December 30, 2013

Christmas Recap + Top 5 Recipes of 2013

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Hi there everyone!  Our Internet has been down the last couple days, but now that it is back up, I can share our Christmas in pictures!



 
This was Christmas night, before opening gifts.

 
This was the night of the 26th.  Instead of gingerbread houses, we did toothpick and gumdrop/candy building competition.  Luke and I both did Christmas themed parks ... he won. :)

 
The weather was amazing!  We were able to just go outside whenever we wanted, without snow clothes and hats and gloves.  Here we are having a leaf fight ... which led to Gracie having to vacuum leaves out of her cast ;)

 
Since Gracie couldn't run around, we decided to paint.  Gracie is incredibly artistic, as is my aunt.  This was my painting, half done, and as long as you don't look at the painting I was using as inspiration, I was pretty pleased with how it turned out.  Gracie didn't finish hers, so we didn't get pics :(
 
 
Boston, Gracie's younger sister, is a horse lover, and this is one of the ponies she rides on a regular basis.  This pony, Miss Larry, resides next door, and Elizabeth and Abigail (ok, me too) thought it was pretty cool that Boston could just walk down the road and ride Miss Larry to her front yard.  She was very sweet in helping the girls ride.

 
We also practiced lots of archery, since that was something Gracie could do sitting down (cool, huh?) and since we were all getting a little stir crazy after painting.

 
Our arrow assistant ...

 
The boys logged lots of basketball hours!



So, I think I ruined my ears by over using my ear buds on the drives down and back from Texas.  Oh yeah, and staring at a little iPod screen for more than, well, two hours probably isn't doing wonders for my health either.  Time to serve up some carrots!  And, despite my best efforts, I only beat the Solitaire app, like, twice.  If I'm going to ruin my vision, I'd like a better record.  One of my favorite Christmas gifts was two Adventures in Odyssey CDs.  They were my life saver this Christmas.  I listened to them over and over during the drive. 

Another favorite was this bag from Gracie.  I've been crushing on this style for a while now and I think the colors are gorgeous, not to mention versatile.



Christmas was, and always will be, memorable for the family.  That is what makes Christmas special; getting to spend time with cousins and aunts and uncles.  It is such a special gift that I look forward to every year.

Whew, 2013 is almost over!  Crazy, isn't it?  I only started food blogging in earnest this February and I have loved it ever since.  Below are the top five viewed recipes on my blog and I want to thank all you who read, comment, and share my recipes.  I wouldn't have any views on my own!  Hope you had a Merry Christmas and will have a happy New Year!

1. Pumpkin Dump Cake


2. Peanut Butter Oatmeal Bites


3. Cinnamon and Sugar Zucchini Bread

 
4. Fudgy Sugar Cookie Dough Brownies

 

5. Almond Joy Energy Bites



20 comments:

  1. I am so glad you had a great Christmas! That pumpkin dump cake was one of my favorite recipes you posted this year too!

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    1. Thank you Meghan! It is fitting that my most viewed recipe would include my favorite; pumpkin!

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  2. Your Christmas looked fantastic -- so much fun! All five of your recipes look to die for, and those Almond Joy ENergy bites would be calling my name…Almond Joys are my favorite!

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    1. Me, too! Almond Joys are so good. Okay, coconut is what's really good!

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  3. Looks like you had a marvelous Christmas! Merry Christmas and happy and healthy new year, my friend! :)
    Tina at www.tinaschic.com

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  4. Dear Mary Frances, Thank you for sharing your photo's. I love to look at pictures. You have a lovely family. I am sure that you all made beautiful memories together. That is what Christmas is for, making beautiful memories that will sustain a lifetime.
    Blessings to you and your family for a Happy New Year. Catherine xo

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    1. I always enjoy photos on other people's blogs as well. I'm glad you enjoyed looking at them, Catherine! Thank you!

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  5. Happy New Year Mary Frances. So glad you enjoyed the holidays with your family! All the best to you in this coming year.

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  6. You had a great Christmas!! So glad the weather was nice and you were able to play outside. Those pink pants are very nice (BTW). Happy New Year my friend and I am so glad I found your blog this year. We both started blogging around the same time :). So glad the zucchini bread made the top list because it is one of my favorites!!

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    1. Thank you Zainab! I'm SO glad I found your blog, too!

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  7. What a wonderful Christmas you had Mary Frances! I just loved hearing your recap and seeing these pictures. Thank you so much for sharing with us!

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    1. Thank you for reading and commenting Monet! Hope you had a Happy New Years!

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  8. It looks like you had such a wonderful Christmas, I'm so happy! Thanks for sharing such lovely pictures, they make my day!
    Happy New Year! xx

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  9. I'm so glad you had a great Christmas! I've loved so many of your recipes this year and I can't wait for 2014!

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    1. Thank you SO much Dorothy, for your support this year!

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  10. I'm glad you had a good Christmas and got to spend it with your cousins! Looks like a fun time! Loved seeing your family pictures.

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    1. Thank you Reeni! It was really special this year.

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