I had five shirts to hand embroider but I was only able to do three. Two of the shirts were too soft of a material. I did two shirts with a cow on each and one with an elk on it. Here are the pictures of the embroidery close-up.

This cow is white with black spots and tail and orange and yellow flowers


This cute cow is two different shades of brown

This my brown elk with white antlers



MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

This week before Christmas has been a busy one. I finished all my baking-9 confections in all (iced cinnamon roll cookies, iced pumpkin cookies, peanut butter balls, chocolate truffles, spritz butter cookies, lemon bells, gumdrop fudge, cranberry swirl biscotti and chocolate fruitcake). I know fruitcake...yuck! Before you knock it, you have to try it. This is NOT your ordinary candied, dried fruitcake. It has coconut, chocolate chips, maraschino cherries, canned pineapple, walnuts and pecans. It is soooo good. I was in the kitchen from last Saturday until this Friday when I assembled all the treat trays.

I did most of the Christmas shopping on Wednesday morning and then Jarom and I went back out when he got home and we finished it up-gifts, stocking stuffers, wrapping paper-everything. I even wrapped it all the same day, except for some shirts that I still need to hand embroider. I'm sure I'll finish the shirts tomorrow, after which I can wrap them and I'll be all done with everything.

We delivered the treat trays this evening after I helped make cookies at the neighbors. We missed some of our friends but had a very nice visit with Sydney and we are planning to get together after the New Year. We may just get together for our birthdays.

Late this afternoon, I was at the neighbors. They were supposed to make sugar cookies but Leanne just had so much to do that they weren't going to do it. I didn't have any homemade sugar cookie dough but I did have some store-bought from Pillsbury, so I took it to them, after which I stayed and helped. Leanne rolled out the dough and Madyson cut it with the cookie cutter while I tried to entertain Trenton and keep him from trying to get the cookie dough off the counter. Once they were baked and cooled, Leanne and I frosted them and Madyson decorated them with sprinkles. It was fun.

Tomorrow, we will bathe the dogs. Tuesday, I will wash the dogs bed and blankets and any last minute laundry, pack our bags, the presents and anything else we need for our trip. Wednesday morning, we will hit the road for the 10+ hour road trip home. It is only supposed to be a 10 hour drive, but with the holidays and the fact that we will most likely hit the Portland-Metro area around rush-hour, it will be closer to 12 hours. We'll just have to see how it goes, at least we can share the driving and take turns.

I didn't get our Christmas cards out. They will be going out after Christmas. I really didn't want to fight all the people and traffic to mail them when I mailed the Culpepper gifts. I ended up having the Culpepper gifts picked up here at the house so I didn't get any stamps. I will get them after Christmas and mail them then. I'm sorry, everyone, that they are late!

I'm so excited to have Christmas with my parents and sister! I know I was home last year, but I didn't get to spend Christmas Day with my parents. We arrived the following Saturday. This will be my/our first official Christmas with my parents (on Christmas Day) in nine years. I can't wait!

Merry Christmas, everyone!!

I have had a tough time getting in the holiday spirit this year. I think that finally after 9 years, I am ready to be back home in Oregon living near my parents so that I can do all the shopping, wrapping, baking and decorating with my mama. My mama feels the same way too, as she is feeling the same way I am this year.

We had Jarom's work Christmas party on Monday. It was a much smaller group this year than normal, but that was because the kids are still in school this week so we didn't have all the kids and spouses running around. We had the gift exchange but it is one of those where the gifts can be stolen up to three times. I had some really great gifts too-a really nice BBQ utensil set in a case until it was stolen and froze, then I got a nice Brother Labeler until it was stolen and then I opened a package with about 4 lbs. of chocolate and that is what I ended up with. It is good chocolate though-cabernet dark chocolate wine gels, Russell Stover Pecan Delights, Creme Roule and Ferrero Rocher. I can't remember all the things Jarom had and lost, but her ended up with a numbered Limited Edition Wizard of Oz Pez set.




I completed our Christmas cards Monday evening. It isn't a very elaborate card-very simple but I embossed every single one. That is over 100 cards.



I haven't made any gifts this year, not my annual tree ornament. I have some shirts that I bought for some family members that I'm going to hand embroider this weekend with various little pictures based on their likes. It shouldn't take too long to embroider the shirts. I am looking forward to it and wish I could start them today but I have baking to finish that will most likely take all day.

All of our Christmas shopping is complete, as of last night. I did most of it in the morning but ran out of cash. I passed the afternoon waiting for Jarom to get home from work by wrapping all the gifts that I bought in the morning. When he got home, we ventured back out to hit the last couple of stores to finish the shopping. I had a couple things to buy and print online when we got home. We stopped at Jimboys for dinner. Jarom started to fall asleep sitting on the couch while I was wrapping the rest of the gifts so I sent him to bed. He does have some shopping still to do--for me, but I imagine that he will do that this weekend.

I finished up the wrapping and have caught up on some things on the DVR. The pups and I have been enjoying the warmth of the pellet stove all afternoon and evening. I bought White Christmas yesterday and I really wanted to watch it but I was up and down wrapping and moving gifts to the tree, so I plan to watch it today and this weekend and probably each day next week until we leave to go home for Christmas.

I started my baking on Saturday and I'm still working on getting it all finished. So far, I have the Gumdrop Fudge, Spritz cookies, Chocolate Fruitcake and Cranberry Swirl Biscotti done. My Lemon Bells are baked and ready to be frosted and sprinkled with yellow sugar. I already shaped the truffles and peanut butter balls into balls, so today I will melt the chocolate to dip them in. When all those are dipped, I have pumpkin cookies to bake and frost to be followed by baking the Cinnamon Roll Cookies and glazing them. After all that, I can assemble the treat trays. Two will go to work with Jarom, one for the High Tech and one for the Schaefers. Four other trays will be assembled and delivered to some of our friends in town on Sunday and a final tray to take home and share with my family. Other than the baking and embroidering the shirts, we are all done and ready for Christmas.

I can't wait to head home next week to have Christmas with my parents, sister and brother-in-law. While we were home for Christmas and New Year's last year, I wasn't able to spend Christmas with my parents. We have New Year with them, so this is my first Christmas with my parents in 9 years. Yes, you heard right, 9 years. Can you understand my excitement now? Christmas here we come!

Last Friday, Jarom and drove to Prineville so that he could go elk hunting with his Dad and brothers. It was very cold, although there wasn't much snow. We did get a little dusting while we were there.

It turned out to be a bit more boring for me than planned. I was supposed to use the money that Jenna owed us to do some shopping but since we didn't get it until the following Monday night, so I was able to get absolutely nothing. I did a lot of sitting around reading and watching television. Us girls, did go to Chinese for dinner Friday night since the guys left shortly after Jarom and I arrived.

Saturday afternoon, Carla and I went to the theatre and saw Old Dogs and we had breakfast for dinner and watched Debbie Macomber's Mrs. Miracle on Hallmark and 12 Men of Christmas on Lifetime. I read Mrs. Miracle about 3 or 4 years ago. Old Dogs was an excellent movie! We laughed through the whole thing.

The guys came home Sunday evening in time for dinner, but they didn't have any luck. None of the 9 guys that went on the trip were able to get any elk. They should have had better luck since they were on private property but this year they were either outside the property or too high up that they couldn't get close enough. But, I suppose the more important this was that Jarom was able to have this time with his Dad and brothers.

I was ready to go home though, by the time they all arrived home. I was tired of all the dog hair. It seemed like I inhaled so much I could have coughed up a hairball. The hair was everywhere, the couch, blankets, clothes, my bed, pillows--on everything. Monday we spent the day just sitting around. The temperature dropped to -4 when we went to bed. When we left Tuesday morning is was -8 but as we got further down the road it got down to -30 at one point. SOOOO cold! Just outside of Bend, about a dozen elk crossed the highway right in front of us. It was a beautiful sight.

I can't believe it has been two weeks already since Thanksgiving! Where has the time gone?

We had a nice Thanksgiving and celebrated with my cousin, Sharon and her two girls Cassie and Haley and Sharon's mom, Donna. Sharon and I haven't seen each other since 1989--20 years! We had a wonderful visit.

They arrived Wednesday around 2:30 in the afternoon, while I was baking pies. I made chicken enchiladas for dinner and then while Cassi watched a movie the rest of us girls made these cute little candy turkeys before heading up to bed. I didn't sleep well, so I was up at 4:30am on Turkey Day, so I just started my Monkey Bread for breakfast. Once that was done, I prepped some other dishes and had the turkey in the oven in 8am, did some more dish prepping before heading up to shower and dress at 10am. From that point forward, it was all about getting all the dishes made and ready to put on the table by 2:30 that afternoon.

We all sat and watched the Raiders football game while we ate dinner and dessert. The kids had a lot of fun playing together, as we invited our friends, the Schaefer's to join us. The kids couldn't wait for dessert--they wanted it right after they ate their dinner, but I managed to keep them at bay for an hour and a half. After we got everything cleaned up and put away we all sat and visited and watched Four Christmases.

The rest of our time was spent visiting. Although, I was sad that I didn't get to make the trip with everyone to Old Sacramento on Friday. I was looking forward to the trip, but my back just was not having it after spending two days on my feet in the kitchen for hours on end. We had leftovers for about 4 days. Monday, I made my Grandma's homemade egg noodles and put them in with turkey to make a soup.

It was a great Thanksgiving!

It was a rather busy week as we prepare for Thanksgiving and guests to arrive-planning menu's, tracking down recipes, grocery shopping and more grocery shopping for the items I forgot and cleaning. This week, I will be busy with decorating the house and starting a little early on the baking and entertaining guests, but I'm looking forward to it as I will be seeing my cousin, Sharon. We haven't seen each other for 20 years and I finally get to meet her two daughter Cassy and Haley.

Friday afternoon, I went to see New Moon at the theatre. They did a great job on the movie and I'm glad it is following the books closely. However, like the book, the movie was a little slow. Plus, I'm an Edward supporter, even though I love Jacob too, but you got me bought into the vampire thing but now you want to buy into the werewolf thing. Then, I just had trouble with love triangle, I do enjoy the stories and I have come to love all the characters. It just took me a little longer to buy into this part of the story, but the book and the movie were great!

We were supposed to go to the drive-in Friday night to see New Moon but the weather turned and it rained, so Jarom took me to see it at the theatre again, for the 10:10pm show. Jarom said he'd see it with me but after I had already bought my afternoon ticket online, so I saw it twice.

Saturday evening, Jarom took me to the drive-in, as the weather was much better and a little bit warmer. It was still cold and we had to use blankets, but it wasn't rainy. Jarom and I stopped by Wendy's and picked up some dinner to eat once we got there. We picked up some snacks at Safeway too, but had to get some hot cocoa at the drive-in during intermission. We saw The Blind Side and The Box.

I didn't really like the idea of The Box. I didn't care to see, but we were there so I figured we might as well stay and watch it. Neither one of us liked it. Jarom was bored through the entire thing. I not only had trouble with the premise of the movie but as we watched it noticing that only women were presented with this particular decision-no men were presented with it. I don't recommend it.

The Blind Side was the other movie and we both really loved it! There were some times when we got a little teary-eyed, but we laughed quite a bit too. Sandra Bullock is a bulldog and she is really awesome in this movie! Mr. Tim McGraw is almost un-noticeable without his beard and mustache. I think this movie is a MUST SEE and it definitely one that we are going to have to have on DVD when it comes out!

Our other minor activities this weekend were mowing the grass, laundry, watching some of the Christmas movies on television and just relaxing and enjoying each other's company.

We had a busy October and I have fallen behind once again. I've been trying to be a better housekeeper. I do well for a time and then I slack off and I'm trying not to slack off anymore.

The weather is turning cooler but the sun arrives each morning and it does get a little warm in the house, still. However, this last week we have enjoyed our pellet stove in the evening. Gus seems to be enjoying it too. He just plops right down on his bed and falls asleep as the warm air blows down on him. He is not a fan of the cold-my little sun worshipper. In the mronings he finds a little patch of sun that is streaming through a window and just lays there.

We went to the pumpkin patch last month, but because of the storm we had the week before we did not get to enjoy the fun of the corn maze. It was more than a disappointment. It was a short trip. We went in, picked our pumpkins, paid for them and were gone.

We had the Dane Cook show on the 24th with Robert Kelly opening. Robert was hilarious! Dane was good too, but this particular show isn't my favorite one. There are just too much sex commentary and I didn't find it all that funny. Luckily there is stuff in the show that is not on the album and it made it better. Before the show, there were people going around exchaning regular tickets for front row tickets-a couple was chosen directly behind us. It was kind of a bummer. When Dane came out, he took off his hoodie and through it into the crowd. At the end, he left the arena and came back out about 5 minutes later for another 20 minutes. It was a good show-traffic sucked getting out, though. Jarom and I picked out a beenie for Jenna, Jarom got a long sleeved shirt and I got a sweatshirt.

My Dad and Mom were in Santa Cruz this same weekend for a wedding. I decided to drive down Sunday morning for a short visit and stayed until Monday afternoon when they left for the airport. It was a nice little visit.

The following and last weekend was Halloween and we were back to Santa Cruz. I had a blast. Uncle Dustin and Aunt Tracy's house looked great for the party in daylight and even better at dark. I made a taffy apple salad that tasted like a candied apple, but not much was eaten. I think a lot of people thought it was potato salad-I had a feeling I should have had a little sign telling people what it was. I also make Yummy Mummy Calzones-one veggie and one with turkey pepperoni-they were devoured. Both recipes came out of a Halloween cookbook I have that I have misplaced somewhere-I wanted to put the recipes on my food blog and make the apple salad for Thanksgiving, too.

Coley and Victor were Mario and Luigi. Aunt Teresa and Uncle Paylor were Vikings. Uncel Dustin and Aunt Tracy were a dead bride and groom. Jenna a Pirate, Jarom was Casanove and I was the crazy cat lady. In the costume contest, Coley won third place, Aunt Tracy 2nd and Uncle Paylor 3rd.

Last weekend, Jarom and I moved Jenna back to Prineville. We left Friday morning. I didn't sleep at all Thursday. I was up cleaning and then cooking dinner and baking cookies. I made Oatmeal Cranberry, Chocolate Chip and Iced Pumpkin. I packed up some for us to snack on on the ride as well as a couple containers for the family. We left as 6am and rolled into town just after 2:30pm. There weren't any plans for the weekend so it was nice and relaxing...well until we tried to come home Sunday.

We had a nice little breakfast Sunday and then packed up the truck before heading out. We got to Powell Butte and before I knew it we were pulled over and Jarom was disappearing behind the truck. I went to check on his and the poor guy was tossin' his cookies...so we turned around and went back. He was still tired and not feeling too good but we left Monday, anyway.

We his snow in Bend and it was present all the way to the border. Since I was driving, I was a bit nervous. Having a new truck, I didn't know how it handled in the snow and learning how to use the four wheel drive. It isn't exactly my little all-wheel drive Subaru. All was fine, but it was a long drive.

This week, we have just been trying to get well after this little flu bug. This weekend has been very lowkey and relaxing.