Deer Hunter

Derek finally got a deer this week, after months of hunting. This is his first one this season; a small doe. His girlfriend's family wanted one to put in the freezer. Otherwise he would not have killed it. We do not believe in killing one JUST for 'sport'.

I worry every time he goes into the woods. It must be a 'Momma' thing. I also had a grown cousin killed while hunting. I know that Derek has been through gun safety training, plus his father is very big on teaching gun safety from a very young age. It isn't Derek's ability to be careful that worries me; it is all the other people out there. At least he hunts with a group of friends and they all know where everyone is sitting. With the technology today of cell phones, they call before moving through the woods.
I also ask him to give me a call to let me know when they are coming out of the woods and for me to know he is safe. I just have to trust that he will have his angel watching over him. All the men in our family have been hunters; his father, grandfather and uncles, my dad and several cousins.

My daddy took me rabbit hunting once, thankfully we didn't jump any rabbits. I also went deer hunting with the children's father, years before we had the kids. I found it boring! So when we spent time at the 'farm' (hunting land); I would always pack a good book and sit in the cabin.

My favorite Christmas photo

This is my favorite photo made this Christmas and I didn't even make the picture! My niece, Brandy received a new digital camera from 'Santa' and she snapped this shot in front of the church Christmas tree before the morning service. Leah is 'hiding' her hands under her the long sleeves of her shirt, however, I love that Derek put his arm around his little sister. They bicker so often that THIS is a wonderful heart warming rare moment. I love it!

Family Christmas lunch

After opening gifts at home, we dressed and went to meet my family at my sister's church for their morning service. My niece, Nikki, played a flute solo during the music service. She did a wonderful job! Even though the morning was damp and dreary, spirits were warm inside their little country church.
The pastor finished promptly at noon and we drove the short distance to my sister's house. The turkey was sliced and the spiral ham placed on platters. We have for many years now done a sub sandwich type buffet for Christmas lunch, so that there is not a lot of cooking or big clean up. There was fresh roasted turkey, ham, sandwich fixings, potato salad and chips with a hot meat/cheese dip.
After lunch it was time to open more gifts. The pictures above are some during that time. The top photo is a picture of my older nieces (Brandy in the red, Nikki in the pink) with their dad, Jeff. Of course, everyone is trying to capture the memories! Under that is a picture of my youngest niece, Misty, playing with her gift from us. It was a hit! It lights up and plays music. The last picture is of my mom. Can you believe this woman is 70 years old??????
I have to admit that this year together went off without a hitch. We all enjoyed each other's company.

Christmas Morning

Just a couple of pictures of Derek & Leah opening gifts on Christmas morning. We were up a little before 8am to open 'Santa' presents. The gifts this year were almost all clothing. Each of them did get a surprise 'fun' gift. Derek, a handheld Texas Hold'em game and Leah, a country music cd. Each dug into their overflowing stockings to find the goodies.

Christmas gifts, dinner and friends...

Finally there are gifts under the tree! Got this picture tonight before the kids delivered the gifts to our next door neighbor. They have 2 teen daughters and a college son. I have been blessed to have one family of Wonderful! neighbors. They are the type neighbors where we can borrow a cup of milk or a few eggs back and forth between us. I made the girls altered frames to match their newly painted rooms. Their son received a box of 'goodies' (Dr. Pepper, oreos, chips). For the adults, a gift bag with spaghetti sauce, noodles, fresh baked french bread and a sign that reads "Good Friends, Good Food and Good Times" to hang in their house.

We have just had supper (roast, carrots, potatoes from the crockpot and hot dinner rolls). Derek's girlfriend, Becky, is visiting for supper. Right now they are playing Texas Holdem at the kitchen table - Derek, Leah, Becky and a family friend, Donna. They are laughing, loud and boasting. Music to my ears. The tree is lit and so are the candles around the house. I used my Christmas dishes (an after Christmas clearance deal from last year). In a bit, Derek and Becky will exchange their Christmas gifts. Plus I have Becky a handmade mini clipboard calendar and paper bag album from Leah and I.

There is happiness, love and fun in my house tonight. It really DOES feel like Christmas.
We are so blessed.

Holiday spirit !

I am finally feeling more in the Christmas spirit each day. Good thing, since it is just 2 days away!

Today was my last day at work until 2006! Actually we will open back up on January 5th. I always look forward to this time off, it is one of the BEST things about my job. Was able to run a few errands this afternoon, which means HOPEFULLY I don't have to leave the house again until I head out to church on Sunday.

I am busy finishing up gifts for the neighbor's teen girls, friends and still have to make the items for my mom and 2 sisters! I made a LOT of progress this afternoon and am down to 4 gifts left to make, along with wrapping everything and baking THE cake. Supper is planned for tomorrow night (roast in the crockpot tomorrow) and I have our Christmas Eve dinner planned too. Things are coming together.

Thought I would post a couple of more pictures of my tree while I am taking a short break from gift making. One is a close up of the top where I put this and that from my decorations stash together this year. The gold 'round' things are actually fabric flowers; along with ting-ting, silk greenery with gold 'berries' and gold pine cones. I think 'Martha' would be proud! One of my favorite things this time of year is to sit alone in the living room, wrapped up in a blanket in my recliner, sipping a cup of coffee with just the tree lights on. Gives me the warm fuzzy feelings.

Leah's new haircut

Leah spent the day with her Granny today (my Mom) and got a new hair 'do'. Did I mention before that my mom is 70 and STILL works as a beautician? Mom cut her hair, then one of the other hairdressers decided to flip it. Leah was thrilled with the results, not so thrilled about the picture. I just wanted to snap a picture while it was looking so adorable, because Leah most likely will not go to the extra trouble to flip it out on the ends.

Scary Santa and a Recipe

Thought I would share an old picture with you, since my children are too 'old' to have their picture made with Santa these days.
This is a picture of me with that 'scary' Santa! The picture backdrops sure have changed. See the boxes behind Santa's chair?

Thankfully I don't feel that I was terribly traumatized from being made to endure sitting on Santa's lap in 1965.

I can not believe that Christmas is almost here! I still have things to accomplish. I did today however, get a MUCH needed haircut; wrapped my co-workers gifts; checked the stocking stuffers to see if I might need to make that last minute run to get more. Looks like I am set with those. Now I am down to wrapping, finishing up some homemade gifts and baking THE cake. The cake is from a recipe I found in an employee newsletter about 5 years ago. I thought it sounded good and tried it that year, taking it to our family Christmas get together. My sister now requests this cake EVERY year as her 'gift'. I have also baked it for a church bake sale during the holidays and for neighbors. Always during the holidays. So I have re-named the 'recipe' to The Christmas Gift Cake. However here is the recipe with it's original title. It is delicious!

IT WON’T LAST CAKE

Ingredients:
1 1/3 cups vegetable oil
3 cups white sugar (regular sugar)
1 cup crushed pineapples (with juice)
2 cups mashed bananas
1 cup chopped pecans
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt

1 cup maraschino cherries (optional)

Directions: Grease and flour a 9 or 10 inch bundt pan. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix together. (optional: adding one cup maraschino cherries to mixture makes a nice fruit cake.) Pour into prepared bundt pan. Bake for about 1 1/2 hours at 350 degrees. Do not over bake.

This cake is VERY moist and easy to make. I have never added the cherries. Not a big fan of fruit cake. It does bake up 'brown' due to the cinnamon and bananas, I think. Hope you enjoy it.

Christmas Stockings

Another Sophia challenge! **I will try to get pictures tonight.

When I was little I remember getting the lifesaver candy ‘books’ in our stockings. I know we got lots of other things because they were always full and sometimes things were sticking out the top. However, nothing else really sticks out in my mind. I just know I enjoyed finding hidden surprises in my stocking every year.

When I married the children’s father, his family didn’t ‘do’ stockings but I insisted in keeping up the tradition. I would search high and low to find neat little gifts to put into his stocking. Then the children were born and Santa filled their stockings full along with one for Mom and Day too. Stockings were the only ‘Santa’ gifts that adults received.

I have carried on this tradition with my children filling their stockings; the treats usually are one of their favorite candy, a large pack of gum, chapstick, socks or gloves, a gift certificate (usually to the movie theater – which is a special treat for them, as we rarely view a movie at the theater); always a new toothbrush, a ‘toy’ – yes even my 18 year old gets a toy in his stocking. Last year it was a matchbox car because he kept saying he wanted a ‘new’ truck! The other items have changed to be age appropriate. Most everything that goes into the stockings are $5 and under items. Anything more expensive is wrapped, such as music cd’s. If they would eat them, I would go buy one of those huge peppermint sticks to go into their stockings this year; because this is going to be a hard candy Christmas (for those familiar with the Country music Christmas song).

I remember asking my mother what they got in their stockings growing up as she is the baby of 11 children. She said it was usually an apple, orange, nuts and one of the big peppermint sticks and to them that was a special treat.

O Christmas Tree...

Leah made pictures of our tree tonight. This is the picture I like the best. I have 2 more, that I will try to add later. I love having the lights on in the evening and the reflections they cast along the wall and ceiling. I wasn't able to use my falling bow topper due to the kitty. So I improvised and used a little of this and that out of my stash of decorations! Leah said she is happy with the results and that is what matters most, since she is the youngest.

The Santas on the fire place are gourds. My mother painted one of them and a friend of hers painted the other. I did not get out all of the Santas that I have collected over the years (the fireplace is usually full of them!); again thanks to a spaz cat. LOL! Oh my tree skirt is just a white sheet wrapped around the bottom. Kinda looks like snow.

Christmas Traditions....

Per Sophia's challenge I thought I would blog our family's Christmas traditions.

I have tried over the last 12 years to make the holidays a 'special' time for my children. Since they have to split the time between my house and their father's. For about the last 10 years, they have always been home on Christmas Eve and Christmas morning; leaving in the late afternoon to finish up the holiday with their dad.
Here are our traditions:

• Decorating the tree - We usually put it up in the first week of December, for a couple of years I did wait until after Leah's birthday, thinking she should have her 'day' before the Christmas decorations were everywhere. However, she doesn't mind and is usually begging to put the tree up soon after Thanksgiving. Everyone HAS to be home and participate. Derek's participation usually amounted to dragging the tree into the house for me for the last several years. This year he did however 'set it up', as it is an artificial tree. Leah and I do lights and ornaments.
• City of Bethlehem - For the last 3 years we have toured a community church's City of Bethlehem before Christmas. It is put on by the church and is really a wonderful family night outing. There is entertainment in the church until your tour time, then a narrator takes you around the 'city'; complete with the greatest story told. After a chilly walk, there are refreshments and fellowship in the AWANA building.
• Homemade Fudge - it wouldn't be Christmas without my Mom's homemade fudge. She has fixed it as long as I can remember to share with her customers at the beauty shop and friends of the family. We took it in as teachers gifts when we attended school. Now, I have the recipe; Leah and I make fudge for sharing with our neighbors, as gifts and save some for us to munch on Christmas Eve.
• The "Christmas Gift Cake" - I tried a new recipe on an employee newsletter 6 years ago to take to our family gathering. My sister fell in love with this cake and now requests it every year as her 'gift'. So I renamed it because I only bake it at Christmas. For the last 6 years I have baked this cake for holiday office gatherings, a church bake sale at Christmas and for family and friends as a gift. It is now one of our 'traditions'. My sister would be upset if I showed up at her house on Christmas Day without this cake!
• Christmas Eve - Our Christmas Eve is FILLED with 'traditions' - First is our family dinner. The menu changes per the children's requests, but we always are home and sit down to have dinner together. When Derek worked fast food, we have even delayed dinner time to make sure everyone would be there at the same time. Sometimes we invite family friends that don't 'do' Christmas celebrations on Christmas Eve to join us. Second are photos of Derek and Leah in front of the tree. I've done this every year. It's neat to see how much they have grown. Third, we open gifts to each other - there is always one gift for each child under the tree from me, there is always a gift from each sibling to the other and most years there is a tiny gift to me from the kids (sometimes it is something they made themselves, sometimes it is just something small and inexpensive). Everyone takes turns opening one gift at a time. Then we play games or watch movies together until bedtime. Often there is a gift in there that IS a game or movie that we can instantly enjoy together.
• Christmas Morning - first one up has to wake everyone before going to the living room. Then I hit the coffee button, grab the camera and check out the gifts and stockings. Since my children are now older, 'Santa' started wrapping gifts last year. Leah said she likes this and so it shall continue. We have a LIGHT breakfast - usually muffins or cinnamon rolls.
• Christmas Day 'Lunch' - We head to my sister's house for Christmas with my family around noon. Lunch is easy - homemade deli sandwiches, hot cheese dip with chips; along with all kinds of baked goodies (cookies, candies and cake). We eat, then exchange gifts with the family.
• Day after Christmas shopping - I have gone shopping the morning after Christmas Day for lots of years. It IS a tradition. You can not get me out on 'Black Friday' but this is my day. Usually I am standing in line at Walmart about 15 minutes before they open along with about 20 other freezing and crazy people. I am in and out of there in less than 1 hour, with Target next on the list. After that it is a break for some food and deciding if I head home or anywhere else. The plan works well. I stock my 'gift closet' for the coming year for birthdays and such. It has saved me bundles of money and TIME racing around to find that gift for the "oh mom, so-and-so's birthday party is tomorrow night". I may not get to continue this year with a son in college funds are tight.

I've enjoyed reading everyone else's Christmas traditions also. Again, Thanks Sophia!

My 'baby' is 14 today ....Dec. 7th

It is my daughter, Leah's 14th birthday. One more year before she will be driving (Lord help us all) and this is her last year of Jr. High. I love this child, however, I am also thankful we have made it this far. She loves to try my patience!

This morning her Aunt called her birthday in to a local radio station. Leah won flowers from a florist here in town. How neat is that? I picked up the certificate and the flowers on my lunch so that she would have them today.

We had a dinner together and then celebrated. Leah opened her new Old Navy black shirt, a 'puffy' hooded vest and a new thermal blanket for her bed. She also received gifts from family and friends: new 'cool' purse, bracelet set, Christmas pullover, blue pullover and a $10 Micky D's gift card. Her 'away at college' brother even called her to wish her birthday greetings.
One of my co-workers brought her in a dozen cupcakes to share - there were plenty leftover, so we opted out of baking a cake and did a candle in a cupcake. With it being just Leah and myself, we didn't need a cake around to munch on with the holidays coming up.

I hope she enjoyed her day and she still has 'celebrating' to do this weekend with her father - dinner out!

5 things that made me SMILE this week....

I was tagged by Sophia! Ok, so I'm a little 'late' as it is a new week, but just pretend - o.k.?

1. Chocolate Chip Cookies - my favorite. We had a birthday 'celebration' for two of our student workers in the office this week. I took chocolate chip cookies in to go with the other goodies. I didn't have time to make them, so the next best thing to me are the ones fresh from the bakery at Publix. Mmmmmm good!

2. The entire family plus going Christmas shopping at the mall on Saturday afternoon. Derek was home for the weekend from college. A friend of mine called to see if we would be interested in a mall run. Derek agreed to go; so I said yes. We all met up, along with Derek's girlfriend, Becky, then headed to the mall. I got about 80% of Derek's gifts, which is what I was most worried about finishing up. Found some good deals. And had some fun shopping with family and friends.

3. My tree is up! Ok, so actually that was today! I am so happy to have it up. Derek helped move the old trunk to make room for the tree in the living room and then put the tree together for me; before heading back to college. Bonus! I still need to put the finishing touches on it, but I have the lights on now and love that warm glow in the room.

4. Music. Leah's 8th grade band concert was Thursday night. Beautiful music from such a young group of students. Leah looked so pretty in her new band shirt and black dress pants. She even wore her hair down (which I love & it is usually pulled up in a pony tail).

5. Mail. I got 2 Christmas cards in the mail this week. I also recieved a homemade beautiful thank you card from a new scrapbook buddy. So thoughtful and sweet. I LOVE getting snail mail. There is just something about opening the mail box and finding something addressed to you in there that is NOT a bill or junk. Always puts a smile on my face.

Thanks Sophia!