Today, we woke up after another LONG night of pouring rain and COLD weather (to us...73 degrees)! So, of course, it was going to be soup and bread day at the Helgren House. I began making my Mama's Spanish Bean Soup at 7:30 a.m. I decided that we MUST have some warm yeast bread to go with this yummy soup! I made the dough and was so nervous because I usually let Zeria do the bread making. As I began to mix the dough the power went out and was out all day. The soup was finished over the braiser (charcoal fire) which was great because slow-cooked soup is so much better! Anyway, I had begun to mix the dough and one of my greatest fears in bread making is the KNEADING! You can over knead or under knead. I read the instructions in my handy cookbook about 35 times before I started it! I kneaded the bread and it rose nicely, I divided it, put it in the fridge, and when the power came back on baked it. It was so good! I was so excited! This is one of the 2 loaves I made, yeah, one is already gone! So, it was a good day and I can't WAIT to be able to teach Lily, Easton, and Lauren how to knead bread!
This is our Christmas tree. I broke the top of it when I was trying to straighten it! It is our Dr. Seuss tree! All of the ornaments are plastic (thanks Mama!) but we had to put it way out of the kids reach because it got pulled down twice before it was all decorated!
Christmas 2008 is our second Christmas in Zambia and we are still making family traditions and I think one tradition is official as of today.
Kendall is amazing at being creative, spontaneous, and really getting into the Christmas spirit. Here in rural Zambia there really is no mention of Christmas (I mean not like America). There are no Christmas trees, lights, or Santa Claus. So our Christmas is very different because it is not commercialized and our home decorations are pretty small.
BUT...my sweet husband has officially out done himself again this year!
Last year he went to the store for milk and came home with a tree, lights, garland and ornaments and we decorated the tree and the house!
This year he decided to collect a large stack of construction paper and make Christmas decorations. You know how your Mom always said that a card you made was better than one you buy?? Well, the same goes for Christmas decorations! Kendall has been working for about 3 hours now and is not finished, but I had to brag on him and share with you all! The kids are going to be SO surprised when they wake up in the morning! The kids and I have to make our decorations tomorrow and the house will be ready for Christmas!
(Oh and on the family schedule tomorrow... watch Polar Express!)
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