Christmas here was great. Everyone missed Mei Guo, and it felt weird without her, but it was nice to see everyone again.

We maintained our “International Christmas” tradition again this year. Our tradition is that we have a college student (usually one of our kids’ roommates) from another country come and stay with us during the Christmas holiday. This year we had a girl from Russia and a girl from Mexico. It’s always fun to have company to play “Santa” to on Christmas morning. Last Christmas we were in China, though we didn’t have “outside the family” company come, I still count it.

Coming back to the U.S. the week before Christmas with the New Year’s holiday on its heels, flung us into a whirlwind of activity. Parties, shopping, and goody – doctor appointments.

Good news. Arctic Boy’s eyes need a new prescription, but the redness was likely caused by allergies/pollution and not some underlying threat to his vision. Miss B. gets new glasses too, but they should fix her night driving challenges and help her see the board in the classroom.

Me, apparently that bad ankle sprain last April was actually a break and because it is still causing excruciating, though fleeting pain when touched just right (because I should have been less cowardly and gone to a doctor in China), I will have the opportunity of wearing a stylin’ brace for the next two months and the dubious pleasure of becoming acquainted with our clinic’s physical therapist. Don’t you envy me? I went out and purchased a whole new wardrobe of knee/boot socks just so that I could look extra cute while sporting my new fashion.

My first PT appointment is tomorrow. Should I warn the guy about my martial arts training? Effort, Etiquette, Sincerity, Self-Control, Character… Nah, I’ll just repeat my mantra: “Self-Control, Self-Control, SELF-CONTROL, Self-Control….” I’m sure we’ll both be just fine. Should I take ibuprofen before I go?

Mr. Hot Stuff is being my manly hero tonight and fixing the downstairs shower. According to the kids, it’s been broken and leaking for quite some time and they didn’t want to say anything about it…

Since Christmas, I have made two batches of yogurt in my new yogurt maker – Yay! it works!

And tonight I made a really good Chicken and Rice bake recipe from the December 2010 Everyday Foods Magazine (the recipe is not posted online, but there are tons of other great ones) in my new porcelain-enamel, cast iron dutch oven.

The recipe was a hit and the pot was a breeze to clean up.

Just any FYI to my friends and readers in the U.S.: Everyday Food magazine is the best value for your dollar you will ever spend on recipes or menu prep. Every recipe I’ve tried from that magazine has been well-recieved by my family.

winner-winner, chicken dinner 🙂