Chocolate Traditions

It just isn't Christmas around here without The Chocolate Angel Pie that my mother in law handed down to us.

Meringue crust with a whipped cream and German Chocolate filling.

Some strong coffee in with the chocolate and cream.

Ginka's Pie

Crust Meringue

1/2 Cup finely chopped Pecans or Walnuts nuts are optional here.

3 egg whites room temperature.

3/4 tsp vanilla extract

1 Cup sugar

butter a 9 inch pie pan bottom only.

heat oven to 450 degrees

Beat egg whites to soft peaks. Then add sugar a little at a time as you continue to beat.  At the end mix in the vanilla and fold in the nuts. Spoon into pie pan making a nest shape. Put in oven and turn off oven heat. Leave pie  meringue  in oven at least 3 hours or overnight as oven cools meringue will cook.

Filling

1 bar German Sweet chocolate. 

1 Cup heavy cream whipped to stiff peaks with 1/8th cup sugar and 1 tsp vanilla.

2 tbsp strong black coffee

Melt chocolate stir in the coffee.  Cool slightly. Gently fold into the whipped cream. Stirring as little as possible.  Pile into cooled pie crust.

Chill at least 2 hours. 

That says Merry Christmas by the forkful.

Anne~

Daughter Amy started a new tradition by making a 1905 salad from the Columbia Restaurant. 

gifts and paper everywhere

Sammy unwrapping

Brennan with.....?

cousins loving the bounce house Fire Truck

Fire trucks by the score.

Uncles giving advise.

Happiness

PJ's on Christmas Eve

Getting on all the protective gear for skate boarding!

Nothing better than holding a cute baby !

Grampa  with Mya

A little egg scrambling!

We always cook too much!

It was bedlam and we ate so much!

Josh got us a magnificent prime rib and Amy got a huge Honey Ham

We cooked a huge amount of goodies.  

Daughter in law made a fabulous Pineapple souffle. I wish I got a picture of it.  

I am stuffed and full of memories. 

Family time is treasured. We live so far apart. Daughter had to leave before dinner to get to work so she will get lots of left overs tomorrow. 

Every moment of connection with each other a midst the hustle and bustle, the wrappings, the work schedules, shopping, phone calls, and endless interruptions of busy life is a blessing. The older I get the more I realize that life's memories are the string of pearls we make from these little moments in time when we are sharing our lives with each other. Time passes so quickly. We are all so busy and blessings come with the gift of time we spend with each other. 

Thank you to God for all our many blessings and Happy Birthday to our Lord and Savior Jesus. 

Fun With Boys

It has been so much fun watching big sister discover that little brother is fun!

Love to see them playing together.

This year Mya really anticipated and enjoyed Christmas!  We all did.  When there are children around it is just so much more fun. 
We have been so blessed this year and looking forward to another new baby in the spring from the northern team.

Waiting for more pictures to be sent!  Talk about anticipation...

Anne

Magical Christmas

The wonder in a little child's eyes at Christmas makes all the mess worth while!

Merry Christmas!
 

Christmas Eve Siesta Beach

'May the God of hope fill you
with all joy and peace as you
trust in Him, so that you
may overflow with hope by
the power of the Holy Spirit.'
Roman 15:13 NIV


Anne

Mya's Christmas Creche

My top item on my list today was to find a Creche for Mya to have this Christmas.  I found an old plaster and ceramic one at the local cat thrift shop.  It was perfect.   We had so much fun playing with it and talking about the baby Jesus.  Then we sang some Christmas songs.  Baby Brennan was sleeping peacefully in his swing in the background. 


The Magic of the Manger Scene

Mya got a musical snow globe too with Santa inside it!

Every one surrounding the Christ Child

Playing with Mary and Joseph

Mya has Mary well in hand.

Wonder through the eyes of a child

A wonderful way to spend some time with Mya and Brennan. 


Cherubs

 Merry Christmas

Anne
 

Surround Yourself

The best thing I could do last night was visit two of my grandchildren.

On such a dark day I looked for light and love.

My arms full of babies.

We decorated cookies.  Enjoying the sweetness of life.

Spent a reflective day today.  Praying for the families in Conn.  Praying for the futures of our children. 
Asking questions like why are we armed to the teeth?
Why is mental health care so far behind the needs for it?
Why do we have to lock our children into schools to make them safe?
I know God is with us. 
Hold us together Lord in the palm of your hand and help us to search the right ways in this world you have given us. 

Lambie

 

Etsy Organization

Etsy organization or more Tra-La-La-La getting ready for Christmas.  When you have your Etsy buisness spread out all over the house and in every closet nook and cranny it becomes very stressful trying to decorate for Christmas. 

This is what I started with in my living room.  I won't show you the closets or my 3 corners of the family room as you would faint.

This is my mess as you walk in the front door of my house and into the livingroom.  Voila Etsy!


With the idea of getting things 'together' and some friendly competition from my friends on the Etsy Ivteam who are also organizing I went in search of shelves yesterday.  Well truth be told I was just going to an Estate Sale, but shelving was in the back of my mind someplace. 

These were at the Estate Sale for a great low price.

They got a good scrubbing in the front yard.

Skip offered to paint them white for me! 

They look amazing and Skip even attached them to the wall somehow for stability.  I was impressed.

It took several hours, but eventually everything that was in the living room and family room and the hall closet landed on the shelves in the garage.  Please don't look in my extra bedroom closet.

Now the livingroom can be decorated .

It is looking alot more like Christmas!

 

Angie is happy to have her room back.  She is just hoping something to eat will fall her way.

Merry Merry Merry Christmas!

Lambie

My Vintage Christmas Tree 2012

Sing to tune of 12 Days of Christmas....

My vintage white tree is up                                               
and I'm coll-ap-ap-sing
in my re-clin-er.

Broke
2
Shiny Brights
and
1 Pink Pig........tra la la la la
pearl garlands
My feet are sore
there's a beer in the
re-fridge-er-a-tor!

The top tilts
just a little bit
too-ooo-ooo
much .
You may ask me-ee
if I care.

I love vintage
orn-na-ments, but not
in the
waste bassss-ket.

On Christmas I will
love it twink-a-ling
in the early morn-ing
glare.

Let the Christ Child In...Please someone OOOOO-PPPen the Door!
Merry Christmas,
Lambie