A beautiful, wonderful, no stress Christmas (almost)

Nice as it was, I'm glad it's in the rear window.  We had some new traditions this year and some really nice moments in the kitchen laughing and talking.  Everyone was happy with their gifts.  Then there were naps and the dishwasher was run several times and then it was over.  And, all that's left is a big pile of pots, pans and dishes that live in hard to reach places.  I refused to crawl around on the floor or climb a step stool to put them away.  

I worked a full day on Monday...sort of.  Mostly I unpacked my stuff at my new desk.  I brought home two large boxes of personal stuff that there is no room for.  The team had lunch and I got home around the same time Rob did and called it a day.  I worked half days Tuesday and Wednesday and spent every spare minute working on the quilts for the greenhouse, which were finished on time and I believe have kept the greenhouse warm during this hard freeze.  Thursday, we finished our freeze prep and Friday, we went out for a last minute shopping jaunt that we both enjoyed very much.  Saturday we took a quick trip to the grocery and I did as much cooking as I could and yesterday, we had a nice relaxed day.  

It started with pull-apart, or monkey, or bubble bread, depending on where you are.  

And, then lunch

And, cake.  

And, that's why we needed naps.  I was blessed by the cooking gods and everything came out right, nothing burned, nothing under done, and most important, it all came out of the oven at the right time.  Relatively speaking.  Because lunch was an hour late.  But, they should be used to that as it happens almost every big meal.  

Unfortunately, the cake (4 layers of orange sponge with an orange curd filling and slightly orange flavored American buttercream frosting) was dry.  As Rob said, it wouldn't get me sent home, but I wouldn't be star baker.  Still a lot to learn about baking.  Every year I set a bigger challenge for the Christmas cake and see how close I can get to it.  I'm pretty happy with what I'm learning about frosting, but have to get back to the basics of baking a moist cake.  

This is what the greenhouses look like with their covers on.  The small one on the left is completely enclosed in four basted quilts made from old fabrics and batting scraps.  There was not time to get them quilted before this freeze, but I'll be doing that and will hopefully have them finished for the next hard freeze.  I believe they worked but I'll be opening it up today to make sure.  

I'm only working two half days this week.  The rest of the time will be spent relaxing, enjoying myself, and eating leftovers.  Sydney brought back the shirt I made her not long ago.  The cuffs are too tight, so I'll replace them.  I bought an online shirt making class a couple weeks ago and it will give me a chance to watch it with a shirt in my hands.  Or maybe I'll cut a new one out.  Or maybe I'll just sit on my behind and knit the week away.  Rob gave me some new wool yarn for Christmas that's itching to be a hat and scarf.  

I hope that your Christmas was happy and relaxing and that your food was good and you were surrounded by laughter and fun.  And, I hope you're getting some time to feel peaceful and relaxed now it's over.  In a week, it will be a new year and we will see what challenges and joys it brings.  

Be happy.  Lane