Taking the Christmas card picture

I like to start this project as early as I can, because I  know that it is rarely a straightforward process. I tried one Sunday morning before church and was not successful.

The best expressions ended up in pictures that were much too dark or only had four out of five kids in the frame. Part of the problem is that group pictures happen so rarely that I forget all my tricks between sessions.

Ah, well. At least there's time to try again.
Our second session produced a winner, but there were about a hundred rejects.

These poor kids look miserable, but they recovered quickly.

Cooking dinner

My intentions are usually better than my execution for having kids help in the kitchen, but every once in a while I notice that they have learned something. Henry topped the pizza while the girls helped whip the cream for our first butterscotch pie.

Having more than one child helping didn't feel overwhelming. I constantly forget that they get more capable. (And would be even more so if I had them help more often.)

We also learned that we prefer butterscotch pudding to this pie.

Penny

helps me check the light for our Christmas photo session.We took our picture indoors this year which worked well. I like the light outside better, but not having the kids out in the cold made it seem easier. Also, Mark made me quit when we had an acceptable picture rather than trying for a "perfect" one. I think everyone was happier.

In the future...

only let Helena lick the beaters if she is wearing play clothes.

Quotes on Reading

"A life being very short, and the quiet hours of it few, we ought to waste none of them in reading valueless books." John Ruskin

"Just the knowledge that a good book is waiting for one at the end of a long day makes that day happier." Kathleen Norris

"Reading was my escape and my comfort, my consolation, my stimulant of choice: reading for the pure pleasure of it, for the beautiful stillness that surrounds you when you hear an author's words reverberating in your head." Paul Auster

Christmas Eggs

This is a variation on a recipe Sarah found.

12 oz grated cheddar & jack cheese
1 Tbsp flour
about 8 oz frozen chopped broccoli (do not need to thaw)
2 oz grated sharp cheddar cheese
chopped mushrooms and red bell pepper
3/4 lb bacon, cooked and crumbled
12 eggs
1 cup milk

Toss 12 oz cheese with the flour and place in the bottom of a greased 9 x13 in baking dish. Layer the broccoli, 2 oz cheddar cheese, mushrooms and bell peppers, and bacon over the cheese. Beat eggs and milk and pour over all. Cover and chill 8 hours or overnight. Remove from the refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. Bake, uncovered, 40-45 minutes at 325 degrees F (or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean). Let stand 5 minutes before cutting.

Cookies and candy

This year for the annual church bake sale (that benefits the local pregnancy center) I made sugar cookies, gingerbread cookies and chocolate chip-cranberry-pecan oatmeal cookies like I did last year. I used a new recipe for mocha chip cookies which worked fine, but the chocolate-peppermint cookies failed miserably. I bought a candy thermometer and tried my hand at candy making. I made fleur de sel toffee, tried penuche fudge (didn't turn out very well), two batches of chocolate fudge (one with peppermint) and winter bark with peanuts.

Seeing all the goodies that were going to leave the house was a little disappointing for Nora and Henry, but we will bake for us later. They did get to sample some of the broken and/or unsightly cookies.