Merry Christmas break with my dear ones...

The best thing about my blog is that it can be a place I express love and gratitude for my family and imperfectly beautiful life.  And, if you are reading this, I can wish for you peace and love this holiday season. And on that note, I think I will take a short break to spend time with my dear ones and reflect on the past year, and the one to come. 

 

So, see you in January...

Merry Christmas!

Mealplan Monday #142 and another Mission Accomplished

 Saturday was an exciting day for the Cannary Family!  A Big Day -  The Girl's graduation from Baylor.  Four and a half years in the making.

I'm still going through all of the pictures, and I hardly know how to convey the sense of pride we feel in her.  But I can tell you that from the beginning she knew she wanted more from her college experience.  She didn't let the initial setback of not going to Coast Guard School hold her back.  She refocused her goals, applied to Baylor, and started making the impossible, possible.

Turns out it wasn't impossible - but it did involve a lot of hard work and sacrifice.  And yes, money.  But things worth having are worth the effort, time, and expense.  And she ended her last semester as strong as her first with excellent grades.  Of the 37 Accounting BBA's awarded, there were 8 that had double majors, and only 4 of those were secondary concentration in Finance.  The Girl was one of them. 

Monday - Chicken Cacciatore, spaghetti
Tuesday - Lentil Soup with smoked turkey, cornbread

Wednesday - Snackitizing Afternoon will include Pesto Dip with Crackers, Shrimp Ring, Layered Bean Dip with Fritos.  Dinner is Orange Chicken and Twice Baked Mashed Potatoes 

Thursday - Spiral Sliced Honey Ham, Steakhouse Mac and Cheese, broccoli, rolls and Blue Velvet Birthday Cupcakes - HAPPY 16TH BIRTHDAY, BUBBIE!

Friday - Turkey Bacon Crescent Pillows, tots
Saturday - Dad grill
Sunday - Weeknight Lasagna Toss, peas

We are proud of all of our children - they each bring something unique and special to our group.  They are a success in their own right.  And they are full of love for their family.

Gina

Mealplan Monday #141 and crafting

 I love doing crafty stuff at Christmastime, but I can't go shopping lately, so I make do with what I have. Case in point: I made another of those little "trees" out of a paperback.  Last year I used a Reader's Digest.  But I think I like the black and cream effect better with a paperback and there are more pages.

You can't quite fold it the same way you do the magazine, or it won't be tree-shaped.  My first attempt looked like a weird geometric object d'art.

So I added in a fold and it worked out better.

I topped it with a scrap of holiday ribbon and it was done.  Even with limping back and forth to my craft stash it was easy and helped me focus on doing something fun.

Monday - Meatballs in BBQ sauce, masheds, spinach
Tuesday -  Baked Chicken and Stuffing with gravy, fresh broccoli
Wednesday - Skillet Beef and Beans, salad
Thursday - Chicken Taco Soup
Friday - Fish filets, sweet potatoes, cabbage, rolls
Saturday - Going to Waco
Sunday - Turkey a la King on toast
Dessert will be birthday cake from the freezer

There are things you can order on-line to create a craft at home, if you are willing to pay postage or order the minimum amount.

All I needed for this pampering gift was grocery type items, and I had Hubby Pick those up.  This project was simple to do and it will be very soothing! 

It includes this essential oil that smells of orange, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg. {Go here for the project instructions} 

Gina

Shared with:

5 thing Friday: cards, decorating limbo, Charlie Brown, knees, warming plate for coffee

 This is the second time I have ordered cards from Shutterfly that do not turn out as planned.  You can't tell it from my photo of a photo, but the picture is overly red.  Not flattering.  

 Someone please help me decorate the kids' tree.  Anyone?  

And, I can't reach my crutches!

For Hubby's office party we were treated to cocktails at Roaring Fork downtown, then this fabulous concert!  It was a real shot in the arm for me.  I have always loved the music to the Charlie Brown specials.

 

 Hubby got his fair share of stares with his sparkly red tie, Santa hat, and battery operated Christmas lights.

Ok, but the point is I didn't fall down and we walked a city block to get from the restaurant to the theater, although I'm not gonna say the whole thing wasn't challenging.  You can't get tipsy if you have to crutch it.  Bummer for me.

Gratuitous photo of healing janky knee.  

I can bend it 102 degrees and can fully straighten it!

If you like to sit at your desk and drink coffee you need one of these plug in coffee cup hot pads.  Best thing ever.  No idea where we got it from, but Amazon has them.  Go get one!  I have used mine every winter for years.

Gina

Men can decorate for Christmas, too

Since I was still on crutches the day after Thanksgiving, Hubby offered to help decorate.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I think he did a good job!

Gina

Mealplan Monday #140 and My Grad

Scout's photography interests do not include taking portraits, but he agreed to take a few of his sister at Thanksgiving so she could slip them into her announcements.  

Monday -  Thanksgiving Shepherd's Pie, rolls

Tuesday - Fish Tacos, pico de gallo, guacamole
Wednesday - Burritos with Chili, salad
Thursday - Pulled BBQ Chicken crock pot, buns, tots
Friday - Hamburger Helper, peas and carrots
Saturday - Dad grills
Sunday - Stew crock pot, rolls
Dessert will be ??
Hubby is still doing the cooking so I let him pick what to cook!

Gina

Family Christmas photo 2014

Maybe because they know that if they assemble and cooperate for just three pictures, we'll get one good one.  It doesn't have to be perfect; no family is perfect.  We don't all have to have a matching outfit, or fuss over our hair.  We didn't even have to travel any further than our own home.  We just have to be our natural selves - that's the beauty of the family photo.

This is Our Tribe.

Gina

Brine time

The Girl and I had a little too much fun making pies and brine the day before Thanksgiving.  

We set everything out on the kitchen table, make a couple of Rum Chata cocktails, and got to work! 

 I read the recipe out to her and she did all the mixing and such.

The brine was fabulous and the bird was so good.  We did a small bird for Thanksgiving, so we might buy another that we can brine and smoke for meals over the holidays.  Here is my tried and true brine recipe:

Camp Rustown Brine
*for a 12-18 pound bird
2 c. kosher salt (NOT iodized table salt)
3 T black peppercorns
1 c. bourbon
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 c. brown sugar
2 T dried rosemary
3-5 dried bay leaves (depending on their size)
the peel of an orange
2 gallons warm water

 We added the water to the ingredients just before brining, stirring to dissolve the salt.  Then Hubby loaded the bird and brine into a small cooler, added a bag of ice to the top, and set it in the garage overnight.  The next day we "spatchcocked" the bird and roasted it - took about two hours at 325 for our 13 pound bird. It came out moist, seasoned, and fabulous!

We also made three pies.

I am so looking forward to next year and trying new recipes, doing my own shopping and cooking, enjoying the holiday that much more.

Gina

Mealplan Monday #139 after Thanksgiving

my birthday flowers

Monday - Grilled chicken quarters, dutch oven potatoes, salad
Tuesday - Pot of Beans with smoked turkey
Wednesday - Hamburger Helper, broccoli
Thursday - Chili Dogs, chips, coleslaw
Friday - Chicken and Rice, green beans
Saturday - Dad grills
Sunday - Sausage links with BBQ beans (freezer clean-out), corn
Dessert is maybe Cranberry Bars.  {Hubby and I came up with this menu together - "guy food"} 

Scout and The Girl at Turkey Trot 2014

Gina