Christmas -- Round 2

Apparently, when some of the companies [that my husband ordered Christmas gifts for me from] said that the items would be delivered by December 18th....

 ....what they REALLY meant was on January 7th!

 Just THREE WEEKS later - no biggie, right?!?  (Not)

Geez Louise, I'd say that was pretty darn unsatisfactory, bordering on unacceptable, as far as customer service goes....We definitely have become too accustomed to Amazon Prime's [free] 2-day delivery being SO NICE!

But, really.....I'm a grown woman, so it's not like I couldn't handle a few less presents on Christmas morning.  In fact, I still received plenty of stuff, so it didn't even cross my mind that I was lacking - Matt just told me later that some things hadn't come.  Better me than the kids, right?!?


So, this all meant that I got to be surprised and open up ANOTHER Christmas package of stuff last night  - Woo Hoo!

Merry Christmas to me - AGAIN!

(since I was semi-conscious on the real day, anyway, this was real swell!)

Christmas Morning.....Didn't quite Start Out the way it was Supposed to.

In our family, we all line up and enter the Family Room together, at the same time, on Christmas morning (no one is allowed to go in there on their own before the agreed upon time).
First, everyone kind of just looks around, and finds "their" spot where their things have been left, and then they sit down and soak it all in.

 

Then, everyone is free to leisurely go through their stockings and see what is in them - and act ALL excited AND thankful AND jubilant!!!  :)
After that, we start opening presents, in turn, one by one.

So....we all got seated, AND BEFORE WE'D OPENED EVEN ONE PRESENT, all of a sudden, Kyle says, "Look, I cut my hand!" as he holds up his hand in front of Matt's face.

From across the room, in my dazed state (very LATE nights/mornings for the previous few nights), I look over and I can't figure out WHAT he's talking about.  I mean, we've literally ONLY been in the family room a couple of minutes TOPS, so HOW do you cut your hand by just sitting there or pulling things out of your stocking???

Did Santa put something sharp in there?

Since my mind was running so slowly, I was just staring and thinking, but no words actually made it out of my mouth.  (I know - shocker, huh?!?)
Matt, on the other hand, immediately asks, "WHAT JUST HAPPENED?" 

Apparently, Kyle had wanted to open up some socks that he got, and he took Matt's Swiss Army knife (without him noticing) to cut those plastic barbs that hold new socks together.

AND he missed or slipped, and got his finger.

Matt informed him (& everyone) that ONLY HE should touch the knife!

So, then Kyle started to bleed pretty good, so Matt told him to get over to the kitchen, so we could get a towel to put pressure on it (and so the blood wouldn't drip on the couch/carpet!)

But, then he started to get freaked out by the blood.
Side note: he has a history of this - NOT doing well at the sight or thought of blood. ;)  In fact, earlier this year, when all the kids had to go in for labs, Kyle about passed out and was given a ice pack and had to lay down.  Katelyn locked herself in the bathroom, crying.  And Brookelle was totally calm and fine and cooperated perfectly and was done in 20 seconds.  Hmmm....what is wrong with this picture?!?  ;)

But, when Kyle got up to move to the kitchen, he started to feel faint, so we had him sit down in a chair.

And then his face got all white.

And he started to sweat.

And breathe irregularly.

And was demanding to know how bad it was bleeding, as he was bouncing his foot up and down and putting his head down on the table and groaning.

Meanwhile, Matt & I are playing nurse/doctor.  I go to get or look for cloths and gauze and Neosporin and antiseptic spray and butterfly band-aids (couldn't find a single one!) and Matt applied pressure and performed all the treatment.  And the girls just continued to look through their Christmas stockings - No, I'm sure they were worried sick about their brother instead!  ;)

It was difficult to ignore the mayhem going on in the kitchen!!

Well, Kyle was feeling sick - that was for sure - he thought he was going to throw up, so I went looking for our bucket.  It wasn't in it's usual spot, and I was told to go look in Katelyn's room since she had felt sick in the middle of the night.  So, I go up to her room, and I found it......WITH vomit in it already!  So, then I go to the bathroom and rinse it out, then run back downstairs with the clean bucket for Kyle.  Luckily, he hadn't needed it yet.

Then Kyle says he can't feel his hand.
Or his arms.
And his head hurts.
His skin looks kind of gray, too.
And then he starts to apologizing for taking his dad's knife!  (His form of "death bed repentance?")

I get him a drink of water and a cold washcloth, his sister comes to his side and rubs his back.
Matt stops the bleeding, and dresses the wound after multiple attempts on the tricky finger bends, but Kyle doesn't even want to lift his head up to look at the damage.

We finally get him back to the couch, and laid him down, put his head on a pillow, feet elevated, and cover him with a blanket.....because NOW he has the chills (and he wants the cut hand to be out of sight!)
His face was still super white (it was funny/not funny)...and his previous enthusiasm for Christmas morning had disappeared!

So, not the way we normally start out Christmas morning.  ;)

So, about an hour later than intended, we resumed our stocking discovery and eventually started opening gifts, too.

And then took a break when a special Skype call came in:

It ended up to be just what the doctor ordered.  Because Kyle was able to perk back up for that! 

Make Sure You Have Plenty of Money, Can Hold in Your Laughter, and Don't Have to "Go"

...And other things I discovered on our "Christmas in NYC" vacation:

1. As I looked around, practically anywhere we went, but especially on the Subway, I was the only blonde.

Ya, I didn't look out of place, now, did I?  ;)

2.  Ice Skating is HARD!!

It kills your feet, calves, and bum.  When we first got on the rink, we were only able to make it HALFWAY around before we had to rest - seriously!  Then we worked up to one whole time around without stopping, then 1 1/2, and then two times around - if we went on the "inside track."  I figured it out; it had literally been 29 years since I had been ice skating!!!

(But, how can you NOT when you're in NYC at Christmas time?!?)

Matt tried a couple laps on his own to see if he could do it better/it was easier without me holding onto his hand........well, he wiped out!  I, on the other hand, never fell once.  I guess he knows now it'll NEVER be a good idea to ditch me!  haha.  ;)

Watching the zambonie is very relaxing, in comparison.  :)

3.  Their definition of money, is not the same as my definition of money.
As we got closer to Central Park, many bike carriages tried to solicit us.  The guy says, "Do you wanna ride?  It's almost FREE!"  Well....on the carriage was a sign advertising it was $3.00/minute.  So, if it takes a couple minutes to load up, and about 30 minutes to ride around the entire park, and another couple minutes to disembark....all of a sudden, "almost FREE" = $100!!
Also, as I was standing in line for the restroom (see #13 below) at Radio City Music Hall (BTW, it was the MEN'S restroom they'd opened up for all us women), I was chatting with the woman behind me in line.  She disclosed that she had paid $420 a ticket to bring her family to the show.  That was the EACH price, not the total price - and she had a family of 4 - she'd spent $1,800 (w/ taxes/fess) to come!!!   She said it was her anniversary, so she told her husband they WERE going to the city!
OK....#1 - the show IS spectacular (see #14 below), but I'm not sure it's worth that much money, and #2 - WHY are you bringing your little children on your anniversary??? 
(We were given our tickets, very generously, by one of Matt's business partners who's from the area.) 

4.  NYC really knows how to decorate it up for Christmas!

5. Thus, expect crowds this time of year! 

6.  ...And Security/Cops

(cops were all over in those yellow, reflective vests - other cops were guarding the street with big, military weapons)

See that cop (in the peaked cap) just right behind Matt?  

Well, 1.4 seconds AFTER I took this picture, he was right on me telling me to step down off that bench I had stood on to take the photo.  ;)    (otherwise I'm too short in those crowds!) 

 So, I guess you could say that I got in trouble with the law in NYC!?

7.  Apparently, I have a boutique in the city! 

8.  It takes 3 hours to get to church 

We looked on lds.org to find the nearest church (in Brooklyn) with the most convenient meeting times (i.e. NOT 9:00a.m.) and went there via bus, subway, and on foot.  When we got there, the gates were all closed up and not a person was in sight.  Matt called the Branch President who was listed on lds.org and found out that it had been their Stake Conference at a different building that day, and it was already over!
Really?!?
This has happened to us on a few separate occasions, when traveling, also.
What are the chances?!?
Well, I'll tell you, because I actually did the Math!  There's only a 3.8% chance that on any random Sunday, it would be Stake Conference.  (It's held twice a year).

So, then we got back on the Subway for 30+ minutes, then walked the rest of the way to this church building in upper Manhattan.

Aaahhh, being there, though, did help settle some of our frustrations from earlier in the day.

9.  Everyone claims they have "The Best Food in the City"

And they might be right!  :)

 {New York style pizza}

 {Mabo Dofu @ a Japanese restaurant}

 {NYC street food carts}

There's TONS of these around on many street corners, and they all serve similar food, yet each one claims there's "is the best."  
They don't want to lose you to one of their competitors, either.

While we were standing by this cart, he was filling another groups' order and it was taking some time, so we started looking at other carts to see if they had a wait.

This guy saw us "shopping around" and he kept trying to keep us there; since he made such a valiant effort, we ended up staying in line for his cart! :)

10.  There is some unique entertainment in the Subway

I texted my fluted-playing friend, who plays for free at church/community functions, that she should try it in NYC with her bag for people to drop money in instead!  

But, I'm not sure how lucrative that'd be; as you can see, he didn't exactly have a "captive audience."

I'd never before witnessed such a thing!  This guy literally pulls a speaker out of his back pack, plugs in his iPod, makes an announcement to our train that no one would get hurt, then the music starts and he proceeds to perform this circus act/break dance routine using all the poles and grab bars on the Subway.  *Notice how everyone is trying to ignore him!*  I just kept squeezing Matt's arm and given him a silent "look" while keeping a straight face.  Then he goes through with his hat out for people to put money into.  At the next stop, he leaves our car, and jumps into the next car....but along the way, gets into an "altercation" with some other young men who are demanding that THAT was their line to work!

11.  I have an instant adoration for missionaries 

And being with them, helped me feel close to my own missionary.

Our SIL's parents are serving a mission in New York, and they have the young missionaries over to dinner every Sunday - and they invited us there, as well.

It was so fun to be among them!

 Our spirits were definitely lifted and you couldn't help but feel GOOD after being in their presence!

12. Rockefeller Center is NOT the only tree in town 

 {Bryant Park}

 {Seaport Village}

see our reflection in the ornament?

 {a Toys-4-Tots tree with presents under it - including real bikes! - 

I've never seen those kind of toys, or that many!}

 {Although, we did go to Rockefeller, too!}

13.  Stay dehydrated, so you never have to go to the bathroom! 

Because there is no such thing as a "public restroom." 

One evening, we stopped at a diner to eat - not because we were starving, but because I HAD to pee, and the restrooms were only for customers!  Then we ordered the smallest thing on the menu that we could find!

Another day, we went into Sax Fifth Avenue to "shop" so that we could use their bathroom.  On my way in search for it, a "perfume lady" caught me to spray me with samples; she was very friendly and then asked for the sale - when I asked her, instead, where the restrooms were, her demeanor immediately changed and she pointed in their direction and "dismissed" me.  ;)

14.  They don't call it the "Radio City Music Hall Christmas SPECTACULAR" for nothing.

There's no better word to describe it: SPECTACULAR! 

Starring the Rockettes!

I was so surprised (because it is a "secular" event), BUT SO GLAD, that they included The Nativity, complete with REAL CAMELS, SHEEP, & a DONKEY on stage, recitation of scripture, and sacred music for the finale of the show.   Matt thought the applause for that number was louder than any other - it was such a SWEET ending that left a wonderful feeling!

15. The TRUE meaning of Christmas can still be found in the middle of NYC's hubbub

 {on taxis}

 {On the Jumbotrons and billboards in Times Square}

THIS is the sight that I acted most like an excited tourist about and snapped pictures galore of!  :)


Now, onto getting Christmas ready at home...... 
(I might be crying a little)  ;)

A Savior is Born

Love is Born 

Hope is Born

Joy is Born

#ASaviorIsBorn

DISCOVER WHY

christmas.mormon.org

Here's another excellent video that can answer the "Why?"

He is my (& yours) Prince of Peace, the Creator (and oh, what a gorgeous world He created for us!), and my Savior.
I have been blessed by the enabling power of His atonement for me; it has given me the strength to do, and bear, and be MORE than I could all on my own.  
I know He lives.  I know He loves me.  With all my heart, I want to be like Him, and I know I can see Him again!

We had the opportunity to visit with our missionary friends who are currently serving in Chinatown (Manhatten, NY), and they gave us one of their pass-along cards (as I'm sure our own missionary son will be sharing this with us in his next letter, as well) with this same great message:

Looks cool, eh? 

Can you read it? ;)

Perfect Timing

Last Monday late afternoon, the person assigned to Family night treat had NOT planned ahead, and we didn't have anything around our home for them to use. 
Surprise, surprise!

And THEN....in the middle of dinner prep, Matt spotted a car of girls parked out front of our house, with another girl out walking/standing on our front walk and driveway, and then when she got back in the car, they drove away.   

Hmmmm? 

So I opened the front door to see what was going on.....


And WHAT did I see?

Manna Ice Cream from Heaven!!!

Yes!  Our Family Night Treat predicament had been solved!

  {Actually, it was all for Kyle - he was getting asked to Christmas Girls' Dance -

but he "gets to" share with his whole family in our time of need! ;)}

It turns out, Brookelle was out playing on her bikes & ride-in cars out in our driveway when the girls came, and she saw the whole thing, so the girls, not wanting to be caught while it was still light outside, set it up on the porch, then asked Brookelle to go ring our doorbell AFTER they had left.  But, I opened the door too early, when B hadn't made it over yet, and I caught her sneaking across our front lawn to "doorbell ditch" her own home!  haha.  ;)

These are a Few of my Favorite things -- THIS Christmas

My favorite "Neighbor Gift" we received:

It's Rudolph the Red-Nosed [E.O.S. lip balm] Reindeer!

The Christensens are always so clever/cute with their gift & "packaging."

My favorite reaction to a gift I gave:

Haylee was SOOO happy (like jumping around & talking giddily) about her PJ's this year!  Namely, she loved the hood, the pockets, & the owl print.

She opened them on Christmas Eve and actually said that she'd be JUST FINE if that was her whole Christmas!  She was fulfilled!

It reminded me of a Christmas several years ago when she had a very emotional reaction to a ROBE she received.

{She doesn't have extravagent wants!  I LOVE it!}

This is not MY favorite, BUT the kids' favorite Christmas wish came true:

The kids were having a hard time FEELING like it was the Christmas season because we hadn't had any snow in December - AND it had been in the 40's & 50's (no coat weather!)

But, THEN they got a WHITE CHRISTMAS.  

It literally started snowing late Christmas Eve, and we woke up to a blanket of snow everywhere. 

THEY thought it was the best thing ever!

My favorite part about Christmas 2014:

Talking to/Seeing Ryan (Elder Brenchley) via Skype!!!

We waited forever - he'd told us it would be in between 3-3:00p.m.......we finally heard from him at 6:05p.m.

BUT, it was worth the wait!

It was so fun to talk to him - we got to be reminded of his playful, amusing personality, but also got to see HOW WELL HE IS DOING and how mature and solid in the gospel he is becoming! 

He absolutely loved the #sharethegift focus this Christmas season.

He testified again & again to us that HE IS THE GIFT.
We got about an hour with him, and 10 min. with his companion (he talked to us while Ryan HAD to go to the bathroom - some things never change! ;) haha. 
We didn't want to hang up and have him call us back because it took SO LONG for him to do it the first time!!)
He also witnessed Haylee smack Kyle while we were skyping....he laughed his head off about that!
Like I said, some things never change!  ;)

**********

What were your "favorite things" about Christmas this year?

Why My Husband is Awesome - Reason #419

Night before last I kind of had a little (read: major) Freak Out to Matt.
It had to do with how close it was getting to Christmas and how much work there was to do still.
It had to do with THE LIST.
It had to do with everyone's expectations.
(The Fam wants everything to be the same even though everything is NOT the same!)
It had to do with the demands on my TIME.  Namely, I don't have the same kind of TIME that I used to have to get things done - I now work my job during the school day hours, whereas before I "did Christmas" (and the homemaking/laundry/cooking) during those same hours.

So, after this "diarrhea of the mouth" (that took a good amount of time, with Matt "trapped" in our room) Matt's face had a look of bewilderment on it.
He doesn't want me to quit my job.
He doesn't want to quit having dinner.
He doesn't want me to quit showering.
He doesn't want to quit Christmas.
As a man, he feels he's suppose to come up with a solution - that's what men do, they "fix" things, but, at the moment, he didn't have a solution. 
That night, it got left like that - UNfixed.

The next afternoon, I got a text from Matt:
"I will be home from work around 5:00 to make dinner.  I will make whatever you have on the menu schedule if you leave me with the recipe.  Feel free to go and run any errands you may have."

Ahhhh!

That's what I needed!
He figured out a "solution" - sometimes in marriage, you need to re-divide the household responsibilities. 

Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup (from "The Girl Who Ate Everything") was on the menu schedule, so, admittedly, I was a little nervous for him because.......well......let's just say it wasn't SPAGHETTI!  ;)

He realized dinner takes a long time to make!!  Whew!
But, that was OK - I was busy doing other things, remember?

When we sat down to eat, and I took my first spoonful -- it tasted A.M.A.Z.I.N.G.
It's like the lemon enhances all the other seasonings/flavors!

And I exclaimed this multiple times - as he sat there, hardly smiling about my compliments, BECAUSE he was drained from making dinner - it is A LOT of work - especially with multiple children all around needing help with homework, zippers, & urgent dilemmas.  Them asking, "What's for dinner?" or "What is THAT?" and telling you they're hungry don't make things any easier, either.  Poor Guy! :)  I can relate.  I love you, Matt!

Well, I thought I'd share the fabulous recipe with y'all.
I still haven't decided if it was SO GOOD because it really is SO GOOD or because I didn't have to make it!
Either way, here it is:

Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup

Yield: about 6 servings

Ingredients

• 9 cups chicken stock
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 1/3 cups carrots, chopped
• 1 1/3 cups onions, chopped finely
• 1 cup celery, chopped
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 1/2 teaspoons lemon rind, grated
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 rotisserie-cooked chicken, shredded (about 3 cups)
• 8 ounces orzo pasta, uncooked (about 1 1/2 cups)
• 1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, coarsely cracked (optional)
• 1/4 cup Romano cheese, grated (optional)

Instructions

1. Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven or large pot.
2. Add the carrot, onion, celery, garlic, thyme, bay leaf, lemon rind and salt. Saute ingredients over medium heat until vegetables begin to soften.
3. Add the chicken stock and lemon juice. Bring to a boil.
4. Add the chicken and orzo. Simmer until orzo is cooked through. (see Note not serving soup right away)
5. Just before serving add parsley and remove bay leaf. Garnish with salt and black pepper if needed and Romano cheese if desired.

Notes

If you're serving right away you can add the orzo pasta and chicken at the same time until the orzo is cooked. If you plan on serving later it at a later time you may want to cook the orzo separately and add right before serving. The orzo pasta tends to soak up all the liquid and can become quite thick if you simmer the soup for a long time. You can always add more chicken stock if you want to thin it out a little.

Have YOUR husbands make it for your family, too!!  Enjoy!

He Is The Gift

My missionary son, Ryan, wrote home yesterday insisting that I  #sharethegift.

He is very enthusiastic about the "He is the Gift" video he, and many other missionaries, are sharing with everyone.  The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints wants this true message to flood the nation.  He is doing his part, and he wants us to do our part.

The first gift of Christmas was a simple gift given by a father to all his children, to us. He gave us His son, the Christ. He is the gift. This Christmas season, how will you share the gift?




It's BEAUTIFUL. Just beautiful.

It really puts things into perspective......especially after the way I've been spending my time lately (See yesterday's post).  Woops!

Way to keep me on the "Straight and Narrow," Elder Brenchley!   ;)

'Tis the Season

Black Friday + Cyber Monday = Keeping UPS/FedEx/Post Office busy!
(It's helping them to FINALLY get to know our address, even though we still don't show up on any GPS!)

Now I don't dare open them.....sealed boxes are good "hiding places" from the children!  ;)

A Taste of Christmas

What would Christmas be if not for the food?

We have some recipes/dishes that we have but once a year.  They are reserved for Christmas.  They are practically sacred.  They are anticipated.  They make our mouths water the day of preparation.  Then they are savored - or devoured, depending on WHO you are in our family.  ;)

Do you want to know what they are?

Here's some of the cast of characters:

Christmas Eve Dinner:

Jello Slush
2 sm. (3 oz.) pkgs. jello - any RED flavor dissolved in 2 cups boiling water
5 c. sugar dissolved in 3 more cups boiling water
1 lg. (46 oz.) can pineapple juice
8 more cups water

Mix together and freeze.  Remove from freezer 1 - 2 hours before serving.
Place in punch bowl and mix with 2 liters "7-up" type soda.
Serves 50  (or less if you're like my family and keep going back for more & more & more....)

Ruth's Chris Sweet Potatoes
Sweet Potato Mixture:
3 c. cooked and mashed sweet potatoes
1 c. sugar
1/2 t. salt
1 t. vanilla
2 eggs, well beaten
1/2 c. (1 cube) butter, melted
splash of milk (if needed)

To cook sweet potatoes, boil them for 30 minutes.
Combine all ingredients together in the order listed.  Beat thoroughly for about 3-4 minutes to increase the fluffiness of the sweet potato mixture.  Add a splash of milk if too stiff.  Put mixture into a [sprayed with nonstick spray], medium-sized casserole dish.  Bake for 35 minutes at 375 degrees.  *At this point, dish can be covered and refrigerated for a couple of days.
Crust:
1 c. brown sugar
1/3 c. flour
1 c. chopped pecans
1/3 cube butter, melted

Mix together and sprinkle the surface of the sweet potato mixture with the crust mixture and return to oven for 15 minutes.  Allow to set at least 30 min. before serving.
The brown sugar/pecan crust should be slightly browned and crunchy.  
Makes 12 servings.

And this year, for the ones who turn their noses up on sweet potatoes, I added an "alternative."

"Boat" Potatoes
(more commonly known to the outside world as "twice-baked potatoes")
4 baking potatoes, scrubbed clean
Canola oil
4+ T.  prepared bacon crumbles (conveniently found at Costco) - or you could fry up actual slices of thick-cut bacon
1/4 lb. (1 cube) butter, cut into slices 
1/2 c. sour cream
1/4 c. milk
1/4 t. seasoned salt, such as Lawry's
1/4 t. black pepper
1 c. grated sharp cheddar cheese
1 gr. onion, sliced

Preheat over to 400 degrees.  With a paper towl, rub the outside of the potatoes with canol oil.  Place the potatoes in the oven and bake for 45 minutes, or until the potatoes are cooked inside and the skins are slightly crisp.  Turn the oven down to 300 degrees.
Put the butter, sour cream, bacon, milk, seasoned salt, and pepper into a large bowl.  Cut each potato in half lengthwise.  With a large spoon, scrape out the insides into the bowl with the other ingredients.  Reserve the potato shells on a large baking sheet.  Use a potato masher to mix the ingredients together.  Stir in half (1/2 c.) the grated cheese and add the gr. onions to the bowl.  Stir.  
Fill each potato half shell with the mashed potato mixture and return to the baking sheet.  Top with the remaining (1/2 c.) cheese.  Bake for 10-15 minutes, until the cheese is melted and the potatoes are hot.  
Makes 8 "boat" potatoes.  Double the recipe if you need to serve more.


Potato Rolls
This is actually a "top secret" recipe of my friend's mother that I do not have the rights to put out there in blogosphere.
BUT, luckily, you can get it in her [published] cookbook found at:
www.idocook.com

We also have vanilla pudding as a "starter" (following a "Nut in the Pudding" Danish tradition that has been in my family for 4+ generations.  The REAL Danish way is to use rice pudding, but no one likes that, so vanilla it is!  Everyone is served a bowl of pudding, but only ONE has a nut hidden in it - secretly put in by the chef, who then mixes up the bowls, and then has a third party set them at the table, so it is totally fair.  The person who discovers the nut in THEIR bowl, wins a present right there on the spot!  :)

{Katelyn had the nut this year!}

The rest of the dinner is steak, green salad with [good] Ranch (ONLY Hidden Valley from a packet mix), and fresh
fruit - but no recipes are needed for that, just prepare it!

Christmas Day Appetizers:
I usually mix up the menu here from year to year, with a total of 4-5 dishes, but there's a couple of "constants."

Sweet & Sour Meatballs or Li'l Smokies (or both!)
This one is very difficult, but if you're extra talented, I think you can handle it!  ;)

1 (12 oz.) jar chili sauce
1 (18+ oz.) jar grape jelly 
2 lb. frozen meatballs or 2-3 packages Li'l Smokies, or a combo of both!

Combine jelly and chili sauce in a crock pot and stir until smooth.  Add meatballs or Li'l Smokies and set temperature to low.  Cook for 2-4 hours on low.  Serve with toothpicks.

 Vegetable Dip
(My food snobbery causes me to think the store bought ones are BLEH!  Note: I don't JUST make this at Christmas, I make it whenever I need veggie dip.)

1 c. sour cream
1 c. mayonnaise
2 t. onion powder
2 t. Bon Appetit seasoning salt
2 t. dill weed

Mix all together.  Chill overnight until ready to serve with any fresh cut raw veggies.


Christmas Treats/Dessert:

Homemade Pepperment "Oreo" Cookies
Cookies:
2 Devil's Food Cake Mixes
2 cubes butter
1/2 c. flour
4 eggs

Mix all ingredients together (Beware!  It is a stiff dough, it could mangle wimpy beaters).  Roll into walnut-sized balls  Bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes.

Filling:
8 oz. cream cheese
4 c. powdered sugar
1 t. vanilla
little milk, if needed to thin 
Beat together.
Then add:
little peppermint extract
ground up candy canes (fresh ones, do not use year-old ones - I KNOW from experience!)

(I always have too much filling left over - can reduce measurements to make less!)

Use filling between 2 chocolate cookies = "Oreo"
Then roll edges of "Oreos" into crushed up candy canes before it dries, so it sticks.

Santa Claus Cookies
2 (6 oz.) pkgs. while baking chocolate, shopped
1 pkg. Nutter Butter cookies
red colored sugar sprinkles
vanilla or white chocolate chips
miniature chocolate ships
red-hot candies 

In a heavy saucepan over low heat, melt white chocoate, stirring occasionally.  Dip one end of each Nutter Butter cookie into melted chocolate.  Place on wire racks.  For "Santa's hat," springle red sugar on top part of white chocolate.  Press on vanilla chip off center on hat for "pom-pom."  Let stand until set.  Dip other end of cookie into melted white chocolate for "Santa's beard", leaving center of cookie uncovered.  Place on wire racks.  With a dab of melted white chocolate, attach mini chocolate chips for his eyes and a red-hot for his nose.  Place on waxed paper until everything sets.
 
Homemade "Magic Shell"
(I found this on Pinterest and now I'm never buying the $3-4 bottle at the store again!) 

It's REALLY hard, are you ready for this?  ;)
1 c. chocolate chips
2 T. coconut oil

Place in microwave safe bowl and cook on high for 30 seconds. Remove and stir. Continue microwaving and stirring in 15 second intervals until all of the chocolate is melted.

Serve over Peppermint ice cream (only comes out at Christmastime, which is now 3 months out of the year!)
 


I also make my MIL's sugar cookie recipe, cut out into Christmas shapes, for everyone to frost & decorate and leave for Santa, but it's not my recipe to share, so ask her!  ;)

There you have it.

Until next year.......Good Bye.  Sayonara.  Adieu.  Adios.   Auf Wiedersehen.  Ciao.  Farewell to all our yummy Christmas food.