Thursday, December 27, 2007

We Gather Together



















Like most families we have been busy with the
business and gatherings of family, loved ones, and
friends celebrating Christmas, and we have had a
wonderful time doing so.

I was blessed to have one of my sisters and her
family stay with me for two days, My nephew came
home from Japan to spend the holiday with the family
it was wonderful for he gave all of us a special gift by
announcing the name of his child that will be making
it's debut sometime in the new year. we were all
very excited to learn the name and I think it
will suit the child well.

It was great to spend time with my sister
then on Christmas day we spent the day
with all my sisters and our families together
then we all ended up at one of my cousins house
where other cousins and uncles attended and we
embraced each other and we learned some family
history that I never learned before. ( I thought that
to be a gift in itself , for I am a nut about family history!)

when I got home I decided that I was going to write it
down and perhaps start a project of a journal with it
for my knowledge or just to have our family history


now we are kind of getting ready to ring in the
new year normally we are always just myself, kids
and husband this year kids are having a little party
at the house so guess who is the caterer for this party?!

oh well at least I know it will be fun ( at least I hope so!!)

Tuesday, December 25, 2007

Merry Christmas

MERRY CHRISTMAS
MERRY CHRISTMAS
MERRY CHRISTMAS
MERRY CHRISTMAS
MERRY CHRISTMAS
MERRY CHRISTMAS



Monday, December 24, 2007

Traditions Part 2







There are traditions that we keep in our family
some from when I was a girl and the others from
my husband's family that have been handed down
the photo above is from my husbands side of the family
it is Date candy. I used to think it was awful but it is
actually very good it is an old family tradition that
goes way back on my husbands side it is one of the
first things I learned to make from Granny when I
we were first married.










the other is a sweet bread that my mother
used to make to give as Christmas gifts
I am not an expert at it as she was but I
don't do so bad at it, one of my sisters can
make it better but I think it is fun to try and
I am glad that one of my sister's found mom's
old recipe we called it Papatiza!

so this week I will be baking these two yummy things
along with a few others that are on my family's gotta
have goody list.

Oh Christmas Tree

















This year I decided to only put up one of my Christmas Trees
( I usually put up two) anyway I wanted something a little
different and I thought about doing kind of a memory tree
I ran out of time and so I did not get it done as I liked but
next year I plan on having one of the trees just dedicated
to that so at least by this time next year it will be complete!

so for this year this tree is still an unfinished work in progress
and well I must say I enjoyed trying to find the right photos
to match up with the ornament frames. anyway as stated
earlier it is still a work in progress and next year will be complete.

Thursday, December 20, 2007

Christmas Hoopla








Oh I have been tagged for Christmas Hoopla
I have never been tagged before so if I do this
incorrectly forgive me for I am still kind of new
at this blog thing.
being tagged I am supposed to list 12 random things
about myself that have to do with Christmas
well here they are

1. I enjoy watching Christmas movies My favorite is
THE CHRISTMAS STORY

2. I love the smell of Cinnamon pine cones and
and pine scent in the house at Christmas time

3. when I was younger I once had a tamale eating contest
with a family member till I got sick to my stomach on Christmas
eve.

4. I enjoy looking at all my old photos as a young girl sitting on
Santa's lap and looking at my children's photos with Santa as well.

5. I enjoy decorating the house for Christmas the day after Thanksgiving
and I start listening to Christmas music that day, everyday until Christmas.

6. I like family Traditions and the three that I keep are making tamales and my
mother's sweetbread and my husband's grandmas date candy.

7. I save my Christmas cards and some I use as Name tags
others I make a collage or use as Christmas Ornaments

8. I am a snowman Freak! I love collecting snowman ornaments, anything
snowmen.

9. I buy my Christmas cards for the next year the day after Christmas

10 I love baking Christmas cookies and candy for my kids

11. I can never decide what it is I want for Christmas.

12 The craziest of all I somehow always end up Christmas shopping the last
few days before Christmas. ( I guess in some strange way I enjoy the
rush of it weird I know!!!)

alright I am suppose to choose someone else to be tagged
I really don't know that many people so I will choose

Dee Dee Girl @ Desires

Friday, December 14, 2007

The Christmas Ornaments


Here are the Christmas ornaments that I have been blessed to receive at the cookie and ornament exchanges I have attended or hosted I still have one more to attend next week ( I can't wait I have been getting pretty good ones don't you think?)

(the date is wrong on the photos cause it was wrong on the camera)

the ornament in the first photo is the one I received this past Tuesday.




the second photo is one I got today at the exchange that I hosted upon opening I noticed the fence came unglued well I will mend it this evening







and the last one I also got today it was disguised by my breakfast club
buddies as a belated birthday gift
so may your days be

MERRY & BRIGHT

Wednesday, December 12, 2007

Cookie & Ornaments




Every year my friend and I have held a
little cookie & Christmas ornament exchange
for some ladies ( in past post I called the Breakfast Club).

we have a great time and I seem to end up with some
beautiful and interesting Christmas Ornaments.

This year I also have attended a few. this past Tues
I attended one with the ladies I went on Church retreat with
it was so beautiful and elegant. I really had a great time
I got some great ideas for the one we are hosting.

I enjoy this (and it has become a kind of tradition ) because
I love to see the joy in my elderly lady friends faces.
it is such a wonderful time to have fellowship & laugh & have a little fun.

I guess it is becoming a little tradition on it's own