Christmas Countdown - 2016

[snowflake22]

Thank you Snowflake - it means a lot.

You're welcome, friend~
Please let us know how her first day goes =]

 

[Holiday]

Hello Everyone! Long time since I've stopped in. It is great to be back and read through so many great comments. I have been so busy and the hot humid yucky weather dragged me down long enough. I needed some Christmas/Autumn/Halloween/Thanksgiving/upcoming 'ber month happy time!

My sister and I went to breakfast this morning, then wandered through Hobby Lobby admiring EVERYTHING! Of course I thought right away of my favorite forum. So, I just wanted to say, "Hi!" It is great to be back among friends!

Welcome back Missiechick! Nice to see you!

 

[NcGunny]

Much cooler start of the day today with a breeze. Hoping it isnt just a teaser and the temps go back to scorching hot again.

 

[MerryCarey]

Good morning Monday...

That looks positively sinful!

 

[Holiday]

Happy Saturday .... well the Ber months are getting closer and closer. It may not be fall yet but I picked up some fall scented tarts for my tart warmers today. Its amazing how much can change in a grocery store in a matter of a few days. Was in there mid week and its the normal summer displays .... went back lastnight .. Mums, hay bales and bundles of firewood all out front, Halloween and fall displays all throughout the store and an Aisle full of halloween candy! I am so over this heat and humidity. I am beyond ready for fall temps and everything fall related ...

And the countdown continues .....

Enjoy your fall scented candles! I had a vanilla crunch in my tart burner over the weekend. Oh my! Smelled like I had something yummy in the oven! Have a great day!

 

[Holiday]

We are known for them here in Wisconsin, it's pretty much a staple if you come here! But I have also seen them here & there in other Midwestern states. You can either get them fresh, or fried as an appetizer .
Here are the ones we had today :

View attachment 28227
We had them with ranch dressing, and a chipotle ranch dressing. They are out of this world amazing!

Hope you're having a wonderful day!!
Xo

Those look amazing! Some day I will have to try them deep fried!

 

[Edge612]

Much cooler start of the day today with a breeze. Hoping it isnt just a teaser and the temps go back to scorching hot again.

Heat and Humidity are coming back for the 2nd half of the week (you're welcome for the good news).

 

[MerryCarey]

Happy New Week, everyone!

We're supposed to have temps around 82F and "a pleasant breeze" this afternoon. Sounds "ahhhhh" after the sweltering humidity we've been having. Hope there will be time for a short walk after lunch today, but that may be asking too much on a Monday!

Spent a few hours this weekend working on this year's YuleTube. Fingers crossed, it's shaping up pretty well this year.

 

[snowflake22]

Those look amazing! Some day I will have to try them deep fried!

They are heavenly!! You'll have to come visit, we can tour Leinie's together, and eat cheese curds

 

[snowflake22]

Happy New Week, everyone!

We're supposed to have temps around 82F and "a pleasant breeze" this afternoon. Sounds "ahhhhh" after the sweltering humidity we've been having. Hope there will be time for a short walk after lunch today, but that may be asking too much on a Monday!

Spent a few hours this weekend working on this year's YuleTube. Fingers crossed, it's shaping up pretty well this year.

Happy new week to you, Merry!
Enjoy the beautiful weather!!

 

[Bradmac]

The weeks before the beginning of school use to be one of the best times of the year. The prep of the new school year as a Physed teacher was the best. New hoodies and shorts, organizing the gym and mezz, getting my equipment ready for my basketball and baseball teams and preparing for my Student Leadership Camp.

4.5 years ago that was stolen from me. The accident and recovery have stolen my ability to stand, sit, walk for any long durations of time and they (I stumble and fall a lot) all result in extreme pain and fatigue. Don't feel sorry for me, I'm doing well. I'm happily married and I have a beautiful baby girl. Not working is hard though. I never wanted to not work. I was born to be a coach and a teacher. I've instructed Martial Arts and ran baseball clinics associated with the Toronto Blue Jays when I was younger, and everything I did was work towards my goal of being an educator. I miss my students and my colleagues.

This time of year, has always been the beginning of a New Year for me and the start of my march towards Christmas. The pain sucks, but I guess it could be worse. I could still be paralyzed and needing my wheelchair. Instead my days are filled with raising my daughter and golfing Monday to Friday's at my Country Club (golf is my summer Physio) and my winters are spent at the gym and clinic doing Physio. Another good way of looking at it is, I get to spend a lot of time with my daughter. I hope she likes golf?

I just miss my job and this time of year really drives it home. I'm to young to be retired.

Thanks for reading and allowing me to get it off my chest.

I'm sure it's hard to have such an active life taken away from you. It's good, though, that you can see the blessings that have arisen from your difficulty. Having all that time with your daughter is priceless!

Sending prayers for your continued improvement!

 

[Holiday]

Happy Sunday to all. 126 day until the big day. Very exciting. Our Santa Sacks my wife ordered for us came in the mail on Friday, so that was a fun little surprise.

We have new neighbors, who I use to know back when I was in high school. It's crazy how small the world is. His wife is a Christmas Nut like me, and they want to decorate their outdoors like ours, since our homes are a mirror copy of each other. They agreed to go with the old fashion thick painted outdoor lights that I want to use this year. I think the two houses will look amazing. I'm so excited for this.

As of yesterday, I played my 81st round of golf for the season. Shot an 80. My goal again this year is to still be playing after we put up our Christmas tree on November 1st. It's fun combining the two seasons.

How fun! Can't wait to see pics!

 

[Holiday]

Happy Sunday! My FIL is coming down from Boston today for a cookout and then spending the night. Hope you all have a great day!

Hope you are having a nice visit with your FIL!

 

[Holiday]

Here we gooooooooooooooooo...
Ingredients:
Pastry for a double crust pie
6 Large Granny Smith Apples peeled and cored
1/2 Cup butter
3/4 Cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
3 Cups water
2 Cups white sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees & butter a 9x13 pan
2. On a lightly floured surface, roll pastry into a large rectangle, about 24 by 16 inches. Cut into 6 square pieces. Place an apple on each pastry square with the cored opening facing upward. Cut butter into 8 pieces. Place 1 piece of butter in the opening of each apple; reserve remaining butter for sauce. Divide brown sugar between apples, poking some inside each cored opening and the rest around the base of each apple. Sprinkle cinnamon and nutmeg over the apples.
3. With slightly wet fingertips, bring one corner of pastry square up to the top of the apple, then bring the opposite corner to the top and press together. Bring up the two remaining corners, and seal. Slightly pinch the dough at the sides to completely seal in the apple. Repeat with the remaining apples. Place them in the prepared pan.
4. In a large saucepan, combine the water, white sugar, vanilla extract and reserved butter (2 pieces). Place over medium heat, and bring to a boil. Boil for 5 minutes, or until sugar is dissolved. Carefully pour over dumplings.
5. Bake in preheated oven for 50 to 60 minutes. Place each apple dumpling in a dessert bowl, and spoon some sauce over the top.
6. Enjoy and don't forget to share...

Sounds delicious! I printed it off. Thanks!

 

[Bradmac]

Good Monday Morning everyone! Even though the weekend is done I'm glad to get back into my weekly routine, which means spending time with you all and catching up. I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend! I had a busy but lovely one. I feel the fall creep setting in with slightly cooler mornings, kids on the neighborhood bus stops and folks standing in line for pumpkin lattes!

Lizzybeth started 6th grade today and I didn't expect to be so emotional about it but emotions are like a box of chocolates where ya never know what cha gonna get. It's been 5yrs since the passing of my parents (90 days between the two of them) and I just really miss my mum this morning. Lizzybeth was her last grandchild she watched as my now exhusband and I went off to work. My mum watched her from 7 months til she was 5 yrs old. She watched her full time up until a few months of her passing. She would have loved to see how big she's gotten, both my girls really. So today is a hard day. However, I'm so very proud of them both and feel like my mum is watching over us all and so proud of all of her grand babies as she called each one.

Here's a few snaps of Lizzybeth from this weekend. 1) First one is from the bridal shower of our church member and friend Erin wearing the veil we made for her as one of the games we played at the shower. 2) Second one is from this morning as she was about to make her walk to the bus stop for school. I hope you all have a marvelous Monday!!!
View attachment 28331 View attachment 28329

Certain times of the year bring back memories and make me miss my dad even more, too. October will be 11 years since he was with us. I wish he could see Jacob & Elizabeth now, he was so proud of them back then.

Wishing you well on these difficult days. Lizzybeth is beautiful!

 

[Edge612]

Happy New Week, everyone!

We're supposed to have temps around 82F and "a pleasant breeze" this afternoon. Sounds "ahhhhh" after the sweltering humidity we've been having. Hope there will be time for a short walk after lunch today, but that may be asking too much on a Monday!

Spent a few hours this weekend working on this year's YuleTube. Fingers crossed, it's shaping up pretty well this year.

Enjoy this September weather!

 

[Bradmac]

Happy New Week, everyone!

We're supposed to have temps around 82F and "a pleasant breeze" this afternoon. Sounds "ahhhhh" after the sweltering humidity we've been having. Hope there will be time for a short walk after lunch today, but that may be asking too much on a Monday!

Spent a few hours this weekend working on this year's YuleTube. Fingers crossed, it's shaping up pretty well this year.

Looking forward to the YuleTube!

 

[NcGunny]

Heat and Humidity are coming back for the 2nd half of the week (you're welcome for the good news).

I made the mistake of looking at the weather 10 minutes ago. I figured it was to good to be true..lol!

 

[NcGunny]

Heat and Humidity are coming back for the 2nd half of the week (you're welcome for the good news).

They have pretty much been wrong about the rain all summer long, why is it that their heat forecast has been right on every day?!!! "Pass me another cup of humidity please"

 

[Bradmac]

Good Monday morning, Christmas friends!

All you guys are bragging about your cool temperatures and low humidity and such! Pffft! We are looking at mid-90's and high humidity for the foreseeable future. That just means I get to float in my pool longer.

I'm leaving work at noon to go with Nancy for her checkup. I'm not looking forward to Savannah traffic, but maybe I can get some Panda Express for dinner!

I hope y'all have a great day!