Ahhh...The Quiet....

It is the day after Christmas. 

Some people find this day to be sad.  Others find it to be nearly as hectic as the days leading up to Christmas, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.

Both have been true for me in the past, but not this year. 

This year?  The house is still and quiet.  It is 11:53am, and I am still in my pajamas.  That's right.  I just told you that I am still in my pajamas. 

Worse than that?  For the 3rd day in a row, I haven't left my house.  And it is my hope that I don't have to leave the house today.  (I do believe that I will change out of my pajamas in a little while, but if I can pull it off, I have no plans to go anywhere in a car today.)

When was the last time I didn't leave the house for even a minor errand 3 days straight?  I honestly don't recall.  One day at home is unusual.  Two days at home is remarkable.  Three days is just about unheard of for me.

Now some would be going stir crazy and biting at the bullet to get out and about.  But not me.  I have just enough introvert in me that I actually crave quiet and solitude to recharge, so I am loving this.  G is even away for a couple of days helping a friend paint his new house, so when I say it is quiet, I really mean it.  My daughter, B, and I are the only ones in the house at the moment, and trust me, B, isn't exactly an extrovert herself. 

Speaking of B, here is one of her Christmas gifts...

 

Can you read it?  It is a Bitstrip that A made up for B.  A drew B's name for Christmas, and she got B a great, new jean jacket from B's Christmas list, but tucked inside each of the pockets where frames of the above Bitstrip, all about how B takes over the world from the privacy of her bedroom and the power of her laptop and dreams!  This is one of my favorite presents given this year. 

 

Wait...now that I think about it...I have to say that A won "The Best Family Gift Given Christmas 2013" award again for the 3rd year in a row.  How does she do it each year???

 



There were some good runners up this year, such as...

...the shop vac that Grandma N gave to G.  <insert Tim Allen grunt here>

Or the donation of a heifer to a needy family through Heifer International - where a young cow can provide food and income as well as garden help for a hungry family in poverty.  You can read more about them at www.heifer.org .  J&G gave this in our honor.  I LOVE charitable donations given as Christmas gifts on behalf of someone else!

Or the one toy that J-man got 3 times!  Yes, that's right.  J-man got the same toy 3 times!  It is a little talking stuffed puppy.  Mimi and GG got it for him.  Mommy and Daddy got it for him.  And Nana and Pops got it for him.  Perhaps we should do a better job of coordinating our gift giving?  What can I say?  We're all a bunch of rookies at this! 

Good Christmas.  Here are a few additional pics from the various celebrations this week. 

Sunday @ S&K's

What are you gonna do with a whole bunch of hand kissing, laughter and flirting from the youngest generation to the oldest generation that occurs right as dinner is served? 

Nothin'.  Absolutely nothin'. You wait, cause you realize that this was one of the best moments for the two of them the whole holiday.  The Christmas story can wait.  The prayer can wait.  The food can wait, but moments like this?  Unplanned moments like this?  Those can't wait.  Ever.

Teething boys need cold things like yogurt popsicles to dull the pain...

...but hanging upside down in daddy's arms also helps.

Or check this out!  We are building those walking skills!

J-man with walker

Christmas Eve Open House

How could we clean and prepare for a party without G finding yet another piece of blue confetti from the gender reveal party for J-man on the floor that has been vacuumed multiple times since this event took place in September of 2012?  And G wears glasses why exactly???

The décor for our hot beverage table - where we served butter pecan coffee or peppermint hot cocoa.  The basket on the right?  Well, here's one closer up...

 

K might not recognize it, but this is the basket she gave me for Christmas when we were there a few weeks ago that I added a gold ribbon to and used as a favor basket to hold the bags of peppermint cocoa I had ready to give away to anyone who stopped by.  I even used one of the jars from the basket to hold candy canes if anyone wanted to use one in their hot cocoa along with a homemade mint marshmallow or two.  I thought it turned out rather nice!

 

 

G prepared this platter.  It isn't Christmas Eve for G without sausage and cheese and crackers and a few mustards.  We will have this for dinner a few times throughout the year, but never to the level of assortments we will share together on Christmas Eve.

 

These are Pioneer Woman's Sweet and Savory bacon wrapped crackers.  Half are filled with cheese and half are filled with brown sugar.  They are from her Holidays cookbook.  They are good, but I will probably add just a touch of mustard or something like that to give them just a bit more zing the next time I make them.

 

Best part of the night!  Are you ready for it?  He came!  He really came!  To my front door and while we were still awake!  I believe, I believe, I believe!!



 

 

Christmas Day

 

We served brisket with a copycat version of TGI Friday's Jack Daniel's whiskey glaze, twice-baked potatoes with bacon and cheese, roasted carrots with butter, beef stock and thyme, ambrosia salad and homemade croissants.  YUM!

I didn't do anything spectacular to the brisket, but man was it good!  More than one of us said that we were full but we still wanted another few bites of brisket!  I cut little garlic slots all over the non-fat side and stuffed those slots with slivers of garlic.  Then I seasoned with seasoning salt, pepper, thyme and parsley.

 

I put some beef stock and soy sauce and Worcestershire in the bottom of a roasting bag along with a few slices of onion for the brisket to rest on. 





I placed it fat side up so that the fat would melt into the meat as it slowly roasted, added a few more onion slices to the top and sealed the bag with a few slits in the top as the box instructs.  (Caution:  I also did a no-no as far as the box is concerned.  It said to not use a turkey sized bag for meats < 8 lbs, but I did it anyway.  Our brisket was a little over 5 lbs, and since all I had were turkey sized bags, I just lived on the wild side and used it.  As PW often says, don't be like me!)

 

I don't have a pic of the finished roast, but I just let it hang out in a low oven (300 degrees) for about 5 - 6 hours.  Let it rest after pulling it out of the oven and sliced it as thin as I could cross grain.  My mouth waters just thinking about how good this turned out!  Whatever J-man had on his tray, if we laid a bite of brisket down, that's what he went for!

 

I will end this lengthy tome of a DD with a cute pic of J-man.  Seeing all of the family and the four precious grandsons was truly the best part of Christmas.  Does it get much better than being around the wonder and joy of little ones?

 

 

I bring you good tidings of great joy which shall be for all the people...

For unto you is born this day...

A Savior...

Glory to God in the Highest, and on earth, peace, goodwill towards men...

 

..in both the loud shouts of the heavenly host and the quiet reflection of wonder and goodness.

 

Thanks for stopping by!

 

Love,

D