Christmas and Stash for 2010

Last week we had a window of time to get a family picture. Marissa flew in from DC on Thursday night and Sevrine was leaving for Utah Friday evening. These are a couple of snap shots with my camera. I will post the others later when we get them back from the photographer. It has been several years sense we got a family shot and have all of the grandkids together.



I got some sock yarn so I can work on some of the sock patterns that I have had my eye on. I also got a sampler kit from Kristen which I really like.

Last Saturday I got to go to my LNS, The Attic, in Mesa, AZ and get a few patterns that were on my wish list. I had seen the Prairie Schooler chart on another blog and really wanted to get this because this is what my dad said all the time. Being that he was in the Navy and would always greet the day with this "weather wise". I also love the Lizzie Kate designs and will enjoy stitching these next year.

Christmas end up being a good day. I always stress about the day and worry if all the things I made fit or every liked what the got. All in all everyone liked their presents and the PJ's fit (some have growing room).

Christmas Theme and Stitching

Several years ago this cartoon was passed around our stitch group. At the time we all laughed but with these tough econmic times there is some truth in it's sentiment. This has become more of a Theme this Christmas as I look at the list of the things that I still need to work on. As I try to simplify Christmas and center on the reason we celebrate this holiday, I can focus more on the gift of Jesus Christ as my Savior.





Last evening I was fortunate to attend "A Christmas Carol" at the Hale Theater. My friend Lisa and her mother invited me to see Mattie perform in the play. The picture will be a special reminder of friends I made while living in Chandler. With this opportunity I got to give them a present that I had made for them before they moved to China. As it gets closer to Christmas I can now post some of the things that I have been working on for the past few months. With the internet and magic jack I will still get to visit even though they are half a world away. Next week I will be adding more things from my work basket that I have finished and deliver the peanut brittle that is packaged.

Family Tradition

Every Christmas for the past 34 years I have been making peanut brittle for friends and family. It started while I was visiting my in laws right after Ric and I were married. This was my mother-in-laws recipe and she put me to work helping with this labor of love. I can not imagine the amount of nuts, sugar, syrup and butter I have used but to suffice to say that it is in the hundreds of pounds.
This project starts after Thanksgiving and continues up until Christmas Eve. We usually get requests from friends and co-workers when the holiday approaches. The question is if they are on the list to get this wonderful candy. As we have moved around, the list grows and the tradition continues.

The recipe:
Peanut Brittle
1/2 cup water
2 cups sugar
1 cup Kero light syrup
2 cups raw spanish peanuts
2 Tablespoons butter
2 teaspoons soda
1 teaspoon vanilla

Bring water to boil on medium high heat. Add sugar and kero syrup. Bring to a boil and add peanuts. Stir constantly and cook to 295 degrees. When temperture is reached, turn off heat and add butter and vanilla. Continue stirring and add soda. Pour out onto two generously buttered cookie sheets. When cooled, break into pieces with the handle of a butter knife.

Thanksgiving Birthday

Twenty eight years ago I gave birth to a rather special little boy. This was before the ultrasounds that could tell me I was having a boy after having two little girls. I had the planned C-section on Wednesday before Thanksgiving and this meant that the holiday dinner was clear broth and jell-o. Ric did bring up a thermos of Wassil so I could have a little bit of the Holiday in my hospital room. I had mixed emotions on this day,(some of which I will not go into here) but I can say that I have been very blessed to have Kelvin as my son. He is kind, tender-hearted and compassionate young man. He is genereous and responsible father and friend. He now has a little boy of his own.

When Kelvin left on his mission he gave me the book, Love You Forever, by Robert Munsch. The message he wrote inside still makes me cry and reminds me of what a remarkable son I have.

So on this Thanksgiving Day I will give thanks for many blessings that include my children, husband and especially the "Turkey" that came 28 years ago today.

Anticipation

With Christmas around the corner, I am looking forward to this bounty during the holiday. This variety of citrus is called Arizona Sweet. They are very sweet and will make for some nice juice and tasty snacks.

My sister Diane came through town on her way home to Oklahoma. Enjoyed the brief visit and catching up on her family while she was in town.

Holiday Prep

I did find some time to make hats for Warming Families. You can read more about this charity on Bev Qualheim's site. http://bevscountrycottage.com/warming-families.html





These are some of the things I have been working on for Christmas, Birthdays and a new baby. I still have a few more items in my WIP basket and will post as they are finished.


Shortbread Cookies

2 cups butter
1 cup sugar
4 cups flour

Mix the above ingredients in a bowl. Take dough and spread out onto a cookie sheet 1/4 inch thick. Poke with a fork. Bake in a 325 degree oven for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven and sprinkle sugar on cookies.
Return to oven for another 5 minutes. Cute into squares and then let cool.

Saturdays

For the last few Saturdays Ric and I have been able to spend time with our grand children. We attended the Gymnastics meet for Will and Kaitlyn and Halloween parties with Hailee and Sevrine. (My picture of Hailee didn't turn out and I need to get a copy of her and Payton's Halloween costumes from Ashley.) We are very fortunate to have all of the kids close enough to get to have these experiences.
This Saturday (today) we head over to Gilbert to celebrate Elizabeth's third birthday.