Favorite Reads of '09

Currently Reading: The Priest by Francine Rivers

This reads a lot like her series on the women in the lineage of Jesus.  The Priest is about Aaron, Moses' brother.

My Favorite Reads of '09

Christian - Same Kind of Different As Me by Ron Hall and Denver Moore

Christian Fiction - Mark of the Lion series by Francine Rivers

Fiction - Good Grief by Lolly Winston (Chick-Lit)

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows

 

Nectar in a Sieve by Kamala Markandaya

Young Adult - Maximum Ride series by James Patterson

Literature - The African Queen by C.S. Forester

Linked to J. Kaye's Book Blog

The Week After Christmas

Time with my mom and dad, my brother Victor and sister-in-law Courtney, and my Aunt Ouida.  You know Shane and me. 

We had Christmas #2 once Victor and Courtney got into town Saturday night.  Here they are in their various stages of expectation.

Mom picked them up from the airport Saturday afternoon (Shane and I worked at our store Saturday) and they stopped by the Byron store on the way to our house.  Victor found a set of preaching books he liked but didn't buy them right then.  Mom told me as soon as they got home, and I caught Shane at the store just before he left to come home.  He brought the books and I got them wrapped up just before we opened gifts.

We all pitched in and got Dad the Star Trek Voyager complete series.

I made these for Victor and Courtney.  I made some for myself, too, so I'll show you those soon.

Victor used to do these electronic kits with our grandpa before he died.  I found a couple several months ago and couldn't wait to give them to Victor!

A snowball fight broke out soon after we finished opening presents.  I believe my mom started it.  (Check out that piece flying mid-air above the couch.)

Sunday we went to church together, in the morning to our church and then a Spanish church we work at (usually on Sunday nights, but we went to the morning service).  Sunday night Dad preached at our church and Victor and Courtney sang.  They are awesome!!!

We ALWAYS play Scrabble when we get together.  I think this was a game we played between morning and evening church.

We spent Sunday night-Tuesday afternoon in Savannah.  We mostly walked around the historic district.

 

We stood in line for a while (an hour? two? I lost count) to eat at The Wilkes Boardinghouse.  It was amazing!

 

The wait had made Victor mad, Courtney sad, and Shane apparently turned gangster.

We also ate at a gelato  (gellato?) place.  YUM!

Then Shane and I got a cheese platter at a little coffee shop. 

 

We got back home Tuesday evening.  Wednesday morning/lunch (time gets so confusing when you get to sleep in late!) we went bowling.  Here's the beginning of the third game.  I wish I'd quit right then while I was ahead!

We had a WONDERFUL Christmas/week after and certainly hope yours was great as well.  Now I need a week to recover and get back into my "normal" routine.

Christmas Day 2009

It was a wonderful Christmas at the Gottwals!

I set the table for our big Christmas dinner using my fancy china.  It is Old Country Roses, same as my mom's.  Most of the dishes and glasses still had the price tags.  It's a shame that in 3 1/2 years I haven't used much of my china!

I did a very simple centerpiece.  I cut off some greenery from our Christmas tree and put candles in the middle.  I didn't even use a tray or anything--I put everything right on the table.

Meanwhile, my dad worked on the turkey (it was so yummy!)...

My aunt made the dressing (also yummy)...

Mom did everything else.  She was like a flash around the kitchen and I never got a good picture of her.  Meanwhile, downstairs in the den, Shane and his mom and brother were equally busy watching A Christmas Story...it's tradition!

We served dinner buffet-style on the buffet in the living room just beside the dining room.

YUM!  Turkey, cranberry sauce, dressing, greens, sweet potato, deviled eggs, and avocado!

My dad is fun and cheesy.  "Take a picture of me with my food!"

Shane (not to be outdone by my dad)--"Take a picture of me like I've already eaten and I'm licking my plate clean!"

Then we got down to business.

For desert we had strawberry pie and ambrosia--the food of the gods (with my dad, everything's a history lesson).  We make our with oranges and coconut--mix them and let them hang out together in a bowl in the fridge overnight.

I tried to correct my dad by explaining that in movies set back in time they don't eat ambrosia, they eat huge legs of meat...Dad said, "Like this?"

I would say the meal was a success.  This is my plate after seconds.

We sat around talking for a while.  I asked Shane to invite everyone down to the den to hang out.  "Come on, everyone," he said, "let's go down to the den.  Just follow my servant!"  I suppose I'm his servant now.  HA!

We opened presents together.  We always open them one by one so everyone sees what everyone gave/got.  Here Aunt Ouida is opening a present from Aunt Miriam.  Aunt Miriam couldn't be with us at Christmas this year but always sends us great gifts.

It's a doll from Indonesia!  Beautiful!

Shane wouldn't sit still long enough for me to get a decent picture, but he LOVED this sweater vest, also from Aunt Miriam.  She said when she saw it on the mannequin, she thought, Shane could wear that while selling books.  And she was right.

I got a great sweater from Aunt M, too.  Ten seconds after Shane took this picture I changed into it. 

Dinner served, presents opened, some of us needed a little rest.

A wonderful day spent with family.  Looking forward to my brother and his wife coming in today!  Hopefully they will be home when I get home.  I'll be off work next week until Friday. 

How was your Christmas?