What Christmas looked like

Pretty stockings all in a row-

a new red coat for the snowy weather-
Nick made the apron with just a bit of help from me-

Smiley faces-

some more-

I need to learn how to get rid of red eye-it will be a great picture soon-

We surprised him with a camera mostly like mine (mine is pink) and he proceeded to figure out things it would do that we didn't know it would!

The one and only "hot wife" calendar-with the model fully clothed!

He actually likes new clothes-

lunch is there for grazing-

It was a great day, trips through the snow to pick everyone up just added to the fun. I really, really like our little group. I think they had fun too, but that would just be a bonus because I get such a kick out of giving gifts to them.

And today...I started packing the kitchen!!!!!

We ordered the appliances yesterday-it is so hard to believe this is actually happening...

Starting the New Year

Start the new year right and win something...
Rhonna creates the most amazing digital scrapbook images and she is doing a giveaway!
Be sure to enter and let me know if you win okay?!

Merry Christmas

An image Gary took yesterday on a little drive we took-
wishing you and yours the very merriest of Christmas lovin' today.

What's for dinner?

This is what was for dinner last night-yummy,warm and filling for little cost!

Potato Soup

2 medium potatoes
3 T. butter
1 C. onion-diced
2 T. flour
4 C. chicken stock
2 C. water
1/4 C. cornstarch
1 1/2 C. instant mashed potatoes
1 t. salt
3/4 t. pepper
1/2 t. basil
1/8 t. thyme
1 C. half and half

Bake potatoes-let cool ( cut them into 4 so they cool quicker)

Melt butter in large saucepan and saute onion. Add flour to onions and stir to make a paste.

Dissolve cornstarch in water, add to pot with stock, mashed potatoes and spices.
Bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer for 5 min.

Scoop contents from baked potatoes and cut into 1/2 inch chop.

Add potato and half and half to pan, bring back to boil, reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes.

I added chopped corned beef into mine. You could top your serving with cheddar cheese and bacon or green onion.

Enjoy....

The thing about snow

The thing about snow, a lot of snow, means you are stuck at home. And if you have been ready for christmas for a few weeks, it means you have lots of time on your hands. Then you take your hands and make multiple updates to your blog because it fills a little of the time...and you take pictures to show other people because it fills a little bit more time....

This is Daisy Cat who loves to sleep in this cupboard-but doesn't like to be interupted by a bored person-

This is the house across the street that a bored person could have fun looking at and chuckling every morning because the inflateables have deflated-

This is what a lot of snow looks like in the back yard, look closely and you will see even more falling.
This is what the lovely snow we do to an unsuspecting fabric gazebo that bored people should have taken down before the "BIG STORM OF '08"-
OH NO-poor thing-

Now it is only a memory of a cute salvaged table, brightly painted chairs and twinkle lights.

Spice girls

I was asked for the recipe...they don't have to be made into girls-I just thought it was funny. I also made hearts.

I took the spice info from one and added it to my sugar cookie recipe, that way there was no chilling necessary.

Spice Girl Cookies

***note the powdered sugar is in cups not pounds!

Cream: 1 c. butter, 1 ½ c. powdered sugar
Add: 1 egg, 1 t. vanilla, 1 t. soda, ½ t. salt, 1 t. cream of tartar, 2 T. molasses
Add: 3 c. flour, the tea from 2 chia spice bags, 2 t. pumpkin pie spice

Bake at 350˚ for 5-7 minutes.

What I'm thinking...

Take note-this is a long post, so much going on!
It was a very good year for Canazzi Photographics and a few people will be having a very good Christmas...
Baking is never more fun than when it is for Christmas and the carols are playing and snow is falling outside.
These are called almond clouds-

these are Spice girls made with Chia tea in the mix-

these are cranberry bliss bars before the icing...

Chocolate crinkles are Nick's favorite...

Gary and Amy like these fig and pistachio biscotti...

Kitchen thoughts- I am not going to miss this eyesore on the counter- or the faded clock radio/tape player-

or the stove right next to the fridge-

or this lovely space for cookie sheets,etc.-

or the contact paper covered top for the built in dishwasher that was never built in!

I won't miss having no light over the sink-

or the messy organization in the sitting area-

or the drawers that don't close-

or the very icky sometimes working ceiling vent-

or the dreaded black hole of the corner cupboards-

or the funky cut off cupboard that we did to accommodate our HUGE microwave when we moved in 20 years ago.

Sneak peak-markings for where new cupboards will be-

SNOW-SNOW-SNOW!
On the holly trees-

on the lovely cottage-

on the new MONSTER house-too bad snow won't cling to vertical surfaces!

and my new chalkboard in a vintage frame outside of the kitchen-

These are blurry but fun. Our trip to Peacock Lane in Portland.

Them...
Us... Snowy kisses under the mistletoe...

Hope you all have a lovely day-k

Christmas spirit via the Canazzi's

A bit of christmas fun, I smile every time I watch it! Oh to be that size again....

Life happens

Cuteness I won!

The images of my Christmas album as promised. What was an 8x8 spiral with black pages became a HUGE 12x12 scrapbook with yearly pages as well as our traditions.

Our contractor came over last night and more or less said I was dreaming way too big for my little kitchen. So I won't be getting cool units to pull out for the corners or a side opening wall oven :( It is not all bad though, Gary finally agreed to my Formica choice and glass tile backsplash. We also picked out cork flooring and all new appliances. Can't wait to get my "Martha Stewart Blue" mixer out! Here is a picture of Gary and I with the money needed to get this thing rolling.

Okay we are doing a remodel in a kitchen that is pretty cute. But under all that paint and contact paper is disaster....
A dear friend gave me these for Christmas-

Lovely thriftshop finds-

this cuteness was only $4 well actually $3.99!

Sunday with Amy started at her house doing box office chores for their production of The Best Christmas Pagent Ever. Then we headed home and made sugar cookies and decorated some of them. Amy made one for each of us-mine has sugar glitter...

I got a new hairdo(sorta like one I had before) and then my Wednesday craft student had to cancel because of the weather. It has been crazy around here. Snowing one minute then blue skies. Supposedly we are to have this wintery weather till Christmas...as long as it doesn't keep people from getting here-okay! I feel like I am trying to get a cold and then I had to have a root canal today. They numbed up the whole side of my face but my tooth was still sensitive to cold. So I got a few more shots and that did the trick. Now I'm on softish food and eating on the opposite side of my mouth until the dentist can fit me into his schedule. Which happens to be the 29th!! I'll be gumming my ham, etc. for Christmas.