Merry Christmas!!

I finally got around to baking some cookies...Snowballs...my favorite.  I have so much cooking ahead of me I am overwhelmed.  In California we go to my sister's for Christmas dinner where my brother in-law prepares prime rib and then all of us other family members pitch in by bringing a dish.  I always brought the Christmas salad with cranberries & apples.  Everyone loves it and I am the only one who knows how to make it.  Oh, how I will miss Christmas dinner with family.

We are maintaining some of our old traditions as well as making new ones. One old tradition is to have Christmas Soup otherwise known as Root Soup on Christmas Eve.  It has beets in it so it turns a lovely red color.  I serve it with a dollop of sour cream in the center.  It reminds us of our Savior, whose blood makes us white as snow.  Since Christmas Eve is Brandon's birthday we have gingerbread cake.  I always decorate the cake like a gingerbread house.

Here is my little Brandon when he was in Kindergarten with his gingerbread birthday cake.  This birthday he turns 16 and he still wants his gingerbread cake with all the goodies on top.

Also, I am continuing to keep my tradition of watching my favorite Christmas movies.  I watched the Christmas List with Mimi Rogers.  And then I watched The Nativity Story.  Oh how that movie moves me to tears when I watch it.  I can't help telling the Lord I love Him when I watch it.

We all have happy memories of Christmases past and traditions that bring warmth to our celebration.  These are the things that make the present full and rich.  May your Christmas be blessed with many happy memories and much love as you celebrate our Savior...Jesus.