Super Saturday!!

Hello again!! Yes it is a SUPER Saturday here! :D

I have been a busy beaver today... I have gotten
the house cleaned up... bathroom... laundry all done...
Beds washed... livingroom/diningroom cleaned up
(table left to do) and kitchen still to do! BUT BOY
DOES IT FEEL GOOD TO HAVE ALL THIS DONE!!
The reason it hasn't gotten done before... besides the
Holidays... hubby has taken vacation... and I don't get
much of ANYTHING done when he is home!!
WHY??? You ask??? I am old fashioned I guess...
He is home... we spend time together??? I am not
sure.

Anyway I decided to share with you some of the
Christmas items I got to paint... now that the
recipients have them....


Here is the pic of the cows on the cow skill...
was my brothers' Christmas present!!
HE LOVED IT!! (I have decided... COWS NOT
MY FAVS!!! TO PAINT)



This one is Samantha's, this is how she describes
her life.... AND she asked for one of these.

This one wasn't a gift... it is hung in my bathroom...
above the bathtub!! I love it!! :D

and this is a redo... of the Welcome sign.
I decided it was hard to read with all the little kid writing.
So I redid it... I isn't quite as hard to read... Not sure I am
happy with it yet. But for now anyway it hangs just inside
my house... across from the front door.

Tomorrow is our 25th wedding anniversary... and

Robbie (Hubby) says we are going somewhere...
to celebrate. I don't have any details... don't know how long...

where... or anything else. He said to pack enough for 5 days...
so who knows where, or what. I Do know WHEN thou. ;-)
So I will let everyone know what we do when I get back...
hope everyone else has as much fun as it sounds like I will be having!!
:D

I am glad to have gotten to read alot of everyone's Christmas events.
And the problem of posting comments has worked out today...
not sure what it was... but anyway.

O! And it would seem that I lost some of my favorite T2T

Blogs... I was editing it... and some how it deleted it.

If you notice that one of them is yours, PLEASE leave me
a comment... and I WILL put it back... I really do love to read
all about your day! Sorry for having some fumble fingers!!!
THANK YOU ALL for your help!!

I hope everyone has a Absolutely wonderfully blessed day!!

Also don't forget to SMILE...
You will get on in return!!!

Remember to Live well, Laugh often,
and to LOVE much!!

A belated Merry Christmas to you and yours!! :D Upcoming Anniversary!!!

Hello all!!
To all a Very Merry Christmas!!! I did have a wonderfully blessed one!!
I hope you did too!!! All of my family... sisters, brother, mother, step-dad,

and their families got together on Christmas eve... and let me tell

you it was the best ever!! We ate... talked, and talked... and ate!!!
Then we opened the gifts that were made for each other!!
Let me tell you, that was absolutely breath-taking what everyone

made... my mom... made mud rugs for everyone but me... I got an

old dress form!! (Which can I say... I LOVE IT!!!) She had her dressed

with an old dress... and a apron that she made for me!! THANKS MOM!!
My sister-in-law... she made everyone some bread, cookies, and wonderful

cards!!! They were all different!! And just to let you know... she doesn't

think she is very crafty... well I am here to tell you... SHE IS!! Great job,

Lisa dear!!! THANK YOU!! My sister, Vicki, she made everyone a latch hook pillow...

with something they loved on it... mine was... (my favorite cartoon

character)... TWEEDY!!!! My sister, Beth, she gave us all....
My brother loved his cowhead with cows painted on it!!
Wally, my stepdad, loved his sign!! (Wally's World... Leave it as you found it)
For is shop... my mom and all the girls loved their towels, and signs too!!
I had a wonderful time doing all of it... but was soooo much better seeing

their faces light up when they opened them! Tell you about Christmas day...

later. :D

Here is my grandson, Brock helping me clean up his bedroom,

here, before all of the celebrations begin!! (His favorite toy,
THE VACUM!!!) And I don't mind letting him use it!!! :D
Great job there Brock! NaNa says thanks for all the help buddy!


THis is the weather...that we got here both the week before CHristmas

and this week... don't you just love the snow!! It makes it
Christmas! (That was what I wanted for CHristmas... a White Christmas!)
And I got it!!

I have a silly question for everyone... I have been trying

to visit some of my friends at their blogs... and several of them

I can read... but can't post comments! Can someone tell me what

what happened over the holidays... or is it just me???

On Sunday this weekend... It is our 25th Anniversary...

We will celebrating with just each other, very intimately!!

I will post more tomorrow...

I hope everyone has a wonderfully blessed day!!

Also don't forget to SMILE...
You will get on in return!!!

Remember to Live well, Laugh often,
and to LOVE much!!

Here it is Saturday already... where did the time go... and what I have been doing!! :D

WOW!! I didn’t realize how time had gotten away from me!!
It has been a week since my last post!!
I have been a really busy Elf here!!
Getting ready for the fabulous Christmas holiday!!
O, me on my… this little elf has been sewing… painting… painting…
and cleaning… cooking… and still more bake to do yet. I still
have some more cutting out… and sewing yet to do too!!
But let me tell you I am having ssssssooooooooo much fun!!
This is one of the signs I have been working on for Christmas presents.



Today I finished a very sweet little boys Christmas present…
and no it is not Brock’s… it belongs to a little boy in town... that
loves Lightening McQueen, Mater, and Sally!!

Here are two pics of the finished products…
I AM SOOOO Pleased with it!! I wish that Santa
could be there to watch him open his presents!! But he will
have to settle for a picture of him on Christmas morn!!
The family has a very special Christmas morning feast
that they have... then they open their Christmas presents...
Doesn’t that sound soooo sweet!! I don’t know of a year that
I have been so anxiously awaiting Christmas!! And I don’t
really care what Santa brings me… I just want to see all
of those adorable faces as they open up their gifts that Santa
brings!!

I was in the middle of painting yesterday… when my mail
lady beeped her horn… She had a package for me!!I got my
Secret Santa Ornaments!! They are so cute!!My secret
Santa and her daughter sent me this package…
Inside I found a really cute and sweetly made card…
her 6 year old daughter made it for me!! They spend their
time together crafting for their special time!! My package
came all the way from… AUSTRALIA!!
Check out all of these goodies…
A star… with glitter!!
A small stocking with “Pascall” candies…
YUMMY!!A small card ornament…
A loaf of bread with icing… (just adorable)
Some little stars… candy canes… and Christmas trees!!
all covered with glitter…
Here is a picture with all the ornies on the tree…
with my great sign from Sue! :D
The loaf and stars, candy canes, and trees on my
Little plate… :D
Such a sweet surprise!! THANK YOU So much my secret
Santa (and really cute daughter!!) You’re both so thoughtful!!
I hope Santa brought you all you wish for too!!

Here is the package... what was inside... and lookie they look sooo cute on my tree!!
THANK you both!! :D

Btw how do you do the little loaves??? I LOVE IT!! :D

I have been cooking some of my pumpkins up…
or should I say… down…. I have been making them
into pumpkin for pies!! I managed to get three of them done.
So look out here comes the pies…
out of three pumpkins… I enough to do six pies!!

Hubby is loving that one!!

He baked two pecan pies to take to
work for his Christmas luncheon… and did a great job!!

His first attempt at making pies!! :D

I baked some cookies for Taryn’s Christmas Cookie
exchange!! She invited NaNa… and so I made six dozen
cookies for this. We did it today!!! !Sunday the

whole family will be going to Hubby’s moms
for Christmas. I have made Chex Party Mix…

a pumpkin pie… a pecan pie...

and not sure what else I will decide to bake…
On Thursday my best friend, Ali is came out to help me
get my brother’s Christmas present so it looks what it is
supposed to… (I will show you all pics after Christmas Eve)
My sister in law checks out the blog from time to time…
Brother can’t see!! ;-) I am having some trouble with this one!!

She helped me figure out why it didn't look right...

now I have to fix it!! THANKS ALI!!! :D

I have done some more signs…

show you later too... still have to figure out one

for my step dad's shop, and have one more to do...
for Samantha… Then I have to paint an angel for my mom...
But I am slowly making some progress!! :D

Well I hope everyone is having a wonderful time!!

I look forward to getting more done… so I can come
Back to my blogging friends to see what is happening

In your lives too!! May God bless you too!!

I have been tagged twice... Being as this one is such a long post...

I will post the tags either Sunday or Monday.

Thank you Melanie and Audrey!!
I promise I will get them done!! :D

May Santa bring you all need... and most everything you wish for!! :D

I hope everyone has a wonderfully blessed day!!

Also don't forget to SMILE...
You will get on in return!!!

Remember to Live well, Laugh often,
and to LOVE much!!

Recipe Promised... and New sign

Hello All, I hope your having a wonderfully gorgeous day!
The sun is shining here.. with a wee bit of wind (about 15 mph) lol.
But with hot flashes... who cares... just walk out with
your short sleeves shirt and jeans on...
and you cool off!!! :D

Any way... I promised a recipe on my last post.
And for those of you who have been waiting sooo patiently...
HERE IT IS!!!

Grandma Lydia’s “Peppernut” Cookies

1 c. lard
1 c. butter or oleo
2 c. brown sugar
1 c. sugar
1 c. sour cream
1 egg
1 pinch of salt
1 c. flour (sifted)
1 t. allspice
1 t. pepper
1 t. cinnamon
1 t. nutmeg
1 t. ginger
1 t. baking soda
½ t. anise OIL*
6 c. flour

Cream lard, butter, sugars, sour cream, and egg together. Place spices and flour into sifter, and sift. Add anise to taste. Stir in 6 c. flour. * Oil is best… the flavoring doesn’t give the flavor hardly at all. (I tried a half bottle of flavoring and still didn’t get the same taste as ½ t. oil. And yes I use rendered lard from our pigs butchered every year... but you can use Crisco shortening if you would rather.)

Mix thoroughly, chill dough for at least 4 hours, or over night. Roll out small portions in logs about the diameter of a dime, or nickel. Chill again for 2 hours. Slice in ¼ inch slices. Bake on cookie sheet for 10 minutes in 350 º oven or until lightly browned.

(These used to be rolled out to ¼ inch and then cut with a thimble, when hubby’s grandmother made them. But as years went on… his sister’s found it simpler to roll them into a log, and then cut.)

I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!! This is my hubby's families favorite cookie!
Did mention that they are of German decent... and this recipe was
carried over by his grandmother's mother... when they came to the
States. So this recipe has been pasted down for 3 generations since then.
(Just a little history to go with it.) :D

And now for my new sign... I have it done... just not sure I like it as is..
You can be the judge.
I think it is kind of hard to read like it is...

It says WeLcome...
FamiLy & Friends ALike...
ReLax...
And Sit a WhiLe...
Enjoy...
Stories & Laughter...
Depart...
With a Happy Heart.
It is written in a child's hand... with some of the letters backwards.
I like the idea... just not sure that
it's easy enough to read??
PLease FeeL Free to offer you opinions!!
LEt me know what you think!!
I may end up painting over it and starting again.
My thoughts when I did it was to write it like Taryn
did when she first started writing. She had trouble
getting her S's backwards and her E's. So anyhow,
that is my dilemma....

Well all I suppose I should close for now...
trying to finish my cleaning and
Christmas decorations...
If I am lucky I will have some more
pics of the decor both inside and out to show next post.

May Santa bring you all need... and most everything you wish for!! :D

I hope everyone has a wonderfully blessed day!!

Also don't forget to SMILE...
You will get on in return!!!

Remember to Live well, Laugh often,
and to LOVE much!!

Winter Facelift... and some Christmas decor (redecorating?)

As some of you may have noticed... I HAVE A NEW LOOK!!
I am not wishing for snow yet... (Christmas eve okay!)
This picture was taken last year...Just down the road from us...
O it was as cold as it looks that day too!!!

Here is a pic of the Hutch...
I am sorta having a bit of trouble with it...
I am trying to do it in Primitive...
Any suggestions from the Prims???
I NEED HELP!!!
Please feel free to offer your advice!!
Both good and bad please!!! :D

Now for a repeat pic... sort of...I changed the Christmas tree again!!
This time I added some signs...
Sue's "Don't get your tinsel in a tangle" upper right...
(Sue dear, have I told you I LOVE IT??!!!)

and three more...
Live upper left.... Laugh... Lower Left...
Love lower right!!!
I am getting to where I like it more...
But not sure it is finished yet...


And here is my outdoor tree...
well, one of the three...
This is how far the kids and I got decorating...

before they wanted to come in.

I haven't gotten back to it yet, lol.
Hopefully tomorrow...
I went and got some BIG
ornies to put on it!!!
I don't know if I am climbing a ladder yet...
the winds have been in excess of 30 mph this week...
and the klutz I am... well,
I don't need to visit the hospital this season!!!

Well, for now I will close... I have to get back to
work in the basement... I am building me a set
of shelves to house my wood supplies... and
the foam supplies!! I will try to take a pic of my
work area when finished...
NO ONE WANTS TO SEE MY MESS NOW!!

But I can promise it is getting better...
I have gotten three big trash barrels...
two big black trash bags... and some furniture
out of there already...
Built some other shelves...for my jars and stuff...
Set up two base cabinets (full of fabrics!!!)
I didn't know I had THAT much fabric!!
Cleaned of two sets of metal shelves...
Piled up my headboards, foot boards, and rails...
Cleaned off and out an old dresser... (one of hubby's)
no not that old... but the first one he bought after
we got married. (I want to get rid of it... he says no.)

Anyhow, there is hope for my basement now!!
I have high hopes of moving the grands toys...
downstairs... and setting up a day bed for "just in case naps"
and a rug!!! A really big one!!
Tomorrow I will post a pic of the new rug I painted!!
And Grandma Lydia's Peppernuts!!
(I Got Permission to SHARE them!!)

I hope all of you have a wonderfully blessed day!! :D

Also don't forget to SMILE...
You will get on in return!!!
Remember to Live well, Laugh often,
and to LOVE much!!

Here's what I have been up to last week...

I hope everyone had a truly blessed Thanksgiving!!
I had a completely full day on Thursday!!!
As you can tell...
Grands did too!!
Hubby's big sis is the one
you can barely see...
Taryn is holding a boo pumpkin...

Brock is holding the "Cool Whip"
He was telling Scoti in pic taken

just after this...

"I want my PIE!!" lol

but we did get him sneak this one before
he was ready lol!!
Look at those red eyes!!
(Tells of all the mischief!!) lol

It was really good to spend the day with family!!!

On Friday I cleaned...

at cleaning up from Thursday messes!!
I tried to get through some of my boxes

that I have managed to get stacked

while cleaning through out the year...

So I could put up the tree!!!
Taryn called in the morning...

"NaNa... did you put up your tree yet?

You said we could come out

to decorate the tree!!"
When she found out I hadn't even put it up yet...

I WAS IN TROUBLE!!
I did manage to promise her...

they could both come out on Saturday for that reason!!
I went over to my brother's Friday

afternoon... he was cutting down

cedar trees in his fence line...

SO... guess who got three cedar trees??

lol..... ME!!!
two small ones...

and a REALLY BIG one!!
I got home after dark...

so I just kicked them out at the end of the drive.

On Saturday morning
Taryn called again...

well...
I thought I could pacify her with

decorating the outside trees!!
So PaPa helped me get the big

one up...

he dug me a hole...

and up it went!!
Taryn and Brock arrived just as I came

back out with the dried oranges!!
We put up the oranges...

and the bows that came of the gifts

Sue sent me!!!
"They look really cool!!" Brock declared!!
I will have to get a pic tomorrow...

my night time ones didn't turn out! :(

But as you can guess...

the kids wanted to decorate the inside tree...

So PaPa kept them busy...

while I got the tree upstairs...

and set up!!
And here is what they did!!

The tree after they decorated the down low...

and I did the up high!

We still have to figure out what to

do for a topper...

but they had fun!!

You will notice that I put it in my #6 crock...

and the kids put some of the ornies

around the outside top of it too!! :D

here are some stars that I painted...

Sue dear... do you recognize these??

Brock and Taryn hung them where they

like them best!!!
That was the whole reason they

had to decorate the tree...

THEY got to decide where to put them!!! :D


And these two...
they are the wonderful ornies that Sue made too!!
The gingerbread men...

and the Okra SANTA'S!!!
I LOVE THEM!!!
They look sooooooo adorable on my tree!!! :D

Well, after much indecision...

I found my tree topper...

It is a wooden star I painted...

(was supposed to be a Christmas gift)

but I like it here!!
I took some wire...

twirled it around the tree...

and drilled two holes in the v of the star...

and WHALA!!!

My Star!! :D :D :D :D

AND here is my FINISHED TREE!!!
All of it has hand crafted... hand made...

home made ornies!!

Now I know I can do it!!!

(Taryn and Brock wouldn't let me take the lights off...

I put it away last year with lights still on it!!)

Here is the one...

wall decor I have up so far...

The sled I got last year at an auction...

with my sign...

SIMPLIFY... and a wreath I made

a few years ago.

All of this is to remind me not to

OVER decorate!!
My daughters both believe...

that I put up toooooo much decorations!!
So this year I am trying to cut back...

we shall see if I can do it!!

I finally got my wrist healed...

so I am back to painting signs again!!
I seen some at the Burlington Craft Fair...

just before Thanksgiving that I liked...

so I did my own!!
They are both for my laundry room wall!

Check them out!!

This what they look like...

the long one says...

Laundry Today or Naked Tomorrow

:D

I think it so neat!!

and the one beside the washboard...

says...

Laundry Room

Drop Your

Pants Here
and it sits just above the washer!!

If you look really close...

you can see my washer just below!

I managed yesterday to get most of my house

cleaned back up...

it suffered sooo much while

I cooked!!
BUT boy did I have fun cooking!!
I made pies... apple... cherry...

homemade pumpkin from scratch!!

Chex party mix... rice crispy treats...

Grandma Lydia's Peppernut cookies...

Grandma Fisher's Oatmeal cookies...

Pie crust cutouts with cinnamon...
(kids helped with these...

for the aunts!!)

If I fix pies and don't do pie crust cutouts

my sister-in-laws won't let me come

to family dinners!! lol

And hubby smoked the Turkey

for Sunday dinner at Scoti's!!

That was with my side of the family!!
So we got to see everyone!!
All of my family was there!!
It was really nice...
Even Chris... Scoti's hubby was there for

his first family dinner!!
He is usually out on the road for the holidays!

We all planned the family's Christmas's

Hubby's side and mine!!
So everyone can plan for those days off!!

Such a busy week...

so much that got done...

and I am finally re cooped!!
A day of doing nothing!!
So I hope this finds you all...

re cooped...

relaxed..

and rejuvenated!!!
Ready to get ready for

the Christmas Holidays!!

I hope everyone has a wonderfully blessed day!!

Also don't forget to SMILE...
You will get on in return!!!
Remember to Live well, Laugh often,
and to LOVE much!!