Wednesday, December 30, 2009

Homemade Christmas

Well now that Christmas is over we have the mess and photos to reflect on! Each year i try to make a few special gifts!

These are the calendars that I make for a few people! They are great as desk calendars, they slide right into the flip standing photo albums! I try to use photos from that month. It was a little harder this year with two kids!!

These were a gift to me from my grandmother. She lives 1/2 the year in Florida and 1/2 the year in NY. these flowers and ornaments are completely made with seashells. I love them! i would love more of the angles for Christmas next year!

This was a great kids project! I purchased one of those foam kits from Michaels that makes several ornaments. I let Tyler put them together (well he did about 1/2 of them) Then I added the kids photos and dropped them in treat bags. They were great gifts from Emma and Tyler! Mom, if you are reading this i know i forgot to give you yours they are sitting on my tree!!

This is my new favorite way to give giftcards!! its a simple box i made using my scrapbooking supplies! but when you open it, you realize its a scrapbook!
It has 3 flaps on each side! I used coordinating papers and embellishments to make it really nice. Once they use the gift card it, they still have a keepsake box.
Now the food. oh the food of the holidays, i know i packed on the pounds. Let me just give you some idea of what we ate:
Christmas eve: Turkey, ham, mashed potatoes, stuffing, green bean casserole, trays of cookies...
Christmas day: eggs, bacon, homefries, prime rib, shrimp, potatoes, kielbasa, rum cake, ice cream, then Cheesecake, apple pie and triple chocolate pie And that is not all of it. i am still full!

So in my family (on my dad's side) on Christmas eve they have great food, shrimp, venison, fruit, dips..It kind of reminds me of the New England tradition of Seafood and steak! David and i usually dont go because we are at my moms side. So early in the week i made a specail dish to kind of help. Lobster Mac N Cheese. It was so freaking easy! I just made my normal Mac N Cheese (homemade not kraft!) and added in lobster. So it was the fake lobster but still was yummy!

You have to try it! its a great way to kick up a middle of the week dish but only one extra step! Dont worry mom, when i made you MacNCheese on Saturday i didnt put any fish into it, honest.

So lets talk about dessert!! yummy. I made 3 desserts for Xmas night, Apple pie, triple choc cream pie and cheesecake! Everyone had to try at least 2 different desserts!

The cheesecake was amazing i was so excited!! i made a raspberry rum sauce to go over the top of it! oh it was to die for~ I didnt follow a receipt i just went with instinct and everyone loved it. My house smelled so yummy when it was cooking! i think i just gained more weight thinking about it! Sorry the photo below is blurry!
This photo just makes me happy! They were roses i got for Emmas baptism. This month was difficult with alot of people passing away and in the middle we celebrated Emma being born, it was odd but comforting. I dont know how to explain it. but these roses lasted forever, they were so pretty!

Tuesday, December 29, 2009

A Merry good time

Ahh the month of December is drawing to a close, along with 2009! Most of the month we heard, is it Christmas yet? Tyler and Emma would dream of sugar plumbs and Santa! At times they seemed to conspire against us!



This is Alvin:



He is an Elf on the shelf that was adopted by us in late November. Tyler named him! Alvin watched over the kids each day. At night he would fly to the north pole and report to Santa on if Tyler and Emma were naughty or nice! Each night he would return, and find a different place to sit and watch. On Christmas night he returned to the north pole with santa, he must of been practicing for the ride home here!on Christmas eve we asked tyler what santa would bring: he said "For me a marshmellow bow and for Emma Butt Cream!" NICE!

Finally Christmas arrived and the stocking will filled and hung by the chimney! (No butt cream)!
Tyler received his Marshmallow bow and his duck game...He is very accurate
He also received a dancing game, called my toon
Emma loved to open gifts and eat the paper!
With christmas comes a mess!
Some of my favorite gifts, along with my Panini Press.Miss Emma is so spoiled! Besides all the Diva outfits she got, she received over 16 dolls or stuffed animals
Get away from my babies, Brother!

Our agenda for the holidays was:
Dec 15 - Aunt Lauries
Dec 21 - the farm
Dec 24 -Xmas at the verminskis
Dec 25 Santa, The Szareks and then the Pecks
Dec 26 Xmas with Grandma A, and The Peck girls
I finished the holiday with the Clinton Alumni Hockey game!

It was very crazy, for some they had too much fun:

Others just couldn't handle it!I will be posting the Handmade gifts (they totally rocked this year!) and the over indulgence of food!

Monday, December 28, 2009

Christmas in Photos~

here is a recap of the last few days. Maybe tonight i will post more!















Friday, December 25, 2009

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas from the Szareks


Emma new fur boots! What a diva
Tyler totally loving his new bow - marshmallow bow515am, mommy wake up santa came!
There stuffed animals from santa!

Thursday, December 24, 2009

FWD:

merry christmas

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apple pie and cheesecake
-Kristen :)

We had triple chocolate pie

We had pie
~David

Wednesday, December 23, 2009

Visit from Santa

Santa visited during Christmas at the Farm!
Tyler is not to sure about this!

While they would not sit on santas lap they did talk to him and get their gifts!
Here he is quietly telling santa he would like a marshmallow bow!
Emma was not afraid but she couldnt quiet figure it out! She liked the beard