Christmas party

        This weekend I am hosting a Christmas party.  Four of my friends are coming over and we are going to do some Christmas themed games.  I recently went to a Christmas dinner party for my volleyball team and we played a really fun game called "the saran wrap ball game" which we are going to do at the party along with another game.  

        The Saran wrap ball game is exactly what it sounds like.  You start with a ball of saran wrap with little gifts spread out in the different layers.  Everybody sits in a circle and you pick someone to go first; they get the saran wrap ball.  The parson to the right of the person with the saran wrap ball gets two dice.  When someone says go, the person with the saran wrap ball starts to unwrap it and anything that falls out during their is theirs. The person to the right of the person with the saran wrap ball is trying to roll doubles to stop the person from un wrapping the saran wrap ball.  Once they roll doubles, the saran wrap ball and the dice get passed to the left and the person who was unwrapping is now trying to roll doubles.   Once all of the saran wrap is gone, the game is over.       

 

        We are also going to do Christmas bingo.  Christmas bingo is basically the same as bingo but the board does not have numbers; it has Christmas pictures like a tree or Santa.  Also we will be covering the board with red and green m&ms.  The prizes will be a box of candy or some other small prize.

Secret Santa

        This my friends and I are doing secret santa.  Secret santa is a type of gift exchange.  To start it off everybody taking part in the secret santa pulls a name out of a hat and has to buy a gift for that person.  My friends and I decided to put a $15 price limit so that nobody spends a ridiculous amount of money on the gifts.  I pulled out someone's name so for the rest of this post I will call them "person".  I know that this person's favorite candy is reese's so I am going to buy her a bag of mini reese's and a starbucks gift card.  Last year I got my person a couple things from bath and body works and a candy bar.  Last year a couple of the people told each other who they had so the secret santa surprise was kind of ruined but we still gave each other our gifts and had fun!

Advent Calendars

       My family has a tradition for the month of December.  My brother and I each do an advent calendar.  Advent calendars are used to count down the days before Christmas.  My advent calendar used to be in the shape of a tree; my brothers was a basic one as show.  Every day you open a door and there is a little treat like a dollar or a piece of chocolate.  My mom would sometimes have to put a note that says  "find me" and we had to go find the treat around the house.  This year my mom got all 25 gifts and she wrapped them all.  My mom put them in a basket and every day we get to open a mini present.
  

Mulled apple cider

One of my favorite drinks to make during the winter and fall is mulled apple cider.  My recipe is very simple but it is perfect after a long day of school or working outside.  It is balanced because of the sweetness of the cinnamon and the acidity of the oranges.  This is great because the flavors remind me of fall and I love to wrap a blanket around me and drink this.

The recipe is:

1 1/2 cups of apple cider per person

2 slices of orange per person

1-2 cinnamon sticks

Cut your orange up and place it in the pot.  Add the apple cider and the cinnamon stick.  Place the pot onto the stove and turn it on to low heat.  Let the cider get hot and then take it off the stove and serve.  Pour into cups and garnish with the orange slices and the cinnamon stick.  I personally like to eat the oranges and then throw the cinnamon stick in the cup to be a stirrer. 

Winter favorites

       This week I am going to write about my favorite things about Winter.

                                   

#1- Blankets

I love laying down on my couch with big, heavy blankets and a warm cup of tea or hot chocolate.  I love how warm and cozy you get!

#2- Hot chocolate and Tea

I look forward to sipping a decadent cup of hot chocolate while watching a movie or reading a book.  Also, when it gets cold outside I make chamomile tea with honey and it is so nice on a cold winter day.

#3-Christmas

With winter you also get Christmas which is one of the best Holidays.  For Christmas, I go to my grandparents house and I visit all of my family members; we have a big feast.

#4-Fuzzy socks and pajama days

When I think of winter, I think of snow days and pajama days.  I love not having to change out of my pajamas and staying cozy all day.

#5- Gingerbread Houses

My family decorates a gingerbread house every year at the Woodlands.  I try and make it very decorative.  One thing I do every year is take tootsie rolls and make them look like a stack of wood.

#6- Christmas lights

One of my favorite things to do is look at all of the decorated houses at night.  There is one house on Falmouth Road that outlines their house with lights; the house is brown so it looks like a gingerbread house.

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Top Three Bucket List Items

       My bucket list is pretty long and I wanted to write about it so I decided to do the top three items.  My bucket list mostly consists of travel goals.  I would love to be able to travel when I am older and these are some of the things I want to do.
       My top item is to go to China.  I love the culture there.  Also, the architecture is so fascinating.  I would love to take a cruise that stops in China, Japan, and Australia.  My friend's mom is from Australia and she has interested me in going there.  My mom promised me that she would take me on this cruise and I can not wait for it.
      Another item on my list is to go to all 50 states.  I have been to 13 states.  I would love to visit all of the states because that is cool accomplishment to say  you have done.  I really want to go to Oklahoma because that is where the National Softball Hall of Fame is.
      I also would love to go to all seven continents.  I have been to 4 continents: North America, South America, Europe, and Asia.  I would love to take a cruise to Australia.  I also want to fly to Morocco and spend a few days and then fly to South Africa and stay for a week or two.  I love animals so I would have to go on a safari trip while I am in South Africa.
     

Favorite recipe from a place I have been

When I went to Greece, I tried a spanakopita.  A spanakopita is spinach and feta wrapped in phyllo dough, a very thin dough that becomes crispy and flaky when baked.  The filling consists of spinach, eggs, feta, and butter.  It is shaped into triangles or baked in a square pan.  This is a traditional greek meal that I get when I go to the Greek festival in Portland.  My family makes spanakopita with gyros which are another Greek meal.  Spanakopita is side dish but could be a main course because it is so rich.  Below is a recipe for spanakopita:

• 
  Pastry
• 1 lb country-style phyllo pastry(if you can't get that, regular phyllo pastry will do)
• 1⁄2cup extra virgin olive oil, approximately

• Spinach Filling

• 1⁄4cup olive oil
• 2lbs spinach, cleaned, tough stems removed
• 6spring onions, cleaned, sliced in 1/4 inch lengths
• 1leek, white and tender part of green, cleaned, sliced in 1/4 inch lengths (if very large, slice leek in half lengthwise before slicing)
• 1medium red onion, chopped fine
• 3⁄4cup fresh dill, minced
• 1⁄2-3⁄4lb feta cheese, crumbled (this is a matter of personal taste. I like my spanakopita 'sweeter' and therefore use the lesser amo)
• 3eggs, beaten
• salt and pepper

1. Heat 4 tablespoons of olive oil in a large saucepan and sauté the onions and leek until translucent, about 2-3 minutes. Add the spinach and saute until the leaves have wilted and the liquid has cooked off, about 8-10 minutes.
2. Remove the pan from the heat and allow to cool somewhat. When cool enough to handle, finely chop the spinach and place in a large bowl.
3. Preheat the oven to 375°F.
4. Lightly oil (always use olive oil!) a 12 inch in diameter, metal baking pan (you can use a larger baking pan - you will just have a thinner pita, but don't use a smaller one), or a 10 x 15 inch rectangular baking pan.
5. Add dill and feta cheese to the spinach. Add salt and pepper to taste (careful with the salt - the feta will add quite a bit of its own). Pour the eggs over and give a stir to combine well.
6. Open up the phyllo pastry and place on a work surface. If using the country style pastry proceed, if using the thinner phyllo; cover with a damp cloth. (Continue to cover the pastry sheets with the damp cloth each time you remove one as you prepare the pie.).
7. Layer the phyllo in the pan, allowing the edges to hang over the sides of the pan, brushing each phyllo layer generously with olive oil.
8. Use up half the phyllo sheets to make the bottom pastry layer, allowing excess pastry to drape over edge of pan.
9. Put the spinach mixture in and press the top down gently to smooth filling. Tuck in the pastry draping over the edges.
10. Repeat layering with the remaining phyllo, oiling each sheet generously.
11. Using a sharp knife, score the upper layers of pastry into the size pieces you will want to serve once the pie is baked- BE CAREFUL NOT TO CUT THROUGH BOTTOM PASTRY.
12. Bake the pie in the middle of the oven for approximately 40-45 minutes until it is golden brown. For the last 15-20 minutes, I put my baking pan directly on the oven floor to crisp it better.
13. Cool till just warm (we never, but never eat this hot! The flavours just wouldn't come through properly). Cut into serving pieces and serve either just warm or at room temperature.
14. Note: If my spinach filling appears to be too 'wet', I often take 2 of the phyllo sheets and use them as a 'layer' between the spinach filling; these sheets absorb the extra liquid (they must not be brushed with oil).
15. It's also worth noting that Greeks love their olive oil! I have used olive oil with a lighter hand than most Greeks in this recipe - but it may still be too much for you. Feel free to add the amount you feel most comfortable with, but be aware that flavour may be compromised.

What I like to do on an airplane

      When I travel by airplane for vacation I get very bored.  Those long, tiring flights are the worst part of the vacation.  So, I decided to write about what I like to do to keep myself entertained.

      I usually download one or two movies onto one of my family's ipads.  I normally pick a funny movie just because I find them a lot more entertaining than a dramatic movie.  I also play games on the ipad or my phone.  The night before I will download a few new apps to try out on the plane.  I also have a couple of my favorite games in a folder to play on the plane.

      I also do homework if I am missing school because of the vacation.  Usually my teachers will give me some work to do so I get it done on the flight.  If you get your homework done early on in the trip then it is not dangling over your head the whole time.

       Another thing I love to do is to buy a book in the airport and read it on the flights.  Usually after a little bit of reading I fall asleep which is not a bad thing.  If there is any time left I like to do soduko puzzles.  This what I do on flights when I go on vacations.

Weirdest foods I have eaten outside the U.S.

      I have been to many countries and I have eaten lots of weird foods while traveling to these places.  I have eaten outrageous foods from haggis in Edinburgh to alligator ribs in Honduras.   My favorite crazy food was probably the sausage roll in Guernsey Island.
      Over the summer I went to Guernsey Island which is off the coast of France but is considered to be part of the United Kingdom.  While I was there I stopped at a small bakery and bought a sausage roll.  A sausage roll is basically sausage with lots of seasoning wrapped in a pastry and baked.  It was really good and I am going to make these at home sometime soon.     The dish to the left is haggis.

      The next weird meal I have had is haggis.  It is a typical British meal that I had in London over the summer.  Haggis is the heart, stomach, liver, and tongue of a sheep with mashed potatoes and a mustard sauce.  I did not like it because I do not like the thought of eating a sheep's innards.  My brother and my dad really like the haggis because they will try any food.
      Another food I have eaten is alligator ribs.  I had alligator ribs in Honduras which is in Central America.  Alligator ribs are like baby back ribs just from an alligator.  I also had caviar while on this same trip.  I had the caviar on the cruise ship and it was a very weird texture.
      Lastly and probably my favorite, was pavlova.  Pavlova is a thin meringue shell with whipped cream and fruit inside.  It is very light and very tasty.  The meringue melts in your mouth and the fruit keeps it from being too sweet.  I love to travel because I love trying all of the foods from around the world.

London, England

Over the summer, I went on a cruise around the british isles.  My family had been thinking about going on this cruise for about two years and we finally did it this summer.  The cruise ship departed in London, England and ended in London.  So, my family had to fly to London and the flight was about 7 and a half hours; I watched movies and played games on my phone during the flight.  At last, we landed in London.  We went through customs and then we had to take train to the center of the city.  Our hotel was about a four minute walk from the train station so we did not have to get a taxi.  Once we got to the hotel we dropped our bags off in the room and started sightseeing.  The first stop was Buckingham Palace.  My family wanted to to see the changing of the guards so we waited there for half an hour only to realize that the they weren’t doing the changing of the guards that day.

  This is Westminster Abbey to the left.

The next stop was Westminster Abbey;  it was huge and so beautiful inside.  My favorite part of Westminster Abbey was the podium because there was a beautiful archway with delicate mosaic tiles inside.  After Westminster Abbey my family started off again and then we saw Big Ben.  Big Ben, if you don’t know what it is, is a clock tower and it has a great big clock at the top.  One fun fact that someone told us is that the clock runs five minutes fast so you are never late.  Since our flight was a red eye we were exhausted so we went back to the hotel and all of us took a nap.  After the nap we decided to take a cab to Oxford Street, a street that contains stores.  Oxford Street is almost like Fifth Avenue in New York.  I had been wanting to go to the Lush headquarters which are on Oxford Street, and when I spotted the store I sprinted in and started smelling all of the lotions.

My dad and brother got hungry so we found a small restaurant and got dinner.  I ordered fish and chips because that is what England is known for and I love fish.  I had never had better fish and chips than these.  When we got back to the hotel, we all put out pajamas on and got in bed.