friends, food, and fhe
We have some dear friends, the Lamoreaux family, who invited us over for a night of festivity. They prepared a full-course Christmas dinner with turkey, ham, mashed potatoes, stuffing, cabbage salad, green beans, cranberry relish, carrots, rolls, pumpkin pie, and Jace’s signature dish, pecan pie. All homemade with healthy ingredients (except the pecan pie) and all delicious. I must get her recipe for cranberry relish…it was the most fantabulous cranberry dish I have ever had. I wish I had remembered to take a picture of the amazing spread they must have worked all day long preparing, but I was so overwhelmed with the scrumptiousness of it all, I just enjoyed it. There is no way in a million years I could prepare a meal like that!
They wanted us to come and share an evening of food and fun with them and all they asked us to do was share our nightly Christmas devotional with them. Easy-peasy! We shared a story of Jesus, sang Christmas songs, and then I read everyone Grandfather’s Christmas Tree and A Christmas Dress For Ellen, two of our most favorite Christmas books. After story time, we handed out papers, colored pencils, and markers, and everyone drew a picture for or wrote a letter to someone they love.
Fisher’s dreams came true when the boys finished up quickly and started playing football. He doesn’t get nearly enough roughhousing in our house full of girls and he loves going and playing with the Lamoreaux boys…they have four and their dad is quite a boy too, so that makes five playmates for our little guy who wishes he had a house full of brothers. The girls went to their secret hiding places and talked and talked AND talked. They hid so well that Annesley couldn’t find them and she eventually gave up and joined in the football game.
Most plays ended up in a wrestling match.
Here are seven of their nine children (Taycie Grace and Abigail were already in bed by the time I remembered to take a picture of everyone) and our four all piled on top of each other. Pretty cute bunch of kids, eh?
We are so grateful to have such a wonderful family as our good friends. We share children, books, and food quite frequently and they have saved my behind more times than I can count. Thank you, Lam Family, for being stalwart disciples of Christ, joyful sojourners on earth, examples of truth, and dear friends to each of us. You are all GEMS!
I'm Tracy, a mama with big dreams, crazy ideas, loads of laughter, an insatiable desire to learn, and enormous piles of laundry.
Oh, Tracy, you are so sweet! You made my day. We so enjoyed having your family over! I am thankful for your patience – you’ve had lots of my meals that haven’t turned out so well. I think we are indebted to you forever for all the ways you have helped us and enriched our lives!
Here’s the recipe for fresh cranberry relish –
1 bag cranberries, washed (I sort them one by one & remove any that are squishy)
1 whole orange (peel left on), washed and quartered.
Honey to taste (maybe 1/2 c ?)
Grind up the cranberries & orange using a food processor or (preferably) a meat grinder. You want this to be about the consistency of pickle relish. Add the honey (or sugar).
Cranberry relish is best after it has been in the fridge for 3 or more days. I usually add the honey when I first make it, and then when ready to serve, I taste it again & add a little more honey to taste. This is so yummy on turkey, you’ll never want canned cranberry sauce again!