Traditions

I've let Rachael do the blog posts this month.  She's very diligent and I find myself busier than I think with my three kids.

I just wanted to share a few traditions we enjoyed (and are still enjoying) this Christmas and New Year's.

  

Christmas Eve, wearing jammies from our Auntie

Our Tree

One my family started this year is called a Shepherd's Dinner.  We learned about this from some friends we made in Lompoc, CA where we used to live.  A Shepherd's Dinner is a simple and easy way to remember the birth of Jesus Christ--the reason we have Christmas.  You dress up like shepherds, unless you're my kids who have a hard time enjoying the dress up clothes.  You eat a simple dinner of things shepherd's might have eaten.  We ate pita bread, humus, dates/raisins, apples, bananas and oranges, ham (although I think pig is non-kosher, so we kind of cheated with that one), string cheese--it's an easy way to have easy in pieces, and nuts.  We drank water and we enjoyed our food by the Christmas tree lights while sitting on the floor.  After it was all done, we sang some Christmas carols.  It was really awesome and I'm glad we invited another family over to share our tradition with us.  I felt this was a simple way for our family to focus on Christ and his simple birth.  

Our Shepherd's Dinner

Another tradition we have (or mostly me) is that I have to watch "Its a Wonderful Life" every Christmas season.  There's soooo much I love about this movie and I always cry when I do watch it.  I'm amazed at the lessons I learn from it every time.  It's just soooo good!  I'd share my favorite line, but my favorite changes every year.  

Randy and I have combined some traditions we had growing up into our Christmas day.  When we wake up with our kids, everyone has to be dressed and have their beds made.  Then we gather as a family and have family prayer in mom and dad's room.  This comes from my family.  I don't remember a single Christmas we didn't do this.  It reminds me to slow down and give thanks for all our gifts, especially the Gift of Christ's Love rather than just rushing to the tree and presents.  Randy grew up eating Goldenrod Eggs for breakfast (before opening presents).  So, we have this for breakfast before presents too.  Goldenrod eggs are delicious!!!  An easy and super tasty breakfast.  Here's the recipe:

hard boiled eggs: whites and yolks separated afterwards

Sauce:

2 Tbl butter

2 Tbl flour

salt and pepper to taste

1-1 1/2 cups milk

Melt the butter in a pot, then add the flour.  while on medium heat, slowly add the milk as the sauce thickens.  Add the salt and pepper as you like.  Chop the hard boiled egg whites up and add to the sauce. (about 3 eggs was enough for 1 1/2 cups of milk)

Then make some toast.  Break the toast up in pieces on your plate, pour the warm sauce on top and then crumble 1/2 - 1 whole egg yolk on top.  My kids didn't really go for it, because Sam has a thing against all sauces and Haley just wasn't into something new.  But Randy and I loved it!!!  We used three hard boiled eggs among us and it was just the right amount of eggs and sauce.

Making Cookies for us and friends, another tradition

Our yummy treats to share!

Even though we couldn't be home with our family in Utah, we are happy for the traditions that help us feel close to them and to enjoy this Christmas season.

Hope you all had a Merry Christmas and have a Happy New Year!!!

Sarah