Hostess with the most-est. . .

...with the most-est headache.  I got a text asking for us to once again change the time of the Christmas party.  I've already sent out invitations to people and it's getting out of control.  Hubby wasn't happy either.  He has to work the next day.  

My 19 year old came out to help with the candy making.  We had issues of course.  I wasn't running on all "cylinders" and she hadn't worked with candy for a year.  We were a bit rusty at it, but after one batch, turned on a Christmas movie to take a break.

We made buckeyes, mint chocolate covered crackers (mock mint girl scout cookies) and I made another batch of salted caramel fudge. The guys at Hubby's work were begging for the fudge.

A plate of goodies went to work with Hubby this morning.

It rained all day Thursday.  Cloudy, dreary, and cold.  It's wet and cold today, and I have no plans to bake one iota.  It's a house cleaning day.

You may see a blurp or two in my posts from now on.  It'll start to get crazy busy.

Making Dirty Dishes....and then some....

Wednesday the weather was just about the same - high of about 44°F.  I woke up super exhausted, so I took my time early on (again).  

Here's why.

The night prior, Hubby and I drove to the other "Big City" to pick up some last minute baking supplies for the holiday baking.  However, there were zero half-pint canning jars anywhere.  Sigh.  Literally.  Even sugar in the smaller bags, and toothpicks were sold out.  Frustrated and beyond tired, we returned home to crash.  Someone please, please (I beg you) remind me to buy my holiday supplies in September.  I even stopped at the dollar store for parchment paper - zero in stock and lines so long I would've walked out anyway perhaps.  At the craft store, the lines were long, and one cashier.  I almost fell asleep in line.  Nope,  not doing it next year.  I'll order online if I have to.  It's crazy out in the people-y world.

The only reason you all get to read another post, is because I was once again downing coffee just to wake up and start the day.  Not to mention a bit of procrastination.

More baking went on at the homestead . . .

Salted Caramel Fudge, Peanut butter blossoms, more candy apple jelly, and one last batch of cashew brittle.  

I spoiled tater tot with some homemade dog food - organic oats, chicken, peas and a bit of bacon grease.  My original recipe calls for a "human" vitamin, but I did not add that.  I don't even take them, except for raw Vitamin C.  I didn't add the salt substitute either.  I figure the bacon grease is salty enough.  He devoured it of course.

The only bad thing about a gathering at our place, is we get pantry pirates.  I won't name names, but it's not my side of the family. Sigh.  Seriously, they open pantries and take canned goods.  They have no idea what work goes into a canned item - work the garden, plant the garden, weed the garden, pick the garden, can the garden....a LOT of work, and for organic food for the family of my own.  We had a terrible garden year this year, so it's slim pickin's in the stock-age here as well.  Not to mention the cost of organic seed/plant and the cost of canning supplies, double with the time involved in all of it.  I just find it downright disrespectful and rude.  I am not going to let it continue.  Okay, off my soapbox....I'm just going to put a few kids on guard this time.