Holiday Festivities

This has been a very festive week full of holiday celebrations. Tuesday was our Christmas work party at Medical Teams. We all gathered in the chapel for a midmorning brunch and wonderful conversation with coworkers about anything but work. We also had a couple of fun activities planned including a raffle and a game which involved Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas story. My team was given the task of telling the story "with an international twist". There are so many incredibly cultured and intelligent people at MTI who know several different languages. The people on my team quickly said, "Let's each tell a little of the story in different languages. I speak German." And someone else said, "I speak Dutch." I timidly admitted, "I don't have a foreign language to contribute." "Sure you do," they said; "Texan!" So I played little Cindy Loo Who and when my moment in the spotlight came, I buttered up the Texas accent and said, "Mr. Grinch (played by the organization's president), why y'all taking our presents?" We ended the party by singing several Christmas songs - with a Mexican flare.

This afternoon was the 1st annual Medical Teams Christmas cookie exchange (we really do find time to work in between parties). Everyone baked a couple dozen of their favorite holiday goodies and we all got to tak a variety home. I made candy cane cookies - a holiday recipe given to me by Katy Reynolds. Yum!

My home community group often volunteers at Marshall High school where my friend Amber runs the afterschool program. Tonight was their winter craft party where they made gingerbread houses, decorated cookies and could have funny pictures taken to frame and give as gifts.

And the week's not over... tomorrow night is a friend Terry's 50th birthday party. The festivities never end... party on!

Candy Cane Cookies
Mix together:
- 1 C soft shortening
- 1 C confectioners sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 1/2 tsp peppermint extract
- 1 tsp vanilla

Sift together and stir in:
- 2 1/2 C flour
- 1 tsp salt

Divide dough. Add 1/2 tsp red food coloring to half of dough. Roll about 1 tsp of each color of dough into a "worm". Twist into candy cane.

Place on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 375 until slightly golden (less than 10 minutes). Sprinkle with sugar while still warm. Best when eaten with a warm mug of hot cocoa!