Snow ~ Crochet ~ Hot Cocoa

Most schools ended up closing yesterday.   Our school eventually closed too. Vehicles were traveling slow past our house, and I never saw one snow plow.  Although I wanted to go out for one last Christmas present, I enjoyed the thought of staying home and crocheting.

I whipped up a batch of homemade hot cocoa for gifting two people.  The gift-it list went down considerably this year.  My side of the family set a gathering date mid-January - no gifts, no Christmas traditional food, etc.  I guess you would call it a winter gathering (same thing happened last year).  They want a taco bar, so with Hubby not allowed to eat carbs we'll just take some low carb spinach or tomato wraps (or stuff for taco salad minus tortilla chips).  I love Christmas, and making homemade gifts, so this sort of depressed me.  I feel like my side of the family lets life keep us from celebrating Christmas anymore.

I indulged with a hot cup of hot cocoa myself.  I'll admit it was delicious.  Hubby can't have the sugar, so most of the batch will be enjoyed by our youngest daughter.

I also used up the last of the apples and baked a dutch apple pie.  I was worried it wasn't enough apples, but the apples needed used up for something.


I spent some time doing some handiwork as well, and finished the nail polish ornaments.

Sold an XL hot pad - more $$ going into the coop fund.

Tuesday Tidbits

It was 11am before I was done putting chili in the crocky yesterday, and making breakfast egg muffins (bacon/bell pepper/jalapeno/spinach).  Everything takes time - chopping, baking the bacon, cooking the ground beef, peeling the garlic....blah.  It was a long day in the kitchen.  By the way, when I have to make homemade buttermilk, my cornbread is a tad dry.  I added a small bit of sour cream, and the bread was deliciously moist.

Woke up to more snow.  No surprise there.  School is delayed though.  

Chicken coop is fine, but still no eggs.  Darn it.  I know they'll start laying again though.

Does anyone know if there is such a thing as a cast iron tea kettle made in the USA?  I checked Lodge cast iron and didn't see one, and everything on Amazon is from China.