Another year gone

Another year is just about over and a new one is about to come upon us. As I ponder about this past year it wasn't a good one, so this is in hopes for a brighter and better new year. I am glad that Christmas is over and I am going to start taking the stuff all down because I am really sick of looking at it at this point! We did have a nice Christmas my oldest son spend the night Christmas Eve so he was with us in the morning. I thought my kids would be up before me, but I was the first one up which usually never happens since I am not a morning person! I had a hard time sleeping anyway so I figured I may as well get up! We always start with the youngest to the oldest which is my husband and he always likes to be last anyway and wants all the attention on himself! We all got nice gifts and had a good day together because that is what It is really all about is family spend time together. I need that anyway because this Christmas was a little hard for me being that my mom isn't with me anymore. I broke down a few times but I was glad to have my husband and children with me for the support and love. I look forward to moving on and pray for a better year. In hopes of change with the new president and that things turn around. So to you may you have a HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Trial and Error

Yesterday I made my mom's patica. It was confusioning because she had this cook book with the recipe and in the book she also had a typed up recipe. I wasn't sure which one she used so I ask my daughter. She said she wasn't really sure, but that she never saw grandma use the paper just the book. I got off to a late start because I was finishing up on my cookies I had made the night before. My youngest son was making his pumpkin cookies so I let him finish than off to the kitchen I went to try and figure out this recipe. After reading the one in the book I decided that she double the recipe. First mistake was doing it all at once. It took nine cups of flour so doubled that is 18! I got the dough done and it is a yeast dough so you have to let it rise. Oh I am wrong first mistake was starting so late! After you let it rise to double it's size than you separate it into two balls and yes you let it rise AGAIN! This recipe also calls for 6 pounds of walnuts but reading the recipe in the book it calls for 2 pounds, more confusion! I know my mom always bought more nuts than the recipe calls for so I am thinking since she double the recipe and she puts in more it would have been 3 pounds double 6. I decide why I am waiting for the dough to rise again I would get the nuts together so I am reading the recipe in the book and remembering a little of what I did know about this recipe, oh my mom never taught me how to make it so that is why it was trial and error! Anyway I discovered why she had two different recipes she used some from one and some from the other! Next I was going to go and roll out the dough, but I have no table cloth to roll it out on I left my mom's at the house she lived in, so I call my husband at work and he said he would stop and see if he could buy one for me, what a sweet guy! He comes home and had find a table cloth at Tuesday Morning! So I put on the table and put the flour all over it and get my dough tell my self here goes! Well the table cloth keep moving around so I had my daughter hold on to the end for me and I am rolling and rolling finally I get it rolled out to what I think it should be and now it is time to spread the nut stuff all over the dough, well here is were I am also not sure how much to spread on so I think the first batch got skimped again trial and error. I roll it all up place it on a cookie sheet glaze it with egg yolk and into the over it goes, oh I cut it in half. Now one recipe says set oven at 250 and bake for two hours the other recipe says to bake at 325 and bake for an hour. I decided to go for the latter because by this time it is 9 at night! So my husband ask how much longer do I have to endure this before I can have a taste! So I go check it and it is a good thing I did. There was five minutes left, but when I checked it it was done! When I opened the door I couldn't believe my eyes they were so HUGE! Didn't look like my mom's at all! My husband had a taste and he said for being the first time you ever made this it is so good! I now know why mom only made this once a year, first it is very time consuming and second it is very expensive to make. I know now why she would get up so early to make it too, so she wouldn't be up half the night baking! So now I know how to make it and I know I can make it, but I also know that next year I will do things differently and I will have a little experience behind me. I think that live does give us a lot of trial and error and that God wants us to learn from our mistakes and to learn from them no matter how big or how small! I feel really good that I can carry on a family tradition and know that I can do it. Sometimes I get upset and angry that mom never taught me how to make this, but maybe it was God who wanted me to try on my own because he knew I could do it!

Just pondering

I been pondering lately, about what you may ask mostly about what to write here. I am not very good at this blogging thing and I guess the thing is no one has been commenting on anything I have written lately. I know I am not that funny or savvy or witty or anything like that and yes I know my sentence are probably fragmented really bad, but I am not that good with words and such. So, what I have pondering is if I should even write anything and why I do in the first place. I don't have many friends so there really isn't anyone to bother to make a comment anyway I don't even know what title I should put here. I mostly talk about my family I guess that is pretty boring and don't real makes anyone to comment since it is just about my family. So maybe the whole thing is this is nothing but a journal to myself really. I took some time off of work and have been getting ready for the BIG day. I had finished my shopping and wrapped everything and it is under the tree of which my children are all excited and can't wait until they can open up the gifts to see what they recieved. In a way I will be glad when it is here and over and at the same time that means I have to go back to work. Not really looking forward to that. I have been baking the last two days and today I was trying to make my mom's patica and am not sure it will turn out or not. I have made some cookies and I am going to make the pies tomorrow. I think I will need a vacation from vacation after it is all over with. Not sure I will be writing anything anymore so who ever cares. MERRY CHIRSTMAS!

Christmas

My kids are all excited tomorrow is the last day off school and than they are off for winter break! They couldn't wait for the end of the week especially my daughter she only has a half of day tomorrow. I told her not to rush it, you see I am on vacation myself! I want to savior the time, but it does always go by so fast! It well be nice to spend some time with my kids and hopefully get the baking done that I want to do. Our tree is running out of room under the tree and the packages seem to be coming out into the living room and my poor dog doesn't know what to do with herself! Last week I made a bunch of cookies, but they're almost gone. I do want to make some and take them into work for the gals and they are wanting my husbands candy that he makes every year. Speaking of my husband he was funny this morning there is an ad for this tool store and he was just like a kid in a candy store looking at all the stuff. Oh you can get me this it is only so much money that is really a great price! I just roll my eyes good luck with that one dear!! My kids gave me there list and my daughter keeps adding stuff, I know this wasn't on my list. I just have a few more things I want to get and than I am done, of course after wrapping all these gifts I was like done a long time ago! It reminds me of what my husband was saying just this morning of the times we had to wait for his bonus money and shop on Chirstmas Eve and than have to wrap all the stuff and be up until midnight or later! Now it is nice when I buy something I wrap it and than it is out of the way! I think this conversation came up because my oldest son is having a hard time right now. I hadn't heard or seen him in a week in a half so I called him yesterday of course he didn't answer so I left this message: Hi its mom, remember me well anyway haven't heard from you in a while so just called to see how things were love you talk to you later! Well my other two heard this and was laughing yeah right mom like he has forgottan you, I said get use to it because you might get a call like that someday when you are out on your own!! Not to long after that my son shows up!! Hey did you get my message? That's why I stopped by I was doing errands and wanted to let you know I was ok!! That made my day plus I got a lot of good hugs out of it! He is feeling bad because he can't afford to get presents for his friends, he said I know they understand but I like going out and getting them stuff. I told him I know what he is feeling because I have been there many many times! His water pipes froze and than his heater went out. His water is working now but he still doesn't have his heater working , but he has space heaters so that is a good thing. So times are really hard this year for a lot of people but knowing that the good Lord is always there is the real reason for the season anyway and I am thankful for having him in my life because he has truly got me through a lot of hard times. Merry Christmas!!!

There really is a Santa Claus..

I was watching T.V. the other night and a commercial come on and I am not sure what it was about, but there was a sign that said Santa Claus Indiana. They had a Reindeer restaurant. So I ask my husband I wonder if that is real or not? He said he didn't know but if it was real how cool is that! I was going to ask nursemom if it was true, but I won't see her for a while so I came on line and went to ask.com and low and behold there really is a Santa Claus Indiana!! Now I saved a picture and am going to try to put it on here but I don't know if it well or not. It was pretty interesting reading about this town and how it came about. There are only 2200 people that live there and all the streets are named after the season. They have three lakes there. They have a theme park, museum, candy cane castle. It is the only town that is named Santa Claus so letters to Santa come there from all over the world and they even have elves that answer the letters! Now I don't know if they really have the Reindeer Restaurant or not but I just thought it was pretty neat and thought I would write about it! Hey I did it cool!!

Christmas Shopping

I went and did a little shopping yesterday, now I wish I had the money to just go and get everything. It really is a pain when you don't have the money to just get it over with. I have some money left over, but I only have so much time before I have to pick up the kids from school. So, I take my list and go over to Wally world now mind you this is the store I love to hate! I go over to look at the food processors because that is one of the things my husband ask for and they have several choices, okay I am looking at them and what really drives me crazy is that they aren't very organized about it. The one I am looking at they don't have on the shelve they are never under the sample, so needless to say I said forget it I will look somewhere else. Than I am checking out my daughters list and she has like 42 things on there which is great at least she gives me a choice, than I look at my youngest son's and he only has maybe ten things, but they are like a Wii, and x-box 364 I am like in your dreams son can't afford those!! I probably could get one of those, but that is all they would get together!! I also have never bought there game consoles they have to save their money from their birthday and Christmas and buy it themselves. I heard them talking yesterday about pulling their Christmas money together and getting a Wii and that maybe mom would give us the extra 50.00. I probably would do that! So there where a couple big things on their list that weren't as expensive so I got those. My daughter had a ton of movies on her list so that was pretty easy. Well I get home and I am trying to hurry to wrap all the stuff I got before I had to go pick them up from school. I started doing this a couple years ago wrap the presents just not trim them. It makes my life so much easier!

I am also trying to get my tree set up, well it is set up I need to trim it. It is a really hard time for me right now and I have this big black hole in my garage. I was trying to find my Christmas ornaments and it is almost impossible to find anything in this black hole. I couldn't find my stuff or my mom's stuff. I had to go and buy some new ones and even at that my tree is not even close to being finished. My sweet husband said not to worry I will look for them on my days off! Because at this point I am bawling because I can't find this stuff and I know they were put in a place we could find them, well than we had all my mom's stuff put into the garage and now I can't find anything! My husband told me well you have wanted to get new ornaments anyway, I know but I like all the other stuff that we have collected over the years. Not to worry he says I will look for them. What a guy! Thank you!!!

Later I take the kids and we go to Target. I figure I could find the food processor there. My son was wheeling the cart and I guess I went in front of him and he was like, "Mom you don't like it when I go in front of you"! I say, "Did you know I was going to turn down this way", Humm. He said, " I never understand you", And you never will!! I find the food processor's and they have two, much more organized and one was on sale Whoohoo!! So I pick it up and continue on my way. I decided I would put my arm out to let my son know I was turning! He said your not on a bike, I know that but I thought I would let you know I was turning! Your crazy mom. Tell me something I don't know!! I finish up at Target and we go up the hill to the other shops and get most all the things my husband ask for except a couple that I will have to pick up on my next days off!

So we get home and start to wrap the gifts for my husband so that it is out of the way. My husband loves popcorn so at the world market they had this big tube of it with different colored popcorn so we got that for him, but I couldn't find a box to put it in so I told my daughter just to wrap it as is. My husband loves to guess at what the present is so I usually try to deguise it so to speak.

So I guess it is off to work for three nights and than back to buying presents next week, maybe I can get it all done than. I still need to get a give for the boy my husband picked off the tree at chruch and get my son his black pants and white shirt for his winter concert. ( He is in handbells). So much to do so little time!!

Thanksgiving and other things

This is a hard time for me trying to get through the holidays. Don't get me wrong I love the holidays and being with my family, it is just especially hard this year without my mom. My husband is so great he made the whole meal, well I did the yams and made the pumpkin pie, but everything else he did! It came out so great too! He even made gravey! I say that because my daughter and I are the only ones that like gravey! It was nice my oldest son came over so I had all my kids with me. My husband wanted us to go around the table saying what we were thankful for, but I told him I really don't want to be crying right now, so we just said we were thankful for all of being together and for the food on our table. After the meal we sat down and my youngest son decided that we should listen to Christmas music. My oldest son and I are like do we have to listen to that now!! my youngest son says well Thanksgiving is about over so now we have to start thinking of Chirstmas! Ok he had a point and it wasn't that bad listening to the Christmas songs. The next day he decided to start decorateing. So he got out our little village that we had started last year and he put up his little tree and he decided he needed a tree in his room so he put that up! I guess someone is really into the Christmas spirt!

The night before Thanksgiving wasn't to good. We decided on the night before a holiday we would just go out to eat. My husband didn't get off work until 7 and my oldest son was going to go with us and came over a few mintues before his dad got home. We went to Chili's which is always nice. My oldest son usually makes the pumpkin pie, but he said he didn't have time to do it because his kitten was sick. So that is why I made it instead which is no big deal I like to cook and bake anyway. Well my son called me at 11:30 Pm and ask me to come over and I could tell by his voice it wasn't good. We had to take his kitten into the vet hospital. I think this is one of the hardest things I ever had to do as a parent because I was the one always calling my mom to ask her to come over for what ever reason came up and here my son is calling me. Well to make a long story short we had to have the kitten put to sleep. Oh my gosh that was so hard on all of us. They were really nice at the hospital gave us time to be with Chester before they put her to sleep and when we were ready the nurse came in explained what would happen and ask if we were ready. Let me tell you that is not easy when your child is bawling and his friend well of course I was too. I am trying to comfort my son and he is just bawling. I tell you it is hard to be the parent!! I am glad I am hear for my son and I am proud of him and told him he did the right thing that she isn't in pain anymore. He buried her in our yard close to were I had buried my cat of 18 years. It is hard to lose a pet because they become a part of your family almost like another child.

On a lighter note, I did not go out black Friday I hate crowds and there was nothing I want that I need that bad, but my oldest son went out to get an x-box. He had saved money that he got for his birthday to get this but needed 100 and so he asked me for it and that he would pay me back, but I told him that this would be part of his birthday so he doesn't need to pay me back. Well than he didn't want me to get him anything else. He did want this book so I had order that but he wasn't due to come until after his birthday. His birthday was yesterday and it was so nice he spent the night Tuesday night and I took him out to breakfast and he ended up staying all day and we went out to dinner as well. I ended up getting him this micro mini helicopter that he had wanted and I got lucky because it was on sale half off! It was a nice day!

Now that that is all over it is time to think about Christmas. I had got a wish list from my daughter but not my youngest son and my oldest still is thinking about what he would like. My daughter wrote down 42 things and said that is why they call it a wish list! That's find with me it gives me a lot to pick from and having a list at least she will get somethings that she wants. My youngest finally made his the other day. So now all I need is money to go shopping!! Hopefully I will be able to do a little bit tomorrow. I really don't want to wait until the last minute been there have done that! I am going to do some baking today, but I am taking off a week from work so I can have some time off with my kids when they are on winter break, than I will have a lot of baking to do!

New Word

I learned a new word, Wassaling what prey tell does that mean? That is what I said when I read it. "Here we come a wassaling... Does anyone really know what that means? Well I didn't think it even was a word when I read it or I thought maybe it was some slang word. It got the best of my curiosity, so I looked it up on line and low and behold it really is a word!! Here is what I found out:

Wassaling, which is a tradition of going about the town from house to house in the evening at Christmas time, singing at the doors of all the neighbors, wishing them a good New Year and asking them for a treat(usually the treat was a spiced drink, also know as a "Wassail"). This tradition is something of a mix between the modern traditions of caroling and trick-or-treating.

Now where did I read this you may be asking yourself, well nursemom left it by stitch. Who is stitch? Well he is her pet monkey, oh you didn't know nursemom had a pet monkey well it is just a picture of a monkey! She always leaves little tidbets with stitch and this past week when I went to work that is what she left. The week before she left the Jack be nimble nursery rhyme well poor stitch didn't make it over the candle because he wasn't so quick and he burned his brutches!

Anyway, maybe this year you can go a wassaling instead of caroling and get some real nice goodies!