December 2011

We have been having a wonderful month. It started off with the Sister's get-together on December 3rd. We extended it to all daughters of all siblings, and lots of the local daughters and nieces came! It was decided that it would be an annual thing. We had a very sweet and blessed time together talking, laughing, and seriously focusing on Jesus, the source of our Joy, and the whole reason behind Christmas.

Then that night, Uncle Mark and Aunt Christine returned to Minnesota for an extra week visit before their return to life in Australia. It was wonderful to have them stay here with us. They spent their days up at Tom and Joan's teaching Tom the computer knowledge he would need to know to use the new laptop they gave him, and helped him set up for job searching. We had time in the evenings to have supper together, and one night to have an intense and fun game of Dutch Blitz with all of us.

Wednesday I was inspired to make some caramel/pecan rolls so that Mark could have one before returning home to Australia. This was the first time ever for me. They rose beautifully, and they looked perfect going into, and coming out of the oven.

You can see behind me that I made two pans of them. And that was the mistake. After turning them out, suddenly one middle roll completely collapsed, and I discovered that only the rolls on the edges of the pans baked, and all the interior ones were still dough!! My oven did not have good enough circulation to get to the inside of both pans. However, I am not discouraged. We all got to eat a couple of good rolls (I threw the rest away). And I am planning to make them again for Christmas breakfast. Only this time I will bake one pan at a time.

Mark and Christine made us DELICIOUS Mexican supper on Thursday evening, and on Friday we went to the Straitgate Church Christmas party.

The nest day (Saturday),Christine and I went on a lovely brisk walk by the lake and topped it off with a hot drink at the Chez Arnaud French shop downtown, while our husbands went for breakfast at Perkins!

Saturday afternoon was Daniel and Timothy's Christmas piano recital. It was great because John accompanied Timothy on a duet, and Daniel and Joseph ended the recital with a brilliant piano/organ duet. So all the boys got to be in it, which was very special!

Then Saturday night Mark and Christine treated Tom and Joan and us for supper at The Porterhouse, a steak house not too far from home. Supper was delicious! And it was so fun to just be together!

Mark and Christine headed back home to Australia on Monday morning by way of Los Angeles. We are so thankful for this time we were able to spend with them!

And...they gave me a camera! So I am hoping to be at least semi-regular in blogging again!