Christmas Celebration- Part 1

Joey got a two week break from law school for the Christmas holiday, and I had several vacation days left at the end of the year, so we have been enjoying a nice break from school and work.  Our first few days of vacation were filled with Christmas shopping and present wrapping.  We both have large families and a few family members with December birthdays, so 17 was the grand total of presents we bought this year.  It was fun shopping for each person, but we were certainly relieved to have them all checked off our list by the end of it.  Here is a picture of our first and only fire so far this winter.  Doesn't this picture look like it belongs on a Christmas card?

On the first weekend of our break we had the annual deFreitas Family Christmas celebration in Dallas with my mom's family.  I brought Gingerbread Cupcakes for dessert.  (The recipe is below.) 

Mom and Claire

Taylor and Dad

 Hunter, who as you can tell certainly doesn't enjoy posing for pictures.  :)

Joey and me

The hosts: Howard and G-Ma

Mom and her daddy (Grandpa)

Some of the girls: Claire, me, Erica, and Mom

Mom's Siblings: Uncle Paul, Aunt Gisele, Mom, and Uncle Robert

Now that most of the cousins are older, we do a guy and girl gift exchange.  Everyone brings a gift (girls bring girl gifts and boys bring boy gifts), we draw numbers, and then in order get to choose a present from the pile or steal one that has already been opened.  The girls went first, and it was a very amicable gift exchange.  Everyone liked what they opened and only one G-Ma stole a gift.  She's the rebel of the bunch. :)  

Then the boys went... And that was a totally different story and quite entertaining to watch.  Gifts got stolen right and left, and by the end of it most ended up being frozen because they had been stolen twice.  Much scheming and strategizing goes on during the guy gift exchange because the games not over even when it's over.  Trading often happens after the fact for the guys.  This was right after Robert Griffin III won the Heisman (Sic 'em!) and sported Super Man socks during the ceremony, so Jake brought Super Man underwear that Logan ended up with.  I have to say he sports them well, and we were all crying from laughing so hard at him modeling them for us.  

Proud grandmother- G-Ma and Logan  

It was hilarious!  I love my family.  More Christmas vacation updates to come...  Stay tuned!

Gingerbread Cupcakes with Lemon-Cream Cheese Frosting

recipe adapted from Southern Living Christmas Cookbook

Ingredients

• 1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
• 1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
• 4 large eggs
• 2 large carrots, finely grated (about 1 cup)
• 1 cup minced fresh ginger (about 1/2 lb.) Note: I used a 4.5 oz. jar of minced ginger 
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 3/4 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. ground allspice
• 1/4 tsp. ground cloves
• 1 1/2 cups chopped pecans

Frosting

• 2 (8oz.) packages cream cheese, softened
• 2 Tbsp. lemon juice
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar

Garnishes: small pecan halves, crystallized ginger

Directions:  Beat sugar and vegetable oil at medium speed with an electric mixer approximately 3 minutes or until smooth.  Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition.  Beat in grated carrots and fresh ginger.
Combine flour, and next 6 ingredients; gradually add to egg mixture, beating at low speed until moistened.  Stir in 1 1/2 cups of chopped pecans.

Pour batter into lightly greased muffin tins, filling two-thirds full.  Bake at 350 degrees for 12-15 minutes or until wooden pick comes out clean.  Cool in pan on a wire rack 5 minutes.  Remove from pan, and cool completely on wire racks.  Spread with icing once cooled

For Icing: Beat cream cheese and lemon juice at a medium speed with an electric mixer until blended, gradually adding powdered sugar until light and fluffy.  Refrigerate until ready to use.