Category: HOLIDAYS

BLOGMAS 2016 – DAY 4 ~ FAVORITE MUSIC

I’m all over the place with Christmas music – depends on the day, the occasion, my mood, what food we’re eating – just sooooooooo many factors!

I love the old standards, but I also love country Christmas and Mannheim Steamroller.  I love Christmas carolers, not that you see many these days.  I was even part of the handbell choir at church for Christmas programs.

As for favorite songs I have a few that top the list:

  • Silent Night

  • White Christmas

  • Jingle Bell Rock

  • Winter Wonderland

  • Frosty the Snowman

  • Little Drummer Boy

  • The twelve days of Christmas

  • Deck the Halls

  • Come All Ye Faithful

  • It Came upon a Midnight Clear

  • We three Kings of Orient 

  • Joy to the World

  • Rudolph the Reindeer

  • Do You Hear What I Hear

  • The Most Wonderful Time of Year

  • It’s Beginning to Look a lot like Christmas

  • Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer

BLOGMAS 2016 – DAY 3 – WISH LIST

Participating in BLOGMAS helps get me in and keep me in the Christmas spirit. There is a new prompt for each day.  It is a lot of fun to read about each other’s traditions and family recipes and pictures. Be sure to join up with Sandra at DIARY OF A STAY AT HOME MOM to play along with BLOGMAS 2016.

This year we are forgoing BIG gifts again and doing stockings only since this house has eaten up all our disposable cash so fast!  We are planning a trip in the spring though and calling it our Christmas present to each other.

BLOGMAS 2016 ~ DAY 2 ~CHRISTMAS MOVIES ON THE MUST WATCH LIST

Today’s category is an easy one for me.  I start taping Christmas movies on Lifetime, Hallmark and INSP as soon as they air so I can watch all year long.  I’m a sucker for a happy ending and let’s face it, Christmas movies have happy endings.

So this list could be reallllllllllly long, but I will just keep it to the top 5 MUST watch each and every year movies.

 It’s a toss up for me about whether White Christmas with Bing Crosby, Rosemary Clooney, Vera Ellen and Danny Kaye or It’s a Wonderful Life with Jimmy Stewart, Lionel Barrymore and Donna Reed is my absolute favorite, but I think I’m leaning towards It’s a Wonderful life! This year we watched it on our wonderful early Christmas present from my mom, a 50 inch SMART TV!
 Which Miracle on 34th street version (the original with Natalie Wood or the remake with Richard Attenborough) is the best?  BOTH versions of course!
The Santa Clause with Tim Allen quickly became a favorite – who could resist visiting the North Pole every year?
 Now Home Alone is just silly, but it never fails to make me laugh!

BLOGMAS 2016 ~ DAY 1

✨What is Your Favorite Holiday Movie? Home Alone, Miracle on 34th Street and they never get old.  

✨What is Your Favorite Christmas Color? Red and silver. 

✨Stay in Your PJs Or Dress Up For Christmas? I always dress up.

✨If You Could Only Buy One Person a Present This Year Who Would It Be? WOW, can “one” person just be one age group, all the kids in my life? This is a hard one.  I love buying presents for everyone. 

✨Do You Open Your Present Christmas Eve Or Christmas Morning? It used to be Christmas Eve when I was a kid though we saved the Santa presents for Christmas morning. Now we open them Christmas morning.

 ✨What Do You Like To Do On Your Christmas Break? Wait, there’s a Christmas Break? I don’t seem to get an actual break, but I do allow myself a holiday movie or two throughout my day as I’m working.

✨Any Christmas Wishes? To have my house done so we can actually enjoy it for awhile before we sell it.  Safe travels for everyone over the holidays and world peace.  Was that too Miss America?  I really do want peace for EVERYONE!

✨Favorite Christmas Smell? A fresh cut tree, baking cookies full of spices (cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and cloves)

✨Favorite Christmas Meal Or Treat? Prime Rib, Fudge, Corn flake wreaths

✨What are you doing for the holidays this year? Staying home and having Christmas 3 times.  My mom will be here later next week, Christmas day with hubby and I and then again on the 27th with the rest of the family

✨What’s your favorite holiday drink? Coffee and hot toddies

✨Candy cane or Gingerbread men? I like the chalk style peppermint, but not real keen on actual candy canes and I like soft gingerbread men.

 ✨What’s your favorite holiday/Christmas song? That’s a tough call – depends on my mood… White Christmas, Silent Night and I’ll Be Home for Christmas

✨What is most important to you about the holidays?  That it is genuine and homemade for the most part.  It is not a commercial holiday for me.  I believe in trying to remember the real reason for the season and keep the Christmas spirit in my heart and life ALL year long.

BE SURE AND JOIN UP WITH SANDRA AT DIARY OF A STAY AT HOME MOM TO PLAY ALONG WITH BLOGMAS 2016.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING, BLACK FRIDAY aka NIGHTMARE AT THE MALLS

Thanksgiving in the United States was observed on various dates throughout history, but by the mid 20th century, the final Thursday in November had become the customary day of Thanksgiving in most U.S. states. It was not until December 26, 1941, however, that President Franklin D. Roosevelt, after pushing two years earlier to move the date earlier to give the country an economic boost, signed a bill into law with Congress, making Thanksgiving a national holiday and settling it to the fourth (but not final) Thursday in November.
The term BLACK FRIDAY appears to have been coined in Philadelphia by the police, where it was originally used to describe the heavy and disruptive pedestrian and vehicle traffic which would occur on the day after Thanksgiving. Use of the term began around 1966 and was used primarily on the east coast. It began to see broader use around 1975. Later an alternative explanation began to be offered: that “Black Friday” indicates the period during which retailers are turning a profit, or “in the black.
I know many of you probably love to participate in Black Friday.  I for one, can’t stand it.  I like to enjoy my Thanksgiving weekend in its entirety!  That means sleeping in on Friday, Saturday and Sunday at least until 7.  I refuse to get up and go shopping at 3 AM for anyone or anything! More importantly, at least to me, is that I don’t want to rush through an important family holiday just so I can get up at 3 AM (if I got to bed at all) and go stand in line all day to spend money.
Traditionally, for me anyway, “Black Friday” has been spent sleeping in, eating turkey sandwiches, putting up the Christmas tree, wrapping gifts (because I am done shopping by Thanksgiving since most of my items need to be shipped), watching old movies, baking and any other thing that comes to mind.
So if you participate in black Friday, I hope it will be safe and enjoyable for you.  May I suggest next year though that you take it all a bit slower and enjoy the weekend long and leisurely?  Maybe take that weekend to make your gifts or holiday cards and enjoy the Thanksgiving holiday AND the beginning of the Christmas Holiday season with your family.

HECETA HEAD DESTINATION WEDDING

My brother got married a year ago and it was a destination wedding to a very special place that means a lot to him and my new SIL, Amy. We had family coming in from ALL over the country for both of them and being a Virgo, list maker and compulsive planner I started asking questions early on.  Since we were the closest to the location I felt responsible for helping in ANY way I could – from decorations, the cake, picking people up from the airport, etc…

My first stop was the Heceta Head Lighthouse Bed & Breakfast webpage.  One of the first things that struck me was that they need a better webmaster, but then it was pointed out to me that because they are a lighthouse on the coast, they get the business either way, but I still believe there should be better information and facility pictures for when your are spending an arm and a leg for the weekend. So, one of my goals of this post is to add some decent pictures here as well as Pinterest for those who feel they need more information before spending $315 + tax a night just for a room.

This was a “later in life” (they are both in their 40’s) first wedding for each of them and they were keeping it small so I really wanted it to be perfect for them.  Just trying to pick out a date turned into a HUGE fiasco.  The web page shows dates blacked out so they were trying to work around that to pick dates that would coincide with their available days off from work and coordinating family flights etc…  LONG STORY SHORT the blacked out dates ARE available for weddings and large parties, but have to be booked through the general manager, but since the general manager was SUPER SLOW to return ALL calls and emails, it took FOREVER to start planning this wedding.  The webpage has a link to wedding packages, but they are not clear or thorough.  You have to contact owner to even know what the wedding packages are.

The webpage also does NOT have decent pictures of the facilities. If you have never been there you are left to fill in the blanks with your imagination. And with the pricey dollar amount on the weekend people kinda want to see what they are getting for the money. While we were there for their wedding people were stopping by trying to locate the owner/manager about their own weddings since their calls were not being answered.

The following quote is directly from their webpage: “Having just a few guests at your wedding, let us take care of your wedding plans! You set the date, pick a package and relax.” Which as I can tell you IS NOT the case.

I grew up in an era of customer service and the customer is always right.   While that may not always really be the case I still believe business should be conducted a certain way – COURTEOUSLY.  Even if you are busy and have more business than you need you SHOULD ALWAYS return calls and emails.  The practice is akin to not burning bridges to me.  The customer you turn away today by not answering will not be there tomorrow nor will anyone they tell about their poor experience. Unfortunately, EVERYTHING became last minute in the 5-7 days before the wedding because of this.

To top off the management issues they were having EXTREME water problems.  When we arrived we found this note on the refrigerator. No phone calls before to tell us to bring bottled water, no one there to pave the way with explanations, just this note.

On our first night there we found we had NO water as we went to bed.  This meant NO flushing toilets, taking showers or brushing teeth unless you had a bottle of water laying around. They began trucking water in around 130AM right past our window! So that also meant very little sleep also. No one told us in advance that water was being trucked in to fill the tank periodically. No one told us that the tank had MAJOR leaks in it also and the water would continue to seep out on top of it. Apparently their water source had been cut off by a coast road crew repairing the road.  

I have to tell you though none of that mattered to me when the water abruptly stopped as I was in the shower with a head full of lather the next morning.  NOPE, I was EXTREMELY pissed off.

Amy’s beautiful bouquet.
 Amy and her father walking down the aisle.

 Chris and Amy taking their vows.


 YAY! They did it!

 Casual and western!

Chris and Amy with her family (Allison, Tom, Dink, Amy, Chris, Aiden, Jen and Branen). LOL notice the boys shed their shoes as soon as they could.

Chris and Amy with his family (stepdad Glenn, mom, Chris, Amy, me and hubby)

Jen and Branen having a cute moment.
Branen waiting for dinner.
Aiden waiting for dinner.

Chris and Amy weren’t decided on a cake type so I offered to have my girlfriend, Heather (a gourmet cupcake baker) provide an assortment of their choice and they were a HUGE hit.  Everyone loved being able to try all the different flavors. They even did the ceremonious cutting of the “cupcake”.

Chris and Amy chose a wonderful sit down dinner from a local caterer that tasted fantastic! They also chose the candles and lanterns that I was able to pick up locally and I made the napkin rings.
 Chris & Amy with her parents, Tom & Dink.

 The setting was as peaceful and perfect and idyllic as was possible.

 Uninvited guests form a peanut gallery.
This was the view from our room! 
 Tom enjoying the appetizer spread before dinner.

ALL and ALL we had a great time DESPITE the poor management and water problems which says more about our abilities to roll with the punches than the Inn’s ability to problem solve.  To this date the owner/manager has YET to call me back despite my many calls to him and I’m sure since he has my money he never will. 

 

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PROPOSED EASTER MENU

Things are moving along well, so well that we decided to host Easter. I’m really excited about being far enough along host Easter and being able to really bake and cook again. This is my proposed menu. Any other ideas?

TROPICAL GLAZED PORK TENDERLOIN

2-3 pound pork tenderloin
1 cup apricot pineapple preserves
1 1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup pineapple juice

  • Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
  • Whisk together brown sugar and pineapple juice.
  • Blend in preserves.
  • generously salt and pepper the pork loin.
  • Spread a small layer of the glaze on the bottom of the roasting pan.
  • Lay the pork loin on top and spread the remaining glaze on top and along the sides.
  • Baste as necessary
  • Bake 45-60 minutes or until meat thermometer reads 170 degrees.
DEVILED EGGS

8 hard boiled Eggs
1 tablespoon mustard
1 teaspoon vinegar

1 teaspoon creamy horseradish
1/4 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons sour cream
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
1/4 teaspoon celery salt
paprika

  • Cut eggs in half and scoop out yolks. 
  • In a mixing bowl mash the yolks to a fine consistency. 
  • Add the remaining ingredients except the paprika and mix well until smooth and creamy. 
  •  Fill egg whites and sprinkle with paprika. I have a Tupperware egg keeper that fits 8 eggs perfectly. I like to do these a day before serving also to allow the flavors to meld.

HOLIDAY APRICOT CARROT CASSEROLE

2 pounds carrots**
1/2 cup golden raisins
1/4 cup butter, melted
2 cans apricot pineapple nectar
1 pound dried apricots
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup crushed walnuts

  • Clean and bake carrots until slightly mushy.
  • Cool, Slice lengthwise and set aside.
  • While carrots are baking, put dried apricots in a dutch oven and cover with nectar.
  • Simmer apricots until mushy – about an hour.
  • Add butter, brown sugar and walnuts to apricot mixture.
  • In a 13×9 greased baking dish layer carrots and apricot mixture twice.
  • Bake 30-45 minutes at 350°.

**Yams or sweet potatoes or a combination of can be substituted easily.

CHEESY AU GRATIN POTATOES
1/2 cup butter
16 oz. whipping cream
5 large russet potatoes
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
1 clove garlic, minced
2 cups grated 4 white cheese mix (Gruyere, Muenster, etc…)
2 cups grated sharp cheddar
Wondra Flour

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  • Peel and thinly slice potatoes.
  • Grease 9×13 baking dish.
  • In a large sauce pan, melt the butter.
  • Gradually add the whipping cream and spices. Blend well.
  • Gradually add the flour until the mixture thickens, but it is still pourable!
  • Mix the cheeses all together.
  • Layer the potatoes, cheese and cream mixture ending with cheese on top.
  • Bake 45 minutes or until potatoes are tender and golden brown.

CHOCOLATE BERRY BASKETS 
Chocolate 
Strawberries
Blackberries
Blueberries 

ROLLS OF SHARON aka CINNAMON RAISIN BUNS
ROLLS
2 packages Fleischman’s Rapid Rise Yeast
1/2 cup + 2 teaspoons sugar
1/2 cup WARM water
1 cup scalded milk (2 minutes in the microwave)
1/2 cup Crisco stick
5 cups flour, divided
2 large eggs, well beaten
1 teaspoon salt

  • In a small bowl combine the warm water, 2 teaspoons of sugar and both packages of yeast until well blended. Set aside.
  • In a mixing bowl combine the scalded milk, Crisco stick, 1/2 cup sugar and salt. Blend well.
  • Add yeast mixture and blend well.
  • Add the well beaten eggs and half the flour. Mix until well blended.
  • Add the remaining flour (a little more if too sticky) and mix well until dough leaves the sides of the bowl and is elastic.
  • With vegetable oil, wipe the inside of another bowl.
  • Place dough in bowl and turn once.
  • Cover with wax paper and a towel.
  • Let rest in a warm place until double in size.

 

  • Punch down and divide into 2 balls.
  • Put one on the pastry board and one back in the bowl.
  • Let rest 10 minutes.
  • While resting prepare the filling ingredients.

 

  • Roll the dough to 1/8 inch thickness in a rectangle about 18×24 inches.
  • Spread half the melted butter over the dough and sprinkle with half the cinnamon sugar.
  • Spread half the raisins over that.
  • Roll tightly jelly roll style and cut into 18 rolls.
  • Place rolls in greased pans 1/4 to 1/2 inches apart.
  • Cover with wax paper and a towel.
  • Let rise again until double in size.
  • Bake 15-20 minutes at 350 degrees.
  • While baking prepare the icing.

 

  • When rolls come out the oven, put globs of icing on each one. Return to the oven for a minute or two to melt icing all over the rolls.

FILLING
1 stick melted butter
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons cinnamon
1 cup golden raisins

  • Whisk together the sugar and cinnamon until well blended.

ICING
1 stick butter, softened
3 3/4 cups powdered sugar
1 tablespoon powdered vanilla
4-6 tablespoons milk

  • Mix all together until smooth.

When re-heating rolls, put a pad of butter on top of roll before microwaving.
These freeze really well. 

MOSCATO STRAWBERRY LEMONADE
1 bottle pink moscato
6 cups lemonade
1/4 cup strawberry vodka
Frozen Strawberry Slices
Lemon slices

  • Blend together well.
  • Enjoy!   

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BLOGMAS 2015 – DAY 22

WOW seems like we just started this journey through BLOGMAS 2014 and here we are 3 days until Christmas.  Today and tomorrow are my BIG days for preparing for Christmas.  These are the days that I’m mostly in the kitchen or cleaning the house, wrapping last minute packages or running last minutes errands for ingredients for the BIG DAY.  The only thing on my list that I didn’t accomplish was the cleaning so will spend all day tomorrow doing laundry, vacuuming and cleaning the bathrooms.

Remember when I told you I was a list girl?  Well, these help – A LOT!  I couldn’t get very good pictures, but those little presents are battery operated lights that change colors (red, blue and green) that I’m going to include on the plate when I deliver the goodies to the neighbors.  The purple list is accomplished and half the green list is done and will be finished up tomorrow and Wednesday.

This is Cinnamon Roll day too – YUMMY! One of my favorite days of the year.  The recipe originally came from one of my favorite aunts who taught me a lot about art, cooking and just plain being creative.  I have made a few minor updates to suit our tastes, but this recipe was ALL her and a secret that my cousin and I kept until the day she died.

ROLLS OF SHARON aka CINNAMON RAISIN BUNS
ROLLS
2 packages Fleischman’s Rapid Rise Yeast
1/2 cup + 2 teaspoons sugar
1/2 cup WARM water
1 cup scalded milk (2 minutes in the microwave)
1/2 cup Crisco stick
5 cups flour, divided
2 large eggs, well beaten
1 teaspoon salt

  • In a small bowl combine the warm water, 2 teaspoons of sugar and both packages of yeast until well blended. Set aside.
  • In a mixing bowl combine the scalded milk, Crisco stick, 1/2 cup sugar and salt. Blend well.
  • Add yeast mixture and blend well.
  • Add the well beaten eggs and half the flour. Mix until well blended.
  • Add the remaining flour (a little more if too sticky) and mix well until dough leaves the sides of the bowl and is elastic.
  • With vegetable oil, wipe the inside of another bowl.
  • Place dough in bowl and turn once.
  • Cover with wax paper and a towel.
  • Let rest in a warm place until double in size.
  • Punch down and divide into 2 balls.
  • Put one on the pastry board and one back in the bowl.
  • Let rest 10 minutes.
  • While resting prepare the filling ingredients.
  • Roll the dough to 1/8 inch thickness in a rectangle about 18×24 inches.
  • Spread half the melted butter over the dough and sprinkle with half the cinnamon sugar.
  • Spread half the raisins over that.
  • Roll tightly jelly roll style and cut into 18 rolls.
  • Place rolls in greased pans 1/4 to 1/2 inches apart.
  • Cover with wax paper and a towel.
  • Let rise again until double in size.
  • Bake 15-20 minutes at 350 degrees.
  • While baking prepare the icing.
  • When rolls come out the oven, put globs of icing on each one. Return to the oven for a minute or two to melt icing all over the rolls.

FILLING
1 stick melted butter
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon Pumpkin pie spice
1 cup golden raisins

  • Whisk together the sugar and cinnamon until well blended.

ICING
1 stick butter, softened
3 3/4 cups powdered sugar
1 tablespoon powdered vanilla
4-6 tablespoons milk

  • Mix all together until smooth.

When re-heating rolls, put a pad of butter on top of roll before microwaving.
These freeze really well.

As we get to the end of our countdown I have remembered a few more fun anecdotes.

  • Every year we received a box of See’s candy and I was ALWAYS on the search for the sprinkle coated ones a.k.a. Milk Bordeauxs YUMMY!

  • One year my dad got my mom diamond earrings.  He wrapped them in their original box and then with my brother’s and my help we proceeded to nest these in other boxes (wrapping each box as we went) culminating with a Dishwasher box full of bricks in the bottom – Boy was she surprised and it made for chaotic family fun on Christmas Eve.

  • Another year we built an elaborate scavenger hunt all through the house to lead my dad to his ultimate gift in the garage.

BLOGMAS 2015 – THE TABLELOTH

This story originally came across my email and I was reminded that it is a beautiful way to celebrate Christmas Holiday spirit so I thought I’d share. This is such a beautiful story that makes you understand that things truly do happen for a reason. Don’t forget to grab the tissue box.

The brand new pastor and his wife, newly assigned to their first ministry, to reopen a church in suburban Brooklyn, arrived in early October excited about their opportunities. When they saw their church, it was very run down and needed much work. They set a goal to have everything done in time to have their first service on Christmas Eve.

They worked hard, repairing pews, plastering walls, painting, etc… and on December 18th they were ahead of schedule and just about finished.

On December 19th a terrible tempest – a driving rainstorm hit the area and lasted for two days.

On the 21st, the pastor went over to the church. His heart sank when he saw that the roof had leaked, causing a large area of plaster about 20 feet by 8 feet to fall off the front wall of the sanctuary just behind the pulpit, beginning about head high.

The pastor cleaned up the mess on the floor, and not knowing what else to do but postpone the Christmas Eve service, headed home. On the way he noticed that a local business was having a flea market type sale for charity so he stopped in. One of the items was a beautiful, handmade, ivory colored, crocheted tablecloth with exquisite work, fine colors and a Cross embroidered right in the center. It was just the right size to cover up the hole in the front wall. He bought it and headed back to the church.

By this time it had started to snow. An older woman running from the opposite direction was trying to catch the bus. She missed it. The pastor invited her to wait in the warm church for the next bus 45 minutes later. She sat in a pew and paid no attention to the pastor while he got a ladder, hangers, etc… to put up the tablecloth as a wall tapestry. The pastor could hardly believe how beautiful it looked and it covered up the entire problem area.

Then he noticed the woman walking down the center aisle. Her face was like a sheet.. ‘Pastor,’ she asked, ‘where did you get that tablecloth?’ The pastor explained. The woman asked him to check the lower right corner to see if the initials, EBG were crocheted into it there. They were. These were the initials of the woman, and she had made this tablecloth 35 years before, in Austria.
The woman could hardly believe it as the pastor told how he had just gotten the Tablecloth. The woman explained that before the war she and her husband were well-to-do people in Austria. When the Nazis came, she was forced to leave. Her husband was going to follow her the next week. He was captured, sent to prison and she never saw her husband or her home again.

The pastor wanted to give her the tablecloth, but she made the pastor keep it for the church. The pastor insisted on driving her home, that was the least he could do. She lived on the other side of Staten Island and was only in Brooklyn for the day for a house cleaning job.

What a wonderful service they had on Christmas Eve The church was almost full. The music and the spirit were great. At the end of the service, the pastor and his wife greeted everyone at the door and many said that they would return. One older man, whom the pastor recognized from the neighborhood continued to sit in one of the pews and stare, and the pastor wondered why he wasn’t leaving.

The man asked him where he got the Tablecloth on the front wall because it was identical to one that his wife had made years ago when they lived in Austria before the war and how could there be two tablecloths so much alike.

He told the pastor how the Nazis came, how he forced his wife to flee for her safety and he was supposed to follow her, but he was arrested and put in a prison. He never saw his wife or his home again all the 35 years in between.

The pastor asked him if he would allow him to take him for a little ride. They drove to Staten Island and to the same house where the pastor had taken the woman three days earlier.

He helped the man climb the three flights of stairs to the woman’s apartment, knocked on the door and he saw the greatest Christmas reunion he could ever imagine.


This true Story was submitted by Pastor Rob Reid.