Christmas. Day 13

Taking Time to Remember...




I love recalling family memories. Looking at years past and how my family has grown. Thinking of my children and the precious holidays we've already shared together. Wondering what THEIR memories of it all will be. My recollections of my childhood seem to start around when I was 5 or 6..so it's fascinating to think we're forming memories to be looked back on for my kidlets. It makes me want to create a warm, fun environment at home and within our family unit in general, that they will cherish for years to come. I don't want to try so hard creating that atmosphere that it seems forced or stressful OR makes me too busy to enjoy the moments together. But I do want to share some traditions of my childhood and make new ones... it's all those little gestures and efforts that get stored away in our minds, gently made fuzzy with time but hopefully never forgotten.

Yesterday the kids and I had a quiet day together. I was enjoying it, but it increased when each kidlet came to me seperately at some point during the day and told me of their excitement over Christmas. About how much fun they had this week doing this and that. And that they loved days like this. YESSSSSSS!



Yesterday I let them sleep in a bit. It gave me some quiet time to be on my own and just *BE*. I'd had a rough night with little sleep the night before, however I couldn't stay in bed. So I got up, showered & dressed. I sat on the couch for a little while, sipping on coffee and listening to Christmas music. Then I thought of how yummy it would be to have the kids wake up to the smell of something baking. Something straight from the oven into their little tummies. I made some Pumpkin bread loaves and muffins. And perfectly on cue, they came stumbling out of their room, rubbing sleep from their eyes and hair adorably disheveled, into the kitchen & peering into the oven window to find out what the yummy smell was! Cocoa, pumpkin bread, Christmas music...it was delish.





And here's the recipe! Best served fresh from the oven with a light skimming of butter! ;)

Pumpkin Bread
yields (3) 7x3 Loaf Pans

1 (15oz)can Pumpkin Puree

4 eggs

1 c. vegetable oil

2/3 c. water

3 c. sugar

3 1/2 c. flour

2 tsp. baking soda

1 1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. nutmeg

1/2 tsp. ground cloves

1/4 tsp. ground ginger

**Directions: Preheat oven to 350. Grease/flour 3 loaf pans. In large bowl mix pumpkin, eggs, oil, water and sugar, until well blended. In seperate large bowl mix flour, baking soda, salt and seasonings. Stir dry ingredients into pumpkin mixture until just blended. Pour into prepped pans. Bake about 50 minutes. Loaves are done when toothpick in center comes out clean.

~Makes great muffins and freezes fantastically!~

XOXO

~S