Still no snow

Well it does not look good for a white Christmas. Which is probably nice for those who have to travel. I don't want a lot of snow, just enough to cover the grass.

Christmas will be a hard day this year as it will be the first time in 51 years that I will not be seeing my mom on Christmas day. I remember how much my mom loved making holidays so special.  I remember one Christmas when us kids go up early and there were mud prints on the kitchen floor, the glass of milk  we left for Santa was spilled and there were cookie crumbs left in the kitchen. I could not believe that Santa would leave such a mess. As I got older and was helping my mom get ready for Christmas I asked her about that Christmas morning and the muddy prints. She told me that she boiled water on the stove and then had my dad clear a spot of snow. She poured the boiling water on the spot my dad had cleared and then my she put on my dad boots and got them muddy. Looking back, I should have realized that with the snow and cold there would not be any mud. But my mom kept the magic of Christmas alive, even as we became adults.

Made a pot of chicken chili today! It is a grey, damp, chilly day so needed something to warm the ole bones!

Thanks for stopping by! Enjoy today!

Joan

Guess I better not wait for snow...

I am having a hard time getting going on making my Christmas cards this year. I was waiting for some snow hoping that would help, but looks like it might be a long wait. Strange for Wisconsin I know. We are suppose to be in the 40's most of the week, with a chance of RAIN on Thursday. This year I am doing things a little different. I used to go through my address book and do my Christmas cards that way. I hand make my cards, so I try to make them all at once, then get them ready to mail. This year, I am going to send them as I get them. Doing it the old way, half way through my address book, I was getting tired of writing, and my hands were getting sore, so I would not put personal messages in them. Just sign our names. Well this year by sending as I get them, I can sit and write a message and not feel so stressed about getting through the address book. So far, we have gotten 3 Christmas cards and getting them ready to send was a nice, relaxing experience. Putting a personal message in them, spending time to reflect on what it means to have this person in my life. Remembering the true meaning of this wonderful season.

I have not done any postings about volunteering lately. Last Friday was a weird day. Kailey (the other girl I volunteer with) usually split up the patients. We had a total of 14 people in the program, so we each took 7. We left the volunteer office off to see our first patients. Mine as on the 11th floor and Kailey's was on the 6th floor. We both got back to the volunteer office at the same time. Good news, both of those patients were getting ready to go home! We grabbed the next on our lists and headed out. Both on 8th floor this time. My patient was having some therapy and it was not  good time for a visit. I went back to the office. Kailey was there...her patient was down having x-rays. Hmmm, signs of what the day was going to be like. The next patients we went to see all had company, and I feel that visiting with company is much better than visiting with me, a volunteer. So Kailey and I were done early. We went and stocked the nurses helpers and cleaned the volunteer room. Hopefully our volunteer boss can find what he needs!

Hope everyone has a great day! Stop back soon!

Joan

Snuggle Exhilarations® White Lilac and Spring Flowers

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Monday...again!

Candy (our 3 year old chocolate lab) had taken a liking to getting up at 6 am! She can go outside and do her thing, eat and then falls right back to sleep. I on the other hand can not go back to sleep. So, I hit the floor running this morning. Have to go pick up some groceries. Hy-Vee has some awesome deals this week, and I am really getting the hang of this coupon thing. Not that I am going to have a massive stock pile, or spend hours in the check out doing lots of transactions, but I find trying to find a good deal thrilling. Also, if I don't buy the thing I have a coupon for, I leave the coupon near the product for someone else to (hopefully) pick up and use. My husband calls me the "coupon fairy." I am learning how to stack coupons with sales at the store. For today, Hy-Vee has a coupon in their ad for buy any 2 Ore-Ida potatoes, get one free. Plus I have a coupon for $1.00 off any Ore-Ida potato. Then we will stop at Wal-Mart. I am returning some cupcake mix I bought. It was on a clearance bin marked for $1.25. (Plus I had coupons for 75 cents off each box) I picked up 2, but when I got home they rung up for $2.88 each! Nope, not paying that much for a box mix. I am usually better at watching the scanner. Plus we have to find 2 gifts to take to our stroke meeting on Wednesday night. Then home to start baking. I am making an awesome peanut butter dessert to take Wed to our stroke meeting. It goes in the freezer and the recipe says it can be make up to 3 months in advance. So, I think I am safe making it today. Also going to make a batch of chocolate chip cookies. And trying a new recipe for supper, hamburger steaks. (Hy-Vee also has hamburger on sale this week!)

Hope to clean my craft room this afternoon, so I can start on making some Christmas Cards!

Take some time to find some joy and wonder in today!

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Joan

I want snow!

Happy Sunday! I have been trying to get my Christmas cards started, but just can't find the energy or spirit. I usually love making and sending cards, but not this year. I tried today to start, even put on some Christmas music, but that did not help. So, I made lasagna for supper and am now watching the Packer game. My dear husband went to Fleet/Farm with his friend today and he bought me 2 big bags of "angel food" It is my all time favorite candy and they only carry it this time of year. Maybe that will help put me in the Christmas spirit! Sure can't hurt! Plus I need postage stamps, and the thought of going to the Post Office does not help! I have a lot of friends who still work there, and I hear it is pure hell.

We have a busy week this week. It sure seems like we can go weeks with nothing special going on, but then when we do have something special going on they sure all seem to happen at once. Monday I am baking, Tuesday Bryan volunteers and I get the house work done. Wednesday we have our Young Stroke Survivor/Caregivers support group. It is our Christmas party! Students from the University come and help the  stroke survivors play casino games. They have prizes you can bid on with your winnings. It is also our pot luck, so that means I don't have to cook!! Plus it is a good night to catch up with other caregivers and chat. Thursday we have a Stroke luncheon. We will get to see the recreation therapist who worked with Bryan when he was going through day rehab. She lost her job when they closed the day rehab (November 2010) so it will be nice to see her again. Then it will be Friday and that means volunteer day! WHEW!

I hope you all have a great day!

Thanks for stopping by and hope to see you again soon!

Joan

It's Yummilicious!

Good Morning! It has been a long week. My Aunt passed away on Saturday night. This is my dad's sister and his only living sibling. My dad just lost his wife (my mom) 5 months earlier, so it was a hard day yesterday at her funeral.

I have been following Becca at http://itsyummi.com/ and she is giving away a cookbook. She has some awesome recipes on her blog. You will get hungry just looking at it. But thankfully you won't gain any weight!

You should go check out her blog and sign up for the cookbook! Good luck everyone!

Joan