a wicked storm

Every year my Dad comes from Buffalo to spend Christmas with us and then leaves the next morning....and for several years he has been taking the kids home with him and then my husband and I go up a few days later.....well, Sunday morning when we were getting ready to leave my Dad called to say they were having a wicked storm and their power went out....not to hurry.......so we didn't ....and when we got there this is what saw.........lots and lots of candles!!!!!....it actually was quite nice to sit and watch the fire and have conversation....if only the snow was coming down.....I love to have that snowed in trapped feeling!....we'll be here all week and we're hoping for snow!!!

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Merry Christmas!

This may be one of my all time favorite christmas photos...the room was darkened and I blindly snapped my camera....and I luckily captured Cubby peeking out the window to see Santa walking by with his bag of toys....every year I feel like Christmas day is like my wedding day...is just flies by...every time I look at the clock I want it to slow down.....I want it to last.......
Christmas eve after everyone is in bed I like to sit and admire the piles of presents....the weeks of preparation..to wonder how all of the lists, running around....finding it on sale somewhere else....putting it up the attic...getting it out....wrapping..putting it all BACK up in the attic...getting it down in the middle of the night...amounts to the three piles of presents and three stockings hung by the chimney with care...????....I love to enjoy the tree and the mood all to myself....to wonder what present will be their favorite....usually something obscure from the dollar store... :)...I always like to take a picture to capture it all...


....and then another the next morning to catch the wreckage!!!!....the smiles, hugs, oooohs, aaahhs, squeals and thank yous make it all worth while......I just love to soak the day in...we don't go anywhere...my Dad always comes down from Buffalo in time to see it all....and we spend all day putting stuff together, playing games, eating and drinking......



....I always crave a white Christmas......as you know I LOVE a good storm....and as the week progressed and we knew it wouldn't be ....AGAIN...we at least wanted the rain to stop so Cubby could cruise the neighborhood!! Here's to another wonderful Christmas.....I hope yours was merry and bright!

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cut out cookies

Well.....I just have to say this is THE first time my cut out cookies even remotely turned out half way decent.....and I think it's because Cubby helped!!!....I was soooo tempted to try Ms. Joy's cutout cookie recipe....but I went with the standby Betty Crocker pre-made pouch.....I called my expert cookie baker niece to see if she could come help us...but she was unavailable....so Cub and I got busy.....the dough seemed like it was never going to become a ball.....and when I first tried to roll it out it was sticking to my rolling pin....but I floured it and it worked out.....we made two trays....my aunt called during the midst of it.....and I got a little stressed as Sissy walked through the door at the same time....I forgot about the early dismissal......this is where I tend to over bake...because I stick them in the oven and move on to other things....but I stuck with it and checked them every minute!!....I strived to get them super thin....but they didn't turn out that way....and I can see how one can become obsessed with cookie cutters.......now that I've had a batch turn out...I may make them more than once a year....they could become a new favorite baked treat over here!! Next time Ms. Joys recipe!! Merry Christmas!!...we hope Santa likes his cookies :)

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just three weeks

I just have to make note of the fact that we only had three weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas this year...I have worked hard and had fun...but I haven't had any free evenings to sit and enjoy my favorite movie of all time...It's a Wonderful Life".....or watch all of the Christmas classics...yesterday Cubby and I settled in to watch the Grinch and Rudolph and none of them worked!!...my dear cousin had them burned for us several years ago and I think they just got worn out....so last night I ran into Best Buy...hey T. did you exchange that video game???? :)...to buy the limited keepsake edition of the original Christmas Classics and the Grinch so we could make our Christmas season complete!....for the past several days I couldn't figure out why I have felt so rushed....I've been done shopping and wrapping for 10 days now....but there have still been little things to do....my middle son's birthday is 11 days after Christmas and my sister celebrates her 40th on January 4th...we'll be seeing her up in Buffalo next week, so I've gotten all of that organized as well.....being away the week of Thanksgiving didn't help either...returning December 1st put me a little behind schedule...but everything just feels rushed...and then it dawned on me ....just three weeks!!...it all gets done...it's all fun.....but staying up until 1am every night makes me a smidge cranky!....but tonight I will dim the lights and cherish my favorite movie and enjoy my tree.

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soul sisters first annual christmas party

The day was finally here!!! I felt like a little girl waiting for christmas morning!!....the soul sisters christmas party!!...we were greeted by our lovely hostess...who offered us quiche, amish friendship bread, cookies and fruit..mimosa were passed around as anxiously settled in for our gift exchange....last month I mentioned about us drawing names for a secret santa and the rules were we had to make our gift from things we had in our home or spend no more than $10 ......WELL!!!!.......you WILL BE amazed at all of our talents!!

from a gourd!!!... First, our very own jennifer juniper created a chalkboard out of scrap wood, spent a dollar on chalk and an eraser and fashioned a CUTE apron from a leftover curtain and hand stamped little recipe cards for the marzipan mom!....fabulous!

I got busy knitting ms. Joy a pair of mittens in her favorite shade of green!...and look! she is wearing the identical color shirt....hmmmmmmm...was she peaking????

Our lovely Ms. M made me...the crazy snowman collector who vowed, "not one more"...THE most adorable frosty she grew it in her very own garden!!....drommeled out snowflakes and electrified it!!!!......that is sheer talent!!!! Next up was the coziest pair of jammie bottoms and WHAT??!!! another gourd??....marzipanmom grew them this year too...did I miss the memo???.....she hollowed it out and made it into a bowl, then filled it with homemade soap and baked treats....all for under TEN dollars......

Ms. Joy may have found herself a side business when she crafted this travel coffee mug for jennifer j.....she picked her favorite color fabric and embellished it with her etsy shop name...hopestudios.....added tea and cocoa....voila!!!......a heartwarming gift....it was truly wonderful to see the excitement and talent as we ooohed, ahhhed and heard the stories behind each gift....we even had time to create a little present for ourselves a keepsake with a message to tuck in the branches of our tree...and not to forget the cookie exchange as well........something I treasure, as I do not bake...to leave with dozens of cookies was wonderful!!!....it was over way to soon, I felt all cozy and tucked in for the morning soaking up the sisterhood.....Thank you, thank you so much girlies...

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pup

I can't believe I haven't contributed a post to one of the most important members of our family....PUP!!!!!......she has been with us since Cubby was born...sent as a gift from a dear friend in Harrisburg.....we didn't know she was so important until Cub was 2 years old and a few months before his 3rd birthday I got on ebay and found a replacement to give to him JUST IN CASE something happened to the original.....but she is his best friend....she goes everywhere with us.....his life revolves around her....she has birthday parties with a pup sized cake....she has clothes and toys....I make her a halloween costume every year and she has her own voice too!.....on the christmas CD we made last year for friends and family she even got interviewed!...she goes to school with Cub in his backpack...I could go on and on.......but I did want to make note of the fact that she got her ears!!!....she of course went with us on our first trip to Disney.....Cub said she needed new friends, and as you can see she picked Mickey and Minnie.....then when we saw these cute little ears...just pups size!....they have EVERYTHING in Disney.....she had to have them!!!....even pup got a treat from Disney World!!

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coma caramel popcorn

'Tis the season to make coma caramel popcorn!!!....I make it occasionally throughout the year when I get a hankering for it.....but over the next few days I will make 4-5 batches!!....I cannot put into words how good it is when you give it a stir and snitch a piece while it is piping hot!!....I give it to favorite people through the holiday season and include the recipe because I know it's that good, that people will want it! :).....it's a bummer for my people up in Buffalo who cannot get the Snyder's Hulless Puff'n Corn....so I take it to them whenever I can....here's the recipe...and I'll warn you now not to burn your mouth when you sample it while stirring!

Coma Caramel Popcorn:

2 bags Snyders Hulless Puff'n Corn
1 cup butter
1/2 cup dark corn syrup...I use Alaga
2 cups brown sugar
1/2 tsp. baking soda

Boil butter, corn syrup and brown sugar gently for 5 minutes. Add baking soda. Remove from stove to allow baking soda to dissolve ...this will make the mixture foamy...Spray a super large roasting pan with cooking spray. Pour popcorn into roaster and cover with the caramel mixture evenly. Bake at 250 degrees for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes....as you try not to burn your mouth :) Enjoy!!!

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