Winner and Other Stuff

Ok, so I'm running a bit late on picking the winner for my banana-nut bread recipe contest. As I mentioned in my last post, I had only three people sign up who sent me their recipes. It was hard to pick just one out of the three, they all sounded delish, so this is what I've decided....drum roll if you please....all three of you are winners, so all three will get a little angel, however, I do have just one grand prize winner and that honour goes to...Jill Cooper! Jill, you'll receive a little something extra. The other winners are Linda from http://lindaomasoldebaggsnstuftshirts.blogspot.com/ and Phyllis Cooper. I will email you ladies with details and ask for your physical addresses so they can be part of your Christmas tree tradition, or wherever!! I'm looking forward to making the three recipes, well, four if you count Jill's other recipe and I'm sure my family and friends will enjoy, as I know I will!!

Yesterday Christmas finally arrived at our home. It has been 2 years since my house has seen nary a single glass ornament or poinsettias. In 2008, my father passed away 6 days before Christmas and had been quite ill a month before that, then last year, in order to avoid Christmas here at home, my mother took off to California to be with her baby boy and his family and I left for Austin, Texas to spend it with my baby girl and family.

The decorating was difficult for a bit, I remembered how my Pop loved Christmas with all his family around him. He loved the food too, our traditional Christmas Eve tamales, brisket (that's the Jewish influence since we grew up in a Jewish neighborhood..the only Mexican - American Catholics on the street....I was a Catholic school girl by day and a Jewish buddy after school!! LOL), breads, veggie plate then the sweets, which is my department. He loved the Rosettes, but since he was diabetic, I made them without any cinnamon sugar. As I said, it was a little difficult, but we bought a new tree, 4'.5 and have it on the sofa table. I have some of the larger ornaments displayed on the table since they were used on a larger tree. I have lots of adorable German ornaments I collected when I lived there back in the mid 70's...they hold so many wonderful memories of my children. I was doing great until I came upon my 3 oldest grandson's Santa hats...they wore them last in '07. I lost it then...remembering them and missing them so much. I will be sending my daughter the hats and some extra ornaments she grew up with for her "mall" tree. It's a huge tree and it's going to take her a lifetime to fill that tree up!

Well, need to get ready for my step-daughter-in-law, she's coming over for her monthly beer binge and rant...God knows the girl needs it. I'll make sure she has a full tummy, though...got some quiche, muffins and salad for lunch. Have a great weekend and I'll be back soon. Peace out.