It's not the Holidays without some baking, right?
Here are some gluten free banana nut muffins I made in late November.
Things like this really help with my aversion towards early morning eating. They were nice and easy to grab and go in the morning before school.
Shane's "New tradition" of drinking coffee out of the Holiday Mug we received in a set from his mom last Christmas.
Below are some pictures from my preparations for the Mt. View FB Coaches Christmas Party.
(I didn't make it to my staff party after getting a stomach virus the day of final exams.....which in some ways was a relief for this somewhat (okay very) anti-social girl. Who wants to watch their co workers get drunk and be sloppy playing Wii anyway? I'll pass).
This was my second time trying my pumpkin spice cupcake.
The only difference this time was that I made the frosting from scratch, and homemade cinnamon cheesecake frosting is definitely better than that overly sweet stuff in a can!
White Elephant Gifts, check! Gluten free desserts, check! Christmas spirit, check! Off to the Hardy's house!
(We definitely scored big with some husband and wife strategy during the yearly White Elephant exchange. I was burned bad last year (haha) and was determined to come away a winner in 2011. I left happily with a mesh lower lumber support for the car and a lovely Susan Boyle album to boot : ) It was a great time to eat and enjoy each others company as we finished out the year together as a coaching family :)
Christmas in Dundee 2011
The majority of my pictures highlight our much anticipated trip to see my family in Dundee for Christmas. I took a lot of video, which I hope to at some point compile and post on here in the future , but for now here are some pictures of our visit.
Having time off always mean I get to try out crafts and ideas I've stolen from online (etsy, pinterest, etc.) and here is one I have wanted to try for a while now.
I wanted to make some fun holiday dessert stands, using glass glue and some cheap candle holders from Michael's and the dollar store.
A little visit to Homegoods to find some plates......
And Wallah! : ) These I gave to my mom, but I hope to make some fun ones for
myself as well-if I only I had the extra space..hmmm.
Here is a picture of "Aunti Walo" as Gidoen calls her, putting on the little guy's jacket : )
He really loves her : )
Our little monkey boy, William : )
"Baking Night"
Lorielle made sugar cookies-a Christmas must have.
I made peanut butter cup cookies, triple chocolate chip cookies(gfree), and then a sad attempt at gluten free samoas(which ended up in the trash).
Racquel made these cute little "snowballs" made from balls of rice crispy treats covered in white chocolate(another gfree option).
Here's Uncle Shane with William, hanging out while we bake ourselves to exhaustion.
Before Nicole gave him a haircut.....
After : )
Thursday Craft Night
Before the women got started on their craft for the evening Mom and Gideon worked on a little craft of their own.
Byron couldn't help but join in on the fun of making monkey puppets.
Gideon practicing his drawing with a close up shot of a finished puppet.
Shane was wise to get a break from the madness and went to help my dad set up the church for the high school youth group's Christmas party put on by my parents. While they worked at the church the girls all worked on putting together Wreathes made from Yarn based on a craft idea Racquel coordinated.
Here is a lopsided picture of a sample Racquel had finished and brought to help us along.
Racquel's specialty: making felt rosettes! She was a master.
A bit blurry, but this is my mom's finished product. Forest Green with Cream and Gold Embellishments.
Nicole, proud of her final creation : )
Unfortunately, after spending hours creating what I thought was a creative embellishment for my wreath, I ditched the original idea and the wreath still sits unfinished in my apartment! I have all intention to finish it and when I do I will post pictures of it in all of its glory! : )
Friday Night is Doughnut Night
Growing up on my Nani's "Sugar Cakes" I couldn't help but crave a gluten free version.
(for those of you who have never made "homemade doughnuts by frying up the biscuit dough that comes in a roll and coating it in sugar-go to the grocery store now-and do it-you will never regret learning about this wonderful treat!!!!!!!)
Here is my dad in the background frying him, Shane, and Lorielle up some regular "Sugar Cakes"
And here are my gluten free doughnuts frying away....
I was pretty disappointed since they were nothing like the real thing, but they were still a fun treat nonetheless!
Saturday: Christmas Eve
A cute little gingerbread centerpiece I put together(mainly so I could use the new dessert stand!)
Gideon would rather play with these littlest petshop toys than any other toy hands down. I think I have about 20 other pictures of him that look exactly like this one.
It was getting down to the wire and clearly I bit off more than I could chew!
My parents were having 35 guests and I decided I would make more cookies and three appetizers the day of Christmas eve! (Though 35 guests was a lot less than last year when we almost hit 70!!!)
My amazing husband offered to jump in and help me an hour before guests arrive.
He made the delicious artichoke spinach dip (with pepperjack cheese)
While I made a feta cheese dip....
Teamwork!!!! : )
We double teamed on the brown sugar fruit dip...
And everything was done just in time!!! ....deep breath..
Our second Christmas : )
Alex and Lorielle
Giulianna smiling for Shane
Me and Nicole
Me and my best friend.
Mom and Shane
Enjoying dessert : )
Lor and William
Me and Nani
Cousins playing. . .
Shane "Smiling" for the camera
Cutie
Chanel getting ready to sing some worship songs
Yes, he was in one of those "There are too many people here and I am temperamental and over stimulated" moods : )
Kids being Kids
"Animals!"
As always, too many desserts. . . and this was only half.
Sister shot : )
Closeup : )
Things always seem to digress so quickly. . .
Chanel and Auntie Toni
Winding down......okay not really, but our feeble attempt.
Me and Mom
Roc, Me, Mom, and Danielle
. . . . . . . . . . .
Christmas Day 2011
Our little elf, William
Roc and Byron
Me and Dad
Lo
Mommy helping Gideon open his new "Little People" Zoo set
Chin
Mom and I
Who knows....
Nick and Danielle
It wouldn't be a family gathering without a new game from Byron!
Gideon helping with the cards
Obviously I documented rather than joining in : )
It was such a blessing to be with so many people that we love so dearly. Sadly, the day following Christmas I, along with Byron and Gideon, got violently ill with the stomach flu. It was a terrible 24 hours that I hope to never repeat, but if we're looking on the bright side it kept us in Dundee one extra day than we planned : ) It also hit Racquel and eventually my Mom (only to loop back and get Gideon again as well) and I'm sure it will be a post Christmas none of us ever forgets! We miss everyone so much already, and I am already looking forward to when we can all be together again!
. . . . . . . . . . . . .
This is a picture of what we came home to. It is what used to be a thriving little bamboo plant I got when we moved down here. We have had it for a year and a half and I couldn't help but think it died from loneliness while we were gone (that or a lack of changed water).
In a sad way this plant reflects a lot of the emotion that surrounds this time of year. I have felt in a funk lately that comes and goes, and last night while Shane and I reflected on 2011 from start to finish I couldn't help but breaking down in tears. He asked "Do you miss your family?"
Of course I do. Its so hard to spend months looking forward to the Holidays! The celebration, the spiritual significance and joy, the family, the time off to relax and enjoy the ones you love! and then all of a sudden its over and you go back to the usual grind, and it doesn't help that the sky is always grey and air crisp and cold. It's all so depressing.
So yes, I miss my family, I miss being "home" in the sense of the place that I grew up etc. . . .
But last night talking with Shane I realized that what I miss most, the thing that gnaws at the both of us so often, is the longing for our real home. We are not of this world, and this world is not our home, and so often Shane and I both long and dream for when the Lord comes back and all that comes with that. Our hearts long for the comfort of being with our Lord and for things in the world to be made right, and no matter how much we reflect on the past year and all its blessings, the future of his coming will always be our hope.
Through tear filled eyes last night I told Shane how more than anything I want to be content, that I despise the feeling in my heart of not being at peace or content, but I wonder if there will always be a part of me that will never truly be comfortable here until the Lord has made all things right, including me : )
My prayer for 2012 is that the Lord be glorified in all we do and that he shows his face to all of us in ways that bring us closer to a knowledge of who he is and who we are in his son!
-M.W.
As usual I wish I could comment on it all. Hope you are able to finish your wreath! Hopefully next year's craft project will be a little more successful...and organized :) Love all the pictures. We enjoyed you guys being around so much. When Gideon was sick I told him that Aunt Michele was sick too. He said, "Uncle Shane?" Wanting to know how he was feeling. He loves you guys! I feel so blessed for all the time we were able to spend with you! I definitely had a good cry session the night you guys returned home. Summer can't come soon enough.
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