Christmas, 2012

Our Christmas this year was a rather eventful day, so I just thought I'd share about it here.

When I was growing up, it seems we always opened our gifts Christmas Eve, after supper. (You know, in the creation story in the Bible, it says: And the evening and the morning were the first [second, third, fourth, etc.] day. We celebrate the Sabbath from sundown Friday to sundown Saturday; why not Christmas, too? ;-) ). Knowing we get to open presents gives the kids great incentive to get the kitchen cleaned up after supper! ;-)

We didn't put up a tree this year, so the presents were lined up on the hearth, and even the mantle.

"3-D" picture

Cookbook, for the chef-wannabe

Muscle Cars calendar

Coveralls, for wearing while doing chores on cold mornings!

New shoes!

Sandwich container

Chocolate covered cherries, for everyone

I waited until the next morning to get pictures of my "loot."

From Jen and Little Bit

We all slept in the next morning, even Little Bit! Amazing, and luxurious! Breakfast consisted of sweet rolls (the Pillsbury ones, from a "can"), and vegetarian or turkey bacon, and fruit.

The morning was spent watching the Disney parade, and Christmas videos.

We had heard that stormy weather was in the forecast, severe thunderstorms, hail, possible tornadoes. So, by the time I was beginning to prepare the lasagna and chocolate meringue pie for dinner, it was raining already.

I had the Botanist Boy stirring the chocolate pudding for the pie, while Jen and Tim were helping with the spinach lasagna, and I was working on the tomato-less sauce, and golden "cheese" sauce for hubby's lasagna.

By now, the wind was roaring, and it was raining; there were even ice pellets. Hubby's lasagna was all "built" and waiting to go in the oven, and I was just starting on the spinach lasagna, when the power went out.

We do have a propane stove, but we need electricity to run the lighter and sensor on the oven. Hubby and the boys quickly set up the little generator, so we could actually bake the lasagnas, garlic bread, and brown the meringue.

Well, I hadn't beaten the egg whites yet, before the power went out. They'd been sitting at room temperature for quite awhile by this time, though. I ended up whipping them with the "old fashioned" egg beater! And, frankly, they whipped up amazingly quickly!

Ah, perfection!

Hubby isn't one to give many compliments, but he said the lasagna was the best he'd had in years! And the chocolate pie was wonderful, perhaps the best he'd ever had. Wow! That made my day, right there! ;-)

After dinner, all the kids worked on cleaning up the kitchen, and washing the dishes. Then hubby and the boys pulled out the deck of playing cards, while Jen and I read books, not Kindle books, either! ;-) By now, the rain had stopped, but we were still without power.

While the boys did the evening pet chores, I took a few photos of the amazing sunset.

Thus ended our Christmas Day....or so I thought!

Hubby and Tim decided we better have some more gas in the gas can, for the generator, because we'd received text messages indicating it would be midnight that night...then 4:00 pm the next day...before power would be back on.

They'd been gone a few minutes, then Hubby called. He asked if I wanted to hear the bad news; I said, "No!" Then he asked if I was sitting down. I was.

He went on to tell me that, apparently our little town had been hit by a tornado! He described some of the damage. Later, after he and Tim got back home, he described a little more. He needed some gas in his car, so Jen, Botanist Boy and I decided we wanted to go along, so we could see what damage we could see in the dark.

We were somewhat shocked by it all! I decided I wanted to go back out at first light next morning, to get some photos. They are coming in the next post.


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