New Year's Eve Dinner

All year long, we save up our greasy food tokens and cash them in all at once on New Year's Eve. This is the night we eat a meal that we have cleverly called "GREASY DINNER." It started out as homemade hamburgers and french fries, but our expanding menu has blossomed. As in onion blossom :) Oh yum.

Our rationale for this is completely sound. If we eat so unhealthily at the end of the year, then no matter what we eat at the beginning of the year will be an improvement! It is a brilliant strategy barring any chest pain.

Oh...my little taste buds are getting all watered greased up. To help with that I am posting pictures of the onion blossom that will take center stage tonight! It is one of my all-time favorite recipes. I would post our whole menu, but someone might report me to the Surgeon General as being a health hazard.

Have a safe and wonderful New Year! Bon Appetit!

Maybe I'll see you in the cath lab!

              Photos from Pioneer Woman

A Simple Meal

Tradition holds that we always dress up for our Christmas Eve feast....to celebrate a humble occasion, we eat a simple meal: turkey, potatoes and gravy, rolls, beans with bacon and almond slivers, carrot souffle and salad. This year, after eating, we cleaned up the dishes and went to our traditional Christmas movie matinee. This year we saw The Blind Side.

Our holiday just wasn't the same without our oldest missionary son, although we got to talk to him for over an hour on Christmas day and it was wonderful. And thank heavens, we still had three awesome kids home for Christmas.

Best. Christmas. Present. Ever.

Abigail and John did it. The Guernsey Literary Potato Peel Pie Society did it. And now Library Lover has done it.

And I'm still reveling in joy. Every year, her gifts are true treasures. But this year....this year her gift takes the cake, the frosting, and the marzipan silver bells. Oh.....how I love it!!

The gift is a small, square book designed and published by mi madre, representing hours and hours of labor. The book is a collection of family letters written in the 1970-80's to my grandparents by my parents, siblings and me over a 10-15 year span. Some of the letters are handwritten. Some are typed. Some are drawn. But each provides a big picture glass window into our home and family life during our awkward formative years. The letters are sweet and funny. And clearly show a family in dire need of a spellchecker.

 

Here are a few excerpts:

Aug. 13, 1983

Dear Grandpa and Grandma,

It was so much fun at the Merrill reunion. I wish you were here. We had so much fun but only 30% was fun because 50% was boring cause you weren't there and 20% was boring cause I got hurt real bad. It still hurts.  Love, Kristi

Dear Grandma,

We all think you are a great grandma. Remember who you are. Love, Justin

Dear Grandpa and Grandma,

Sorry for not writing sooner, but I couldn't find a pencil. Love, Jeremy

Feb. 1984

Dear Grandma and Grandpa,

How are you doing? Our church basketball season is over and we had a perfect record. We never won a game! Love, Justin

Dear Grandma,

Thank you for the money. Keep up the good work. Love, Jeremy

Dear Gma and Gpa,

I just came in from playing softball for the first time. Really I was just tossing the ball back and forth, but I like to tease. Love, Kristi

Thank you dear mother for the gift that won't get eaten or broken or long forgotten. This gift will be enjoyed by generations to come.

It is definitely the best. Christmas. present. ever.