Sunday, December 25, 2011

Christmas on Call


Merry Christmas from Charleston!

For the second year in a row, John was on call over Christmas (of all the luck!), so our Christmas celebrations were a little different this year. Since John has to work through Monday, we're going home to Oklahoma after Christmas instead of on Christmas. So we got to spend Christmas Eve and Christmas morning in our own home in our new town.

While I baked, ran errands and relaxed at home on Christmas Eve, John was at the hospital until about 5:30 pm.

Working hard on Christmas Eve

When John got home, we cooked a special Christmas Eve dinner together while listening to Christmas music, my favorite!

Glad I got to spend at least some time with my love on Christmas.

John stayed toasty by the Yule Log. We actually do have a fireplace, but it is way too warm here to fire it up. It was in the high 60s today! Earlier this week, I had the AC on!


The Christmas Eve Meal: Steak, twice-baked potatoes, my homemade cornbread and peas! It may not be traditional, but it was yummy!


And we ate it on the coffee table in the living room while watching our favorite Christmas movies. Mine: "The Santa Clause", John's: "A Christmas Story."

Unfortunately we didn't get to go to Christmas Eve service because John could get paged at any time. So the rest of the evening looked like this:

John checking up on his patients

But everything else at our home was ready for Christmas, including me!

Our beautiful Christmas tree

The new Charleston ornament I picked out. It has all the Charleston landmarks on it.

The Charleston ornament John picked out: a blue crab!

After our movies, we settled down for a long winter's nap. And luckily, not a creature was stirring....

Not even a pager. Thankful for a silent night!

John left for the hospital at 6:30 am on Christmas morning, so we woke up at 5:30 to do our Christmas time before he left.


First up: stockings! And no, there's not three people living here. John just got me so much good stuff for my stocking, he needed two socks to hold it all. Love him!


John loved the mustache clips in his stocking. No, not clips you put in your mustache. Paper clips in the shape of mustaches.


We had our traditional monkey bread for breakfast (yum!) and John read the Christmas story from the Bible before we opened gifts.

Actually, there weren't many gifts to open this year. We decided to buy a new coffee table as our Christmas gift to each other. But, the table is going to be custom built, so we don't have it yet. Despite the table gift, John got me something else anyway. And since I didn't buy wrapping paper this year (all our gifts are being packed in suitcases and flown to Oklahoma!), he decided to just decorate the box instead of wrap it.

Beautiful!

And inside the box was.....

A foam Schooner hat! Just what I've been saying I wanted all football season long! I knew Santa was a Sooner! I can't wait to bust this baby out at a game :)

And that's it folks! John's at work, I'm cuddled up on the couch and tonight we're going to a friend's house for Christmas dinner. I hope you are spending the holiday with those you love and that you have a very Merry Christmas!

Thursday, December 22, 2011

Cookies for Santa

It's that time of year again! Time for Christmas baking! I love getting elbow deep in flour and making Christmas cookies. The problem is, if I'm only baking for two people, even one batch is way too many. So this year, my friend Connie and I collaborated to do all our Christmas baking in one fun-filled afternoon and then give all (or most of) the goods away to everyone we know.

Last Sunday, Connie came over, we turned up the Christmas music in the kitchen and we baked and decorated for about 5 hours. We made four recipes that produced 120+ cookies all together! It was marvelous!

First up, the classic iced sugar cookie....

Bow chick bow wow. Yes, Mrs. Gingerbread woman is wearing a bikini top.
And yes, she may be a little lopsided.

Frosted sugar cookies are my favorite Christmas cookies. These are what we always made when I was growing up, so it's not really Christmas for me until I have a few of these babies. This year, I took the easy route and used Betty Crocker's sugar cookie mix. Much less mess and just as good!

I did make my own icing though, so I get credit for that. I used this recipe that was posted on my friend Erin's blog, which originally came from the decorated cookie blog.

Sugar Cookie Icing

"Note: This frosting is similar to royal icing, but I add shortening and flavoring to make it taste delicious. Thus, it dries hard enough to handle and pack when left overnight, but not rock hard, like traditional royal icing. The consistency is NOT the runny kind used for flooding. It's stiffer. Take a spoonful, turn it over the bowl. The frosting should cling to the spoon and slowly fall into the bowl. That's the
right consistency.

4 tblsp meringue powder (available at many supermarkets and in most craft stores)
1/2 cup water
6-7 cups confectioner's sugar (may need more or less, see the consistency advice above)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup Crisco

Whip the meringue powder and water on high speed for a looooong time, several minutes, until it's fluffy and peaks form. Gradually add the rest of the ingredients to desired consistency. Store at room temperature in a sealed container for up to a month."

I used the original recipe for piping around the edges of the cookies, and then made another batch of the icing and watered it down a little for flooding. Be careful not to add too much water though! Just a few teaspoons.

It made quite a mess, but worked pretty good! And the end result is delicious!


Decorating these bad boys took the most time. We baked the cookies first, let them cool while we made the other recipes, and iced them in the end.

Next up were two new cookie recipes for me: Candy Cane Blossoms and Red Velvet Cookies

Do I need to tell you which is which? I think you can figure it out.

I found both of these recipes on Pinterest and will link to the recipe on their original blogs. The Candy Cane Blossoms required making my own colored sugar! Wasn't too hard, but I way overestimated how much I would need. Anyone need a half gallon of red and green sugar?

The Red Velvet Cookies are probably
my favorite! Plus they were the easiest of the bunch! They're made with a box of red velvet cake mix, add a few basic ingredients, add in white chocolate chips, stir and you're done.

Next up was a recipe Connie brought for Snowman Cookie Balls.

Our Snowman Cookie Balls didn't turn out as perfect as the recipe's picture- what whatev. They were still fun to make and they taste delicious! Inside the white chocolate coating is a mixture of ground up Nutter Butters and cream cheese, rolled into balls and frozen. The end result tastes like a peanut butter bonbon. Yum!

After all the baking was done, we split up al the cookies into these fun containers I found at Walmart, for about $3 each.


One set went to my coworker at the magazine, one set went to the family I babysit for, and the two big tins on the bottom went to the MUSC resident office (we sent 80 cookies to them!)

Of course Connie and I kept some for ourselves, too.

Today my coworker returned the favor and gave me this set of traditional Charleston cookies called benne wafers.


The benne wafers have been around in Charleston since colonial times and were brought here from East Africa. The cookies are very crunchy and thin and most of them are delicious-- lemon, chocolate, yum! But a few are a little odd, one is all sesame seed and one is kind of spicy! Either way, it's fun to have some traditional cookies around this Christmas too.

Hope your holidays are as sweet as mine have been so far!

Christmas in Marion Square

I forgot to mention that last weekend, John and I went to the Holiday Farmers Market in Marion Square. Marion Square has an awesome farmer's market every Saturday that we like to go to for the fresh fruits and veggies and the local shopping vendors. I always plan to blog about it, then forget to take pictures. Woops! I can't say I did a whole lot better this time.

The farmer's market was pretty much the same, with a few extra Christmas-themed booths and extended hours. They did have a band playing Christmas music and Marion Square had their Christmas decorations up. It was in the high 60s this day, so it was beautiful weather to hang out in the park.

John eating a crepe from the Charleston Crepe Company! Yum! We got breakfast crepes with eggs and veggies. Definitely worth the 20 minute wait at their little food booth.


Marion Square is also the home of the city of Charleston's Christmas tree, which is not actually a tree, but a light display in the shape of a tree.



I liked these little (real) trees they had along the walkways decorated by different elementary schools. Look, this one's just my size!

Just a beautiful day for relaxing in Charleston!

Monday, December 19, 2011

Lights of the Lowcountry

This weekend we went to check out one of Charleston's biggest holiday traditions: the Holiday Festival of Lights. This drive-through and walk-through light display is put on at the James Island County Park every year, which is right next to our house (you may remember I wrote about it here.)

Growing up in Tulsa, "light display" to me, equals Rhema. If you're not familiar with Rhema Bible College's "Christmas Lights Extravaganza!", check it out here. I've also been to the Festival of Lights in Chickasha (Oklahoma.) So call me a light display connoisseur if you will. And I hate to break it to you OK, but Charleston out did you.

They had a great driving loop of light displays as well as separate walking trails with their own lights. They also had a Santa's Village and Winter Wonderland that included marshmallow-roasting fire pits, hot chocolate, concessions, carousel rides, climbing wall (random?), and some holiday art made by local schools.

John and our friend Branden roasting marshmallows on the outdoor fire pits. This was probably my favorite part! That and the kettle corn!

Since the park makes their own light displays, everything was original and very Charleston-esque. Therefore, I present to you friends back home....

8 Things You Probably Won't See in Your Oklahoma Light Shows...

Ah, rainbow row (Charleston's most photographed spot) all lit up in lights. And headlights.

The Charleston Single House, the classic architecture style most associated with my new city.

Fort Sumter! Look out!

I love me some Palmettos (the tree, not the bug)

Arrrrgh, Matey! Charleston's got some pirate history, so why not include it? This was right up my alley.

A whole section of underwater fun! Because hey, we live next to the ocean! Woohoo!

Santa, in scuba gear, made out of sand....yeah this was a little weird for me, too.

And my favorite display of the whole night...

Live Oak trees with lights as Spanish Moss (sorry it's blurry) So pretty! And a much better use of those icicle lights if you ask me.

Friday, December 9, 2011

Charleston Bucket List


John came back from the pharmacy Mid Year convention in New Orleans this week with...dun dun DUN!.... a list of possible employers for next year. He did some interviews while he was there and is planning on applying for some jobs from Dallas to Denver to West Virginia. No word on any jobs for him in Charleston yet, so it's a strong possibility we will be moving again this summer.

So today I was thinking about how much I love Charleston and how many things I will miss when we don't live here anymore. It also made me think of all the things in Charleston I still have yet to do.

If we only have 6 or 7 more months here, I better get to making some more Charleston memories fast! Therefore I made a Charleston Bucket List. And of course, I made it into an art project because I'm cool like that.

Here it is:

Please excuse the pathetic attempt at drawings. But hey, that sailboat and martini glass didn't turn out too bad!

I'm sure I'll be adding more to the list and updating you with a blog entry when I check one off. Or better yet- out of state family and friends: Come visit me and help me complete a few!

Until then, I hung my new fancy list on the refrigerator so I'll remember to get out there and appreciate beautiful Charleston while I still have it!



Happy weekend everyone!

Monday, December 5, 2011

Boats Before Bedlam

This weekend was one of the best for holiday events in Charleston. There was the lighting of the city Christmas tree, a Christmas parade downtown, the annual Holiday Boat Parade and Katie got almost all of her Christmas shopping done! Wow!

Besides the Christmas shopping (that takes a lot of time, people!) I went to the holiday boat parade. Because after all, they have Christmas trees and regular-ol'-Christmas parades in Oklahoma. But I had never seen a parade of boats decked out in hundreds of twinkling Christmas lights before. Now I have!

John was out of town this weekend, so I had to go to this one solo. There was tons of people packed around the Battery though, so I wasn't lonely. Turns out a big part of the boat parade is waiting for the boats as they make their way through the harbor from Mount Pleasant.

While we waited for the big boats, some lighted row boats and kayaks came through singing Christmas songs and shouting "Merry Christmas" back and forth to the parade watchers on land. Other shouts could also be heard as the tide crashed against the brick retaining wall and drenched those standing at the railing above-- hilarious!

I tried to take some pictures of the boats, but it was pretty dark out there and my camera has a crappy zoom. BUT...I found a YouTube video of the parade with some much better shots. Here it is!


After the parade, I went home to watch a certain football game that I don't want to talk about. Let's just pretend that didn't happen, eh Sooners? At least I live somewhere where there are no OSU fans around to rub it in my face!

Friday, December 2, 2011

Home Sweet 'Homa

John and I were fortunate enough to get to go home to Oklahoma for Thanksgiving this year. Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday, so it meant a lot to me to get to spend it with family. We hadn't been home in sixth months, so this year I was thankful for every minute I got to spend with those I love.

Thanksgiving at my Mom's house.

Making gingerbread houses with the kiddos at the Hursts'. Love those little ones!

John preparing the Thanksgiving meal at his parents' - steaks!

Extra thankful for getting to relive our college days back in Norman at the OU v. Iowa State game. We even abandoned our bought seats to move over to the student section. Still seems more like home over there.

Celebrating another Sooner victory at The Mont.

I'm so thankful for all that God has provided for me and John this year. I remember last year being so worried and scared about what this year would hold. Leaving Birmingham, I had no idea what my life in Charleston would be like. But God has provided a nice home for us, a job for me that I love, perseverance for John as he finishes up his last year of residency, good friends and a wonderful city to explore and make memories in together.

I can't begin to say how thankful I am for His blessings, His faithfulness and His grace. But these lyrics from a song by Annie Johnson Flint do a pretty good job.

"When we have exhausted our store of endurance,
When our strength has failed ere the day is half done,
When we reach the end of our hoarded resources,
Our Father's full giving is only begun.
His love hath no limit,
His grace hath no measure,
His power hath no boundary known unto men.
For out of His infinite riches in Jesus,
He giveth, and giveth, and giveth again."


Happy Thanksgiving everyone! Now bring on Christmas!