Our holidays and recipes

This year, our holidays have been full, wonderfully full, of people and friends and food... fat cells multiplying so fast, I have to get more sleep just so they can grow! I'm currently eating a nice bowl of high-fiber oatmeal with very little sugar on it. Wow.

Christmas Eve was spent with Jeff's mom, Ruth; his sister, Lisa and her two wonderful teens/young adults Annie and DJ; and the V--- family. We ate dinner crepes and dessert crepes, had a talent show, watched our very own live nativity, opened jammies, hung our stockings, and waited patiently for Santa to come.

I have to have a word about this live nativity, though, before I move on. I didn't really know what to expect of Jacey. I thought she might be an angel with Kira or something, but in our practices in previous family home evenings, she kind of took to playing baby Jesus. We used a little bin with a bath mat inside for the manger, and she just decided she kind of liked being there. If we ever tried to put a little doll in there, she marched right over and hurled that thing out of there and got in herself. When it was time to get the kids in their costumes on Christmas Eve, Jacey was dying to take her clothes off and participate. She had been in one of her very ornery moods that evening, so I was giving in to anything that might deplete some of the screaming and clinging. I took off her shirt and pants, and gave her a little white blanket to use as swaddling clothes. I was taking care of some other pre-production chores, when out comes baby Jesus all natural. She ditched the diaper and came out to ham it up. Everyone started laughing which just ignited the star in her, and she came up with some dancing and smiling antics. Then... she nicked her toe on the manger and started to cry. I was picking her up, and our lovely narrator, Siale, was asking if she could begin, when bleeeecchchchch. I was covered in puke and running to the bathroom. Classic Christmas memory. She turned out to be okay. We think she just sort of choked from the crying, thank goodness. Then, after the bathing and changing, we began the nativity. I don't think I have any pictures because I was playing the piano and Jeff was tending the sick little Jacey. We do have it on video, which will be good, because it was very, very funny. All the kids did something a little funny. We were just dying laughing. Here was the cast:

Narrator: Siale Innkeeper:DJ Mary: Keanna Jospeph: Brook Shepherd: Quinton

Angel: Kira Wise Man: Quinton Baby Jesus: Jacey

The day after Christmas we went to Cedar City and St. George to hang with Jeff's family. We had a great time with lots of games and cousins and food. Speaking of food, here's Jeff's sister's famous Chex Mix recipe. It's way good.

1 1/2 cups brown sugar, 1 1/2 cups Karo syrup, 1 cup of butter, 1 tsp. vanilla. Stirring pretty often, bring to a boil. When it comes to a rolling boil, cook 2 minutes, remove from heat. Pour over 1 box Corn Chex, 1 small can mixed nuts, 2 cups pretzels, and anything else you might want.

We came back Sunday and have just had a really nice week, topped with last night's New Years Eve Bash. We had the Vaitohis and Brackners over to play, and we just snacked. I did have some cinnamon rolls lying around, and since a few of you have asked for that recipe, I will provide it. What can I say, I'm an accomodating gal.

4 TB warm water; 1 packet yeast; 1 cup warm milk; 1 egg, beaten; 4 TB melted butter; 1 TB sugar; 1/2 tsp salt; 4 TB instant pudding; 4 cups flour (That's the dough) Knead it generously. Let it rise; yada, yada. Roll out into rectangle, smear with softened butter, top with brown sugar and cinnamon. Roll up, cut, you know. I don't like to let them rise much more than 1/2 hour after I cut them. I've found if they rise a whole hour, they get too lofty and not as soft and dense. Bake 350 10 minutes or so. For the icing, I use: 1 package cream cheese, 1 stick of butter both softened -- beat that with powdered sugar (almost a whole small package) add some vanilla.

We played last word, Sequence, Tri-Bond, and Phase 10 (it's almost a tradition around here). We had some great laughs. Quinton had previously asked us if we were going to have some of that "sparkling wine" stuff for New Year's, so we gave him some good ribbing for that. In honor of that, we took pictures of the kids enjoying their "sparkling wine/ sparkling cider". To add to the drama, Quinton put a paper towel around his because the bottle was cold.

Kira got a doctor kit and Jacey got a baby. Cute. Above is Jacey with her cute little buddy Ez, who got to come play with his fam on Tuesday night. Very fun seeing the Sturms again!