Christmas Memories 2011...in pictures...

The joy of childhood...Anna was so happy to get a  hairstyling chair and set for her dolls!

Anna was "in charge" of gf pecan tassies this year...she particularly loved the filling!

Sharing earbuds is fun!

and silly!

Bobalki making by everyone this year!  Now there isn't a bobalki left in the house!

Ronnie, almost 10 years old

Anna, 7 years old

Sara, 16 years old

Meghan, 18 years old

My precious blessings!

Our 25th Christmas together!

My dad and I on Christmas Eve

My missing angel...Gabrielle Nichole!

Twas the night before Christmas!

LEGOs (Ninjago) always make him smile!

She's all grown up...when did THAT happen?!

I had no idea how BIG this was when I ordered it! LOL  (she loves it...can't wait till the movie)

My mom and her girls!

Decorating the tree...it was so nice to have my helpers!  I simply relaxed and "directed"! LOL  And laughed...a lot!

We didn't have a lot of parties and activities this year...which was nice...but we did  do a couple of special activities...took the kids to a special display of over 280 Creche's from around the world...wow....beautiful!

A live Nativity/Journey to Bethelehem was another special outing we had...

Hats were made for winter warmth....

Cousins at Grammy & Buppy's house

The annual "sister picture" with my sisters...

My sister Pam and her twins Justin and Tina..

My mom and one of her Christmas traditions...Polish Blintzes!  Yum!

My beautiful mother and I!

~We had a wonderful Advent season...quiet, simple...focused at home and on preparing our hearts for to celebrate Jesus birth.  Seems what has mattered most to my children has been the nightly devotions, reading, candles, singing...unit studies of the names of Jesus....the 'getting ready' for our savior...makes us want to keep doing this...wanting more of Him...and less of the world...less of focusing on ourselves.

After a beautiful candlelit Christmas Eve service and a traditional Slovak dinner with my dad visiting...we had a quiet, 'silent night'....and a joyous Christmas day!  After cinnamon rolls and hot cocoa....singing 'Happy Birthday' Jesus....stocking were explored...then a tradition we started when our children were very young....3 gifts...hidden....clues read and followed...gathered....gathered around the fire as each one takes turns opening and appreciating each others gifts....the kids always look forward to "finding" their gifts each year...as they 'journey' around the house.  Of course, we now let the little ones read them and figure them out...the big ones just tag along!

Then....after brunch....onward to visit!  We were blessed to visit with Aunts and lots of cousins....many in Pittsburgh from out of town....then more aunts, uncles and cousins....then down to grandmothers for yet more relatives...what a blessing family is!

Now...this week...we'll quietly reflect on the season...as we prepare for the new year...new chances...new blessings...and more visits this week!

As we finish out 2011....what are some ways that you are preparing for 2012?  

May you have a very blessed week!

Bobalki...A Slovak Christmas Eve Tradition

Bobalki

One of the traditions that we share with our children and extended family every Christmas.  I had the extreme blessing of living with my grandmother for years before I married...and then only living 5 minutes away until she passed.  I've always been fascinated with all her old stories and traditions and have passed them on to my children....and Christmas Eve dinner wouldn't be quite the same without our Bobalki!

I was asked to post the recipe, and since now, after making them for so many years I simply don't measure, I had to look it up, but here is how we make my grandmother's bobalki.

• 2 cups water
  • • 3 tablespoons plus 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 2teaspoons salt
• 5 tablespoons canola oil or butter (if not fasting)
  • 2 packages active dry yeast
  • 6 cups all-purpose flour

Mix the water (making sure it is very warm...almost the temp. of bathwater) with the sugar and yeast, stir and allow to 'proof' or foam up...then add the oil to yeast mixture and mix the whole thing with the flour...mixing and kneading on an oiled surface until smooth and elastic.Place into an oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap and a towel.   To ensure a good rise in this cold winter weather, I preheat my oven to 200 degrees, then shut it off, put a pie tin filled with boiling water on the bottom and place bowl of dough in oven.  Let rise till more than doubled in size.  Punch it down.  

Now...this is when the fun starts.  Gather helpers or in my case...children and give each one a butter knife.  Break off small pieces of dough....roll into thin "snakes" of dough, then cut each 'snake' into little nuggets and place onto a lightly floured jelly roll pan.  When pan is full, let rise again.  (then work on more pans)  When risen, bake for 10-20 minutes (depending on the size of your bobalki) until light golden brown...then with spatula, turn so they brown on all sides...bake for just a few minutes more.  When done, let cool and store in a large container, tin or ziplock bag until ready to mix for dinner.

Now some people like to mix theirs with honey and poppyseed...but that is not our families tradition.  We like ours with browned butter and sauerkraut.  So  on Christmas Eve morning....

Place a large pot of water onto boil.  While waiting for the water (because a watched pot truly does NOT boil), you will drain and rinse your sauerkraut in a colander.  Rinse very well, and squeeze most of the water out.  Set aside.  In a large pan, melt butter....watching very closely as it turns a beautiful light brown color and smells almost "nutty"...then add your sauerkraut to pan and stir...turn on low.  Now, I am not telling you how much butter or how many cans of sauerkraut, because it depends on your preference and how much bobalki you've ended up with...we like a lot of butter and sauerkraut and use at least 1lb of butter and 3 large cans of kraut.

Ok...you are ready for your final step....once water has boiled, add salt, stir and now dump all bobalki 'dough balls' into boiling water and stir gently JUST UNTIL SOFTENED...then drain in colander gently and slowly...and when drained fold into the browned butter/sauerkraut mixture....and ENJOY!

We will have this on Christmas Eve with traditional mushroom soup (even though I am the only one who likes it..everyone must have at least a spoonful), pierogies, fish and peas.....and then we'll have our bobalki again Christmas morning with our Polish traditions from my mother's side....fresh kielbasi, bobalki, eggs and 'palacinta'....or blintzes filled with a dried cottage cheese mixture.

And there you have it!  I've found that for our family....it isn't the presents and parties that make Christmas special for us...it is following our Advent devotions and traditions leading up to the birth of Jesus...and then celebrating His birth with the same traditions that our ancestors did...giving thanks for our Savior and giving thanks for the blessings of family.  Enjoy!

(PLEASE FORGIVE HOW THE TEXT POSTED...I CANT SEEM TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO FIX THIS, MY APOLOGIES!)

(and yes...I've figured out a way to make gluten free versions of all of this...has taken me years, and I have to make both versions...but it is so worth it! LOL)

Wishing and a hoping...

Wishing and hoping to slow down this Advent season!  Christmas is coming too soon!  This was the conversation I had with my 9 1/2 year old son this evening....he decided that he loves this season leading up to Christmas, he wanted it to slow down and last longer!  Oh, how I wish it would, too!

Just some notes from around the home....homeschooling is going well...just doing the basics of math drills, daily grammar and spelling...but lots of reading, devotionals, names of Jesus and unit studies going on...picking out gluten free cookie recipes...traditional Slovak and Polish foods (and  how to make them gluten free)...some shopping...hoping to finish up this week....lots of get togethers...church activities...doctors appointments...RA flare up that never ends...just now getting off of a methotrexate "hangover" headache that has lasted too long....have chronic auto immune diseases makes things tricky during holidays...ok...pretty much makes life tricky all the time...but having these really makes me be more purposeful...to prioritize and adapt...and to count my blessings.

With a week very full of activities (including bloodwork, doctors and a root canal for hubby)....I am going to try and only focus on the most important things...my family.  After the 18th....our lives slow down considerably...just in time to breathe a sigh of comfort...get some baking done together and really slow down and focus on Jesus...as we follow the star that last week leading up to Christmas.  Lots of pictures and recipes to post...as time allows.....I pray you all are having a very, very blessed Christmas time!  God bless you all!  ~Sue~

Doing Christmas differently this year...Jotham's Journey &Tabitha's Travels

We are doing Christmas differently in so many ways this year!   As I mentioned before, we have been very blessed by the free Jesse Tree devotionals by Anne Voscamp  and our evenings before bed have been special times of closeness as we have been snuggling up and reading these wonderful books by Arthur Ytreeide.

For the first time, we are reading thru Jotham's Journey and also Tabitha's travels.  I had heard of these books for years and this year decided to get both thinking that both my son and daughter would be able to relate....and they do...we all do.

Each book has one chapter a night for every night of Advent and at the end of each chapter, there is a "cliffhanger"....and a short, but very clear devotional with scripture pertaining to that chapter.  We've been blessed with discussions about God's love, forgiveness, provision, protection, the consequences of sin...anger, disobedience vs. making a mistake, grace and mercy....my little ones can't wait, each night to snuggle in and read these devotion stories.  Focusing on unit studies of the names of Jesus, Christmas hymns and carols, Christmas symbols, our Advent wreath and devotional stories...talking about giving and accepting the greatest gift of all...that is what our Advent season leading up to the Joy of Christmas is about this year!  (it is so hard, in todays world, to 'block out' commercialism and materialism...so hard as a parent to help 're-focus' our children on WHY we're celebrating Christmas)

I would love to hear any ideas of how you might be 'doing Christmas' differently this year.  Peace and Grace to you on this rainy, dark December day!  ~Sue~

So sorry....

So sorry....I was mistaken and think a little explanation is in order.....

First...Advent!  I am loving this Advent season as we are celebrating the birth of our Savior...and we are doing Christmas a little differently around here this year.  For this reason...I thought I would have time to blog this special time in our family's lives but am realizing that time is indeed, very precious...and in short supply around here! LOL

I mistakenly thought I could just "stop" the blog for a little while and then get back to it when I could...without it being visible...but after some dear friends brought to my attention that it appeared as if I had blocked them (I guess it looked like I had blocked everyone) I realized that I had better let everyone know and check my settings!  (I am pretty computer illiterate...so wasn't really surprised that I had messed this up~ LOL)  Add to that that my computer is acting up for some reason....and it became time-consuming and confusing for me.  But....

My wonderful daughter, Meghan, brought to my attention that like everything in life....we are to use the gifts that God has given us...and if the Lord says to sing...then we must sing for Jesus (even is no one is listening) and if God tells me to write...then I must write for Him....not for a publisher, not for an audience...writing only for Him....when He tells me to.

So sometimes this little blog will be my thoughts and sometimes it will be a record of our lives...sometimes recipes, books or crafts...but all will be when the Lord prompts me to write...for Him.

And for those of you who enjoy reading my little blog...I heartily apologize for the computer mix up...and I thank you, my dear friends, for letting me know!   I will be writing/posting as the Lord leads...and I wish you all a very special Advent season as we celebrate the joy of Christmas!  ~Sue~

Advent beginnings.....

Happy 1st day of the Advent!  What a glorious way to transition from focusing on gratitude,  contentment and thankfulness...to joyous preparation!  We've been preparing to celebrate the birth of our Savior...yes, decorating the house for our celebration and focusing on preparing our hearts to receive the ultimate gift...Jesus Christ.

I collect nativity sets.   A number of years ago, we made a conscious decision to try and make our Christmas celebrations visually as well as spiritually focused on the Lord...not on the commercial or material hype...and since we do well with visual reminders...we try and make our decorations meaningful to us.  We've also been feeling the Lord leading us to simplify...a lot....some simplifying is for health reasons...some for financial...but really...I think He just wants us to simply focus on Him....and sometimes, with the distractions of this world...especially at this time of year, that is hard to do.

As we have for years, we will be doing Advent devotions with our advent wreath every Sunday of Advent.   Ever since my older girls were little, we've used our homeschooling lesson time for the month leading up to Christmas to just do the basics ...a little spelling, grammar and math....and focus on unit studies about Jesus and Christmas.  The unit studies we've used can be found http://easyfunschool.com/IndexChristmas.html  at this link.  We always do the names of Jesus study, the Christmas symbol study and Christmas Hymn studies.

We will also be doing a Jesse tree and devotional from Anne at A Holy Experience.   We're trying to take every opportunity when the subject of gifts comes up, to talk about Jesus being the greatest gift of all.  If Christmas lights and light displays comes up, we talk about John 1:5...and Jesus being the light of the world.  We have some wonderful family times planned...not too many activities this year...and all of us as a family and all centered around Jesus...a special time for our family to enjoy...and to keep our focus on the gift of Jesus.

In the coming days...I'll be sharing some of our special books, devotions, traditions and special times that we have planned to focus our hearts on the gift of the Light of the World....and I hope to hear how all of you are celebrating this very special time!  ~Sue~

Thanksgiving memories....

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving celebration this year!  Wanted to share and save some special remembrances this year...

We made a 'gratitude garland' ...the 6 of us wrote many things we were grateful for and strung them across the mantle...a special, beautiful reminder to be grateful everyday!  Every year, we plan on writing more blessings on our leaves and adding to our garland.

Beautiful roses...sweetly given to me by my beautiful oldest daughter, Meghan....so grateful for all 4 of my special children!

Very grateful for my wonderful husband and our 25 years of being together!

These 2 crack me up!  Sara and Aunt Peppy...sharing earbuds and listening to Glee songs! LOL

Meghan and I with our sweet cousin, Jill!

My special mom and Meghan

Love this picture!  What a crew!  Ron, his brother Sean, Uncle Joe, and cousin Mike (holding Meghan's Godson, Colin)

And...my very tired children! LOL  (Not the best picture of Ronnie...and Anna was so tired, she wouldn't even look...but this is real life, right?! Smile....)

The blessings of family mean so much to us...and we are very blessed to have a lot of extended family on both mine and Ron's side...and we see them frequently.  We finished the weekend off with a family baby shower yesterday...and getting ready for Advent today....will be posting our Advent preparations and celebrations thru out the month....for tonight...we'll finish watching "White Christmas" and pray as we prepare to start the Advent season tomorrow.  ~Sue~

Cultivating....gratitude

It is a daily....ok...minutely, mindfully struggle to cultivate a truly grateful heart...to look for the 'silver lining'...to count your blessings...minute by minute...and then...how very many blessings there are!  May your day be filled with blessings!