WHAT A DAY! Happy familys! (Grandma and Grandpa's gang)

Holiday decorations
----------------Matthew opening gift

Wendy and Amber at snack bar

Even Bunny got a new dog toy!

Matthew got a new TV!

Amber wanted a portable DVD Player

-------------------------------Darin got a TV and RC Helicopter

Sarah wanted Cash for a shopping spree!

Amber wanted the rest of her cash for a shopping spree.

Darin's excited opening his envelope.

Me- Looking at my present

My present - a necklace with Darin and Amber engraved on it!

How Beautiful!!!

Barlow's Present- Dog Tag Necklace -with Darin and Amber's picture engraved on it!!

My cousin Steve with Amber and Sarah behind him.

My Aunt Sally and Uncle Ed

Wendy, Mark, and Matthew and Sarah - family portrait












My little white tree.

My hubby- Barlow in Family room

Frank at the Buffet counter










Caroline, Frank, with Darin and Amber- Family portrait

Everyone ate their fill, munched on Pies and cakes, were thrilled with their presents. Wendy got me a beautiful shirt, pants and gloves, as well as a box of candy! We're spoiled that way. I also received a wonderful large picture frame with lots of windows to put our family pictures behind. Darin and Amber went together and bought Grandpa and Grandma a gift certificate for a dinner out at Ponderosa Steak House Resteraunt!

Well on now to the New Year. Hope this new one is just as wonderful or better than 2007!

Hope you enjoyed a little glimpse of our festivities....

I Found one Charnina Recipe! (for those that are searching)

DUCK BLOOD SOUP(czarnina)

Collect the blood of a freshly killed duck or goose and stir in 1/4 cup 6% vinegar. Seal and refrigerate until ready to use.In pot combine duck or goose wings, neck, rump, heart, and gizzard with 8 cups cold water. Bring to boil, skimming off scum until no more forms, reduce heat and simmer 1 hr. Add several peppercorns, cloves, and allspice grains and 1/2 to 1 bay leaf plus the standard portion of soup greens and simmer another 1-1 1/2 hours or until meat easily comes away from bone.
Dice giblets, remove meat from bones, dice, and return to strained stock. The soup vegetables may be diced and returned to pot or used in another dish according to preference. Add about 2 cups dried fruit: prunes, apples, pears, raisins, and simmer another 15-20 minutes. Fork-blend 2-3 Tablespoons flour with blood & vinegar mixture, add about 1/2 cup stock 1 Tablespoon at a time, stirring constantly, then return to pot. Season with salt, pepper, a pinch or 2 ground juniper berries (optional), sugar, and a bit more vinegar if needed to get a sweet, sour, winey flavor with subtly spicy undertones. Simmer gently several minutes and serve with egg noodles, noodle squares, grated-potato dumplings or cooked, diced potatoes.


Source(s):
www.outernetweb.com/recipes/grandma/soup...

It's Beginning to look a Lot Like Christmas!

Well I'm almost done with the Christmas shopping and have most of the food exept the last minute things like pies and breads. The kids are all looking forward to Santa, and our Papa Clause.( Grandpa) With the kids getting bigger, its been hard to pick out things for the kids for Christmas, so we offer either cash, (for a shopping spree) or the equivalent value in a Special wish for a gift. The boys, Darin and Matthew both asked for a flat screen television for their rooms and remote controled mini helicopter. Amber has wished for a portable DVD player, and the rest of her money to go on a spree. Sarah is wanting just the money so she can shop till she drops! Ha ha! At least they all get their wishes.
Our Christmas dinner always consists of our family's favorite, which is my Polish Galumpky ( stuffed cabbage rolls), but we'll also have sliced ham, Italian sausage, and Kielbasa. We also make boiled potatoes, and corn. I'm going to make some home-made cookies, and we'll have pies and cakes. (for Thanksgiving I bought one banana cream pie, and I did'nt even get one piece, so I think two will be the order of the day for this holiday! LOL!)

Looking forward to the great day ahead. Hoping yours will be just as great as ours will be too! What special holiday feasts are you all preparing for the special day? Is there a special item that the family always request from you?

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A lot of people have been scanning the site meter of my blog in search of a recipe for Charnina soup. A dish, which is a Polish (i think) dish made from the blood of a duck with sweet plums or raisins in it. I know my Grandma used to make it, but I never got the recipe. (My mouth still waters for her soup with the home made noodles) Has anyone out there got one for me? I dont even know if it's possible to get the blood anymore. Sounds grousom, but it really was great the way my Grandma used to make it.