553 posts, who would have guessed?

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!
I just happened to see that this will be my 553 post! Who would have thought that over the last few years I would have come up with enough foolishness to fill the pages?  I wish there was some way to put it all on a CD to save it all for future reference.  I used to print off each one but that went by the way side long ago.
It’s bright and sunny here in the north east after having some of the worst weather that we have had in a long time.  Everyone is finally all dug out and power has been restored to those that were unfortunate enough to have lost it.  We were happy not to have lost ours but we do have a big generator that clicks on within a few seconds when needed.
Mimi took Miss T and Cousin K skiing this week.  They had a blast in all the new snow. Thank goodness for helmets though as each of them took at least one good tumble!  We have a small mountain about twenty minutes from here that is just right for an afternoon of skiing for young ones.  The trails are not to awfully challenging and they have installed a chair lift instead of just the T-bar that they had when Son was out there skiing. I gave my skis away a few years ago, I’m just not as brave as I used to be………….
I’m sure a lot of you have heard about the chairlift accident here at Sugarloaf in Carrabassett Valley.  The lift was old and was on the list for replacement but they still had it running in very heavy winds which was a big mistake.  They had it shut down for a while but then started it up again.  Thankfully no one was critically hurt but several, including kids had to be taken to the hospital.  I’m sure the two feet of fresh snow to fall in helped a lot!!!!!  I have always been a little afraid of that happening, no, not always, when I was young I didn’t think a thing of it! ha!

I looked out the window one morning and saw this beautiful sunrise.  Glad I had my camera ready as it didn’t last long.



I guess it’s time to bring in this chair that we keep on the little deck off our bedroom.  Don’t think anyone will be setting out there at night for a while. (It is now in the basement)

I counted 42 turkeys out back this morning when I went out to feed them.  Yikes! I think the flock is growing every day! I think the word is out ‘Come to Weezies diner, the food isn’t that great but the price is right!’


I think what has happened is that two flocks have merged.  I enjoy watching the dynamics of the flocks and after a couple days of stand off they are together.  There was a lot of posturing with feathers all fluffed out and lots of squawking but all is quiet now except for the cute little clucks and peeps that the hens make.
Never know what you are going to find on your bed when you make it up: Noodles loves snuggling under something.

Mary at Mary’s Writing Nook had a book swap before Christmas and I was so fortunate to have gotten Barbara H. from Tennessee as my partner.  She sent me the loveliest books that I have just devoured!  This one is by Melody Carlson and has three of her books in this one edition.  They are heartwarming and such good reading, I will dig it out each Christmas season to read again.

This one is fabulous, it is The 12 Days of Christmas Cookbook and I do love me a good cookbook!  It has great recipes and tips on having a wonderful less stressful holiday season.  I have already bookmarked numerous recipes to try! Yum!

This next one is a devotional by Nancy Guthrie.  Each and every one of us should use this for the month of December, it really keeps one in the right spirit of the holiday.  It is jam packed  with daily devotions from the Bible for each day of the month, words to the wonderful old Christmas carols, a place to write in comments and notes that you want to remember,  great for family devotions or by yourself, you will be blessed to read this book!  I will be ordering this book for numerous people before next December!

Last but not least was this lovely pen and pad with a cardinal and Luke 2:14 written on it,  ‘Peace on earth, good will to all.’ What a thoughtful gift to tuck in with the books!  Thank you Barbara soooooooooo much!!!

We are headed down to the lake this afternoon to check on things and enjoy the sunshine. 
We’re back and it was delightful down there.   The sun was streaming in the front sliding glass doors once we opened the blinds. The lake was open except right here on the narrows where we are located but it certainly wasn’t thick enough ice to walk on.  Ice fishing starts tomorrow but it will be a while until people can put their ice shacks out.


The Hubs enjoying his Wall Street Journal.

Guess that’s it for today.  I hope you all are enjoying this New Years Day.  We aren’t much to celebrate and were asleep by 9:45 last night. I guess that means we are old duffers but oh well…….. :o)

Christmas 2010

I can’t believe Christmas is over.  The months of preparation were well worth the effort with only one gift card in the missing. I’m sure it will turn up somewhere.

I love the cooking and baking for Christmas Day.  The wonderful aromas permeated the house making it smell just delicious for several days.  I always make wassail for Christmas Eve the day before so that the ingredients have time to meld together for that yummy drink.

Sweet potatoes are our new best friend, they have so much more flavor then plain white potatoes.  These were for Sweet Potato Casserole which I could eat all day long. I like how they are mirrored in the bowl.

Nothing smells any better then onions, celery and butter simmering on the stove for the stuffing. Again, I could eat this with a spoon!

I use potato bread for my stuffing and this is drying out in the oven.

I love cooking with the grand kids, they took great care in decorating these cupcakes for Christmas Eve.

They also helped me arrange the gifts under the tree. I think a few packages were shaken when I wasn’t looking! :o)

Opening their Christmas baskets.  The hit of everything that was in there was the $1.00 Whoopee cushions….ahem….

Funsize and her beau. I love the new bangs FS!!!!

Who is this masked man? It’s not the Lone Ranger.

A surprise for Son! I think he will hang this up in his office.

Son and DIL opening their stocking.

Christmas morning after I got the turkey in the oven we headed over to the kids house to watch the grands open their gifts.  Penelope the cat was VERY interested in the Dancing Mickey.

Checking out the tree at their house.

Miss T got this sweatshirt which is very true!

Opening her gifts. Remember the guy on Tool Time that used to always have something in front of his face?  This reminds me of him.

I have more pictures to download but this is enough for today.  It is WILD here today, we are getting the storm that has come all across the country but we are getting snow and not rain.  The roads are a mess, the driving is treacherous and I for one am staying home!

Not sure just when this is supposed to stop or how many inches of snow we are supposed to get but we’ve got at least a foot already.  Yay, I’ll get to use my snowmobile this year!!

Christmas is coming!

 

It’s just a few days before Christmas so I’m sure you all are finishing up the little details as I am here in the north country. At the moment rain is taking away our snow AGAIN so I am not a happy camper but that probably change before long and we will have our white Christmas.

I am all finished up except for one gift card that I keep forgetting to pick up when I go to the grocery store.  It is so handy that they have the cards there this time of year.  All of my older nieces and nephews like gift cards now and also my grands like a few.  They are great for stocking stuffers.

We had Christmas with DIL’s family on Saturday.  There was much excitement with all the grandchildren together as you can well imagine.  I can’t post any pictures, well let’s see, maybe there are a couple that don’t show faces too much…….. This is Mr. D with a calendar with his favorite football player.

This face I can show, this is Penelope the new ruler of the house.   She is a wonderful kitty and just loves everyone.  I guess this is as close to a puppy that Mr. D will be getting for Christmas.

I love what the school is doing with the kids to make Christmas gifts.  Miss T drew the picture on the apron and Mr. D drew the picture on the note cards.  Somehow they have the pictures put on these things and of course grandmothers love them!

The turkeys continue to move in on us.  Now some of them have gotten very brave and are coming up on the deck to eat the bird seed.

Noodles was watching them thinking he was hidden behind these little branches.

My sister and I were walking a few days ago and saw some more moose tracks.  Hope you can see it.  Sure wish we would see the whole moose!  I had my camera with me that day in hopes that he would appear.  Last night when I went to bed I looked out back and a beautiful ten point buck was standing there.  It was too dark to get a picture but believe me he was huge!

Noodles and Munchkin get bored now that it is too cold for them to stay outside much so they fight just like two kids!  Look at those ears pinned back!

Christmas Sunday was lovely as always.  There is just something about singing those old favorite Christmas carols that just makes you smile all over.  Here is a picture of my two kiddoes in the foyer at church.  They are growing up so fast.

Miss T and I had a girls day out on Saturday.  We were looking for a new dress for her as she has outgrown almost everything.  We hit the jackpot at Burlington Coat Factory which is something like TJ Maxx and found this one that she has on, one for the Valentines Father Daughter Dance and one for Easter!!!! Next we went and got our nails done at the mall, she picked a pretty pink.  The mall was getting really busy so we didn’t go to lunch there, we came home instead after finding tights to go with the dresses.  It was a really fun and special day for us. :o)

Look what we found!  The Hubs and I held her before church and while her mom was on the platform Sunday doing a reading.  Don’t you love the bow?!

I want to wish you all a wonderful Christmas!  It is such a special time of year when we celebrate the birth of our Savior! Enjoy every minute of it where ever you may be!