Holy Tamale!

I got this brilliant idea this year that I could make tamales for everyone in the family for Christmas. I mean, how hard can it be, right? Well, actually not hard at all! But very very very very time consuming and it is also helpful to have lots of sets of hands around too! Let me just say that we started this morning at 10:00 AM and I am still here tonight at 7:30 steaming away. I've got about 100 more tamales to steam! Well, not really 100 but it feels like it! It might be a long night! And, if this didn't work out like I had planned, tomorrow is Christmas Eve and the boys and I would have had to hit the mall to buy gifts for the family! We might hit the mall anyway just for fun! But back to today; my Mom, Cammie, and Grandma came over to tackle the job with me. We had the best time! Making tamales is so much fun! I was a little nervous because I am giving these away as gifts and I have never made them so who knows if they will even taste good! The taste test verdict came in and they are delicious! Not too spicy, not too bland! The recipe is a keeper! Yay! We only had a few minor glitches along the way that I won't even mention! We learned a few tricks for next time! I feel so lucky that my Mom, Grandma and sister were all able and willing to come over and let me put them to work! Can't wait for next time!





Tanner and Carter helping us make tamales! They were so good! Tanner did want to help us use the mixer a few times but for the most part, they just played great together! And they each ate a tamale a little later on in the evening too!


Not really sure what is going on here, but if Daddy saw this, he might be a little upset!


Mom cutting the California Chili Peppers apart and making sure no seeds are left! Seeds make things too spicy!


The shredded pork which I had cooked the day before, luckily!


Soaking the peppers! They have such a beautiful color to them!


Me stirring the meat and sauce together!


Mom and Cammie cooking away!


Cammie and Mom tasting the product! A little quality control as we like to call it!


Grandma, Mom, and Cammie wrapping away!


Grandma and I wrapping tamales! Grandma even decided that she should make little bows on the bottoms of each of them to hold the tails in. That was a little more than Cammie and I were able to do, but Grandma and Mom made cute little bows on the bottoms of each tamale! So clever!


Wrapping away!


This is a tamale right before we wrap it all up and put it in the steamer!


The steamer!


Tamales in the steamer!


Back to more wrapping.....I'm not really sure how many we made. I haven't counted. The recipe made 50 and I doubled it but for some reason it feels like a whole lot more than 100!


The finished product!

Christmas with Dad and Sue

Dad and Sue flew up last weekend to spend time with us and to celebrate Christmas! We had a super great time visiting with them and spending the weekend together! On Saturday night we had a big treat because they cooked us a delicious dinner of steak and lobster! Surf and turf is my absolute favorite and to be able to have it at home, was wonderful!


The table is all set and ready for us to eat!



Sue made a fabulous appetizer that consisted of oranges, basil, and mozzarella cheese with a great dressing! I have the recipe if anyone dares to try it! It was wonderful!


Steak and Lobster all ready for the grill! I am so glad I FINALLY learned how to cook lobster! I always wanted to try it, and even looked very hard at it whenever I was in the stores but didn't ever cook it because I was a little afraid of it! Not anymore! We're going to do it again very soon!


Tanner! He loved his dinner!


Carter, Mr. Ham Bone for the camera as usual! The minute he sees a camera he starts yelling "cheese"!


Cheese!


What do you get parents for Christmas? It's the same dilemma every year! They have everything and if they don't have it or decide they might need it, they go and buy it. Ugh! I know Dad and Sue really enjoy cooking together so we got them some cute aprons. Well, Sue's is cute and my dad's is silly!


Sue!


Dad!


Cammie and Carter opening presents!


Present time!


Tanner with his new car!

We had a fabulous weekend with Dad and Sue and are so thankful that they could fly up to spend time with us and to celebrate Christmas! We hope they come up again real soon! Thanks for everything Dad and Sue! You guys are great!

Tanner's Preschool Program

Tanner's preschool had a Christmas program last night! It was so cute! The kids all did great and sang their little hearts out! We had the best time watching them! The first picture is of Tanner with Inara, Chelsea and Makayla before the big performance! The picture right below that is of Tanner and the kids all lined up and ready to sing! I have LOTS of video too! Tanner is in the first row, he has on a white shirt, gray slacks, and a dark sweater vest. I know, the vest thing, but really how much longer can I get away with putting them in sweater vests? I love the little boy sweater vest look! I tried to keep him in the center of the video as much as I could. We didn't get there early enough to get a front row seat so I stood in the back. Next program-I am there early to get a front row spot! Maybe.

Secret Santa

Each year my friends and I get together to do a Secret Santa on a family in need. We choose the family about a month in advance and have a great time shopping for all the things they need! When the big "drop" comes, it is usually filled with fun and suspense and bad weather! It's so great to put a pile of presents and groceries on someones door step, ring the bell and run and hide in our cars and wait and watch them open the door in complete amazement. This year was a little different but just as special.

Lisa knows this family from the Boise Language Academy. They are a very special family. They have not been in this country but for a few months. They are from Somalia. And, as you probably know, there is a war going on there. While it is so much better and safer for them here, it is also very hard because they come over here not speaking English and having nothing. Because of this, we did not do a secret drop. They knew we were coming, Lisa arranged for an interpreter to meet us there, and they welcomed us into their home.

It was quite an experience. I have to say, I much prefer the secret drop, but this was incredible. When we pulled in, there were many Somalia refugee kids playing in the parking lot. We were unsure what to do next so we sat in our cars and waited. Our cars consisted of Justin's huge truck and my Suburban and they were packed full of clothes, groceries, toiletries, and other things this family needed. We decided we would get out because one of the little kids from our family recognized Lisa. This probably wasn't our best decision as we were then invaded by all the kids and other adults in the complex wanting things from out of the backs of our cars. We shared what we could until the mother came out and we then tried to close up shop! It was crazy! I do have to admit I was a bit frightened of a few of the bigger older teenage boys for maybe a 3 minute period of time and then it passed! I know, I know, I know! Just being honest!

The interpreter arrived and heled us carry load after load into their home that housed a mother and her 5 kids. It was nice and warm inside! The family was so gracious and taken back by the amount of gifts we gave them. They were so sweet. Their situation is one I could not imagine for myself at all. They are brave and I wish them all the best and I hope they find everything they need in America.



This is Lisa with the family!


After the big drop we met back at Lisa's for some pizza and relaxation. Here we are; Adrienne, Ashley, Lisa, Alicia, and Holy.

I think everything I ever thought I needed, or even worse, thought I deserved, has gone to the wayside. I don't deserve anything, nor am I entitled. I'm embarassed to think I ever did, and I thank God for the life I have and people in my life. I'm not in control of my life by any means, but I have been given a wonderful gift that allows me to accept things, change things when I can, and the wisdom to know the difference. It's that last part, the wisdom to know the difference that usually stumps me! I'm working on it though!

The Christmas Season!

Time to get into the Christmas Spirit with a great rendition of Jingle Bells by Tanner! Please excuse the messy room....it has been a while since I have put the laundry away! I think we went in the bedroom in hopes of putting it away and got side tracked with songs! I have been really sick with this pregnancy and it has not been much fun at all! I joked with Tyler that I should put an ad on Craigslist to have someone come and put our laundry away! There has not been much in the way of cooking either which has got me down because I LOVE to cook, especially with the weather being so chilly. I am sure I will be feeling better soon and then I can tackle the laundry issues and start cooking for my family again! Tanner's singing always seems to cheer me up!

And so it begins!

Today I had another fun doctors appointment with the crew at Maternal Fetal Medicine at St. Al's.  Lots of great ultrasound pictures of the little peanut to see!  Tyler came with me to make sure I did not find out the gender of the baby-just in case!  It was nice to have him there and I know he enjoyed seeing the baby!  This picture above is just of the heart rate.  It is really way to early to see any gender indications, but I hoped that maybe just maybe we could see something........so I made sure to look really really really hard!!  I got nothing!  This is going to be harder than I originally thought it would be, and I knew it would be hard!  Have pity on Tyler becuase he will be the one taking the brunt of all this! 

Here is the head and profile of the baby!  Sort of grainy!  The next ultrasound will be the better 4D one!

2 legs!  This is where I was really squinting and trying so hard to see anything!  The darn umbilical cord really plays tricks on my eyes too!  Lisa, the ultrasound tech, did not even give me as much as eye contact, a smile, wink, etc during this part! She just made sure I knew where the umbilical cord was at all times so I couldn't make any guesses! She thought is was hilarious how the baby's legs were straight up and down!  When Dr. Bobrowski came in, she explained that all the measurements they took are normal and that baby looks healthy and normal and then I was off to get some blood drawn. 

Another little side face picture with a little hand.  How fun!  It was great to see this little peanut moving all around in there!  I loved it!  And, we made it through this ultrasound without any indication of gender.  Two more ultrasounds to go! 

Tree Lighting

Saturday night we bundled up and met the Paulins downtown for the Boise Tree Lighting festivities.  It was super fun! 

Carter!

Cooper and Tanner!  They both really wanted us to light the candle for them!

Troy and Cooper!  This is Coop's first Christmas and he is ready and excited!

Katie, Cooper, and Tanner!  Not really sure if it's a Cooper sandwhich or if they are dancing!

Tanner and Daddy!

Fire!  Tanner's first fire and nothing burned down!  Success!

Carter, Ashley, Katie, and Cooper!

Breakfast with Santa

Friday morning we went to the Festival of Trees to have breakfast with Santa.  It was a blast! 

Tanner and Carter with the "Celebritree" and Frosty.

Carter eating breakfast!

The boys with Mrs. Claus

After breakfast the kids all got up on the stage and got to sing Christmas songs with Santa! Tanner is in the middle in the white shirt and jeans.

Tanner and a few of the other kids stood the whole time like it was a rock concert!  It kind of was....I should have taken video too but I forget a lot lately these days, it must be the baby brain!