Rainey Family Christmas

On Saturday my side of the family(the Rainey's) had our family Christmas get-together. I have 2 brothers and 2 sisters. Our parents are both deceased which makes for sad holidays but we have precious memories and we make new memories. We had brunch, visited, played football and then my older brother is a big cut up and always tries to come up with something to keep us entertained. This year he decided that we would have a Sugar Pie bake-off. My mother used to make them and we thought they were wonderful. My children love them and will not share. We all had a different way of making them. My oldest sister, Ann, actually made sopapilla cheese cake. :) She says she doesn't remember them and that Mother must have started the Sugar Pies after she got married and left home. My next oldest sister, Barbara, thinks that mother used pie crust dough. My older brother, Steve, and I remember that she used biscuit dough. My younger brother, Jim, left before the contest. Everyone had a little different variation.

We each had our own judge and my nephew- the engineer tabulated the score. Well, of course - his mother won 1st. I won second. After the contest we headed to Paris to eat at the Fish Fry. Yum Yum!! When my dad was still alive he gave each of us children a gift certificate to the Fish Fry then later we would all get together and go eat. Afterwards we normally go across the street to Braum's for coffee and to sit and visit. Since my parents passed away my older brother has continued the tradition of the Fish Fry gift certificates. That is always such a nice treat and brings back the special memory of my parents. After the Fish Fry trip we then went back to my brothers to play games. It was a great day with the family and I think everyone got to be there this year except for my younger brother's wife and daughter and another niece and her family.