December 18, 2020

December Days








The past few December days have been quiet ones here in our home. We are schooling, on the couch in pajamas during December, playing Christmas games, and eating special festive treats. The beautiful Christmas tree cake is a tradition in our home. My amazing grandma Mildred's birthday was December 15, and growing up, my mom made her a birthday cake in tree-shaped pans. It was yellow cake with green colored vanilla icing and sliced bananas between the layers. I can still taste it and remember the feeling of being at Grandma's with my aunts, uncles, and cousins celebrating Grandma Mil. My mom gifted me the pans and every year, and I continued the tradition of making Grandma a birthday cake on December 15. Now, Peyton makes it and we have replaced the flavor with rich chocolate fudge cake, but the sentiment remains. It is a cake for Grandma Mil who celebrates in Heaven.

This weekend begins our family Christmas celebrations with our annual Rudolph Breakfast, which as the kids have grown, has become a brunch! We order fresh donuts from the bakery in town, I add some fresh fruit, play Rudolph music, and decorate with all the Rudolph items I have accumulated over the years. That's it. Nothing fancy. Just fun. After that, we are exchanging our Secret Santa presents! Which reminds me, I need to wrap mine. But one more cup of coffee first. 

What are your plans this last weekend before Christmas?
Thanks for visiting, my friends.
Stay safe and sound, healthy and cozy!



16 comments:

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    1. Oops, I clicked the wrong thing and deleted what I typed... I said that I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything that Peyton’s baked that didn’t look amazing! 😋

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  2. I love all your wonderful traditions Billie, they are so special! What a precious way to remember your grandmother! The cake looks delicious! Enjoy your special brunch...and the Scrabble game looks so fun!

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  3. Yet another of your Christmas traditions!

    Greetings from the North Pole,
    ⛄ 🎄 🎅 🎁 ⛄

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  4. Not too much in the way of plans. Tomorrow is my hubby's birthday...the big 6-0! He is working, of course, but he doesn't like a big fuss. Our daughter is making him a pie and I will have a special dinner. I love that you still make the Christmas tree cake every year. Sunday I'll go to church. Other than that it will just be baking and wrapping.

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  5. Hi Billie Jo - I love your fun Christmas traditions! That cake looks so yummy. Holiday scrabble looks like fun. Scrabble is one of my favorite games and I used to play with my oldest son, but since he grew up, I have no one to play scrabble with. Charly loves games, but not scrabble because he (by his own admission) is not a great speller. Hope you have a lovely weekend and week before Christmas!

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  6. It is so refreshing seeing you and your family enjoy so many lovely traditions, long may they last. A little baking is planned for me today.

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  7. If you hear a knock at the door, it will be me:) Sounds so cozy in your home with games and yummy treats. Have a blessed day dear friend, HUGS!

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  8. Love seeing how you and your family follow the traditions. We have some too and will be able to do them again this year, in spite of covid. Hope you have a Merry Christmas.

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  9. Tomorrow is Christmas with my son and his family. We have always celebrated on Christmas Eve at our house but now that the triplets are 23 we have to adjust to their work hours. One is a nurse and another is an Indiana State Trooper - both working on Christmas Eve. Also new is that we'll go to my granddaughter's home where she and her new husband will host.

    It is all quite an adjustment for me but I always knew that the time would come and I would be ready. On Christmas Day we'll have the kids from my husband's side along with grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Luckily that has not changed.......yet.

    2020 has not been as hard on our family as on some. We have celebrated 3 weddings (2 granddaughters and a son). We have also welcomed a new little great-grandson. Also, I have been blessed to babysit 2 days a week for our youngest grandson, John Paul. John Paul was adopted by our daughter and her husband a year ago in Pheonix, John Paul has Downs Syndrome and is a joy each and every day. I am so lucky to spend so much time with him. He is half Native American so is the cutest little guy you'll ever see and is named after St. John Paul.

    Sorry to have rambled, just wanted to share.

    Have a wonderful Christmas.

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  10. What lovely Christmas traditions!

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  11. Oh, I want to come play Scrabble, it's my favorite and I'm looking at your board seeing worthy opponents, LOL :) You have the best traditions, Christmas and otherwise. Not much going on for us this weekend other than finalizing the who and where part of Christmas, looks like our house with my husband's family (another small crowd holiday and okay with me). Hope you are enjoying your weekend!

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  12. I love your fun filled holiday home! You make the days so fun with all of your sweet traditions. It's almost here and I know you'll be busy creating lots of memories these next few days, Enjoy!

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  13. It looks like you are having a very cozy December! Hope you have a Merry Christmas!

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  14. LOVED every picture! They are all so cozy! I'll take Grandma's cake, but without the bananas. Ha! If Peyton lived with me I'd be in BIG trouble- here desserts look amazing!!

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  15. Grandma Mildred's cake looks amazing. I love how Peyton changed it around to chocolate fudge cake. It looks so moist and Yummy. The annual Rudolph breakfast sounds very nice with family gathered around and good food. And I have to say that first photos is one of the cutest pics ever! It should be framed. : )

    ~Sheri

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Thanks so much for saying hello!

Billie Jo