Recipes from Christmas

I am putting things away and came across these recipes from the holidays. Here are a couple of favorites from the holidays in case you can use them.

I made this Blueberry Jello Salad for Christmas dinner and it was a big hit with everyone!

Last night we celebrated the holidays with the Pelton's. We did two different cheese fondues - both were very good.

Cider Cheese Fondue (With this recipe I found I added more cider at the end to lessen the thickness of the cheese.)

Classic Swiss Three-Cheese Fondue (I didn't find appenzeller cheese, so I substituted Marco Polo and it turned out great - any hard, nutty cheese would work. I used Beecher's Marco Polo and it was wonderful. And it is great to support a homegrown northwest business.)

If you try them, I hope you enjoy!

Raclette

My husband was introduced to this amazing culinary specialty at a friends house years ago. Thanks Alex and family!! I found a Raclette during a business trip in Leavenworth a few years ago and bought it as a Christmas present for Scott. My friend Ann got to hide it under her desk at work for weeks before I took it home to wrap it.

This is a great party activity. It is like a different version of fondue. Check it out:


Typically we use the pans to melt all kinds of yummy cheese and then cook potatoes and meat on top. We also use bread and apples for dipping. You can do all kinds of fun things with one of these. So if you are already thinking of next year's Christmas presents and you have someone in your life that likes to throw parties or make interesting food - here you go. You can get one relatively cheap at Target or order a super fancy one - they have all different sizes.

Here you can check out more information about it. ENJOY!

Christmas 2010

Hope all of you had a very Merry Christmas!! What a great holiday, we got to enjoy family time, yummy food and a fun visit from Santa. Here are some highlights:

Addy dressed up in her Christmas dress:



My Mom's spectacular decorations (these are just a few of the trees around the house):

Grandma and Grandpa have their own little Disney tree just like ours.


Christmas Eve we enjoyed raclette (more about this Scandinavian tradition later):


We opened stockings and got things ready for Santa.

Addy was so patient and helped each person open their stocking. She was very excited when it was her turn.

Addy was worried about Santa knowing to bring presents to Grandma and Grandpa's house so she made this sign and we put it on the door so he would know to come there.

Christmas morning we arrived and saw that Santa had left a note. He was able to find the right place!!

And once we got inside we saw more evidence of his visit. He wasn't very clean, but he ate most of the cookies and the reindeer drank most of the water Addy put out.

It didn't take long for Addy to start playing with her new toys.

We commenced our annual ticket scratching. Scott took the prize this year for best results.

She had to take a break and rest on her new pillow pet.


Playing a new game:

Taking a rest in the afternoon with Grandma.

One of the more creative gifts:

Made me laugh so hard! It was a magical Christmas, we are very blessed.

HOLIDAZZLE SPECTACULAR

To be completely honest this has been a tough year at work. For many reasons there have been moments that I have been very happy to leave for the day. I love where I work and that isn't an easy thing to admit. But we've made it through this year (or very close). And perhaps because we've had some trials this year, it made our Holidazzle party that much more special this year.

So yeah, we might have been in the news this year . . . but here is the real story!!!


Leading up to the festivities we were still working away . . . but already showing our cheer.

As the time drew near for our Holidazzle party people were getting ready:

We in HR take our crazy holiday sweaters VERY seriously.

(Oh how I wish you could see the battery operated tea lights on her sweater - softly flicking and adding extra sparkle to all the bedazzlement.) I know you can appreciate the sweater leg warmers with pom-poms. Instant classic . . . she was one of our winners of the ugly sweater contest.

Gotta love a sign hanging off the back of an ugly sweater (yup with an office clip) - and Joni had lights around her neck too!

Oh Tommy - you make me so happy!


We even had our own resident scrooge!

Lighted polar bear vest - ummmm, of course!!


And who doesn't need an advent calendar sweater!

Here I am with the tricked out sweater Jennifer made me. I actually sat in a meeting during the morning with HR people from all over the state and showed off this beauty. My friends Tina and Ann helped me add a little "somethin" to it by putting in a crazy stuffed monkey with a christmas scarf. (Sadly, not pictured here.) Priceless!

Capturing some of the group around the tree. Don't worry you will get to see Shawn's christmas skirt up closer. He was another winner of the contest. :)


You may remember Tam's bird sweater from last year. He added the reindeer turtle neck this year. What an upgrade of a classic!!

Simply bedazzling!
Those are little sparkly drums hanging off Shawn's tree skirt . . . I mean christmas poncho. It was a sight to behold.

What a great potluck - too much great food and wonderful friends to share it all with!!

My labor relations crew. Impressive I know. I think next year we are going to make Christmas cards with pictues of us in our sweaters and send them to our union friends.

Go back and look again - those are real twigs on Mark's sweater. And candy, and a train, and snoopy's house and a log cabin and snow. Yup. Almost too much goodness for words.

What a great way to end the year and kick-off the holiday weekend!! Thanks everyone, it is an honor to work with you all.

Water Slide

A couple people were asking if Addy really does water slides all by herself. She isn't swimming yet or anything. At Disney world's water park they make them very kid friendly. Addy loved them! Check it out.

Disney Magic

We had a wonderful time in Disney World earlier this month. It was great to spend time with Scott's parents, enjoy ourselves as a family and take in the magic of Disney at Christmas. It was very cold a couple of days. But others were very nice and warm! Here are some pics from the trip:



There was some fierce competion on Toy Story Mania - but the real glory goes to me - I was the crazy that ran ahead to get us fast passes when the park opened. Truly taking your life into your hands, and totally worth it.

The highlight for Addy was meeting the Princesses and Fairies. She loved it!



We played 4 different mini golf courses with Addy while we were there. She did great! Addy was able to golf for herself some, took some lessons from Dad and improved, and even when she was waiting for her turn she did good. It was really fun!
Addy's new favorite ride was Big Thunder Mountain. She loved it.


The parades are always fun. Addy blowing kisses . . .



This was the coldest day. It was about 39 degrees all day. We still had a blast, but needed a lot of layers to stay warm.

Then it warmed up and we got to go to the water park a couple of times. Addy loves the slides. It was great to soak in the sun.