Handmade/Homemade Christmas 2014

Here is what I gifted extended families this year (hint: not the baking dish):  

Birthday Dinner ~ Sorghum Candy Making

Youngest asked for me (for her 13th birthday dinner) to make a few new recipes - Pumpkin and Sage Baked Macaroni, and Italian Oven Roasted Cauliflower. 

(Cauliflower dish)

(Pumpkin Macaroni Dish)

Both were super easy to make,

A bit of baking ~ Dog Pile

Our 18 year-old was not agreeing with my cookie "cut back" and is busy baking in the kitchen.  She made the dough yesterday, and is already baking them.  At least she is agreeing to a select few, as I suggested.

She insisted on a few of our favorites.  One is a recipe called "Angel Cookies" but we use it for our "cut out" recipe every year (butter frosting).  

Storm Prep ~ Second "Pop Test"

Sunday was a full work day here - wood pellets restocked, wood cut, split and stacked, animal feed restocked, and  chicken coop cleaned.  Water jugs were also filled. Around here any type of storm can cut out our electricity, and we have yet to buy our generator.  That's next on the preparedness list.

Tonight we are re-securing the snow fence, in anticipation of bad wind, rain and maybe snow.  We may even have a white Christmas this year.

Although they are talking about "storms" they are also saying it is not the worst storm to come through.  So we are praying for good travel weather for friends and family.

Week of Events

We had a computer blooper yesterday morning, so I did not get anything posted.  Sorry.  Not much going on here anyway.  Nothing exciting, funny, or interesting.  Although youngest had a duet in a recent school (in-school) choir concert. 

We haven't baked one Christmas cookie recipe this year, and I'll be honest.  I'm not missing it.  The sugar that is.  The girls tell me they will make a few recipes to take with us to gatherings, but we'll see.  I do need to get buckeyes made, as it is the only thing my Dad asks for, for Christmas.

(2012 cake I baked and frosted)

 

Youngest has a birthday in a few days, and we haven't baked a homemade birthday cake for two years now.  She's opted for alternatives, and this year asked for a peppermint pie. 

In Search of . . .

Yesterday, right after I posted, I went in search for something on the internet.  I can't even remember what I was searching for at the time, but remembered clicking on "images" for another search and wound up finding another crochet pattern I want to make.   I'm pretty sure I was not looking for patterns.

Sigh.  Another pattern that requires a color I do not have.

Double sigh.

And then there was the triple sigh for finding another project when crafting journal if full already.  

Count down . . .

Here's a few more Christmas items around the house this year.