8 posts tagged “holidays”

My girlfriend Michelle, who lives too far away love to torment Ryan with her Wednesday Recipe Posts.  So I thought I would take today to share the yummiest salad recipe that I got from another girlfriend named Michelle, who lives right around the corner.  (There's sooo many Michelle's in my life and yet their all so wonderfully unique and different from each other)

 

Mango Avocado Shrimp Salad

(serves 6)

3 tbsp fresh lime juice

2 tbsp vegetable oil

1 tbsp sugar

2 lg firm ripe mangos

2 lg firm ripe avocados

2/3 cups sliced green onion and chopped cilantro

1 tbsp minced fresh green chile

1 lb (70 to 110) peeled cooked shrimp

Wisk lime juice, oil and sugar until sugar dissolves.

Dice mangos and avocados into 3/4 inch cubes.

Mix all ingredients gently.

Serve immediately or chill up to one hour.

 

This is so good!  It's all the right luscious flavors combined together.

My Brother, Roxanne and kids came over to color Easter Eggs on Saturday night....We ate some Chinese food and attempted to color the BROWN eggs that Ryan purchased.  No comment on that one!

The kids had fun and shockingly they didn't dye themselves.  We made it through the whole process with the spills.

Then Sunday morning the Easter bunny came! 

After church we went over to Eric and Roxanne's house for Easter Dinner and Nana's annual Easter egg hunt.  The chicklings could hardly contain themselves waiting for the hunt to begin.  At one point this is how I found the girls waiting...

But before the HuNt could begin Nana, Vanessa and her boyfriend had the hide the eggs.

The the kids were off...

I also managed to squeeze in a great family picture.

 

So last Friday I talked about taking the day off to bake.  My mom and I spent the day in the kitchen.  Here's some pic's.

Ok, onto last night...  We received our first package from out of town family.  A large box was delivered to my office from Kathy and Bill in Washington, so I took it home and emptied it onto the sofa.  The kids immediately went crazy, begging to open the gifts!  Ok, I begged too, but Ryan was a big fat stick in the mud and said no!  (I'll try again tonight)  Makenna sat her in her in protest when he said he was gonna put it under the tree.

Not over yesterdays anger.  Still pretty bitchy this morning.  Lets just leave it at, events took place on Monday night that were unnecessary and childish.  But, rather then arguing back I think I will just make a disclaimer.

I do not like conflict and would rather to be left out of any loop which contains it.   I am taking the high road and letting it roll off my back for the sake of peace.

So, onto happier things...........Look at my house.  It's so festive and beautiful.  My updated countdown is:

2 days until my new winter hair color, still not sure if I'm brave enough

4 days until we go to see the new princess movie at the El Capitan with the girls

9 days until date night :)

10 days until the Christmas play at church, which means Big Chocolate cake!  Yum!

24 days until the big move back

25 days until my sister arrives!

26 days until the cookie exchange

27 days until Christmas Eve Church service and presents

28 days until Christmas!!!!

Every year my brother picks me up sometime before 6am and we (Eric, Roxanne and Mom) head out to join the crowds.  Eric usually makes our agenda on Thanksgiving.  This year we started with Bed, Bath and Beyond which was great because it wasn't really crowed yet.  I purchased Ryan stocking stuffers and my nephews gifts.  Then onto Target, where we waited in line for 58 minutes (thank God for Star-bucks), then Kmart, Mervyns, Big Lots, Circut City and ended at brunch at Mimi's Cafe.  It was a great morning looking for deals and I am done shopping except for my fathers gift, which is typical.  We laughed alot and had fun as usual.  By the time we came home this is what the car looked like.

After Brunch I rushed home and got ready for round two!  We packed the chicklings up in the car and drove to Ryans brothers house at the beach.  It was his first time preparing a holiday meal and he did a fantastic job.  His wife, Gillian, purchased a cake that was shaped like a stuffed turkey, which Kenna loved!  She ran around the house telling everyone about it.  After dinner Ryan was on kitchen duty while I visited, which I must say was a great role reversal!  Although I was so busy visiting that I only managed to take one photo.  This is of Ryans dad and stepmom with the babies.

This morning we had a Thanksgiving breakfast at our house.  Ryan and I got up early, he made a fire while I made eggs, fried potato's, bacon, homemade salsa, sourdough toast and vanilla Carmel coffee.  Nana and Papa came over and we enjoyed the meal and afterwards watched the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade on TV.

Next I made two cranberry apple casseroles (Ryan's grandmothers recipe) and a lemon raspberry cake with white chocolate shavings and fresh strawberries on top, to take to Willie and Anastasia's house for this afternoons festivities.

Then Ryan went to the store and picked up some flowers and a gored for me.  Once he was home Maddy and I cut the flowers up and made a flower arrangement to give to Willie's mom as a thank-you for having us over today.

Lastly, before sitting down to write this post I walked around and asked each person in this clan what exactly they are each thankful for this year.

Christian is thankful for everything God has created in the whole world.  Especially his family and friends.  He said he feels he is very lucky.

Maddy is thankful for her school and the food we eat.

Ryan said he is thankful for the loving family we have created, as well as our families, friends and jobs we both enjoy.

I myself am thankful for so many thing that I could go on and on.  So I will try and sum them up in a nut shell.  I am thankful for my husband who is my best friend.  I'm thankful that we talk about everything and enjoy everything in life together.  I'm thankful for my family.  My parents, brother and sister.  I'm thankful that we're just as close as we were growing up.  I'm thankful for each one of my children that God has blessed us with.  For Christian who is my witty grown up boy, Maddy who is my little shy princess, Kenna who is my Minnie me with all her spunk and Ethan with his smile that makes my heart melt.  I'm thankful that we're all healthy.  I'm thankful for my in-laws, even though we may not be very close, I'm thankful they gave me Ryan.  I'm thankful for their expressions when they come over and see how amazing the kids are.  I'm thankful for my brother-n-law's and sister-n-law's and how when we're with any of them there is always laughter.  I'm thankful for all of our friends and how we're friends with each of them for different reasons.  I'm thankful for the path God has chosen for me.

Holiday thoughts:

Tree and decorations are going up this weekend, although lights will not be turned on until December 1st.

I have 7 gifts left to buy.  What do you buy a two teenage boys?  I don't wanna do gift cards.

My sister is coming for Christmas.....Its been 23 years since she was here for Christmas!

Basically every weekend is booked in the month of December.  We have a party every weekend until the 25th.

I can't wait to bake for the holidays.  Toffee will be first, then fudge for Ryan.

Our best friends are moving back here the 22nd, it will be the BEST Christmas present of all!

I'm in search of cute Christmas cards, any suggestions of where to look?

Need to find time to make the 3 homemade gifts I'm doing.  I've been thinking about it for months, but haven't started.

I'm looking forward to drinking wossel and sitting next to the fire watching Christmas movies.

Makenna made a announcement that all she want's for Christmas is "Bubble gum".

MY COUNTDOWN:

3 days until day after shopping

10 days until I get a new winter hair color, not sure if I'm brave enough

18 days until the Christmas play and chocolate cake at church

32 days until Charlie and Holly move back

33 days until Denice and the boys arrive

34 days until we open presents

35 days until Santa comes...

 

There are 41 days left until Christmas and I am in such a good position on the gift purchasing situation!  I have a bigillion gifts to buy and it looks like I've done very good and only have 9 left!  Well 9, plus Santa items.  But, wow!  Only 9......so the day after Thanksgiving should wipe those out by lunch!  Yea for me!  Hopefully my brother doesn't insist with starting a Walmart at 5, I despise Walmart, especially at 5am.....

As far as the Santa gifts go, I'm stuck.  Christian has asked for the impossible and Maddy wants a new kitchen.  Yes, she already has a kitchen, but according to her "its old".  So, don't know if Santa brings duplicate gifts?  The Santa in my house isn't very thrilled with the idea. 

The babies are the easy ones, Kenna will love anything we get her and Ethan will bypass whatever he gets for the box.  This makes Ethan's gift easy, I say buy something that comes in a large brown cardboard box, give the contents to Kenna and let Ethan have a field day.