Christmas details!

Hey there all. Well I wanted to give some better detail about Christmas this year.
I was such a dope and did not bring my camera. We had a pretty low key holiday. My mom made some super awesome fried chicken for our dinner...I had to take a 3 hour nap to recover from. But let me back up a bit. Santa brought many presents this year. Zach got a John Deere bike with a John Deere helmet, knee pads and elbow pads. He got a set of old fashioned tinker toys, a battery operated fishing game(he cheats when playing), a new portable DVD player, a remote controlled construction vehicle, new playdough, tons of clothes, and some other stuff I can't remember. This kid is so spoiled!
He had fun helping me finish cheesecakes, here he is enjoying leftover chocolate:

Santa brought me this new toy:

Well Santa provided most of the monies for it..baking money paid for the rest!
I also got a Le Crueset baking dish and a Pampered Chef Pizza stone...new kitchen toys are always welcomed here.
Gene got a Sears gift card, new PJ's, and a Field and Stream script for the year.
He seemed happy..of course he always saya he does not want anything. Scrooge!
I hope everyone had a great Holiday. I now have to gear up for our New Years party.

Here at last:

Well we survived X-mas..I will post some pics later.
Just to get you in the mood here is my dinner recipe for tonight:

Dinner:
Crockpot Pork with cranberry sauce:
Baked sweet potatoes
herbed noodles

2 lbs boneless pork
1 can cranberry sauce
1/2 can of water
1 package onion soup mix
Use cooking spray to cover in the inside of crock-pot. Place all ingedients in crock, cook on low 6-8 hours.
I can't remember where I got this recipe but I wrote it down sometime ago and have been waiting to use it, since my guys like cranberry stuff.

Edited to Add:
I added a bag of colesalw mix to this since it seemed thin. Cooked for a few more hours, then added a tablespoon of beef stuff from the better then boullion jar, some minced garlic, and pepper. Later took some of the broth out added a few tablespoons of corn starch, added that, let it thicken. Then cooked a bag of the frozen thick egg noodles. Added that, and this dish was divine. I am calling it Sweet and Sour German pork and noodles.

Here and then gone!

Well I know I have been gone for a few weeks..but let me just tell you I have been one busy lady! I have been babysitting like mad and baking and shopping and such. You know the usual X-mas type of stuff that one has to do, before going away for the holiday. We are not going far, just to my mom's house but still.

Zach has been a real butt lately and I have been using the cheap threat of "Santa is not going to bring you presents if you are bad". He just laughs at me and tells me that is not true. He knows us too well...

I am done shopping and baking and I am looking forward to going to my mom's...despite the fact I know it will be loud and dysfunctional...but hey its home. For now I have to pack my clothes and convince Zach to take a much needed bath. Merry Christmas...I can say that instead of Happy Holidays...we actually celebrate Christmas in our home!

Cookie order!

Well I completed my cookie order...with little time to spare. They are to be picked up today at 4:30! And if you are wondering what 20 boxes of cookies look like:

Now on to the cheesecakes..to begin on Monday.
I hosted a small playgroup here today, the kids had a really great time and I made a few new friends. But what I am really excited about...it's babysitting night at the pre-school. So a quick night out for Gene and I, and its very much needed. Toodles

The final strech

Well here I am in the final strech of cookie baking when my dough fails me...my last batch of dough is not rising properly...argggg. Only 6 more dozen to go. I guess I better make another batch, cause this one is bunk!

misinformed

I sit here in a quandry. A conversation with my mother. A phone call to her from a great aunt...an aunt with strong political beliefs. She left this long message on my mom's machine about how Obama is not a citzen, he does not even have a birth certificate. Even my mom was annoyed...and she is a staunch Mccain supporter. How can someone actually believe that they would even let him be president, without evidence of citzenry??? How can she be this misinformed and think that it true?? How many others are there like her?

Camera Batteries replaced!

Whew..been awhile since I uploaded some pics.

Blueberry Jam..its delish and I expect to sell out soon.

carrots fresh picked this morning..brr were my hands cold from picking these.

My baby turns five, taken at my mom's.

Zach's trip to the cereal bar. That bowl contains Reeses puffs, reeses pieces and chocolate milk...ughhh sweet overload.

Maria and her son D at Zach's party. I love yah Maria!


Tye Dyeing at Zach's party..our wash cloths turned out great!