Wow I was productive

Well my mom and I made 7 batches of cookies today...2 batches of Spritz, and one batch Double Chocolate Kiss Cookies, Raspberry Bars, Chocolate Chip Cookies, Lemon Bars, and Oatmeal Raisin cookies. I still have two gifts to wrap for tomorrow. I have to go to Fashion Bug to exchange a new pair of pants I bought that are too big...oops. I want to wear them tomorrow. I would also like to make a little purse for my niece. I haven't even started. I also have a table runner that I want to finish for Christmas Eve. I have it all pieced and I have the backing but I would have to put it together and quilt it...Ohh we will see. I am planning on going to bed in about 15 to 20 minutes from now....we will see. I will keep you updated.

It's Getting Closer to Christmas

Well I have half of the presents we are giving all wrapped! Today I made a new Christmas Cookie called Saltine Toffee Cookies. I never would have thought these would taste good but one of the ladies at work made them and I had to have the recipe.

Saltine Toffee Cookies
1 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
Saltine Crackers (about one sleeve)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees
Bring butter and brown sugar to a boil. Boil for 3 minutes.
Pour butter and brown sugar over saltines that have been placed on a foil-lined cookie sheet.
Bake for 4 - 5 minutes.
Pour chocolate chips on top.
The woman who made them puts them in the freezer for awhile and then she keeps them in the refrigerator.

Tomorrow I will be going over to my Mom's house to make Christmas cookes...this has been an annual tradition since I was a small girl.

This will be a fun day for me...I really enjoy it. Tomorrow night I am going to make a cheese ball to take over to my Mom's on Christmas Eve and one for when we go to Mark's parents. I am also going to a 7-layer salad. I am a little nervous as I am not good at making bacon. I know that sounds silly but that is what is making me nervous.

It's beginning to look like Christmas

Well tonight did not turn out the way I anticipated but it was a good night. Well I did sew but not the kind we all like to do.....I was sewing Emma's toys back together. I had to do surgery on three of her stuffed animals. I did this while I watched some TV on the computer. While I did that I opened some Jim Shore items that I have for Christmas...two angels, a polar bear and penguin, and Santa, sleigh and reindeer. While I was putting them out Mark went and pulled out our 4 1/2 foot Christmas tree from our first Christmas together. I cleaned off a glass table and put the tree up. I am thinking of confiscating a red, green and black blanket to put around the bottom of the tree and cover the stand. Tomorrow night I hope to put ornaments on. I did just bring some up and I did just put the blanket around the bottom of the tree and it looks great. My tree skirt would have been too big so I am happy with this for this year.

For a cheap tree - it looks okay right now. I do have to fix some branches and I did bring up a box of ornaments. I may quick put them on so that I feel like I got something done. I was going to take my clear coat off and replace it but I don't think that will happen right now. Maybe in about 10 minutes or so...I don't know if I will get a chance to put a new coat on before tomorrow...which is our Section Christmas luncheon at work. I am bringing mini meatballs and mini hot dogs in a sauce. It should be a good time.

Yeah for me...I am getting some Christmas stuff up and I won't feel like I didn't do anything this year. :-)

Emma just got a little piece of chocolate...I dropped one the size of two plain M&M's. I hope she will be okay. I had a beagle lab mix that could eat chocolate and be okay. I guess I'll stay up a little later to keep an eye on her.

Again....Snow, Snow and More Snow!

Okay I think we got six more inches or more yesterday and last night! It is definitely a day to stay inside and warm, even the pooch agrees. Emma is sitting right next to me on the couch and she is yawning and her head is dropping and her eyes are drooping...get the picture. Now both of us stayed in bed late today...I slept even latter...she came in and woke me up - pretty sad that I could go back to sleep.

Mark raked our roof last night...for those of you who do not know that is a very long metal pole with a metal "blade" on the end and you pull your snow off the roof. I bought this way back when we first owned the house and I worked at a local hardware store that is located in the Midwest. Anyways, while he is outside working on the roof I see a story about a local store having to evacuate because there was so much snow on the roof they were worried about it collapsing. I was paying a little attention but did not catch the name of the store.

Well I tried something new this morning, I entered a HTML button for people to join Wendy's Quilters if they belong to the group. I tried it and it appears to work....YEAH! Jen you should be sooo proud of me.

I need to get to both the grocery store and the other stores as I need to do some Christmas Shopping. I finished part of it yesterday and now I have 8 more people to finish....I really do put this off each year. I used to be done by the beginning of December and have everything wrapped and under the tree....ohh yeah the tree was up...as we won't be entertaining this year I think I am going to skip the tree. I did this one other year and ended up putting a tree up Christmas Eve or the day before. I thought the tree in the church where our apartment was would work for me but no I needed one in out apartment. You see my husband was the care taker of a church downtown and we lived there for caretaker duties and security. So I guess I better get up soon and get started.

Happy Holidays!

Snow, snow and more snow...

Last night I met my friends Jen, Cindy, and Sherry for dinner at Bakers Square....then we were off to Pached works to play poker. I wasn't going to go but the night before I decided to go.....thanks Jen for being such a good friend and being supportive. I had a great time. Afterwards we went back to Bakers Square for pie. Ummmm pie!!!! Julie and her mom joined us and I had a good time just enjoying friends company. I love the fabric we got ... there is a dark blue background with snow flakes on it....some of the snowflakes are silver....ohhh I needed more fabric like I needed a hole in the head but well I just couldn't resist....FABRIC...what am I going to do with it.

I still haven't done anything with cleaning my quilt room and now I have more fabric to find a home for.

Ohh Sherry brought us a gift....Bella Charm Pack and a really cute snowflake ornament...which is quite appropriate as tonight we have snow falling right now! Wow we have been having a lot of snow lately. In fact Jen helped me get weight in the back of my car last night. I drive a Camaro and well it is a rear wheel drive car and it does not like the slippery weather and snow.

I can't beleive that we have more snow coming down....I hope that they do a better job cleaning up the snow....right now they have a news item on the poor snow removal we had this last snow storm. They are putting down salt but I think theyshould be plowing....ohh my right now there is a new report about a snow plow over on the side of the road for 40 mintues...ohhh my...we are having some snow issues here. Hope everyone is home warm and toasty under a wonderful quilt.

Good Day!

Well today we celebrated my Dad's 75th birthday! It was a good day. The roads were a little icy when we headed home but that's okay. It was very nice to see both sides of my family (mom's and dad's). I didn't count but my sister-in-law told me 23+ people were coming over to there house for the party. It wasn't a surprise and we arranged for my sister to call and talk to my dad. My sister lives in Texas and I don't think she would have liked the weather up here this weekend. She complained that it was cold up here when she was up in July.

I made a new recipe and my family went wild....I made Ranch Style Beans...here is the recipe.

Ranch Style Beans

½ lb. Hamburger
½ lb. diced bacon
2 medium onions (I used fewer onions – for a double batch I used 2 large onions)
1 – 16 oz. can of pork and beans
½ c. brown sugar
½ c. Sweet Baby Ray’s BBQ Sauce
1 T. chili powder
1 T. prepared mustard

Brown hamburger, bacon and onions. Drain well and add remaining ingredients. Mix and place into 9 X 13 baking pan. Bake for 1 hour at 350 degrees.

Serves: 8

I have been asked to make these for Christmas Day and for Labor Day.