The End of 2025

Yesterday, December 30, was Mercer Mayer's Birthday. We read some Mercer Mayer books. 

For dinner we had carbonara for Bacon Day.

Sweet Jeremy brought roses home for me.

Today, I got out for my last morning walk of the year because... today is New Year's Eve.

Later I was "making guacamole. Making guacamole" for our New Year's nachos. 

Jeremy got some writing in and had hot chocolate in the composition mug. How fun.

Now I'm too tired to write anymore myself so I'll see you next year. Or you'll see me next year since this is my blog.

Happy New Year! 

Let's Talk About More November Celebrations

Speaking of nachos- like for New Year's...

 

November 6 was National Nacho Day. This was what happened with my 13-year old.

Mom: Today is Nacho Day.

Jr. Jr.: I know. I've had a really hard day.

Mom (looks sympathetic)

Jr. Jr.: Today is not yo' day.

Mom: Groan. 

We also ate nachos.

 

November 11 was Veteran's Day. I got my selfie with the flag. It was sunny.

It was also Corduroy Day, you know, because 11/11 looks like corduroy. We were having breadsticks so had some fun with them.

It was also National Sundae Day. I made hot fudge sauce to go with ice cream and whatever else. Yumm.

 

November 12 was Pizza with the Works Except Anchovies Day. We had individual pizzas so everyone could choose their toppings. Some of the kids even had dessert pizzas after their main pizzas. They got the idea for s'mores pizza from the Fablehaven Cookbook.

Speaking of the Fablehaven Cookbook, for Spicy Guacamole Day on November 14, we made "Bubda's Sloppy Guac" and "Lost Mesa Corn Avocado Salsa, both from that book. They were perfect to go with taco salad for dinner and family members had fun making faces in the food (the instructions for the sloppy guac even say to make a hermit troll face). We love that cookbook! 

 

November 16 was National Fast Food Day so we pulled out chicken nuggets and fries from the freezer and soda pop from the pantry and called it good.

 

November 17 was Homemade Bread Day and National Butter Day and GWR Day. GWR stands for Guinness World Records. We had homemade bread with butter but we also had hot dogs on homemade buns as a nod to the world record Jeremy broke back in July of 2015. He built a giant balloon dog. So we had hot dogs.

For William Tell Day on November 18, I made apple crisp. Yumm.

 

November 21 was Gingerbread Cookie Day. I made gingerbread cookie people while telling Jet the story of the Gingerbread Man. There have been a few times since then that Jet will run into a room I'm in and call out, "You can't catch me, I'm the gingerbread man." I love him so much.

That day was also National Stuffing Day so we had a bruschetta bake with chicken, stuffing, tomatoes, and seasonings. Yumm.

November 23 was Thanksgiving. That morning I took a moment for myself. I got up early to help Jeremy get ready for work- made him breakfast, made him a lunch (a snack really because he got out of work early for which I was grateful). I had Bing Crosby in my head. "I've got plenty to be thankful for." After Jeremy left for work, I decided to take a bit of time for myself before getting to work on laundry, doing dishes, hard boiling eggs for deviled eggs... so I wrapped myself up in a blanket, drank some hot chocolate, watched some TV, and felt thankful.

When Jeremy got home we celebrated with food, lots and lots of food.

He brought home a pumpkin pie from work which we put whipped topping on. I also made a vanilla pudding pie and we put pumpkin pie ice cream on top of it. Mmmmm.

 

November 24 was National Leftovers Day or Turkey Leftover Day. Yes, we ate leftovers of course.

 

November 26 was Charles Schulz' Birthday. We decided to have a Charlie Brown/Peanuts Thanksgiving to celebrate with foods the characters made in "A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving." Toast, popcorn, jelly beans, pretzel sticks. We also threw in some "peanuts" and "Peppermint Patties." And to drink we had lemonade because Lucy sometimes sets up a lemonade stand.

I also wore my bow earrings to celebrate his birthday. When some women in choir saw me and I explained why I was wearing those earrings, they suggested we go around the table giving psychiatric advice for 5 cents. So cute. I love my choir friends.

November 30 was Mason Jar Day. You know I love excuses to use my Fablehaven Cookbook. This time it was "Fairy in a Jar Layered Gelatin Treats." 

I couldn't find any gummy butterflies or gummy fairies but I could find gummy worms. Jeremy joked that it as more like "imps in a jar."

Happy New Year's Eve

Happy New Year's Eve.

Making Guacamol-e! Making Guacamol-e!

 

Spicy Guacamole Pickles

November 14 was National Pickle Day and it was Spicy Guacamole Day. Since avocados were a decent price when I went to the store, I was able to get some and actually made guacamole this time (it wasn't too spicy, though). Last time I got avocados I forgot to make guacamole for our nachos. 

We had pickles already in the fridge. #shelfcooking 

I was so proud of myself for making the guacamole then wondered what we were going to eat it with. I searched around and found an unfinished bag of tortilla strips that I had put away so the kids wouldn't just snack on them til they were gone. Hooray. There was enough for our guacamole.

We rounded out our sides with some garlic bread and for a main dish- carbonara. Yum.

Goodbye, 2021

From shells and white cheddar with bacon for Bacon Day on December 30 to New Year's Eve nachos on December 31, it's time to say Goodbye to 2021. 

 

Making guacamole. 

Check me out a decade ago making guacamol-e. Making guacamol-e.

 

It's been a year. It certainly has.

 

Now it's time to end it with staying up late watching movies so people can be cranky in the morning.

Goodbye, 2021

Way to End the Year

The end of 2017.
Yesterday the kids helped dismantle our Christmas tree. 

We visited friends.

And today, New Year's Eve- we went to church, said goodbye to our Primary class, played video games at home, ate New Year's nachos, and toasted the new year with sparkling cider and Apple Shasta.

 "Making guacamol-e!  Making guacamol-e!"

 Happy New Year!

Trying Again

Remember when we tried growing an avocado plant from the pit a while back? Yeah. It didn't do anything. I've been wanting to try again ever since. Each time we get an avocado I think, "Let's try again." Well, now it's time.

The other day we were at the store. Avocados were on sale. Cilantro was on sale. We already had chips at home. I was in the mood for some chips with salsa and guacamole.
Our friends, Justin and Melynna James, taught us a really easy way to make salsa and guacamole. Melynna let me know that Justin learned this from an old hispanic lady in Southern California.

Salsa:
Take 2 cans stewed tomatoes (I used diced and add Italian Seasoning) and 1 chopped jalapeno. Boil them together until they get the thickness you want. Put them in a blender.
Add a Tablespoon or two of lime juice and some cilantro (as much as you like in your salsa) without stems.
Blend it all together.

Guacamole:
Mash up some avocados and add some salsa.

We used two avocados and their pits were completely different sizes.

Fun. I put them both in water to see if either of them will grow this time. Wish us luck.