Merry Christmas ...

Wow, it's been a while. Since Thanksgiving, we have been passing around a bug. It affected the baby first, and had a second go-round with her this week. She vomitted up the same ingredients I watched being pumped out of her four different times in the NICU. But the ER doctors were not concerned. They checked her for dehydration, checked her belly, and determined it was just a virus. All these months of holding my breath, waiting for the proverbial "other shoe" to drop ... I guess you never really know how much stress you are under until some relatively minor event just sends you over the edge. Emma scared me ... really scared me. I am still not convinced the vomit was "normal" - coffee grind vomit is technically indicative of something amiss. But, for now, the incident just has to be filed in my Mommy-needs-to-remember-this file in my head.

We are pretty much hunkered down for the winter. I bought a Leslie Sansone Walk it Home video, and the kids and I work out to it a couple of times a week. You can choose to do 1-5 miles. I am surprised how well they do with it. It definitely helps when we can't get out for even a bit of a walk around the neighborhood.

So that is the update for my many, many, loyal blog-readers. (Hi, Jim!) I will leave you with this recipe for Christmas that I am thinking of trying. I found it on the WTM web-site - don't know the author, but thanks to whomever. Hope you enjoy.


Christmas Rum Cake

1 Tsp. Sugar
1 or 2 Quarts of Rum
1 Cup Dried Fruit
Brown Sugar
1 Tsp. Soda
1 Cup Butter
2 Large Eggs
1 Cup Baking Powder
3 Juiced Lemons
1 Cup of Nuts

Before starting, sample rum to check quality. Good, isn't it? Now proceed. Select large mixing bowl, measuring cup, etc.

Check rum again. It must be just right. To be sure rum is of proper quality, pour one level cup of rum into a glass and drink it as fast as you can.

Repeat.

With electric mixer, beat 1 cup of butter in a large fluffy bowl.

Add 1 seaspoon of thusar and beat again.

Meanwhile, make sure rum is still alrighty. Try another cup. Open second quart if necessary.

Add leggs, 2 cups of fried druit and beat til high. If druit gets stuck in beaters, pry loose with drewscriber.

Sample rum again, checking for tonscisticity. Next, sift 3 cups pepper or salt (really doesn't matter).

Sample rum. Sift 1/2 pint lemon juice. Fold in chopped butter and strained nuts.

Add 1 bablespoon of brown sugar-or whatever color you can find.

Wix mell.

Grease oven.

Turn cake pan to 350 gredees. Pour mess into boven and ake. Check run again and bo to ged.

..ADN HALPIE HOLIGLAZE TWO YA'ALL!