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Saturday, December 29, 2012

CHRISTMAS EVE 2012

Hello to all... 
I always seem to do things backwards. I have shown my Christmas morning photos of both our kids families... Then, my friend, Audrey of TIMELESS TREASURES asked if the kids would be coming to OUR house...I remembered I'd forgotten to publish my CHRISTMAS EVE post.
THIS will be my last post about CHRISTMAS of 2012...
 
THIS is our biggest tradition....
Kid and grandkids come to our house for
CHRISTMAS EVE.
I DID remember to show you the photos of all our stockings,
hanging in wait for CHRISTMAS EVE.
 We've always put lights on our roof and then icicle lights around the front eves...

This year, we decided not to do lights....too time consuming and we'd just have to pack them back for moving.
(not to mention the obvious...we are getting a little TOO OLDEN to be climbing around on top of the house....:(

But, at the last minute....

I wanted the house to be SPARKLY and BRIGHT for our family so
Mr. Sweet and I got out early Christmas Eve morning and put
lights across the front and on the holly bushes.
I was so glad because they shined bright for our LOVES.
I forgot to take a photo of them that night but got THIS ONE
Christmas morning....
 and, yes, I've already shown it to you but it's the ONE photo I got of lights
and I'm milking it....:)

Then we came inside and had more of THIS....

Those rolls, filled with creme cheese, cinnamon  and Ideal Brown sugar sub
are so good, they make ya
want to slap yo
pappy....
remember...?.....crescent rolls just filled with butter and all the rest and
OH HONEY....

Then for the CHRISTMAS EVE meal...
....OTHER foods that are almost sinful...

pecan pie that my grandboy, BROOKS, makes at Cracker Barrel ..
that Sunshine Cake that just brings me to my knees, it's so good.
Mr. Sweet's mother's old recipe for COCONUT CREME PIE....the recipe must be over 100 yrs old as it was Mr. Sweet's
GREAT grandmother's. ....WOW

Snickerdoodle cookies that turned out THIN....what's up with that? Tasty, tho...
 Stacy made CROCK POT HOT CHOCOLATE
that was so good, it was UNREAL...
She got the recipe off Pinterest...
choco. chips
whipped CREAM
EAGLE BRAND MILK
and not sure what all else went into it...
so rich, we got dollar signs in our eyes...ummmmmm

Mr. Sweet did the Christmas Eve Ham this year.
He did it like his mother baked hers and it was absolutely AWESOME.
Smoked butt end, smothered in Brown Spicy Mustard,
covered with foil and baked for about 4 hours, slowly.
Then, *shhhhh......
I made a glaze out of Apricot jam and regular mustard and 
basted it every 15 minutes for the last hour of baking.
added extra flavor and talk about browning nicely...IT DID.
Mr. Sweet doesn't care for the spiral cut hams...too thin, he says...
*
Roasted fingerling potatoes...oh, so good
olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper, can't remember that other spice and
...can't remember the rest of the recipe...
roast at 350 for about 30 minutes
(I can't remember SQUAT this morning....I must not have been paying attention)


My photos didn't turn out well, at all...I've never been good at taking PEOPLE pictures...I think my hands shake or something...

I'm afraid I COULD BE in need of a new camera....

Drew, Stacy's oldest son...
Brynna, back there, hanging on his every word. :))

Brooks, the youngest son of our daughter and Jent.

He will be 20 in June...and I keep hoping he stays around here close....
I'm spoiled to having all our grands close and not sure I could stand it if they start moving away....but,
in reality...I know it can happen.

Drew may decided to stay in Portland...even after school.
The good thing is that he can fly home often.... for holidays and summertime fun.


Think I've already shown you this one of Brynna....only really good photo of the night.

Brynna is a freshman in high school this year....hope she chooses Texas Tech for her college years.
Our sweet and handsome son, DAVID KEITH


......another blurry photo of THE BOYS.
DAVID and KATHY'S  GIRLS......minus JESSICA
Courtney....she is going to school here
Andrea, Bailey...freshmen in high school....and
Lacey Jean....she is going to Tech.
If I can just keep 'em close.................
That's all the photos that turned out even half good.
I really did take some of the girls...Stacy, Jent and Deeds....Kathy...
our grandson, Bryan and Micah....
but every single one turned out so blurry, I couldn't fix them even a little bit
in PhotoScape......bummer

Love to all, bj
PINK SATURDAY (reds for pinks)

25 comments:

Neabear said...

Sounds like you had a great Christmas! I know what you mean about family members living far away. So hard. My two granddaughters are across the country from us and I hate not being a part of their everyday lives. I keep up with them on Facebook and now we can Skype with them as well. We sent our son and daughter-in-law a webcam for Christmas.

Happy New Year!

Linnea

Shabby Brocante, Karen said...

Oh, I never get enough of Christmas. I am kind of mad tough. That made me so hungry!! I want a big cup of that hot Chocolate and a handful of sweets right after I have a big slice of that Ham your husband made!!!!!!! I might dream about it tonight!
Karen

Kathleen Grace said...

Oh the feasting and love and joy we have at Christmas! Our family Christmas is tomorrow and I am so looking forward to it. You have some darn good genetics going on there, every one of your grands is gorgeous! Happy New Year BJ!

Rita said...

I must say you were a busy little bee for an olden one. Your pictures are a delight; you captured the heart and soul of your beloved family. It was pretty quiet at our house this year and i did miss the action.
Rita

Gert said...

Oh BJ, I feel as though we are bet friends and I've known you forever, as I follow your blog each day via e-mail...but never seem to comment...so...sorry! Looks like you had an amazing Christmas and even got a little *snow* to perfect it! lol We have been putting lights on the bushes out front for years after we found out it was too much for us to do more. Age has a way of creeping up on a person...smile.. But it still looks festive I think!! I am like you, I don't take people pictures very well either...I only got a few at Christmas also...bummer... But love the ones we got.

Keep posting..I love..love..love to follow you!

Blessings,
Gert

Theresa said...

Sweet family time, nothing better in my book:) I know that they all enjoyed it as much as you did! I just bought a little point and shoot camera to keep in my purse! I use my iPhone a lot, so we will see if it was worth the money to buy a camera:) Enjoy your day dear BJ, BIG HUGS!

Vee said...

You are making me grin here because I have so much trouble with taking photos of people...they keep moving! I always wind up having to use the sports setting. You are amazing grandparents out decorating for your loves. I once asked my nana about such things and she said, "We were putting on the dog for you." I do it, too. Might get away with doing less except for the loves...have resisted all urges to trim the eaves with lights, though!

Audrey said...

Thanks for sharing your wonderful family with us. Yes, they grow up and move on, but that is life and what we as parents and grandparents want ... to see them become happy, productive adults. That does not happen in every family.

Love your family night and that is my type of meal. I do fresh-baked ham for Christmas too. We have so many desserts left over, I will gain ten pounds.
Happy New Year, my friend.
Audrey Z.
Timeless Treasures

Audrey said...

Thanks for sharing your wonderful family with us. Yes, they grow up and move on, but that is life and what we as parents and grandparents want ... to see them become happy, productive adults. That does not happen in every family.

Love your family night and that is my type of meal. I do fresh-baked ham for Christmas too. We have so many desserts left over, I will gain ten pounds.
Happy New Year, my friend.
Audrey Z.
Timeless Treasures

Gina said...

It looks like you had a wonderful Christmas filled with your beautiful family!

Hmmm...I wonder how all those grandchildren are so thin when grandma obviously cooks the most delicious food ever!!! :)

janis said...

Ohh Goodness! What a wonderful Blessed Christmas! The food looked yummy, the home warm & inviting, & the company..well the best Blessings of all.
May 2013 bring you even more joy♥

Madeline's Album said...

What a lovely family. I too wish I could keep all my grandchildren and children close by, but I have one daughter and her family who live in Washington state, a grandson and his family who live in Texas and a granddaughter who lives in New York. Your Christmas Eve meal looked and sounded so good. Have a blessed day. Madeline

Ann said...

Looks like a super Christmas Eve celebration. We also had a family get together with extended family on Christmas Eve with darling little great nephews and great niece along with grands. Christmas morn was just our Daughter and her family over for gifts and a movie later. Your treats look yummy esp that hot chocolate. Are you guys relocating closer to the midwest? Have a great weekend.
Ann

Penny from Enjoying The Simple Things said...

What a wonderful Christmas Eve celebration you had!
Hugs,
Penny

p.s. I have something that is polka dot on my current post that I think you will love!

LV said...

BJ, no matter how the weather turned out, you would MAKE IT A FUN TIME. LOVED SEEING THE WAY YOU AND FAMILY RELATE AND ENJOY EACH OTHER. NEED MORE OF THAT IN TODAY'S WORLD.

Blondie's Journal said...

I did the same thing, BJ...posted Christmas morning and worked backward! Thanks so much for sharing your family pictures and the feast you had! Sometimes I find "people" pictures don't turn out because the people are moving. So many of my shots were blurry, too.

Love your outdoor lights! Hubby never liked to put them up outside and I have learned to live without them!

Hope you are having a wonderful weekend!

XO,
Jane

Our Neck of the Woods said...

Great photos! It's good that you have your family close to you.

All the food looks delicious! I'd be going after those desserts, especially snickerdoodles!

Glad you had a nice Christmas :)

Wsprsweetly Of Cottages said...

bj, just think how you would feel if you took photo's like that EVERY day like I do! I think this was just a one time thingy for you.
We didn't put up lights this year either. I bought three double woodland bells that are all lite and we always hang those. This year those lit bells were all we had. Maybe next year..but then again..maybe not. Like Mr. Sweet, PH just should not be climbing up on the roof anymore. Me holding the bottom of the ladder for the three bells was enough for us.
A brand new year ahead of us, bj, and here is hoping for good things and a few miracles to happen.
Love,
Mona

Sue said...

What a treat for me to see such a wonderful family Christmas. You are so blessed to have your children and grandchildren nearby, all ten of ours live very far away and we are only able to get together once or twice a year, but we make up for lost time!~smile~
The food looks out of this world delicious, Thank you for sharing, it was such a delight.
Happy New Year.
Sue

carol l mckenna said...

You are so blessed with a loving family and all close by ~ Delightful photos and lovely time ~ thanx ^_^

(A Creative Harbor aka ArtMuseDog and Carol ^_^)

Irene said...

Such a true quote and I must say your blogs give us much joy all year thru.

On Crooked Creek said...

BJ,
What a wonderful Christmas with all your family!!! The lights are lovely...the food delicious...and you, dear friend, are truly blessed!!!
Fondly,
Pat

Sarah said...

Surrounded by your beautiful family. What could top that for Christmas! ;-)

Beth said...

Hi BJ! I enjoyed seeing your Christmas eve and Christmas day. Family and great food and remembering Jesus - it doesn't get any better than this! Your children both have GORGEOUS homes! May 2013 bring you love, joy, peace, prosperity, and good health!
xo Beth

bohemiannie! art said...

Beautiful post. You had me at 'slap yo pappy'. LOL! Happy New Year!