.

Well, I discovered there is no need to make more popcorn chains. Not when this is what will happen to them. Why is it that he was cyring and I was laughing when I caught him eating it?

On to December ...

We had a great Thanksgiving, and we are now totally in Christmas mode. I thought maybe we would take a little longer getting our Christmas tree up this year because of Ryan, but none of us could resist. We set it up Saturday and then decorated it last night for our family night activity. I'll have to get a picture of it soon. I love it! Everything on it is homemade. We made cinnamon-applesauce ornaments, dried orange slices, a tree topper made out of twigs, and pipe cleaner candy canes. The girls also put on the ornaments they have made in school in years past. I also learned why no one makes popcorn chains anymore. I put on what we had made, but it might not be finished before Christmas! The tree makes our whole house smell good.


This was a quick and easy craft the girls and I did Sunday afternoon while the boys were napping.

And here are my little decorators getting our orange slices ready to dry in the oven.