Category Archives: holiday

Dec31

Almost New Year’s!

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Not much going on, it’s chilly and dreary. We all have the munchies too much and have that feeling we are getting the sniffles. Bri was knocking out a wall in the basement (yep) bathroom on Saturday that was blocking a combination of about 12′ of shelves I need for my holiday decorations. He’s not finished yet.

Hmmm…resolutions…the same old thing-eat healthier, exercise, lose weight. With my hobbies, I don’t make lists like my stitchy pals, I just tell myself to work on UFOs, make some Christmas ornaments and do a few charity squares.

Sunday we went to church, then to a local home center (checking out what was left of their holiday decorations- got a few) , went to Wawa for hoagies and finally food shopping. I plan to have all finger foods tomorrow for dinner and snacking.

That’s all folks and here is ‘Happy New Year’ in several languages:

Happy New YearIn Many Languages
Chinese (Cantonese)
 Gung hay fat choy (a New Year greeting meaning, “May you become prosperous.”)
Sun nien fai lok (meaning, “Happy new year”)
Chinese (Mandarin)
 Xin nian yu kuai
Danish
Godt Nytår
Dutch
 Gelukkig nieuwjaar
Farsi
 Aide shoma mobarak
French
Bonne année
Gaelic
Aith-bhliain Fe Nhaise Dhuit
German
Gutes Neues Jahr
<!– Greek
Kali chronia–> Hawaiian
Hauoli Makahiki Hou
Hebrew
Shanah tovah
Hmong
Nyob zoo xyoo tshiab
Indonesian
elamat Tahun Baru		 Italian
Buon Capo d’Anno
Japanese
Akemashite Omedetou Gozaimasu
Norwegian
Godt Nyttår
Pilipino (Tagalog)
Maligayang Bagong Taon
Polish
Szczesliwego Nowego roku
Portuguese
Feliz ano novo
Romanian
La Multi Ani
Russian
S Novym Godom
Spanish
Feliz Año Nuevo
Sudanese
Wilujeng Tahun Baru
Swedish
Gott Nytt År
Turkish
Yeni Yiliniz Kutlu Olsun
Welsh
 Blwyddyn Newydd Dda

Dec27

Crash and burn

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We’ve all been sleeping in late over the last few days. Staying up until 1-2 is not good for the breadwinner of the family (he is off this week), and it kind of messes up his schedule.

Yesterday turned out to be a gloomy, rainy day. I did get dressed to go shopping and right after I put my boots on, the heavens opened up! Bri and I ran down to McDonald’s a little later to grab a quick dinner and the woman taking the order sounded so different than the usual people working there. Bri got in two orders and the woman said to ‘check the screen’ for the total and that was that. We got up to the pick-up window and the young man there said the woman was on a phone line taking orders for them from North Dakota! Is that weird or what? I think our McDs has so many people working there that use English as their second language, many of the orders are messed up-it’s happened to us a lot lately. We had to add to the order and then forgot a few things as it was.

It cleared up a bit and Bri took me to Peebles department store around 7:30 and I got a few things for 75% off-a Cardinal bird salt (that I wanted) and pepper set and a matching creamer and sugar.  We went to Big Lots and their stuff was more picked over.

When I got home I finally watched James Taylor’s ‘One Man Band’ DVD-the show Bri and me saw him perform last October at the Tower Theater. It was up close and personal and a nice way to spend an evening.

Sean and I will probably head over to Longwood Gardens in the late afternoon. My pass expires today (I will probably renew it) and of course the Christmas display is still up. They also have a new children’s garden with special effects like steam and hopping streams of water, just to name a few things. I’ve been watching them build it all year.

Have a great rest of the day!

Dec23

Love/hate cookie baking

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I do love making cookies but not when I’m baking down to the wire for a major holiday. I actually went to the grocery store-again!-with Bri so he could get some cheeses and meats for his dad. Every year we give him a food basket. When I got home, I got started on the lemon squares. I had let the butter sit out too long and the bottom part was like icing instead of crumbly. They came out good, but the lemon part separated from the bottom part. I have them really squeezed into a tin, so maybe the two parts will meet again. I also did the macadamia orange cookies and they are delicious! I just assembled a nice variety of cookies in a Chinese take-out container for Mr. Mailman and stuck it in a Christmas Glad bag and out it went to the mailbox. I’ve done that as long as I can remember-cookies for about 4 different carriers now.

I was sitting here thinking that I should make cookies a few times a month and freeze them to have. That way I could try different ones and pick the best for Christmas.

Well off to relax a bit. I was going to tidy up more, but ended up in the bedroom tidying up my clothes-whew-it looked like a cyclone hit!

I slept really well last night as I wasn’t cold for a change! We have some balmy weather and it makes it nicer for sleeping. Someday we will replace the door in the basement that has glass panels in it (that leads to the steps and metal doors) that is directly under our bedroom. It’s cold in the winter!

Congrats to my friend Barbara on the arrival on her new son Arden. Not sure if he was born on the 21st or 22nd. Her husband left a message in her comments yesterday and that’s all we know. Can’t wait to see a photo of him!

Dec21

Making this the quiet day

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Now 6 kinds of cookies is a lot and I can’t believe I want to make 2 more kinds! I must have lemon bars. And then there is the one with those expensive macadamia nuts. I need a breather though. I just can’t do anymore standing on my feet for a day or so. I can’t forget I had that dang procedure only 3.2 weeks ago!

The cookies with the caramel sauce were really sticky and I had to let them set up in the frig. And then I used cheap-o aluminum foil-don’t use that. I have to sit down and make sure the cut bars don’t have tiny pieces stuck to them. I had some in my mouth-I was lucky I don’t have many metal fillings left in there! : )

<—Go check out Alexis Stewart’s cookies and candies on either her mom’s blog or her ‘Whatever’ blog! She really goes to town with some extraordinary treats and packaging! She obviously only makes them and doesn’t eat them-skinny! I sample mine to make sure they are good. That’s usually enough for me until I want a cup of cocoa or tea…and a cookie!

Sean is coming home in the afternoon. His big present came today. I can’t say what it is as I’m getting mom the same thing and hers didn’t come, though hers has an accessory. If you want to guess in my comments what these are, go ahead. Think Longwood Gardens…..or any neat place…..

I have a list here:

Christmas stuff in the bedroom-need to go through stuff I purchased last year at then JoAnn’s sale.

Tidy up near sofa, eBay box and bookcase area (yes, books are on the floor too). The sofa area is doable-not sure of the other places. See all these books? They are the ones I had to move back in September. I think I could have hurt myself doing this.

Full bookcase!

What’s sad is that one full shelf is all Christmas books-crafts, decorations, those lovely Southern Living ones, and I didn’t open one of them this year. Not to say I won’t during the next year when I want to do more crafting!

Next on the list:

Finish cookies (not today!)

Fudge-takes 5 minutes. I just read that someone makes it the way I do, on the stove, and they whip it before pouring it in the pan! I’ll have to find their post about that again.

Christmas card for a family from our church who was concerned about me and the procedure. I was really touched that they sent me a card.

Bows on gifts-I told you why.

And I forgot to put my mini Belsnickle Santas out! I have to see if their display case can be hung up. I don’t have a ton of table space.

Thanks to all who commented on my decorations. I looked at 100 blogs-no wonder my eyes are tired-and I didn’t see any other snowbabies-yet.

Check out my ‘board of fame’-family, friends, Make A Child Smile kids and their thank you notes, pictures I like, postcards, my 30th reunion name tag! Can you spot the first photo of Bri and me taken in one of those photo booths (on the boardwalk in Wildwood, NJ)?

Ribbon board

Try to take it easy!

Dec20

Winding down

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Ever have a busy day and you know you should be getting shut eye, but the adrenaline just keeps pumping? I am getting there, very tired and yawning. Wednesday I made 4 kinds of cookies-Butter flavored Crisco Chocolate Chips (the best recipe), 7 layer cookies (from a box mix-so skimpy, I’ll make more), Russian Tea cakes and last but not least, Rum Raisin Cheesecake squares. Two were in a pan, so not too hard to make. My CCs are a little brown, I swear the first batch gets that way. Today I’m trying new recipes…involving ice cream caramel sauce, macadamia nuts, peanuts and peanut butter cookie dough-not in one cookie recipe! I have a ton of Reese’s peanut butter cups I should sub for Hershey kisses in that blossom recipe.

I’ve been watching ‘Clash of the Choirs’ as I’ve been in so many. It would have been awesome to be in the Patti LaBelle one! I sing soprano, but I can sing lower if I wanted to. : )

Wish my friend Barbara well, she may be welcoming her little kiddle into the world today! Good luck!

Dec19

Guess who?

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The early 1980s…
About 1982
My Princess Diana look!

Me at Longwood Gardens
Gee, to be that thin again! I was looking through some old albums and these caught my eye. I was at Longwood Gardens in the second shot. Who knew I’d live so close a few years later?
I managed to wrap almost all the gifts-it took me about 2.5 hours Monday night and then about 1/2 hour Tuesday. I am missing some big gifts that haven’t arrived yet-hurry up! LOL I don’t add bows and ribbons until the last minute as they fall off or get flattened. I’ll show you the pretty papers when they are nicely arranged under the tree.
I had to return a gift to TJ Maxx that was too small for my niece. I should stay away from that store. I got a new rug for under the computer desk, a new pillow and a few more ornaments. Naughty. I’m naughty for staying up so late as I have a baking schedule to adhere to. I am pretty zonked. I went through about 80 blogs in the Christmas tour of homes. I’m trying to catch up!

Update-Since I have that coupon printer installed, I did a search and found a few places where you can print out coupons! One is coupon.com. I like it because you don’t have to sign up, but if you add your zip code, you get more to choose from. Some coupons even come with recipe ideas! You can’t beat that!

Not sure if I’m fighting a sore throat, but it hurts in just one spot. I’m going to bake this afternoon and take it easy tonight.

Both our parents are causing us worry lately. My mom has been having some dizzy spells. She thinks from lack of eating, well that makes sense. She is also borderline diabetic. I suggested she have a small glass of orange juice in the morning when she first gets up. Brian’s dad fell down getting gas (at night) and felt like he had something stuck in his throat. He was eating on the bus coming home from Atlantic City and has no beverage. He’s had this happen before. I believe he gets panicky which makes his throat tighten up more. I think we’ve all done that.

Dec18

Christmas 1984

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Norfolk pine

This was our first Christmas tree as a married couple 23 years ago. We lived in a second floor apartment and didn’t have any ornaments or that many decorations. I bought this little Norfolk pine and made the best of it. The teak tea cart was a wedding gift from my cousin who owned ‘Dane Decor’ (her children still do) and we still have it in our dining room. We also still have the framed house blessing (also a gift).I have little red hearts as some of the ornaments. Below is my grandfather’s creche. I see I have some Holly Hobbie paper ornaments strung under the window. I crocheted the little stocking when I was about 19 and it’s in a middle of a garland this year! I believe my in-laws gave me the nutcrackers. I haven’t had them out for a while. By the way, I made those iris curtains which went well with our cinnamon color sofa (that was one of the best sofas to nap on unlike the red monster we have now).

Dec17

Christmas Tour of Homes 2007

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Merry Christmas and welcome to my little corner of Pennsylvania! All the photos are ‘labeled’ so enjoy a peek around my home. My husband and I both took the photos here. I may add more! Thanks Boo Mama for hosting this again! Check out the post under this one for some free stuff!

Christmas Tour of Homes

A late add, but here’s a yummy bar cookie!
Rum Raisin Cheesecake squares
(I can’t find the book I used, so copied it from a group I’m in-from a post from last year!)
1/3 cup butter or margarine softened
1/3 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup chopped nuts
1 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup sugar
1 egg
3 Tablespoons rum (or extract)
1/2 cup raisins (I used golden raisins)
To make th crust-cream together the butter and brown sugar, stir in the flour, and add the nuts. Press into an 8-or 9-inch square pan., reserving some of the crumbs to use as a topping. Bake in 350 deg oven for 10-12 minutes. Cool.
With a mixer beat the cream cheese until fluffy. Add the sugar, egg and rum, beat well. Then stir in the raisins. Spread the mixture over the cooked crust, then sprinkle with the remaining crumbs. Bake in a 350 oven for 20-25 minutes.
Makes 9-12 servings.

Dec16

12 Things about me Christmas Hoopla

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Here are the golden rules:

1. List 12 random things about yourself that have to do with Christmas.
2. Please refer to it as a ‘hoopla’ and not the dreaded ‘m’-word…
3. You have to tag specific people when you’re done. No “if you’re reading this, consider yourself tagged” stuff is allowed…then nobody ends up actually doing it. The number of people who you tag is really up to you — but the more, the merrier to get this ‘hoopla’ circulating through the blogosphere.
4. Please try and do it as quickly as possible. The Christmas season will be over before we know it! Let’s involve as many people as possible!
5. Please give Andrea some link-love as the “Hoopla-Creator!

  1. I always have to get my Christmas cards filled out and mailed by the first week of December. To me, if you aren’t wishing your family or friends at least a yearly ‘hello’ you are missing out on the togetherness factor of the holiday.
  2. My grandparents planted evergreen trees in their backyard in the 50s. After my grandfather passed on, my grandmom and mom built the house mom lives in now. A few years when the budget was tight, selling those trees helped buy us gifts. There are still some left and they are really tall now!
  3. I love to think of themes for Christmas decorating as not to have the same thing every year. This year it’s red and white and cardinals and candy canes. In the past I have lined up the candy canes along the front; this year the candy canes are in my umbrella bucket on the front step!
  4. I really like a spotlight on the door, but I usually have different wreaths, many that I have fashioned, over the years.
  5. We started the tradition of getting dressed up and going to one of our favorite restaurants on Christmas Eve. It’s right up the street from my mom. Afterwards, we visit my brother and his family.
  6. My pets always get a stocking and gifts. : )
  7. Another thing we just started doing is going to midnight mass in a nearby town. They have a fabulous choir and attending this service really stirs my soul.
  8. Cookie baking is my thing. I go crazy! I try to bake all my cookies in about 2-3 days. I have to make chocolate chips first, just in case I run out of time, I have them!
  9. I usually make the Christmas dinner. I may have pot roast or ham or even lasagna. But not all in the same meal.
  10. Although I love real trees, the fear of fire is in the back of my mind since we have two heat ducts right where we usually put the tree. I am really happy with our artificial tree and will use different decorations to make it look different each year.
  11. As a child, my favorite Christmas book is ‘Mr. Willowby’s Christmas Tree’ and I own a copy now.

  12. If I miss ‘It’s A Wonderful Life’, I feel I’ve missed a little piece of Christmas.

I tag: Lee, Carol S. and Zoey.