My favorite Christmas decoration. I like it so much, I leave it out all year.
Thursday, December 22, 2005
Christmas arrived on the 6:30 Delta Flight from Washington
Michael is here! Christmas has begun. He has been here for five hours and we have already cleaned out my computer files, wrapped packages, gone out for dinner, shopped at Best Buy and the supermarket and watched half a movie (Good Morning Vietnam). It is so much fun to have him here. Tomorrow is coffee at Barnes and Noble, along with some last minute Christmas shopping and cookie baking. Lots of recipes up my sleeve, and I can't wait to get started.
Have a great day.
Have a great day.
Monday, December 19, 2005
Spilled Milk
I got up early this Monday morning, to work on my to do list for Christmas, and think about what needed to be done for our office open house tomorrow morning. I lit the candles, made myself coffee, turned on the Christmas tree lights, and was quietly enjoying dawn's early light. In a few minutes, George joined me, went to the kitchen to get his cereal, came back to the livingroom and spilled milk all over the cat. Thunder just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. After leaving a trail of milk drops across the floor, she is now in the kitchen busily trying to take a kitty milk bath.
It is a busy time of year. Yesterday I taught Sunday School, and the time I'm with the kids just flies. Looking at those pretty little faces looking up at me, and seeing how industrious they are about looking up the Bible verses and doing the puzzles and crafts, really brings to me the true meaning of Christmas. The last of the Advent candles are lit, and next week Christmas is here.
We are almost done with the wrapping and giving part and now we move on to cookies. My mother is not well, and is alone this year, so I especially want to get a pannetone bread and a box of cookies off to her. Micheal arrives on Thursday, and will help with the cookie baking part. (Right, Mike? hehe.)
Tomorrow is my office open house, and I have lots to do to pick up the platters of fruit, cheese and baked goods and prepare the coffee and punch and have it all set up by 8:00 a.m. It was my idea to have an open house, so I do it willingly and George will be there to help me do the schlepping.
It is hard to realize that Christmas Day is only one day, and a quiet one at that. All this bustle is the real "fun" of Christmas, and we might as well enjoy ourselvs in the process.
Have a great day.
It is a busy time of year. Yesterday I taught Sunday School, and the time I'm with the kids just flies. Looking at those pretty little faces looking up at me, and seeing how industrious they are about looking up the Bible verses and doing the puzzles and crafts, really brings to me the true meaning of Christmas. The last of the Advent candles are lit, and next week Christmas is here.
We are almost done with the wrapping and giving part and now we move on to cookies. My mother is not well, and is alone this year, so I especially want to get a pannetone bread and a box of cookies off to her. Micheal arrives on Thursday, and will help with the cookie baking part. (Right, Mike? hehe.)
Tomorrow is my office open house, and I have lots to do to pick up the platters of fruit, cheese and baked goods and prepare the coffee and punch and have it all set up by 8:00 a.m. It was my idea to have an open house, so I do it willingly and George will be there to help me do the schlepping.
It is hard to realize that Christmas Day is only one day, and a quiet one at that. All this bustle is the real "fun" of Christmas, and we might as well enjoy ourselvs in the process.
Have a great day.
Saturday, December 17, 2005
Christmas Cookies
George and I bought a new cookbook. I haven't bought a new cookbook in years I don't think. Now that you can get every recipe known to man on www.recipesource.com, cookbooks just weren't necessary. But we saw this beautiful cookbook at Barnes and Noble when we were shopping for Christmas presents and couldn't resist.
The book is called A Bakers Field Guide to Christmas Cookies by Dede Wilson, and has ALL the classic cookies, like Gingerbread, Sugar cookies, Springerle, Spritz, Pfeffernusse, Thumbprint cookies, Vanilla Crescents and Moravian Ginger Cookies. It is a wonderful little book and as George said this morning, "We gotta get going on them". We have the butter, the sugar, the flour, and the spices. Cookies are amazing little critters, since they are all just a variation on a wonderfuly sweet theme.
George and I were still Christmas shopping last night in a Kohls store at 10:30 p.m. It was midnight madness sale and we had a $20 Cash Coupon to use. We went to a Christmas Party first, and had dinner and cokes, and then people started smoking and the music (kareoke) got loud, so we said our goodbyes and and went shopping. We had fun at the party, but staying a long time at parties is not our scene. We'd much rather be up early making cookies and wrapping Christmas presents.
It is the Saturday before Christmas and there is lots to do.
Have a great day!
The book is called A Bakers Field Guide to Christmas Cookies by Dede Wilson, and has ALL the classic cookies, like Gingerbread, Sugar cookies, Springerle, Spritz, Pfeffernusse, Thumbprint cookies, Vanilla Crescents and Moravian Ginger Cookies. It is a wonderful little book and as George said this morning, "We gotta get going on them". We have the butter, the sugar, the flour, and the spices. Cookies are amazing little critters, since they are all just a variation on a wonderfuly sweet theme.
George and I were still Christmas shopping last night in a Kohls store at 10:30 p.m. It was midnight madness sale and we had a $20 Cash Coupon to use. We went to a Christmas Party first, and had dinner and cokes, and then people started smoking and the music (kareoke) got loud, so we said our goodbyes and and went shopping. We had fun at the party, but staying a long time at parties is not our scene. We'd much rather be up early making cookies and wrapping Christmas presents.
It is the Saturday before Christmas and there is lots to do.
Have a great day!
Tuesday, December 13, 2005
It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!
George and I worked our little patooties off this weekend getting the house ready for Christmas. First on our list was some early Saturday morning Christmas shopping. We hit the stores at the right time and found many things that we think our family and friends will like. We had coffee and cocoa at Barnes and Nobel and I bought a fun book of Christmas cookie recipes that I just HAD to have. I plan on making candy cane cookies this weekend.
We went to the storage unit that we rent to get out the pre-lighted Christmas tree that we bought last year. It was big and beautiful in the store, and we set it up last year and really loved it. Then...reality struck when we had to take it down and put it away. These trees will NEVER again fit in the box they came in, so we wrapped it in three large black bags. As we were taking it out of storage on Saturday, we were amazed!! at how heavy it was. Somehow, when you are smiling up at these beautiful trees on display, you don't even consider whether you will be able to lift them or fit them in your car. But we got home with it, set it up and I decorated until my back hurt. We worked really hard on it, and I love my Southern Christmas Tree.
George put up lights outside to my "grand design". We decided that each year it is a little harder because I always come up with something different I want to do. This year we put two small trees on either side of the door, and a garland that frames the door, hanging on the posts. We have a big lighted wreath and I'm going to put small red bows on the trees--something I liked in a Martha Stewart magazine. We are going to skip the icicle lights this year.
Each year, when Michael comes, we have a "tradition" of driving around looking for droopy drawer lights. This may sound silly. It IS very silly. It just started when I was appalled at how many people put up icicle lights and drape them off their houses in a scallop pattern. Have you ever seen icicles hanging in a loosely draped pattern off a roofline? Not. Icicles hang hard, cold and straight across. So, now we drive around looking for these "droopy drawer" lights and have even though of surrepticiously leaving little flyers on doors that say, "You have Droopy Drawer Lights. Merry Christmas."
We are not finished decorating, and haven't even begun the wrapping and packing, but...Christmas is definitely here!
Have a great day.
We went to the storage unit that we rent to get out the pre-lighted Christmas tree that we bought last year. It was big and beautiful in the store, and we set it up last year and really loved it. Then...reality struck when we had to take it down and put it away. These trees will NEVER again fit in the box they came in, so we wrapped it in three large black bags. As we were taking it out of storage on Saturday, we were amazed!! at how heavy it was. Somehow, when you are smiling up at these beautiful trees on display, you don't even consider whether you will be able to lift them or fit them in your car. But we got home with it, set it up and I decorated until my back hurt. We worked really hard on it, and I love my Southern Christmas Tree.
George put up lights outside to my "grand design". We decided that each year it is a little harder because I always come up with something different I want to do. This year we put two small trees on either side of the door, and a garland that frames the door, hanging on the posts. We have a big lighted wreath and I'm going to put small red bows on the trees--something I liked in a Martha Stewart magazine. We are going to skip the icicle lights this year.
Each year, when Michael comes, we have a "tradition" of driving around looking for droopy drawer lights. This may sound silly. It IS very silly. It just started when I was appalled at how many people put up icicle lights and drape them off their houses in a scallop pattern. Have you ever seen icicles hanging in a loosely draped pattern off a roofline? Not. Icicles hang hard, cold and straight across. So, now we drive around looking for these "droopy drawer" lights and have even though of surrepticiously leaving little flyers on doors that say, "You have Droopy Drawer Lights. Merry Christmas."
We are not finished decorating, and haven't even begun the wrapping and packing, but...Christmas is definitely here!
Have a great day.
Saturday, December 10, 2005
Christmas Preparation Day
George and I went shopping this morning, and by 9:00 we were in the store with our list. We managed to get most of what we needed in three separate stores and had time to stop for hot chocolate, coffee and scones at Barnes & Nobel while we shopped there. We had a good time. I usually don't have problems with Christmas shopping. Maybe it is because I go with an idea of what I want for each person, but I'm open to suggestions. If the store puts out something that I like,...then why quibble. I buy what I see rather than shop for hours for something that I can't find. I think people on our list will like our presents, and we had fun doing it.
Afterwards, we made a trip to the storage unit to get our big Christmas tree. It is artificial, and suits us fine. I spent the afternoon putting on ornaments, and adding my special "southern" touch of silk and flocked poinsettias, roses and hydrangeas. I add the big maroon and gold bows, and...voila...a very pretty tree! I came up with this idea two years ago when we visited New Orleans and Mississippi, and saw the trees there that were decorated with flowers instead of tinsel. I loved it then, and came up with our own version. At a hotel in New Orleans, they had a white flocked tree decorated with huge navy blue bows and gold ornaments. It was a knockout.
Tomorrow we will decorate the porch, put up the new candy cane lights on the lawn, and make a batch of cookies.
Whew.
Have a good day.
Afterwards, we made a trip to the storage unit to get our big Christmas tree. It is artificial, and suits us fine. I spent the afternoon putting on ornaments, and adding my special "southern" touch of silk and flocked poinsettias, roses and hydrangeas. I add the big maroon and gold bows, and...voila...a very pretty tree! I came up with this idea two years ago when we visited New Orleans and Mississippi, and saw the trees there that were decorated with flowers instead of tinsel. I loved it then, and came up with our own version. At a hotel in New Orleans, they had a white flocked tree decorated with huge navy blue bows and gold ornaments. It was a knockout.
Tomorrow we will decorate the porch, put up the new candy cane lights on the lawn, and make a batch of cookies.
Whew.
Have a good day.
Friday, December 09, 2005
Snow Day!
Today is one of those days that you dream about. A snowy day, and both George and I have the day off! We had planned to put the Christmas tree up this morning, but George reminded me that it is in its big box in the storage unit, which is a long snowy drive from here. We think the roads will be plowed by this afternoon and we will be able to do errands and some Christmas shopping.
This morning I made a pair of chandelier earrings before I even had my first cup of coffee. I have a lot of beads waiting, and today seems like a good time to get to it. We also plan to decorate the front porch railings. I bought artificial greens, large sparkly poinsettas and tiny red lights. The Christmas Tree will be in our southern tree again this year, which is covered with huge flowers and bows. I can't wait to get started!
God is good. Today is truly a blessed day, full of decorating, jewelry making, and cookie baking. What could be nicer.
Have a great day.
This morning I made a pair of chandelier earrings before I even had my first cup of coffee. I have a lot of beads waiting, and today seems like a good time to get to it. We also plan to decorate the front porch railings. I bought artificial greens, large sparkly poinsettas and tiny red lights. The Christmas Tree will be in our southern tree again this year, which is covered with huge flowers and bows. I can't wait to get started!
God is good. Today is truly a blessed day, full of decorating, jewelry making, and cookie baking. What could be nicer.
Have a great day.
Tuesday, December 06, 2005
Holidays are here already!
The to-do list is getting longer, which means that Christmas is almost here. Besides the lights to be strung, the tree to be decorated, and the cookies to be baked, there is an open house at our new office, a Christmas luncheon, and special Christmas practices for the bell choir. At home, at work, and at church, things are very busy.
It is also "gift" time, and besides buying things for my family, I am making jewelry for other people to buy to give to THEIR families. Wow. Things get heated up aruond this time of year.
Michael made his reservations and gets here on the Thursday before Christmas. We have already bought the turkey for Christmas dinner, and I'm going to get a spiral baked ham as well. Time to invite someone else over to help us eat it.
Time to get started....
Have a great day.
It is also "gift" time, and besides buying things for my family, I am making jewelry for other people to buy to give to THEIR families. Wow. Things get heated up aruond this time of year.
Michael made his reservations and gets here on the Thursday before Christmas. We have already bought the turkey for Christmas dinner, and I'm going to get a spiral baked ham as well. Time to invite someone else over to help us eat it.
Time to get started....
Have a great day.
Sunday, December 04, 2005
Sunday School Teacher added to the list
Today was my first day as Sunday School Teacher. I like it! I had four young people in the class this morning and we had a great time. They were eager to read and study the Isaiah verses and were wonderful at figuring out the puzzle in the workbook. We talked about darkness and light, and the promise of the Messiah and what that meant to a dark world. We strung Christmas lights on our table, and had a great time getting to know one another.
It was a good hour and I'm happy that they have accepted me as their new teacher. Sometimes blessings come to us when we are least expecting it. I never intended to teach, but answered a call to come in for two months, and today I asked to make it permanent. I love it and I'm sure I will learn as much as I teach.
Have a great day!
It was a good hour and I'm happy that they have accepted me as their new teacher. Sometimes blessings come to us when we are least expecting it. I never intended to teach, but answered a call to come in for two months, and today I asked to make it permanent. I love it and I'm sure I will learn as much as I teach.
Have a great day!
Thursday, December 01, 2005
Don't let the turkeys get you down!
George and I were leaving for work this morning, both of us going out the door at the same time. We came to a sudden stop. There, going down the front walk, were 24 wild turkeys. They looked like they were taking a leisurely stroll in the neighborhood.
I came back in the house to get something, since there was no way we were going to be pulling our cars out into a gaggle of turkeys. I went out later, and both the turkeys and George were no where to be found. As I got into my car, I see George standing in his white shirt and tie, pouring seed from a liter jar onto the driveway, surrounded by all 24 turkeys! He looked like he was feeding the ducks. He looked at me in wonder, and I had to laugh out loud. What a great sight to see as I was pulling out of the driveway.
We are wondering where on earth these turkeys go during the weeks when we do not see them. There is a small woods near our house, but development has carved away at it until it is almost non-existant. We talked about the fact that wild turkeys live in trees. They live somewhere nearby, that is for sure. And then, George was wondering why they don't come back more, since we are obviously soft touches, as we scramble to get another liter jug of bird seed every time they come to visit.
I have had a busy week, and there is another craft show on Saturday. I need to hurry and make more jewelry, since Ebay sales have been good, and my inventory is way down.
Too busy to talk more turkey.
Have a great day!
I came back in the house to get something, since there was no way we were going to be pulling our cars out into a gaggle of turkeys. I went out later, and both the turkeys and George were no where to be found. As I got into my car, I see George standing in his white shirt and tie, pouring seed from a liter jar onto the driveway, surrounded by all 24 turkeys! He looked like he was feeding the ducks. He looked at me in wonder, and I had to laugh out loud. What a great sight to see as I was pulling out of the driveway.
We are wondering where on earth these turkeys go during the weeks when we do not see them. There is a small woods near our house, but development has carved away at it until it is almost non-existant. We talked about the fact that wild turkeys live in trees. They live somewhere nearby, that is for sure. And then, George was wondering why they don't come back more, since we are obviously soft touches, as we scramble to get another liter jug of bird seed every time they come to visit.
I have had a busy week, and there is another craft show on Saturday. I need to hurry and make more jewelry, since Ebay sales have been good, and my inventory is way down.
Too busy to talk more turkey.
Have a great day!
Monday, November 28, 2005
Long Drive Home
George and I left Michael's house in Alexandria at 8 a.m. on Saturday, and drove 519 miles to our house and arrived at 6:30 p.m. A very fast drive considering that it is one of the most heavily traveled days of the year. We came to a complete stop twice on the dreaded New Jersey Turnpike, but then the traffic cleared and we zoomed through the tolls with our new EZPass, and we zoomed down the Garden State Parkway, across Connecticut and into Massachusetts. Even the Mass Pike was no problem. During one of the rest stops, I had to wait in a long line of women to get to the ladie's room, but the line moved relatively quickly, we grabbed a Starbucks and were off again.
We didn't stop for dinner, but had a snack of cheese and crackers in the car. I'll be cleaning up the crumbs for days.
We had a great Thanksgiving Dinner, made some new friends, and had a wonderful time in Washington. On the day after Thanksgiving, George and I braved the crowds and went to Tyson's Mall in Arlington VA, and even there, we didn't have any problems. As we left the mall at noon, the crowds were coming, and we were having trouble walking the mall, so we went to the car the got out of Dodge.
We are very grateful that our ride there and home was so easy. One year, we got to the New Jersey Turnpike on Saturday, and found that it was stop and go all the way, adding at least two hours to our trip. This year, maybe because of EZPass, we made it there and home without any trouble at all: 519 miles exactly.
Now it's a downhill slide to Christmas!
Have a great day.
We didn't stop for dinner, but had a snack of cheese and crackers in the car. I'll be cleaning up the crumbs for days.
We had a great Thanksgiving Dinner, made some new friends, and had a wonderful time in Washington. On the day after Thanksgiving, George and I braved the crowds and went to Tyson's Mall in Arlington VA, and even there, we didn't have any problems. As we left the mall at noon, the crowds were coming, and we were having trouble walking the mall, so we went to the car the got out of Dodge.
We are very grateful that our ride there and home was so easy. One year, we got to the New Jersey Turnpike on Saturday, and found that it was stop and go all the way, adding at least two hours to our trip. This year, maybe because of EZPass, we made it there and home without any trouble at all: 519 miles exactly.
Now it's a downhill slide to Christmas!
Have a great day.
Wednesday, November 23, 2005
Thanksgiving Trip to Washington
George and I left on Monday afternoon for Washington DC, and I am writing this blog entry from my son Michael's house in Alexandria, VA. We had a good trip, after a rather rocky start. There seemed to be a lot to do to get ready, and I had several packages to get into the mail. It is my mother's 96th Birthday on November 30th, and I had several birthday presents, as well as Ebay shipments to get out to the post office. I had to go to work on Monday, because our office had just moved, and that was stressful. The house had to be ready for the house cleaners, the bags needed to be packed, and to top it all off, George had a toothache.
George called for an emergency appointment with his dentist for Monday noon, and when I called him later in the day, he was home. Guess what. He'd had a root canal! I thought that would lay one up for weeks, but George is a trooper. He and the dentist both decided that he was fine, and it would be no problem to leave on a long car trip, so that is what we did! What a guy!
We packed up the car, and left at 4:00, drove to Fishkill, NY and stayed at a nice Hampton Inn where we had made reservations, and then drove through New Jersey and Delaware yesterday and got to Mike's house at 3:30. It rained a lot both days of driving, but it didn't seem to dampen our spirits one bit. We were shaved, showered and breakfasted and on the road by 7:15 on Tuesday morning. It was a very nice drive and we enjoyed seeing all the ducks in the fields in Deleware. I hope they have a good Thanksgiving too, but they sure looked like cannon fodder to me. It must be hunting season there, and I've never seen so many low flying ducks and geese.
We drove into Mike's parking are, just as he came home from work to meet us. We always have a great time here. We went for Japanese food last night, and tonight will meet Michelle for dinner and have Thanksgiving dinner at her parents house in Maryland. I have not met them and I'm really excited! We stopped at an outlet mall and went to Pfaltzcraft for a gift. I bought a cheese tray and knife, and we bought several nice cheeses to go with it. Today we will go to Panera for bread and crackers. A visit to the flower store will be on the "to do" list for today for flowers for Michelle's mom.
I'm also baking an apple pie to take tomorrow and brought along the beautiful huge gold Mutsu apples form New Hampshire to make a pie that is really special!
Have a GREAT THANKSGIVING everyone.
George called for an emergency appointment with his dentist for Monday noon, and when I called him later in the day, he was home. Guess what. He'd had a root canal! I thought that would lay one up for weeks, but George is a trooper. He and the dentist both decided that he was fine, and it would be no problem to leave on a long car trip, so that is what we did! What a guy!
We packed up the car, and left at 4:00, drove to Fishkill, NY and stayed at a nice Hampton Inn where we had made reservations, and then drove through New Jersey and Delaware yesterday and got to Mike's house at 3:30. It rained a lot both days of driving, but it didn't seem to dampen our spirits one bit. We were shaved, showered and breakfasted and on the road by 7:15 on Tuesday morning. It was a very nice drive and we enjoyed seeing all the ducks in the fields in Deleware. I hope they have a good Thanksgiving too, but they sure looked like cannon fodder to me. It must be hunting season there, and I've never seen so many low flying ducks and geese.
We drove into Mike's parking are, just as he came home from work to meet us. We always have a great time here. We went for Japanese food last night, and tonight will meet Michelle for dinner and have Thanksgiving dinner at her parents house in Maryland. I have not met them and I'm really excited! We stopped at an outlet mall and went to Pfaltzcraft for a gift. I bought a cheese tray and knife, and we bought several nice cheeses to go with it. Today we will go to Panera for bread and crackers. A visit to the flower store will be on the "to do" list for today for flowers for Michelle's mom.
I'm also baking an apple pie to take tomorrow and brought along the beautiful huge gold Mutsu apples form New Hampshire to make a pie that is really special!
Have a GREAT THANKSGIVING everyone.
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