Christmas Preparations at the Collins House! And time for Potato Latkes!

Attended Church this morning at Ingleside before heading to Forsyth to help the girls paint dough ornaments!  What fun, and what a great job they are doing.  They have decorated their tree in completely unbreakable items this year, because they have a new little kitten who things Christmas trees are just perfect for climbing! 

Ashlyn did most of the decorating of the tree with little Livie assisting and it looks just great!  Those girls are growing up entirely too fast. 

Melanie had made delicious Chili and cornbread for our lunch and we all enjoyed that as we watched Denise and Aaron hang lights and decorations on the outside of the house.  After Ashlyn had her lunch (and a gingerbread man from granma) she joined in outside decorating...

I felt so sorry for her today, as yesterday evening while they were unloading the ornaments and lights off the pickup truck, she stumbled and fell on her face off the back of the truck!  Thank God she is only scratched and bruised, and has a really, really swollen upper lip.  But nothing is broken and she seems otherwise fine.  She will have to have her teeth x-rayed tomorrow to make sure she didn't do any damage to them.  She has braces on and the orthodontist said it probably was a good thing she had the braces on (other than it cut the dickens out of her lip) because if she had loosened any teeth, the braces would hold them in place.

Daddy Aaron just loves Christmas and enjoys doing all that decorating...Wow.  They really decorate a lot in for the holidays!  Aarons Mom and Dad live right across the street and they have so much out there it looks fabulous.  There is a manger, and toy soldiers and angels, and wreaths and lights galore.  The kids have candy canes and other candy representations at the entrances of their driveway.  They really have gone all out!

It was fun sharing the afternoon with them and really ramped up my sense of Christmas spirit.  Ashlyn gave me an early Christmas present she had just picked out for me while she was at Lowe's.  It was a stuffed dog that looks like Buddy my Boston Terrier, and it sings Jingle Bells!  How cute, and how sweet of her!

Just heard from my youngest son late this afternoon, and I will be flying down to Ft. Lauderdale for a quick pre-Christmas visit this weekend!  Always look forward to that!  I am excited.

Grandson Eric and his Mom, Dad and Brother have been doing the soccer thing all weekend.  Eric was chosen to be a part of the ODP program here in Georgia this year, and so he is going to be REALLY busy with soccer.  We are so proud of him.  He is a great soccer player and we are all hoping that he gets a scholarship to a college he will really love.

Have you finished all your Christmas shopping yet?  I have completed most of mine, and maybe I can finish the rest while I am in Florida!  Santa came early for me and presented me with a new iPhone 4 (my 3G was dying on the vine).  I am looking forward to the Holidays this year.

We have all the kids and grandkids who live locally over on Christmas Eve and attend Christmas Eve Services at Ingleside before coming home and having an appetizer celebration...goodies galore.  Then the kids get to open their Granma and Granpa presents.  They look so forward to this every year.

We have traditional things which must ALWAYS be included in the buffet including mini crab cakes, latkes, baked Brie with honey and pecans as well as other assorted cheeses.  We usually have meatballs, and other assorted goodies, but those first things are a must!

Hope your preparations for the Christmas Season are going well, and that all of you remember to keep Christ in Christmas this year..God Bless.

LATKE RECIPE

Ingredients

• 2 cups peeled and shredded potatoes
• 1 tablespoon grated onion
• 3 eggs, beaten
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 cup peanut oil for frying

Directions

1. Place the potatoes in a cheesecloth and wring, extracting as much moisture as possible.
2. In a medium bowl stir the potatoes, onion, eggs, flour and salt together. 
3.  
4. In a large heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat, heat the oil until hot. Place large spoonfuls of the potato mixture into the hot oil, pressing down on them to form 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick patties. Brown on one side, turn and brown on the other. Let drain on paper towels. 
5. Serve hot!  
6. Serve with applesauce or sour cream (or even Greek yogurt). Delicious!
7. You may make mini patties also if you are serving as an appetizer