Gingerbread and Hot Cocoa

I had to reschedule to a later time slot due to sports, one still had back to back practices and the three oldest grandchildren had numerous conflicts, but we did get the houses made! 

I cheated and bought box kits. These came from Family Dollar and were only $5 each. They came with candy, icing and all the prebaked pieces for the house and roof. I was more than impressed. The pieces were thick enough that they did not break, they were cut with slots like giant puzzle pieces and the icing dried quickly enough that they did not collapse while being decorated. 

To kill some time while the walls set up, I prebaked some cut out cookies from GFS for the kids to decorate. 

The white foam trays for the cookies and houses helped keep other people's fingers out of your icing, frosting and candies. 

I was so excited at how seriously they undertook the tasting of the hot cocoa.  Everyone got three of the tiny Santa mugs I purchased at Big Lots. #1 was Salted Carmel, #2 was raspberry, #3 was original, plain old hot cocoa.  (I don't have an adventurous bunch). The tasters voted and it was very close between Salted Carmel and original. 

Even the little guys were proud of their creations.  

I baked a ham, put together a macaroni salad, a pasta salad and a crockpot of chili for the parents and children.  After all their hard work, they put about 5 ornaments on my tree (the decorating plan was a failure). They wrote a short play about leaving Santa milk and cookies; we were treated to a performance.  Then they just enjoyed being cousins.  I am going to try to upload a video which shows a brief minute in the chaos that ensued. 

It went very well!  I love getting as many of my grandchildren together as possible and creating memories.  I think they all really enjoyed the evening. 

I had some meetings today - I don't want to share a downer - and tomorrow I guess I will decorate the tree.  

Head Above Water

It's been a very busy December here at the Picket Fence, but the elves did move into the dollhouse 45 minutes before my youngest granddaughter arrived, so I am counting today as a win. 

First thing this morning we put a grandson on the bus and then took the two youngest grandsons three towns away to see a holiday model train exhibit.  

After my granddaughter inspected the dollhouse for any changes or improvements, her mother and baby brother joined us for our annual uptown walk to see the Christmas store windows. Somehow it was sixty degrees this evening which made this activity much more enjoyable than previous years. 

Tomorrow I am hosting 7 of the 10 grandchildren for gingerbread house making and hot cocoa taste testing.  I am hoping to bribe them into decorating my tree which has been barren since we set it up the day after Thanksgiving. 

I hope you all will enjoy some great December photos come January. 

Thankful Tuesday

I have a feeling many of us will be otherwise occupied on Thursday, so I decided this week will be Thankful Tuesday. 

I am thankful that we had very prolific tomato plants this summer. I can't can on my glass stovetop but I did freeze gallon bags of whole, cored tomatoes that I am cooking into pasta sauce. 

I drizzle some olive oil in the bottom of my pot and add diced onion. You can add garlic, but we like just onion. 

I sprinkle with lots of salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, extra basil and oregano. 

I heat to boiling, then let simmer for an hour or two, occasionally mushing them with my potato masher. 

Here is tonight's offering with some ground beef over ravioli. 

Right now I am trying to cook down a bag a week since I need to clear space in the freezer. Today I was able to put my holiday supply of Christmas Tree ice cream bars in, but we are hoping to get a beef quarter in January and I need the space. 

Here is a comforter that I ordered a few months ago. I actually ordered a twin size and a full/queen. They are heavy comforters, but I didn't like the way they look in the room. I washed them, put them in a closet and forgot about them. Until I needed Christmas decorations.  

I am thankful we have enough warm blankets and when I found them, I decided they needed to go to someone else. My daughter contacted a social worker who is moving a homeless shelter family with two boys into an apartment and is passing them along. I am thankful for the social worker, a home for the comforters and so happy that these boys will have a home for Christmas. 

I am thankful for the time I can spend with my grandchildren.  Many of my friends think we are crazy to be full-time daycare providers for the grandchildren (and sometimes I do wonder about us, too), but the youngest had some solo days this past week and helped me bake. 

He was very happy to help make brownies from scratch.  Who knew you didn't need a box!

The next day we made apple breakfast bread and he was very good at mixing. 

Next year the next to the youngest will enter all day kindergarten and the youngest will attend preschool from 8:30 to 2:30 four days a week. And the year after he will attend all day kindergarten in another town. Our daycare time has gone by so quickly. 

I am thankful for the bounty of food and family we will enjoy this year for Thanksgiving. And I am thankful we have the resources to provide this. 

One of my favorite Thanksgiving stories was when I went back to work when our five kids were in elementary school.  I could not afford Thanksgiving groceries until I got paid on Wednesday. I left work at 4:30 and went straight to the bank. Then I went and bought everything for the meal the next day, including a frozen turkey that I knew I would be thawing in the bathtub all night. The store was the normal madhouse you would expect and when I got back to my car, it turned out that customers had started a new row and I was trapped in a triple parked lane with a row ahead of me and a row behind me.  And there I sat with a frozen turkey to be thawed, 10 pound bag of potatoes to be peeled, 5 loaves of bread to be diced with a bag of onions and a bunch of celery, cans of green beans and mushroom soup and pumpkin pie filling.  Waiting for someone to move a car.  And waiting.  And waiting.

I am thankful I have the funds to shop ahead. 

I have mentioned before that I am on a board that assists clients with financial challenges. This really gives me an opportunity to appreciate all my blessings.  I had a particular client this week that needs a few prayers for her health and some doors to open for some assistance to put her and her family back on their feet.  Even with the improving economy, many families are struggling with working enough hours with health challenges and childcare challenges, retired families with a limited income and other circumstances that are unplanned and expensive. 

I am thankful our community and businesses work together to try to assist those in need. 

Wishing a Happy Thanksgiving to Everyone! 

Thankful Thursday

I decided I needed to post more often, so here is a try from my phone while sitting in my office.  

I also decided I need to be more thankful!

I am thankful for my volunteer job and thankful for the businesses and individuals that make it possible.  One day a week I sit in my office, accept walk-in applications and interview clients who are facing financial difficulties with paying for housing and utilities.  

I am thankful that the street project in front of the office is nearing completion.  Today I had to walk 2 blocks, turn left and walk two blocks, cross the street and walk 6 blocks to the building because they are filling on lane in front of the building's driveway with 14" of asphalt.

I am thankful that my friend is handling her second round of breast cancer with such positivity, determination and spunk. She is a member of a literary guild and volunteered to host a vintage tea party this week. She is the Victorian woman on the left. The woman in the vest is her sister who is a breast cancer survivor.

Okay, adding a photo was a challenge. 

I am thankful that at this point in our lives we have too much food in our freezer. My grocery money went to the preschool can drive. 

I am thankful the health situation of a family member seems less critical than first thought. 

I'm thankful my grandchildren are happy and healthy.

 That's probably enough for now and I have convinced myself to return to posting from my laptop. Have a great weekend.