Christmas 2012 {Distance,Police Stand Off, & Death}

Christmas this year was bitter sweet...

Well i guess i should say VERY sweet, but a little bitter.

Christmas was just so much fun. Braylee was ALL into writing a list for Santa, and staying on the nice list, and was just so much more into it. Of course it was our first Christmas with the new little man also! It was seriously perfect have our complete little family of 4.

But it was our first year without my baby brother. We got to face time him which was nice.. but it made me miss him a lot. He hasnt even met Baiden in person yet. Then later that day there was a police stand off with one of the neighbors. My heart was sad for that family that day.

And then around noon... my sweet Grandma passed away :( Guess Grandpa didnt wasnt to spend his first Christmas in heaven without her. They are now reunited with their 2 twin baby boys who were only on this earth one day. She is in a better place.. but still sad to see her go.

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Ok. So lets get into detail of our Christmas.

So its tradition, that the Sunday before Christmas, we go to church with my mom, and have a nice Christmas dinner. I love all the traditions my mom has :)

Then on Christmas eve, all the kids (my siblings and i) spend the night at my mom's house to wait for Santa to arrive! I seriously love is. It brings back memories of being a little kid. Making my little sister sleep in my bed and stay awake talking about Santa coming and being so so excited!

 Santa always makes it over on Christmas eve to bring the kids some oranges and get any last requests in ;)

The kids get so excited and this was the first year Bray was ALL into it!

 Cookies for Santa

 First year i remembered our stockings and actually got stalking stuffers haha

 My mom getting our Christmas breakfast started the night before! She is so amazing!

 SANTA CAME!!

 Face timing with my baby brother who is in Georgia serving an LDS mission. 

We sure miss him. This was our first Christmas without him :(

 We had a white Christmas!!

 All the cousins :)

Oh just a police stand off across the street..... :/

I was scared lol

 Dont know what happened but it took a while to get the guy to come out. I guess he was someone from my mom's church. The wife and kids werent home thank goodness. On Christmas? So sad.

Then later that week, we did Christmas with Jeff's family!

Lindsey: {Recipe} Holiday Cherry Apple Pie

Hey everyone! I am Lindsey from Lindseys and Wildflowers and I am so happy to be guest posting for Christa as I read her blog every day!
I thought I would share my recipe for me all-time favorite pie, Cherry Apple!
I make this pie for Thanksgiving and Christmas every year. It is always a big hit!

Cherry Apple Pie (makes 1 pie)
INGREDIENTS – CRUST (need to make 2)
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
3/4 cup cold Crisco
8-10 tablespoons ice cold water
INGREDIENTS – FILLING
1 can cherry pie filling (I prefer the double fruit kind)
3-4 granny smith apples
1/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon cinnamon
DIRECTIONS – CRUST

1. Combine the flour, sugar and cinnamon in a medium bowl.
2. Cut in the Crisco until it forms pea-sized crumbles.
   
3. Add water, starting with 5 tablespoons and mix with your hands. Keep adding water tablespoon by tablespoon until it forms into a ball.
   
4. Wrap in plastic wrap and pat into a disk shape. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
   
5. Repeat to make one more dough.
6. Roll out the dough until it is large enough for the pie tin. Using a knife cut the extra crust off.
   
7. With the second dough, roll out and cut into strips for the lattice crust.

DIRECTIONS – FILLING

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Empty the cherry pie filling into a medium-sized bowl.
3. Peel and chopped the apples and put into the bowl.
4. Stir in the sugar and cinnamon.
   
5. Dump into the pie tin.
   
6. Make the lattice topping with strips of pie crust. Dust with more cinnamon sugar.
   
7. Bake for an hour. Cool before serving!

I hope you guys enjoy this recipe! It is such a nice pairing! It actually was a happy accident and now it is my favorite pie!
Lindsey
J Lindsey