Christmas 2013: Part 1

We got the kids home for 2 whole weeks for Christmas Break!  There is nothing that makes me happier than when we are all under one roof together.

  I have to show you these photos I found on my camera when I was uploading Christmas!

We even had our first big snow of the Season, just in time to have a White Christmas….

  I love living in a place where we experience all 4 Seasons to their fullest!

The photo above {right side} with the little shed, made the local paper!!!!  So exciting when that happens 🙂

 

  We got 9 and a half inches of snow, so it was pretty tough to get around, but everyone had fun….
UNTIL the Snow Ball Fight started. 

  Apparently, Snow Ball fights sound a lot more fun than they actually are.

Just sayin’.

Avery is sobbing and Pax grins, “Hee hee! I do it, Momma.”

  Last year I got a beautiful picture of the kids having fun in the snow.  I guess I waited too long to get a shot, because by this point everyone but Ty was in tears. 

  I told him he might as well cry for the photo too.  He is a good faker. 

The tears continued as we tried to walk in….

So I assigned partners and sent them in to warm up.   We will try, try again next snow!

  Christmas Eve Eve I took photos of some PRECIOUS newborn twin girls! 

   Their sweet Momma needed photos done ASAP before they got too big to be sleepy. They were 13 days old, and much after 10, they are no longer sleepyheads.

  I told her if we could keep it short and sweet, and she didn’t mind my living room, I could fit her in before our family came over for Christmas. 

  I have never ever shot in my house before, and I was so worried about lighting and the timing of it all. Sometimes newborns can take HOURS to cooperate.

  God was gracious, I was able to get all the food made in the morning, and put the ham in before she arrived. The light was fine, and the girls were angels!

Here are my favorite shots:

  About the time I cleaned up, Dale’s siblings and dad arrived for our traditional Christmas Eve Eve get together.  The kids always have fun with their cousins and aunt and uncles!

  The next night, Christmas Eve, we had some surprise company from Phoenix, Uncle Marion & Aunt Judy.  We just sat around and talked and of course, ate tons of good food! 

  That night, we decided to try the first annual Sleepover in front of the tree.  I always did that growing up and we are finally at a stage to do so. 

  Dale and I lay by the kids and sang Christmas carols until everyone was relaxed enough to sleep.  A couple of them were still up at ELEVEN!!!! Ack!
Oh well, they all must’ve been very tired, because they all slept until 8!  That never happens at our house….

  WordPress always gets mad at me for putting on too many photos, so I am going to start a new post for the rest! 🙂

Hugs, T

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The Night Before Christmas Ring & Egg Casserole

   Christmas is almost here!  Are you looking for an easy breakfast for Christmas morning?  Maybe one you can put together the night before, after you get home from your church Christmas eve service?!  Then you have come to the RIGHT PLACE!   🙂

Christmas Eve Overnight Egg Sausage Breakfast Quiche

• 8 slices Wheat Bread, Cubed
• 1 pound Sausage, Browned And Drained
• 2-½ cups Shredded Cheese
• 5 whole Eggs
• 2 cups Milk
• ⅛ teaspoons Salt
• ¼ teaspoons Dry Mustard
• 1 can Cream Of Mushroom Soup
• ¼ cups Water

Brown sausage and drain. Cube bread. Layer in a 9×13 pan, bread,sausage and cheese.
Mix eggs, milk and seasonings and pour over previous layer.
Next mix 1 can cream of mushroom soup with 1/4 cup water and spread on top of casserole. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
The next morning, bake for 1 hour at 300* or until set. Let cool 20 minutes before cutting into squares.

Enjoy! This is really AMAZING!

  This next recipe I am sure you’ve heard or made a thousand times, but here it is, just the same:

T’was the Night Before Christmas Ring

24 Frozen Rhodes Rolls (dinner rolls)
1 cup brown sugar
1 box butterscotch cook & serve dry pudding mix not instant
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1 stick butter, (not margarine)
pecans or walnuts, chopped, optional

Right before going to bed, or 10 pm, sprinkle pecans or walnuts into a greased Bundt pan, (I use Pam cooking spray), then put 24 frozen Rhodes Rolls into pan. Mix brown sugar and dry pudding mix together and sprinkle over frozen rolls. Mix sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle on top of that.

Melt butter and slowly pour over rolls in Bundt pan, trying to cover all of the sugar. Leave on counter overnight and when you get up, the rolls should have risen nicely and you will put Bundt pan on a cookie sheet in a preheated 350°F oven and bake for 30 minutes.

Remove from oven and pour rolls upside down onto a large platter. Serve warm.

  Enjoy this fantastic Christmas morning breakfast! Easily prepared Christmas eve night after you get home from church. 

Hugs!

~T

T’was only this week, I took my Child one day,
Up the street to view a manger display.
I thought to myself, how can I show,
The TRUE Meaning of Christmas, so she will know.

To a small child, I must make it plain,
That this story is REAL, I must truly explain.
I wanted to tell her that God loved us so,
And that the meaning of Christmas was not just for show.

We walked to that scene and I started to tell,
The OLD CHRISTMAS STORY, that I knew so well.
But somehow just looking at those figures there,
There arose in my heart, a real feeling of despair.

I never had truly re-lived in my mind,
How our Heavenly Father, could be so kind.
He COULD have looked down at my sin and my shame,
And NEVER as the SON to Bethlehem came.

He COULD have said, “The sacrifice is too great!,
To pay for the sins of the men I create.
I’ll not send my SON, to die on the CROSS,
I’ll let Sinners DIE, and forever be LOST”.

But Thanks be to God and to JESUS His Son,
Jesus CAME–DIED–AROSE! and the Victory is won.
God in His Mercy, and with a love so great,
Gave us CHRIST’S BIRTHDAY, to celebrate.

I want so much on this coming CHRISTMAS Day,
To celebrate Christ’s birthday in a new glorious way.
To truly give thanks to the wonderful One,
That made Christmas possible by sending His SON.

I hope you will join me and pray day and night,
That our lives be examples of Christ’s Holy Light,
Shed abroad in our hearts far and near,
And REALLY keep Christ in our Christmas, this year.

This recipe shared with:

Recipe Round Up at Gooseberry Patch