Tuesday, December 23, 2008

MERRY CHRISTMAS

I HOPE EVERYONE IS WARM AND SNUG THIS WEEK, I'VE HEARD YOU ALL ARE GETTING HIT HARD BY OLD MAN WINTER. WE HAVE THE COLD, BUT NO SNOW OR ICE. I CAN'T SEEM TO GET WARM ENOUGH WHEN I'M OUT OF BED.


EVERYTHING IS WRAPPED, BERIBBONED, BAKED, SLICED AND DICED IN PREPARATION FOR TOMORROW AND THURSDAY. MY FAMILY IS GOING TO MY NIECE'S HOME IN PAOLI FOR CHRISTMAS EVE TOGETHER. SHE AND COURTNEY ARE THE OLDEST OF THE GRAND DAUGHTERS AND HAVE TAKEN ON THE CHALLENGE THIS YEAR. THERE ARE ABOUT 40 OF US, BUT STORI HAS A LARGE HOME AND A GRACIOUS AND KIND HUSBAND.


OUR KIDDOS AND MY MOM AND LITTLE BROTHER AND HIS FAMILY WILL BE HERE FOR CHRISTMAS DINNER. THE BOYS HAVE CHRISTMAS MORNING AT HOME WITH THE WIVES AND KIDS THEN COME TO DAD AND MOM'S TO EAT. THAT WAS QUITE AN ISSUE THE FIRST YEAR THE WIVES INSISTED UPON IT, BUT THE GUYS HAVE SEEN THE LIGHT SINCE. THEY DIDN'T WANT TO CHANGE FROM BEING HERE CHRISTMAS MORNING FOR SANTA AND BREAKFAST AND THEN BACK AGAIN FOR THE EVENING MEAL. I SUPPORTED THE WIVES ON THIS ONE, EVEN THOUGH I HATED GIVING UP CHRISTMAS MORNING WITH ALL MY CHICKS. THAT WAS A KILLER SCHEDULE FOR EVERYONE.

I'M FIXING A GIANT RIB ROAST FOR CHRISTMAS; WHEN I FIRST CHANGED FROM HAM AND TURKEY IT FELT STRANGE, BUT NOW EVERYONE LOVES IT AND LOOK FORWARD TO STEAK SANDWICHES FOR LEFT OVERS. I MAKE FOCCACIA BREAD THE NEXT DAY AND USE IT FOR THE SANDWICHES. VERY GOOD. COURTNEY MADE PEPPERMINT BROWNIES TO TAKE TO WORK THIS WEEK; HEAVENLY. SHE COVERED BAKED BROWNIES WITH MINI-MARSHMALLOWS , BROWNED THEM A LITTLE BIT THEN TOPPED THEM WITH CRUSHED PEPPERMINT STICKS. ZOOWIE. SHE ALSO MADE BAILEYS FUDGE WITH BAILEY'S IRISH CREME AND WHIPPED CREAM. CHOCOLATE AND ALCOHOL AT ITS BEST.


I FOUND A GREAT WEBSITE...WAIT A MINUTE I'LL BE BACK WITH IT. OK. THIS IS THE CUTEST THING, I SENT IT TO ALL MY LITTLE ONES. YOUR KIDS WILL LOVE IT. http//portablenorthpole.sympatico.msn.ca/home I HOPE IT WORKS FOR YOU. GAVIN AND CALEB FLIPPED WHEN SANTA MENTIONED THEIR NAME AND WHAT THEY WANTED FOR CHRISTMAS, HE EVEN TOLD CABE HOW HE KNEW HE WAS NAUGHTY. THIS IS SOMETHING CALEB WORRIES ABOUT ALOT. SWEET DEVIL THAT HE IS.
I JUST PREVIEWED THE ROUGH DRAFT FOR "GAGGLESPEAK'S" NEW LOOK, NICE. THE SWEETEST YOUNG LADY IS DOING IT; VERY CREATIVE AND INTELLIGENT, RATHER LIKE OUR KIRSTIE, I FEEL. I CANNOT WAIT TO REVEAL IT IN THE NEW YEAR. I HOPE TO HAVE MUSIC FOR YOUR LISTENING PLEASURE AND ADD RECIPES AND SUCH. THERE ARE SEVERAL FAVORITE SITES I WANT TO LINK TO FOR YOU ALL TO VISIT. ALL OF THIS IS WAY OVER MY HEAD, OF COURSE. BUT WHY TELL YOU, YOU'VE WITNESSED ME AT MY MOST CHALLENGED.
JANELLE, I LOOKED AT LADY A'S NEW PIX ON THE OTHER SITE. SHE HAS TO BE THE CUTEST 2 YEAR OLD AROUND AND THOSE SHOES ARE KILLER. I JUST WONDER WHAT HERMAN WILL LOOK LIKE?
WE GO BACK TO SCHOOL ON THE 5TH; HOW ABOUT YOU ALL? HOW FAR CAN YOU VENTURE OUT WHEN YOU'RE 40 WEEKS PREGNANT, JANELLE? I CAN COME TO LAFAYETTE TO SEE YOU ALL ON SHORT NOTICE IF THE WEATHER COOPERATES. I MISS YOU ALL AND REALLY MISS THE CONTACT WE HAD DURING OUR TIME AT ISU. YOU ALL ARE THE 7 DAUGHTERS I NEVER HAD. I LOVE YOU ALL AND WISH THE WARMEST OF CHRISTMAS' AND THE MOST BLESSED NEW YEAR. ENJOY, HEDY

4 comments:

Janelle said...

Christmas is almost here! Hedy...your family's plans and traditions sound like so much fun...and so many wonderful memories! Much like everyone else, our Christmas marathon starts tomorrow. We are having my brother and his family, my sister and my grandparents over in the evening. We do get to stay home on the 25th, though...and then it's straight chaos on the 26th, 27th and 28th!

I am absolutely ready for this baby to come into this world...I know I need to wait a few more weeks, but I am only 4 weeks out and I feel like I am 4 weeks over! I think we have settled on Olivia for a girl, but Brian and I are still struggling with boy names...tonight he threw out Pete (NOT Peter...he, he, he!) and Owen as names that he likes. I'm still pulling for Samuel...I guess we'll see when this baby arrives, just who wins. It probably won't be much of a fight, though...I definitely feel like this one is another girl!

Other than that, not much is new. Thanks for the sweet comments about Avery's pics, Hedy. Avery is talking so much that it amazes me every day. She did tell me today that she did not want a baby in this house....uh-oh! Brian has been really struggling with allergy issues. He finally had some tests ran today and we found out that he is not only allergic to our dogs, but also dust...so, to make a long story short, he wants me to clean more and I am looking for a new home for Brian because cleaning isn't going to happen and the dogs are staying! :)

Off to bed....miss you all. I would absolutely love to see you all over break. If you guys are able to make it to Lafayette, let me know and count me in!

Milk House door said...

Merry Christmas everyone!! We just finished baking Santa's cookies and watching his "live" video to the boys. What a great find Hedy, as were the recipes mentioned. I would love both recipes. They loved the santa video. Jordan is wavering on what to believe, but still does, despite what the 5th graders said on the bus. He is convinced they are on the "naughty list" and their parents have to buy their presents because Santa won't bring anything. So cute and innocent still. He's such a sweet boy.

Janelle, the pictures are too much!!! What a doll she is!!! Love the Zebra print. Too cute.

We are pretty quiet right now. Lots of ice is preventing us from going to church tonight. Pretty nasty out. We are only doing our own Christmas tomorrow morning. Celebration with my in-laws is on New Years since Tom and Jill are in Minnesota with her folks. My family is postponing things until after the new year when my sister is home. My dad had some minor complications after surgery and is not up to things just yet anyway. it works out and we don't have to do more than one Christmas celebration. Much less stressful for all involved.

Staci, I hope you are able to be somewhat stress free during your break. We are praying that things are ok and just a false alarm. Have you been having symptoms of the Hashimoto's for a while? I hope you are able to relax a bit over break.

To all else, I hope that you are enjoying restful, warm festivities. I would love to get together! Just throwing this out- Monday works well for me, providing the weather cooperates. Not sure what it will do next! :) Hope you all have a very Merry Christmas full of new memories, smiles, and laughter. Love you all!

Laura said...

Thank you so much for the sweet comments!!! I can't wait to see how it'll look with YOUR posts and pictures on it. Squee!

Also, thank you for your comment on my birthday!


Hope you are having an amazing day!

Milk House door said...

Oh Hedy, I LOVE it!!!! The writing is so romantic and majestic. How wonderful!!!