Merry Christmas

I love Christmas, especially the week before when the anticipation is building. This is the second year that we've spent without the boys and I still miss them terribly, but it's getting easier I suppose. Being here in Mission helped because of the weather and our new friends.

Monday I cleaned, went shopping, and Phil and I went and played pool until happy hour.

Tuesday we made orange cookies. This is his grandmother's recipe and they are to die for.

At happy hour we shot pool with Rocky and Sheri. they are a neat couple, and I'm so glad we've met them. They are full time missionaries and their commitment is amazing. Their websites are here: http://www.heromakers.org/heromakers/home.jsp and here: http://www.globaldove.org/Home.html

On Wednesday there was a Christmas Eve champagne brunch up at the clubhouse. Everyone brought something, and Phil and I made homemade cinnamon rolls. I had a mimosa for the first time. That must be an acquired taste. :)



Wednesday night we had a little get together up at the clubhouse with appetizers and drinks. I didn't make anything from scratch this time. I picked up some pinwheels from Sam's Club. I wasn't impressed by them, so that won't be a repeat.



Christmas morning we gave the animals their presents, a duck for Chloe and the boys (the cats) got a catnip mouse. Chloe was afraid of the duck at first. We both said that being somewhere beautiful and warm was our Christmas gift to each other this year. I called the boys and talked to them a little while. They both seemed to be having a good Christmas.

I started cooking and boy, what a spread! Ham, potato salad, green beans, yams, mashed potatoes, deviled eggs, hot pepper jelly with cream cheese, bacon tomato dip, spiced plums, cinnamon pickles, and sausage balls, with orange cookies for dessert. Rocky and Sheri came to have dinner with us. We were really blessed to have them join us.

Friday we didn't do much; just did some shopping and went to happy hour.

We came home and I decided to fix us hamburger steaks and onion strings for supper. Now, if you've never had onion strings, you have to try them. They are wonderful.
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Well, I get out the deep fryer and filled it up with oil, then set it on the island. Then I turned around and knocked the oil from the deep fryer all over the carpet in the living room! Call the EPA!

Thankfully it was clean oil and I hadn't plugged the deep fryer in yet so it wasn't hot. We ran and got our little green machine but there was just too much oil for the little machine to suck up.

I was horrified. Our carpet! We soaked it up best as we could and I went ahead and fixed dinner.
We decided that I'd call a carpet cleaning place first thing in the morning. That I did, thinking that, with it being Saturday, I'd be lucky to get someone out here before New Years Day. Well, wonder of wonders, I called Alpha-Omega Carpet Cleaners, and he said he could come right out! I went to Wal-Mart with Sheri while Phil waited for the carpet cleaner. When we got back it was done and looked terrific. Whew!

This morning we attended church in our living room. Our church back in Kansas has just started a live web streaming telecast of the church services, and we love it. We get to hear God's word from our favorite pastor and have church with our animal babies. The Website is: http://www.cor.org/worship-sermons/resurrection-live

Books this week: Two by Harlan Coben
Movies: Smart People, with Dennis Quaid and Sarah Jessica Parker, and Burn After Reading, with Brad Pitt and George Clooney