Oldie but eating Goodies... a lot...

Saturday was just PARTY PARTY PARTY!!!  

The morning was spent cooking for the PARTIES PARTIES PARTIES!!!

Oh and sewing!  I made 15 yards of piping in two hours.  More on that in January.

I made Eggnog truffles, Cinnamon/sugar pretzel sticks and Peppermint Patty cookies.

As I was messaging with my sisters that morning, I was asking for some advice on what to make with what I had, and looking into the refridge, I noticed the Eggnog.  

So I googled Christmas goodies with Eggnog and this came up!  But lo and behold, it doesn't even have eggnog IN it!  But it looked good anyway and I used white almond bark instead of white chocolate.  And vanilla instead of rum flavoring.  I didn't have any rum.

I could probably list it as a recipe of my very own now, huh?

We should probably drink the rest of the eggnog up...  I wonder what the expiration is/was...

NEXT the Cinnamon/sugar pretzel sticks!  Those were a hit!  Not at all with anyone in my family except me, but some folks from the church Christmas party at my bestie's nursing home LOVED them!  I still have a huge bowl left, but it made a lot to start with.  I'll probably be gorging on them the rest of the week if I remember which car I left them in...

And because NOTHING of what I made so far appealed to my husband yet, and there HAS to be SOMETHING that he likes there, I found some Andes mint bits in the cupboard and started googling a recipe to use those in.  Found one in my trusty Holiday cookies and bars recipe mag from 2008.

I didn't have the peppermint patties handy, so I used the Andes mint bits instead.  STILL delish!  

It made 5 dozen cookies (well, one cookies shy because I accidentally dropped one little cookie dough ball on the floor) and I came home with a couple dozen afterwards, so I packaged them up and stuck them into the goodie bags that our church gives out to the college kids from our church during finals week that is coming up. 

This nursing home is chock full of gorgeous antiques!!  I love to see what they come up with!

The church party was a lot of fun and a large group of us went caroling down some of the halls.  Saw a lot of folks that we knew and I'm sure they're now wary of us...  Those "singing" Christians...

We were stuffed with all the goodies and as that party wrapped up, Robb and I stopped at his office to change into slightly more festive clothes and headed to a local country club for his company party and MORE goodies!  Only this time, it was shrimp and prime rib...  

I'll make room!  and oh yes I did.  I weighed myself on Sunday morning and I'd gained 5 pounds.  I'm down to NEAR normal now tho.  That was a whole 24 hours ago...

I thought I'd taken a picture of the party room at the country club, but I guess I must have gotten distracted.  hmm.  It was gorgeous.

Went to a children's theater production on Sunday afternoon with Meri.  A HOOT!  The younger sister of one of her best friends played a fantastic snarky grandmother.  And then more goodies.

I think I've just named this post...

Need to go to work so I can relax!

I need one more day so I can honestly call this a weekend. I awoke at 3:30am on Saturday morning knowing that I was going to forget something for our day trip. Plus the fact that Robb couldn't sleep and was trying to watch tv really low so as not to wake me up. didn't work...

So as I'm trying to get back to sleep, I'm going through my head everything that I need to do before we leave at 6:45am. 1. dogs, 2. gifts, 3. things for me to do in the car, 4. wake up girls (that should have gone earlier that #4 I guess...), 5. don't forget camera and batteries. And out the door we went and were on the road by 6:45am.

Headed to western Iowa so that we'd be there early enough to stop at a the HyVee store and then heat up some Little Smokies and lay out some goodies at my sister's house. She makes a killer clam chowder! Opened presents with some of my ginormous family and had a good time! Got to hold my preemie nephew Braeden. He is right about 10 lbs now! Right about where my kids got their start in life!Got to hold my other new grand-nephew, Caleb. He's a chunk of adorable-ness too! and SO laid back!
My mom and niece with Caleb.

Got to walk my niece Stevie! 10 months old, such a cutie!

The hats were a hit with some. One of my nephews doesn't like anything snug on his head, but we came up with a way to make it a little looser on him. When it came time to take pics of them, he couldn't find it. But we did find it shoved in some cushions of the chair my dad napped on just before we left.

Lily took this one of my dad. I saw her line up the shot and I think it might be the only one where she let the person keep their head in the photo.

By that time my camera batteries were dead, so you'll have to take my word for it. Jacob looked cute in the bear hat.

As for the other hats...

Lily - the photographer.

And I did forget the baptism outfit for Braeden. It's not done yet, but I wanted to try it on him for size. Oh well. AND I forgot to bring some little slippers that I'd made for my niece Stevie. And in looking at her feet, I got the size ALL wrong... I think she'll be getting a hat too. Her big sister, Lily, adored her hat! And I got another order for one from her other sister.

Two nieces and a grand-niece.

I gave my camera to my niece Lily to see some of her candid type shots. She's 3... While she DID get some interesting pictures, I thought one of her pictures she took of me could be my next Facebook profile pic, but um... it's just of my hips and waist. That ain't gonna happen... and no I won't show it to you. It's not very flattering... For now, I'll show you one she took of Maddy.Got back home just about supper time on Saturday and I tore into two more flowery hats for two of my Sunday School kids for gifts on Sunday afternoons children's program. Got them done except for hand sewing on the flowers and putting in the elastic. Did that Sunday afternoon before the program.

Spending some time with a few of my kids tonight shopping. Sew looking forward to a little retail therapy! Even if none of the stuff I'm buying is for myself...

How was y0ur weekend?!

It's beginning to smell a lot like Christmas!

This was a good weekend! Friday night was Robb's office Christmas party. And him and Doe (one of his co-workers, Hi Doe!) requested that I leave the camera in the car. FINE! However I did have my cell phone camera and the place looked so pretty... So I couldn't resist. GREAT prime rib!
On Saturday morning, Meri & I went out to my bestie's house for the annual cookie bake goodies/decorating with a bunch of other ladies from our church. Some ladies decorated the tree. Meri worked on a clove/orange pomander ball. It smells wonderful! We ladies left a bulk of our goodies there for her to use throughout the Christmas season. My family and I visited her again yesterday and I may or may not have eaten my weight in chocolate... I'm not going to say... but the scale will not like me for several months I'm sure. AND I'll need to sew myself some new clothes or let some out.My cookies were Chocolate Covered Cherry Cookies and due to the fact that I used real butter instead of shortening, they ended up looking like little hats! So before they cooled too much, I folded up the sides so now they look like tri-corner hats. I put some chocolate over the top and they taste great! I'll know better next time. I'll share the recipe another day this week.

I also made the guts for some truffles, but it was a different recipe that I usually make so they didn't turn out. Little dabs of chocolate sitting in her freezer not hardening at all. dang. Actually while typing this, I may have come up with an idea on how to fix that... Maybe microwaving it all back together again until it's all bubbly? hmmm... I'll try that tomorrow when I'm there again.

I've got to tell you about our game nights this weekend, but I've been gabby enough this morning and don't have time. Tune in tomorrow!

What did you guys do this weekend?

Repaint And Thin No More.

Remember a couple weeks ago, when I told you that I went on a small road trip with a friend? She's getting her house prepared for a Christmas Tour of Homes thing going on this weekend in the next town. Her home is fairly new within the last few years and it's gorgeous.

My house was gorgeous when we bought it and I considered doing that Christmassy tour of homes at that time, but since then we've cluttered it up a bit and turned it into a nice fixer upper. So that's out now.Julie is an interior designer and her husband is an expert hobby woodworker with his own wood shop behind their garage. Every last square inch of her house is detailed and perfect. Colors are slick. She has put tons of thought into every single iota of that house. Currently she's painting a huge tree on her daughters bedroom wall and will put big flowers on it. Her daughter was very proud to show it off to me last night.

Well anyway, she asked me over last night to help her paint their master bathroom. She had a stripe taped up one wall and handed me a roller with a tray of paint. I painted that stripe, then over one wall and down another. Skipped a wall and painted just behind the toilet. It's beautiful! While we worked, her husband came in to scrub up the shower.

"Val, you don't mind if hubs takes a bath while we work, do you?"

"Um no... I'll keep my back turned..."

She's kind of zany that way. Oh and he didn't take a bath, but rather turned a few shades of red darker and eventually left the room.

I was going to bring a camera for the before and after bathroom, but forgot it at home. Sorry... Just suffice it to say that it's very pretty and beige is a very understated but beautiful color.

Oh and I didn't drip paint once! well... except for accidentally hitting the toilet with the roller. But it cleaned up quickly.

Heading to my hubs company Christmas party tonight! Looking forward to a night out with good friends and good food. I'll take pictures... maybe.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Like to Party all the time! Party all the time!!!

It's been a busy weekend. Party Party Party!!! That's all I ever do anymore. However I did manage to make two pairs of boys mittens and a necklace last night. I have to make a bunch more tonight of various things...

In college, my brother and bil's used to say I was a social butterfly. I'm not sure what that means... But if it's anything like this weekend, then they were probably pretty close. I love social gatherings!
Friday night was my husbands Christmas party. It was a very good time with very good food! I got to see my old co-workers that I haven't worked with for 5+ years now. Now I remember why I kept my office door shut. :) Just kidding!!! I love you guys! It also gave me an opportunity to wear my outfit that I made for nephews wedding in the beginning of December. The green thing.

On Saturday: Morning - Church Christmas program practice for the girls, (Maddy accompanies on piano and Meri is still in it.) After that, the girls went their own way Christmas shopping and I went mine. Got LOTS done! It's so nice having a daughter that drives! Then we met up at a Mongolian Grill restaurant, NOT HuHot, but similar, to say farewell to a friend from church who is moving with her girls to Missouri. We're so sad to see them leave! Then finish up shopping and head for home where I got a little sewing done and screwed up a pair of mittens royally... Trust me. No one's thumbs could fit in that mitten... So I guess it's NOT for Meri's Sunday School teacher.... Had to think of something else.

Saturday evening - took the family, Ryan and his girlfriend out to my best friends house for our annual Norwegian Christmas dinner. Their cod is to die for... After two huge meals that day, I can honestly say I was stuffed! We exchanged gifts, enjoyed good company and then headed back home again.

Sunday - went to choir practice and church. Maddy had a lunch date immediately following church, so afterwards the rest of us headed home and wrapped up some presents for the girls 4H club meeting that afternoon. Played some Bingo with the kids as they picked out their presents and ate LOTS of goodies... Then went home to change and headed back to church for the children's Christmas program. Two little boys did hand motions to a poem, it was SOOO cute! The kids did an awesome job with their parts and songs. Then a potluck supper. And yes, again I was stuffed.

I'm afraid to step on the scale this morning!

Looking forward to lunch out with a friend today and to an evening with nothing planned outside the house. Planning to get the rest of my sewing done. *hopefully* Of course it's right about now that I remember a kids activity that can't be put off... But I don't THINK so for tonight... We'll see when they get home from school and remind me.

So anyway... How was your weekend?

Pickled Herring - Friend or Foe?

On Saturday afternoon, we gained two more members of the family. Two little girls from church that were going to stay over night. They're so sweet and we love them. But they're moving next week. darn. So anyway, their mom was going to her last company Christmas party and we got the girls! We were also invited to a friends house for Christmas caroling, dinner and treats. Cool!

Since by the time we got there, the weather conditions were in a blizzard state, caroling outdoors became canceled. So we hung out inside, watched the jazz band competition recording, talked and the kids ran all over their house with other kids.

We did Christmas caroling in their living room for just the group that showed up. WONDERFUL! Found out that out of the 25 or so singing, about 20 were altos... WONDERFUL! I almost like the alto tune better anyway on most of the songs... I'm weird that way.

Then soup supper and treats! As I was dishing myself up, I came across a dessert looking thing. Purple-y whipped cream layered type concoction. It looked super yummy but I was confused as to what might be in there. Looked like cabbage mixed in with the purple-y stuff. As I dished up "just a little", the man in front of me asked, Hey what is that stuff?

Um I don't know! So I took a quick taste. OH! It's NOT whipped cream. I couldn't place the flavor... but it was kind of vinegar-y. Ok. I've been to enough Lutheran potlucks as a kid and grew accustomed to mayonnaise on top of green jello with carrots mixed in. Maybe this was something like it. Maybe. The bottom layer was starting to look like hashbrowns a little. So I dished up a little more.

Back at our table, Meri had dished some up too thinking it was a dessert. She asked me to try it first. I did again and this time was able to pinpoint the unique flavor. It's Pickled Herring!!

I LOOOOOOVE Pickled Herring!!! As a kid, my dad and I would load up on the stuff at the salad bar at our local Bonanza restaurant. YUM!! No one else really did. Meri has followed in my footsteps and loves it too. No one else in my family does. Maybe Ryan, but he wasn't there.

As soon as Meri heard me tell her what the purple stuff was, she took the rest of mine and dug in. I did get to finish "a very disappointed" Maddy's helping. Found out that one of the guests was from Ukraine and this was a specialty from there!

We (minus Maddy) made it home that night driving about 7 miles an hour the whole 6 miles. The blizzard had gotten so bad, that 99% of the road was in white-out condition... The girls and our two little guests prayed out loud, then sang more Christmas songs. Seriously the visibility was about 10 feet at best.Robb hadn't been able to go, so when we told him about the purple dish, he sounded disgusted with it. He said there was an old saying...

"Give a man fish and he'll eat for a day. Teach a man to fish and he'll eat for his whole life. Give a man pickled herring and he'll puke his guts out and most likely die!"

Silly man!

Meri and the two girls camped out next to the Christmas tree that night. The next morning, very early, I got a cell call from Meri... from the living room... She didn't feel well and her stomach hurt. I told her to come on up to our room where she promptly ran in the bathroom and threw up.

She was miserable and was positive she was dying! We kept her upstairs so the girls wouldn't catch whatever it was. Got her a barf buddy bucket, some clean damp washcloths and later, when she begged a few crackers and sips of water... which she promptly threw up. Poor kid.

Robb stayed home from church with her and I went with the two girls and Maddy. After Sunday school, Maddy was looking pretty pale and said that she'd been swallowing vomit all during bible study. Oh dear...

Yep - We came home.

Robb was convinced it was the pickled herring. I'm tending to think that flu was running rampant in the schools, which I found out later WAS! And Maddy just needed 4 hours of sleep because she stayed up til 2am at a friends that previous night and she'd overdone it on Christmas cookies and snacks. Which she probably had.

But Robb hates pickled herring so he's sticking with his old saying.

LAST Elementary school Christmas party!!!!! WHAAA!!

The LAST school Christmas party I ever go to!!! Ok I did this at Halloween too... Next year in 5th grade, middle school, parents don't go to the parties. Bummer! I love these things!

Today's party, they served cookies and ice cream sundaes! Meri had a ball! and I got a sundae!

The weekend was fun but busy! Friday night, Robb and I actually had a date!! Well - kind of. We ate at a fancy smancy restaurant for his office Christmas party. Had a great time catching up with my old friends and co-workers. I used to work there too.

We got a ton of shopping done on Saturday, got lunch at the HuHot, then finished up shopping in the afternoon. Kids fell asleep while I was in the fabric store. I thought Robb was going to take them to the 1/2 price bookstore, but I was mistaken. Baked the cookies that night for the neighbors, but forgot about the cookies Meri was supposed to bring this morning, so a portion of them went for that. I guess I'll have to make more tomorrow night! Or cut down on how many each neighbor gets...

On Sunday afternoon and evening, I made 13 pillowcases. Whew! Fast, but they look great! I'll shoot a picture of them tonight. This week, I'm finishing up about 10 scarves and then I'm just about done. Not sure how I'm going to fit them in, but I guess that's why I'm taking off Wednesday and Thursday from work, isn't it?!

Should be a rush of a week! Have a good one!