The Sixth Day of Christmas

Good-bye 2011

OK, Six geese a laying is not creating any inspiration for me. I did make a nice breakfast this morning with six jumbo chicken eggs that did make me think of goose eggs! I made a kind of fake fritatta with sausages and hash browns and scrambled eggs all together with salsa and cheese on top. It must have been good because there was not a crumb leftover.

***

Last night we three went to a movie together...Hugo... We really enjoyed it! We've been wanting to go with Walker, but this was the first time we have all been available. I guess it's been around for a while because we could only find it in one theater, and in 3D. We loved every minute of it. The story, the effects, the scenery. It took place in a train station! It had lobsters! What a movie. Phil has already promised to buy it when it comes out in BluRay.

***

And, I am reading the most fabulous book now! This is one I bought for myself with my Amazon Gift Card credits (the first of five to arrive). It is THE GUERNSEY LITERARY AND POTATO PEEL PIE SOCIETY. It was published in 2008 and I think I've had it in the back of my mind to read since about then. I was at one of those parties where they are trying to get you to buy an anti-aging device, and one of the ladies raved about the book. It takes place just after the end of World War 2 and is a series of letters. I am torn between not wanting to put it down, and wanting to make it last. It is better than dessert!

Today we are staying home. My mom and dad are coming over for dessert later and we will probably have a quiet evening of playing board games and eating and watching old movies. Next time I post will be 2012.

How do you celebrate?

Fifth Day of Christmas...

FIVE GOLDEN RINGS...

***

Last night Walker finally checked his grades and received

FIVE Golden "A's"...

Forgive my bragging but I am very proud of him. He always gets better grades than he expects. Most of his classes are upper level Latin, Greek, English classes. Two of those A's were for guitar classes -- fun and useful for keeping up the gpa! He had some nice solid B's too - and happy to get them in Beginning Greek, and Roman Civilization. Dean's list once again. A sigh of relief and on to anticipate next semester's classes...

And because I can't imagine not including a photo in my blog, here is a picture Walker took, on his cell phone, of Lake Superior on one of his football trips. Isn't it strange to think of a lake having tides?

...four colly birds...

The fourth day of Christmas..

FOUR COLLY BIRDS!

Until this year, I thought the line was "four calling birds". I'm not sure what a Colly bird is, but the above birds are performing in a MU ALPHA performance. Recognize the one on the far right? You can see by their outfits that they are mu alphans (Fedoras).

And here is W singing a solo. He is singing a tragic love song here. These photos are compliments of an anonymous acquaintance of Walker's. I wish they were video.

The Third Day of Christmas - Three French Hens...

OK, it's not a French Hen, its an EAGLE, and there is only one...

On Christmas night, Walker shared the photos he brought home from school with him. It was really fun and we got to see his apartment, and the campus all snowy. There were others too that may be revealed during this 12 days of Christmas. I think this photo is from last winter, when they had a very hard freeze - ice storm. This is one of the many statues around campus - an Eagle, dripping with icicles.

***

I keep thinking it would be nice to celebrate Christmas first, then start the gift-giving and parties, to end on January 6th. I suppose it is too late to change traditions though.

The Second Day of Christmas - two turtledoves

Two Turtledoves....and a partridge in a pear tree.

Honestly I don't know if I can keep this up for the 12 days of Christmas, but we'll see what happens!

The Twelve Days of Christmas (and a Partridge in a Pear Tree...)

The Twelve Days of Christmas starts on December 26; they are the twelve days linking Christmas Day and the Epiphany on January 6 (when the three Magi offered the first Christmas presents).

***

I really enjoyed the illustrations in this book. I bought it at Goodwill, thinking of it for an art project...but maybe I just need to add it to my collection.

This is a picture of my "Partridge in a Pear Tree"...

Yes, it's Walker in his bucket lift, filming the football team.

He brought these pictures home on a flash drive.

Makes me a LITTLE nervous.

He looks competent doesn't he? and he assures me he is harnessed in.

His job up there is to aim the camera

and

protect the camera from rogue footballs!

Merry Christmas!

3 generations

I hope your day was filled with love and peace.

Christmas Eve

A mountain of "snowflakes"

Little reindeer visit

first time in grandma's "vintage" youth chair - securely tied in with dish towels!

cookies baked and decorated...

The gingerbread house has mice nibbling at the roof!

Family portrait on Christmas Eve.

a nice day!

Merry Christmas!

December the twenty-third

Did I say December 21st was my favorite day of the year? I meant December 23. That was the day my baby boy Alan was born. My mom and dad were visiting for a couple of days, leaving on the 23rd. Baby wasn't due until the 28th or 29th. We had one big teddy bear under the tree "just in case" that we got free when we opened a bank account. We knew no one in our new town - Concord California. This momma decided to go have that baby while her parents were in town to babysit little Carissa! They got to see their new grandson. They claim they saw a stork on their drive home from California to Washington on December 23. We brought little Christmas baby Alan home on Christmas Eve. We hung him from the Christmas Tree in his stocking (-wink-) and he kicked and made the jingle bells ring. Now we always celebrate on Christmas Eve with him and his family. We also always make him wear his red flannel stocking that he came home from the hospital in, on his head.

The shopping is all done.

The gifts are all wrapped.

The food is planned and in various stages of preparation.

It was 50 degrees out today!

All is good.

Merry Christmas to you.

The 22nd of December

A MERRY CHRISTMAS!

When we first built our house, we purchased a Jenn-air stovetop with grill. We used that grill a LOT. It was so fun to grill steaks and chicken and pork chops indoors anytime. A couple of summers ago we got a gas grill for the deck and we've never used the Jenn-air grill since!

Phil brought home a griddle to replace the grill.

Now, we'll use that!

I made "corn cakes" with syrup and sausages for breakfast.

I received many accolades for the effort.

Jolly!

the twenty-first day of December

HEARTY WISHES!

December 21st is my favorite day of the year! Winter Solstice.

The days will start getting

L O N G E R!

Hurrah!

Vicki and I met for lunch on Wednesday instead of Thursday this week. She gave me the above "rubs" that she made. I can't wait to try them. I gave her a jar of dilly beans. Anything in a mason jar is awesome!

December Twenty

Merry Christmas!

Have a cookie!
FORGOTTEN COOKIES

2 egg whites
pinch of salt or cream of tartar
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup chocolate chip cookies

Preheat oven to 325
beat eggs and salt til foamy
add sugar slowly, 1 T at a time until meringue stands in stiff peaks.
stir in 1 tsp vanilla
fold in chocolate chips (I do mini)
*
drop by teaspoonfuls (one-bite) on a foil lined baking sheet.
place in preheated oven.
bake 2 minutes
turn oven OFF
leave meringues in oven overnight.
*
the next morning remove from oven and store in cookie tin lined with paper towel.
*
last time I made them I used sweetened coconut instead of chocolate chips and they became yummy macaroons.

the 19th of December

A day spent with Victoria. We cleaned her room - all day!

I had to get this photo of her next to the nutcracker she made in school.
The above and next few photos in this posting were taken by Victoria. She loves my camera and now wishes that was what she asked for for Christmas.

... a little later...

Wyatt fell asleep in Victoria's arms. So sweet!

He stayed asleep too until he heard his daddy's voice.

December 19

Visiting grandchildren - an action-packed day...

A fabulous tea party!

Lots of yummy food!

I guess a "high tea"; lunch included...

chocolate mousse in Starbucks cups...decadent

The boys played trains.

The girls made a gingerbread house...

...a merry Christmas kind of day...

Wish you were here.

Eighteenth of December

An almost wordless post...

Coffee and guitar music this morning...

To the Theater...
The Nutcracker Ballet

I took all the above with no flash.

Then to the family Christmas party...

A cute vintage tree...

vintage family...

vintage smiling couple...

Merry Christmas!