Merry Christmas Photos

 

Paint Party Friday

Cupcakes has carried  a small camera in her purse, snapping photos almost daily, since she was thirteen years old. Every extra dime was spent getting pictures developed until the magic of digital photos came into being! She has burned through several point and shoot Cannons along the way, both non digital, and digital, but now mostly uses her LG phone! Sadly she has never had the glory of  owning a really high end camera! Although she would love one if it was dropped in her lap. Realistically she worries the size and weight might hinder usage when her phone is so readily available every moment!

Although their is a professional photographer in the family we have yet to see him ever snap a random photo during a family event! Unless they are setting up a photo shoot, which is rare, I'm sure the  expensive photography equipment collects dust! Much like my good camera did years ago when I was too cheap to get photos developed!!

I'm surprised with all the cell phones that more photos aren't taken in that immediate family of thirty odd people! One of the sisters just recently started taking a few photos last year. Other than that no one bothers except Cupcake who is sure to group the siblings, or their families for quick photos! They may not be professional quality but they have yet to realize they will one day be invaluable!

 Over the years my one friend recorded our goddess group events with photos. Always developing extras at her own expense to pass along to us! When digital cameras came into play  she seemed to take less photos for a bit! So then I recorded a few events but photography is not my forte! Not like it is for  Gypsy and Cupcake who have a deep passion for it! Writers write, artist create and photographers shoot photos whether they  have expensive equipment or not! A candid photo is better than no photo at all!

Today as Christmas approaches I see all the family photos popping up on facebook with much oohing and awing over the happy family photos and not one credit to the photographer, Cupcake,  who cared enough  to pose the family for these treasured shots!

 When my parents passed away we only had a couple of decent photos of them. Only one, not very tasteful one  as a family of four! It was the first thing I looked for and the only thing I wanted yet  there had been very few taken over the years!

 No one thinks twice about poaching their family photo from someones  facebook page. 
However have you ever thought of acknowledging the photographer for their time and effort? Make sure to take loads of photos and be sure to get someone to take the whole family at once too! For those are the things you will treasure most when you lose a loved one! They will be the photos your children treasure after divorce too! 

Christmas 1961

Wishing you all a Christmas filled with special moments! To those struggling my heart is with you! We all have challenging times and disappointments, but if we can capture a few simple moments of joy in the cracks of those dark times power to us we have won! And remember, TAKE LOTS OF PHOTOS!!  

Do you take lots of family photos? 

Christmas Adventure in the City!

Family Christmas. Surprise, surprise the mom looks tired!

 This cartoon family   created on a big chunk of cardboard

is my contribution for this weeks Paint Party Friday 

and  Show Your Face Friday.

 Cupcake and Beardo enjoyed a Christmas 

adventure in Vancouver last weekend! 

When you teach your children to find joy in the

simple things you give them a gift for a lifetime!

Photo credit Pepperpf

We live a thirty five minute drive  from Vancouver. 

 The  kids get a hotel after their annual Christmas dinner

 so they can enjoy the allure of Christmas in the city the
next day!  Lights of hope at St Pauls tops their list of must see

sites as they saunter to their room after the party.
 

They trace my old childhood stomping grounds.
Taking in the beauty of the lights...
and the remaining flowers that 
have survived the cooler temperatures! 

photo credit Pepperpf rainy city at night

 

Photo Credit Pepperpf

 
 Although it was pouring rain they still enjoyed
these lovely statues!

Photo Credit Pepperpf

Cupcake usually forwards me the photos before
they are posted  so I can
live vicariously through her. I love it!

 The next day they festively dressed in red and green to attend the 
Vancouver Santa Claus Parade!  I can pretty much
guarantee they were wearing Christmas socks too!

Who knows maybe these fun photos will inspire you!


They certainly make me happy!

After the parade they managed to get a photo 
on what is normally a very  busy Vancouver
street!

 Then they went skating in Robson Square!
They took this extremely short video that
thrilled me to bits since it's the first time
they have been skating since they met 
13 years ago! 

Christmas fun. Ice Skating at Robson Square. First time we've ever been ice skating together.  Loving it.  #Blondeandthebeardo  #christmasspirit

A video posted by @pepperpf on Dec 6, 2015 at 12:45pm PST

What a joyful weekend they had!
 
Last Wednesday Cupcake packed up a couple of boxes 
filled with  specially chosen gifts and goodies,
  did a grocery shop then delivered it  to a struggling 
single mom who wept  when she received the offerings.
These two give graciously without expectation in honour
and gratitude of their own special life!

  I wasn't going to tell this story except that when these two

attended that Santa Claus parade in torrential down pour

they had this cheesy photo taken along with many many 

other people! Today, a week later we found out
 that this photo won a gopro camera! The best part is
 that I have recently been wishing and envisioning 
buying one for the kids in hopes they could make some
 fun videos! Funny how the universe rewards good 
deeds so quickly! We feel really  blessed.....all I can say

is " Thank you for abundance"!

Whimsical family Christmas!

 Are you envisioning something special not in your budget?

  I'll leave you with this beautiful version of Silent Night!

Christmas Baking, Lights and some Action

Paint Party Friday

Beardo landed in a Music Trade Magazine.

You can read more about it here!

photo Courtesy of Pepper

Cupcake ended up in an article on the popularity of the Ugly Christmas sweater here!

Cupcake is in all red!

Beardo, Cupcake and I spent the day baking as a labour of love!

With mobility issues I sat at the table doing what I do best,

cutting out several double batches of cookies,

Cupcake added the sprinkles.

Photo courtesy of Pepper

First we made our traditional Shortbreads passed through the generations!

The secret is to knead the dough for twenty minutes

You can make them ahead so they shorten up before Christmas.

They get way better with age!!

They freeze well too!

One pound of real butter

One Cup of Light BROWN sugar

Four cups of  all purpose flour

Knead for twenty minutes, put the timer on.

They can be cut into shapes or used with a cookie press

Bake at 275 degrees Fahrenheit  for 45 minutes or until golden brown

We like them a little overdone rather than underdone!

Even though we use the metric system in Canada.....I still bake using the imperial system

 Photo Courtesy of Pepper

 These are ginger molasses ones I rolled in balls then dipped in sugar!

Cupcake has an egg allergy so we used an egg substitute
 and they turned out beautifully!

Soft and yummy! 

Ginger Molasses Cookies

3/4 cup margarine melted
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1/2 cup molasses
2 cups flour
2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp cloves
 1/2 tsp ginger
mix 1/2 Cup sugar with the margarine and egg add molasses
Then mix in dry  ingredients
secret is to cover and chill for one hour
preheat to 375 degrees
 roll into small balls
Dip into the other 1/2 cup of sugar.
Cook 8 to 10 minutes...ours took 12 minutes!

Photo Courtesy of Pepper

 Amazing Almond Roca

1 cup of  Real Butter
1 cup of sugar
2 tables of corn syrup
2 tablespoons of water
1 cup of  toasted (until golden brown) slivered almonds
2 of your favorite plain dark chocolate bars
(we use purdys chocolate because I'm a bit of a chocolate snob)

Add butter, sugar, corn syrup and water to a large pot
(it needs room to foam up a bit, non stick is best)
turn on medium heat  
  stir only until  melts....then leave it to rise to
290 degrees Fahrenheit with a candy thermometer

then quickly stir in 3/4 cup of the toasted slivered almonds 
into the mix and dump it onto a cookie sheet!
Break the chocolate bar into small pieces and drop it onto
the hot candy mix. Spread evenly  as it melts
Then crush the remaining 1/4 cup of toasted almonds
and sprinkle on the the top while chocolate is still warm
place in fridge to cool

later crack it with a knife and place in a container
Makes a wonderful gift too!

Photo Courtesy of Pepper

While they made the almond Roca which I have done
 traditionally each Christmas and Valentines day for years!
I made Perogies!! Oh yes I did.... They made the potato, 
cheddar cheese and onion mixture while  I made the dough 
and rolled and pinched them all. Then  Beardo boiled 
them up! I've randomly made them only on a rare occasion 
since I was a kid....they are so much work!

They were the best I have ever made them too!!

Courtesy of Pepperpf instagram

I made them unconventionally bigger than normal,  
 not one opened up while boiling! A rare occurrence.
We fried them as left overs the next day! So yummy!

In the meantime I have been working on revamping

 an event calendar.These are small boxes 

of Christmas trees

 They are difficult because I don't like working small.

This is a superficial post only because lately there has
 been so much sadness of late! Cooking with my kids 
all day brought so much joy, and you can always 
be sure fits of laughter will ensue!

Here are a few photos of the lights Beardo and Cupcake 
saw at Vancouver Stanley Park this year. 
The Firemen put it together as a fundraiser for burn victims! 
So many good people in this world doing wonderful
 things for others!! 
We need to stay focused on that!

You can click on the photos to get a better feel for 
the lights! All photos Courtesy of Pepper

Enjoy!

Can you imagine the joy of seeing this through a childs eyes!

I took cupcake here when she was little, it was such a long lineup

with half as many lights! We had roasted chestnuts.... 
which are way overrated...

I don't remember liking them! 
They're much better in the Nat King Coles Christmas Song!

 What is your favorite Christmas recipe?