Remembering a Christmas just a short 5 years ago makes me sad that because of Covid this year, plans had to be cancelled to go out to Phoenix for Christmas, oh but all the sweet memories of a Christmas Past:
It was the year 2015
Oh I could just imagine the sights and sounds we would get to have all around us. About a week ago, I began making cookie dough to put in the freezer so that all I had to do was unthaw and bake when the kids would arrive from Phoenix! I made sure that I knew how to find the Christmas music stations on the TV so the house would be filled with “Ring The Bells, Joy to the World and Silent Night while we snacked on homemade cookies, made just for the precious angels that would be running in and out all week. Making sure to have just everyone’s favorite cookie made, I had my checklist all checked twice and made sure that everyone’s favorite was made and on the platter the minute they walked in the house. Isn’t it amazing how we conjure up what we feel like would be the perfect way to begin Christmas. Visions of a pretty platter of peanut butter cookies, chocolate chip and sugar cookies sitting out, while listening to It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas playing in the background. The little ones would bring us the book, Twas The Night Before Christmas while wiping sleepies from their eyes the first morning there. We would have the fireplace going with Frosty The Snowman movie on the TV while they cuddled on our laps. IS THERE A FAMILY THAT GETS TO ACTUALLY PLAY THIS SCENE OUT? If there is, please send me to them so I can see what that is really like!
So far, the visit went like this:
From Christmas Past:
The 14 old walks in from being in the car for 2 days, gives us a hug, disappears to go and work on his hair for 30 minutes then goes to his cousins house. Haven’t seen or heard from him since. But we still have the 6 and 2 yr old, right?
Well, after having the 6 year old in our bedroom on a makeshift bed, he awoke in the morning asking every 10 minutes, “can I open a present”! Literally, when we finally had to tell him that every time he ask that, we would take one of the presents out from under the tree and give it to someone else. So he rephrased the question to, “can I NOT open a present” telling us that he wasn’t asking “can I open a present now”, so it didin’t count so we couldn’t take any of his presents away since he wasn’t asking that question. After we got that settled and thought, “ok, we won that battle” he begins to stomp around the house singing, “What do you do with a drunken sailor, what do you do with a drunken sailor, what do you do with a drunken sailor, so early in the morning?”
I don’t know the answer to that question, but I do know what I would like to do with a little 6 year old that sings that song over and over 15 times.
Maybe if I offer them some homemade goodies, they will be more in the Christmas spirit. So I bring out all the homemade cookies, that are sure to put a sparkle in their eye. They look at them and say, “Nana, do you have any of those Little Debbie Christmas trees you gave us last year when you came to visit us?” What? They are choosing Little Debbie over Nana?
Everyone left to go do last minute errands for a couple of hours! even Frosty left (probably is sitting in the car at a park someplace to get some peace and quiet) so I am sitting here, listening to Christmas Bells Are Ringing. At least I can have visions in my head of what some magical family out there is experiencing with family. And I wonder why our kids gave us a CD of Christmas Vacation with Clark Griswald. Maybe because our family much more resembles that family that the families inside the pages of Southern Living.
Do we really think it was an accident that Grandma stepped in front of the reindeer? Hum….maybe she just couldn’t take listening to “what do you do with a drunken sailor” one more time!
Merry Christmas to one and all! May you and your family make some precious memories in spite of this year of being separated because of Covid this year as you celebrate the birth of our Savior and Lord! Because of Him, we can have life eternal, peace on Earth and Joy….we give Him thanks for the laughter and joy that fills our home in spite of current circumstances! Frosty just puts his earplugs in and shakes his head, as I walk around singing “what do you do with a drunken sailor!”
I bet even Norman Rockwell would have loved that Strange Carol had his grandchild been singing it!
Made this cake for a friend this week and it was such a hit. Several friends have ask for the recipe when they saw the picture on FB so here it is. It is easy and so yummy. Also, a friend of mine told me the other day that she didn’t understand how my cupcakes were always so soft and moist. The secret is, keep them in the refrigerator (covered) until about an hour before serving them.
1 Duncan Hines chocolate fudge cake mix
What a joy it was to visit my daughter and her family last week in Phoenix, AZ. Yes, it was very hot. But the times of laughter and just being with them after 5 months of not seeing them was such a delight. As we drove around with the younger boys (ages 8 & 11) in the back seat, they ask their mom, Jodi (my daughter) if we could listen to a couple of comedians who we have always enjoyed listening to. One is Brian Regan. He is one of those who just makes me laugh by looking at him when he is delivering his comedy routine. The boys also love listening to him. So as we drove around trying to find a restaurant that didn’t have an hour and a half wait, we listened and laughed. In fact, we were laughing so hard, we were almost crying. Our stomachs hurt, not from hunger, but from laughing. At dinner on Tues night with the whole family, we began to reminisce about when Caleb was born. We were there celebrating Calebs’ 11th birthday that night and as we began to think back about how we thought the first baby the nurse brought out was Caleb and we were all oohing and crying at how precious he was, only to find out that wasn’t Caleb at all, but someone else’s baby, we began to laugh, thinking back about that day. In fact, when the waiter came over several times, he told us, “every time I come back to your table, ya’ll are laughing hysterically” And we were. It was just one of those special times when everyone was in a joyful mood and everything seemed funny. Laughter is truly good for the soul. My last night there, I told Jodi, if laughter keeps a person from getting sick, I probably won’t be sick for the rest of my life, I had laughed so much. But this story is not complete until I tell about the river trip we made on Friday. It just was a reminder of what God wants from us….our trust.
We got home from church and since Randy is needing to work overtime on the weekend, I decided that I would bake, while he worked. When I ask him what he was in the mood for, he said anything but chocolate since sometimes eating chocolate in the evenings keeps him from sleeping well. We had talked today about him needing a phone because the hand me down he got from me last year (for me to get a new phone with more memory) is acting up, so between me looking at recipes and new phones on the internet, I also was looking at puppies, since we do want to get another doggie when we end up moving to a new place. I was on a web site that had teacup yorkies when Randy walked in to ask what I had decided to bake. Before answering him, I showed him the cutest little yorkie with a pink bow in her hair and looked at him with puppy dog eyes that immediately told him I found an adorable yorkie. He looked at it and said, “how much does that cute little thing cost?” When I responded that she cost about $3000, he looked at me and said, “$3000? I wouldn’t even pay that for you.” I think this sheltering in place is beginning to show its ugly face. And please don’t write and tell me I’m awful for spending that much money on a dog when they have so many in shelters. We would NEVER pay that much for a dog or anything close to that. I just have fun looking at pictures of cute puppies. So now back to the cake. Going to the pantry to see what I had, I discovered I had the necessary ingredients to make a coconut cake. It ended up so moist and yummy and will have it to snack on for a couple of days. I use a small bundt pan that allows me to make two so I can put one in the freezer for another time. Picture is of the two small cake pans I used
Saw this on Facebook one night and remembered that to take a picture of the recipe. Well, last night I made it. Oh my,where has this been all my life? It was simply delicious and so easy to make. Before leaving for the grocery store yesterday, I actually remembered to look at the recipe to see what i would need to buy to make it. That is unusual for me. Usually I get to the store and think, “what was I needing to get to make such and such?” Then I get home and see the recipe and then think, “ok, next time I will look at the recipe BEFORE going to the store so I won’t have to jump back in the car (well, actually it has been years since I was able to “jump” in anything) and run back to the store, or in most cases, plan on making the new recipe after the next trip to the store. And the cycle goes on and on. But this time, I did actually remember to look and see what I needed BEFORE going. I like to think it is the new Vitamins I am using called Smarty Pants. But, since I got home with the newly bought ingredients to make this simple recipe that made us feel so sophisticated knowing we were eating a French dessert, it just immediately became a favorite. Seriously, it is so good. A cross between a pudding and a cake or a thicker Dutch Baby. Don’t get me started on how much we love Dutch Babies for breakfast. After you have one in Chicago, well, let’s just say that we remember Chicago more than just it’s hot dogs now. So go to the store, buy some raspberries, blueberries or blackberries and make it this weekend. You can thank me later.
Chocolate Castles 