musings

Amidst my busyness, my fingers have been itching to WRITE! I get serious withdrawals if I go too long with scribing my thoughts! Much has transpired since I've last written... We had the loveliest Christmas Saturday evening with Mom, Bill, Billy, and Jo. We feasted on succulent prime rib, loaded baked potatoes, french bread, and the tenderest broccoli ever from Bill's garden! Next was PRESENTS! :) Gotta love presents; don't think I will ever outgrow the thrill of unwrapping! I was delighted to open a gorgeous, red Oster blender! Smoothies, here we come!!!

 

Also love my new cookbook and Christmas spending $$! Abby and Bella loved their presents too! I had baked some homemade dog treats for them. I've had a bone cookie cutter for years and never tried it! They were super easy and fun to make! Diesel and Leroy think I should win a "Good DogKeeping Award" LOL!

 

Here's the recipe if you have any pooches that need pampering!

You’ll need:

• 2 cups whole-wheat flour
• 1 tbsp. baking powder
• 1 cup peanut butter (chunky or smooth)
• 1 cup milk

Preheat oven to 375′F.
In a bowl, combine flour and baking powder. In another bowl, mix peanut butter and milk, then add to dry ingredients and mix well. Place dough on a lightly floured surface and knead.
Roll dough to 1/4 inch thickness and use a cookie cutter to cut out shapes. Bake for 18-20 minutes on a greased baking sheet until lightly brown. Cool on a rack, then store in an airtight container.
Make sure you keep an eye on them, because they tend to burn easily.

 

 

 

After presents, we had coffee, some delicious "cranberry bliss bars", and the red velvet cheesecake cake. Was a wonderful night of relaxing quality family time!
I've been baking cakes for orders and cinnamon rolls for neighbors....busy, but rewarding. Still have not made fruitcake! I think knowing that it will take 3 hours is hindering me from ever starting... I threw together the second pot of "Christmas Smell" today since the first one wasn't smelling much anymore and was resembling a pot of nasty, black tar. I had been keeping it in the fridge at nights to keep it from rotting. But the new pot sure is smelling wonderful! Yesterday I worked on getting cards/letters in the mail or emailed. Doing about half one way and half the other. Do y'all think getting an email letter is as special? Or is it just plain lame? I'd like to hear your thoughts! Personally, I don't care which method we get them as long as we are on the list! :) I print off the email ones, and add them to my stash of USPS ones and enjoy them just the same! Plus, it's "greener" and cheaper! But, I didn't get a response back from a lot of the email/letters and then I wonder... "did they get it?! did I have the right email address? will they even open it before Christmas?!" So, I dunno which is better! I had to get shots yesterday aft; took Christmas letters along to read in the waiting room...{sometimes I wonder what the other patients think of all the peculiar things I do in the waiting room! paying bills, "sorta quiet" phone conversations, much reading literature etc!} But, I cannot be idle! No, that would never do! I'm wishing I would make a small lap quilt that I could take along and hand-quilt while I wait....sigh! I never seem to accomplish all the artsy crafty things I long to create! Tyler and Rylan are spending the day with me today so Kristi can accomplish things that desperately need doing before they go to the mission. We stopped by Rhonda's and ended up staying for lunch. They had good time playing with Neil. Back home now; naps {quite short ones, I thought!} are done, and I just might start cutting up fruit for fruitcake while they are playing toys! Crossing my fingers while I get out the knife and cutting board....