Weaver Family Christmas, Dec. 21, 2009

It is always nice to get together with gma and my aunts and uncles, mom and dawn for Christmas dinner, exchanging of gifts, and chatting :) I was the only grand daughter that came this year :( Aunt Lorann is south for the winter so she was not at the gathering!

It sure was different this year without Uncle Harry (RIP)....Uncle Larry was sure to pick on Dawn though in his absence! Love you Uncle Harry and miss you!!!

Location: Grandma Rosalie's Home

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Christmas with my friend Cindy and her family, Dec. 22, 2009

Ho, ho, ho....Merry Christmas!!!! I walked in to Cin's home with a big bag of gifts and a Santa hat on and told her grand kids that Santa had stopped at my house for them...lol :)

What a wonderful day spent with Cin, John, Rach, Alex, Caitlin, Colten, and Logan!!! Spent time with mom too :)

Cin and I go back about 20 years (college years) and it is so great to have such a wonderful friend in my life!

People in the photos: Alex (Rach's son), Caitlin (DD's daughter), Cin, my mom, John (Cin's boyfriend), Rach (John's daughter), Logan (Rach's baby), Colten (DD's baby) and me!

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Easy Homemade Eggnog

Eggnog is a pretty simple drink to make. This is the perfect recipe for eggnog novices. It's non-alcoholic, so make enough to share with the kids.

Ingredients:

· 2 eggs, beaten well
· 4 tbs sugar
· 1 tsp vanilla
· 1/8 tsp nutmeg, ground
· ½ tsp cinnamon
· ½ tsp ground cloves
· ¼ cup half and half or heavy cream (I used half and half)
· 2 1/3 cups milk

Blend all the ingredients together in a blender and serve chilled. Add alcohol as needed.
Tweak the ingredients a little to taste but go easy on the cloves!

I like mine creamier so I will have to make this again and play with the creaminess of it :) It’s not yellow in color like in the store but still tastes good :)

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Easy Popcorn Balls

Easy Popcorn Balls
20 min | 5 min prep


SERVES 8 -10

Ingredients

* 1/2 cup sugar
* 1/8 cup white corn syrup
* 1/4 cup margarine (half a stick)
* 1/8 teaspoon salt
* 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract (or almond)
* 2 quarts popped corn (1 microwave will do)

Directions

1. Bring to a soft boil in a medium sauce pan over medium heat the sugar, white corn syrup, margarine, and salt (I added some food coloring while it was in a soft boil....add as much as you need to get the color you want).
2. Remove from heat and add vanilla or almond extract.
3. Mix sauce with popcorn in a large bowl.
4. When cool enough, but still warm, form into balls. (easier to eat).

Very easy to make and they are yummy :) I recommend taking out the unpopped kernels...I didn't do it but next time I will!!!

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Christmas Decorations 2009

Another holiday that I love to decorate for is Christmas :) The tree inside my home has red and white lights with burgundy decor on it. The tree on the porch has pink and white lights with pink and silver decor!

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Winter 2009

Few pictures of our first snow and Sassy Frassy checking out that white stuff...lol :)

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Chicago Trip with Kim, December 4, 2009

Kim invited me to go on a bus trip with her and some students from Muskegon Community College. It was a one day trip and boy was it a great time!!! We had hot spiced wine, went to the Navy Pier, Water Tower Place (mall), and a couple different restaurants...even saw a fight...lol :)

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Homemade Cinnamon Rolls

Homemade Cinnamon Rolls

I started out with a batch of Grandmother's Bread (made in bread maker)-- the best, softest, simplest ingredient bread I have found! And it's just like the bread Mom used to make!

Roll out into a rectangle, and from here on out, I DO NOT HAVE AN EXACT MEASUREMENT OF ANYTHING!!

Spread 1/4c - 1/2c butter, margarine, even tubbed butter; grab a handful of brown sugar, spread it all over; sprinkle on cinnamon until it looks coated, and my secret ingredient --- nutmeg!! Sprinkle that over, but not as much as the cinnamon!

Now roll up into a roll lengthwise

Chop the log of cinnamon roll into an even amount of chunks

Place into a 9x13 pan, or if yours still has chocolate cake in it like mine (!), use your pie plates!


Now, cover with a towel -- this is my "Bread Raising Towel". I use it always, just fold up and put in my bread raising bowl.

Let it double in size
Preheat oven to 350 F....Bake for about 25-30 minutes, taking out when top is golden brown.

Okay, now they are baking! I make up a frosting to put on them as soon as they come out of the oven, so it melts all around.....
2 c powdered sugar
1/3 c butter
2 T milk
1 t vanilla or a drop of cinnamon oil (foodgrade)

Beat together with mixer until it's creamy and tastes mmmmm mmmmm good !

Now!! It's Done !

Recipe from my friend Cindy :)

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My 40th Birthday, November 19, 2009

Yikes, 40 years old!!! I celebrated my birthday with my mom, grandma, and a family friend, Jeannie. Mom made my favorite cake: Texas Sheet Cake :) Received many gifts! Also, went out to dinner!

Only a few pictures!

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Lisa Home, November 2009

My cousin Lisa came home from WA to visit with the family. We met up with her parents, grandma, and my mom for dinner. Also, a couple pictures of Sassy enjoying the Fall leaves :)

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Halloween 2009

I love dressing up and decking out my home for Halloween. Despite only having 7 kids that stopped by...I still enjoyed the holiday :)

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