Something new

This year Jay & I spent an evening again making coated crackers for give away.  It started out as something I used to make to give to the employees and last year I was in the throes of packing to move and said I didn’t have time to make them.  Jay offered to help cuz he thought it was something we should continue to do – and it went so much smoother with an extra set of hands – especially in our small townhouse kitchen at the time.

But this year he seemed to automatically assume he was helping again – and who am I to turn down help?!?

So I gathered my supplies.

And I also decided to try melting my chocolate in an old crockpot.  I’ll be doing THAT from now on.  Perfect temperature and a whole lot less of a mess.

Jay spread the peanut butter and marsh mellow and I coated them. 

It was cold outside so it was way too handy to carry them out to the screened in deck to the cold glass top table to quickly cool and set up.

Jay wanted to try something new for us this year – chocolate covered bacon.  Now I love bacon – it’s high on my favorite list – especially the bacon that Jay makes.  And I love chocolate – Hershey Kisses and Wilbur Buds need to be scarce around here because they are a major source of temptation. 

BUT…..

mixing two of my favorite items together?!?!?  Just didn’t ring my bell.  But anyone who knows Jay very well already knows that he doesn’t put a lot of stock in a wrinkled nose without at least trying it.

So he laid out bacon on a baking sheet and baked a few pounds of bacon in the oven.  A full tray took about 1/2 hour.  He laid it out on paper towels to absorb the grease and cool.

When I was done coating our 255 crackers I started with the bacon.

At first there just seemed to be something so wrong about these pictures…

 

But chocolate covered bacon is now added to the list of things to keep scarce around here because it is REALLY DELICIOUS.  It’s a salty sweet.  And everyone who wrinkles up their nose but is brave enough to taste has soon become a fan like me.  I have yet to find someone who doesn’t like it. You’ll just simply need to try it yourself.

 

Another new thing this year was a new place to decorate.  It took me three times as long to decorate because I needed to figure out how I wanted to do it. 

I decided to put the tree at the top landing and love it there (except for the one string of lights that stopped working 3 days after I had it up – grrrr – thus the bald spot). 

I had to go out and buy some garland because this is the longest open step railing I’ve ever had and it was something I’ve always admired in others homes.  Finding a new place for the stockings was difficult.  In years past I’ve used a wrought iron stand with hooks but the growing number of stockings made that idea way too crowded.  At first I wasn’t sure I liked the idea to hang them along the shorter railing but it’s grown on me and I think it will be handier there.  So far the grands haven’t bothered too much with them.  The railing is just long enough to comfortably fit our 14 stockings – soon to be 15.

So that means we’re still waiting on our next new thing – Little Missy should be here soon and we’ll welcome her love and excitement.

I Love new ideas, new recipes, new food tastes but I especially love new babies.

And how grateful I am that God saw to it that His plan of love of us was to bring us eternal salvation in the form of a New Baby.

And His mercies are new to us each morning.

A Merry Christmas to you all.

A December day

Saturday I had the whole day set aside to play in the kitchen.  It was cold outside but sunny, nice and warm inside.  Christmas music playing, extra boards in the kitchen table – so much nicer working in this present kitchen.  My previous kitchen left me often feeling grouchy til I was done trying to make things – especially baking.
So with plenty of supplies sitting at the end of the table I was ready to get started.

I made fudge this year for the first time.  I gotta move it out as quickly as possible – it’s my biggest temptation in the chocolate department.  I used the recipe from Classy Treats.  I first used her tip of using a warm knife to cut the fudge and then switched to my pizza cutter - worked wonderfully.

A favorite – pretzels, Hershey Kisses and M&M’s – a great sweet, salty bite.

With a few more baked things I have the start of an assortment of things to put a tray together whenever needed the next few days.
But the favorite part of the day was later – much later - that evening when things were all cleaned up and made a trip out to the retrieve the mail.  When I turned around to head back to the house the moon greeted me…

Silent night, Holy night, All is Calm, All is Bright.

Christmas Tree

Our lives have changed so much in the past 10 years.  Two new home addresses, different church body, becoming empty-nesters, adding in-laws and grandchildren,  tripling the number of employees and on and on.  But two changes have our entire family learning to develop new Christmas traditions – no more retail food and no more deer processing.  Traditions that previously were simply not possible because of our business involvement in retail sales and deer processing are now possibilities and we’re learning to create them for ourselves.  If you’re in retail food every holiday is demanding and leaves little time to create holiday traditions that others are used to. Being involved in deer processing consumed ALL of December.

As our children were growing up any and ALL Christmas decorations were put up the weekend after Thanksgiving because there would be no time to do it after that weekend.  We compensated for the lack of normal Christmas traditions by doing our own emphasis at Easter.  Sending Christmas cards was replaced by sending Easter cards and an occasional family letter.  Making Christmas cookies was replaced by making peanut butter eggs.

Last Christmas I did no decorating because I was busy packing to move in January.  So this Christmas season after having 11 months to settle into our home I was so looking forward to decorating and all the things that the season brings.

This weekend Jay & I did something we’ve never, ever done before – went for a Christmas tree together.  AND we decided to try a stab at possibly a new tradition for us and take all the grandchildren along.

So Jay headed out to one sons home to pick up their three children and I headed to the other sons home to pick up their three children and we set out to bring home a tree.  After a pizza supper the kiddo’s helped Pappy drag in the tree.

During the tree trimming Jay commented about nothing like waiting until you’re past 50 to string lights on a tree.  =)  Some changes in life bring about some new and fun things.

When we had the lights on, bead garland strung and decorations hung they gathered for a picture. 

Baby Caleb was inside where it was warm – didn’t have a warm place for him to be crawling around.  And Jessie is presenting her version of ‘smile for the camera’.

And then it was inside for some cocoa.  We’re hoping as this tradition grows to have a sleep over the evening we go for a tree with the grands.  So many new possibilities…..

I think I can quickly get used to new Christmas traditions.

 

************

Dad update:  He has had a very good weekend.  Some strength has returned although he still tires quickly.  He is eating more and more and talking has become a little stronger.  Visitors have increased and he has enjoyed those but it’s still best to call and see how his day is going before stopping in.  And keeping visits short (10 minutes)is best as he tires easily.  He is grateful for all your care and prayers.

Answered prayer

Today Jay and I stopped in to see Dad and it was like Dad had finally returned.  He was much, much brighter.  His mannerisms were his.  His appetite has returned.  He is still a little weak but is much more comfortable moving around on his own.  He himself even recognized that he was feeling more like himself.
THANK YOU JESUS for answered prayer.  I recognize that this journey with Dad will bring a roller coaster of good days and not so good days.  But we are basking in the enjoyment of a VERY good day today. 

Thank you to all who have sent cards, commented on FB and other ways to assure us of your care and prayer.  Your prayers are felt and appreciated.