Scientific Fact

It is a proven fact that after a bad snow storm children get unruly and wild, and start hurling themselves off furniture and jumping around wildly :) At least that's what happens at our house!! :)

Not really, we have just been cooped up too long due to below zero temp's and blustery conditions!! (and I like to play with my camera alot):)

Scott says it's time to move south.

David jumped from the catwalk!!!!

Just kidding!!! We're not that crazy!!

I Love This Kid !!

There is nothing like waking up to 2 feet of snow, a fire in the fireplace, coffee brewing, and a ham and cheese omlet with homemade bread for breakfast!! (He's never leaving home!!!!!!!! EVER!!!!!!!!!!)
:)

Noreaster No. 1

Why am I numbering the noreaster's, why because we have more on the way I'm sure :)

This one dumped 24" to 30" we had alot of high winds with it.

Scott and Dean went out to plow the night the storm hit, and got the truck stuck. We had a foot of snow before we went to bed and this is what the truck looked like in the morning :)

Guess what Tim did the next afternoon? After he shoveled of course!



I don't think Macy enjoyed it too much. She is starting to have trouble with her hips :(

You see that black blob heading toward the rabbit cage? That is Penne, she on the other hand, enjoyed the snow very much!

Alarm Clock

Well, so far we have trapped one of the alarm clocks that has been keeping me up at night in the summer and fall. I really shouldn't say "we" actually its been Dean.

He has 8 to mount and this is the first one.

He's doing a great job! This one is for sale. He has a little more work to do on the pedestal, and already has someone interested.

Good Job Dean!

Christmas Decorating

I was sick over the Thanksgiving holiday so we didn't have our traditional tree hunting party. Timothy and his dog set out in the afternoon and came back with this tree. It's 20 feet tall!

Believe it or not...I had enough ornaments to cover it! :)

My Christmas Cactus is doing some decorating of its own :)

I usually put my nativity set up here, but I didn't want to shuffle all of these pictures.



I have snowmen and nutcrackers all over my window sills.

Acelia loves nutcrackers, so we decorated the guest bathroom with all of them!

I put the nativity scene on top of the bookshelf safe from all the dogs tails!

I still have a few more things to photograph and show!

Chocolate Shortbread

Here is my next favorite cookie......Chocolate Shortbread, just wouldn't be Christmas without it!!

~

Acelia and Timothy helped me decorate them.


Tim applied the leaves and......

Acelia applied the berries.

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Chocolate Shortbread

1 C. Butter

1/2 C. Sugar

2 Squares of semi-sweet chocolate

2 C. of Flour

Green and Red Icing

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Melt squares of chocolate, set aside

Cream the butter, sugar

Add the chocolate and mix well

Add flour a cup at a time till mixed well

Spray a 13 X 9 pan with Pam

Scrape the dough into the pan and you will need to use your hands to press the dough into the pan.

Cook @ 350 degrees for 12-15 min.

Let cool for 10 min. then cut into little squares. (You want them bite size)

Decorate with green leaves and red berries :)

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I didn't have a cooking time on my recipe card. I kept a close eye on these and when I saw the edges just starting to brown I took them out. If you have a recipe for lemon bars I would cook these for the same amount of time you cook the crust for the lemon bars. :)

From Logs to Gingerbread!

My husband is a log home builder, but last Friday we had an ice and snow storm so he had to switch jobs! :)

I bought this cute gingerbread kit with all the icing and trimmings included!

They both had a hard time not eating the trimmings!

The proud builders!


The finished product. Now if only he could finish all his houses in the amount of time it took him to do this one..........maybe he needs Acelia?

Ding Bats

As long as I can remember these were made at Christmas time only! It was my brother and my favorite cookie. I could eat a whole tin by myself.

Ding Bats

1C. Sugar

1 lb chopped dates

1 egg beaten

1/4 C. Butter

2 C. Rice Crispies

1/2 C. chopped nuts

Shredded sweetened coconut

In a large bowl put cereal and nuts and mix together.

Mix together the sugar, dates, butter, and eggs over low heat. You will need to stir it up well so you don't cook the egg. Do this for 10-12 min. and add to the cereal and nuts.

Let the mixture cool till its warm and still workable, I grab some coconut in one hand and drop a teaspoon of the mixture on the coconut grab more coconut in the other hand and roll into a ball. Let them cool and try with all your might to only eat one!!

A Trip North

Well!!! What have I been doing? Its been a long time since I put up a post. :) We have all been very busy as many of us are this time of year. I had some issues with my pictures and the program on my computer but I resolved them, and now I can get caught up on a few post. My mom, my daughter and I took a quick trip north to see some family I haven't seen in 4-5 years. My mother has 13 brothers and sisters! We have a huge family :) So here are some pictures of our trip........

When we left it was 8 degrees!!!

The scenery was just beautiful. When we left it was dark so we were able to see the sun come up and all the pretty highlights it made.

This is Mt. Katahdin. EVERYONE should read "Lost on A Mountain In Maine". Better yet, get the book on tape and listen to the actual man who was lost tell his story. It is incredible!! My children were riveted to this story. He was 12 years old when he got lost on this mountain. Can you imagine?

Massive potato fields everywhere. My mother told stories of when she and her family would pack everything and move to a farm to pick potatoes for the season. I read Acelia a great book called "Penny for a Hundred". It really gave an accurate account of a little girl living on a potato farm in Aroostook County during WWII.

This is the St. John River in Fort Kent. It made national news last spring when the ice jams and rain almost washed the town away. Keep an eye on it this April!

They were making snow the morning we passed through. Last year Caribou got 200 inches of snow!!! (NO THANKS!!!)

We were blessed to see this bird on our way home. I love wildlife!!!

SOME of our favorite Christmas Cookies

It's time to get ready for Christmas!!!!!!!

Whoever can I find to help me!!!!!!

My dear old dad!!


I think I'm ready!!!