New Years Day

We had the Jackson Family over for New Years day. Normally we buy a Ham for that day, but this year I couldn't find the kind I normally buy which is precooked and ready to heat and eat. I did find a huge Smithfield ham with instructions in English. I got it, but it didn't look like any ham I had ever eaten. I decided to bake it according to its directions. The only thing was that it was missing the first half of the directions and we didn't know it. We started baking it as was stated, but when we took it out of the oven it didn't look done and when we started to cut it we could see that it wasn't done at all. We put it back in the oven and cooked it some more while we ate the mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, and salad that were ready. When the ham was finally done (2 hours later) we cut it and tasted it. The amount of salt in the ham just about burnt my mouth. We cut it up and decided to use it to cook in other recipes while cutting out all salt called for. Today as I was doing research online I found out that I was supposed to cover the entire ham (it was a salt cured ham) in water for at least 24 hours while changing the water every 4 hours. You could soak it for less time if you wanted it really salty. No wonder my ham tastes like I am eating a salt lick.

We had so much fun with the Jacksons. We played a game called Up and Down, then we played speed Skip bo, and after that we had fun playing two games of Cranium. It has been so long since we have been together as we both have been so busy, that we played until 10:00 at night. We both needed the time of fellowship and refreshment. We have never laughed so hard. It was a really relaxing time for all of us.

We learned one thing while playing Cranium with the Jacksons. If you have a strong feeling that an answer in right it probably is. At the end of both games we counted up at least 10 trivia questions that we ladies knew, but over analized the question and possible answers and therefore got them wrong. I wish I didn't have to wait all year for another chance to play games like that again. Not that I want my children to grow up any faster, but there are times that it would be fun to play non-kid games as a family.

I hope everyone had a great New Year and that God will bless all of you in 2008. My prayer is that many new souls will be saved this coming year and that the hearts of Hondurans will be opened to the Lord like never before.