You Like A Challenge

Famous words from the mouth of my mother-in-law, "you like a challenge." Life is nothing but a continuous challenge, at least it is for me. I have had many days similar but not quite like this one. Christmas Eve parties are always here at our house and I have always had the pleasure of making everyones favorites. The list is growing with requests.

So this is how it went today. It started with oatmeal squares with strawberry filling. Followed by three pies with homemade shells, a "sugar free"pumpkin for my mother-in-law, meat pie and salmon pie for the buffet. Contending with wheat, peanut and pork product allergies, many items had to be duplicated, like the chocolate chip cookies one gluten free and one peanut free. Next, the sugar cookie cut-outs with colored sprinkles, peanut free. And, chocolate cup cakes, peanut free, which will be frosted tomorrow with white icing and colored sprinkles.

The yellow cup cakes, are gluten free. Unfortunately, with rice flour, the batter which is filled up to the top, shrinks half-way down when cooled. Tomorrow, I will have to filled them with pudding or a cheesecake filling with cherries.

I usually go with products that have been tried before, especially when the package does not specifically spell out "peanut free manufacturing facility."

Tomorrow, I will bake corn bread, and make several dips, and fillings for the stuffed sandwiches. Deviled eggs with ham are a must for one of my sons who also looks for his shrimp dip each year. The other likes tuna and egg salad sandwiches. My husband loves roast beef. Luckily, my daughter-in-law just came across Kielbasa made without pork casings, which will be a welcomed addition, along with the cheese platter and shrimp with cocktail sauce.

Eggplant Lasagna with meatballs and sauce is my favorite, with tossed salad. This year the seafood chowder will wait for another evening.

I can't even imagine how I'll manage to do all that needs to be done and still watch Nathan, yet there is no question that I will accomplish it.

Gifts are all wrapped, decorations are all up, even the house village, complete with the park and winter scenes. I wonder what Santa will bring for Christmas? Nate says he's been a good boy. He'll get the chocolate cup cakes that he wanted and the big chocolate cookies, grandma made sure of that.

I don't know who's more excited about Christmas this year, him or Grampy. Liturgy at our church is at five. Other guests will come following their seven O'clock service. As we all picked a name in November, everyone will have a gift to open. There are little surprises and sometimes joke gifts. We always have a good time, which begins with a toast. We say three times, "Christ is born", to which all reply "Glorify Him!"