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Post by Linda on Dec 17, 2023 2:24:07 GMT
AussieMeg - I prefer spring and fall myself -not too hot or too cold. I do miss snow...but in the sense of I would love to have one snowy day a year where I could stay inside a warm house and look outside at the snow. We technically have a winter Christmas here but...current forecast for Christmas Day is low of 53 F (~11 C) and high of 70 (~21 C) which is cooler than SOME years when it's been in the 90s (27-31 C) but still a bit warm for a winter Christmas. We are supposed to have a freeze Wednesday night though.
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joyfulnana
Pearl Clutcher
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Post by joyfulnana on Dec 17, 2023 14:04:28 GMT
I would love ONE big snowstorm each year that keeps me home for a couple of days and then be done with snow lol. But mostly I'm always hoping for bad weather in Indiana or power outages there so I'm not able to work LOL! Winter here most years is just cold,(30-40's) more ice than snow and just generally blah and grey. Peanut butter balls and ginger cookies done! The ginger cookies are soooo good grammadee! I didn't make the icing, even though I intended to, the cookies are great without it. That leaves the no bakes and chocolate drop cookies that are Boy 1 and Boy 2 favorites, and the baking is done I think. I'll order my Christmas meal from the grocery store again. Croissant sliders and a fruit and cheese tray. Today I'm taking DS2 to get some shopping done, and then not much else lol. Which means maybe some scrapping or some scrappy dreams of what I would like to accomplish next year. Anything would be an improvement over this years low mojo year lol. |
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kitbop
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,621
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Post by kitbop on Dec 17, 2023 14:43:57 GMT
Peanut butter balls and ginger cookies done! Good for you! The PB balls are my kids' favourites too, but they are work to roll and dip. So this year I spread the PB mixture on a jelly roll pan, then poured the melted chocolate in a layer on top, then cut them into squares which we are storing in the freezer (the family prefers even the balls hard out of the freezer!). This saved me time. The kids didn't like the change at first, but now that they realize they taste the same they are fine with it if it means they can have more than 1 batch/year! I'm crocheting more today - terrible for my neck pain, but I'm making co-worker gifts of small crocheted plants, so gotta be done this week! We're looking at a very green Christmas here. We're hardly touching the freezing point at night, and it's raining gloomily. According to historical stats, we get 60% white Christmases here, but it feels less than that in my memory. gramma - So cool that you have December birthdays in your family too! But hugs to you as you navigate a season filled with memories. No progress on the house - people don't seem to put their houses up for sale in December  nylene - what lovely Halloween pages - what a LOT of fiddly die cutting work you did! |
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Post by justjac on Dec 17, 2023 20:24:58 GMT
Happy belated birthday kitbop! We’re shaping up to have a brown Christmas (only our third as far as I remember.) We’re only -3C right now. We’re usually -10C to -20C. It’s been very busy. Wednesday my work group took a day and a half off to go to the city for dinner theatre and then 10 pin bowling. It was fun but it threw me off my days. I went back to work Friday and then Saturday Dean and I headed to the city where my brother lives. My mom, sister, SIL, niece, and I went to The Nutcracker. We’re on our way home so we can grocery shop, do laundry, and wrap gifts. We are driving to my mom’s on the 23rd and staying until the 26. Then we’ll come home and do second Christmas with Dean’s family. I also have my book club Christmas party Wednesday. Our tree is going to remain lit, but not decorated this year. We just have to much going on. |
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Post by Linda on Dec 18, 2023 2:59:26 GMT
So this year I spread the PB mixture on a jelly roll pan, then poured the melted chocolate in a layer on top, then cut them into squares which we are storing in the freezer (the family prefers even the balls hard out of the freezer!). This saved me time. The kids didn't like the change at first, but now that they realize they taste the same they are fine with it if it means they can have more than 1 batch/year! I love this idea...but there were the saddest most disappointed eyes from DD17 when I suggested it, that I ended up making the traditional balls instead. Maybe next year... I finished up the sewing for the big kids and got all of their presents wrapped (except for the ones being direct shipped - I sent DS's to DD and vice versa -they'll wrap them for me). DH will mail tomorrow. Grocery shopping was done, laundry and dishes were caught up, and the peanut balls were made. I'm worn out now - I'm going to read - I'm a bit behind on my pages goal for the year - and then head to bed. Tomorrow I have more sewing to do and some housework but hopefully it'll be a bit quieter a day. |
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Post by grammadee on Dec 18, 2023 5:06:17 GMT
Ddil is back and I am heading home tomorrow. I don’t like the prospect of a brown Christmas, but I AM grateful for better driving conditions.
Will catch up with the rest of you after I am back home.
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Post by Linda on Dec 18, 2023 13:48:14 GMT
safe travels grammadeeOur forecast is for a rainy Christmas day at this point -subject to change since we're still a week out. Today has been assigned "clean all the things" day thanks to Dorian who shat in the kitchen and someone who then tracked it through the house. Not quite wehat I had planned but here we are. DD's bus didn't show this morning so DH took her to school - he'll mail boxes to the big kids at lunch. Once the house is clean, I'm hoping to cut out another sewing project and maybe tackle the layered paper shadowbox for my bestie |
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nylene
Drama Llama
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Post by nylene on Dec 18, 2023 19:39:24 GMT
Linda , as I was getting hot soup bowls from the microwave with DH last night, I told him about your bowl cozies and he thought I should make some too. So, after Christmas I will do that. Hopefully I can get the treadle running and let Alex help. Did DH get to see the surgeon today? Any good prognosis? grammadee , I'm sorry you won't be having a white Christmas. We won't either,I'm afraid, but it will be ok because the grands will all be traveling various directions. Safe travels going home and I hope you find all well there when you arrive. justjac , I hope you have safe travels. You have a very busy Christmas season! How I would love to see the Nutcracker again. My girls and I have gone several times, but it's not something DH enjoys since he can't see the stage. I watched the production on TV twice last year. I really love it. joyfulnana , I chuckled at your "one day of snow" wish. I love the snow if I can stay warm inside. It just makes everything look so clean. Mt Timpanogos is already snow covered and beautiful. The local mtns have some snow, but not a lot yet. The ski areas are doing a great business. I am trying to update all the photos on my wall. They go down the stairway and I can't reach so will need some help. DH is not excited about helping but Em said she could help on a ladder. I have taken down, replaced old photos, and washed the glass of all that I can reach. I hope I can get them done before Christmas. I still need to make Chex Muddy Buddies, brownies and chocolate chip cookies. I have ordered meat from a local butcher for Christmas day and will pick it up Thurs. Little by little, things are getting done. I need to run. Will come back later. Have a great day, everyone.
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Post by Linda on Dec 18, 2023 20:00:23 GMT
Did DH get to see the surgeon today? Any good prognosis? his appt was postponed until Thursday - he is seeing a bit better so that's hopeful Little by little, things are getting done same, little by little I've mopped all the floors and cleaned all the carpets and tidied all the rooms. Cleaned one bathroom, will clean another once the floor dries. Laundry is moving and dishes are washed. Ordered the last couple of Christmas presents. This afternoon I'm hoping to wrap DH's presents - DD17's don't get wrapped except for anything I handmake (santa doesn't wrap and he brings to under 18s) and the one I've finished is already wrapped. Hoping to get another sewing project or two done today/tomorrow but if I don't - it'll be okay. |
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Post by grammadee on Dec 19, 2023 3:17:39 GMT
I am home. Got my suitcase and a couple of bags from the vehicle and into the house, put the frozen prawns into the freezer. But that is as much as I have done since arriving. Still lots of Costco purchases to bring in tomorrow. Need to regroup and get going on wrapping gifts for the people we will be seeing over Christmas. The kids opened their gifts from us at ds's home so I got pic's of the reactions of the two younger boys and of their older brother and sister. Don't often see that part! Glad the spice cookies were a hit, joyfulnana! Too funny how kids get into their heads what is the "right" way to make a treat, kitbop and Linda. I would love your recipe for the resulting peanut butter/chocolate squares, kitbop: sounds to me that they would be a hit around here. I want to make some cashew chews and some Surprise cookies, and tomorrow will be my only chance for that, I think, since dh will be gone most of the day. Yuck to your extra housecleaning duties, Linda. We narrowly avoided an almost similar disaster on the weekend. The youngest house dog loves to play outside with their older German shephard, and Saturday they were tearing around the yard doing figure 8's, having a ball. But there is a construction site next door and when my older dgs dropped by, young Patches ran to greet him. He is a black and white shitzu type dog and he was almost completely BLACK! Seb grabbed him and took him straight to the sink in the laundry room, yelling for towels. Hate to imagine what would have happened to my ddil's incredibly neat house if one of the younger boys had casually opened the door to let Patches in... nylene, you are NOT. ALLOWED. TO. REACH. FOR. PHOTOS. FROM. THE. STAIRS!!! No more accidents!!! |
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nylene
Drama Llama
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Post by nylene on Dec 19, 2023 17:44:07 GMT
grammadee , Yes ma'am! Linda, I'm sorry the appt was postponed, but encouraged that he's seeing a little better. Hope Thurs. appt goes well.
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Post by Linda on Dec 19, 2023 18:18:57 GMT
grammadee - so glad Patches was corralled for a cleaning before the house needed one as well. nylene - I agree 100% with grammadee - let someone younger and more agile help. I'm sewing again today. Working on an oversized 'bowl' cozy for Dusty who was trying so hard to fit into the regular ones I sewed earlier. Using some hot pink fabric which'll be cute with his grey fur and wasn't planned for anything - i think it was probably passed on to me from another sew-er. Used the scraps to sew up two drawstring gift bags - they might not work for Christmas but they will for birthdays.
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gramma
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,114
Location: Sacramento, Ca
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Post by gramma on Dec 20, 2023 1:15:49 GMT
Work today was actually a fun day. Every year we do $100 WalMart gift cards for the people we support. It is SO much fun!! They are always excited and animated and want hugs! It always reminds me of why we do what we do.
My Christmas cards finally went in the mail yesterday. Who would have thought if you live in California your stamps would come from Kansas? I think they sent them by mule train!!
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Post by grammadee on Dec 20, 2023 16:27:25 GMT
Wrapping gifts this morning, then off to dgs's Christmas concert. Hoping I can take some pic's there. Glad your stamps, AND those WM gc's came through, gramma. I was going to comment earlier on your discussion with your coworker about those gc's. Some people live in little bubbles and don't realize how important these little things are. Maybe to her a hundred bucks is expendable, but to these people it is CHRISTMAS. I remember having to fight with a gov't office to get money into a student's account at this time of year when the reason it hadn't already arrived was the fault of that office. "Oh we will just add it to her January cheque." As you know, tantrums work sometimes, if you move far enough up the food chain--or threaten to... LOL. Merry Christmas to you and your clients. |
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Post by Linda on Dec 20, 2023 19:20:33 GMT
Work today was actually a fun day. Every year we do $100 WalMart gift cards for the people we support. It is SO much fun!! They are always excited and animated and want hugs! It always reminds me of why we do what we do. That does sound fun and I bet those gift cards are so appreciated! Wrapping gifts this morning, then off to dgs's Christmas concert. Hoping I can take some pic's there. have a wonderful Christmas-y day between wrapping and the concert! Took Dorian to the vet today. He has a double ear infection so has daily ear drops now. He was pretty cooperative. Now I'm baking - mini loaves of cranberry bread and pumpkin gingerbread for DD17 to give to her teachers and coaches tomorrow -nine in all and a tenth in January (she sees that teacher only once or twice a month and missed both Dec classes) Mailed boxes to the older kids yesterday and finished up the sewing for Christmas - I have another maybe project but if it doesn't get done, no big deal - making some snack bags from scraps and PUL. The only gift I still need to do is my Bestie's -hopefully tonight... |
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Post by scrappyrabbit on Dec 21, 2023 2:15:59 GMT
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kitbop
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Post by kitbop on Dec 21, 2023 12:28:04 GMT
scrappyrabbit - that's a perfect Christmas card - whoever receives one will keep it forever! I'm sure it was a slightly messy project with a few rejects  Linda - I don't have time to bake for people this year. You are SO productive! I do normally give about 25 co-workers a bag of treats (caramel popcorn, dipped pretzels, ginger cookies were the 3 big hits over the years) but I was really "lazy" this year and didn't push to get that done. OTOH, I did finish and mail my MILs calendar and all my cards on time, so maybe that's where the time went! I did manage to make crochet 7 pots/plants for my favourite co-workers. I will take a picture today when one opens one  Hope Dorian is reasonably cooperative with eye drops! gramma - giving really truly is the way to Christmas spirit. I'm glad you had fun handing out the GCs. Oops, late for work 
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Post by Linda on Dec 21, 2023 14:30:21 GMT
scrappyrabbit - those are adorable! I love them! kitbop - I enjoy baking but with just the three of us here and two of us diabetic, I can't justify too much baking for home consumption. I ended up making another 12 mini loaves after dinner for DH to give to coworkers as well as a tray of brownies after DD17 announced at 945 that her maths class was having a Christmas party at school today. I have a couple of mini loaves leftover that I'll pop in the freezer and we can enjoy later but I'm probably making 4 full size loaves (2 of each) to give to a couple of local friends over the weekend. That is unlikely to be today's baking though. I do need to make toffee triangles - DD17 requested them - and probably peanut butter cookies (they are dh's favourites and they freeze well so a big batch will last a long time) and of course mince pies. It's easier for me to find the time since I don't work
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Post by grammadee on Dec 21, 2023 15:23:20 GMT
Okay, repeating and adding to my recipe requests. Don't want to add too much to anyone's to-do list this time of year, so trying to think of an easy way to share. If you can post a link, great. If not, could you snap a pic of your recipe and link it here? kitbop I need the recipe you used when you made those peanut butter chocolate squares. Linda I would love the recipe for toffee triangles. Don't know when I will have time to make those treats, but I want to have those recipes just in case... My to-do list has not shrunk since yesterday morning. The concert was cute, about 90 minutes long, but we ended up staying in town for a couple of hours afterward so we could go for pizza with the boy and his parents. This morning I have an appointment to get my B12 shot, so using this trip to town to purchase most of the groceries I need for Christmas. I have the turkey, but have a long list of other items that have become essential to our family holiday. Tomorrow dh has an appointment for a cortisone shot in a clinic just over an hour from here. I had ordered a couple of center pieces from a lady who lives along the way, so we can also stop for those. We are invited to a Menonite church service in the evening, and that church is about half way home, so dh is suggesting we spend all day in the city and stop at the service on our way home. Not sure how that will play out. If he is in too much pain I will bring him straight home. Anyway, as far as to-do list, tomorrow is a wash... |
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Post by Linda on Dec 21, 2023 15:31:54 GMT
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Post by scrappyrabbit on Dec 21, 2023 18:08:45 GMT
Thank you linda and kitbop I think these will go out to my husbands parents and sisters as New Years cards. I’m saving one for myself and one for my parents. It wasn’t too messy, I got these ink pads where the ink was on one side and you imprint the foot or hand on the other side but there is plastic so you aren’t actually getting dirty. In theory anyway, because I did accidentally mess up and put her foot on the inky side for one of them 😂😂 then she had a blue Smurf foot linda I love toffee and I used to be spoiled by my aunt every year when she would make me a huge batch for my birthday |
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nylene
Drama Llama
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Post by nylene on Dec 21, 2023 18:20:21 GMT
Linda, your toffee triangles sound wonderful. I have never heard of or seen "toffee bits". Do you make your own, or are they available and I just haven't looked? You sound prepared for Christmas. I hope your family gift is good sight for your DH! scrappyrabbit, I love those foot and handprint cards. So delightful and so great to keep to compare the size as she grows. It's nice that Arthur was involved too. kitbop, your card came yesterday. I was intrigued with the envelope as well as the card. It's so fun to receive Pea cards. I will take a photo of them on my door as Christmas gets closer. grammadee, I am not planning to sign up for the 1st Quarter Teams for 2024. I have neglected so many things with my hobby and I just can't keep up with all the threads and comments. I know I put that pressure on myself, but I just need a break. I hope you understand. I am sure I will be missing it a few weeks in and plan to join the following Quarter. My day today sounds like yours. I will drop DH off for a dental appt, drive a couple of towns away to pick up my Christmas meat, drop a forgotten star at DD's, pick up DH and hit Costco and the Giving Machines at the mall on the way home. Wishing each of you sweet Pokeys a very Merry Christmas. I hope to get back to the thread before then, but no promises!
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Post by Linda on Dec 21, 2023 18:51:10 GMT
scrappyrabbit - those will be perfect New Years cards and I'm glad you're keeping one as a keepsake! One day you'll look at it and marvel that her hand/foot was ever so tiny. nylene - I think I am mostly prepared -I've cut back a ton (on baking, decorating, sewing, homemade gifts) and the only one who seems to notice is me so... I think those changes are permanent and I'll just do what I care about most going forward. I only have one more year of the teacher gift baking - DD17 messaged me that her teachers were all very grateful and a couple (who have had her or her siblings before) were quite excited to get their annual bread. I'm grateful we live somewhere that homemade treats are still okay at schools - it would be hard to buy gifts for 10 teachers/coaches. The toffee bits come in a bag - they are with the chocolate chips in the grocery aisle.  And I think if being on the teams brings stress and pressure (even if it's self-inflicted) then a break is wise. I hope you still share your projects with us. Today is the last day of school. Tomorrow DH should get off early so we'll do the grocery shopping then - before dark. He has Saturday plans but I'm not sure what and I have a couple more loaves of bread to bake Saturday that I'll deliver locally on Sunday. Otherwise Sunday will mostly be a family day - lighting the advent candles and having pizza for dinner and reading the nativity story. I'm hoping to talk DD into singing Christmas carols with us but...I don't have too much hope she'll oblige. I can't carry a tune with a bucket but I still love singing at Christmas.
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kitbop
Pearl Clutcher
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Post by kitbop on Dec 21, 2023 22:31:07 GMT
Linda and grammadee - our toffee bits are called Scor-bits, sold right beside the chipits. Those are Katie's favourite and we've almost finished a pan, BUT BUT BUT - I use ALL the toffee bits in the dough, then I add crushed pretzels to the top of the melted chocolate. Toffee + chocolate + salty + crunch = a family favourite. I highly recommend trying it! My no-bake peanut butter ball OR bar recipe: 1/3c butter 1 1/2 c peanut butter 1 1/2 c icing sugar 1/2 c sweetened coconut 4 c rice krispies Mix in a stand mixer. The original way to make them is to roll balls (messy), freeze the balls, then dip into melted chocolate. This year, I pressed the mixture into a jellyroll pan lined with parchment, then just poured melted chocolate on top, and put the pan in the freezer or fridge until set. Same thing, different look, WAY easier, and I think used less chocolate too. I recommend storing in the fridge or freezer after you cut them up.
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joyfulnana
Pearl Clutcher
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Post by joyfulnana on Dec 22, 2023 0:55:31 GMT
Oh I love the idea of peanut butter bars! The balls just take so long and I always dread them. The bars sound much easier and way less messy. scrappyrabbit your cards are beautiful! So precious and cute! grammadee your card came! Thank you, it's beautiful! Everyone is so busy, I can feel the bustling in the thread! I have drop cookies and jerky left, but then I started looking through old recipes, and am now debating making divinity lol. I took tomorrow off work and I'll be finishing up the baking and last minute shopping. Saturday I'm driving up to see mom, Sunday the kids will be here and then me and DS2 will probably hang out on Christmas and watch the game together. Then a nice, quiet, day to myself on boxing day. Waving Hi and sending hugs to you all! |
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Post by Linda on Dec 22, 2023 3:03:32 GMT
Same thing, different look, WAY easier I was informed that the peanut butter chocolate ratio would be off and they would NOT be the same thing. I'll give the jellyroll pan version a try at NOT Christmas and see if I can convince her otherwise |
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Post by justjac on Dec 23, 2023 4:31:37 GMT
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Post by grammadee on Dec 23, 2023 16:43:17 GMT
Great DD pages, justjac ! Glad you had time to play. Dgs came for a sleepover last night. Apparently, having Dad home doesn't change the fact that the boy needs to spend time at the farm! I am banned from the basement as he and Grampa wrap my gifts. Have been hanging out in my scrap room where I put together some cards this morning to go with gifts. Edit for points: For cards (60), created & shared (8). Total: 68.
Now that they have cleared the kitchen I am heading in there to cook pumpkins in prep for tomorrow's pies... |
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Post by Linda on Dec 23, 2023 17:13:30 GMT
justjac - awesome pages - I love them and glad you had a chance to scrap grammadee - great cards - I especially like the Christmas tree - is that scraps or washi tape or?? I think I'm about ready. Finished up wrapping this morning. I have two loaves of pumpkin gingerbread in the oven. Once it comes out, I'm going to walk to the Dollar General for more sugar (oops) and then make two loaves of cranberry bread. We'll deliver those locally tonight or tomorrow. Then I'll make mince pies. Tomorrow I'll make the chocolate chess pie and the apple pie and that should be it. I do have a sewing project in mind but it's very optional so we'll see.
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nylene
Drama Llama
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Post by nylene on Dec 24, 2023 0:22:37 GMT
justjac , I love your pages. The tree looks lovely and I didn't notice it didn't have ornaments until I read your journaling. That's a great looking group of firemen. I hope the party was fun. I love hanging with the Peas too! Your soup looks warm and tasty! Thank you for sharing your pages. grammadee , You are a very important part of DGS's life. So great that he loves being there. I love all your cards. The floating middle diamond is so intriguing. I was so glad to get that style of card from you so I can see it how it is put together. Thank you. Linda , you are still baking and sewing? You are an Energizer Bunny too! I hope you can have a day to relax tomorrow before the big day. DS came today to finish up the plumbing that he started a couple of weeks ago. He had several homes near completion and the owners decided they wanted to be in by Christmas, so he and his subs have been working around the clock. I appreciate his taking the time to come finish my little job. I hated to have one bathroom without water when all the family is around. I sent him home with all the Muddy Buddies I made, so need to make another batch tonight or tomorrow after church. I made cookies and brownies today and that finishes me up. I will finish the laundry tonight and then I am through and totally ready for Christmas. Hope to relax a bit tomorrow. I am loving all the Pea cards. They are posted on my door! ETA: Thanks Linda and kitbop. I hunted for toffee bits and finally found them on the top shelf, above my reach. No wonder I have never seen them. I bought some and want to try the Toffee Triangles after Christmas.
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we had fun with this one
