I'm seeing a white Christmas

Yep, for the first time in... well, as long as I can remember, we are going to have a white Christmas! We got another 3-4 inches today, and its been snowing off and on this afternoon. Temps are warming, because there is lots of dripping and puddles, but there is no way all this stuff will be gone by tomorrow. Cool.

I have another video of the kids going down our sledding "hill". This time Ethan joined us!
More sledding fun


A few days ago, I made some homemade zwieback toasts for Elly. Sheesh, what a lot of work. It did, however, make enough to feed an army. I have to say that I think she liked them better before I baked them hard, in other words, she liked it when it was bread, not when it had been hardened into crackers. But they are just like the ones you buy (different shaped) and aren't messy at all, which is a bonus. Despite the look on her face (which is from my red-eye reducer... it always makes her wince), she actually does like them.


Tonight, for Christmas Eve dinner, I'm making a rib roast cooked in a terra cotta pot. Ok, to be entirely accurate, UNDER a terra cotta pot. Its from my favoritest Food Network chef, Alton Brown.

Here's what it looks like going in. That wire thing is a temperature probe.


Its been in there cooking now since 1pm, so 3 hours. It should take between 4-4.5 hours to get to the correct doneness. Its only cooking at 200 degrees, but the pot creates a convection type atmosphere that cooks it faster than you might imagine. When its nearly done, you remove the pot and cook it at 500 degrees to get a nice crust.

If I remember, I'll try to get a picture of what it looks like when its done.

I have to admit, the last few days I've not been feeling well emotionally. I've been so frustrated by this weather. Frustrated because the few events we participate in to celebrate the holidays have been canceled, frustrated because an item I especially wanted here by the time we left for Spokane (which is still up in the air, depending on weather) has been delayed, frustrated because FedEx apparently isn't as brave as UPS, who has been here 4 times over the past 4 days, even in very bad conditions, and they haven't been delivering to our area, frustrated at being kept at home for many days straight with the children and my husband. I love 'em dearly, but sometimes we do better with a little space between us instead of being cooped up in a house together for nearly two weeks straight. The children have been quite vexing (and I don't blame them. They are bored), and the wee one has been difficult as well. Then I'm feeling like I'm the cruddiest mother because I'm impatient and snappy and even when I'm trying to make Christmas traditions or memories, I'm irritated. Ach!

Yesterday, I just lost it and cried off and on for about 2 hours. I felt better after it was all over, but I still feel somewhat blue. I hate that I feel that way. I'm so blessed with family and friends and comforts, it feels wrong to be caught up and irritated by small inconveniences and mishaps.

Anyway, I don't want this to end on a sour note :) I'm VERY excited about going over to my parents house tomorrow and seeing everyone. Really excited. And so are the kids, oh my goodness, they're practically quivering with anticipation every waking moment.

Did you know that Elsa can pick up bits of food now and feed herself? Its pretty impressive! You should see her go after a pile of cheerios, she stuffs them in her little cheeks so fast!