Christmas Eve Bag

I put together a "Christmas Eve" bag for the grand kids this year.


Here's what's in it:

Cozy mermaid slippers for our grand daughter.

Cozy Christmas pj's for both, and elmo slippers for our grandson.

Fun stuff for them.

I'm still filling up the bag, he he!

Sunrise ~ Tidbits

We had a beautiful sunrise yesterday before the rain arrived.  I had to snap a few photos to capture the beauty.

It appears that Yarnspirations has taken over many other yarn companies, and now sells red heart yarn patterns in "kits" using patterns that were once free on Redheart.com?

I went looking for a free pattern I made 2-3 years ago, and poof, it's not free, as well as many more they used to have online.  Sad world we live in (in more ways than one).  Their site isn't even there anymore, you are directed to Yarnspirations now.

Random Tidbits

Daughter woke up with a sore throat, and I went to get my sage tincture, which made me realize I had some infusing and needed strained.  Got that done.

I finally made homemade chicken pot pie - amazing!  I used taste of home's recipe online (just cut the recipe in half to try one pie).  My pie crusts were from the freezer crumbles I made (King Arthur Flour recipe).

I heard daughter telling Hubby that now that she had homemade pot pie she could never eat what the school serves.  She quickly put some in a container to take for lunch today.  

We are to warm up to 54°F today, but rain.  Blah, who wants rain?  

This and That

We sold the old truck!  The two guys stopped by again and paid us.  They are coming today to trailer it.

I haven't had much to write about, hence the lack of blog posts.  I'm crafting a lot, and hope to remember to take some photos to share.

Yesterday was a dreary, misty day.  I made hot cranberry punch, which I don't normally do until a holiday.  I better buy up more cranberries while they are in season.

The date has been set for the Thanksgiving with my side of the family.  Now we have one Thursday, Friday and Saturday.  Something has to give.  I'm not up to cooking for 3 this year.  I'll have to decide soon.

We need wood cut, but will have to rally up the boys to get it done.  I am still not past my 2 weeks of not lifting etc.

Hopefully, I'll be back with a more interesting post.  I need to get some homemade Christmas gifts made yet.

Happy Homemaker Monday

Here are the two (not one) stray cats that showed up.  I saw them go into one of our barns.  The only concern is if they are both female.  That's Aurora (our barn cat) in the box on the right eating.  She doesn't seem to mind them and they are definitely hungry and young.  If they stick around, I may have them trapped and checked.  I'm concerned about the fact I've seen them cross the highway more than once.  Not sure if someone dumped them here or they just showed up.  Most likely dumped here.  It's not the first time.

It's not been normal work for me since the leg procedure.  No carrying out a bucket of water to the chickens, no carrying chicken feed, no bringing in an arm load of firewood, no lifting a canner pot etc.  In a few weeks I hope to be back to my normal stuff. I can't carry the laundry basket out to put laundry on the clothesline either. Sigh.  I am using the dryer and folding in the utility room.

The doctor and his two nurses said, "you can do normal stuff" when you go home.  I said, "so no lifting a load of firewood?" and all three turned about and immediately said, "NO!"  You see I'm not a "normal" person, ha ha! Yeah, things are so different when you homestead and are self sufficient.

Oh, and I have to put the spikes on my boots, so I can take the dog out without a yank here and there and fall to the ground on the layer of ice still out there.

The farmers scrambled to get their crops out, and Friday, I watched one farmer spray over his field with the snow over it.  

Good news!  Someone else volunteered to host Christmas on my husband's side of the family. Woo hoo to me!

Today, I'm joining Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom.

The weather outside is . . .
32°F this morning, with a sunny high of 47°F.


On the breakfast plate . . .

I made this Sunday.  There are leftovers for today - spicy sausage and hashbrown casserole.



As I look out my window . . .
The sun is trying to shine, but a bit hazy today.


Right now I am . . .
Getting ready to post this.


As I look around my house . . .
One of my kitchen tables is currently my "craft" table.  It'll be that way for a few weeks, but I'll have new items to sell at the craft show.



On the to do list . . .
laundry
sweep and mop kitchen
vacuum living room
clean master bath
Make homemade English muffins
Work on crafts for the upcoming show
Stamp brown paper bags for shopping bags for the show



On the menu . . . 
Chicken Pot Pie (didn't get it made last week)
Flounder, home canned corn relish, potatoes
Medicinal pesto pasta, steamed broccoli
Meatballs, quinoa, beets or green beans
Spaghetti, sauteed greens, possibly another veggie




What I'm reading . . .

I got this book free from the library.  I added it to my bookshelf for a winter read.


On the TV . . .
Here's what I've watched while in recovery over the last week and weekend.

Netflix:
-Holiday in the Wild (good)
-Wine Country (funny)
-Otherhood  (good and different)

Hallmark: (all from the library)
Christmas in Evergreen, Letters from Santa
It's Christmas Eve
Christmas in Grand Valley
Broadcasting Christmas
I'll be Home for Christmas

Misc. (from the library:
Grumpy Old Men




What I am creating . . .

Wine cork Christmas trees to sell and lots of stuff.  I'll have a "handiwork" post up to share. I am making new ornaments for the holiday craft show.  I'll have more pictures soon.

New recipe I tried or want to try . . .
Still on the list - homemade chicken pot pie


Favorite photo from the camera .  .  .

This is a framed photo that lights up.  Merry Christmas to us.  The tree lights change colors too.  We just love it.

Prayers . . . 
Update: I have one more appt to go to, to go over the last sonogram, my friend's mother is scheduled to be released from the nursing home Nov. 25th.

Teabag Tidbits

Monday we took a huge dip in temperature.  It rained all morning.

The weather screamed hot cocoa, hallmark and crochet.  Brr.  Nasty, dreary skies, cold weather, like the kind that keeps you curled up under a blanket with cozy slippers and a cuddly dog and/or cat.  

The weather turned to snow all night and then freezing temps, so there was a layer of ice on the snow.  Not what I needed for a drive to the hospital.  Roads were in terrible condition and 95 school districts closed in the area of the winter storm. 

I made it to the hospital for my procedure, leaving early with a driver.

I'm glad I took handiwork along.  I had to wait about 45 minutes, but was done in 45 minutes and literally was able to walk to the truck.

However, this morning, I am sore.  It'll be that way for a few days, and then it's back for another sonogram later this week.  The doc said it all looked good when he was done.  I am not allowed to lift, exercise or anything of that nature for two weeks.  I am concerned about the amount of firewood we have and the near 0 temps this morning.  We will have to summon the boys to come help if that's needed.  Hopefully, I'll be back to full swing in two weeks.

Breakfast - made this on Monday, so Tuesday the Hubster and daughter had breakfast on the go.  It's what I had on hand - a sausage "souffle" but with bread swapped out for shredded potatoes (a fluffier version).  I do prefer the bread version, but I didn't have time to bake bread.  

I also got cauliflower chowder going in the crock pot first thing Tuesday morning, so there was a hearty dinner when we got home.

It's a brisk 6°F this morning.  Thankfully, my youngest does not have school again today due to an event they are holding at the career center (school of  hers).  I'll have help with firewood being carried in, taking Romeo out, and so forth.  Speaking of which, I'll need to put my spikes back on my boots starting tomorrow.  

I was up at 3am, because I couldn't sleep with the uncomfortable soreness in my leg.   I came out to stoke the fire and found Tiger on a mouse hunt.  Cold weather must have brought it in somewhere, but I'm confident he'll take care of it for us.  Just another glory bonus of living in the country.

I still haven't gotten to the library.  When the school closes the library closes, and they were also closed Monday.  I will be sending someone to the library for me today, and keeping the movement of my leg to a minimum.  It may be another hot cocoa, hallmark and crochet kind of day, and I'm okay with that.

Happy Homemaker Monday

Saturday morning we cut this tree down.  We got about 1/4 of the pieces split and stacked.  The chimney guys came, and we now have a clean stove, and new gasket in our door.

We took a few hours off to watch the Ohio State game and rejuvenate with some hot tea.  By dinner time we were a moanin' and groanin' - used muscles we hadn't used in a while.

Sunday we were back at it, but first finally put the air conditioner in storage.

Today I'm joining Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom

I'm up at 5am.

The weather outside . . .
It's 36°F and snow is expected to start falling around 7am.  We'll dip into the single digits tomorrow.

On the breakfast plate. . .
Most likely eggs and toast and organic coffee


As I look outside my window. . .
Pitch black.  I'm typically up very early to start the day.


Right now I am . . .
Stoking the fire in the wood stove.  We started our first fire last night.


As I look around the house . . .
I have dishes to put away, and I need to do regular tidying up.


On the to-do list . . .
-laundry
-dishes
-vacuum
-clean master bathroom
-sweep and mop kitchen
-purge coffee cups (have too many, will look for a church to donate to)
-finish cleaning up hallway with boot stand
-make another run to the library
-make a breakfast for the next 2-3 days

On the Menu . . .
-Homemade chicken Pot Pie
-Slow Cooker Cauliflower Chowder
-Fried chicken, mashed potatoes, corn
-Tacos
-Pulled Pork Nachos


Currently reading . . .
Nothing


On the TV this week . . .
Hallmark movies from the library - watched "The Christmas Cure" and "The Christmas Note."  The first was predictable, but the second was wonderful (the kid had me in stitches most of the movie, and this one made both of us cry).


What I am creating . . .
Still working on a set of pot holders and matching dishcloth


New recipe I tried or want to try . . .
Homemade chicken pot pie.  Maybe a new pie for Thanksgiving.  Mushroom wild rice casserole (Simply Scratch).  Speaking of Simply Scratch, I love her recipes, but hate the advertisements on her site.  It's so aggravating, she's got that many on her site. 


Favorite photo from the camera . . .

Prayers . . .
SIL is doing much better and is at home, a friend's mother is in the nursing home in recovery, and myself (leg procedure is tomorrow, please say a prayer, send up good mojo, good vibes.  Roads may be slick and my 20 year-old daughter is driving me).