Upgrading the blogging software to a newer version. Of course, we didn’t do the import/export way, deciding it would be more fun to just do a fresh install. Bare with me as I get everything back up and running. With any luck, it will get rid of the large amounts of spam commenting I have been receiving. So, if anything looks really wonky, please let me know. Thanks!
Monthly Archive for December, 2005
Zoey is fidgiting on the sofa. “Arrgh! Umph! C’mon, work!” Pressing buttons over and over again on the remote control. Finally, after about 5 minutes of trying, she stomps the whole 6 feet to the satellite box and changes the channel herself.
Trampoline is set up and the kids (especially Allie) LOVE it. After Greg got it set up this morning, everyone went to jump. When the bigger kids were done, and Greg was ready to go inside, he had to drag a kicking and screaming Allison in, “It’s not fair, Dad. I want to jump!”
When I drove up for lunch, Greg and Allie were out jumping and Allison was laughing and shouting, “Bounce, Bounce, Bounce! C’mon Mom! I love this thing! What is this called Dad? I love it!”
Pictures of our Christmas. I hope your’s was as merry as ours!
*Edit to add – The some of the last few pictures (where everyone is dressed and inside) are from Dad’s house on Dec. 17th. Then it skips back to our house on Christmas*
It’s Christmas Eve we were going over what was going to happen Christmas morning. No going into the living room without parents. We all have to go out there as a family.
Whoever wakes up first can wake up the other one, but they have to let Allison, Mom and Dad sleep. They can hang out in Nathan’s room on the computer until they hear the Christmas music in the living room.
Greg: “So, Mom and I will be sleeping in our bed and you guys will just hang out in Nathan’s room until about 11 when we wake up”
Nathan: “Or until we dog pile you in bed right after we wake up”
Christmas is only 2 days away and I feel like Charlie Brown. I feel like I don’t have any Christmas spirit in my heart (down in my heart). I’m ready to watch the kids open their presents, which is one of the best parts of Christmas day. It just doesn’t feel like Christmas time. Hopefully by Sunday, I’ll find the spirit. I’m going to try and jump start my Christmas feelings by wrapping all of the presents tonight, and then making a Gingerbread house and other goodies with the kids on Saturday.
Glazed Ham
Potatoes Grand Mere
Mashed Potatoes
Fruit Salad
Cranberry sauce
Corn on the cob
Glazed Carrots
Bread Pudding
Cherry Pie
Southern Style Christmas Bread Pudding with Bourbon Sauce
Recipe courtesy, Terri Kurlan, McKinney, Texas
Recipe Summary
Prep Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 45 minutes
Yield: 10 to 12 servings
User Rating: 5 Stars
2 loaves Raisin Cinnamon Bread
8 eggs plus 2 egg whites
2 cups milk
2 cups heavy cream
1 cup sugar or vanilla sugar
2 tablespoon vanilla
2 tablespoons Grand Marnier
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1 lemon juiced and zested
1 cup dried cherries and raisins
1/4 cup melted butter, for baking dish
For topping:
2 cups bread crumbs from crusts
Bourbon sauce, recipe follows
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 stick cold butter, cut into cubes
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Remove crusts from bread and reserve. Cut bread slices into cubes. In a large bowl, beat eggs well. Add milk, cream, sugar, vanilla, Grand Marnier and mix well. Add cinnamon, juice, and lemon zest. Stir in cherries and raisins. Add bread cubes and stir until well coated. Let stand 30 minutes, stirring often. If mixture is soupy, you may need to add additional slices of white bread (crusts removed.) The mixture should be wet but not soupy. Pour into buttered baking dish, dusted with sugar. Prepare topping in a food processor. Add crusts, butter and brown sugar, pulsing until mixture is crumbly. Spread evenly over top of pudding. Bake in a water bath for 50 minutes covered with foil. Remove foil and bake another 10 minutes or until brown on top. Serve with bourbon sauce.
BOURBON SAUCE:
2 egg yolks
1 stick butter
1 cup dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 cup bourbon
Mix eggs, butter, and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add vanilla and 1/2 cup bourbon. In top of a double boiler cook until temperature reads 165 on a thermometer. Beating constantly and being careful not to curdle eggs. Remove from heat and strain. In a mixer bowl, beat sauce until slightly cool, adding remaining bourbon a little at a time. Serve with bread pudding.
Zoey: “Mom, what are you getting me for Christmas?”
Mom: “I haven’t thought about it, I don’t think I’m going to get you anything though. I mean, Santa’s already getting you shoes! What more could you want? Why, what are you getting me?”
You can see the wheels in Zoey’s brain turning as she thinks this over.
Zoey: “I may be making you something!”
Mom: “Ah, that will be nice. Maybe I’ll make you something too. Like Breakfast!”
Went to Oklahoma this weekend to see my side of the family. 8 hours driving there on Saturday, sleep on that night, 8 hours driving home on Sunday. What are the holidays if you don’t get to spend at least some of your family? We got to know the girl Stephen is someday going to ask to marry him a little better. He has shown her the ring, but not asked yet. I know, I guess he just couldn’t keep a secret. Donna Mae (May?) seems like a good match for him.
The kids, as usual, made out like bandits. They each scored some books, some clothes, a ton of dvd’s, and a trampoline. We also keep teasing them that they didn’t need to ask Santa for anything, because we already told him to just get them shoes. Mom didn’t know that and got them gift cards to Payless. “Great!” we said. “Now you can have 2 pair of shoes! One from Mema and one from Santa!” Little do they know, they really are getting shoes for Christmas.
