Eggnog Pancakes

2 cups all-purpose flour (whole wheat works too)
4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg, optional
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1-1/2 cups eggnog
2 tablespoons butter, melted

In large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt and nutmeg if desired. In a small bowl, whisk the eggs, eggnog and butter; stir into dry ingredients just until moistened.
Pour batter by 1/4 cupfuls onto a lightly greased hot griddle. Turn when bubbles form on top; cook until second side is golden brown. Yield: 1 dozen pancakes.

--From Taste of Home Dec/Jan 08 Bonus Book

**I usually have to add extra eggnog to get the batter to the right "pancake batter" consistency

Yummy!

Cyndi :-)

See you all next week.

My super favorite Christmas song is probably "I Wish It Could be Christmas Every Day!" by All Star United. It's pretty sweet! Marc remember them? Oh another good one is "Blue Christmas" by Porky Pig :-) And my not-so-favorite Christmas songs are "A Wonderful Christmastime" by the Beatles or John Lennon or something, and also that dumb "Grandma got Run Over By a Reindeer." If anyone sings these around me I will take away your Christmas cheer.

I'm getting more and more excited every day that Tim and Cyndi will be here in like less than a week, and also that it's going to be Christmas, and also about the snow, and also that it's going to be my birthday! I'm turning 25 this year. Weird. I used to think 25 year olds were really old...

Hope everyone is having a holly jolly Christmas season!

Walking in a Winter Wonderland

I see that picture of Alec there sliding in the snow and it reminds me of my own childhood. What a joy it was to go through the change of seasons and go outside and play in the snow when Winter rolled around! That's something that I really would like Abby to be able to do. I'm looking forward to the time we move up there so she can do that.

One of my favorite Christmas songs is the rendition of Jesu Bambino that Plankeye performed on one of the Happy Christmas albums. Two other favorite contemporary ones are, of course, MWS's Christmastime and The Happiest Christmas. A couple of my favorite traditional Christmas Carols are The First Noel and Hark the Herald Angels Sing.

White Christmas

"It won't be long before we'll soon be there with snow." - Bing Crosby (White Christmas)

For you southern folk, you'll be happy to know that the ground is covered with about six inches of the white stuff. The forecast for today: two to five inches of snow.

Woohoo!

- Marc

Let there be snow!

10 days to go! ('Till we get there anyways, not 'till the 25th)
Make sure you guys save some of your snow for us when we get there! Tim says it's hard to get into the Christmas Spirit when it's in the high 70's and low 80's. So we put our Christmas tree up the week before Thanksgiving and are just about continually playing Christmas music here at home and in the car. There are 2 radio stations that are playing continuous Christmas music this year, except for the obligatory 10 minutes of commercials every hour. This week I hope to get our other decorations up too. We're really hoping to see some snow up there too. It's been two years since we've seen any!! It didn't seem to get that cold down here last winter either. But maybe it seemed that way 'cause I was pregnant and my hormones were still all funky? :-P

I can't say I have a favorite Christmas song. They're all good for the most part. Along with the traditional ones, I also like some of the newer 'soon-to-be-classics' like "Mary did you know?" and the "Christmas Shoes". (Except when the radio stations play them like twice every hour.) I think they help to bring our focus back to the true meaning of Christmas, the greatest gift ever: Christ's birth, and his sacrifice to pay for our sin so we could be reconciled to our Father.

--Cyndi

Happy 2nd Day of December to all!

And to all a good night. I was driving people nuts yesterday at work by singing Elvis' Blue Christmas (Grace knows how this is done). I love MWS' Christmastime album but some other songs I like are:

Here Comes Santa Clause - Elvis
Angels We Have Heard on High
Ill Be Home For Christmas

...and those Burl Ives songs...

Theres more, but I cant think of any right now. Happy Sunday!

-Jere

Christmas Month is Arrived

Now, it is finally December 1st. The first day of the month in which we celebrate Christmas. Let the count-down begin! It is 24 days before Christmas. Now that we've all gotten older, the days go by much faster. 24 days is not long. It will be here soon.

I was just thinking about how music is such an important part of this holiday. I can't think of any other holiday that you would even associate music with. Hmmm, let me think... Valentines day music? Or maybe Thanksgiving music? Sorry, but I can't think of a single Thanksgiving day song...

But, I can think of a lot of Christmas songs! Some of my favorites are:

1. Walking in a Winter Wonderland sung by Steve Taylor (remember that one Grace?)
2. A Christmas Waltz sung by M.W.S
3. The Happiest Christmas sung by M.W.S
4. Blue Christmas by Elvis
5. The First Snowfall by M.W.S.
6. The Most Wonderful Time of the Year sung by Johnny Mathis
7. It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas by Johnny Mathis

There are many more I can't think of at the moment. If or when any of you guys read this, you should add your own to the list.

Looking forward to Christmas Eve.

- Marc

Tis also the season for Sese to get off her butt and write something on this blog. This is my very first blog entry ever, anywhere. You guys must be so proud.

I suppose I can make my birthday list.

Wireless card for my laptop
A nice carrying bag for my laptop
Dvd's:
Christmas Vacation
Meet the Parents or Meet the Fockers
Fresh Prince any season
Seinfeld season 3 or 6
Hairspray!
Pyrex measuring dishes
Mixing bowls (prefer metal, not plastic)
Beaters
Gift card from:
Aeropostale
Yankee Candle
Bath & Body Works
Subscription to Cooking Light magazine

There it is. I told mom a list too and there might be some different things on there. It's the same for Christmas too in case anyone has my name for Christmas Eve. If you don't, do you know who does? It is driving me crazy!! Anyway, have a happy 26th Day before Christmas!

Silver Bells

I thought Omaha was in Wisconsin. I mean, I thought Cyndi had Eva. I thought Jer had Marc.

some updates

HEY

Just wanted to let you know I added to my list to the right. Also, theres lots of people that need to put some ideas up. Also, I have Eva's name for Christmas Eve and whoever has that list of names should put that up here as well. So, Eva, I need some ideas! Grace, you should put your bday ideas on here too!

Tis the season for finals. I have 4 this year, but the one Im worried about is my ENDT Lab Final. It is a competency final where I am given 2 hours to set up and run an EEG on a patient. Anyone who wants to volunteer to be my patient should let me know! Thanks and Merry Christmas.

Finally, thanks to Marc for adding more ideas to your list!
-JERE

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!

I hope you all enjoy your pre-Christmas meal. We will be visiting Cyndi's Grandparent's house this afternoon and spending our time there. This weekend we'll be traveling to her Dad's family up in Georgia. (What? Who ever thought of saying "up in Georgia?!" Georgia is "way down," not "up!")

Wish we could be there for Thanksgiving. Although I hear the H C & B family will be smaller this year as the M.B. and P.B. families won't be there. I hope you enjoy your time with the S.(?) family Maazsba. I hope you find something fun too for T-Giving P and E.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Here it finally is!

Sorry everyone! I tried to get this up before and could not get my computer to get to this page. Dial-up takes forever. Anyway-here is who everyone has.
Phil has Tim
Marc has Phil
Angie has Cyndi
Tim has Jer
Cyndi has Eva
Eva has Grace
Grace has Angie
Jeremy has Marc

Hope everyone is doing well! Can't wait to all be together!

Thanks for the Birthday Gifts!

Hey bros. and sis.

I just wanted to say a hearty "thanks" for the birthday gifts. I got a iTunes gift card, Amazon gift card and Guitar Center gift card. They will all be put to good use.

I will probably use the Amazon gift card to get a ceramic travel mug since I noticed they have some nice ones on there and they're difficult to find in stores.

I'll update my gift list accordingly.

Jere and Grace, thanks for coming to the party, it was fun to be with you. Phil, say "hi" to Eva for me. T.C. and A. looking forward to seeing you in December.

Love,

Marc

O Christmas Tree

That poem reminded me of when we were younger. I'd just spend time gazing at our Christmas tree in the living room at home in Superior. All the lights in the surrounding rooms were off. And the soft light of the Christmas tree would light the room in dim colors. It was such a wonderful feeling inside knowing it was Christmastime. We would have fun as a family. It was cozy and warm inside when outside was cold and snowy. We could have cookies and hot chocolate. That's why Christmas trees are so great. They mean so much.

Hark the Herald Angels Sing

The restless child wakes from her bed,

creeps out her room and down the hall.

The lights of the Christmas tree, illumined through the night,

flicker on the stairway wall as she heads downstairs.

She peeks around the corner to see her sister there,

fast asleep on the couch.

Tomorrow is the Christmas Day. When all the bells on earth will ring. The toys will be opened. Laughter and joy will fill the house.

The stillness of the night now. The quiet light of the Christmas tree. The waiting for the day. For tomorrow is the Christmas Day.

She creeps up under the blanket with her sister where,

The lights of the Christmas tree, illumined through the night,

shine on the sisters, bundled together asleep.

They wait for the Christmas Day. When our Savior was born.

Tomorrow is the Christmas Day. When all the bells on earth will ring. The gift will be here. Laughter and joy will fill the earth.

Our Savior is born.

- words to the poem, "The Christmas Day" by Max Dvoznik

Dandy! (B-day/Christmas list for Marc)

Hey, this is working out to be a good way to communicate. Tim, I love that picture of Abby. Jer, it was good to see you yesterday.

I was talking with Mom on the phone yesterday and she asked me what I wanted for my birthday. Of course, I couldn't think of much when I was on the spot. But I've thought about it some more and here is a short list:

- Guitar pedal patch cable (6")
- Guitar Center gift card
- Ceramic travel mug
- Air-sealed cannister for coffee beans
- Chronicles of Narnia books
- Stanley (or similar) aluminum rafter (framing) square

I know, I know, my list is pretty boring.

- Marc

The Holly and the Ivy

Hey Everybody,

Great idea with the blog Marc. It's a great way for us to keep in touch for the Christmas season.

I'll put my gift ideas in a subsequent post. I don't know who has my name. I don't have time to put them in now though. It's Thursday morning. I'm getting ready for work.

Wanted to let everyone know, too, we bought our plane tickets last night. We'll be staying from Wednesday, Dec 12th through Tuesday, Dec 18th. I really would have liked to be there for Christmas itself but the tickets were too pricey and seating was very limited. It'll be nice to see you all the same. It's one of the highlights of my year.

Now if only we could see our futures in our bowls. It'd be as great as squash and corn. mmmm... squash and corn.

Jer's List

Someone should post who has who's name for gifts this year.

Heres some ideas for me:

Newsboys Greatest Hits cd
a jump rope
Jenga
Strongs Concordance NIV
Dirty Dozen 1 and 2 dvd set
Newsboys Shine the Hits EXTENDED CD/DVD

Gift Cards for
Target
Barnes and Noble
Dicks Sporting Goods
Kholes

a new brown belt
Prison Break Season 2
The Office Season 3
ice skates
Zelda: 4 Swords Adventure (for gamecube)


(Ill add more later)

Ho Ho Ho!

Christmas 2007 is rapidly approaching. I set up this blog to help you Bardens communicate during this holiday season. This is a good place to share your pictures, holiday greetings, Christmas lists, favorite songs, and any other holiday cheer you might like to spread.

So, log in and let the festivities begin!

- Santa

P.S. I know who has been naughty and nice, and you know who you are. Ho ho ho!