A Party in Your Mouth!

Make this dough...

Bake these candies covered with the dough...

Enjoy!

Fudgy Bonbons...

Now I understand the appeal of sitting around eating bonbons!

Christmas Through a Child's Eyes

Although people talk about children forgetting the true meaning of Christmas, I think children help us remember what's really important about this season.

This year Schmillian helped me display the nativity sets I've collected over the years. As we set one up, I told the story of Jesus' birth.

A little later Schmillian took my hand and brought me back to a scene we had set up...with a few changes as all the figures crowded into the stable area, because "They all want to see Jesus, Mumsy!"

She is right. Those wise men of long ago showed us the importance of seeking and finding the Savior. May we all do so with the zeal of a child!

Traditions

I'll start this post with a little side note...Holidays involving so much food are hard for people with an eating disorder!

Now that I got that out of the way, I'll say this...There is SO MUCH to smile about during the holidays! Life is full of contradictions.

My son, Future DDS and his family spent Thanksgiving with us. I had a great time with all of them here...especially Schmillian and her brother, who thinks life is a party most of the time! We sang so many old favorite songs (which is my favorite thing to do) and did some fun things.

But the main reason for this post is to celebrate the traditions of family and the way it binds us together. On Thanksgiving morning, Schmillian joined me in the kitchen to make cornbread dressing, just like I did growing up with Mama.

It was great to be able to tell Schmillian about Ganmama while we crumbled the cornbread together. We added the chopped celery, onions, and parsley...yes, we need to put all of it in to make it good. We mixed in eggs, soup, and broth...that's a lot of broth! Last, we added lots of black pepper, because Ganmama says you can never have too much black pepper in your dressing.

After we put it in the oven, Schmillian went to tell her Daddy she made dressing just like Ganmama. "Ganmama is Mumsy's mother. She says, Never too much pepper." And so the tradition continues.

The keeping of other traditions...matching PJs for all the family (where I discovered just how big my family has become as I sewed and sewed...and ripped a little), baking gingerbread boys to mail to my son that likes them (unbeknownst to me until his wife told me a couple of years ago) help me feel connected to the ones I love.

My heart is full of gratitude for those I love and am tied to forever...those that are still here and those that have gone on. All are with me in my heart...neither miles nor death can separate us!