Our New Year's Eve usually includes Olliebolen or what we all call "fat balls". Fatballs because they are deep fried in fat.
This Dutch treat was adopted from Doug's side of the family. His Dad's family is Dutch and he makes these each New Year's Eve too. (Doug never did take up the tradition!) John makes them so delicious!
I would describe fatballs as your basic sweet dough (yeast) with candied fruit, raisins and deep-fried. We dip them in cinnamon sugar while they are still warm. YUM! I checked, you can find lots of recipes online. Others include apples in their recipes and even dip them in powdered sugar, but we prefer candied fruit and cinnamon-sugar, just as we were served at Doug's folks.
Our very good neighbors.
Almost time to take the tree down, but we will enjoy it for a few more days yet.
The kids got a huge bonfire going and roasted marshmallows.
I watched from the deck and took a few pictures.
Waiting for midnight, Alexis reads to Tucker and AJ. She is getting to be quite the young lady and such a helper to her Mom and us all!
Throughout the evening we can see fireworks going off on the horizon all around our home. We are at an advantage now with all the trees still growing up after the Miller's Reach Fire eight (?) years ago. I think when they get taller we won't be able to enjoy distant fireworks from here as much as we do now. Fireworks displays always go crazy at midnight, so we all usually go outside to watch for a few minutes before we come in hug and kiss each other and then head off to bed.
Kim had sparklers for the little ones to enjoy. Several of the grandkids don't like them and would not hold them. :-) We laughed when Kim ended up leaning over the deck waving all the sparklers while the kids ran back indoors.
Some creatures around here you just always have to keep a close eye on or they will rob you while you sleep! Both Chevy and Chewy like to run off with the kids gloves and whatever else they think looks like fun to throw around. Chevy's specialty is stealing the neighbors shoes they took off at their door and burying them, usually in my gardens. I think Chewy was going to hide it in his kennel for later enjoyment!
Ashlee the owner of the glove above, yawns, turns over and goes back to sleep.
Happy 2006 to all ---from us all ---in Big Lake, Alaska!
4 comments:
Happy New Year, Connie! Looks like you all had a fun time. Michael and I just rode around until about 11:00 and then went and visited his parents to count down with them. That's about the only New Years tradition we have...count down at the in-laws. How close are you to Ahka? Could you have possibly seen her fireworks? It's only legal to sell fireworks between June and August here and we didn't buy enough to save some for New Years Eve. Besides that, we had yucky wind and rain. Anyway, I'm rambling. Happy New Year to you and yours. *hugs*
I suppose it is possible to see fireworks in her area from here, but I doubt that we did. Anyways, it's illegal to fire them off where she lives! hehehe
Somebody forgot to tell her that!
Happy New Year, may the new year be good to you and your family. Ours was quiet, hanging out with Dave's 2 brothers and my one sister-in-law. The end of 2005 was really crummy so I'm hopeful for brighter days ahead in 2006! Your "Lone Star " friend,
Connie
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