Snow Angel

Awyn really likes making snow angels.

Awyn's ready to go play in the Snow?

Yes, she's got her new sweater on upside down. It was just gorgeous. She sets her own fashion style.

Presents!

Turning on an ornament

Sam turned on the Christmas tree and the battery-operated Star Trek ornaments. Wouldn't be Christmas without them...

Snow Sam

We had snow 3 feet deep in places, and bare in others. It made for a lovely white Christmas.

For Obvious Reasons

See, we've picked our family photo for our photo cards this year, and now I get to blog about the ones we aren't using. It's fun to find the images that truly capture the unique personalities of our children.

Big Family Photo

This one turned out so well that I know I'll be getting a copy of it to hang on the wall. We usually just do the four of us, but I couldn't resist getting in a good family photo with Eric's parents while they were here. Thanks for being such great sports, Dan and Joyce!

Not sure why this one was one of the rejects, I actually kind of like it. So here's what isn't on our Christmas Card this year. Maybe in the newsletter? This was taken on one of the turrets of the Lincoln Bridge at Chickasaw National Recreation Area.

Christmas wish lists, old thyme recipes, and Sam

So I've been really busy lately. Truly. I started a full-time job at the beginning of November. It's been interesting to get the entire family used to the new routine.

Given that this is my first post in December, I thought I'd tell you what my wish list is, beyond the generic 'World Peace' and 'manners!' responses we give the kids. I'd love some knitting needles - specifically some really awesome sets of double pointed needles I've seen on Amazon.com for about $25 for a multi-sized set in various types of wood. Sam wants anything Star Wars or Star Trek, especially books or legos. Awyn is still into ultra-girly mode and would love dolls, clothes, dress-up stuff, Barbies, etc. If it's really Pink or purple, glitters or is frilly, she'll love it. She's also learning to read, so beginner readers are a good idea too. Both kids would say they want Mario Cart for the Wii. We don't have a lot of games, but we do have a few. Eric wants all sorts of things, like another hardcover book for his collection of Lewis and Clark journals. He's got 1, 2, 3, and 5. We also recently had to replace our DVD player, and took advantage of the sales on Blu-Ray devices. We own 1 bluray movie. Appropriately, it's the latest Star Trek movie.

Sam and Awyn still love school. Sam's struggling a bit more this year. His grades are fantastic - mostly A's with a couple of B's. His Aspergers is most apparent when he's at school, as he has a very difficult time with social rules.

Now for a recipe, as promised. Eric's parents were here for the Thanksgiving holidays, and brought with them a couple of old recipe boxes. Eric says they were his grandmothers. They contain some true treasures, and what better place to share them than on a blog? The hardest part is deciding which gem to share first. I mean, Hot Dogs in Hot Pants sounds so very, um, Hot. But I think in honor of friend David's facebook post this weekend concerning jello (and possibly jello shots) I will go with this wonderful recipe. And Eric nicely pointed out that tomorrow is December 7th. Please go pick up a history book if the reference eludes you.

From 'New Wartime Recipes for Minute Gelatin' - packed by Minute Tapioca Co., Inc.

Delicious, thrifty recipes for entrees, salads, aspics, fruit jellies, milk and cream molds. Recipes to help you make wartime meals exciting and nourishing - in spite of shortages.


Easy to S-T-R-E-T-C-H Butter
with Minute Gelatin

*Minute Spread
1/2 Pound butter or margarine
1 cup milk
1 1/2 teaspoons (1/2 envelope) Minute Gelatin
1/2 teaspoon salt

Let butter (or margarine) stand in warm place. Work with spoon until very soft, but not melted or oily.

Add 1/4 mild gradually to Minute Gelatin and salt in small bowl or top of double boiler. Heat over boiling water until gelatin is completely dissolved, stirring constantly. Add remaining milk and heat until just lukewarm. (if mixture is hot, cool to lukewarm.) Add to softened butter, a small amount at a time, beating with rotary egg beater after each addition until blended. Store in covered dish in refrigerator. Makes 2 to 2 1/4 cups.

1/4 cup water and 3/4 cup evaporated milk may be substituted for fresh milk, using water to dissolve gelatin.

Stay tuned for more Minute Gelatin Gems like Peppermint Cream Mold, Jellied Ham Timbales, and of course, Jellied Vegetable Loaf.

Halloween Fun

 

Yes, I had to dress up too. Eric's in his Captain Kirk costume too, but he's behind the camera. Our battery kept dying, so there weren't very many pictures taken this year. Still, a good time was had by all, much candy gathered and some eaten. We'll be 'sharing' some of the haul, I suspect.

Happy Halloween!

 

Sam is a jedi, and Awyn is a Purple Bat. Her cape is even designed so she can flap away. Too bad she wouldn't pose with her arms out. They had much fun. We just went to church, where they played with the other kids and won some candy. They both brought cakes home from the cakewalk. Sam was so kind as to choose the cake I made. Now I'm glad I made a pumpkin log from scratch. Everything else was from Walmart. One of the other kids chose the purple cake, so Awyn chose a green one instead.

Tiger Cub Sam

 

It's that time of year again, when little boys are selling popcorn from door-to-door. I've never been a fan of door-to-door sales, especially sending little kids out as salesmen. Maybe I'm biased - could you resist this adorable little guy? This picture hardly does him justice. I think he might be more irresistible than the triple-chocolate mega-ultra popcorn & pretzel mix that he's selling.

Because we live way out in the country, and away from family, he's going to have a limited audience. I admit to being lazy and not taking him into town to sell with the other boys today. Having little sister to compete with for cuteness isn't fair, and we're busy getting ready to celebrate Eric's birthday today anyway. I have lasagna sauce to prepare, and a carrot cake to bake. I had to buy two packages of candles to have enough to go on the old man's cake. You should be able to see the glow over the horizon.

Ah, Harvest

 

So this year wasn't my year for gardening. I tried, really! I was too cheap to rent a rototiller, so I turned my garden by shovel and spade. I planted corn, carrots, peas, beans, pumpkins, zucchini, cucumbers, tomatoes, and kohlrabi. I watered and weeded, sweated and cursed. I even bought a soaker hose. I planted flowers, and late summer squash.
The grand total produce produced? This ear of corn - with three kernels. Actually, I can't even claim it - it's popcorn from my compost. I had a few grape tomatoes, from the compost volunteers. I had a canteloup, another volunteer that one of the kids planted in my flower box. I planted summer squash over the top of my septic tank - lots of blooms, no squash.

Mowing. I mow sporadically. Like when the grass is taller than the kids, it's time to hitch up Georgia and ride her all around the yard. It's been raining when I have time to mow, and sunny when I don't. Well, yesterday was a mowing day, and I was faced with the quandry; do I mow over the top of the summer squash, or do I grant clemency so that it can die a natural death by neglect. (yes, I've given up on it.)

Mowing creates a moral dilema. I'll attempt to spell it out for you. Georgia is a Husqvarna riding lawnmower with a 46" mowing deck, and a nifty trailer I can pull things around in if I'm so moved. She's orange and very pretty. Georgia is a little thirsty. It take Georgia about 2 gallons of gas for our 2 acres of grass. It takes me about 2 to 2.5 hours to mow said 2 acres. Our Northeast half-acre doesn't grow very tall, and grows very pretty wildflowers, so I don't mow it every single time I mow. I think, "Gee, it's environmentally friendly!" to let it grow wild. I'm not sure the neighbors think I'm so nobly minded, but hey, we're out in the country and there aren't any ordinences.

Yesterday I decided I'd give the lawn it's Fall shearing and scalp it as short as I can without killing it, so I don't have to mow again until Spring. I got a late start, and I forgot to wear a mask, forgot to wear gloves (Georgia vibrates a bit, and it takes a little while for my hands to regain sensation). So the kids got off the bus before I could finish behind the house and that NorthEast corner. Sam kept running out to me to get me to look at his math homework. I mean, he ran out after every single math problem. Awyn kept running into the Northeast to pick wildflowers before I could mow them down. Mojo kept trying to hop onto the mower with me. He did ride for a few laps at my feet before I was forced to concede defeat and stop mowing. So now I wonder, do I hop on Georgia the next time it's sunny and the grass has dried out (maybe Saturday) and finish the project, or do I just let those flowers and little grass stalks along?

I don't know if I'll attempt the same size garden next year. I'm not certain it's worth it. The grasshoppers first ate the beans, then the peas, then the squash plants. I can't even grow zucchini! What gardener can't grow zucchini? Now, my flowers did grow (a few of them, just enough for a little color in my flower boxes), and I still have a few cherry tomatoes on the porch that are green and trying to grow. But I spent a lot of money on my garden, and for what I spent on watering alone I could have bought fresh produce at the market all summer long. I planted 20 pumpking plants. No pumpkins ever formed. Lots of blooms, no squash.

Sam and Awyn did enjoy gardening with me, even when it was too hot to be outside. They even helped plant things. So I'll probably try to grow stuff next year, but maybe I'll stick to patio gardening.

See how Tall my Grass Grows?

 

My Cantelope

 

I grew this! And ate it!

First Day pictures

 

Now that our internet is back, here's one more first day picture. They still love school, and it's nice to sit on the porch, sipping coffee while waiting for the bus. This last week or so it's been cool enough that a jacket is warranted, and the sun is only just coming up, so we get to watch the sun rise, if we go out just early enough. Mojo will try to board the bus, so we have to pick him up when he makes that sudden dash down the driveway after the kids. He's just not quite big enough to manage that bottom step, luckily.

Awyn loves school, even all-day school. She's a bit grumpy when she gets home though, and early bedtimes are a must around here - pajamas around 7, in bed around 7:30 if they want stories, and usually asleep by 8. This might seem early to some people, but they get up at 6 am to start their day. 'Studies have shown' that kids who get less sleep get grades below what they are capable of making. Also, mine throw mega-tantrums and meltdowns if they don't get enough sleep. For that matter, so do I.

More Waiting For the Bus

 

The kids like to sit with the dog on the porch, waiting for the bus.

First Day of School

 

Sam and Awyn board the bus while holding hands. They had a good day at school, and were very excited to tell me about their day when they got home. Both are already in bed and I think Awyn will fall asleep quickly. She was nodding off right after supper, although she perked up after having a bath. Eric is still reading "Voyage of 'The Dawn Treader'" to Sam, but I think he's finishing the chapter now.

I sure hope this posts. I have more wonderful pictures, but we're currently being throttled for exceeding our monthly bandwidth allowance.

Teaching Myself to Tat

While cleaning out my 'project bag', I came across a 'learn to tat' kit that I think I bought as part of a trip to Colonial Williamsburg many years ago. Certainly I bought it at a National Park with an Eastern National bookstore. However, like many little cozy projects I've come up with, that one has come to nothing. I stuffed it into my work bag as yet another little distraction from the Summer dolldrums in the entrance stations when I worked in Big Bend National Park. I kept all sorts of projects on hand - quilt blocks, baby-blocks, books to read, etc. I thought maybe I'd finally open up that package and learn to make tatted lace. I have some friends in Kansas who learned - a nice living history pastime that would be slightly more historically correct than crossword puzzles.

The Learn-to-Tat kit had never been opened. I opened it last night, and realized why I'd never learned. The written instructions were terrible, and the blurry miniscule illustrations incomprehensible. So I did what I advise anyone learning a new hobby without a mentor to teach them - I looked it up on YouTube.

My fellow crafty people, I now issue the Tatting Challenge. It's wonderfully mindless, and there are endless variations. You'll wind up with yard of lace for whatever project you have in mind. For those of you with young daughters, if you start now, you just might have enough for a wedding dress someday. Or you can edge a pillowcase, curtain, dog or cat bed - the uses are many!