Kayty's Antics December 10 and 11, 2012

It is truly appropriate that Kayty works for Party City, for she truly is a party in one body! She wanted to buy something and didn't want to be discovered, so this is the disguise she came up with.

She had her own Grammy Day, since she had to work, and invited a friend to share. She purchased houses for this, but used our candy, plus stuff she got at...yes, Party City.

I swear, these things on her roof resemble leeches!

Kelsie's School Program December 9, 2012

We were able to attend Kelsie's school Christmas program this year. She attends a private Christian school, so it included Baby Jesus, Wise Men, and the meaning of the Christmas. So nice

That doggone squirrel nabbed a graham cracker yesterday!

Nano and Great Granny Dorrie were able to attend with us. 

Grammy Day Phoenix December 8, 2012

Christmas with adult children is getting harder. I don't want my kids to have to run around so much on Christmas day, now that they have children. So, since last year was really not good, I decided to do our Grammy Day/ Christmas early.

Grammy and Papa fill stockings and give a gift. The ones that come here get to use the stocking I made for them over my fireplace. I have one for each and every person (Kaylee's is under construction now).

Enjoying Grammy Day Breakfast

Grammy Day Breakfast: Monkey Bread (our traditional Christmas Morning breakfast) grapes, goldfish crackers, apple juice and milk. 

First, we open stockings..

This was Kaylee's stocking gift, though Ethan tried to get us to add it to the Rice Fish Count for 2012. 

After gifts, we set out to build gingerbread houses. 

Ethan always manages to nab my camera...

Kelsie's finished creation

Papa's finished creation

Ethan's house...after a roof collapse. 

Amber's first house. 

Doran's was quite the house: gabled roof, chimney, and he melted tootsie rolls for stucco. It looked awesome!

It was so enjoyable for me this year. And it ended up being really good, since Miss Kaylee was to make an earlier appearance....on the 26th. Early Phoenix Grammy Day is now a tradition!

Thanksgiving November 22, 2012

Thanksgiving, in Korea, is not celebrated when, or as, it is celebrated in America. So, I mailed Elder Rice two Hormel Compleats dinners turkey and dressing meals, some instant mashed potatoes, a gravy mix, cranberry sauce, olives, and a "pumpkin pie kit" of graham crackers, pumpkin butter, and shelf stable whipped cream.

Korean Mashed Potatoes: eaten with chop sticks with Kimchii added. 

His makeshift pumpkin pie. I guess it worked. 

  We hosted Thanksgiving at our house this year. We cooked pizza the night before and then roasted the turkeys. It was good, though kinda sad, because this year, half of my kids weren't able to share it with us: Allison in Vegas, Morgan in Odessa, and Elder Nathan in Jeonju.

Some of the Korean melon...a bit of Elder Rice with our dinner.

We had roasted turkey, Ethan fried and smoked two turkeys (the smoked one was my favorite), Nano made her stuffing and the mashed potatoes, I made gravy, Cam brought her awesome mac and cheese, Liz brought some delicious green beans, plus we had my cranberry salad, Dorrie's sweet potatoes, olives, cranberry sauce....and rolls. 

Our dessert table. Since Elder Rice was away, we had a Costco pumpkin pie. Amber and Doran made yummy pumpkin cheesecake desserts, and Dorrie made her pumpkin chocolate chip cake. 

This squirrel nutcracker certainly gets around. I had made turkey favors, with  Fall candy for tummies. That darned squirrel climbed off the fridge and snatched one!