I always feel a bit blah for the first several days after Christmas - it's still "vacation" so I don't go back to my usual routines, yet I can't wait to do so - instead, I do things I don't usually do on weekdays like binge watch movies, do puzzles, eat too much sugar, read books during the daylight hours - it's like I can't allow myself to "be productive" until January 2nd. It's both pleasurable and frustrating. I'm really just complaining because I feel fat and gross from excessive cookie and candy consumption. I'll just wrap up the year by filling you in on what went on since my last post.
We left the last day of November for a whirlwind 6 cities in 12 days trip in the west to see family and some friends. We spent two days in each city - Boise, Seattle, Alamo/Livermore CA, San Diego, Phoenix and Dallas. We saw our parents, a couple siblings, three children, eight grandchildren, and friends who are serving as mission presidents for our church in WA. While it was super fun, I sat, ate and talked more than I usually do. The pictures on this post are not in perfect order - Sorry!
I am standing behind Dan's 98 1/2 year old mom and all the parked walkers as we went to the dining room for dinner. She lives in a wonderful assisted living facility.
So excited to go in to Yogurt Mill in El Cajon CA - been going there since 1978!
I couldn't finish this one - I intended to eat it all during the drive from San Diego to Phoenix but I just couldn't do it.
My mom's painted tree - it died many years ago so she painted it and decorates it with the seasons.
That's me and my mama!
The view from our hotel in San Diego. We didn't stay with my parents but rather downtown.
My big brother Scott - also known as Scotty Wamps!
Scott does all my mom's gardening now and he especially loves to work with succulents. I am inspired by this medusa type one and I'll be on the lookout for a pot just like it.
Here's a not so professional picture of the Sampson's - Dan's daughter Brooke and her family (minus son Koby). We went to the Mesa AZ Temple with them one night to see all the Christmas lights.
In Seattle, before we met up with our mission president friends, the Blatters, we walked all over that town and went to a bakery I've been hoping to visit one day - I have the cookbook from that bakery and it's fabulous - Dahlia Bakery. We ate lunch there and bought a box of goodies.
Of course we went to the famous Pike's Public Market and perused all the stalls.
Took at bite out of everything we bought.
Our dear friends, John and Diane Blatter. They are serving a three year mission as heads of the Tacoma Mission of our church, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (you know, the Mormons!).
In Livermore/Alamo, we stayed with Dan's daughter Kara's family. I made Nilla wafer banana pudding at her son's request and we dug in right after church and before dinner.
The two pics above are of a house in Livermore CA where Dan's daughter Kara lives and she and her family took us to a house owned by "Deacon Dave" who starts putting up lights on his property in October for Christmas. It is so spectacular that people line up every night to tour his yard.
Below are some lights we saw in Dallas neighborhoods. Those Santas are all in one front Dallas yard.
Here is Dan balancing baby Vivi (daughter Krista's 7 month old) at their Dallas home.
As soon as we got home from the trip I put up a little live tree in a large terra cotta pot (I'm done with big trees) and decorated the mantels, some table tops, and put wreaths outside.
We did a day/night trip to Boston and saw the Boston Pops mid December - wonderful wonderful! We stayed at the Eliot Hotel on the corner of Commonwealth and Massachusetts Aves - beautiful, European style, boutique hotel (we decided that from now on, when in Boston, that is where we will stay). Every room is a lovely suite and the Japanese restaurant in the hotel is said to be tops. We did not eat there but rather ate across the street at a French one called Deuxave - the food and service were most excellent!
Then the baking began. I made nine different kinds of cookies and/or candy and Dan made his chocolate covered cherries and mints he has made for years and years.
Chocolate covered truffles.
This is my "cookie candy" - I tweeked a recipe I found years ago in a big way and this is my version. It is so addictive - chocolatey, crunchy, nutty, fruity - incredible! I included the recipe too and it's super easy.
I made wool yarn pom poms watching a youtube video (Kristen Nichols) and using Clover pom pom molds. Very fast work - each one takes about two minutes.
It snowed a couple days before Christmas but it melted the day before so we didn't have a white Christmas after all. Today was 58 degrees in Rye!
After Christmas "fun" - a puzzle - I haven't put one together in 15 years I bet.
When Gabe and I went to Prince Edward Island two months ago, I bought two kinds of wool yarn and asked Gabe to make me a hat and mittens in whatever style she wanted as a Christmas gift to me. The finished products are adorable! Below I have donned them for a Boxing Day walk
Our boys; my son Dane and Dan's son Caleb holding their Christmas stockings. We so enjoyed having them home for the holiday.
On Christmas Eve after the game, Dan and I took a 12 pound prime rib and slathered it in butter, fresh rosemary and thyme. We made slits and inserted garlic slices in each. We roasted the meat the following day for a couple hours after we got home from church and it was so so so delicious. We had 15 people at our table for prime rib, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, salad, rolls, scalloped corn , a made-from-scratch green bean casserole (not the campbell's cream of mushroom soup one) and tons of cookies.
Some of the goodies I made.
These "sugar whoopies" are a family favorite.
Gabe also made me some vases for Christmas. She made the one in back her freshman year of high school and the two in front just recently. Love!
On Christmas Eve Day, Dan and I and our sons went to see the Patriots destroy the NY Jets. It rained pretty hard most of the game but our ponchos kept us more or less dry. In the pic above, you can see that the skies cleared and the sun came out the last half hour of the game.
Dane (Binky) and I here :)
I'll endure a few more days of loafing around and then I have so many projects to work on in the new year. Dan and I have also planned four trips for the winter months; little week long get-aways at warm beaches here and there.
Okay, back to the puzzle table!
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