What Do You Love About Your Family?

On December 26th, we had "potluck take-out" at our house with the family. Ten people graced our table for the third day in a row, but unlike Christmas Eve or Christmas Breakfast, this meal was unhurried, and less fussy--no good silver, take-out boxes, and several people already in jammies--so, I sort of invented our own version of one of the Dinner Games.

I asked James to pick up his napkin ring and say one thing he loves, or is proud of, about himself. Then the napkin ring was passed around the table and everyone else had to say something they love about James.

Then it was the next person's turn. By the end, everyone's napkin ring had made a complete circuit around the table and many wonderful and funny and loving things were said about everyone.

The most memorable part, though, was very polite, 2 1/2 year-old Sam's contributions. When asked "can you say something nice about cousin James?" her unhesitating reply was "thank you!".

We laughed and continued on.

For everyone, she had the same nice thing to say with varying degrees of enthusiasm based on how engrossed she was in her toys or how much reaction she was getting from the crowd.

By the time we made it to the last participant (yours truly), I think she was a little keyed up, because my "thank you" turned into a general, wordless, gleeful exclamation: "aaaaaiiiiiiyyyyaaaaaah!"



I love that about me, too, Sam!

Christmas in 20 pictures

1. Everyone was ready for Santa, even Fin.

2. We enjoyed Christmas Breakfast Casserole,

3. Breakfast Bread (a loaf each of brown sugar & pecan, and chocolate),

4. and fresh pears. Mmmmmmm.

5. There were light-up cups from Great Aunt Betty for Samantha...

6. Jeremy...

7. James...

8. and Madeline.

9. James got an electronic drum set (percussion with volume control--Santa's a genius!).

10. Samantha enjoyed monkey pajamas...

11. and tickles from her dad.

12. There were action figures for Jeremy,

13. a hand-knit scarf for Betty,

14. two santas in the house,

15. and four cousins!

16. Samantha watched old home movies with "the Gumps".

17. Helen and Mum reviewed pix while Rich waited patiently.

18. Thee was a staring contest,

19. cuteness,

20. and relaxation.

Creche: December 24

Christmas Eve BABY JESUS and WHY WE CELEBRATE CHRISTMAS

And here's our complete nativity scene:

Creche: December 23

1 Day to Christmas THE NIGHT WATCHMAN

Creche: December 22

2 Days to Christmas THE HEDGEHOG and THE CHRISTMAS ROSE

Creche: December 21

3 Days to Christmas THE DOVE

Creche: December 20

4 Days to Christmas THE LAMB

Creche: December 19

5 Days to Christmas THE INNKEEPER'S WIFE

Holiday Baking

It was about a year ago now that I started this little blog with a heavy emphasis on tasty foods. We posted lots of pictures of our baking adventures and since that is a family tradition, we simply have to blog about it again, too.

Here, once again, are our (Martha Stewart) Icebox Cookies.

For obvious reasons, we like to call them "Sushi Cookies":

We made several other variety of cookies (well...mostly I did) and much fun--and green sugar--was had by all:

Creche: December 18

6 Days To Christmas THE LITTLE GIRL

Creche: December 17

7 Days To Christmas THE SAD SHEPHERD

Creche: December 16

8 Days To Christmas THE YOUNG SHEPHERD

Creche: December 15

9 Days To Christmas THE OLD SHEPHERD

Creche: December 14

10 Days To Christmas THE OX

Creche: December 13

11 Days To Christmas THE CATTLE SHED