Day 2 of Christmas Vacation

Wow!!!! I am tired!!! Seems I have been the energizer bunny and just been going and going these last two days.....And yes, I woke up early again today!!!!  Seems the older I get the harder it is to sleep past 7:30!!!  I try not to take naps....which hasn't been a problem these past two days because I have been busy.

This morning JoGail and I finished the truffles.....once we 'found' the box of chocolate I 'hid'. Ok, I  misplaced...actually I had no idea where I placed it...and no idea why I put it in Grace's room....of all places...any ways, we found it, unopened and finished the truffles.....and let me tell ya, they are good! My sister sent the recipe...chocolate  and cream cheese...yummy!!!   But I must admit they I am not a chocolate dipper!!!!             truffle recipe

Then we completed the gingerbread house....doesn't look too bad. Maybe I can get pictures posted tomorrow. I just love watching the girls work together. JoGail drew the designs on then Grace came behind and 'decorated'. Then JoGail just took over everything! I don't think Grace minded, either....

Took Grace to the family doctor today. Yes, she probably popped her shoulder partially out of place in that basketball game about a week ago. She has some exercises to do to try and strengthen it. Her wrist-no broken bones, but the dr could hear the synnovial fluid (or something like that) 'grinding', so he ordered an MRI. Not sure what's going on there, but he thought something was. Her leg-she has a lipoma (fatty tissue). We are just going to watch it and see what happens. If it starts calcifying we will have to have it removed but it's not hurting anything right now. Took the doc less than 20 minutes for all that...I felt like we got a little bit better of a deal since she had three things wrong today, though!

It was  warm here today! Grace and I wore shorts! While we were gone JoGail and Coy worked outside and finally threw the16 watermelons left in the garden to the cows. They never ripened, so we had just left them there. They saved two of the biggest for us to try and cut open . I keep telling him they won't be ripe, but we'll see! Just going to make a sticky mess if you ask me....which he didn't! hummmmph

We had rotel chicken for supper. Again, a nice quick easy supper.....just throw some chicken in a pan with a can of rotel and some taco seasoning and bake. Grace requested it. She likes it rolled up in a tortilla.JoGail just likes to eat it as is.

Tomorrow I'm making a big pot of soup....warm weather or not! It's for Thursday night when my folks are here. That's one thing I cook that rivals my mom's....vegetable soup. Plus I start cooking for Christmas Day and for Coy's family get together.....making cranberry jalapeno relish and Jalapeno tree's green sauce...I am so thankful for my food processor!!!!   plus we are cleaning the house....as in mopping, etc. Not the girl's favorite thing to do (or mine for that matter) bu it must be done.....or so I am told....   :)   Oh and did I mention Aaron is coming over to watch a movie tomorrow afternoon????? 

Remember when I said I was trying to have a Mary Christmas ( as in the Mary and Martha story in the Bible)? I think I am. I suspect it will get harder as Christmas gets closer, but I am working on it! While I have been busy, it has not been stressful. It's been nice. It's been enjoyable to be around the girls and Coy. (Even if we have watched upteen recorded episodes of Star Trek and Phineas and Ferb).


Have a blessed night!

Tater Tot Casserole and Christmas Break!

Made this tonight for supper. It's been a long time since I have made this. The girls literally devoured it! It was so simple and yet so good!

We have had a good first day of Christmas vacation. Coy took Grace to her dr. visit in Dallas, so JoGail and I bakes sugar cookies. Then after they all got back we went and worked out/shot baskets/walked and then came home and decorated the cookies. I must say the cookies spread a little much this year, but I don't think anyone could tell because there's so much icing on the tops!

JoGail and I also made some fudge!!!! it actually turned out, too. Usually when I try to make fudge it never sets.  I think we're going to bag some up for the mailman. I started making truffles.....them lost the second box of chocolate (I swear it's here somewhere!). so I will have to wait until I make yet another trip to Brookshire's....and to think I thought I was done there for a while!      :(

Tomorrow's agenda includes assembling the gingerbread house and another dr visit for Grace (family doctor). I think there's some movie watching planned for tomorrow too!!!



Tater Tot Casserole
(many recipes thrown together)

1 lb Ground turkey (or hamburger)
1 T Worcestershire sauce
1 small package tater tots
1 can Campbell's roasted garlic cream of mushroom soup
1 small can veg all drained


Brown hamburger meat. Stir in Worcestershire sauce.
Mix in drained veg all and soup. Stir well.
Put in oven proof pan, I think I used 11x7.
Lay tater tots on top and bake according to tater tot package.

You could mix cheese in it if you want!


Enjoy!

Two new recipes!!

WHOOT !!! WHOOT!!!!!! Two new quick and easy recipes! I stole one from Tina at church, just tweaked it to make it easier for me to do and then the other one is from Mrs. beasley at Coy's school. I am making both to take to work tomorrow. It's the 3rd annual dish swap! We draw names. Then we buy a dish that costs less than $ 15.00 ( you can find cute ones at Hobby Lobby usually half off! ) and then we fill the dish with food. (I always try to fix soemthing they would like.) Then we all partake of all the food and then the dish goes home with whoever's name you drew! It's a cool way to add seasonal dished to your collection! On to the recipes!!!!

This doesn't have a name, so suggestions are welcome!
 Crescent Ham Rollups  ??????
1  can crescent rolls (if you can find the crescent sheet, that would work even better)
1 small tub spreadable cream cheese with onions and chives
shaved ham
shaved pepper jack cheese

I bought the Hillshire farm shaved ham and it worked great ( in the lunch meat section)
I used deli pepper jack cheese since they could shave it for me.

Preheat oven to 375. Roll out crescent dough and pinch seams together. Spread cream cheese. Place ham over cream cheese and top with a row of cheese down the middle. Roll up jelly roll style. Cut into slices. Tina sliced hers really thin, I sliced mine like I would cinnamon rolls. Place on greased cookie sheet and bake 10-11 mins.


Cranberry Jalapeno Relish
from Mrs. Beasley

1 bag cranberries, rinsed
1 red onion
1/3 bunch cilantro
2 jalapenos
1 cup sugar

Combine in a food processor and process until fine. Refrigerate over night. Serve plain with crackers or serve over cream cheese. This makes alot. I made half the recipe and had plenty for 1 small bowl of plain and some to serve over cream cheese.


Enjoy!

I found it!

I wasn't planning to blog today but decided to since I am one happy girl! I found it! I found the nativity scene the girls have always had. I always put it in the bathtub with the girls and that's how they first learned the story of Christmas! It's a plastic set that I probably  bought for a dollar when Grace was 1 or 2. Both girls have played and played with it in the tub! Now if you think it's crazy that they had a nativity set in the bathroom, let me tell you, that 's just the start. They have had them everywhere! My grandma (MawMaw) started it. She made me a cloth one when I was in college. Then I just started getting new ones every so often. Coy thought I was crazy when we had our first Christmas. I think I have toned it down some since then, though! Then one Christmas I found the pattern at WalMart in the craft section (that basically doesn't exist anymore....:( ) and I made a cloth nativity scene for each girl. They have had them in the playroom and in the rooms and it's soo cool to see them playing with baby Jesus. Not so much any more, it's just the memories. One of my favorite decorations is one JoGail made when she was about 4. It's a thing you hang on the wall that has a simple nativity scene she glued onto it. It says Happy Birthday Jesus. Coy's mom made each of her kids a wooden nativity set one year as well. (Joseph is about 8-9" tall!) Then when she passed, we inherited the one that's got  Joseph over a foot tall! It's hard to display because the figures keep falling over, though. It's solid wood and plain. No paint, no decorations, just simple. Kind of like I imagine the first Christmas being. Simple. Which is another thing I am working on this Christmas.Simplicity. (This fits in with the Mary Christmas thing if you've read that post.) So if you don't see me getting all worked up over Christmas this year or running around trying to get everything just so. That's ok. We're going simple this year. Yes, that may mean changing some traditions and may include adding some new ones. But that' s ok. No, in case you were wondering, we don't have a Walton Christmas and not even a Hallmark one. We have ones filled with love and reflection. Homemade gifts, homemade decorations, and usually homemade food! :)



Laurie

Grati-Tuesday

Ok I don't know if that day actually exists, but since it's the last day of November I thought I would share some thankfuls on my heart.

First of all, I am thankful for my family, both my big family, church family and what I call my little family. Let me explain.
My big family is my family and Coy's family. We get together when we can. but truth be told it's hard. I have 2 brothers and 2 sisters are spread across Texas, Louisiana and somewhere below Hawaii on an island. I call it a side effect of a big family. It's hard fro all of us to get together and happens every 2-3 years but not always on holidays. We have always kind of had unique traditions in our family, so that we don't always get together on what others consider big holidays shouldn't be a surprise to any of us. Three of us have families and we all have in laws, too. Fortunately we all have pretty good in laws. Coy's side of the family got together for his 50th birthday this year but we are also (his 2 sisters and some of his nieces and nephews) are getting together soon after Christmas. I can't be thankful enough for how his family has taken me in and loved me for who I am.

My church family is FBC Eustace. I just can't explain how thankful I am for the "wisdom in them thar pews!" Again they have loved us and supported us unconditionally. They are literally helping to raise the girls and let me tell ya I am so thankful for that. I almost started crying the other night just thinking about my precious JoGail going through junior high. But I realized she is constantly being grounded in the faith and will be ok. She and Grace both are in God's hands-not mine.  Our whole family feels so at home in this church. We are especially thankful for our pastor, youth minister and other faithful servants including Miss Leslee and Mrs. Pat. But there are so many others that pray for us and  I am so grateful for that! FBC Eustace will always be the girls' home church......the one where they were baptized together on the same day!

My little family is just that. Coy, Grace and JoGail. Sometimes I  can't remember life before any of  them came into my life.  Of course I have known Coy for over 25 years. Haven't liked him for that many years, but I knew him. :)  I can say I have prayed for him for over 25 years.....that 's half his life! He is just such a blessing to me. He keeps me grounded and keeps my perspective on the main thing! Grace, oh my Grace. I couldn't wait until she turned 14 so we could finally be done with her being 13! She is  a 'mini me' in alot of ways. Strong as an ox but not a mean bone in her body. Smarter (way smarter) than I will ever be. I am so thankful God made her just the way she is -no take backs!   JoGail~my ray of sunshine. I never know what she will have in store for me! She  loves to cook with me and I enjoy our time in the kitchen. She's my snuggler, too. I am so grateful for just hanging out with my little family for Thanksgiving break. No stress, no worries. Just cooking what we like and watching Christmas movies we have all seen too many times. (All too soon we will waiting on someone to come home from college to cook and eat with.)   Yes we drive each other crazy and fight over who has to be JoGail's partner in the games of '42' we play, but we are a family and I am so grateful for that.

The Christmas season to me isn't necessarily about the presents, the decorations or really even the food. It's about the season of enjoying each other. Whether we are decorating outside or making pumpkin pies.

 I read a Christian blog titled the Martha complex. Yeah, like the Martha as in Mary and Martha.My saying this Christmas is "Mary Christmas!" As a reminder to me to have a servant's heart (like Mary) this season!


yeah, I've ramble and rambled.....that happens when you have bronchitis and am on steroids again!

Laurie

I'm back....

What a wonderful Thanksgiving day we had! I am so thankful for my family and the rest! Everyone's taken a nap every day so far this school break! We've watched movies together and just hung out together. We were talking at Thanksgiving lunch about the Black Friday shopping and the girls wanted to go....So I took them at 11:15 last night. They were shocked. I was tired. JoGail flat gave out before we got checked out. When we got there people had already gotten into the items for sale and had their buggies full and were waiting in line to check out. Of course the checkouts didn't ring up the sale prices until 12:01 am so the lines were all the way to the back of the store. The girls each picked out what they wanted from each other, so at least it was a semi productive trip. I don' think either really wants to go back anytime soon, either!

I made some homemade cranberry sauce this and I loved it....absolutely loved it! I can't wait to make it again! I found the recipe in a magazine....it's a Tom Collichio (Top Chef) recipe! I have never tried homemade cranberry sauce before, so I was really shocked that I liked it. Coy didn't try it because he prefers the Ocean Spray type straight out of the can with the ridges intact. JoGail likes both and Grace doesn't eat cranberries....so it was ALL mine!

The second is one I 'created' using ideas from all over the internet. Again, since everyone else likes the traditional meal, even for leftovers, it's all mine too!!!!

Cranberry Sauce
Tom Collichio recipe

1 bag cranberries
1 cup orange juice
1/2 cup sugar

Mix in a pan over low heat. Be sure to use a pan with tall sides since the popping will spill up the sides. Keep over low heat, letting berries pop. It will jell when about ready. Cool. store in refrigerator.

Leftover Turkey Sandwich
Compilation of several recipes

Leftover turkey
Leftover Gravy
Leftover Cranberry Sauce
2 pieces bread
2 pieces provolone cheese

Preheat over to broil. Spread cranberry sauce on both pieces of bread. Top with cut up turkey and put on top of cranberry sauce.  Top with gravy and then a piece of cheese. Toast in oven. Some recipes called for dressing on the sandwich as well.


Love,

Laurie

Rotel chicken

I made these the other night thinking I would take them in my lunch the next day. Well, Grace came in and smelled it and that was all it took! She loved it! I made some more this weekend and we put it in a tortilla and rolled it up.....yum yum ! I'm not sure where I go tthis idea from. I'm sure I read it somewhere on the internet! I dont' even remember the right name! So I just named this Rotel Chicken!

Rotel chicken

1 package boneless chicken thawed
1 can rotel
1/4 package taco seasoning

Put all in crockpot, stir and cook until chicken is done.