Dallas Christmas Visit

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Christmas Morning 09

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We had a wonderful Christmas morning. Santa came as promised, and they kids were very surprised with what he brought them. The night before the kids put out the milk and cookies for Santa, and a few carrots and water for the reindeer.

The kids woke up at about 8 am, right before mommy and daddy. Delaney came running in to tell us that Santa came and that Patrick was getting into his presents. Santa is a pretty smart guy, he covered up all the presents with blankets so that mommy and daddy could see the kids surprised faces. Delaney left her blanket on the toys and Patrick took it off. But when we came in he still had a surprised face. Patrick got a cool race track and pirate ships. Delaney got a princess castle with all the accessories. Nolan got a ride on car, so he can play outside with brother and sister. He also got a tickle me Elmo and some tools.

Their stockings were filled with candy canes, and a few small toys. Belle saw her dog bed we got her the night before and slept on it. She refused to get off of it. She also got a pretty pink collar and some toys.

Adam and the kids went shopping for me and gave me a beautiful necklace from James Avery. And Patrick picked out a merry go round candle from Yankee Candle company for me.

They kids picked out a Fossil watch and wallet for daddy that he loved.

We had a wonderful, relaxing, low key Christmas at home. We will be traveling to Dallas soon to celebrate the remainder of the holiday with Family. We have Nolan's first birthday coming up on December 27, Adam and I's 5th anniversary on December 30th. My birthday 27th January 1st and Patrick's 3rd birthday January 2nd!

The kids are going to have a combined birthday party at Jen Jen's house January 2nd. Jen Jen has a cute theme for each child. I cant wait to see how it turns out. Adam will be smoking some brisket and ribs for the food. We cant wait to see friends and family and celebrate the birth of our 3 little ones.

Christmas morning breakfast

(Unbaked Rolls, half a batch)

Every Christmas and Easter I make a special breakfast for our family. Cinnamon Rolls and Breakfast Casserole are our favorites. I have had a few friend interested in the recipes so I thought I would blog about them so you could have them too. The Cinnamon Rolls take a little time to make, but they are worth the work. The Breakfast Casserole is much quicker and always a hit with those that prefer something more savory in the morning.
I make the cinnamon rolls a few days ahead and refrigerate the portion I want to use right away and freeze the rest for another day. When you freeze them you will want to put them in the fridge the night before you cook them so that they will be fully thawed.

Cinnamon Rolls
(makes 16 large rolls)

4 3/4 to 5 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 package dry active yeast
1 cup milk
1/3 cup unsalted butter
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 eggs
1 recipe Brown Sugar Filling
1 tablespoon light cream
1 recipe vanilla glaze

1). In a large mixing bowl combine 2 1/4 cups flour, the sugar, and the yeast. In a sauce pan, heat and stir milk, butter, and salt just until butter almost melts. Add milk mixture to dry mixture along with the eggs. (If using a Kitchen Aid stand mixer, use whisk attachment here) Beat on low speed 30 seconds, scrape bowl. Beat on high speed for 3 minutes. Stir in as much of the remaining flour as you can (If using the Kitchen Aid stand mixer, change your attachment to the dough hook when you add the remainder of the flour).
Note...Do not let the milk mixture get too hot, it will kill the yeast.

2). Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead dough adding enough flour to make the dough smooth. Knead about 3-5 minutes. Shape into a ball. Place into a greased bowl ( I use unsalted butter), turning once so top of dough is oiled as well. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled (about 1 hour).

3). Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface. Divide in half. Lightly grease a 9x 13 pan (this is if you want to cook all of them at once. I choose to use 2 small pans so I can freeze half of them). Roll each half out unto a 12x8 rectangle. Sprinkle brown sugar filling over dough. Roll up each rectangle and slice each roll into 2 inch slices. Place in pan. Brush tops of rolls with cream (I do this right before baking)

4). Bake at 375 for 20-25 minutes. Remove from oven and brush tops again with cream.

5). Drizzle tops with vanilla Glaze.

Brown Sugar Filling:
Stir together 3/4 cup brown sugar, 1/4 cup flour, and 1 tablespoon cinnamon. Cut in 1/3 cup unsalted butter with a pastry blender (or use a fork).
If you like pecans, add crushed pecans to the brown sugar filling. Use one cup. First you will want to bake them on 350 for 8 minutes to crisp them.

Vanilla Glaze:
Stir together 1 1/4 cups sifted powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon corn syrup and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla. Stir in enough half and half cream to make a drizzling consistency. (add in the cream in 1/2 teaspoon increments. A little goes a long way!)

Enjoy :)

The Hash Brown Casserole is yummy and super easy. I also make this the night before.

Hash Brown Casserole:

2 teaspoons canola oil
2 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 (2 lb.) bags hash browns (use the Simply Potato brand! It is the best! You will find it in the refrigerated section usually near the eggs. If you cant find it ask your grocer they should know.)
1 onion, finely chopped (optional)
1 green bell pepper, chopped
2 1/2 Cups eggs
Salt and pepper to taste
2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded

1). Heat oil in a large skillet. Add hash browns, onions and green peppers. Cover and cook until potatoes are soft and browned slightly.

2). Spread potato mixture into a 9x13 inch baking dish that has been coated with cooking spray. Add Canadian bacon, eggs, salt and pepper.

3). Sprinkle top with cheese

4). Cover with foil and refrigerate overnight.

5). Bake, covered, for 30-40 minutes at 375. Remove foil (this is to melt the cheese) and bake 5 more minutes or until egg mixture is set.

I hope that these breakfast recipes bring your family as much pleasure, and warm holiday memories as it does ours.

Cooked Rolls

With the Frosting


Patrick putting on the finishing touches

Nolan Gobbling up the cinnamon roll. This was his first Cinnamon roll, and he loved it!

Eggs and Cinnamon rolls. Delaney loved it.

Patrick was a happy boy.

December 09 photos

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Here are the pictures for the month of December up until the week of Christmas. I will make a separate album for Christmas, Nolan's birthday, and New Years happenings.
This album includes Christmas Decorating, St. Nicholas day, Going to go see Curious George live, and the Christmas party for med school students' kids.

SNOW in Houston!?

Can it really be? Snow? Here in Houston? Yes in fact it did snow here Friday, December 4^th! Snow was predicted for the day of 2 inches. I think it ended up being more than that. It began snowing that morning around 8 am and didn’t stop until 10 pm that night! It was coming down really hard for hours at a time. This is 2 years now that Houston has had snow, in a climate that does not typically have snow!

When Patrick first saw the snow that morning he remarked, “mom that is not snow it is rain!” As it began to accumulate he got really excited. The kids bundled up and ran outside to enjoy the large white flakes. Our large tree in the front yard prevented our yard from getting much snow on it but Adam’s car was covered. So the kids had a fun time of scraping it off from there.

We decided to “brave” the weather and go to the grocery store. The roads stayed ice free all day, so we were safe. Why does it always happen to snow, ect when you are completely out of food?

Schools were canceled at noon that day, and it was fun to see all the children in fields by our house building 3-4 foot snow men. The snow stayed on the roofs and ground, where there the sun did not touch for the rest of the next day. What a treat for Houstonians! Houston really is making a fool out of me. I told the kids when we moved here that it NEVER snows here, and thus the two years we have been here have been the two years they received snow. Here are a few pictures of the kids adventures

Decorating for Christmas

Decorating for Christmas

This year was the first year for the kids to experience having a live Christmas tree. Adam stopped by the tree lot after classes to pick up one. I told the kids Dad had a surprise for them. They were elated to find it was a "gigantic" tree. In the past I used a small 6 ft fake tree. We put it on top of a table in the living room to keep the little hands away from the fragile ornaments. We decided to brave it this year with a tree on the ground and a real tree would be a neat experience for them. Adam chose an 8 ft Noble fer. It is a soft, full, beautiful fragrant tree. Adam and I decorated it when the kids went to bed.

So far we havent had major problems with the tree being touched. Nolan likes to throw the balls on the tree so we had to move those up higher out of reach.

This morning Saint Nicholas arrived bringing chocolates and small toys for their rain boots, under the tree.

I do not think that we will be putting any wrapped gifts under the tree, as I do not think they will last long in their wrappers.

House Lighting

This year I did the outdoor lights. I love decorating with lights. I have done them in the past, but this is the first year for me to put them on the roof alone. Adam did it one year and the other year my brother, Cade, did it for us. It really was an exhilarating experience. The kids were in the yard giggling and having a blast watching me up there. It wasn't nearly as scary and difficult as I was expecting. All those years of Gymnastics paied off, ha ha.

It took me two afternoons out there to finish it all. I had most all the lights I needed but I had a few stands bite the dust that needed replacement. I hope that the kids get as much enjoyment out of the house decorations as I do as an adult. Lets hope that the lights hold up to the rain that Houston will be throwing at them!

Saint Nicholas the Real Santa Clause

Today, Sunday December 6th is the feast day of Saint Nicholas.

Who is Saint Nicholas?

The true story of Santa Claus begins with Nicholas, who was born during the third century in the village of Patara. At the time the area was Greek and is now on the southern coast of Turkey. His wealthy parents, who raised him to be a devout Christian, died in an epidemic while Nicholas was still young. Obeying Jesus' words to "sell what you own and give the money to the poor," Nicholas used his whole inheritance to assist the needy, the sick, and the suffering. He dedicated his life to serving God and was made Bishop of Myra while still a young man. Bishop Nicholas became known throughout the land for his generosity to the those in need, his love for children, and his concern for sailors and ships.

Under the Roman Emperor Diocletian, who ruthlessly persecuted Christians, Bishop Nicholas suffered for his faith, was exiled and imprisoned. The prisons were so full of bishops, priests, and deacons, there was no room for the real criminals—murderers, thieves and robbers. After his release, Nicholas attended the Council of Nicaea in AD 325. He died December 6, AD 343 in Myra and was buried in his cathedral church, where a unique relic, called manna, formed in his grave. This liquid substance, said to have healing powers, fostered the growth of devotion to Nicholas. The anniversary of his death became a day of celebration, St. Nicholas Day.

Through the centuries many stories and legends have been told of St. Nicholas' life and deeds. These accounts help us understand his extraordinary character and why he is so beloved and revered as protector and helper of those in need.

One story tells of a poor man with three daughters. In those days a young woman's father had to offer prospective husbands something of value—a dowry. The larger the dowry, the better the chance that a young woman would find a good husband. Without a dowry, a woman was unlikely to marry. This poor man's daughters, without dowries, were therefore destined to be sold into slavery. Mysteriously, on three different occasions, a bag of gold appeared in their home-providing the needed dowries. The bags of gold, tossed through an open window, are said to have landed in stockings or shoes left before the fire to dry. This led to the custom of children hanging stockings or putting out shoes, eagerly awaiting gifts from Saint Nicholas. Sometimes the story is told with gold balls instead of bags of gold. That is why three gold balls, sometimes represented as oranges, are one of the symbols for St. Nicholas. And so St. Nicholas is a gift-giver.

One of the oldest stories showing St. Nicholas as a protector of children takes place long after his death. The townspeople of Myra were celebrating the good saint on the eve of his feast day when a band of Arab pirates from Crete came into the district. They stole treasures from the Church of Saint Nicholas to take away as booty. As they were leaving town, they snatched a young boy, Basilios, to make into a slave. The emir, or ruler, selected Basilios to be his personal cupbearer, as not knowing the language, Basilios would not understand what the king said to those around him. So, for the next year Basilios waited on the king, bringing his wine in a beautiful golden cup. For Basilios' parents, devastated at the loss of their only child, the year passed slowly, filled with grief. As the next St. Nicholas' feast day approached, Basilios' mother would not join in the festivity, as it was now a day of tragedy. However, she was persuaded to have a simple observance at home—with quiet prayers for Basilios' safekeeping. Meanwhile, as Basilios was fulfilling his tasks serving the emir, he was suddenly whisked up and away. St. Nicholas appeared to the terrified boy, blessed him, and set him down at his home back in Myra. Imagine the joy and wonderment when Basilios amazingly appeared before his parents, still holding the king's golden cup. This is the first story told of St. Nicholas protecting children—which became his primary role in the West

Several stories tell of Nicholas and the sea. When he was young, Nicholas sought the holy by making a pilgrimage to the Holy Land. There as he walked where Jesus walked, he sought to more deeply experience Jesus' life, passion, and resurrection. Returning by sea, a mighty storm threatened to wreck the ship. Nicholas calmly prayed. The terrified sailors were amazed when the wind and waves suddenly calmed, sparing them all. And so St. Nicholas is the patron of sailors and voyagers.

Other stories tell of Nicholas saving his people from famine, sparing the lives of those innocently accused, and much more. He did many kind and generous deeds in secret, expecting nothing in return. Within a century of his death he was celebrated as a saint. Today he is venerated in the East as wonder, or miracle worker and in the West as patron of a great variety of persons-children, mariners, bankers, pawn-brokers, scholars, orphans, laborers, travelers, merchants, judges, paupers, marriageable maidens, students, children, sailors, victims of judicial mistakes, captives, perfumers, even thieves and murderers! He is known as the friend and protector of all in trouble or need

Widely celebrated in Europe, St. Nicholas' feast day, December 6th, kept alive the stories of his goodness and generosity. In Germany and Poland, boys dressed as bishops begged alms for the poor—and sometimes for themselves! In the Netherlands and Belgium, St. Nicholas arrived on a steamship from Spain to ride a white horse on his gift-giving rounds. December 6th is still the main day for gift giving and merrymaking in much of Europe. For example, in the Netherlands St. Nicholas is celebrated on the 5th, the eve of the day, by sharing candies (thrown in the door), chocolate initial letters, small gifts, and riddles. Dutch children leave carrots and hay in their shoes for the saint's horse, hoping St. Nicholas will exchange them for small gifts. Simple gift-giving in early Advent helps preserve a Christmas Day focus on the Christ Child.

Through the centuries St. Nicholas has continued to be venerated by Catholics and Orthodox and honored by Protestants. By his example of generosity to those in need, especially children, St. Nicholas continues to be a model for the compassionate life.

Information taken from: www.stnicholascenter.org

Movie Recommendations:

Veggie Tales: Saint Nicholas The Story of Joyful Giving

CCC: Nicholas, The Boy Who Became Santa

Nicholas of Myra: coming soon

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rbe4PvH1RIc&feature=player_embedded