A Contest, A Memory, A Recipe

Greetings on and all. Merry Christmas. Over on the Romance Writer’s Weekly Blog, we're running a fabulous Christmas event starting December 3, 2015.  Today, I'll tell you about the giveaway, tomorrow Fred will appear and the games begin.

I am beyond excited for this event. I sure wish I could enter; I could use an Amazon gift card to feed my reading addiction. I’m hoping you’ll find the time to play along with us. It’s going to be fun to search out Old Fred and learn about other’s holiday traditions and memories.

Christmas has always been important to me. For me it’s a time to reconnect with the people in my life. It’s a time of love and caring and giving.  It’s a time to appreciate all that I have and those I love. With the exception of shopping crowds (which is why I shop early) I love it all. I love the music, the decorations, the lights, the food, the candy, the alcohol, the food, the wrapping, the decorating. And did I mention…the food?

My favorite Christmas memory happened just this year. Hubby and I have three grandchildren. The oldest is three, the youngest is 18 months. Hubby and I have started decorating (by the time this post goes live, I’ll have at least two of four trees up and decorated.) Last week we strung up a few lights in the living room/playroom we set them up with a power bar so the kiddies could turn them on themselves. One their first visit, they flipped the switch and the smiles, the giggles, the laughing and pointing, were worth every second of effort it took to string up those lights. We’ve added a few more lights.

There are four strings up (so far). It thrills me to pieces to see their smiling faces as they point and babble. The oldest always pats her chest and says, “Grampa put up mine snowflake lights. For me.” She’s so proud that the lights are hers and so excited to turn them on and look at them. It just melts my heart. I can’t wait until the see the trees.

Such a small thing, and such a gift and blessing to be found in those sweet smiling faces.

I can’t recall, did I mention the food? 

Here’s a family favorite recipe.

Gramma K’s Awesome Apple Pie.

                Recipe makes three nine inch pies.

 Never Fail Pie Crust:

Makes 3 covered pie shells or six pie crust bottoms.

6 cups flour

1.5 Teaspoons salt

1 pound shortening or lard (I only use Tenderflake)

1 Egg

1 Tablespoon White Vinegar

Cold Water

Sift flour and salt together in a large bowl.
Cut in shortening. Cut with a pastry cutter or two knives until a fine meal is reached.
Mix, egg and vinegar together in a measuring cup.
Add water to bring level to one cup.
Add egg/vinegar/water mixture to flour/lard mixture. Start by adding ¾ of a cup. Add more if needed to make pasty workable. Work pastry as little as possible to avoid making it tough.
Blend well. This will give you enough to make three covered pies.
Roll out on a floured board. Note: You may need to chill before rolling.

 Apple Pie Filling:

Makes enough to fill three 9 inch pies.

                2 bags of MacIntosh apples…about six pounds.

                1.5 cup brown sugar

                1 1/3 cup flour

                1.5 cup white sugar

                2-3 Tablespoons cinnamon powder

Mix dry ingredients in a bowl.
Slice apples thinly.
Mix apples with dry ingredients. Stir well.
Put into pie shells, do not prick pie shells first.
Dot with butter if desired.
Optional: Brush ridge with mixture of egg and water to help layers stick together.
Cover with another shell with vent holes cut into it.
Press edges together with a fork or fingers and trim off excess.
Optional: To make crusts golden brown they can be brushed with a mixture of egg and water.
Bake at 450 for 10 minutes.
Reduce heat to 350 for 35 minutes.

Don't forget to take part in the contest. Be sure to visit:  https://romancewritersweekly.wordpress.com/news/  

Wishing you a Merry Christmas and the best year ever.

Hugs,

Katie

What Rings Your Christmas Bells?

Yes, here we go again ... another blog hop post that includes the fabulous girls (and boys) from Romance Writer's Weekly. I hope you've stopped by from Betty Bolte's page. http://www.bettybolte.com/blog.htm

Today's topic comes from Carrie Elks this week:
We all love a bit of romance at Christmastime! Tell us about your favorite Christmas story—it could be a book, a movie or a true-life romance. What makes it so memorable?

Seems Simple enough .... right?

The main tree, for Grandkids.

I've put some thought into this, some serious thought. It isn't easy to pick just one special day or occurrence. So, in my typical, obstinate, non-conformist fashion, I'm going to do what ever I want.

The best part of Christmas is of course, spending time with family and friends. I consider Christmas the time to renew friendships and remind people how important they are to me. So I try to do nice things and find time to catch up with those who have drifted away during the year.

Bears 3 or 3 for every step.

Gifts? I can take them or leave them. I'm happy without gifts, but when I see something special that screams a loved one's name ... I have to buy it. I don't spend much, its not about the money, it is about reminding them how important they are.

And the decorating? Good grief, I LOVE the decorating. My house looks like Christmas exploded here. I was obsessed before, but now I have grandbabies to share with. So look out world! I've got two trees, one of which has a serious lean due to a crappy stand. I won't undecorate to replace the stand, so I've tied it to the railing to keep it upright. There are countless wreaths hanging everywhere, fake presents on the front step, teddy bears, a huge village, and lights strung up around every room on the main floor. I would have them upstairs too, but it is currently under renovation. No sense having lights when you have no carpet.

I'm adding a few pictures ... just to give you the idea.

Fragile ornament tree. Leaning Tower of Treeza.

Village, part one of three.

Santa's Workshop

Village ... my grand daughter loves the people.

I've got quilts on tables, walls and floors. And the beds.

12 days of Christmas Quilt

Star Trek Ornaments.

There are Star Trek ornaments on the table ... to heavy to hang. And Jim Shore ornaments on tables and the mantle.
The best part are all the ornaments on the tree that my children made when they were young. Toilet paper angels, one eyed reindeer. Felt trees with their candy decorations eaten off, macaroni angels... you get the idea.  Each is flawed, precious and perfect. (Some are so hideous they are cute.)
And we won't even get into the mess that results from partially wrapped presents. With three grand kids, I may have gone overboard on the gifts.
For more on the important topic of Christmas memories, please visit Veronica Forand at http://veronicaforand.com The blog hop officially starts at two, but I'm up early. Please stop by and visit the other hoppers.

Hugs

Katie

The Christmas Conspiracy

So here I sit, in a room lit only by our Christmas tree and a couple dozen strings of mini-lights hanging is loving loops around the ceiling and railings. I am cuddled up under a quilt with a cup of coffee and a couple homemade cookies. The cats are curled up around me and my man is nearby puttering away, making homey little noises. I really do have to say that life doesn't get much better than this.

Christmas is one of my favorite times of the year. I love everything about it; the lights, the decorations, the baking, the gifts, the food, the gatherings, the camaraderie. This is the only time of the year that I actually like shopping and that I can tolerate the mall and the crowds.

I love to decorate for Christmas. A tree (or two or three) loaded with sparkling ornaments and lots of shimmering lights. Some greenery, tables filled with delicious goodies, Christmas quilts and pillows, stockings on the mantle and snow globes on the piano. Wreaths and packages adorn my front step. Stuffed animals line the stairway to the second floor. A roaring fire and a glass of wine or eggnog. Maybe an Irish coffee or Mimosa. Christmas towels hanging in the bathrooms. Strings of lights hanging around the room and across the mantle. (And when the cats have grown out of the 'I'll destroy everything by playing with it' stage, I shall bring out my Christmas village with its houses, shops, lights, snow and wee little people.)

I have Christmas bracelets, brooches, hair clips, necklaces and a big box full of earrings. There are T-shirts, sweaters and vests. Cats wearing antlers or jingle bell collars just for fun.

I love any event that draws my family close to my side. Birthdays, Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter, Sunday dinners, and weddings; to me, all these events have one thing in common … there is great joy and happiness for me when everyone comes together. Family gatherings (also known as family rebuttals), are always a hodge-podge filled with food, fun, bickering, snide remarks, anger, teasing, joking, jesting, hugs, kisses, and loud voices but most of all, laughter and love.

For me the Christmas season brings the best of these things together for an extended time. November and December are filled with sneaky trips to the mall, hastily hidden bags and parcels, text message conspiracies, gift plotting, and quick gatherings to plan, shop, wrap or celebrate. I love planning and scheming with my daughters on what trinkets to buy or make for those we love. What gift will bring that treasured smile to their faces?

It isn't about money, or consumerism. It isn't about lights and shopping and commercialism. It is about expressing the deeper, tender emotions that we feel for our families and friends that we aren't always comfortable sharing. It is an excuse to hug friends and strangers to make them, and us, feel good.

I believe in Santa. There, I said it. Mock me as you will, it doesn't bother me one bit. But before you do, let me explain. For me Santa Claus is a symbol of all that is right and good in this world. The loving, caring, sharing, and kindness. He is the embodiment of what we could be, what we should be year round. For this one month, he reminds us to be better, kinder, more generous and forgiving. Walking the mall, I see smiles and hear manners being used. I hear excuse me, please and thank you. I see random acts of kindness. Someone buying a stranger's coffee or running down the mall to return a dropped glove or scarf. For me, Santa is a symbol of a conspiracy ... a conspiracy of kindness and good deeds. And that my friend is a good thing.

I hope for all the best for you this holiday season. May you be blessed with love and happiness. May you find a moment for a random act of kindness or giving.

Merry Christmas and enjoy the conspiracy!

Christmas Hugs

Katie