Start To The Holidays

After spending the day wrapping gifts, I started thinking about some of the goody type things I might make for the big day. A friend of mine suggested Whoopie Pies, and it was then I had to admit that I really don’t like them.

whoopie pies

Now don’t get me wrong. I love chocolate cake. I love white frosting, but somehow when you make a “sandwich” out of the cake and frosting, well, it just doesn’t do it for me.

Now give me a Snickerdoodle Cookie and I am a really happy girl, but the Whoppie Pie? Not so much!

Snickerdoodles2

I’m thinking I may just make a batch of Snickerdoodles tomorrow. I really love them and I think I would enjoy it. I could also give my friend some.

I did get everything wrapped, and now it is closed away in my closet. You see, Greta loves to open presents! Yours, mine, anyone’s, so I have to hide everything until the actual day.

I do have presents for the dogs. Kong Balls for each of them, and chew toy rope toys. They’re wrapped and on Christmas morning they get to open them!

I hope you all had a good weekend before Christmas! Have a wonderful day and a half at work!

Saturday

On Saturday, Hubby and I went out to clear our driveway. It’s about 400 feet up hill, and since our snow blower died, we had done almost no shoveling. But with ice forecast for tomorrow, we decided to go out and clear the drive off.

We worked for two hours. I carefully slid the snow off the drive to the ditches on either side. The good news is, we got the drive completely cleared and so when it began to rain we were all set. Now, if we get ice? Well, I think we will be in for a while.

After we finished, we changed into dry clothes and then took off to do the last of our Christmas shopping.

We stopped at our local Chinese Buffet, where a few weeks ago I had dropped my credit cards on their floor. Our usual waitress picked them up and saved them for me and today I brought a little something for her and told her how much I appreciated her actions. She was really happy, and I think she appreciated the fact that I had not taken her kindness for granted.

Then Hubby and I hit the Outlet Mall. We went into a few stores and I kept running into people I knew. It was so much fun! Hubby kept joking that I knew more people at the Mall than the Governor of our State!

We got home in time to feed the hounds, and about that same time, my joints began to ache. All that snow and slush shoveling! So now I think a nice hot bath will be a good way to relax!

Girls Day

Friday I spent the day with my girls. It’s so much fun to see how much Savannah changes each time I see her. She is talking a lot more and at one point when I was helping her eat, I asked her if she was ready (for the next spoonful) and she looked right at me and said “Yes!”

I’m also thrilled because she is starting to know that my name is “Oma”! And she seems to enjoy saying it. She also loved the words, “Dadda”, “Mama”, “Nana”, and “No”. She cracks me up as she laughs a lot!

We listened to Michael Buble’s Christmas CD and danced with wild abandon! Then we looked at Mikhail Baryshnikov dancing in “The Nutcracker”. Savannah loved that too, and tried like anything to dance like the ballerinas!

We did a little birthday shopping at Macy’s. They were having great sales and I bought my girl (Mandy) some pretty new things! I totally love the new sweaters she got!

I managed to get back home shortly after sunset fed the dogs and I even made Hubby dinner! What a wife I am!

I hope today we can go out and finish our Christmas shopping. We’re due for an ice storm tonight and tomorrow and I want to get it all done today.

This & That

Good morning everyone. Last night I lay in bed, and I realized I had not written a post for Dackel Princess! I thought for a minute I should get up and write a post, but then, the bed was so warm and comfortable, and Anneliese and Greta were all snuggled in, and I decided that I could actually wait until morning to write.

Yesterday, in the middle of the afternoon, I stood in the middle of the family room and looked at Hubby and said…”I actually am feeling better!” I am both shocked and happy about this, after such a long siege of illness.

Today Hubby is off to the VA to get the results of all of his tests, and later today I have an important dental appointment. The dentist is going to replace a large filling, with a medicated one. Please say a little prayer. I have the worst teeth in the world, despite taking care of them in my adult years, and I am trying desperately to hold on to them

Each day brings us closer to our vacation! Yesterday I was speaking to Ben’s Mom about it. He is our house/dog sitter and she knows he will do a fine job. She is also just down the road if it all goes to he!! and he needs help, it’s nice to know his Mom is just down the road.

I am really looking forward to Christmas. We’ll be spending the afternoon with Mandy, Matt and Savannah! I can hardly wait! Talk about a little kid being excited! This old Oma is really both excited and happy!

Wednesday Hodgepodge

1. Do you believe in miracles?

Yes, I do. But I have also learned that sometimes God’s miracles are not what I might like or want. You know. Like when you were a kid and you prayed for candy bars? Well I’ve learned to pray for God’s will to be done. Sometimes a real miracle does occur. Other times my heart breaks and I lean on God to get through, thus providing a miracle of faith.

2. What’s a recent fad you admit to trying?

I am really totally fad-less! I’m so old and fixed in my ways, it is not funny. OK, if I have to say something I will admit to buying a paisley shirt!

3. Peppermint-are you a fan? If so, what’s your favorite food or beverage containing peppermint?

Love peppermint! Favorite food containing peppermint? Oh at this time of year I love peppermint bark!

4. Break the ice, on thin ice, as cold as ice (emotionally, not literally)…which phrase have you run into most recently? Explain.

Break the ice. I have a lot of trouble telling people how I really feel. I am terrified of being rejected. This year I actually told someone how I really felt. (It went well.)

5. Have you ever broken or spilled something in someone else’s home? Still friends?

Yes. I fell all over myself with regret and I replaced the item, but the relationship was never the same. I sort of wonder if I ever really was their friend, and that this was an excuse. You see it was a bathroom light globe. I went right out and replaced it and Hubby installed it. But after that the relationship ended.

6. ‘Tis the week before Christmas…are you feeling more like Buddy the Elf or the Grinch before his heart grew?

Buddy the Elf I guess. I am really into Christmas. Savannah’s present arrives today. I can hardly wait.

7. Share a favorite quote relating to Christmas.

“Dear George, Remember no man is a failure who has friends. Thanks for the wings, Love, Clarence.”
From “It’s A Wonderful Life”

8. Insert your own random thought here.

Jan 22 017

My favorite winter picture of Arnie!

Terrifically Tuesday!

I was in such a Christmas mood today. I got a bunch of little presents for people, and I caught myself humming Christmas Carols! Yes, the Christmas Bug has bitten me!

Hubby and I did a multitude of shopping, and the poor guy went for blood work and lost 7 tubes of the red stuff. He was lamenting this to me, when I reminded him that it’s Christmas and tubes of blood are a seasonal red!

Then we stopped by a store I like and I was able to get two tops for our cruise. That made me even more excited. I felt the vacation coming upon me.

This year I also feel relaxed about the care of the dogs. A friend of ours is home from college and he will be moving in while we are gone! The dogs love him and so I am not at all worried about leaving them!

I got my little tree up and I am really enjoying it. It’s so delicate and pretty and it makes me think of my Mom.

So life is good, so much is getting done, and we are feeling good,despite the 14 inches of snow we got on Sunday. I’m just hoping they are wrong about tomorrow and that we do not get another 3-5 inches if snow!

This Snowy Weekend

I’m so excited! I purchased Savannah’s Christmas present today! At least one of them. The big one! I talked to Mandy to make sure she didn’t have it and she said no, but she would LOVE it! So ordered it I did!

I finally got up my little Christmas tree. It was my Mom’s tree. I added a few more lights, my decorations, and tinsel and garlands. It looks lovely and happy!

Dec. 15 011

We got 14 inches of snow last night, with more expected on Tuesday. When the dackels saw all that snow they didn’t want to go out! But in the end they went out and then came rushing back in.

It took Hubby all day to clear our drive, but he got it done. He’d tired and I think I am too, even though I didn’t do the snow blowing.

Christmas Is Coming

On Friday night I sat watching a little TV, when suddenly at 8 o’clock I felt so tired. So I got my pajamas on and headed in to bed. I’d intended to rest for a bit and then come out and do a few more things. Instead I slept for twelve hours!

So, needless to say I didn’t get Dackel Princess written. Instead I slept. I guess I need to catch up on the sleep. My body has been just taxed beyond measure with this illness, and I think sleep is good.

Today I feel better, but still have that barking cough. In fact the cough is driving me a bit insane and tonight my back is sore from the barking.

I worked diligently on writing my Christmas Cards today and on Monday I will be mailing them all. Next week is  Mandy’s Birthday and then Christmas. So many things coming up to celebrate!

Feeling Better

I am finally feeling better! Yay, me! It’s been a long recovery. I’ve decided to take things slowly as I have already relapsed one time before this. And at this point, with Christmas and my vacation coming along, I certainly do not want to get sick again!

I’m doing well with my Christmas shopping. I only have two people left to buy things for and then I am done! Being sick and sitting in front of a computer where one can Christmas Shop, has been a very good thing!

I love Amazon!

I’ve started to write Christmas Cards. Yes, we’re sending them out, but without our usual Christmas letter. Just a small one explaining that 2013 has not been kind, with the exception of the light of our lives, Savannah Rose!

In order to print these up I need to get fresh cartridges for my 14 year old Hewlett Packard printer! It’s a great machine, but we’re having trouble getting ink for it now.

Hubby is off to the diabetic footwear shop tomorrow. It is very close to Walmart and I will have him get dog food and the printer ink when he is there.

Meanwhile, when he is out, I might just get that Christmas tree up! I keep saying I will do it and I haven’t. It’s time. Before Christmas arrives!