2015 Christmas Letter

The PDF of the letter is in Dropbox (2015)

Christmas 2015

Christmas Eve 2015 was on a Thursday. All the families met at Grandma and Grandpa's house per usual. There were several soups, breadsticks and treats. Grandpa had the idea to put santa hats upside-down in the big vases, with poinsetta flowers. It was a fun and unique decor idea. 

After eating, everyone gathered for the candy bar game ...

... and then there was the annual slideshow.

Merry Christmas to all, and to all a goodnight!

2015 Recap - Slideshow and Calendar Pages

 As the end of the year rolls around, it's time for the calendar and slideshow. 

It is always interesting to reflect on all that happened on the Westra side in 2015.

Most memorable, was Dad(Grandpa) having a heart attack.  Jase, who had been with him when it happened, had to make the phone calls to all the siblings. Dad has been in excellent health and very active, so this was absolutely unexpected. All the siblings gathered at the hospital and it was touch and go for a bit. Then, it seemed he would pull through physically, but his mental health was still in question. Happily, after just a few rough days, Daddy was back.

In Scott's family ... we had a wedding!

The first wedding of a Westra grandchild.

... it was the year of the missionaries! Chris and Kim and THREE missionaries out for 2015. Kim's two girls, Crystal and Kourtney. They both finished their missions here at the end of the year. Kaden is almost home (January) and Corin will be leaving. They will have a combined "homecoming/farewell" for their family! Landon left of course, but so did Janika, Wendy's oldest. 

Shane's family made a big move as the year came to a close ... literally. Due to job changes, they are leaving Utah and heading to California! We've been so lucky to have all our family close by. We will really miss having them around.

Derek and Danielle had some unexpected, but wonderful news! They are pregnant! After infertility and two darling adopted daughters, they were going to get to experience the entire pregnancy process themselves as well. Derek has been so cute documenting Danielle's pregnancy progression. It's another girl, and she's expected in January.

So THAT's what has been up with the Westra bunch this past year. 

Here's the Slideshow 

(it is a little long, I mean it's the WHOLE year from seven families!)

... and there are the calendar pages

 January

 February

 March

April

 May

 June

 July

 August

 September

 October

 November

December

Breadsticks and Rolls

Okay - this was not a classic Westra recipe during the early years. Jen discovered it after she was married. There has been many a Christmas dinner with breadsticks, which everyone seems to enjoy (sans the Celiac folks, sorry!), so they are part of the Westra experience now. Jen picked up this recipe at a Homemaking meeting. A neighbor's mother taught home economics at the high school and after years of students making this recipe, she said that it rarely goes wrong. It's great for dinner rolls, breadsticks, sweet rolls (cinnamon rolls and orange rolls) and even scones. It's flexible, you can use it the day you make it, or you can make it ahead and refrigerate it (which can be a timesaver for rushed mornings or a great way to spread out your "right out of the oven" rolls without having to make it all from scratch each day).

2 Tbls. Yeast

1 Cup Warm Water

2 Cups  Milk

1 Cup Shortening

2 Cups Reconstituted Instant Potatoes

1 Cup Sugar

2 Tsp. Salt

4 Beaten Eggs

10-12 Cups Flour

Dissolve yeast in water and set aside.  Combine milk and shortening in pan and scald. Mix up the potatoes ... let the milk and potatoes cool to lukewarm. Add milk, potatoes, sugar, salt and eggs to the yeast mixture and mix.  Add flour until the dough pulls away from the sides. Knead. Cover and let the dough double in size (or place in refrigerator until ready for use, up to a week). Shape into rolls and let rise until double.  Bake at 350 degrees for 12-15 minutes... ovens to vary, so I always keep an eye on them, leave them in until they are golden brown on top. Spread melted butter over the tops as soon as you pull them out of the oven.

For dinner roll shapes, I like 

• Crescents: Roll dough into a large circle and spread butter over the dough. Using a pizza cutter, cut into pie-shaped pieces and roll up, starting with the larger end. Place the rolls on a large, buttered cookie sheet (with sides), cover and let them rise.
• Butterflake: Roll dough into a large rectangle and spread butter over the dough. Cut the dough into strips about 1 1/2 inch wide. Stack four strips and then cut into individual rolls. Place in greased muffin tins to rise.
• Breadsticks:  Roll dough into a large rectangle and spread butter over the dough. Take a large cookie sheet (with sides) and spread butter all over the pan. sprinkle garlic salt and Parmesan cheese over the butter in the pan. Cut the dough into strips and lay them side by side in the pan. Sprinkle garlic salt and Parmesan cheese over the dough and let them rise.

For sweet rolls

• Orange Rolls:  Roll dough into a large rectangle and spread butter over the dough. Sprinkle the dough with sugar and orange rind. Roll the dough (jellyroll style) and then cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces. Place them in buttered muffin tins to rise. Bake. Make icing from powdered sugar and orange juice. Spread over cooled rolls.
• Cinnamon Rolls:  Roll dough into a large rectangle and spread butter over the dough. Sprinkle sugar and cinnamon over the dough. Sprinkle a little brown sugar over the dough as well. If you like raisins, add them at this point. Roll the dough jelly roll style. Cut into individual rolls (about 2" thick) and position them on a buttered cookie sheet. Leave space between the rolls for them to rise. Bake. Make icing from powdered sugar and milk, or top with cream cheese frosting.

For scones ... simply roll out the dough, cut into strips or squares, and fry them in hot oil. There is also Aunt Lorrie's recipe specifically for scones (which calls for them to rise) but this "frybread" seems to be a hit too. Top with butter and sugar.

Birthday Upside-Down Cake

 

In 2015, the Westra Clan was doing a good job of meeting each month to celebrate birthdays and just get together and enjoy each other's company. Westras and Waffles (you can see the waffles in the photos above). When there were birthdays, there was also cake. November birthdays are Adria, Margie, Jen, Calder, Grayson, Rick and Mitch. The cake from Sam's Club, white with buttercream frosting is a favorite of Mom/Margie's. Jen wanted to get a picture, and tilted it (just slightly) for a better camera view when, whoops! It slipped right off and fell upside-down onto the counter! You may have heard of pineapple-upside-down cake, which is something that it supposed to have an upside-down issue. The poor cake here didn't look so good ... but hey, it still tasted yummy ... ish. There was lots of laughter with the minor food fiasco.

Derek shared his view of the event ...

Mom had a couple other food mess-up memories ... she mentioned a time when she and Dad were living in Richland. She made a pumpkin pie and then accidentally dumped it upside-down on the open oven door.  Another upside-down upset had Aunt Lorrie's cheesecake right onto Grandma Norman's carpet (Mom/Margie had to claim responsibility for this one as well). 

What other food fiascos are out there in Westra history? Jen forgetting about the toffee cooking on the stove and filling the kitchen with smoke. The gingersnaps that Shane made that didn't bake ... leading Mom and Dad to buy a new oven, just to try and bake the dough to the same effect (it hadn't been the oven after all!)  If you have additional memories, write them in the comments, or text/email them to Jen and they'll be added in an update. You KNOW there have to be more fun food stories out there!

... and Happy November birthdays, even upside-down!

Father's Day 2015

Every year, we have our annual Westra Family Father's Day BBQ at Scott's home. Scott doesn't send out emails often, but we enjoy it when he does, because they showcase his humor. Here is his invite for 2015 (for future reference and posterity!) 

Greetings! 
Here is your formal invitation to the annual Father's Day BBQ at the Draper Westra's. The weather report is indicating sunny with clear skies and a high of 86 degrees. 
We plan on starting at 5:00 pm with dinner. We will have some gluten free chicken and hot dogs and baked beans and a fruit and/or seven layer salad. We would love it if you could bring some Brazilian cheese rolls, chips, salad, desserts or Brazilian cheese rolls. 
Special invitations and activities: 

• Significant others are of course invited but don't expect any of us to be on our best behavior. Take that as fair warning. For the FIRST time ever, in an effort to be more inclusive, Roxy, as well as Grayson's duck(s) are invited to participate. Sorry Chris, the only chickens allowed will be those on the grill. All other species will need to be cleared with the Father's Day BBQ Committee and we assume no responsibility for the health or safety of your pets (or for you or your children for that matter.) Disclaimer: We have placed snail bait in the flower gardens and will "fog" the yard with insect spray two hours before guest arrival. 
• The annual Westra Family Father's Day photo session will take place between 6:10 pm and 6:11 pm (yes, we realize that creates a minimal familial time commitment of 72 minutes - deal with it). 
• Immediately following the family photo session will be the first annual "Lamar Westra Look-Alike contest." That's right, get your multiple plaid button down shirts and baseball cap on and grab your trekking poles. Winners will be determined by the number of likes for all pictures posted in Instagram! The cut-off for judging will be 8:00 pm. 
• I will fire up my cotton candy machine about 8:00 pm. A power washer will be available if you want to clean off any family members prior to departure. 
• Optional Hike: Suncrest to Triangle peak to watch Sunset on Summer Solstice: Kemery will lead this under 1 mile (1/3 mile up and back). Sunset will be at 9:02 pm (but the actual summer solstice will have already occurred at10:39 am). Depart Westra home at 8:30 pm, return by 9:30 pm. Note: sacrificing of virgins is NOT permitted within Draper City limits at any time and summer solstice is no exception.

Note: Amy reserves the right to alter the menu or activities schedule at any time, including the day of the event.  We look forward to seeing you this coming Sunday!  Scott

Our Father's Day celebration was actually in jeopardy this year though. The Tuesday before, Dad had a heart attack. Tuesday night and Wednesday, there was some question as to whether or not he would pull through. Then, the physical recovery looked quite optimistic, but there were still some worrisome neurological issues. But happily, Grandpa Westra progressed leaps and bounds ahead of what was expected, and the doctors actually released him on Sunday, and he was able to come to the Father's Day party! If you weren't aware he'd just been in intensive care for the preceding days,  you wouldn't have known!

 Ah, the annual family picture! We were missing our missionaries (five of them). Mckenna was in Washington, Rick was gone to EFY, Callahan had to work a REAL game... 

As promised, there was a cotton candy machine. Yum! Pink ...

... and blue!

There was frisbee fun, water balloons, some juggling, jump-rope, lawn darts ....

Until next year!

Peanut Butter AND Butter ... On Graham Crackers?

 

In May of 2015, Derek sent out an email to the Westra Siblings, inquiring about a strange combination. Graham crackers with butter and peanut butter. He sent along a picture to nudge any memories ...

Westra Siblings,

I need you to help jog my memory. :) I don't have many memories of Dad fixing the food at home -- in fact the only things I can really remember Dad making was a salad, and on occasion, spaghetti-o's with cashews (weird, I know). However, I distinctly remember eating graham crackers sandwiches with butter on one side, and peanut butter on the other (as pictured in the attached photo). For fun (and fatness) I made these yesterday and it brought back childhood memories. 

So, was this something that we ate as kids - and if so, was it Dad that made them, or am I remembering wrong? Was this a thing?

These are all very important questions. 

Inquisitively yours,

Derek 

There wasn't a flood a memories from the Westra Siblings (or from the Father in question)... at least at that time, or not "reply all" anyway for me to have had access to (but keep reading, the memories ARE there). Jen did answer immediately...

I don't really remember this ... I KNOW I NEVER ate one! Disgusting! Maybe I'm just repressing memories ... Of course we all dipped graham crackers in milk. And frosted them with leftover icing ... they were better when they'd sat overnight and softened. I don't know how many other people do either of those things either. I recall my roommates in college thinking I was a bit strange for both of those. ~Jen

Years later, Jen made said "frosted graham crackers" and posted a picture to Facebook, asking if this was a "Westra" thing, or if it was more widespread. There was actually quite a bit of feedback from neighbors and friends with fond memories of frosted graham crackers. Frosted Graham Crackers have their own blog post and Chris responded there saying ...

"I remember them, especially when Mom was gone. Dad didn't cook, so we resorted to Graham Crackers, which we didn't mind at all." ~ Christopher

Frosted graham crackers were mentioned in Shane's childhood journal also!

When the call came out for memories of Dad for a Father's Day tribute June of 2020, one of Scott's memories was a mirror of Derek's original inquiry ...

"I remember the terror of finding out mom was going fishing with grandma and grandpa and knowing that we would have to live on graham crackers with butter and peanut butter in between them or maybe toast if we were lucky until she got back." ~ Scott

((Read more memories of Dad in the Father's Day 2020 blog post.)) 

Before THAT post of memories, even before Derek's email inquiry, Wendy had written up some of her recollections for Dad's birthday back in 2003. In it, she also made mention of graham crackers ...  "Making peanut butter and butter graham cracker sandwiches!" was on her list.

So Derek - you weren't remembering wrong! 

Great memory prompt!

Mom had some graham cracker memories (prompted by Derek's 2015 email & the answers there) ...

I really miss graham crackers dipped in milk-- because of my diabetes and too many carbs. It is hard to limit it if I start. I never ate the graham crackers with butter and peanut butter--sounds yucky!.

My labor with Scott was quick--especially for a 1st baby. I had just eaten lots of graham crackers and milk before I went into labor. So at the hospital and I was sick and lost it all! But that experience didn't turn me against graham crackers and milk, as sometimes happens. 

When we moved to Richland and I was 3 months pregnant with Scott. Dad started work and I sat in the empty house waiting for the moving truck to arrive. I had a bag of barbecue-flavored potato chips to munch on. With morning sickness I was experiencing, I have not been able to eat barbecue-flavored potato chips for 50 years!

Now we just need DAD'S input ... "I think the depiction by Derek is a bit overdone.  I would never have put that much butter, or peanut butter on my Graham Crackers.  That is one thing I do miss with my Celiac, not being able to eat Graham crackers.  I think someone has come up with a gluten free Graham cracker, but I haven't really tested them out yet.  Some gluten free products have been very good, like GF Oreos, but others have not been as good."

Have any grandchildren been exposed to this unique treat? Tagging this with the "Recipes" label ... NOT that this is a recipe (not that it needs a recipe) but just so it's included with the other food posts!