Happy New Year's Eve!

Everyone's celebrating today! I remember the days of the New Year's Eve Slumber Parties...

Happy Birthday, Popops!

Let's all celebrate Popops' birthday today!

New Year... New Look??

Can't decide if I like this new layout or not... leave comments!

Just something to think about...

"I do think New Year's resolutions can't technically be expected to begin on New Year's Day, don't you? Since, because it's an extension of New Year's Eve, smokers are already on a smoking roll and cannot be expected to stop abruptly on the stroke of midnight with so much nicotine in the system. Also dieting on New Year's Day isn't a good idea as you can't eat rationally but really need to be free to consume whatever is necessary, moment by moment, in order to ease your hangover. I think it would be much more sensible if resolutions began generally on January the second."

~Helen Fielding, Bridget Jones's Diary

2007 Year in Review

I thought I'd post some pictures of the year of various moments. We could do an actual WORLD year in review, but as this is the FAMILY website, this made more sense!


January ~ Carol, James and the boys welcome Holli! (Actually that was in December, but this is when we met her!


February ~ Lindsay and I experience Mardi Gras in New Orleans.


June ~ Jordan graduates from Pace University!


July ~ I attend the Shakespeare Institute - the best week ever!


July ~ Thomas and Robert spend a few days with me and we explore the city.


October ~ We all celebrate Emily's Sweet 16!


November ~ I visit the FIRM and bodyFit studios in Columbia, South Carolina!


November ~ Thanksgiving Upstate!


December ~ Jordan's unfortunate rash, just in time for Fake Christmas


December ~ The Christmas Eve wig fest!

Who knows, maybe we'll have another highlight or two in the three days that are left of the year!

Looking Back... 1995

I love this show (I Love the 90's), and am trying to find some of my favorite segments on youtube. I tend to find that they believe almost the exact same things I did - or do now - about the things they criticize.

This is their segement on Party of Five, something else I was seriously into back in high school. I didn't notice then just how depressing the show was!

My Private Journals, Installment # 2

I've been neglecting some of the other features of the blog that I have been putting up lately. I'll bring back Travel Tales soon - I know I didn't finish up the Paris story, and I need to start on the Germany story and all manner of other things as well. However, I completely forgot about my journal posting! Fished out the old journal again.

The entries are still not dated, but they're from before I was in 2nd grade (that's when the soon mentioned Courtney moved). My favorite adjective is still 'fun' at this point (or derivitives of it - funny, funniest, funner..),

Now without further ado, the next few entries:

Entry # 4 (we left off at # 3 last time):
I went to Courtney's house. I had fun much fun. Courtney is fun to play with. We had lots of nice and funny things.

Entry # 5 (remember I kept the original grammar and spelling!):
A few days ago Kevin Grady came over.

We played school house and into the future.

We had fun playing tose games.

When it was time for Kevin to go hI didn't want him to because I would have nobody to play with.

***

Entry # 6 ~ July 6 (Aha! A date, but no year... the top of the page says 2-216, which probably means I was going into 2nd grade cause that was my class):
Today I will go to my moms ofice.

Then we'll go shoping.

I'll go my grandma's house we'll finger paint.

***

Entry # 7 ~ July 14 (Note: buck=bunk; gibil=girbil)
Last night Kate slep over and we had lots of fun.

We have buck beds.

We put tubes in the gibel cage.

Mommy told us that the gibils would cher up all of the 4 or 3 tubes.

***

Entry # 8 ~ July 15
Today I will go to my freind Amanda's house.

We will have fun.

Will have a lot of fun fun fun fun fun.

I might see bambi today.

Bambi will be nice and funny and [word is missing, ink got wet] and sad.

***

Me, around the age of this writing (with Kara):


***

I think that's enough to be getting on with for now. Clearly I still didn't have too many problems in the grand scheme of things. My biggest problem seemed to be that things were not fun!

Preparing for the New Year

Start thinking about the things you need to do for next year! It may sound silly, but I DO NOT want to start my new year with a messy kitchen, so I spent some time today cleaning it up. I also put together a food plan so I can stop eating all the junky crap from Christmas and eat healthier stuff again (oh yeah... I also put together an exercise plan that takes me through the first week of February as well)!

In the next three days, I will likely not want to have a messy house in any way shape or form for the New Year (for some reason my head feels much less muddled when the house is clean) and take on many organizing projects. I'd better - because my New Year is filled with extra work!

Featured Book # 1

Since everyone is always asking me what to read, here's a place to put it all. Want to know what should be next on your reading this? I'll ATTEMPT to post one book every Friday but we'll see how that goes.

The final week of the year always gets people thinking about the past and how things can be improved or not, so in keeping with that theme, today's book recommendation is...


In The Lovely Bones, Alice Sebold writes about Susie Salmon, who is raped and killed. Her body is never found. This story is still hers though, as she watches her family from heaven and sees how they develop over the years.

One of my favorite features of this book is how Sebold describes heaven. It's a place you make your own, depending on the things that make you the happiest. So everyone in heaven has their own person view of it (though people can still interact). For example, part of Susie's heaven is the school playground, as it one of the places that made her happy.

Happy Birthday, Dad!

Okay, so I'm actually about an hour and a half early (it's 10:41 and dad's birthday is tomorrow!), but with these kinds of things it's better to be early rather than late and I don't know if I'll have a chance to post anything tomorrow so here goes..

Happy Birthday! To celebrate, our favorite picture!


We're having breakfast tomorrow morning to celebrate!

Unagi... Like Omni, Only Different

Just one of the fantastic concepts from Friends. Try me - it'll apply to something in your life.



By the way... this was post # 200.

Are you gearing up for New Year's Eve yet?

If not, here's some fun to get you ready!

Desserts by Kara and Emily

Kara and Emily's Christmas dessert - an ornament cake!

Picture of the Week

Now that Christmas is over, it's business as usual, but here's one more Christmas-related picture of the week to keep the spirit going!


Lindsay and Ami on Christmas Eve, trying on some wigs!

Photo Gallery Updated!

Photos from last night's Christmas Eve celebration are now on the family website. Click here to view them.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

Though this is actually the LEAST celebrated of all our Christmas celebrations, it's still worth mentioning! We'll all be at Pam's later for - what else?? - more food!

Christmas Desserts, Post # 2

Okay, so this is actually, positively the last post of the day, as I'm going to go watch the deleted scenes on my new Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix DVD, but I wanted to get the pictures up of the other desserts. The first is the snowflake cake and the second is the grand marnier torte.




There will be more photos coming of our Christmas Eve festivities shortly - we have TONS of pictures, mostly due to a late evening surge of energy that involved wigs and hats and crazy family members so I need to weed through them all to get them into the photo gallery. I, of course, will feature some of our best looks with the wigs.

Photo Gallery Updated!

Pictures from the Roberts Family Fake Christmas are now in the photo gallery. Click here to see them.

Christmas Desserts, Post # 1

As a follow up to my planned Christmas desserts, here's a picture of the Chocolate Peppermint Whipped Cream Tart I made for Sunday's Fake Christmas. As I speak, everyone upstairs is enjoying the Snowflake cake and the Grand Marnier Torte, and pictures will be up of those later on or tomorrow.



I took a picture of it on the little cabinet that we had it on all day. I was trying to make it look like an ad or something, but it just wasn't working! (I think it's the thermostat behind it that kills it!)

Merry Christmas Eve!

We expect the second round of celebrations to begin at about 2:00 today. I've already eaten too much chocolate and expect that will not get any better as the day goes on. Today should be just as much fun as yesterday and I'm sure there will be posts aplenty as the day goes on. I have a lot of baking projects to share and a lot of new pictures of the week have cropped up as a result of this holiday!

P.S. Will post pictures of last night (the fabulous snakeboarding was from this morning, though it was a result of Jack's gift from yesterday).

Learning to Snakeboard!

Yeah... I figured it out eventually, but this was a SCARY toy! Thankfully I had Jack, the awesome teacher!

Happy Fake Christmas!

Or I guess I could say Happy Christmas Eve Eve or something like that. The festivities begin in just a little while, when I haul all my presents and desserts to Willa's house. Full report on the day - hopefully with pictures - will come this afternoon!

A Day of Baking

Well, it took pretty much all day, but I've finally finished the baking for the holidays! I made the cakes mentioned in my post a few days ago. Tomorrow's guests will be enjoying the Chocolate Peppermint Whipped Cream Tart and Grandma's Cheesecake (though now that I write this, I realize I still have to do the glaze for that!).

Monday's guests will have the Frozen Grand Marnier Torte with Dark Chocolate Crust and Spiced Cranberries as well as what I'm calling a "Snowflake Cake" (pictures to come once it's made!).

I'm looking forward to all the treats!

Happy Birthday, Kathi!

Let's celebrate!



Kathi (with dad), Thanksgiving 2004.

The Yule Log

A Christmas tradition. In fact, one of the most ridiculous ones to me! Watching a fireplace burn on TV all day - can you just feel the warmth?? But I do like that they play carols over it!



Big day of baking ahead of me for the Christmas celebrations... just as soon as I drag myself to the store to buy more eggs (we ran through them really quickly making cookies on Thursday). Then tomorrow Fake Christmas begins - which reminds me that I need to finish wrapping gifts!

Holiday Clip of the Day

This isn't a movie so I didn't label it as such. It's a clip from an episode of friends. When Ross dresses up as - what else? - the Holiday Armadillo! I really wish I could find the whole scene.

Newly Discovered Talent

Making cards! Well... technically it's not all that new as I can scrapbook, but it's something I haven't tried and I'm really pleased with the results. This one is a card for a friend from work - all in all I probably spent less than $1.00 on it when you really break down the cost.

Looks like another service that Pig & Pepper can offer someday!

Picture of the Week

I found a picture from my first Christmas! I was nine months old. Here I am with Popops, opening up a present. (At least I assume this is Christmas and not my first birthday - I do look really little, and the red clothes kinda give it away.)

Recipes: Christmas Desserts

The following are in my plans for Christmas desserts. The first is a Chocolate Peppermint Whipped Cream Tart (which will be made, along with Grandma's Famous Cheesecake recipe) for Fake Christmas on Sunday. The second is called Frozen Grand Marnier Torte with Cranberries and it is intended for Christmas Eve with mom's family on Monday. What will the Christmas dessert be? Who knows. I'm thinking a snowflake cake - basically my standard-issue chocolate cake recipe with a ice blue fondant on the top with snowflakes. We'll see how ambitious I am on Saturday when I do all the baking!

Both recipes from epicurious.com (my new favorite website!).

DARK CHOCOLATE AND PEPPERMINT WHIPPED CREAM TART



Crust
1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1/3 cup powdered sugar
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
10 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) chilled unsalted butter, diced
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 1/2 teaspoons cold whole milk

Filling
1 1/4 cups whipping cream
1/4 cup light corn syrup
12 ounces bittersweet (not unsweetened) or semisweet chocolate, chopped
1 ounce unsweetened chocolate, chopped
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon coarsely crushed red–and–white–striped hard peppermint candies

Topping
3 1/2 cups chilled whipping cream
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1 3/4 teaspoons peppermint extract
PreparationFor crust:Blend first 4 ingredients in processor. Add butter and vanilla; cut in using on/off turns until butter forms pea–size pieces. Add milk and blend in using on/off turns until mixture forms small moist clumps. Gather dough into ball; flatten into disk. Wrap dough in plastic; chill 1 hour.

Roll dough out between sheets of floured parchment to 12–inch round. Press dough onto bottom and up sides of 10–inch–diameter tart pan with removable bottom. Fold dough edges over and press to form thick sides. Using thumb, press dough around sides to extend crust 1/8 inch above edge of pan. Freeze 20 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake crust until brown, piercing bubbles with fork, about 30 minutes. Transfer to rack; cool.

For filling: Bring cream and corn syrup to simmer in medium saucepan; remove from heat. Add all chocolate; whisk until smooth. Cool 30 minutes. Pour filling into crust. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup candy. Chill until set, about 3 hours. Do ahead Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and keep refrigerated.

For topping: Using electric mixer, beat all ingredients in large bowl to stiff peaks. Spread 2 cups whipped cream over filling, mounding slightly in center. Spoon remaining whipped cream into 1 bottom corner of large resealable plastic bag. Twist at top; grasp top firmly. Using scissors, cut 3/4 inch off filled corner to form opening; turn bag so that 1 seam faces up. Pipe 2–inch–long ovals of whipped cream side by side around edge of tart. Pipe more ovals to form second ring inside first, then pipe ovals in center. Chill at least 30 minutes and up to 3 hours. Remove tart from pan; place on platter. Sprinkle top of tart with remaining 1 tablespoon crushed peppermint candies and serve.

*****

FROZEN GRAND MARNIER TORTE WITH DARK CHOCOLATE CRUST AND SPICED CRANBERRIES



Crust
1 9–ounce package chocolate wafer cookies
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
3 tablespoons sugar
7 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Filling
8 large egg yolks
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground allspice

2 cups chilled heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup chilled sour cream
5 tablespoons Grand Marnier or other orange liqueur
3 tablespoons frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed
1 tablespoon grated orange peel

Topping
1/2 cup ruby Port
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup honey
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
5 cups fresh cranberries or frozen, partially thawed, divided

White chocolate curls (optional) PreparationFor crust: Finely grind cookies, chips, and sugar in processor. Add melted butter; blend until wet crumbs form. Set aside 1/2 cup crumb mixture. Press remaining crumb mixture onto bottom and 2 inches up sides of 9–inch–diameter springform pan with 2 3/4–inch–high sides.

For filling: Whisk first 3 ingredients in medium metal bowl. Set over saucepan of simmering water and whisk vigorously until candy thermometer registers 175°F, about 8 minutes. Remove bowl from over water. Add spices. Using mixer, beat until thick and cool, about 5 minutes.

Using electric mixer, beat whipping cream, sour cream, Grand Marnier, orange juice concentrate, and grated orange peel in large bowl until peaks form. Add egg yolk mixture and fold together. Pour 2/3 of filling into crust. Sprinkle with reserved 1/2 cup crumb mixture. Gently spoon remaining filling over. Cover; freeze overnight or up to 3 days.

For topping: Whisk Port and cornstarch in large skillet to blend. Add sugar, honey, and spices. Bring mixture to boil over high heat, stirring often. Add 3 cups cranberries; cook until mixture boils and cranberries begin to pop but still hold shape, about 5 minutes. Mix in remaining 2 cups cranberries. Chill topping at least 6 hours or overnight.

Release pan sides from torte. Transfer torte to platter. Spoon topping over filling. If desired, garnish torte with white chocolate curls.

Featured Christmas Movie # 8

Muppets Christmas Carol!

Ultimate Christmas Video

Found this on youtube today. It's all the Christmas movies in one special tribute, I guess. Must admit that I don't know what all of them are, but I like the video anyway, and since we're only 6 days away from Fake Christmas on Sunday, it's time to REALLY celebrate! (Before you know it, I'll be complaining that Christmas is over!)

Christmas Cookie Recipe

Found this on msn.com today. Looks like a great idea for Christmas treats this year. I'll definitly be trying this recipe out this week to take to work or something. I'm really looking forward to decorating.

Click here to see it. Here's the cookie recipe (again, credit goes to msn.com):

This versatile, lightly spiced sugar cookie dough can be colored, cut, shaped, and layered into myriad forms.


INGREDIENTS
2 cup(s) (4 sticks) butter, softened
1 1/2 cup(s) sugar
2 eggs
3 egg yolks
2 teaspoon(s) vanilla extract
5 cup(s) flour
1 teaspoon(s) salt
1 1/4 teaspoon(s) ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon(s) ground allspice

DIRECTIONS

Beat the butter, using a mixer on medium-high speed. Beat in the sugar, eggs, yolks, and vanilla. Reduce mixer speed to medium-low and beat in the remaining ingredients. If tinting dough, add food coloring.

For chocolate dough, reduce flour to 4 1/2 cups and add 2/3 cup cocoa. For hand-formed cookies, transfer to an airtight container. For rolled and cut cookies, divide dough in half, form into 1-inch-thick slabs, and cover tightly with plastic wrap. For sliced cookies, use parchment paper to roll dough into logs.

Chill dough at least 2 hours. And chill formed cookies 20 minutes before baking at 350 degrees F on parchment-lined baking pans 10 to 15 minutes, depending on cookie size. For tinted-dough cookies, reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees F and bake 12 to 18 minutes.

TIPS & TECHNIQUES

Royal icing can be used to pipe outlines and to adhere sugar and nonpareils. To make, blend 2 cups confectioners' sugar, 2 tablespoons meringue powder, and 3 tablespoons water using a mixer set on low speed for 12 minutes. Store in an airtight container; press plastic wrap directly onto the icing to prevent a crust from forming.

Christmas Quiz of the Day

You Are the Furthest Thing From Grinch

You love and live for the holidays. You even love the Grinch! You're in the holiday spirit year round... because you're all about celebrating and giving.

Are You a Grinch?

Yeah, that's pretty much true!

Happy Birthday, Kara!

Today Kara celebrates turned two decades old! Happy 20th Birthday!


Kara, in her early days.


Kara, at about six or seven (that's my best guess anyway!).


Kara with Lindsay and Jack, at almost 16.


Most recently at Emily's Sweet 16 party in October, practicing her nursing skills with the new stethescope from Popops (which I still need to give back cause I borrowed it for Halloween...)

Featured Christmas Movie # 7

Home Alone!

New Haircut

As is tradition, got a new haircut on the same day as the work holiday party. It's pretty much the same, just a little shorter.



With Celeste and Claire at the work holiday party.

More Elfin Fun!

Elfyourself.com is WAY too addicting. I keep making them using various family members. For some surprises, click here and here.

Christmas Quiz of the Day

You Are a Gingerbread House

A little spicy and a little sweet, anyone would like to be lost in the woods with you.

What Holiday Food Are You?

Enjoyable Quiz

In my quest to find out every movie personality I may have, here's another:



Which Princess Bride Character are You?
this quiz was made by mysti

Picture of the Week

Christmas 2005, Kara decided to "try on" Emily's hair. It was... well, words can't really describe...



Only a week and a half to go until this year's Fake Christmas festivities begin!

This is SO not Christmas related but who cares!

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince previews! Doesn't come out until NEXT November! This one features a short preview of the Harry/Ginny situation and delves into the Ron/Hermione, which apparantly has not been filmed yet.



This one has more about Quidditch:



This one shows Tom Riddle's orphanage:

Featured Christmas Movie # 6

Mickey's Christmas Carol!

Christmas Quiz of the Day

Been neglecting things around here for the Christmas Celebration, as I was sick the last couple days and then the work holiday party, but we're back in business and as I have nothing much to do today I'm sure I'll have ridiculous things to post all day!

Your Christmas Stocking Will Be Filled With a Stuffed Animal

Either Santa got your Christmas wish many years late... Or he secretly thinks you're a bit immature!

What Will Be In Your Christmas Stocking?

Well, I AM a little immature... though I think naive is the better word for me.

Picture of the Week

This is Chenelle, Dougie and Marie's Persian cat. She's actually completely shaved, because her hair got really unruly - and she was pretty funny looking. This is back in 2004, when we visited for Grammy Russell's 100th Birthday. Though she looked totally angry in this picture, she was actually purring in Lindsay's lap.

Featured Christmas Movie # 5

It's a theme day! As my Christmas is most like this movie - "National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation - I thought I would post the clip today as well.

Christmas Quiz of the Day

Your Christmas is Most Like: National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation

Christmas is a big, boisterous event at your place. And no matter what, something hilarious usually happens.

What Movie Is Your Christmas Most Like?

Featured Christmas Movie # 4

The classic - "How the Grinch Stole Christmas!"

Christmas Quiz of the Day!

Just thought I'd mention that it snowed last night - and is still snowing a little bit! Unfortunately, work won't be cancelled... Oh, well! It's still a sure sign of winter - and Christmas! Maybe - just maybe - we'll have a white Christmas this year.

You Are a Minimal Christmas Tree

You're not a total Scrooge, but you feel no need to go overboard at Christmas. Less is more, and your Christmas reflects refined quality.

What Christmas Tree Are You?

I just have to add that clearly that's not true... if this blog isn't going overboard for Christmas than I don't know what is! Though I do tend to like minimal when it comes to decorations - I don't like the house looking tacky!

For Good

Found the clip! (Seriously though, since when was it okay to film musicals using your cell phone?!)

Thirty-One Days Left of 2007...

There's only 31 days left of 2007 so it's time to start thinking about the best and worst parts of the last year. I know I have quite a few in mind. What's on your list?