Festive Days

Bumper Cars

These cookies took a lot of time.  Turned out Nate really liked them and the children could easily flood them with icing.  Was fun. 

They cut out the stars and they decorated them.

This helped me keep track of which ones were more pure. You know.

The rush is over.  Maybe. Sammy and Jana are still here so until they go it is not over.  But last night was a blessed night at home.  I love Christmas gatherings.  I like them spread out like once a week or so.  Felt like a marathon.  But you just can't complain, because having family is special and dear so we soak it up.

My cousin with his son. Eric used to babysit us when we were little.

Mia's teachers used hot glue to keep these together. I"ve since learned that you can used melted white sugar for an edible hot glue.  Dip the sides in and stick them together? Not that I'm planning to make these anytime soon. 

Sammy and Jana.  Not sure they will brave the cold weather again.

My thrifty choice to get a pack of two pajamas, one size, worked out ok.

Christmas Morning

My Mom is such a go getter. 

First time ice skating

At family function number 3 for the weekend, I noticed a brown object on the living room floor, beside Stuart.  Nate must have noticed it when I did.  I don't remember what I said, but he said, "That is what you think it is" and I was the one that could not get the wet ones out fast enough.  We are talking about a living room packed with people.  How it escaped I still do not know.

Making Seasons Bright

This morning when it was flurrying, Mia wanted to put on her snow pants.  She was also begging to go outside to take pictures. 
I won a new pair of ski boots on eBay this morning.  You know in Mary Poppins where they sing, "I love to laugh" I love to ski. Sing that in your head.
The first photo is the pic I have in my bedroom.
The stack of records is not even the beginning of the stack of records.  Looking for a record collector to come and take them off my hands.
The rocking chair comes from my local Vintage Yard Sale lady.  Oh how I love to see her sign out.  She goes to estate sales and scores stuff and then sells them at a yard sale very reasonably.  I think, she might put the money towards a mission or some good cause...? Sweet lady, so there are for real ladies lined up on the sidewalk before she opens.  The ornaments came from there, oh and the navy box full of records.  And I got some mystery box.  I don't know what it was or what it will be.
Last night was our lonely work banquet (small company) but it turned out to be very fun and we laughed at silly stories all night long. As we were leaving the Franklin House Nate was looking for mints.  There was a dish with only two left, he tried to hand one to his boss who said, "No, I don't do mints" and we died inside.  For we had a very large glass dish of mints out in the car for his Christmas gift. Better luck next year.
Sammy and Jana should be arriving tomorrow morning.  I am praying things go well for their flights.  Will be a happy day when we see them.

A sad ending. Kathy the Cat. She is no more.

And The Winner Is....

 Maria!    here is her comment. Hey Jo...This is Maria and I was just wondering if you could put me in the give away? My favorite is the canvas with 'I can do all things with Christ' It was a brilliant idea! :) Thanks! Maria please contact me about your prize. And... Thanks to all for playing!

To Post A Comment

I normally keep the comment section very easy to post too.  However I also get a lot of anonymous comments.  I don't mind this until it is time to do a give away.  Then I mind.  A few days ago after some mention to how hard it is to post I switched it back to the old way and within minutes I had an anonymous commenter. So we are going to stick this new way of commenting out for the contest. Let me show you what to do.

 

So you will click on the comment button. Go ahead and put your comment in the box at this time.  Then you will see the screen above.  It says select profile.  If you do not have any of those profiles I would suggest selecting Google Account. 

That will take you to this page where you will choose the bottom light blue box.  "Don't have a Google Account?" Please click on the get started button. 

Now you get to fill in all this fun stuff.  

Should take you back to this page where you will still need to hit Post Comment to get it to post.

Comment is now posted. I hope this helps someone.

That Thanksgiving Wedding

Dorcas took these photos.  I love shooting a wedding with Dorcas. 
This wedding was fun.  I will be sure to share more later. 
Check out Lisa's blog.
Right now I'm off to celebrate our ninth anniversary. 

Giveaway Housekeeping

To be entered in this contest please leave a comment on the giveaway post.
Comments posted to my facebook will not count.
If you and your computer tech friend can not get a comment to post please message me your comments and ask me to post them for you. natenjo01@gmail.com
 

Crafters Crowd

I helped Mom with the Harrisburg Christmas Craft Show last week.  Meanwhile I missed my children.  I'd sit at the kitchen table at 7am and try to figure out if I ran up to see them how long I could be there. There being Nate's parents.  They are good babysitters.  Probably spoiled the children to death.  One evening Nate took me out to dinner when I got home. Some classy place where we got creme brulee for dessert. The waitress was a dream come true the perfect mix of fun and kind. Mom had a huge disaster with Verizon getting her phone line hooked up for the credit card machine.  Ever use a knuckle buster to put credit cards through?  Pain in patoony. I'd say, "and your total is ten dollars even" and they'd whip out their American Express and I was thinking, "nooooooo" of course this feeling passed as it really was every time.  And I totally get it, I never carry cash either and when I do I'm saving it for a non credit kind of store.  So finally on Friday morning Nate left extra early to climbed on a ladder at the Farm Show while I was at home praying he'd not fall on top of some stand full of glass ornaments.  Also praying that we'd finally have a phone line. His trip was in vain and they never left him get on the ladder. 
Most of the customers were very nice.  I had one lady however, she had her slate personalized, Mom put her house number on it.  So she's telling me how she'll be back for it and I asked her to pay for it before she left.  It is our system... if they don't pay we will forget that they didn't.  Besides when they come back we are busy w/ new customers and can't be knuckle busting their card through.  So... she just gave me such a hard time about paying first, "The lady with the apron didn't tell me I have to pay now"  I made her pay but she nearly had me in tears.  Then there was the lady that told Yvonne and I how one time when she came back to pick up her order she nearly gagged she hated the personalization that much.  So I'm reassuring her that if she does not like it we can wipe it off and start over.  She was really high maintenance and I didn't want her to stress Mother dear out so I was like, "hang around while she writes your name on it but do not say anything to the artist to make her nervous"  so Mom has no idea that this lady was over the top and the lady is standing right in front of her little personalization stand looking the other way but I can see that she's watching mom out of the corner of her eye.  So Mom finishes it and I was like, "show it to her" lady approves it and Yvonne and I breathed a huge sigh of relief.  Chances are high that she was from New Jersey. Working with people, got to love it.
Nate's been having struggles of his own lately.  Service call to a home where the smoke detectors were beeping in the night.  They had totally removed the smoke detector in their bedroom and she's pointing to the wiring that's left hanging from the ceiling telling Nate that it's still beeping.  Those are the days he comes home shaking his head.

Do You Make These Cookies

Outrageous chocolate chip cookies

1 c butter

1 c p. butter

1 c sugar

2/3 packed brown sugar

2 eggs

1/2 tsp vanilla

2 c flour

1 c oatmeal

2 tsp baking soda

¼ tsp salt

8 oz chocolate chips

Makes 4 dozen max.  I made a batch and a half last time and fit them on 4 trays.They don't spread much.

Oh, bake at 350 for 10-12 min

Every time I serve these someone asks for the recipe.   Thought I'd quick share the recipe before you are all sick of cookies or maybe you are looking for a new kind to make.

Life Here

Stuart is playing with a balloon and I'm so scared it has got to be close to popping. 

He found the powdered sugar in the pantry today.  Took it with him to a corner in the laundry and when I found him, he was so happy with himself and his sugar rush. 

We went to the Myerstown Parade last weekend.  It was so cold.  The kids got an insane amount of candy.  

Yesterday Nate and I helped my Mom set up for the Harrisburg Christmas Show.  So it was a year ago that the girls got lost there while looking for Santa. 

To all of the painters that used to help set up the show, I missed you!

15 day countdown until Mr and Mrs Mapson arrive from Grenada! They say that they are excited to feel cool weather. Meanwhile we long for the tropics. 

Stuart is walking.

He's gets into more trouble. Why? 

Before

Had fun decorating for Christmas this year.  Last year we didn't do much. Stuart was our decoration last year.

This chair is still making me smile... My latest customers surprised me with it as a gift.  So sweet.

This has nothing to do with anything.

Grouchy Boy, Happy Girl.

Almost time for lunch.

Way too cold at the Myerstown Holiday Parade.