Morning Coffee and Choices

I'm hoping I just made my toughest decision for the day!  I don't think I've ever had to make this choice before, and I was torn between the two choices.  What were my choices?? 


Sit on the porch and enjoy my morning coffee with porch puppies by my side, or sit in my living room and enjoy my Christmas tree lights with couch puppies??  I don't recall ever having that first choice in December before!  Well... I could always sit on my porch but normally enjoying my coffee while sitting there in December wouldn't happen.  Unless sitting in freezing weather with snow up to my ankles is considered enjoyment. 


I threw a hoodie on and took my pups outside this morning with my steaming cup of coffee.  It was pitch black out and I could hear rustling in the woods.  So could the dogs - they were on high alert even though they had done border patrol just 15 minutes earlier before their breakfast.  My coffee was about half gone when the door opened and Jon asked if he could steal Annie.  He wanted to go down to the dog club and see if he could get a goose for her to retrieve.  I knew I could never sit on the porch with Suzy while they left so I came inside and turned on my tree lights.


Here I sit, finishing up my coffee with Christmas lights on and dog sleeping beside me on the couch.  Later we will head out for an afternoon of winery hopping.  We have four more wineries to visit on the Tannenbaum Wine Trail.  The rest of the weekend will be spent finishing my shopping and baking.

Playing Teacher

Several months ago I decided to start making pasta.  I had thought about it for a long time, but when my son called and told me how great his homemade pasta was I could not stand to be outdone by my kid!  So, I did a little reading up about how to do it, watched a few videos, listened to my son, bought a pasta roller and decided to give it a try.  The day I planned to try it we had a slight change in our plans for the day -- Jon's cousin, Barb and her husband, Tim, came over for the afternoon.  She saw the roller and asked about it.  I told her I was planning on making pasta, but could make it the next day instead since they were there.  She wanted to try it with me, but I like to try things out alone for the first time; in case I failed miserably nobody would be the wiser. 


I ended up being very successful and I have made quite a few batches of fresh, yummy spaghetti and fettucine.  For Mother's Day Steve sent me a ravioli mold.  I have had success at that, as well.  When Steve and Shannan came home in September we made lasagna.  Steve used my kitchen-aid for the mixing and kneading of the dough.  Why had I never thought of that?  The only downside to making pasta is the kneading hurts my fingers and hands.  Now it is ready for rolling in no time!


Every year we get together with Barb and Tim around Christmas.  This year, due to the unexpected and sudden death of Tom (Barb's brother-in-law) there was not going to be the usual party.  Barb invited us up to spend Sunday with them and have a brunch.  I brought everything for mimosas and baked a cheesecake for later on in the day.  We had a "twist" on eggs benedict.  Barb grilled some thin steaks and placed on toasted English muffins.  Then topped with poached eggs, fresh spinach, a slice of cheese and a slice of tomato - topping all with some hollandaise sauce.  Delicious!!


Barb had mentioned she really wanted to try her hand at pasta and make ravioli for their Christmas dinner with Tim's family.  I brought all my pasta making tools and after we ate we got to work.  I played teacher and instructed Barb on just what to do.  We made around 175 raviolis!  She grilled some seasoned chicken breasts for the filling.  We placed the chicken, sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, ricotta cheese, mozzarella cheese, and spinach in the food processor and chopped it all up very small.  It was a delicious filling that I plan to duplicate soon!  We boiled up a few of those delectable goodies and Jon doctored up a jarred sauce Barb had.  We all declared them definitely worth the effort!  She froze what was left for their Christmas. 


This day was a day spent not only having fun but also accomplishing something.  Now if I can get my cookies started!

Food for Thought

Food for thought.  Food is usually in my thoughts.  I spend a lot of time thinking about what to eat, when to eat, where to eat, and who to eat it all with.   Most of what we do is centered around the food. 


This week will be no different!  I have already sat down and wrote out what we'll be eating.  I even have already bought the things I could buy that would not spoil.  The turkey is in the freezer and will be coming out to start it's thawing process very soon.  I know some people who just don't understand the fuss over making a big meal.  I feel sorry for them.  They have no idea of how sitting around the table with loved ones, eating a meal, and reminiscing is not only fuel for the body but fuel for the soul.  When I was a kid we spent many meals around my grandparents' table.  That table has now been sitting in my dining room for a very long time.  If that table could talk - it could share so many stories from so many birthday's, Christmas, Thanksgiving, Easter, and just meals where the family and/or good friends have gathered!   Sometimes the number of people are not so many; while other times there are so many people we have to set up tables in the living room to make space for everyone.   Many of the faces are the same people, while others have come and gone.  In my mind, I always imagine that Grandma and Grandpa are sitting around that table, enjoying the family-time.  I can remember being small and having my Great Grandmothers at the table.  As some of the faces at the table change, so do the dogs that lay around hoping for a dropped crumb or two.  Or three. 


This year we are getting double-time out of our Thanksgiving.  Not only are we gathering for the big Turkey Day; but on Sunday we will be gathering once again for an After-Thanksgiving Luncheon.  Some of the family that can't make it here for Thursday will be here to celebrate then.  I'm hoping we can have more of these get-togethers.  When Steve was home this past summer for a quick weekend visit while picking up his girlfriend and her truck, we had a few large get-togethers.  One meal was a brunch where I fed 17 people breakfast!  There was much laughing and talking.  There was no shortage of eating either.  These times together are precious to me - my family and my friends are my life. Time spent with them makes for more memories, and more memories gives us more to talk and laugh about at the next gathering.

Summer in a Jar

Every summer we spend some time in the mountains of Virginia, along the Skyline Drive in the Shenandoah National Park.  There is everything we love there from beautiful trails to hike to wineries.   One of the things that has become tradition for us is to spend some time at the orchard picking peaches.  The first few years we did this we picked enough for me to make a few peach cobblers upon our return home.  Then, three years ago we lost track of how many peaches we were picking.  It doesn't take long to pick a ton of peaches.  We came home with more peaches than we could use up before they would rot.  Since I had just recently started canning it was only natural to can some of those beauties!  They looked so pretty in the jars and it gave me great satisfaction to see those jars lined up on the shelf in the basement.  I wanted to open a jar right away.  But I made myself wait until the leaves had all fallen from the trees and the first frost had come and gone. 

Opening that first jar of peaches was like opening a jar of summer!  They smelled so fresh!  And the taste!  It was like a jar full of sunshine, they were so sweet and delicious!  I somehow managed to make those jars of peaches last us all winter.  When the last jar was opened and eaten, there wasn't much time left before we would once again be back in the orchards. 

The next year I decided I wanted to try my hand at peach jam as well.  That turned out perfectly!  I ate more English muffins with peach jam on them than I had ever eaten before.  The peaches once again came out beautifully!

This year we picked a fair amount of peaches once again.  I still had a few jars of jam so opted to not make any of that this year.  But once again I have a shelf full of peaches!  Last night was a cold and rainy day; one of those really miserable Fall days.  I made a pot of soup for dinner and decided we needed a little taste of summer in our day.  Down to the basement I went and brought up a jar of peaches.  They were just what we needed to brighten our day!  

Day Off!

Today is one of those wonderful days known to us working stiffs as "A DAY OFF!!"   I love those days!  I made plans for today and most of those plans involved me just doing what I like to do best.  I got up early and enjoyed my cup of coffee with a cat on my lap and dogs snuggling at my side.  Jon left for work (Poor guy!) and I decided I should do a few chores.  So, I emptied the dishwasher and hung our Fall-themed shower curtain.  I also cleaned my Keurig.  After my shower I decided that was enough work for one day.  After all, a day off is supposed to be just that -- a day off.  Then I rounded up the dogs and we headed to the hike and bike trail near the apple orchard.  After an almost 4 mile hike, I left the pups in the car to rest and I went to the apple store.  I got a small bag of apples to make some apple crisp with and a gallon of apple cider. 


Tonight when we get home from the restaurant, we are going to make hot toddies our way.  We warm the cider with cranberry juice and add some tequila and triple sec.  A cinnamon stick and some fresh-grated nutmeg and... voila! A delicious hot drink for a chilly Fall evening.  Maybe we'll even have a fire.  We have plenty of firewood....


The dogs were a little tired after our hike and so was I.  I don't want to lie.  So, once home I made a cappuccino and snuggled in with my book.  I can't think of a better way to have spent my day! 

There's a New "Writer" in Town!

Sometimes I find myself talking to Annie and Suzy as if they were people.  I know if they could talk they'd probably tell me that is an insult; for to be a "people" when you're a dog has to be a step down.  I decided that sometimes a story could be told from a different point of view so I helped Annie create her own blog: http://adaywithannieandsuzy.blogspot.com/   


In her first blog she confesses she's going to allow Suzy to even submit a post or two.  We'll see how that works out - I know how much Annie likes to be the one in the spotlight! 


I think she'll add a little spice to my posts.  She can find more fun in a day than most folks can find in a month.  She makes me smile and I hope she does you, too!  Please stop in and read what she has to say from time to time!

A weekend away and the dogs do play!

Typically we do not go away on holiday weekends - especially camping.  Too many people for our liking.  But - this past weekend we headed out to one of our favorite little campgrounds for a long weekend of rest and relaxation. 


Jon got off work a couple hours early and we headed toward the lake; Lake Erie that is.  This campground is on the lake, a couple hundred yards away in fact.  The sites are all situated around a small pond that is stocked with fish for catch and release fishing.  Jon planned to do a little fishing and I planned to do some reading while sipping on a glass of wine.  I have no idea what the dogs had planned, but they did have fun.  As soon as Jon got home they raced for the truck.  They knew we were headed somewhere because they had made the billion and a half trips from the house to the camper with me while I loaded up our supplies.


We've been camping at this campground since before Suzy or Annie were ever thought of.  Missy was the first lucky dog to camp here.  We used to have a pop-up camper and we'd load it up with Missy and Stephen (who was still in high school) and the boys and dog would go hunting at the nearby marsh while I would read and await their return.  When Steve was in college he would meet us there after his evening job in the college computer center.  We would wait to eat dinner with him.  Or maybe I should say we waited for him to bring dinner.  He discovered a great little "hole in the wall" pizza joint, so he would order the pizza and stop and pick it up.  This place has great pizza and is always packed!  It has become tradition for us to always have pizza on Friday night of camping weekends up on the lake.  This trip was no different.


We spent time doing what we had planned and even more time just walking the dogs and watching them have fun.  We took them down to the lake and let them run along the shoreline.  Anyone who has lab can guess how long the run down the shoreline lasted.  They dove into the lake and swam for what seemed like hours.  When they finally emerged from the water with tongues hanging out we knew they had had enough.  We walked them on their leashes a while until they dried off.  If you've ever camped with a dog you know you do not want a wet dog in the camper because the first place they go is to jump up on your bed!


Monday we packed up our stuff and headed home.  We had plans to stop at a few wineries - one in particular to have lunch.  They have excellent lobster bisque and it goes so well with a nice, crisp white wine.  This time I also had a piece of cheesecake.  My sister and brother-in-law (who live in S.Carolina) were at my parents' house.  My brother-in-law's father was ill and he had passed over the weekend.  There was a cook-out being planned for Monday evening so that we could all have a chance to see them.  I had taken an extra long lunch break on Friday to visit with them, but a little longer visit would be nice.  When we got home, we quickly put everything away and headed out to the cook-out.  It was nice to see them, though it would have been way nicer under better circumstances.  They both agreed it was nice to be able to get away from what brought them to Ohio for just a short while, so a cook-out was just what they needed.


This morning I was up and heading out the door when it hit me - we don't usually go on camping trips where we have no concrete plans, and this trip was just that.  Most of what we did was mostly fun for the dogs.  I guess you could say this camping trip went to the dogs! 

Fair Time!

This week was "fair week" - which means the most popular form of entertainment for a huge percentage of this county is attending the county fair.  I've not missed very many years.  Going yesterday brought back so many memories!


When I was a kid I loved going on the rides - the merry-go-round, ferris wheel, scrambler, tilt-a-whirl...     When the sun went down the midway became such a magical place with all the lights, music, and smells.  It wasn't a day at the fair without a candied apple, cotton candy, a funnel cake, maybe an elephant ear.  I had to have a corn dog!  A cup full of greasy French fries!  I remember heading to the car at the end of the night, my belly so full I thought I would bust!  Of course a fresh-squeezed lemonade or two was also drank. 


There were barns full of horses, cows, pigs, goats, sheep, rabbits, chickens and ducks.  There were also barns full of other projects people would enter in hopes of winning a blue ribbon; everything from photography to decorated cakes.  I always wanted one of those giant pumpkins for Halloween!  I never had one, but when my children were about 6 and 9, a man I worked with brought me a huge pumpkin for each of them.  They weighed in well over 75 pounds. 


Yesterday was our annual trek to the fair.  We went with our dear friends who have three children, ages 13, 10, and 8 that are like grandchildren to us.  We had barely walked through the gates when they found friends to ride the rides with.  Watching them run from ride to ride brought back so many memories!  This year they were all tall enough to ride all the rides.  The joy on Jocelyn's face when she realized she could ride with her older siblings was precious.  I remember that year when I was finally taller than the measuring stick!    I no longer ride the rides; instead my excitement is in seeing an old friend I hadn't seen maybe since last year.  I enjoy the swine barn most - something about all those pigs just makes me smile.  We sampled a few fair food goodies before we headed out the gate as the sun was setting.  Another fair has come and gone - next year will be here before I know it!

Surprise Friday Evening Fun

Thursday evening I was just settling down to relax and unwind for the evening and I got a text from Kristal.  She was excited - yes I can tell that from a text - and wanted me to hurry and look at Facebook.  So I did.  A nearby establishment was having our favorite entertainer, and he was going to be there the next evening, Friday!  We quickly made plans to be there.  We follow this guy to all the wineries he plays at but usually he plays on Saturday evenings.  We knew it would be tough to get there on time on a Friday with work getting in the way and all, but we would manage. 


Kristal and I had been to this place before but Jon and my parents had never been.  It isn't a "real" winery in that they don't make wine, it is more a wine bar and restaurant.  We had reservations and our table was front and center.  Steve was surprised and happy to see us when we arrived.  Since Friday is our normal "restaurant" night at our Mexican restaurant we own, Jon stopped in and grabbed a few tacos for us to eat on the way.  We figured we could save a few bucks that way and just have some appetizer-type food while listening to the music and drinking some wine.  Our plan worked.  Kristal ordered a chicken/cheese dip that came with delicious, warm French bread.  I think we ate 3 loaves of the stuff!  Other than a bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon from California, the other two bottles were from an Ohio winery.  They were a bit on the sweet side, but sweet is fine for sipping and enjoying music.  Steve played all our favorites and more.   We enjoyed ourselves immensely.  The best part?  It was only Friday - so now we have the entire weekend yet to enjoy!  I'm sure we'll fill it with fun things to do.

You'll be seeing more of me here

I have decided to do all my blogging here from now on.  AllRecipes, where I have done most of my blogging for the past several years, has changed their format and I do not like it one bit.  I am not renewing my "Pro" status so will no longer be able to blog there.  It saddens me to be leaving a place I really enjoyed, but like the saying goes... "All good things must come to an end".  


It took forever for summer to get started, but once it did, it hit full force.  We have had hot, humid, and dry weather for a good long time now.  I'm not complaining for I know all too soon it will be winter again and cold.  I'd rather have the heat.  Today it was a beautiful day; not too hot, not much humidity and the sun was shining.  After work I met up with Kristal and we took our pups for a walk.  We've gone from two pups to four!  I have my Annie and Suzy and she has her Maggie and Mollie.  They are the bestest of friends and love these outings.  We chose a nearby trail in the woods.  The trail follows alongside the lake for a bit and winds around in the woods.  It was so green, with the sun shining through the trees.  We saw a couple deer.  It was a nice walk and a perfect attitude adjustment after a hard day at work. 


Tomorrow is Friday already and I'm hoping the weekend will bring nice weather and fun times.  Even though my blogs will no longer appear on a cooking site I'm sure I'll still blog about food.  After all - food is an important part of my life. 


I hope to see a few of my friends here.  Stop by, leave a comment.  My door is always open to family.  To be my friend means you are my family. 

Beach Vacation

Our beach vacation has come to an end.  It seems like it was just yesterday that we were heading East.  This year we had a crowd and we had fun!  Jon and I, Kristal and Jake, and our Mexican family friends got to spend 5 days together doing what we do best – eat great food and have lots of fun!

Mother Nature was good to us – we only had one day where it rained and was overcast.  That day we spent exploring shops in town and visiting the museum and visitor centers.  In addition to our three favorite little kiddos, our friends also had to bring along their nephew, Edgar, since his mom works at the restaurant and would have had nobody to watch him while she worked.  Edgar will be two in August and he is one funny little guy.  He doesn’t say much, but he’s very active and his expressions speak volumes.  When we first arrived at the beach he was terrified of  the sand, the water, the seagulls, pretty much everything.  The next morning he greeted the beach like the other kids.  When it was time to leave many hours later, he cried and threw a tantrum.  He did not want to leave.  He spent hours shoveling sand into a bucket and playing in the water.

It has become tradition to enjoy our first dinner of vacation sitting poolside eating raw oysters and steamed shrimp with a cool refreshing adult beverage while the kids alternate between swimming and grabbing a bite to eat.  This year the four of us who like oysters only managed to eat about 75 of them.  But, we ate 3 pounds of steamed shrimp and we also had French fries and hushpuppies.  A walk down to the ice cream parlor completed our meal.  We had chicken tenders for those who refuse to eat oysters.

This year we didn’t have to worry about the seagulls swooping in and stealing our food.  The hotel had wire strung criss-cross over the pool area to keep them out. 

We spent our days on the beach, at the museum or visitor centers, and shopping.  Dinners were fabulous!  Seafood each and every night.  Jon and I have become friends with a local couple so we made plans to meet up with them one night.  Shannon made reservations at a restaurant off the island that the locals frequent called The Crusty Crab.  We met up at their house and followed them off the island.  The Crusty Crab sits right next to the water and we had awesome seats for a great view.  Far across the bay we could just see the lights of Chincoteague as the sun set.  The place was nothing fancy at all, but had great atmosphere and really good food at a fair price.  My crab cake was delicious and I managed to steal a fried oyster off Jon’s plate. 

One evening after dinner we made our way to the island’s only waterfront bar.  It is new and was really a fun place to hang out for a couple hours.  As people would leave their tables, the seagulls would swoop down and steal the remains on the plates.  The kids got such a kick out of that!  We probably would have spent more evenings there, but the drinks were some of the worst drinks we’d ever had and expensive.  The ice cream parlor was a much better place to hang out!

Sunday morning arrived way too soon and it was time to load the cars and head back home.  Another fun beach vacation was over, but won’t soon be forgotten.  We brought home oysters to enjoy over the next couple days and plenty of sand from the beach will be turning up in our cars, clothes, beach blankets, and shoes for days, if not weeks, to come.



Happy Birthday!

Sunday was our Sweet Annie's first birthday.  It doesn't seem like a whole year has gone by.  But it has.  Because I have made it my goal for this year to spend more time with family and friends, I decided what better excuse to get the family together than to celebrate a birthday?  Not just one, but two.  My parents have Annie's littermate and brother, Chip.  If it weren't for the collar on Chip (that, and the fact that he's a boy and Annie's a girl) it is very difficult to tell them apart.
   I made plans to have everyone over for a lunch on Sunday.  My parents were told to bring Chip - he had to be in on the celebration, too.  Plus, Annie loves Chip and they could use a play date.


My parents arrived with Chip.  They came bringing a gift for each pup, and birthday hats!  Kristal and Jake arrived with gifts for each of them as well.  These pups sure made out! 
I made a big pan full of a warm, comforting chicken casserole and dinner rolls, and we had some fresh pineapple and strawberries and broccoli.  I also made a spice cake for dessert with ice cream on the side. 


When it was time for cake we served the birthday kids first.  Surprisingly they actually sat still and let us take pictures!           Chip is sitting between my parents.  He looks a little more eager to get to his dish of cake and ice cream.  Annie looked a little sad.  I think she was put-out that she had to wait until we said "OK!".




The afternoon was spent watching the pups play and laughing at them. Suzy tried to stay out of their way.  She really isn't in to "puppy antics" and roughhousing any more.  But, when the presents came out and then the cake, she was there to get her fair share!   Our meal was nothing elaborate, just plenty of comfort food to enjoy around the table with those we love.  Just the kind of Sunday that I want more of. 

Playing with your food is permitted!

When my two kids were young, I pretty much wore out the words, "Quit playing with your food and eat!".   No parent wants their kids to play with their food at the table.  Good table manners was one of the first things my kids were taught.  However, there are always exceptions to any rule.


This past weekend Jon and I had the privilege of having houseguests.  Not just any houseguests, but little munchkin houseguests.  Our friends had to go out of town and needed someone to watch their three kiddos; the same three kiddos that just happen to be our favorite munchkins.  Originally we were just going to be a taxi service to cheerleading and soccer games with an afternoon layover at our house, and their aunt would keep them overnight.  But, the aunt had to work so I quickly raised my hand and volunteered to keep them overnight.  It's never difficult to keep busy with these three kids.  They love to play games, help in the kitchen, and watch movies.  Through everything they don't even fight with one another! 


After everyone's activities were finished for the day we headed home.  Kristal was hanging out with us, too, and was staying for dinner.  I was making homemade chicken nuggets and that's one of her favorites, too.  I had lots of extra hands to help me out.  I put them to work setting the table, rolling the crescent rolls, mixing the Stove Top Stuffing, and anything else small hands can do in the kitchen.  Dinner was full of lots of laughter and empty plates. 


These kids are also great at clean-up time.  Once everything was cleared and put away, we all settled in front of the TV to watch Frozen.  They've seen it before but wanted to see it again.  This was the first time for Jon and I to see it.  Kristal has even seen it before - she's a preschool teacher and she saw it at school.  What's a movie without popcorn?  Apparently not much, even though these kids had just devoured more food than I could eat in two days' time they wanted Jon to make popcorn.  A huge bowl of popcorn was gone in a flash!


We have a spare bedroom that the kids always call our "hotel room" but they wanted a slumber party in sleeping bags sacked out on the living room floor.  Suzy and Annie were pretty excited to see the floor covered in little kids!  It was tough to get them to lay down in our room and go to sleep.  The next morning when I got up to let the dogs out, it was comical to watch them walk through the living room.  Both dogs walked past the sleeping children very slowly - really wanting to stop and take a slurp across their faces but knowing I would yell at them.  Surprisingly they both refrained from early morning kisses. 


By 7:30 am all were awake and ready for breakfast.  We had already planned to make pancakes, bacon, and eggs.  Not just any pancakes, but "snowman" pancakes.  I'm not real artistic, but figured even I could pour pancake batter onto the griddle in three circles to make snowman shapes.  I did so well at that I also made each of them a "bear face" pancake, too.  When my kids were little we would make animal shaped pancakes to enjoy on Sunday mornings, but that was as far as we went.  These kids wanted to decorate their pancakes.  I found some chocolate and butterscotch chips, sprinkles, and chocolate chunks they could use for buttons, eyes, etc.   Jeanette, the oldest, came up with a great idea for a scarf - bacon!!  Who wouldn't want a bacon scarf or hat??!! 


              
They had a blast playing with their food and every morsel was eaten.  While they were playing and eating, I could only imagine what their mother would think of this.  Once again they helped clean up and then we settled into the morning playing games and Barbie's.  Yahir went with Jon to start tractors and make sure all was fine at the dog club.  He was pretty excited that he got to drive the "green machine", a John Deere ATV.  


Before we took them home they helped me make meatloaf, mashed potatoes and green beans for a hearty lunch.  We also made strawberry shortcake for dessert.  A visit to our house is not complete without strawberries!  Amazingly these strawberries were delicious!  They were some of the sweetest, best tasting berries we'd had in a very long time.  I would have thought it was summer had it not been snowing outside the window!


After we dropped them off and got home, we plopped our tired bodies onto the couch and noticed how quiet our house was.  We were so tired we didn't even eat dinner.  A houseful of kids is fun! 

Christmas starts with love

Our Christmas season starts the weekend after Thanksgiving.  That's when we head to our favorite Christmas tree field and pick out our tree.  We've been buying our tree from the same man for many years.  He has beautiful trees, he's very friendly, and it's just the perfect start to our holiday season.  This year, however, our holiday season started sooner than normal.  Kristal and Jake bought a new home that came with a fireplace.  The seller took the mantel with them, so they were in need of a mantel.  Lucky for them Jon is a very talented and skilled carpenter!  He wanted to make a mantel that would have meaning.  First he decided on where the wood was going to come from.  We have belonged to a "dog" club for over 30 years and there was the perfect tree that needed to be cut down on the property.  Kristal grew up spending many, many hours on this property so it was perfect to get the wood from there.  One day this Fall Jon and Jake headed to the dog club property and cut the tree down.  Next on the list was to get this tree planed into wood that could be used.  It just so happens that the man we buy our Christmas trees from also runs a sawmill!  This man loves our daughter and is always so excited to see her each year.  Another point of "perfectness" for this mantel.  Jon picked the wood up from the sawmill and turned it into a beautiful mantel which he got hung on the fireplace just in time for Christmas! 


                   


Kristal  was so happy to have this finished and up in time for Christmas decorating.  I don't have a photo of that, but it is beautiful!  This was truly a project of love.


Yesterday was the start of our Christmas celebrations.  Jon's cousin hosts a Christmas party every year and it's always a great time spent with dear friends and relatives.  There is always so much good food that it's impossible to sample it all.  A few drinks are always consumed as well.  Yesterday morning I received a text from Barb - "Call me when you're up."  Uh oh.  That sounded like there was a problem!  Sure enough - it has been raining here and their basement was full of water.  That meant that their family room was wet and unavailable for the party.  She wanted to know if I thought she should cancel the party or would it not even matter that everyone would have to be crammed into their dining and living rooms.  I voted to go ahead with the party.  We all like each other!  The party was still on! 


Today is technically not a Christmas celebration - but it is a celebration with people we love.  Our Mexican friends and us get together every year and enjoy a Thanksgiving meal, complete with all the traditional trimmings.  That meal is today.  We'll have turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes and gravy, sweet potato casserole, pumpkin pie...  


We have many more gatherings to attend and host and each one will create more memories of time spent with those we love.  I look forward to this season and all the special times with family and friends.  To each and every one of my AllRecipes friends I wish a Merry Christmas to you! 

What's for dinner? Oysters!!

   One of the best parts of our trips to Chincoteague Island is all the great seafood we get to eat.  In the summer we gorge ourselves on blue crab, flounder, oysters, clams...  all the good stuff.  In the winter we do the same, except there are no blue crabs, so we gorge ourselves on oysters even more!  This picture is a typical lunch for us on the Island.  Oysters are plentiful and delicious in the winter and knowing a "local" is a big plus.  He gets us all the oysters we want on the cheap.  We always bring a couple hundred home with us.  We have friends here who we share with, and we continue eating oysters for several days after we get home.
     Last night we had fried oysters.  We had not ever made them, but we will be making them again!
                                  
     We made half using a Cajun breading and half using a cornmeal breading.  Hard to say which was my favorite; can I say both?!  Jon mixed up a hot dipping sauce that was really good and I made a batch of Cheddar Biscuit Cups.  I steamed up some yellow squash, zucchini, and cherry tomatoes seasoned with lemon pepper salt and opened a jar of peaches I canned last summer, and we washed it all down with a craft brew from a local brewery. 
     Tonight on the menu is oyster stew.  I'm hoping this meal will be just as tasty as last night's. 
     Part of what makes these meals so good is with each bite it brings back just a slice of our wonderful stay on the Island.  Every year there is something that makes that visit just a little different and a little more special.  This year was our trip to The Hook.  There we had our choice of what seemed like a million perfect shells.  The boat ride back to Chincoteague was also memorable - we saw a seal - something we had never seen there before!