Author Archives: Amy

How was everyone’s Christmas?? I’ve barely had time to read my normal blogs – forget about writing here! Our Christmas was very nice – but I think we are already ready to return to normalcy!

Let’s see – our first Christmas was Saturday with my side of the family. (Pics below) We exchange names in our family which is very nice. My brother had my name and he was very generous! He got me the first season of LOST – and I’m loving it!! He also got me some homemade soap from Australia and the 2007 Knitting calendar Pattern-A-Day!! I’ve been taking peeks at it and loving it! I roasted a turkey and I think we had a very nice meal! My sister made her loaded potatoes – my SIL made an AWESOME salad and my mom made her walnut pies that we all love! Yummy! Every year we choose one adult to get a big gift that everyone contributes to – this year it was my sister. We chipped in to get her a digital camera – I hope that means she’ll post pictures to her blog now!! (hint, hint).

Our Tree My niece – yes, she’s eating a bow! My niece has a bit of an attachment disorder! lolC1 & J2 and their booty

B3 and J3 can’t wait to open something!!
Sunday we all woke up feeling horrible so we stayed home and then had a change of plans which meant I had to bundled up all my ingredients and head to my friends house for lunch. Another nice meal and gift exchange. She, as my knitting friend, got my some Trekking sock yarn that I can’t wait to cast on!! 🙂 No photos this day as I was feeling lousy and well, we just weren’t in picture mode I guess. That night we went to church for our candlelit Christmas program – lovely! Christmas music by candlelight with a few 100 of your favorite people! Then home to stuff stockings and do our last advent candle and sing while sitting by the Christmas tree. Magical!The next morning we were up and opened gifts with our boys. All three got MP3 players and really enjoyed them! I gave DH the first two seasons of House – I hope he enjoys it but so far there’s been no time to check it out!

dancing with their new MP3s

That afternoon DH’s side of the family was invited over but his brother and two of his four kids came over much earlier. It was nice – until I found out my BIL ate some of MY Christmas present candy! 🙁 Everyone knows that those candies are mom’s only and you can ask to have some but you NEVER take it. I made Turkey Vegetable & Rice Soup and Clam Chowder (except I forgot the last step of actually putting the clams in – grrr! At least the clam juice made it very yummy!) and then the rest of his family came over. There has been lots of drama lately on that side of the family – and one of his sisters did not come. I hope we are working to get some of that resolved.Well, I’ve been writing this forever now – have to save and try to finish it several times. Rather than try to remember what else I wanted to say – I’m going to post it now!

Today starts three parties in three days at our house…but first let me tell you about yesterday!

YESTERDAY, I cleaned house like a crazy woman and then headed to my SIL’s house to bake. My mom, my mil, my sil and her kids and a childhood friend of my SIL’s and her kids gathered to bake and decorate. I brought ingredients to make my mom’s orange balls – super simple and yummy! My MIL brought ingredients to make her pumpkin bread. My mom brought some chocolate turtle cookie dough. My SIL had baked sugar cookies for everyone to decorate and had purchased a gingerbread house kit. She also melted various chocolates and some caramel and we dipped pretzels in it! She also had set out meat, cheese and spinach dip for everyone! It was fun and yummy!

TODAY, my family is coming here for Turkey dinner and gift exchange. My mom, my sister her hubby and three kids, my brother, his wife and daughter. There will be 14 of us! I’m looking forward to this!! In fact, I need to get going so I can put the turkey in the oven! 🙂

TOMORROW, after church and before the evening candlelight service for CHRISTmas eve, we are having some family friends over for lunch. Hopefully it will be a quiet afternoon. There will only be 9 of us.

Then, MONDAY, we will have a quiet morning with our kids and maybe my mom. Then midday Eric’s family will be coming over for soup and a gift exchange. I’m going to make clam chowder and possibly Turkey vegetable soup with the leftover turkey from today. And, I’ve got a can of Campbell’s Chicken Noodle for some finicky kids (mine). I think there will be 15 of us as the biggest part of Eric’s brothers’ family won’t be here (his two daughters, oldest son, and his girlfriend).

Ok – I’ve put off getting going long enough and I’m sure you are all bored lol! But it’s given me a chance to gather my thoughts! I can’t believe I forgot the cranberry sauce again!! argh!!