Holidays

The Holidays.....around our house there are usually three holidays after Thanksgiving.

1. Christmas
2. New Year's Eve/Day
3. My Birthday

Several days before Christmas Beka and her family arrived for three weeks.  Liz fixed it so that I didn't have to work and spend time with all the grands.  The weather was fairly typical (rain, rain, rain) but we got around to shop some, eat a few special meals out and enjoy indoor playgrounds.  Lots of energy in Beka's four and Liz's one!  They range in age from Sydney 7, Jakob 6, Mercedes 4, Shiloh 2, Anastacia 1.  Like I said, LOTS of energy.  Grammy and Grampy loving every minute of it.

We went to Christmas Eve service with it's candle light.  Grammy was sewing doll clothes and new outfits right up to the deadline.  Look at Mercedes' smile.....Auntie Liz made her a Nurse's uniform.

Christmas morning was a hurricane of ripped wrapping paper, boxes opened, screams ("This is JUST what I wanted!"), laughter and ooohing and ahhhhing.  Beka and Jason cooked a wonderful Turkey for Christmas dinner with all the trimmings...and Jason's family recipe for stuffing.  Fabulous!

New Year's Eve  day usually means store Inventory for our family and this year was no different.  It's not terribly fun, but somebody has to do it!  But the evening found Grammy and Grampy staying home with all the grands and the "kids" off to party with friends.  I think by the time they have gotten into their 30's "Party" is a pretty mellow time. 

New Year's Day The weather has been beautiful and today the grands hiked the Headwater's Forest trail.  They had a chance to climb all over the redwoods in our yard and Grampy took them on a tour of his trucks, lifts and heavy equipment in the yard. Liz cooked a Prime Rib roast and we had some friends over for dinner.  The kids had their own table...they were happy with that!  I'm going to tell a story about that roast.  I don't think I've ever had such perfect Prime Rib.  Moist, savory, just the right amount of pink, crusty on the outside.  P.E.R.F.E.C.T!   But how it got there was interesting.  Liz borrowed a very expensive electronic meat thermometer so that she monitor the roast at all times.  She put it in the pan, set the temperature, shut the oven door and "locked it."  Two hours go by and the temperature of the roast has risen by 15 degrees.  That's when she realizes that by "locking" the oven, she prevented the oven to turn on!  My oven lock is only used in "clean" mode.  TWO HOURS of time lost and what to do?  Conference among the ladies of the house and we decide to put it in the microwave for 15 minutes.  Then another 15 minutes.  Then transfer back to the oven for 25 minutes and it was perfect!  Beka made the au jus....   I tell you, I think we'll always have to cook our Prime Rib this way.

 Today is January 2, 2013.  Tomorrow is my birthday and I'm blessed to have my husband, kids and grandkids with me to celebrate.  I'll be back to work in the afternoon today; back to "somewhat" of my normal routine. 

Great start to 2013. May it be a good year for us all.