The Completed Christmas Projects

The following pictures are of the gifts I made for my family members for Christmas this year.  If you saw my previous post on Christmas Projects to make, then you've seen what I had planned to do.  This post is to show you what I actually got done.

This went to 6 married couples in the family.  It was a certificate, a box of Swiss Miss Hot Chocolate Mix, and some Hershey's Kisses.  It is a membership to a "Cookie of the Month Club".  Not a REAL membership mind you, because although those ARE available, I wanted this to be more personal.   It's a promise to send the recipient two dozen homemade cookies on the 15th of each month. 

 The schedule is as follows:

• January:  Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip
• February:  Sugar Cookies
• March:  Oatmeal Raisin Chocolate Chip
• April:  Peanut Butter Honey Cookies
• May:  Chocolate Chip Walnut Cookies
• June:  Butterscotch Chocolate Chip Cookies
• July:  M & M cookies
• August:  Coconut Almond Chocolate Chip Cookies
• September:  Old Fashioned Chocolate Chip Cookies
• October:  Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
• November:  Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
• December:  Ginger Krinkle Cookies

I think I may have shot myself in the foot with this cookie gift thing.

Then, I gave hubby a membership to the "Date of the Month" Club.  I think he liked this gift, but he has yet to give me his date options so that I can start planning.

Dahlin' had also complained that we didn't have enough pot holders or hot pads in the house for him to use when cooking.  So, I went garage sale shopping and found these wonderful little denim place mats for only $3 for the set!  Now, when you go shopping and you see something like, say, a place mat, I'm sure you see a PLACE MAT.  Not me, unh unh.  When I look at a place mat like these, I see things like.......

Custom made potholders and.....

Sweet little denim pocket purses.

I also had a little roll of camoflage duct tape which I then tranformed into a wallet for the Boy Scout son of mine.

Here's another little creative idea that I gleaned from the internet.  I just love the internet. Don't you?

Personalized Checkers game

I also made a Family Yahtzee game and a Memory Card game.

Then, I made a charm bracelet for my daughter.

Time to start planning next year's projects!

My December Christmas To Do List

Well, here it is.  December 1.  Only 24 more shopping days until the Big Day!  It's been a tough year for us here at the oxbow.  Dahlin' hasn't worked like he did last year which made our budget just a tad bit tighter.  I'm a little late with the brainstorming, but I wondered if I could possibly do a "buy nothing" Christmas....well, with the exception of purchasing things like computer ink or glue for the handmade project completion.

Then, I had the little problem of figuring out what to do for all the household members.  There's Dahlin' to consider as well as DQ, the Teen, Birdie, and Roo.  Then there's the added family members who all expect (not really) a little sumpin' sumpin' at the annual get together.  Since today's the first of December, well, I can't tell you what I'm doing for the extended family, that'll have to wait until after Christmas.  However, I happen to KNOW that my KIDS don't read my blog, so it's safe to share what I have planned for them.

On that note, here's my To Do List, complete with photos and links to the instructions....just in case this post motivates you to try a few of these yourself.

I'll start with the list of what I'm planning to do for my girls. 

1.  Read along books on CD - using books from the girls bookshelf, my own computer, recording software, and a microphone. Okay, so there's no link or photo for this one....just got the idea from somewhere else that I can't remember right now.

2.  Doorway puppet theatre like this one. 

3.  Pillow buddy critter

4.  Pillowcase PJ Pants

5.  Soap Crayons

6.  Denim Pocket purse

For DQ: 

A cool looking tote bag

Some bath fizzies

 And a shrinky dink charm bracelet. I'm thinking of using family photos since she's always bragging about the girls or her brother or even now, her new baby.

For the Teen:

Handmade Boxer shorts, I guess these would be similar to PJ pants but shorter.

A Duct Tape wallet



And a big bucket of junk food just for him!

Finally, for Dahlin':

First of all, I'll help the girls make him a pretty photo ribbon book mark like this one. 

That'll be from them to him.

And from me to him:  A membership in the Date of the Month Club featured here at the Love, Actually blog.  This blog is so cute!!!  I have found lots of great ideas here. 

I'm so excited about this upcoming Christmas!!  Now, I just have to make the time to get these gifts all made and wrapped up.  And I only have 24 more days to get it done!!!  Accckkk!!!

My Christmas Wish List

Every year, beginning in July, while my kids are camped out in front of the squawk box, there will be an interruption of their enterainting little cartoon or whatever for the marketing geniuses to bombard the viewers with commercials of neat gadgets and toys.  Every year, each commercial is then followed by a chorus of, "Mommy!  I want that!"  repeated until they are certain that I have heard and understood.

Well, this year, there are some things that Mommy wants!  I'm listing them here so my older kiddos can browse and purchase these items for me.  If they feel they should.  I guarantee they should be feeling that they should make such purchases.....if they know what's good for them!



Hand Warmers for those cold Sunday mornings when I have to play the piano.  I no longer need these since a friend gave me some this week!!  Yippee!!!

  


A Brother 3034 D 3&4 Thread Overlock Serger - for all those sewing projects
 in my head that I just can't get started until I have this beautiful contraption.







A digital recorder so that I can record my piano stuff right into my computer and sing alongs too!!!  I can also check this item off my list.  I played piano for a group of choirs this week and this was given to me as an appreciation gift!  Woo Hoo!!!  I play for the coolest people!






A decent sized family cabin tent for all the family weekend campouts
that I'm craving without the hassle of towing the travel trailer.



I need 2 of these XL camping cots to go inside that Cabin tent for comfortable sleeping.  I'm getting too old to sleep on the ground.  However, the kids would be happily comfy on the ground so they don't need much of anything.  Maybe an air mattress for them.  Oh, but this isn't about them is it!?



Now, is that too much to ask for?  I hope not.  Santa - and my kids - do you hear me!?

August Postcards

Here are the postcards I received in August.



LeeWade from China says, "Hi America!  I like!  This cummer is very hot in Wenzhou, my hometown.  I like drinking the photo's water every day."

 

Piet of Belgium says, "Hey, Best regards of Belgium.  I live near the town Antwerpen, a very historical city in North Belgium with a very important European harbour."

Nina from Finland says, "Hello, I hope this card find you well and happy.  I'm very much addicted to this Post Crossing, it has been far most nicest hobby I hever had and my daughter has participated this too.  I'm also active on Form, so most of my free-time goes to this.  This is my last week of summer-holidays, next week kids go to school and summer will be over, too bad :(



Claudia tells me, "Sunny greetings from the north part of Germany.  I'm living in Hamburg but Bielefeld was my city were I grow up."



Anastasiya from Siberia Russia sent this lovely card.  The description on the back reads, "The manors of Zaistochie:  the late nineteenth-century manor built by architects P.F. Fedorovsky and S.V. Khomich in Ulitsa Tatarskaya, 44."

 

Stephanie says, "Hello, Many Greetings from Germany.  Here you see a famous town near my hometown.  Noted for his bear and castle.   Happy Postcrossing, Mausbaer YA"

This one arrived from China with no name!  Only a handwritten note on the back that says, "Always keep the Faith.  Best Wishes."

Anne, I think from Germany says, "Hello!  At 1st we have the same interests!  I'm also a geocacher.  I love to see places which I would not see without Geocaching.  Especially, I like lost places caches.  It's very interesting.  Next year, I travel to Australia.  There we will buy a van or a 4wd and we will travel and camp with hit.  In Australia are many caches!!"



This very interesting and peaceful looking card comes from Holland.  "My name is Jolanda and I'm 28 years old.  I live in Holland in a small place south from Utrecht.  I'm a teacher in primary school in the 4th class.  In my spare time I love to travel also to countrys outside Europe (India, Afrika, Cuba).  Greetz!"



Fourth Grade Writings - The Headless Rider

The Headless Rider in the City

On halloween I will a headless rider. I will run around a subdavison and shout "I am the headless rider of Denham Springs." Everyone will come out and get so frightend they'll run back in a jump under the T.V., Their beds, couchs, hide in their gun cases and all that, when they come out on the porch they will run back in and start all over again. My Daddy will race after me on his mule, but he'll never catch up. But I know one thing, I'll stop at people's houses and get some candy and run as fast as I can. Oh, I forgot to tell you I'll be riding my horse. So long!

Fourth Grade Writings - The Haunted House

The hauted house that had a Ghost.

One night I went to an old, old, old house. behind it was a cematary. I had a freind with me. It was very haunted. My freind's name is Penny Ann Ballard. Well lets get out of that part. That night we were walking in the cematary. The wind was blowing, "Whoosh" the wolves were howling, "A-r-r-r-r-r-r-r". As we walked we saw a knife glittering in the moon-light. I thought we should go and see what it was. Then I said, "No we'd better not go, unless we want our heads choped off". In an hour my freind wanted to go over and see what it was. so I had to say "Alright, you go and I'll stay here". She wnet and looked she hollard, "Ra-Ra-Ra". The knife swung at her and chopped her head off.

I ran to get her mother, but the man got me and tied me up. Then he put me in the haunted house and when Goofus saw me he untied me and saved me. Thank to Goofus Ghost. Three cheer for Goofus, "Haray, Haray, Haray for Goofus".

The End

Postcards from July

Card #1 - "Hello all, I send you this card which shows Turku Cathedral in southern Finland. Turku is the oldest town in Finland, founded in the 8th (?) century. The oldest part of the cathedral is also from the same century. My name is Bror, means 'brother' in English, and I live about 25 kilometers outside Turku in the beautiful archipelago."

Card #2 - From Astrid in Nederland








Card #3 -"Hi Everyone! Greetings from the Czech Republic. I live 6 KM from this beautiful castle called Krivoklat. I hope you like it. Enjoy the summer. Michaela"

Card #4 - Them Imperial Palace in Shen Yang

Card #5 - "Hello! Greetings from Finland's beautiful summer! I've got a busy day today as I've reserved the laundry room and will wash the rugs, blankets, curtains, and other big stuff. I also have an appointment at my hairdresser's today. I didn't remember it when I booked the laundry room, so it's quite inconvenient. I'll ride my bicycle to my haridresser's. It's about 10 miles one way, so good excercise as well as a pleasure. These flowers grow in a small swap (swamp?) near where I live. They are called suspursu in Finnish. Regards Sini/Saint"

Card #6 - "Hello and Greetings from Germany. My name is Betty. I live together with my husband, three children, and two cats in a little village not far away from the beautiful castle shown on the postcard. I enjoy hiking and geocaching. There are some wonderful caches around that castle. Happy postcrossing!~"

Card #7 - "Hello! The Spirit of Finland. I live Finland city of Helsinki. I am a grandpapa of Topi boy. Topi is now 5. Helsinki is small but nice summer city. Greetings from Helsinki. Jussi"

KA-RAY-ZEE Day!

I'm just feeling the need to vent a little and to share with you what happened to me today.  I also want to write it down so I don't forget.  Because it was, to me anyway, just that crazy!

First of all, I woke up.  Actually got out of the bed and placed my feet on the floor at approximately 8:30 a.m.  By 10:30 a.m. my dad had come over to stick his nose into whatever I have going on check on me.  He lives next door to me (about an acre or so away) and when he gets bored he comes over to bug the tar outta me see his grandbabies, tickle them, and give them treats. By noon, he stated he had things to do and he left. 

Lemme back up a little bit, 2 1/2 weeks ago, my doc and I made the decision for me to begin weaning off of the 50 mg of Zoloft that I have been taking for 5 years.  Just a few days after that decision, I fell and hit the back of my head, giving myself a concussion.  With these two things combined, I have set myself up for a great amount of stress....and that's if everything was running like a well oiled machine!

Anyway, as a result of weaning off the Zoloft, I have been very emotional.  I know that it's because my doc and I are experimenting.  I have been attempting to use other ways to control my feelings and for the most part, it's been working.  However, by the time my dad left today, I was a wreck.  I managed to hold it in and stay in control until he was out of the house but after that, I caved....just a little...not entirely a melt down...just a few tears.

I began to hyperventilate and my sweet husband came over to me and helped me to think of more positive things.  He helped me to visualize peaceful, tranquil settings to calm me down.  He was awesome!  After that episode, I fed the kids, had some lunch myself, and then laid down for a power nap.  Thank God I did too because just 30 minutes after I woke up it seems that all hell broke loose!

I had planned to run some errands in town, taking my 23 y.o. DQ, her infant son, and my Little Bird and Kangaroo along for the ride in order to free up Dahlin' so he could enjoy the local college football game in peace.  I had the girls all loaded in the SUV, completely buckled in, when I remembered that I had forgotten my cell phone in the house.  I returned to get it, and my dad walked over as well.  

This was right at the end of the 1st quarter of Dahlin's football game.  Dad and I both entered the house and as we did so our very ADHD beagle puppy flew out the door.  Any other time, that might not have bothered me.  Let the dog run around....he'll come back.  But this time, he went straight for the neighbor's (and my dad's) free range chickens giving every available hen a run for her money. 

I have to admit that the sight of him flying through the air, the sun shining off his coat as he jumped a ditch while trying to bring down a hen in flight, was quite a beautiful sight.  If only I'd had the camera....but I didn't. 

Dahlin' paused his football game (Thank heaven for DVR!) and for the next hour he, my dad, and myself all chased that damn stupid dog around the neighborhood....eventually catching him and saving a few hens; although, they may not be laying eggs for the next week.

Meanwhile, back at the SUV, my daughters were patiently waiting for my return so that we could resume our afternoon plans.  My 23 y.o. had been entertaining the younger ones with the portable DVD player plugged in and powered through the in vehicle power port.  She thoughtfully had turned the vehicle off in order to save fuel.  Unfortunately, it never occurred to her that by doing so AND using the power port for an extended length of time would result in low truck battery.

I took my place behind the wheel of the SUV, turned the key, and heard....."Click-clik-clik-clik".   I banged rested my head on the steering wheel before getting out and heading BACK into the house where my Dahlin' had resumed position in the recliner in front of the squawk box TV to finish watching his game.   

I sat down in MY reliner, took a deep breath, and calmly said, "The truck won't start".  He not so very calmly replied, "JUST GIVE ME 10 MINUTES!"  and I replied.....well, I didn't reply.  I waited.  The girls waited.  Buddy the Beagle waited....and wagged his tail.

Ten minutes later, Dahlin' rose and proceeded to the SUV where he connected jumper cables to the battery to get us going.  Ten minutes after that, me and my girls were on the road.  Ten minutes after that, I hear a "Ding-Ding-Ding" and a flashing light on my dashboard informing me that I now need to put fuel into the vehicle if I plan to go any further.

Next stop, the gas station!  I filled up the tank, started the truck, put it in gear, only to hear "Ding-Ding-Ding" and see a message flashing "Check Tire Pressure".  By this time, I'm ready to explode!  But I didn't.  I stayed calm, and drove over to the air tank to plug 4 quarters into it for 15 pounds of air pressure. 

Got that done and I'm back on the road. 

I was able to run my errands and make the purchases I needed before returning home to vent through the blog world and to all my bloggy friends (all 5 of the them) so that I may cool off and calm down before running myself a bubbly bath and turning in.

Thank you all for reading, enduring, and listening to my rant.   How would you handle such a day?  Please comment below and give me some new coping ideas!

Fourth Grade Writings - Honk! Honk!

Honk! Honk!

Hi! My name Cynthia Twenty-two, my freinds names are Sonya Eighty-four and Carolyn Ninty-three. We each live in the country. One day they came to spend the night with me. When we went to the living room to watch "Spiderman" we had to turn it off the very minute we turned it on. We went to bed about an hour later. The next morning we made a plan to go hiking. We packed our stuff and started out the door. We didn't know it but we found out the street we lived on turned into a super highway. We went back in then we came back out and we were in the country again. I was glad to.

The End

Date Night, Pt. 2: Bookstore Fun!

Lately, I have been searching for different things to do on Date Night with my Dahlin'.  Frankly, I was getting bored with the standard dinner and a movie.  I want to do other things.  So, I've subscribed to different websites, such as The Romantic and Loving You, that directly email me ideas.  Some of them get my creativity going...others...well, they go to File 13.  

But there was this one idea that I came across that I thought was just so cute!  So, tonight, I decided to spring it on the Dahlin'.  I decided to surprise him with the Bookstore Date idea.  After our dinner at Charlie's, we loaded up in the SUV and headed out to the nearest Barnes and Noble.  Of course, Dahlin' had no idea where we were going.  He was just the lowly driver turning left and right as I directed him.  He's such a good chauffer!

We got parked right in front of Barnes and Noble and exited the SUV.  We entered the store and then I sprung it on him.  I handed him a list and promptly endured a look from him that said, "What are you up to?"  I smiled and told him to complete set one and meet me over in the lounging area in 15 minutes with the books he had chosen.



At our first meeting, we discovered that we had picked up the same book!!!  :D



He found a recipe for a baby goat stew!  Eww!  I found one for Cornbread Sausage Pecan Dressing.  Hmmm.

 

Ummm, I'm not telling!

 

For the last challenge, we were s'posed to

1. Find a book that you once read in high school (for me that was White Fang).
2. Find a book that has the words "Happily Ever After" in it (for me that was Snow White).
3. Find a self help book that applies to you.  (for me - well see the pic below).

 HIS answer for all three requirements of the challenge?

He says he read it in high school....he swears it has the words "Happily Ever After" in it (though he couldn't show me)...and he claims it's his "self help" book.  **rolling eyes**  But I love him anyway!  :D