windshield notes...

how many times have you been to a store or mall and come back to find that people have left flyers to promote their business under the blade of your windshield wiper...or (gasp...that they "accidentally" bumped into your car..and it had relayed their information...to you after they couldn't find you...does that happen?) well shannon and kevin were at the mall...and they came back to find a yellow blockbuster ad under the windshield wiper...but they noticed that something had been scrawled on the back of it...



They have a iraq veteran flag on the back of their van and a "proud wife of a soldier" ribbon also...several times we have been stopped by people in parking lots to thank us for kevins service..but to have someone stop and leave a note...was really a wonderful moment!

big hugz and thanks to all the veterans...and their families!

hugz and love til next time

...only in wisconsin...

could we have all four seasons in a 48 hour time period...

wednesday nite it was 3 degrees with a windchill of -15
today it was 55 degrees and the snow is melting away faster and faster...and it's raining...

we wish you a...

RAMBLING...WORDZ...and no pictures...

Been a bit quiet online of late..just lots to do! Then mother nature blessed us with 13" of snow...then...single digit temps...currently we are sitting at 1 degree...BRRRRR....but alas this IS wisconsin...and it IS now officially WINTER!...

Received a couple of mysterious packages in the mail...return addies are SANTA...(geepers...santa lives in different cities!He is truly magical!!) THANK YOU SOOO MUCH...(although packages were placed beneath the tree for Christmas morning opening! and proper thanks will go out...to those sweet santas...soon) It is sooo hard for so many people this year...I'm feeling sooooooo VERY VERY VERY BLESSED that you have remembered us and my babies! Christmas is always such a time of year that I so enjoy giving...and this year it is my HEART i must share...tommmorrow is another day and we've been blessed to have our health and each other and all you LOVELY ANGELS...out there...
I FEEL SOOO BLESSED...soooo blessed...(and it's not because of the packages...oh please do not construe it as that..) i am blessed because i feel the warmth of your love and friendship and presence...oh we are blessed...

I awoke this morning with a gladness and a PEACE that has just wrapped me in a calmness...it is a WONDERFUL FEELING...

goodness rereading this i'm soooo rambling..but know that my warm tears are sweeping down my face...and....

THANK YOU...THANK YOU THANK YOU...FOR BEING YOU....
......This entire country has been in the wrath of unemployment and cutbacks and losses etc...but all in all we have also gained the true meaning of the holidays also...THE LOVE AND KINDNESS AND SPIRIT OF THE WORLD...

LOVE YOU ALL SOOOO MUCH!!!

HUGZ

thursday....

my sweet friend, debby, (she and I went to high school together in austin...goodness is it THAT long ago? wow...seems like yesterday...well anyway..she sent me this recipe...sounds super easy and yummy and thought i'd pass it along...


Hershey bar Pie

1 8 OZ Hershey Almond bar

Graham cracker (or chocolate) pie crust

1/3 cup milk

1 ½ cup mini marshmallows (or 15 large)

1 cup heavy cream



Break chocolate bar into small pieces and chop almonds

(If desired, save some chocolate pieces to spread on top)

Melt chocolate with milk in a double boiler

Add marshmallows and stir until melted

Cool completely

Whip cream until stiff

Fold into the chocolate mixture

Spoon into crust

Chill until firm

SOUNDS EASY PEASY!!! THANKS DEBBY!

I had to remove my background...on my blog (it was giving people trouble..so POOF...it's gone...) maybe i'll try again in the new year...with another one...

please let me know if you are having trouble reading this...don't know what i'm doing wrong or if there is a glitch in the system..but some people are not being able to read it or the whole blog shifts left...(or was it right)...

have a wonderful day out there! i'm getting ready to head off to work..(til 10:30..) then next week we are open til 11:00...(don't know WHO needs to shop that late..for what we sell...but ya never know...WHEN you'll run out of that bottle of glitter or something...lol


AND to all my sweeties in australia/new zealand...(beware..my baby brother and his sweet wife are visiting there...for most of this month...!) (it's my brother i worry about causing trouble...lol)
HUGZ TIL NEXT TIME!!!

another recipe...happy tuesday...

...we didn't get the 12" of snow...just an inch or two on the ground...BUT...that inch or two is almost solid water...and heavier than a foot of snow...still snowing...which...if the temp drops...will freeze that water and we will have a skating rink on the roads...which isn't a good thing...

here is a quick and easy and yummy recipe!!!

Christmas Crackers


35 saltines (1 sleeve plus a few)
1 c butter
1 c packed brown sugar
1 1/2 c chocolate chips
1 1/2 c walnuts crushed

Line 10x15 pan with foil and coat with cooking spray.

Lay out saltines evenly
Preheat oven to 400
Melt butter in pan, add brown sugar, bring to a boil,
boil 3 minutes (maybe a little longer)
Pour over crackers, covering completely
Bake at 400 for 5 minutes
Remove from oven, and turn oven off
Layer chips evenly over the saltines
Return to the oven until chocolate is melted (about 5
minutes)
Press walnuts into chocolate with a spatula
Cut into 1" squares, and cool completely (I put mine
in the fridge)

(You can use pecans if you prefer)

hugz til next time...off to work..

cookie swap!!!...FINALLY!!!

BEEN HAVING ISSUES WITH THIS BLOG TODAY.(goodness doesn't it know i need to post this cookie recipe!!!..JUST WOULDN'T LET ME POST ANYTHING!!! ugh!!!

BUT HERE I AM! with my cookie post!!!

Sweet Scrappy Jessi is hosting her 2nd annual cookie swap and it begins today!!! Hope noone came by earlier....for a taste!!!

Each year it feels soooo good to dig out the family traditional recipes..ones that I save only for this time of year...

There is something soooo comforting to hold the recipe cards that my mom handwrote oh so many years ago...sweet memories....of sweet treats!!! So here we go!

MELTAWAY SUGAR COOKIES!!!

Cream together until light and fluffy;
1 cup sugar
1 cup pwd. sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
1 cup butter

beat in two eggs

Add the following ingredients:
4 cups plus 4 heaping tablespoons flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cream of tartar
1 tsp vanilla

Shape in small balls the size of walnuts and place on a greased cookie sheet. Flatten down (this is where I GOT TO HELP!!!) WITH A GLASS DIPPED IN SUGAR!!!

Bake at 350 for 10 minutes or until light golden brown....

these ABSOLUTELY DO MELT IN YOUR MOUTH!!!!

Tonight we set up the TREE!!!! WOO HOOOOO!!! Then when the babies come over in the morning...the house will be a magical Christmas wonderland!!!

Got more snow...papa was out shoveling...



and shoveling...(after the PLOW came thru and replaces what he shoveled...)


While i snapped pictures..from the door!


Thru the front car window after picking up the babies from school....(oh I so treasure that 4 wheel drive...)


happy holidays and big HUGZ!!! OFF TO DREAM OF MY PINK CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS!

barb

I awoke this morning to find that i received this award....



This blog invests and believes the PROXIMITY- nearness in space, time and relationship! These blogs are exceedingly charming. These kind bloggers aim to find and be friends. They are not interested in prices or self-aggrandicement. Our hope is that when the ribbons of these prices are cut, even more friendship are propagated. Please give more attention to these writers! Deliver this award to eight bloggers who must choose eight more and include this cleverly written text into the body of their award."

I am to pass this award on to those that have crossed the boundaries of friendship without regard to economics, distance or language barriers...visit her blog here (there is a language translator to translate her blog although her photos are just beautiful!)

thus i would like to nominate:

Catiean

dawn

michelle

patti

sandee


elizabeth

today is Sunday...it is forcasted that we receive 2-4" of snow...looking out my morning window it LOOKS like snow...stepping outside the door it is registering 39 degrees....and the air is heavy with moisture...I work from 9 until 3:30 today...

This thursday (the 4th) is my baby's 20th birthday...NO LONGER A TEEN! Big news is that he has landed a J-O-B!!! He begins tomorrow morning working at UPS!!! It is only a seasonal J-O-B...but at this point it is a J-O-B!!!

CAN YOU HEAR ME HOOPING AND HOLLERING?...The same day as Robbie's birthday it is Miss Maddysen's Holiday program at school...I've been treated to snippets of the show and it looks to be magnificient as usual!

well.....it has begun snowing...so alas it looks like THE WEATHER PEOPLE MAY BE RIGHT...

AND THE KIDS ARE SQUEEEELING WITH GLEE!!! AT THE PROSPECT OF SNOWMEN!!!!



HUGZ TIL LATER!

twould be saturday...

morning all...hope Thanksgiving was a tasty delight for you all!

I had a bit of time to do a little wire twisting to create a new necklace...

here is the pendant...(for the central part of the pendant i used an orphan earring that my mom still had...she always wanted to toss it but it was PURPLE!!!) had it in my stash and it just worked here!



here are the bead components that i put together



and here is the whole necklace! I wore it to work yesterday and had lots of interest in it and complements!



worked on an ornament that i made a little snowgirl for...the snowgirl is made of two fabric beads that i made from vintage fabrics and vintage lace..then i beaded it and added teensy buttons and crushed velvet pink ribbon to...(just click on the pics for a close up...)





then i had a bit of time to make a couple of felted roses...



that's it for now...

hugz til later!

tuesday...

HMMMM....THAT SNOW IS SOOO TEMPTING...SHOULD WE GO OR SHOULDN'T WE...
(in the school playground...)



YES!!!! LET'S ROLL!!!





XANDER ...



MADDY...



good thing they got to roll the big snowballs and we got pictures because the big kids came later in the day and smashed them all...to SMITHEREENS...OH WELL...THERE WILL BE MORE SNOW OH TOO SOON!!!

guessing this Chrithmuth we are asking for a bunch of front teeth...Xander lost all four of his front teeth and maddy has the bottom two missing BUT her top two are WEALLY WEALLY LOOOTH...



hugz til next time!

OH SNOWY MONDAY...

Woke up this morning to find a 2" cover of snow!!!








and we paid our annual homage to the big guy in red...we were a bit worried how maxx would react...well we put him down and he ran right over to him and put up his hands with a big smile....



and of course miss maddy had a letter all ready for him....



created another woven bracelet for a gift...



off for a couple of days...(unless that caller id reads...michael's arts and crafts...lol then i KNOW what's coming...)

hugz til later!

ahhh to have the weekend OFF!!!

...spent a bit of time today tweaking a stocking i'm doing for a project...Still need a couple things added but it is pretty much done!!!


top....


i added some wool felt snowflakes and some handrolled organza roses...


the rose fabric is rachael ashwell...from the shabby chic line...


..and miss maddy had to model with the stocking so everyone could tell the size...



....and speaking of miss maddy....she was awarded...CITIZEN OF THE MONTH!!!



had some window art fun with maxx the other day...







(DISCLAIMER... we don't use chemicals to clean the windows...so no maxx's were harmed in this art project..lol)

My nephew has returned to iraq...(see below Nov 6 for family photo) My niece has sent off some ideas for holiday cards for his brigade....some soldiers receive nothing for the holidays...

here is part of her message...

... Ben's brigade has set up a website to send Christmas cards to everyone. This is a great inexpensive way to show your appreciation. If you buy cards in sets and you have any left over this would be a great way to use them!

If you do want to send anything to Ben here is his address. He can also hand stuff out to other soldiers if you wanted to send stuff for other people too that might not be getting anything.

SGT Benjamin Fiock
2-25 Bsb B Co Mse
Taji Iraq APO Ae 09378-1785

big hugz...and love til next time!

monday all day!

today we bid adeiu to YOYO AND HOOPS...

last friday we visited the hallmark store in the mall and the guys bought me a new HOOPS AND YOYO TSHIRT..(said to put it on their tab...and peggy would be okay with that...hee hee...so the wonderful sales associate, Brittany, was only too happy to oblige... The shirt has the guys picture on the front...so i could remember them...(and not be confused with the guys that live here..with us!)



IT WAS LIKE LOOKING IN A MIRROR!



...AND AS MADDY WOULD PUT IT...look, nonnie they are in A B B A pattern!!! (the girl LOVES MATH)


OR IN A B A B pattern!


and here piddle had to jump in for the group shot....



...after some HUGZ....they were on their way to caryl's house!
added some cheese head hats...and their tutu's and they trick or treat costumes AND TREATS (yoyo ate his...but hoops took his along for the journey)



hope you guys had a good time!!!! we sure did!!!

had a long day at work...came home to finish up this 8 x 8 spread for my color me silly group...
The theme is winter in a blue/silver theme....

left side...



right side...



then i worked on a new bracelet in pink...and swavorski crystals...




snapped this pic of maxx...as he had visions of sugarplums...(he HAD to read this toy paper) and find the CARS...AND THOMAS CHOO CHOOS AND MANNY STUFF...LOL




but then again...he did have to help papa rake all these leaves!

SEEMS TO BE SAYING..."WHERE'D ALL THESE LEAVES COME FROM!!!"



well it's off to bed for me...HUGZ til next time!