Teabag Tidbits

Today's teabag message.

We made ham/pea pasta with leftover ham for one dinner.  Yum!

I've been making anniversary plans.  It's a mini, one-nighter, combined with a winery trip not far from home.  Our plans to travel further were changed due to Hubby's work schedule, but it should be a fun time.  I'll post our updates next month on how it turns out. We still plan to have a HUGE party at our homestead next summer.  Including two bands.  We may need to rent a hall though.  Not sure if we'll have enough electric hook-ups for the bands.

It's strange having Youngest being a legal driver.  She's been borrowing my car to run errands, but I'm enjoying her help in library book returns.  She also helped me bake some banana muffins, although she had too much homework to finish decorating a Christmas tree.

In between cleaning and decorating, I've started on two more pig ornaments, and continue to work on the current lapghan.  Hubby suggested I crochet a few more snowflake earring/necklace sets, so I started on that too.  There are over 40 vendors at the first upcoming craft event.

After several attempts, and changing our schedule around, we've come up with a date for the family Christmas get-together (Hubby's side of the family).  We set it early to accommodate family that is traveling from Georgia.  It'll be a combined event, although in the past we tried to keep Daughter's birthday separate from Christmas.  We will have two cakes to celebrate two birthdays that fall together on the same day.  Hopefully both kids will have a special day.

Tree decorating continues.  I will have photos maybe within the next week.  I had to order another string of lights, ha ha!

It was snowing yesterday, but it's raining this morning here.  My chickens are still not laying.  

Extreme Clean ~ Decorating

Youngest was out of school a few days ago, so I got her to help me put the sliders under my heavy dresser, so I could move it, clean and push it back.  What a job that was - one heavy son-of-a-gun dresser.

I still have large items to move in the bedroom, but a few may have to wait until after Christmas and New Years.  I guess we'll see.

Christmas trees and decor are going up.  Its looking mighty fine this year too.   I found several rolls of ribbon in one of my totes, so I decided to wrap all of my upper kitchen cupboards like this.  I would like to do it again next year in blue ribbon and white or silver bows.

I'm waiting on lights for one tree, while we need another string of lights for another tree.  

Caramel Apple Salad

Caramel Apple Salad
1 pkg. instant, organic butterscotch pudding
1 14-15 oz. can of organic crushed pineapple, with juice
1 cup organic mini-marshmallows
5 organic apples, peeling on, diced
1 container of organic whipped cream
1 cup organic salted roasted nuts, diced

Dice the apples and all remaining ingredients, adding whipped cream last, by gently folding it in the mixture.  Chill and serve.

Happy Homemaker Monday

Today I am joining Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom blogspot.  You are graced with two blog posts today due to inclement weather.  I just feel like being lazy today, but the show must go on.

On the breakfast plate . . .
Egg, bacon and cheese sandwich, coffee.  Lots of coffee.


The weather . . .
Raining like crazy, which is to turn to snow later this morning.  Cloudy, dreary, and a bit on the cold side.

Thinking . . .
...that hunters shooting out back of our homestead stay off the property.  I hear shots going off already.


Right now I am . . . 
Waiting on the washer to quit, and getting ready to start on dishes.


My reading pile . . . 
More old writer magazines


On my TV . . . 
Movie rentals from the video store where one of our daughters is a Manager.


On the menu this week . . .
Leftovers.  Lots of good, tasty leftovers.


On my to-do list . . .
Laundry
Dishes
Put Christmas decor and trees up
Move dresser and clean under and behind it
Wash down two nightstand lamps and put new light bulbs in them
water plants


What I am creating . . .
Embroidered kitchen towels for gifting, a lapghan


Looking around the house . . .
I have some walnuts that will need to be cracked and put into the freezer before the Christmas meal.  The woodstove is going, and warming up the house.  I need to take down one curtain and wash it.  The kids played hide-and-seek during our large meal, and got food on it (hurumpf!).


From the camera . . .

Despite shotgun starting this morning, the Eagles are still out flying around in the rain.

On my prayer list, Bible Verse, Devotional . . .
I don't have any special prayer requests, but I do pray for my kids and family.  Two daughters who are in between living arrangements are on top of the list.

Weekend Updates

The eagles were out and about again yesterday morning.  The kids were even flying and later up in this same tree.  They were flying over our place looking for their next meal.  I'm waiting to clean my coop until this week - shotgun week starts.  I'm going to hope the eagles stay away while the hens are in the run, but I'll have to muck it quickly and put them back in.

Sunday was a day of errands and delivering extra food, and what not.  I talked Hubby into cutting wood for a good hour before it turned dark.  Family borrowed the truck for 3 days and we didn't get it back until late Sunday.  Too late to haul our cut wood to the porch or barn, and now it's raining.  Hubby's back is sore from lifting furniture up onto sliders, so we cut our time short out at the barn rubble pile (but have enough wood to last a long, long time).

I got Youngest with the hide-the-rat the other day.  She tried to get me by putting it under a kitchen towel.  Didn't work, ha ha!

We have enough food to last a few days.  The bonus of hosting and having 2 meals this year.  The house is clean too, so I think I'll do some decorating with Youngest.  She's home today.  School is out, but back tomorrow.  However, I'm told some are already closing for tomorrow due to weather.  It's raining right now, but turning to snow later.  

I will have to do constant checking of the property this week.  I've had to run off hunters (shotgun week) in the past.  Some have no respect for other people's property, so I'll most likely put Jesse on a leash this week too.

We left our porch furniture out until the holiday meal, so I'll be bringing in one chair at a time, drying it by the woodstove, and putting them in storage.  What a mess this weather is, but I think being snowed in is a fun reason to do some Christmas decorating.

Tidbits

I got more of these crocheted.

Embroidered a kitchen towel for one kiddo for Christmas.

The bald eagles were out and about again.  The are out and about this morning too.

Thanksgiving meals are behind us now.  Time to get back to cleaning (utility room, bedroom), and get back to organizing the garage.  I'll be back to share a fruit salad recipe.  Not sure what Sunday will bring, as we are worn out from get-togethers, cleaning and cooking.  Family borrowed our truck to move, so it'll be an as-we-go day.  If the truck is returned, we may just get more wood cut.

Bald Eagles ~ Homemade Seasoned Salt

We've been watching a family of 4 bald eagles out in a field by our homestead.  As long as the leave my barn cats and chickens alone, we are enjoying watching them.

I made homemade seasoned salt for a recipe I needed it for yesterday.  It was better than store bought seasoned salt.

I used my homemade onion powder and garlic powder to make it too.

Homemade Seasoned Salt
2 Tbsp. salt
2 tsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. organic paprika
1/4 tsp. organic turmeric
1/4 tsp. homemade organic onion powder
1/4 tsp. homemade organic garlic powder
1/4 tsp. organic non-gmo corn starch

Mix and use in any recipe.