Use Your Words: Texting the Holiday

Today’s post is a monthly writing challenge. If you’re new here, this is how it works: participating bloggers picked 4 – 6 words or short phrases for someone else to craft into a post. All words must be used at least once. All of the posts will be unique as each writer has received their own set of words. That’s the challenge, here’s a fun twist; no one who’s participating knows who got their words and in what direction the recipient will take them. Until now.

At the end of this post you’ll find links to the other blogs featuring this challenge. Check them all out, see what words they got and how they used them.
I’m using: holiday ~ family ~ drama ~ peace ~ presents ~ surprise

They were submitted by: Spatulas on Parade.

I, like most of the people I know, am looking in my rear view mirror at a hectic, fattening, labor intensive but oh-so-worth-it family Thanksgiving 2015. It was an unusual Thanksgiving for my family, lots of drama. A distracted driver crossed the median and hit my mom causing pain, trauma and totalling mom's car. And PurDude and I had a talk about that broken leg. The situation is so much worse than he'd let on. I was, still am, absolutely mortified trying to process what had actually happened. As traumatized as we are, there is peace in knowing, for now, that everyone is OK. 

In the end I had my immediate family home, missed my extended family, cooked too much, ate too much, and enjoyed every minute of it.

Baked Cauliflower Carrot Casserole

I, unlike most of the people I know, am not out frantically shopping for presents. In fact, tonight is the 6th night of Chanukah, the holiday I celebrate this time of year.

Chanukah is celebrated according to the Jewish calendar. It's a challenge because that means it falls on different days each year on the Gregorian calendar that we use. Some years, like this one, it comes early. It's one of those "good news, bad news" situations. I am done with my shopping and able to opt out of the fighting-for-parking blood sport. I do, however, miss some good Christmas sales. I don't have to sit in traffic jams or strap on a catheter to make it through the check-out lines. But, and this is the one that tips the scales in the "bad news" direction, my youngest is away at school. For the first time he will not be home for even one of the eight days.

I decided that each night of Chanukah I would text PurDude a picture of that night's menorah as soon as it's lit. At first he thought I was just reminding him of the holiday. Eventually as the days went by and the texts kept coming, each night with the menorah growing more and more lit, he grew to understand that it was my way of keeping him here connected to the family as we celebrate the holiday. I hope it was a nice surprise.

And presents? Nothing for me right now, thanks. In 9 days I'll be heading back to the airport to pick up mine. He'll be staying home for 20 days.

There will be drama.
There will be peace.
There will be family.

Links to the other Use Your Words posts:

Spatulas on Parade

Not That Sarah Michelle
Sparkly Poetic Weirdo 
 Southern Belle Charm
Rena's World 
 Dinosaur Superhero Mommy
The Bergham Chronicles 
Eileen's Perpetually Busy
Never Ever Give Up Hope 
Someone Else's Genius 
Confessions of a part time working mom 
Climaxed 

Baked Caulifower Carrot Casserole

                                                                        ©www.BakingInATornado.com
 
Printable Recipe
 
Ingredients:
1 head of cauliflower, cleaned and cut into florets
1/2 # baby carrots, cut in half (small) or thirds (larger)
1/2 red pepper, chopped
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/8 tsp cayenne
1/2 stick butter, melted
2 TBSP orange juice
1 can (2.8 oz) French fried onions
3/4 cup shredded cheddar

Directions:
*Grease a 2 quart round of 8 X 11 casserole dish. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
*Cook the cauliflower and carrot chunks in the microwave for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes or until they just start to soften. Mix in the red pepper, salt, pepper and cayenne.
*Crush (you can use your hands) the French fried onions. Mix with the melted butter, orange juice and cheddar. Add half of this mixture to the cauliflower mixture and spread into the casserole dish. Top with the rest of the French fried onion mixture.
*Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until hot.