Avoiding the Crowds

One of the reason I love Christmas is for those fairy princess moments in my loved ones lives 

I may be a little slow on the uptake at times but this year my eyes have seen the light.  Have you heard of Cyber Monday?  Yes I knew some working moms did a lot of Christmas shopping on line.  I have used Amazon quite a bit myself but mostly for book purchases.  I have avoided Black Friday like the plague over the last several years...let's just say I refuse to go that route.  No matter how good my intentions are every year to start my Christmas shopping early...I just never can seem to get my heart into it out of season so to speak. So with my house full to the brim, and no chance to shop I did what millions more must be doing and went on line.  I sat down in front of my computer that  Monday morning and did most of my Christmas shopping from the comfort of my warm cozy home with a great cup of coffee and hit the send button over and over.  I was very surprised to see the same great specials that they were promoting in the papers for Black Friday right at the touch of my finger tips. Some deals even had bidding and time limits on them. Too much pressure for me...as I had already avoided that hoopla on Friday morning.  Through out the following weeks I went back to my computer and just kept buying as the ideas came, and voilà...everything has come delivered right to my door step. No lugging all those packages back and forth. What I can't believe is how long it took me to really get the hang of this on line shopping thing.  I think if you stick with reputable companies like Amazon and such you can't go wrong.  I always get the free shipping.  If anything is wrong, they immediately take care of the problem, very, very good customer service.  I have purchased at least 90% of my Christmas gifts this year on line...and I don't think I will ever force myself again into those crowed malls unless it is for the pure ambiance of it all for a stroll through the hoopla to watch all the other crazies out there while I have a Cinnabon and a cup of coffee or something =]

Now after a wretched bout with the flu bug yesterday, all I am fit to do is start wrapping those packages.  Now if somebody has figured out and easier way to get this part done...let me know?

Happy Holidays my friends!!!

A few updates to my post:

Barbara said:I buy lots through Amazon and always thought it safe but this year was taken by a scam (advertised there) and lost a lot of money. I guess nothing is infallible in this life.


Note: it was not Amazon, but a company that had their advertisement at the bottom of the page.

 A few great ideas for wrapping...recycle those bags and use used calendars...I love that idea Podso!  Why am I saving all those old calendars for anyway...always thought they were too cute to throw out...hmmm

Chinook Winds

                I started this post last Friday, but finally am getting around to posting it...

The temperature is 50 degrees outside and the wind is blowing. Woo hoo !!!  After three weeks of snow and a cold constant blast from the north I am welcoming these warm winds from the south called Chinook. (click here if you are curious about what a Chinook is)  Not only are they melting all the snow but hopefully drying out the mud.  Now perhaps we can get on with the pool.  As is turns out they were able to move my pipes to a more decent location, and I will be able to regain my side yard path way.   Thanks for the prayers and to the power of blogdom.  Apparently my pool guy read my blog, and had mercy on me!!!  I had no idea that he would be reading it.  We became facebook friends and he followed my post back to my blog. So to the power of prayer however God chooses to work it our for good =)  Yeah

I have spent that last two days reclaiming my home, only to realize that in two more weeks they'll
be back...my family that is.  All except Meg, Ty and the girls, whom are now officially moved into their new home.  ( I will get you some pictures of their lovely home soon)  So we won't be busting at the seams this time.  I AM looking forward to the gathering of the clan once again.  I truly do enjoy them all so much!

 Hopefully my sister and I will have some of our more typically quiet moments together this time...a cup of tea and long midnight talks =}

Here are the pictures I promised...our house at Thanksgiving =)

Eden addicted to Aunty Jenna's Iphone

Aunt Jenna and Avey bonding moment

Men carving turkey

Frances (Josh's pup) in time out...poor thing

It turns out he was so anxious to play with the babies that he would get too excited and knock them down...and did I mention he is a bird dog...and we had a visiting bird in the house too...hehe

This really was a family circus moment...but we all survived quite well!

boy enjoying dinner

Avey meeting Lacy, Aunty Christina's bird who we carefully kept hidden from Frances

Yum yum

Exhausted but happy Nana

What Joy...What Fun!

Eden trying to hide out from all the holiday hoopla

I am sitting here this morning in silence...ahhh what a treasured moment LOL. Quiet is not what our house hold has been of late =)  Meg is out for the morning dropping Eden off at preschool, and doing a little shopping.  They moved in with us I think it was Nov 7th, so we are going on week four.  This weekend is the scheduled move into their new home if all the inspection stuff goes well this week.  It has been so great bonding with our precious little grand-babies.  They wake up first thing in the morning and cry Nana, Pappa Danny...it is so cute.  I am especially glad to have connected more with baby Avey.  She loves getting cuddles and giving them. We retreat into my bedroom every once in awhile and watch Little Bear together while she sits on my lap.  Ahhh...


Meg and I have gotten into a routine around here and things are going fairly smoothly...but let me tell you about Thanksgiving.  A holiday I will never forget...




Let's start in the great room, my son Josh and grand puppy Frances were residing here

Moving on to the study...which my sister Chris dubbed "The French Room" with it's sliding french doors.  

Her lovely accommodations include a double high blow up bed =)  And do notice the birdcage...yes we had her bird with Josh's birddog Frances in the house...Glory to God in the highest nothing tragic happened!

Upstairs loft...lots of overflow 

First bedroom occupied by Meg, husband and baby Avey

Bonus room/Art Studio occupied by Eden and Jenna Dear

What a mess to put on the World Wide Net  :>)

I think my favorite part during the whole week was looking over at my sister every once in awhile and we would both burst out laughing hysterically...what joy...what fun!

Blogger is being ridiculous and won't let me up load from my computer, says my picasso account is full...so I guess I will continue the saga later =)

Knee Deep in Fun!

This is what my table won't look like this year...hehehe

"I hope that you're still knee-deep in fun because you've not be heard from in eight days! :D Sounds wonderful to me...it's wonderful to have extended lengths of time to be together. "
Vee


A sweet comment from Vee, wondering if I am still having fun.  So I thought I would get in a quick response and update for all.  We are going on I think week three of Babies in the House.  Auntie Christina (my sister) and Uncle Pat pulled into town today.  They are now residing in the "French Room" as Chris has dubbed it.  My husband's study on the main floor with french sliding doors.  They have a brand new queen size blow up mattress on the floor for beddy time.  Puddin Toes can't figure out why they have their own special room =)  P.T. and baby sis are in the two up stairs bedrooms with mom and dad.  Jenna dear is flying in Tuesday night.  I have a rolling single bed under the upstairs daybed that will be her sleeping quarter in the loft.  On Wednesday Josh is coming with doggy Frances.  Josh will have his own new blow up bed in the great room on the main floor since he goes to bed the latest, and I guess Frances will be in the laundry room.  Our house is a mear 2400 sq. ft. But we are all cramming in here.  Don't worry though I plan on taking video and pictures of all The Rutherford Family Camp Granada experiences.  LOL


Am I still knee deep in fun....oh my YES!  As long as we all keep laughing about it.  I have doled out Thanksgiving for everyone to make something.  Jenna started whining about a pot luck Thanksgiving and then saw everyone else jumping in and  finally gave in under pressure and decided to make her Grandmother's deviled eggs.   I think I have 15 for Thanksgiving dinner.  I am breaking many a Rutherford tradition here, but what the heck I might even go all the way  and buy paper plates...nice ones of coarse =}


Meg and Ty are in a whirlwind as the last but hectic and final details of their house are underway.  I was out all day planting...I am their landscape designer/worker bee.  I had some great helpers, but my body is protesting =/  Seriously this is a season that will never come our way again, and I am catching every hug and kiss, every squeeze and love that I can hold on to and treasure for many years to come.  I even quit cooking and cleaning, and threw Costco pizza at everyone tonight. You have no idea how far I have come  =)))))


Oh we are still in the middle of pool hoopla...first bad thing happened today...I do need some prayer and help from God on this one.  The pipes and mechanical stuff are smack dab in the middle of my walk way instead of up against the house where I thought they were putting it.  Contractor is saying he can't make it work any other way...yikes I need a solution by tomorrow !!!!


If I don't get back on here till then...everyone of you dear folks have a wonderful Thanksgiving Day!!!!  

Babies in the House!

We have got babies in the house. Meg, Ty and babies are moved in for the next two weeks till their house is completed. But no worries Nana has a few tricks up her sleeve for lots of fun an entertainment =) BABIES R US 

         Meg's house in progress

The girls are so sweet. Lots of fun memories are being made.  Dan and I are constantly cracking up at our 3 year old grand daughter's expressions and comments. She is such a little communicator. Little Avey on the other hand is full of cuddles and love.  They are keeping us busy, but they couldn't be any more charming  Pray our energy keeps up with all the fun!

Our pool in progress

I guess you could say we are in a construction zone!

New Project

   

We have been busy with a  big new project going on in our backyard.  Finally getting to put in a pool.  A small swim spa really.  I hope it all turns out well.  There will be lots of garden fluffing going on after all this mess.   I am not too worried though =)

                                                                 More updates to come

These are NOT Your Grandma's Pickles

I was watching a new morning show on Hallmark.  "What Ever"   Martha Stewart has apparently taken over the channel with all her new shows.  I think it was the first show with her daughter Alexis and friend Jennifer, when Alexis started complaining about all the vegetables her mother had delivered to her apartment.  She was a little cranky while explaining how she had spent her whole evening roasting the vegetables to process them all.  Okay follow me now...;)  early last week I had watched a cooking show on pickling veggies with Jamie Oliver... I think.  Then I read a recipe for pickling on the internet...just to get the basic vinegar, water, salt, sugar ratio's.  That recipe suggested a marinade for veggies after they were pickled.  I thought the idea was brilliant, instead of leaving the veggies sitting in all that brine and getting soggy.

Sooo my creative right sided brain goes into action and some how I come up with all these amazing veggies combos.   I roasted two pans.  One pan with peppers, tomatos and onions.

Then the other pan with brocoli, carrots and cauliflower. I tossed them both with olive oil, salt, pepper, and freshly minced garlic.  On the one with peppers I sprinkled dried oregano and basil.   When the veggies came out of the oven I squirted them all with fresh lemon juice.

The peppers and onions I am using for a pasta salad tomorrow night.  The cauliflower, carrots and brocoli we ate tossed over some brown rice with some shredded pork I had simmering in the crock pot. YUM

 I still had some more cauliflower and lots of cucumbers to do something with.   So I did two separate batches of pickling water.  I just didn't go heavy on the vinegar or sugar.  I did throw in a few mustard seeds, and a pinch of salt.  When they were both gently cooked, I drained them and cooled them off in a marinade of olive oil and garlic.  I tossed fresh basil and cherry tomatoes in with the cucumbers.  Then with the cauliflower I used fresh oregano!!!  That was key.  I usually don't use my fresh oregano...I don't know why. I think I will quickly find more uses for this fresh herb.

For lunch that day I tried all my veggies over some low fat cottage cheese.  It was sooo delicious.  I am  never going to do the canning thing, but I must say both of these methods are a great snappy way to use up all those excess veggies coming our way this harvest season.

End of the Summer Whirlwind

Another one of those whirlwind seasons.  It really was calm for the six weeks of Dan's recovery compared to this.   We have had birthdays, a wedding, a funeral, three sets of visitors, another art show all in the last three weeks.  Did I mention we are helping plant a new church in town, and next week is the launch? lol  I am in constant fifth gear it seems these days.  I know I have another two busy weeks in front of me and then perhaps the calm after the storm will come :)  Then hopefully I can get to my completely neglected garden.   Although I still am enjoying all its last fling beauty from a distance... when I don't look too close :)

Here is one day during the last three weeks were I had a little overflow of Nana creativity.  Meg asked if we could just have a simple family birthday party for Eden at my house this year.  She is in a 700 sq ft. apartment with two babies and in the middle of building a house.  That is another story...

So I said sure.  She warned me...keep it simple.  When I went to the grocery store that day, the Dollar store just beckoned my attention and I thought...well maybe I will just run in there real quick and see what I can do for under ten dollars to decorate for the family birthday.  Needless to say I was quickly inspired :)

 It turned into a fairy princess theme.  Notice the butterfly wands in the vase, and the fairy wings on my chandelier. 

 It all started when I saw these resin fairy princesses in the front of the store...for only dollar...I ask you how could I resist?

 All ready for the party when  in walked the birthday fairy princess!

 She was so thrilled with her party!

 of coarse little baby sis was invited...my adorable Sweet Pea

 I can hardly believe my Eden is three!

one other princess joined us for birthday cake

The evening ended with some wonderful entertainment from the hula  girls :)