Christmas Time

So, I was going to start this post off by saying that I was hit over the head by Christmas lights and just now came out of Christmas comma but that would be a lie. This is the first year since Nolan has been born, that I have had time to breath and get excited and AND watch Christmas movies!  I've seen a total of THREE Christmas movies this year where as last year it was more like half a movie.  I've read the Christmas Carol (again) and who knows what other festive things I've been doing.

Nothing has been rushed or pushed or "tradition" that wasn't fun.  The first Christmas Nolan was around he was only a month old, and I literally broke down in tears because I couldn't wrap the gifts...I wasn't well.  But now I can appreciate our FIVE Christmas', for the first time in my marriage.

The reason for my renewal of Christmas cheer and joy, okay I have to give credit to the kid.  Nolan is suddenly interested in the presents and gets excited about things, like the advent calendar and movies, and Wall-E (but Wall-E is another post).  His eyes get so excited and I feel myself remembering what it felt like to just be happy about getting a gift or seeing someone or COOKIES!

For so long I've looked at Christmas as an has been, brutally scandalized by materialism and advertizing.  It was really hard to get excited about giving and getting gifts that you HAD to give and get.  They weren't like gifts that you scraped every extra penny to buy the perfect thing and then wrapped it up super deceiving so that they would never guess what was inside.  Nope, Christmas for awhile now was just about spending money to get by and hope someone listened to you enough to know what to get you.  But year after year you'd get the same old things, a lot of them too, fake smile and Thank Yous would follow and then go home feeling broke, tired, and unknown.    

Re-reading my last paragraph I know I sound spoiled and I have to admit that I am.  I grew up poor.  Each kid maybe got  five or six presents but they were super special.  Each gift had HOURS of thought put into them.  Even if it was a stuffed Tiger, the approach to giving the gift was always thought out.  By the way the Tiger was placed on my bed right after I woke up and a note under the tree directed me back to my room where, to me, a Tiger magically appeared, super cool and a great laugh.  I could go on and on about all the funny, heart warming, and great times that my family and I had on Christmas morning (Plus, I got engaged on Christmas!).  Which is why I feel spoiled, my poor child Christmas' were so much warmer and heartfelt than anything I have tried to create or had since.

Until this year.  This year I get to share with my son the magic I miss and suddenly the spirit of Christmas came rushing back.
 
Which is why I haven't written... MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!  

How do you eat your pancakes?

Pancakes with leftover cranberry sauce

For as long as I can remember I am the object of comment when I eat my pancakes because I make stars out of them.  Every cut is made with the intention of forming my pancake into a star.

I don't know why I do it, other than its soo cute! But as I consumed my pancakes tonight I thought.  I wonder if others eat their food a little weird.

Why Homemade?

Homemade Marshmallows (picture taken by me)

Everyone once in awhile I step back and ask myself, “Why do I have to make everything I can possibly make?”   Today, I went grocery shopping and saw that they had pie dough, something I might need in this festive time of year but I didn’t want to buy it because it wasn’t what I wanted.  I wanted a whole wheat pie crust, and since whole wheat pie crusts are expensive (any pie crust over a dollar is expensive to me) I would much rather make it. 

In fact I would much rather make a lot of things.  Like right now, I am boiling beans for some of this week’s meals.  Why don’t I just skip a step and buy the canned version?  Because they are not what I want.  They’re too salty and “expensive” especially when you look at buying a bag of dried beans for $1.50 which makes around 6 “cans” of beans.  But why can’t I just pay a little more and reap convenience?

I ask myself that all the time and sometimes I do cave to the ease of a more expensive item, but it doesn’t happen often.  I don’t even like buying frozen pizza anymore because I can make pizza in about 40 min beginning to end, everything made from scratch.  I’m not bragging, I’m just trying to explain how far my, “I can make it” mentality has come. 

But it doesn’t stop at cooking my craze follows me through every facet of my life.  Yes, I buy food from the store but I would much rather have locally grown produce, so I have a garden (of which I am still learning to cultivate).  I like beans and so next year I’m planning on growing some black and kidney beans. 

Almost all the decorations in my home are homemade or repurposed, and there are still more to come that I haven’t had time to “make”.  I make some of my son’s toys, pillow cases, covers, and curtains because I couldn’t find anything that I like for the price I was willing to pay.  

But just like I said in the beginning, everyone once in awhile I have to ask myself, “Why do I have to make everything I can possibly make?” and I think it boils down to this:  

It’s the drive of knowing that something comes from somewhere and that it could be better if only you put your mind and hands to work. And sometimes it’s not “better” in taste, quality or style but when you look at it and share it there is a soul about your creation that no super store could duplicate.

I love that soul.  That singular character, whether in a taste, quality, or in that fact you saved .50₵ there is something to admire about a homemade creation.

And so I’m going to save this post and head back over to my stove to finish boiling my beans, and once done I’ll make some breakfast burritos for my husband’s breakfast, and an advent calendar for my son to enjoy through the month of December and maybe, if there is still time, some ornaments to put in the calendar.    

Is there something that you just have to make and can’t ever buy?

More Printable Labels

I just remembered about these printables from GiversLog.  They are soo cute and festive. 

How Cool!

via

Okay, so something happened last week that I couldn't be more excited about....I was blogged about!!

Rachel Bowman of The Bowman Chronicles came over on Monday to chat and have lunch.  It was such a good time and her kids are wonderful.  I loved everything about the visit.  But when I read her blog a few days later I couldn't stop smiling....really I'm still smiling.

You can read the post here. 

I was able to show the post to my parents and older brother, who make all the carpentry crafts in my home.  What a joy to be able to show them that their work is appreciated by others too!

Thank you Rachel for a wonderful day and a wonderful gift!

Coming Out of The Closet

Finally I can be one of those crazy Christmas loving freaks and not be ashamed about it.  It is true that I start listening to Christmas music by the end of October (when I'm alone...of course...), and I put up my Christmas tree the day after my son's birthday party, which is a good week before Thanksgiving.  But all that doesn't matter now, now I am free to be crazy and even share the crazy with you! 

One of my all time favorite things about Christmas is the gifts...wrapping the gifts.  I've already used the word, "crazy" a few times, lets just say I'm passionate about wrapping gifts.  Growing up my mom would take simple wrapping paper and cover a normal box and then decorate it with old Christmas cards (saved over the years.  Some still had the glue from previous years on them.), ribbons, and whatever she could get her hands on while spending little or no money.  I loved watching her and soon became her assistant during the busy holiday season.  Jessy too started the tradition of wrapping but is not as...passionate about it as my mother and I. 

Every Christmas we whoo and aaww our beautifully wrapped gifts.  We'll ask about techniques and give each other ideas for the next Christmas.  Even my sister in law is starting to catch on to the...passion, which makes wrapping all the more fun.

So, without further adieu here is how to wrap a box/ present, and some sites where you can down load some super cute gift tags for FREE!

Here are you supplies for wrapping: gift, box, wrapping paper, tape, scissors, and then ribbon or string and a tag (not shown)

 

Make sure that your gift fits snuggly in your box, and your box doesn't have any banged up edges. Fun note: add a marble or something that will rattle to throw them off the trail. :)

When measuring out your paper you need to determine which side are your ends and on those sides the paper needs to only reach half-way up the side for easy folding.

Measure out how much paper you'll need to cover the rest of the box and then trim off the extra.

All edges need to be either pinched or folded over for a better finished and fit look.

Tape the folded edge down.

Start on one end and pinch the top portion of the circle down.  If you can tape it down too all the better. 

fold one side out and then down in front of the box.

Smooth out the fold and the bottom of the fold.

repeat on the other side.

Fold over the edge, and then start on the other side.  Don't put up the finishing edge until the other side is done.

Once both sides are folded then tape up the last flap on both side.  This allows you to make a tighter fold.

Voila! Your ready for decorating!

BTW did you notice the hot nails? Steve came home Tuesday night with an unexpected gift for me. A gift certificate to get my nails done!!! I was talking about it for days!

Cooking & Baking

I hope that you had a wonderful holiday, and if you are into Black Friday shopping I hope you got some bragging right deals. 

Our Thanksgiving was lovely, and the food wasn't bad either. :) I mentioned in an earlier post that I was scheduled to make Pumpkin Soup, Onions Stuffed with Stuffing, and a Dark Chocolate Tart.  All three turned out wonderfully.  The soup would have been over the top if I had only remembered to bring the bacon bits! Oh well live and learn: never forget the bacon.

Pumpkin Soup

4 thin bacon slices or 2 thick bacon slices chopped into small pieces
1 yellow onion, chopped
1 clove of garlic chopped (or 1 tsp of minced garlic)
2 15oz cans of pumpkin puree (you can also chop up a pumpkin and let it cook a little longer, it tastes the same to me either way)
6 cups Chicken broth
pinch of Nutmeg
1/2 cup of cream (if you don't have cream I've seen recipes that use milk and butter as a substitute)
Salt & pepper to taste

Topping:
Bacon bits and Asiago Cheese

In a Dutch oven or heavy bottomed pot render (cook) you bacon on medium heat.  I like to turn the heat off while you can still see a little pink and white fat, that way they finish cooking in their own drippings and don't burn (ain't nothin' worse than burnt bacon.)

Strain out the bacon bits and set them aside in a paper towel.  Drain off some of the drippings, but leave a generous 3 tablespoon amount of drippings in the pan. Chop up your onion and add it to the hot drippings (heat should be back on to medium).  Season with salt and pepper. When starting to turn a caramelized color add the garlic and let it cook for about 3 min.

Slowly add the chicken broth. It should at first be used to deglaze or clean up the stuck on flavor from the bottom of the pan. once there is nothing more to scrape up add the remaining broth, then the pumpkin puree (Note: if you are using fresh pumpkin add it in the pan with the onions before the garlic and broth should be added.) also add the nutmeg and let simmer for 30 min to an hour. If you are working with fresh pumpkin you are looking for a very soft pumpkin before you can turn off the heat and puree.

After it is done simmering, turn off the heat and slowly add a 1/3 of the soup to your blender or food processor to puree. pour pureed soup into an extra large bowl and continue to puree the remaining soup in 1/3's.  Once, all the soup is pureed add it to your serving dish or back into the pan and add you cream.  stir until completely combine.

Serve with grated asiago cheese and the bacon bits. YUM!

Stuffed Onions (no picture)

1 loaf of French bread
6-7 small yellow onions
1/8 cup Turkey drippings (the fatty part)
4 cups Turkey broth
1 Granny Smith Apple (peeled, cored and chopped)
3/4 cup Apple Cider (white wine would do well too)
1tsp crushed celery seed
1 tsp sage
salt and pepper to taste

First chop the loaf up into 1/2 inch pieces and then bake in a 400 degree oven for 20 min.  While the bread is crisping cut up your onions.
How to cut your onions: 1. cut off both both top and bottom of onion, 2. peel outside layers off then cut in half length wise ( you should have two bowl like shaped onions. 3. with your thumb on the bottom of one of the cut pieces push out the small layers of onion leaving one to two of the out layers.  The out layer will be your stuffing holder and should be set aside till needed.  4. The inner portion should be diced and added to a oven and stove safe pan that has a fitting lid (i.e. Dutch oven or something like it).

When you are done separating and chopping the onions pour the turkey drippings on the onions, and turn the heat up to medium high.  Add the celery seed, sage, salt and pepper and stir.  Let the onions caramelize then add the apples, and let cook for another 2-3 min then add the Apple cider to deglaze the plan.

By this time the bread should be baked crispy yet a like spongy still.  once the pan is deglazed add the bread to the pan. and stir, making sure to coat the bread accordingly.  Pour the stuffing out of the pan and into the baking dish that the bread was in. 

Take a big spoon and start to stuff the halves of the onion that were set aside.  Once an onion is stuffed place it in the pan stuffing side up (the heat should be off on the stove but the oven should still be at 400 degrees).  Continue doing this until all the halves of onion have been stuffed (I started to pile the onions one on top of the other until they all were in the pan.  Then drizzled the Turkey broth over all of the onions, put the lid on the pan and into the oven.  Bake for 20 minutes.  Serve hot from the oven. Soo Good!!!

The chocolate Tart Recipe I totally took from David Lebovitz's blog. He does an amazing job of walking you through this wonderfully rich and decadent tart.  Of all the tarts and pies this was the only one people asked if they could take it home.  :)

Here are some more pictures of our holiday, and the walk we took to help up digest.

Nolan's Christmas List

Okay, so I'm a few days early with the list, but it is strategic.  I'm so not blogging on Thanksgiving and I know a lot of people are going to try and get their Christmas shopping done by Friday so why not give them a little direction when they are out buying for my son.

I can't tell you how blessed I feel right now. Just knowing that Nolan has family that wants this information is awesome! So, if you are family and you are reading this list for ideas, how awesome are YOU?!

Art Supplies... preferably washable. via

Nolan is over the top for trains and this book would be icing on the cake. 

Things to color on.  I love this coloring book because it has varies subjects and it's pretty big! 

 

 

 

Sweaters and pants in size 2T.  This sweater is super cute!

Booties for the cold toddler feet. Also sooo cute.

:) Pants

Thanksgiving Menu

via

So, everyone in the family has a job to do. My older brother carries the heavy things, my younger brother helps with art and building things around the house, Jessy entertains with stories, and I organize.  Yep, my job as eldest daughter is simple: make getting together cost effective and fun. 

The "cost effective" ness comes mostly during the holidays or other large get-togethers that require a lot of food.  None of us are rolling in money so it is easier on everyone's budget to make a menu and divi it out to all the families.  Plus, I love food which makes making menu's fun and exciting. 

This year I read a lot of blogs and got kinda excited...which meant that all the weird sounding food was given to me to make. 

I'll be making:

Pumpkin & Bacon Soup

Stuffed Red Onions

&

Hazelnut Crusted Dark Chocolate Tart w/ Fresh Whip Cream

Doesn't each of those just make you want to drool?  I'll be making the tart today and the onions and soup tomorrow and with a little luck be documenting there amazing creations.  I'm sooo excited!!!!

What are you making for Thanksgiving?

Falling leaves.

I hope that you had a wonderful weekend! We got out a little. Saturday was perfect to be outside, and with mounds of leaves...well lets just say that we couldn't resist. :)

My Dad was in the area and stopped by for lunch and to play in the leaves with us.  At one point Nolan lost one of his shoes in the leaves and it took us a while to find it again.  Nolan wasn't worried but he did help with the search. 

This is one of my favorite pictures with my Dad and Nolan.  Nolan loves his "Andpa".

Searching for the shoe.

Getting covered in leaves

By the end of our time outside Nolan started throwing handfuls of leaves into the air and just letting them fall all over him.  These are just some of many from the day.  I love fall.

Enjoy Your Weekend

 

Fell in Love with this poster from Etsy.  I think my weekend might include some more window shopping on there.  Enjoy your weekend!

From My Own Mouth

I hate it when all I want to do is pout and complain to God about how he is being so unfair about not giving me what I want.  Like any childish person I want to get my way NOW, but like any father/ mother God knows better.

I think I mentioned that Steve and I are "trying" for another baby and success...well for me it has been discouraging.  Today, I was the most hopeful than I've ever been and once again I was disappointed.  I was pouting for sure.

Also today Nolan has discovered that he can add to his balloon collection by having me blow them up.  He was very persistant about asking for another balloon and had a number of hissy fits because I wouldn't give him another one. "You need to enjoy the ones that you have and stop trying to get another one."

After the words left my mouth I could feel God saying, "Exactly!" 

It was not what I wanted to hear but in a way it cooled my pouting down and almost made me smile. "Okay, God.  You got me."

Sandra Bullock

So, I wasn't going to write about this but the more I thought about it the more I wanted to share. 

The other day I was preparing for N's birthday party and decided NOT to hair dry my hair.  I was just going to let nature take it's course and if frizz was what the weather man called for a hair tie wouldn't be far.  But it actually turned out pretty good; so good it made me look like a movie star.  Sandra Bullock from While You Were Sleeping.  See?!

Nolan's Birthday Party

Nolan had probably the best birthday of his life. I really don't know how I'm going to top it in the coming years, because it was none stop joy.

First he woke up and standing for him in the living room was his own tee pee.  He played in it till I demanded he take a nap.  during his nap I blew up some balloons and threw them in his room for him to find when he woke up.  When he woke up he was a little groggy (I think he it gets that from me) but once he realized what was floating by his feet he couldn't stop exclaiming, "BALLOON!! BALLOON!!".

Just in time came his best friend Will to play. I really wanted the boys to play together before the evening festivities began and they fulfilled my hopes perfectly.  I was making cookies and I could hear squeals, giggles, and thumpings (normally bad, but when fallowed by giggles, okay).  They played themselves ragged and by the time Will's parents came to the party, he was laying on the ground holding on to wakefulness by pushing a toy airplane back and forth in front of him.

Nolan and Will checked our the goods.  That's what best buds are for. :)

The party began so perfectly.  Nolan loves his cousins and aunts (all girls BTW) and he would meet them at the door and then take them back to his room to show them balloons and his tee pee.  Soon our boy relief came in the form of Rylan.  He followed Nolan and Will around almost all night and squealed while playing with balloons.  

Nolan got everything his heart could possibly want.  A shopping cart with play food, a train set, jammies (one that looks like Buzz Lightyear's outfit), a whole bunch of pirate stuffs (including parrot), underwear (funny story about that), books, THE MOON, coloring and crafty things.  He even got another tent for outdoor excursions. 

Nolan holding up his new underwear.

So, the underwear.  He had been opening gifts and when he got to his underwear the whole party started to cheer and clap when he showed them what he got.  Nolan loves words (or claps) of affirmation, and started to raise his underwear over his head over and over again to get the cheers and claps again.  Our party was so much fun that they continued to cheer him.  They cheered for for all his gifts after that point.  He loved it!

He blew out his candles...three times and then for the next thirty minutes Steve and I tried to cut the rock hard ice cream cake.  We couldn't help but laugh.  Even when our hands were red from forcing our knives into the cake we giggled and finally were able to hand out the delicious ice cream cake (note to self: leave ice cream cakes out thirty minutes prior to serving).

The rest of the evening was spent playing with Nolan's new toys or getting some much needed adult time.  Even my sister's boyfriend got nostalgic when they were putting the train set together. It was a perfect night. 

Thanks to all our friends and family for coming. The night would not have been half as much fun without you!

P.S.
All pictures were taken by myself, friends or my husband and were edited by me on Picnik.