I have a MUM and a MOM

Sarah and I in High School

It's Christmas day and my husband is at work. (He works at a treatment center for troubled youth.) My girls are sitting at the table counting their new tubs of Play-doh and I am sitting on the couch w/ a Diet Coke counting my blessings.  I was privileged enough growing up to have one of those friends who is so much more than a friend, she is my sister. She is the second of seven children and her parents lovingly and willingly brought me into the fold calling me "the fifth daughter."

Sarah was born in Hemel Hempstead United Kingdom, and somehow no matter where her dad's job transfers the family, mum makes stepping into their house at Christmastime filled w/ the warmth of a true English Christmas.  There is always Yorkshire pudding with Roast Beef and traditional English Chocolates.  Mum makes the aged fruitcake and if you have the privilege of being at their house at Thanksgiving time also you will often times see the fruitcake making it's first appearance. :) There is warm tea and enriching conversation by the fire that lasts long into the night and often early into the morning.

Last August I was honored to be Sarah's Matron of Honor as she married the most fantastic man in the world for her, Terrance!! Right after the wedding the two of them moved to Arizona where she and Terrance are both pursuing degrees in Psychology. Sarah and I see each other once a year during the holidays when they come back to Missouri to visit Terrance's family and it's a taste of old times, cruising in the car and listening to music and laughing.  The week after Sarah's wedding her family moved to California for her dad's work.  I haven't had the opportunity to see them in person since, though skype and the phone are wonderful things!!

This year Sarah's Family is blessed to have ALL of the kids back in the states for Christmas.  They have all scattered to various corners of the earth and it is rare for them to be in one spot at the same time.  She was telling me of Mum's cooking and I felt quite homesick for my mummy, so I decided if I couldn't go to her, I would bring a taste of mum to me.  I found a recipe for Yorkshire Pudding on www.allrecipes.com. (As I often do. If you haven't checked it out you should it is ADDICTING.) As they popped out of the oven it was if the proper English Christmas came out with them. I took a bite of the first one and.......THERE IT WAS!!!  Thank you God for Christmas Blessings folded in to a few simple ingredients.

I got to share the Yorkshire pudding not only with my husband and children but also with Jake and Becky.  We are extending our English family just a bit further! Love you Mum and Dad!!! Merry Christmas!!!

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Quick-and-Easy-Yorkshire-Pudding/Detail.aspx

Chocolate Spoons: Fun for the whole family!!

One of the biggest payoffs for me is seeing my kids wanting to join in on the fun.  I am a bit of a perfectionist when it comes to my projects so I have begun giving them their own projects as they request to "help." I think one of the most wonderful projects that takes very little time, effort, and money is making Chocolate Spoons.  They are so much fun for the kids to make and they make great gifts, or just to keep around the house.  My girls eat their morning cereal with them. It makes whole grain cereal a little more fun when the spoon is coated in chocolate :) and recently I took a cupful of them to church to set next to the coffee station.  I like to keep a package of almond bark around the house, you never know when you may need it, and you can pick up a package of plastic spoons at the dollar store.

All you have to do is melt a chunk or two of almond bark according to the package. (There are even microwave directions.) Then give the kids several plastic spoons and tell them to stir the chocolate until the spoon is covered.  I did one example spoon to show them how mommy does it, but after that it was up to them all I had to do was smile and supervise.  Once the spoons are coated to their liking there are a couple ways to let them dry. You can lie them flat on a piece of wax paper or, if you have it around don't make an extra trip for it, you can stick the handles of the spoons into a piece of foam and the spoons dry "standing up."  That is all it really takes. The chocolate will harden and then you can either eat the chocolate off of the spoons or melt the chocolate into warm milk or coffee.  If you are feeling extra adventurous, after the spoons are dipped but before the chocolate has cooled, you can sprinkle them with sprinkles, mini m&ms, or crushed nuts.  This just adds extra dimension both flavor and texture wise.