Happy, Healthy 2014

Tomorrow, January 1, 2014 

is the start of your new self!

Do what you need to do to make yourself the best  person you will ever be.

Good luck!

Merry, Merry Christmas to you all!

This is our Santa music man....he sometimes plays Jingle Bells. When he feels like it! But we forgive him as he is very old!

White Christmas, of course!

We will have a white Christmas. We got another 3 inches of snow last night, pretty and clean.

Today as I was starting the baking event for the holiday I thought about all the Christmas festivities past. I certainly don't remember the gifts I might have received over the years but I do recall some very fun things we all did at various times in our lives.

Interesting what one remembers, like the cat that thought the 9 foot Christmas tree was his personal springboard. He'd race to the top batting at ornaments as he went and then jump from the top to the nearest person, couch or whatever looked fun. We had two toddlers in the 4-kid mix and so the tree was firmly wired to the ceiling.  Or the year Mom thought we should all be constructive and make paper chains for the tree, the house and anything else she could think of to decorate. Somehow they never caught on as a favorite decor!

Our Grandmother was a fantastic cook, a professional sous chef really, and each year she would cook for days before  the annual Svenska family dinner. Oh, the delicacies she would prepare. Never again have we had such delights. Maybe our cousins got her recipes, I hope,  as no one could make headcheese like she did.

Food has always played a huge part in our celebrations. I married a German American who thinks it isn't Christmas without STOLLEN! Guess what I'm making tomorrow?

Merry Christmas to you all....I hope Santa is good to you if you deserve him to be! If not, try  harder next year!