Castle Time!

Merry Christmas to everyone. It is almost that time of the year. I still havent put the tree up or decorated the house, but my focus today is on packing for Disney! I have all of my travel size toileties purchased and working on the clothes I intend to take. I may have to run out and buy a few things for me to wear. I want to be comfortable and warm. The weather promises to be cool and sunny with a chance of rain on Sunday. I still have to buy some ponchos from the Dollar Store, just in case of rain. I have to work until noon on Wednesday and then we are off to Dallas to spend the night. Our flight leaves at 6 am and we want to be well rested. Taking two teens along will be quite an adventure, but I am sure it will be magical! Hope everyone has a wonderful week. I will post again when we return.

So Much To Do

I woke up this morning with a sense of sheer panic! I have not attempted any Christmas decorating and I know it must be done soon. I have a company party to attend on Saturday and have not prepared everything for the event. We leave in 10 days for Disney world and I am not ready for my trip! This is so unlike me!!!! I usually have it all together and for some reason I just do not this year. I have finals at school the day we get back from Florida, so will have to take time to study for my exams. I havent even bought a single Christmas present! I feel like I am in a gerbils wheel spinning round and round. I must stop, take time to gather my lists and tackle an item at a time.

Baby Quilt

Several months ago I started a bowtie quilt for a young lady that I know. I finally finished it last night. It took longer than I anticipated, due to my schedule but am very happy with the way it turned out. I have one more I need to get started on and have been browsing patterns today to pick out just the right one! I think the next one will be a pinwheel pattern with pastels. Hopefully I will be able to make it before spring classes start. I am taking 12 hours this next semester and it will keep me busy with a full time job. I am very blessed to have a supportive husband! Have a great weekend.

Happy Thanksgiving

Wishing everyone a wonderful and safe holiday!

Little Known Facts

Here are a few facts about me that only my dearest closest friends should know!

I love to spend the afternoon watching girl movies.

I enjoy quilting, but I am not very good at it.

I am not a person who enjoys shopping

I do like to attend antique fairs and thrift shops

I love to eat a simple meal of fruit and cheese

I could sit in front of a roaring fire and enjoy the crackling flames for hours

I have 5 children, two are adopted

I have one younger sister who looks nothing like me.

My favorite historical person is Benjamin Franklin

I love to make lists and seldom remember to take them with me

Deep down inside, I am still about 6 years old, especially at Christmas time

I love Disney world, I could live there!

I have read all of the American Girl books that belong to my daughter.

I love Laura Ingalls Wilder

Integrity and honesty are the two traits I value most

I have always felt I belonged in another era

I dislike scary movies and would much rather read instead

I love to read biographies

Fall is my favorite time of the year

I really love classical music and opera

I wear an apron when I cook

I love pie more than cake

My most treasured item is a nativity set that belonged to my grandmother

I love to ride motorcycles with my husband

I love old sewing notions

I cant live without my Kitchenaid mixer

I sometimes wish I could still be a girl scout

I am a member of Sisters on the Fly

I am a magazine addict

Gone With the Wind is a movie I watch at least twice a year along with It's a Wonderful Life

And like George Bailey, I really do have a wonderful life and I love being me!

Gathering

It is less than a week before Thanksgiving! I cant believe how fast this year has gone by. I took time this morning for reflection. It has been a wonderful year for us here at the cottage! I cant think of anything we lack. I am a very fortunate to have such a large and loving family. My husband is the worlds greatest and I have a job that I enjoy. My home is always full of laughter and fun. We spend quiet evenings during the week and enjoy our grown children popping in and out over the weekends. I have everything in the world to be thankful for! This year we will travel to my mothers for our Thanksgiving meal and then back home so that I can cook for some of the extended members of our family. This is shaping up to be a busy week. I have made my grocery list and plan to get an early start on shopping Monday morning. Have a glorious weekend and take time to enjoy all of the little blessings God gives you!

Vintage Postcards

I hope you enjoy vintage postcards as much as I do!

I love the colors, the messages and the good old fashioned loveliness of the past.

Tonight we are enjoying our first roaring fire of the season. We have such strange weather here in Texas. Yesterday, we had the air conditioner on and tonight a fire to warm our chilly toes! Fall is absolutely my favorite time of the year. I love the colors, the smells, the change in the seasons after such a long hot summer. All of the holiday preparations are beginning and I start to plan the meals for our family gathering. The day after Thankgiving we start decorating for Christmas and begin baking in earnest. All of the children have their favorites and expect them to be available during the holidays. So it keeps me quite busy. I also have finals to study for and gifts to purchase. We have quite a large family now, and it is a challenge to buy gifts that they will enjoy. This year we are also taking a vacation during December so, I have lots to do in a short amount of time! I hope to blog surf and get some great new ideas for the house. Thanks for leaving me a message. I love to visit your blogs, I always feel that I have visited your home. Have a happy week!

Yum! Banana Pudding

Tonight we decided to have a little cooking lesson(I'm trying to teach my 16 y/o how to cook).

We had been grocery shopping Monday and bought a huge sack of ripe bananas for $1. I didnt know what I was going to do with them all, but put them in the buggy anyway.

We made two puddings, one for us to snack on and one to take to work in the morning. At least my co-workers will be happy. Here is the recipe we used:

Cover bottom of baking dish in Nilla wafer cookies, slice bananas over the top. In sauce pan melt one stick of real butter. Be careful not to scorch it! I mix 1/3 cup flour with 2 cups milk, whisking it well to mix. Add two whole eggs into milk mixture and whisk well. I put 2 cups of sugar in the butter, mixing well and then carefully add the milk mixture. Stir constantly over medium heat. As the pudding thickens, remove and add 1 tsp of vanilla flavoring. Then pour it over the cookies. I use extra cookies to make it pretty and usually crush a few broken ones and pour on top of the finished product. Add whipped topping and you've got Banana pudding!

Hope you have a wonderful night!

Counting the Days!

We are counting the days for our vacation! I have made numerous lists of things to do and see. Any suggestions?

A Night Out On The Town

I have such a wonderful husband! He ask me out on a date yesterday and I accepted of course. So tonight he took me to our favorite place, a steakhouse that serves the most wonderful clam chowder. We had a delicious meal and lively conversation. He is so much fun! Sometimes, I cannot believe how lucky I am! Hope everyone has a great night.

Saturday Chores

Everyday this week the weather has been beautiful and I have had to work. Today I have a day off and it is cloudy and cold.I was looking forward to opening the house up, raising the windows and bringing in the sun shine. So I am on to plan B now, which is cooking ,shopping, cleaning and working on this quilt. I also have to volunteer some time today to an organization that raises money for nursing scholarships. This evening I have a date with my sweet husband, he is taking me out to dinner. So it looks like a full weekend for me! Have a great Saturday!

Birthday Wishes!

Sending out Birthday Wishes to my sister Janette! Happy Birthday to You!!! Hope you have a wonderful day.