C–is for Corn Flakes Candy, Cantata and Christmas

Mixed up some Corn Flakes Candy this afternoon.  So simple!

Combine 1 cup corn syrup and 1 cup brown sugar in a 3-quart saucepan.  Cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until mixture bubbles.  Remove from heat.  Stir in 1 cup peanut butter and 6 cups corn flakes until well coated.  Drop by teaspoons on waxed paper.  Or, press into well-buttered 9 x 13 pan and cool until firm before cutting.

I usually make some for Christmas, but we had plenty of other sweets around, so didn't this time.

Christmas–that's my second favorite holiday (after Easter).

In a way, Christmas always begins in October for me, as that is when rehearsals for the community Christmas cantata begin.  I’ve missed a few years, maybe more than a few, but have usually sung in it over the past thirty-eight years!  I had an uncle who taught music here one year in the early 1960s, and apparently he was instrumental in getting the annual event started.  What a joy it is to sing about the birth of Jesus, the real meaning of Christmas!

Our traditional Christmas Eve soup and gifts with Benny’s side of the family was at his sister’s, just up the road.

Usually we go to a Christmas Eve candlelight service, but since Christmas was on Sunday, the Lutheran church (which we attended until a few years ago) had a Julotta (Christmas, just before dawn) candlelight service we went to instead.  Then we went to our Berean church's Christmas Day service.  Had a non-tradtional Christmas Day dinner here of crockpot BBQ pork ribs, followed by a relaxing day of nothing in particular.

Midweek my side of the family gathered for our WWW Christmas, always fun and filled with laughter, food, games (always Nerts), gifts, traditions and memories.

This would be our three (so far) grandkids!

Some of the immediate family was able to stay the entire week. Then we celebrated Christmas again with all the immediate family on New Year's Day!

Blessed, blessed, blessed!

Miscellaneous Winter Pictures

A couple of weeks ago, someone told me it was Spring! What? I didn't get any pictures from winter posted! So, without further ado, this past winter included.....

A caroling party
Celebrating Christmas (A, K, T, and M)
Gathering with family
A new game... ...or two
Starting the New Year out on the right foot
A little snow and a lot of cold

The basement walls finally getting some border, which we bought years ago, before border was "out of style." Isn't that right, Mom? ;)

A Swedish supper with church and neighborhood friends

And adding a "few" more miles to the van!
(if you enlarge the photo, you'll see that's five zeros after the two)

Update Deadline

I told some that I would post by Monday night. Yikes! That's tonight already!

The last couple of weeks I have thoroughly enjoyed spending time with my family. K was home on semester break, and of course T didn't have school either. B and M were mostly around--couldn't do much with all the ice (which is finally leaving, which means mud, but that's okay!)

The weekend before Christmas was at Big City Brother's.
He Who Has No Idea That His Sweater Stole an Ornament from the Christmas Tree While Taking Pictures.We had soup with B's side relatives at our house on Christmas Eve, before heading up the road for the 10 pm church service . Here's the youngest cousin "holding seven others."
Christmas Day was a leisurely day at home for the five of us.

"There must be something in here for me somewhere!""Whatever it was, I didn't find it!"

Mom was able to be here for a few days! It was also nice to see my Osborne and Newton aunts and uncles for a little bit when she was headed home.

We spent New Year's Eve playing games, this year at Friends Who Used to Raise Emus. Everyone headed out the door just after midnight.....

..........being SURE to traditionally "start out the new year on the right foot."

Then we went back inside for breakfast, even though we had spent the previous few hours eating leftover Christmas goodies.

Thanks for the puzzle, Jason. We finished it on New Year's Day. (It was NOT easy!)