Hmmmm That was Fun

Yesterday I showed you photos of our dinner from 2007. Sorry, but it has to be a surprise for my guests. Today I will give you the 2008 Christmas Dinner photos. On Sunday evening Max made the Creamy Artichoke Soup and I printed and assembled the menu cards. This is how Monday morning began...a BiG list!

We made parmesan bowls for our salad, which was mixed greens, with Raspberry Hazelnut Vinaigrette and sugared hazelnuts. The hazelnuts were from my folk's orchard.

For main course we did a turkey roulade. Here they are all stuffed and trussed. Danny made a rosemary butter and did the trussing for us.

Later I'll share the table, the guests and the food.

Max & Mom are Cooking

You may remember last year's dinner. Max and I cook dinner at Christmastime for friends. We are busy today, dinner is tonight. We've had our menu planned for weeks and a table idea for months. Twelve to be exact. We started right after Christmas last year on 2008.

I'll share tomorrow how everything goes in the kitchen today...We have a good start but miles to go. So fun!

The Roads Were Bad

Last night Hubby and I drove south, the weather isn't any better there. Several minutes before Dan's Seattle to Bellingham flight was scheduled for take off, it was cancelled. So, we hopped in the Element, Dan ran to the shuttle. At that point we decided to try everything. Just in case he couldn't get on we started driving. As it turned out we met in Tulalip. Drove through lots of snow, saw many accidents, sometimes drove blindly through white out conditions, saw beautiful trees heavy with snow, and got Danny home a little after one a.m.
I tried to photograph the beauty of it all but conditions were bad (for photography too), and it made the driver kinda cranky when the window was open and the flash was going off.
Just trying to have a little fun.

The important thing is that Danny is home safely for the holidays, and that makes this mama HaPpY!

Oh, and Skagit County does not use snow plows. We knew when we drove into the county and back out, tons of accidents and deep snow there.

National Weather Reports

I've spent the past two days getting groceries, running errands, delivering gifts, baking and checking the weather conditions for Grand Rapids, MI, Minneapolis, MN, Seattle and Lynden, WA. The groceries are bought, cookies are baked and Danny is in the air on the second flight of three. This was the biggie, once he gets to Seattle we can drive to get him if the last flight doesn't work out. Hubby has coworkers at the airport, and they think it's going to be a successful mission. Hoping and praying. Dan is tired and doesn't feel great so we just want him home. We prayed for a window, a few hours between storms and I think it is coming together nicely, so thankful.
Danny is charming though and he flew first class today. He was the first pleasant person the ticket agent had come across in a few days. Confirmed, first class seats. Pays to be nice! And handsome.

Oh, and don't leave your soda pop in the garage... it can freeze.

Stay warm and enjoy the season.

Girls' Night Out

Last night it was time for the annual, whether we need it or not, Girls' Night Out. We have been having a Christmas dinner and gifts exchange since 1983. I'm not trying to age anyone here, since we started this tradition as toddlers. Heh heh heh...
The girls got their own shakers, I was the desi, as in designated driver, no shaker for moi. The restaurant was beautiful for Christmas, the shakers were red to match, the food was crazy good and our server was cute and had the patience of Job. We always warn them to put us to the side or in a corner. In the past other diners get jealous of our fun and laughter and ask to be moved away from our table. Whatever.

I promise you we don't call and ask what everyone is wearing but we always coordinate nicely for the annual pictures.

It is one of my favorite nights of the season. Dear friends, lots of laughs, sharing desserts(we went to a different restaurant this year, Sheryl was worried they wouldn't have dessert so she had some in her bag-good girl), cool, hip gifts, it doesn't get much better.

This morning, not so fun... Danny's flight out of Grand Rapids, MI was cancelled due to snow. Hoping and praying he'll be getting out tomorrow morning. Please pray for better weather across our nation and safe travels. Thanks!

Snow Day

It's a wrap! All finished wrapping. Nothing like a snow day to get things finished.

My kitchen window was a little icy last night. It is better today. Last night it was an icy, blizzardy, snowy, freezing night.

I baked cut out cookies this morning. Now it is nap time, so I'll decorate them another day. What is a snow day without a nap?

Yesterday I mixed up some cinnamon roll dough on the chance of a snow day. When I had snow days as a kid, I would make the Swedish Tea Ring. The recipe was in my Mom's Betty Crocker cookbook, which is 50 years old. It was pretty and delicious this morning for breakfast.

Hoping for Girls' Night Out tonight, Doreen was stranded in Las Vegas, but made it to Seatac so we'll see...