On the 10th and 11th Day of Dec.

 Yesterday I was a good mom.  I took my children out into the 30F weather.   No, no, they wanted to be out.  Emma was excited not to be cooped up in the one room playroom and Stephen looked forward for the fresh air.  At least, I think he did, for he was giggling along with Emma.  One of those rare moments to be treasured.

Euphemia was all bundled up.  The mittens she actually kept on and her hat was for the most part left alone. 

Stephen was bundled up too.  Along with the cozy hat knitted by a friend of mine,  the sweater he wore was also knitted by another dear friend of mine.  It was actually Emma’s but he has been able to wear it too.  So I had a homemade little boy yesterday.  It was a sweet reminder of all those near and dear that fill our homes with love and care. 

Yesterday I spent the day making Emma’s Christmas gift.  It wasn’t as easy as I thought but it was fun.  I learned a little more crocheting (thanks to my trusty youtube tutorials) and I learned that Walmart doesn’t have double-point needles.  Sigh.  I made do.  What you see is a thrift shop wooden bowl, and 3 knitted strawberries,  1 crocheted apple, and one crocheted orange.  I’m working on carrots now.  I also bought some felt to do fried eggs.  (Eggs are one of her favorite food).  It has been very fun and I know taht she will enjoy it,  I let her play with them as I got done.  I know bad me not keeping it a surprise but I just had to know if there was a remote possibility she would enjoy them.

Today is the 12th and 13th of December projects (please dont remind me how far behind I am).   Today I will be making more pajama pants for my twin nephews, and I will be cutting out a shirt pattern for David.  I also want to write a few more letters for his stocking. 

We are quickly approaching Christmas.  I wish I could make it last longer….

7th – 9th day of Dec.

 Seventh was a day of rest.  I took the day to catch my breath and reflect on celebrating on preparing my heart for this season.  I have been listening to a series done in 2007 by Charles Swindoll.  They have been very insightful and I believe I can somewhat like Mary, ponder these things within my heart.    On the seventh day, we reflected the reason for Advent. 

On the 8th day, I made my neice a skirt, somewhat like teh one pictured below.  Since that was a better picture, I used that one.

On the ninth day, I caught up on orders, knitted some more on my BIL’s scarf, and started cross-stitching bookmarks.  The days are very busy.   I’m still constantly rushing here and there.   I have 2 parties to attend to this weekend.  One is a cookie exchange, and the other is a dedication of a farm and a birthday celebration.  Needless to say, the oven will be keeping us warm,  holiday music shall be heard in every corner of the house,  wrapping paper is strewn everywhere…and I love it all.

Christmas Recipe

 I used this recipe to make our pumpkin bread.

For the Cranberry-orange nut bread, I used the recipe from King Arthur Cookbook

Cranberry-Orange Nut Bread

Preheat oven to 350F

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together;
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
3/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
and 3/4 tsp. Salt.

In a medium size bowl, grade the outside of an orange peel til all you see is white, then juice the orange.  Or you can do 1/8 tsp. orange oil and 3/4 cup orange juice.  Combine with that;
3/4 cup buttermilk, sour cream or yogurt.
1 Large Egg
3 TBSP vegetable oil (olive)
Mix.   Add the wet ingredients to the dry.  Mix.  Add;
1 cup of cranberries, fresh, frozen, dried, or roughly chopped
1/2 cup chopped nuts (I used walnuts) (optional)
Pour into a greased 9×5 loaf pan.  Bake bread for 55-65 minutes.  (note; I could get one loaf and one mini loaf with the dough so cook the mini loaf for about 40-45minutes)  Insert toothpink and if it comes out clean, its done.   Remove and cool on rack for 15 minutes, turn it out of the pan to finish cooling.

I finished a book yesterday.  It would make a nice light Christmas reading for fiction readers.   It was called, Til Morning is Nigh by Leisha Kelly
In the back I found some more recipes that I’ll share too, cause I’m gonna make them!

Christmas Sugar Cookies
3/4 cup shortening
1/4 cup butter or Margarine
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
3 cups flour
1 tsp.  salt
1 tsp. baking powder

Cream shortening, butter, and sugar.  Mix in eggs and vanilla.  Mix in other dry ingredients.  Roll out on floured surface to 1/4″  thickness or less.  Cut into desired shapes, place on ungreased baking sheet, and decorate as desired.  Bake at 350 F.  Remove before browned (about 8-10 minutes).  Yield will depend on size of cookies, usually 6-7 dozen.  For iced cookies, decorate after baked cookies have cooled

 

Date Nut Bread

1 cup dates chopped
2 tsp. baking soda
2 cups boiling water
3 TBSP lard or shortening
1 3/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
4 cups flour
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. vanilla
1 cup chopped nuts

Pour boiling water over dates; let cool.  Mix with all other ingredients and bake in greased pans at 350F for 50-55 minutes.  Makes 2 loaves-1 for home, 1 to give away.

Grandma’s Apple Fruit Bread

2 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 cup lard (or shortening)
3 eggs
3/4 cups cold coffee
1 1/2 cup raisins
1 1/2 cups chopped apple
1 cup chopped nuts.

Sift dry ingredients and blend with lard.  Add unbeaten eggs and beat well.  Flour the fruits and nuts before adding.  Add coffee alternatley with fruit and nuts and stir well.  Bake in 2 large loaf pans (greased) at 350 F for about 1 hour.
Variation:  To make Grandma’s Apple Fruit Cake, add 1 tsp. ground cloves, 1/2 cup candied cherries, and 3/4 cup candied citron.  Also substitute pears for half or mroe of the apples.  Good for family and company.

Enjoy!

On the 5th and 6th days of DEC.

 I made two of these bird ornaments for day 5.  One went to a friend of mine out of state and the other I made in rememberance of my friend J’s bird that died this past year.

I found the tutorial here.

I also put together these baskets for our neighbors.   My one neighbow has everything she wants so I put together a basket of the things we mainly buy for her (we do her shopping as she cant get around much) with an extra treat or two.

homemade pumpkin bread, and whoppers being the treat.  

This one isn’t for my actual neighbor but my mother’s neighbor…but she is very dear and I wanted to do one for her. There is even a treat for the dog.  They got homemade bread too, but I used my cranberry- orange nut bread recipe.

Recipe’s to follow….

On the 3 and 4th day of December

 I actually don’t have 4th Dec. picture.  It’ll take a bad one because of the night light and the skirt’s colors so I’ll be adding that one later.

3rd day of december.  This is a head-covering/scarf I made for my pen-friend in Scotland.   I used the pattern here.

Emma was kind enough to model it for me-

  Like I said, I’ll add the skirt here tomorrow when I write 5th and 6th of Dec. 

 Added!

How i made the skirt was,
1) 44″w  x 10″ long for 1 tier
2) 36″w  x  10″ long for 2nd tier
3) 44″w  x 10″ long for third tier. 
Sew the fabrics for each tier together to make three tubes.  Put gathering threads in 2nd and third tiers.  Gather up so that 2nd tier can be sewn at the bottom of the first and the 3rd tier gathered up so that it fits the second.  Hem the bottom and fold the top of the first tier down about 1″ for your elastic casing.  Clear as mud?

THis morning I was late in getting around and decided to Dress-Up Emma (which means do her hair).  I get her all primmed up and she’s ready for bed.  So like her.  But later I took this sweet picture and it made me smile.  Aren’t children the most cuddable, adorable, sweet little things… Well, Emma is little anyways.

Merry Christmas!

We have a winner!!!!!!!!!

 The big moment… Drawing out of the hat  bag.   I’m doing the picture taking as well as the drawing so you’ll have to bare with the mysterious hand pose.

Winner!!!!!!!!!!!!

CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  I’ll be emailing you as soon as I;
Nurse the baby
Get dinner on the table
Put groceries away
and finish this post!

Actually, I’m running out of time, so I’ll do another post later!   

Thank you ALL for your comments.  It really thrilled my heart and day(s) to read them.  Merry MErry Christmas!

On the 2nd day of Dec…

 Yes I know, my calender is a bit off. The calender in our bedroom still is set on Nov.  Aren’t our days always like that? A vapor… a breath of wind that no one ever sees but feels.

This week my hubby cooked us a roast over our woodburning stove.

 It was a challenge somewhat, but oh so worth it.

 Is your mouth watering yet?

I also did some small decorations to our home.

 This is our tree for the year… and I said I would  never do artificial… HA!

I also acomplished another Christmas gift today.  This one is going to my neice, Elizabeth.  I love the rich colors and the style just works so well with this cordoroy fabric.  I am sure she will like it.

Well, my friends, thats it for today but I do hope to make more progress and post each day as we draw closer to Christmas.

 

Today I celebrate 12 years of being washed clean and serving Lord Jesus.  The battle has been hard and weary but I have been equipped with all I need to carry on til the war is over.  It is comforting to know that victory is ours already.  Choose your side well, there will come a time when choice is no longer yours.

December Blog Contest!!!!!!!

  It’s here!!!!!!!! That long promised blog contest! So here is the prize…

  Included is;
An apron
packets of organic seed including, beets, thyme and basil.
“Gardener’s Soap”
Calender (to clock the seasons of course) 2009
and a blank journal.

I almost didn’t do this now because its all garden oriented and its not exactly the right time of year. However I decided that this could also be a great Christmas gift so I am doing it now after all.  Deadline for entry’s will be Dec. 12 at 12pm PST. 

I’ll ship anywhere but I cant guarantee that, outside the US, it’ll arrive before Christmas.

Just enter by giving me a contact info. (email.)
Extra entry(ies) if you link my blog on yoru blog or share this opportunity with others.

I hope to hear from you all.  Please also share what you enjoy most about this blog.  New readers always welcome!

Christmas Carol to remember…

 

Long time ago in Bethlehem,
So the Holy Bible say,
Mary’s boy child, Jesus Christ,
Was born on Christmas day.

Hark, now hear the angels sing,
A new king born today,
And man will live forever more,
Because of Christmas Day.

While shepherds watched their flocks by night,
Them see a bright new shining star,
Them hear a choir sing,
The music seemed to come from afar.

`Now Joseph and his wife Mary,
Come to Bethlehem that night,
Them find no place to born her child,
Not a single room was in sight.

Hark, now hear the angels sing…etc.

By and by they find a little nook
In a stable all forlorn,
And in a manger cold and dark,
Mary’s little boy was born.

Hark, now here the angels sings…etc.

Trumpets sound and angels sing,
Listen to what they say,
That man will live forever more,
Because of Christmas Day.

Merry Christmas.  Cuddle with your love ones this day and remember a stable many years ago where a small babe wrapped in only swaddle clothes lay in a manger and a mother, probably very tired from traveling and having to give birth to a son,  spent the night. 

Ginger is having a contest!

Head on over!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Its a whole post of handmade goodies.

http://mommamcblog.blogspot.com/2008/12/stocking-stuffers-giveaway.html