It's the Holidays!!

And I'm off work!!  It's so nice, I tell ya.  I would like to take a moment to remind everyone that I do like my job...it's awesome that I have a job where I can take time off, and get summer off and still get paid.  :)  It's awesome.

But -- that being said... I'm really glad to have the next 2 weeks off.  Just saying!  It's awesome.  And today, we're getting new windows!  If only we could have afforded to replace ALL of them, but we don't have thousands of dollars, ya know?  OR I wouldn't be working, lol.

As it is, it's going to take over 5 years to pay off these ones.  :)  Kind of like a car...sigh.

Anyway - coolness.  We made candy the other night, that was fun.  I tried caramel (again...) and it tastes good, but it isn't cutable.  So...messed up again.  I don't know what it is about me and caramel...I think I might be too impatient and not let it cook long enough.  I also think I might need to get a real candy thermometer.  What do you think?  lol.

Anyway - today is fried shrimp day!  Unfortunately, we won't be having that...we're going to have homemade mac and cheese with leftover ham in it.  AWESOME!  so...just saying.

Hope you're having a great day!

Today in the Light of the World challenge, is seeing the potential in others.  That can mean anyone - building anyone up and reminding them that they are children of God and have the potential to do whatever it is they want to do.

We are all capable of fulfilling our dreams.  It takes determination and faith in ourselves.  In ourselves and in Jesus Christ...He makes it possible for us.

So - I hope you have a marvelous day, find your potential, and remember that Jesus loves you.

Can't go wrong with that!

Cat Herding day!

okay - in case you have nothing totally to do today, and need something to make you laugh...this is good.  :)





I was hoping there would be something else besides this commercial, but there isn't besides IKEA trying to say their store is comfy enough for cats to make themselves at home...lol  Which we all don't believe...you've been there right?  And gotten lost???

Anyway...
it's also National Cupcake day - which I don't find that exciting because I don't really like cupcakes.  Give me a piece of cake you eat with a fork!  I mean...cupcakes seem to come in three or four varieties...  either too much frosting...

I mean really....  Hard to get your mouth around that.  At least it's chocolate...lol

Or they're not enough... 
and perhaps they are saying the
cupcake speaks for itself...
Who knows.

 Or sometimes they are dry!! 

I don't know that this looks dry, but it was one of the only pictures I could find without frosting, lol. 

Anyway -
have a great day and try to enjoy.  There's lots of chocolate available this time of year...

Happy Wednesday....only 11 days left...

I can't believe how fast the days are going!!  sigh.  I think I already commented on this, so I'll leave it alone.  lol

But - I feel the need to spread some cheer, so I'm posting one of the funnest versions of this song.  Hope you enjoy!!




They do another one that's fun too...



Have a good one!

Only 13 days left...who are you going to teach?

Till Christmas Day!  I can't believe how fast it's going.  I've been watching the days with anxiety, because I know that they're going faster than I want them too!!  sigh.  So much to do...so much I want to fit in.  Like the Light of Christmas challenge....today is #12...and it's teach someone - that's sooo much of what Christ did, was teach.

How do you try to teach?  Do you teach your children, grandchildren, neighbors?  There is a lot of options out there...  I'm still trying to figure out what to claim, lol.

First...last Friday I got to be Grandma!!  It was the first time my granddaughter was performing in a Christmas program for kindergarten. It was sooo much fun!  And she did such a good job.  I was as proud as I could be!  And then there was her sister...lol  She was such a cutie!

Don't you think?

Today has a couple of things to celebrate from Brownielocks.com  ...
Gingerbread House Day - someone shared a video on making one out of chocolate...  I like the idea of making them with graham crackers - much faster than making the gingerbread, and it's not like anyone actually EATs one of these, right?  I mean...right??

National Cocoa Day - one of my favorite things!  I made some homemade hot cocoa for the party saturday, and it's made in a crock pot.  Everyone was more thrilled with the cider, but I thought the hot chocolate was the bomb.  It wasn't low fat by any means...and it's not a cheap version, so I won't be making it often.  But you ought to try it at least once.    This is the recipe I made.
http://www.mrshappyhomemaker.com/creamy-crockpot-hot-cocoa-best-ever/

and last...
it's National Poinsettia Day - somehow poinsettia's have become totally connected to Christmas.  For some people, the season wouldn't be the same without those bright red leaves...or white ones now...  My hubby always gets one for my mother-in-law so she'll have fresh greens in her home.  We have a tall fake one someone gave us and I always have to remember to dust it, lol.  In looking up it's history there's a little story about a girl who wants to bring a gift to Christ and doesn't have anything.  She picks some wild flowers and when she presents them at the altar, they burst into beautiful red blossoms.  Here's a link...
http://www.aboutflowers.com/flower-holidays-occasions-a-parties/christmas/poinsettia-history.html

I'm not a big poinsettia fan...but ya know.  A bit of trivia for the day... 

Well..have a good one!! be sure to have some hot cocoa!!

Happy Friday!! Day 9 of service....

I know...I kind of skipped days 3 thru now, but I've been sick.  :(   May I whine for a moment???  I know everyone talks about the man cold...but we don't get to complain, right?  Well, I'm complaining.  I've had this cold for a week now, doing everything I can possibly think of to get rid of it...  It's finally feeling like I might be getting better, but I'm still not able to sing, so I'll be missing out on our Evening of Music that is Sunday.  dang it. 

Oh well...there are other things, right?  Like today...is National Pastry day!!  That's a day to celebrate...especially if your into pastry, right?  lol.

And, it's day 9 of light of the world service...  Jesus visited the Lonely, and so can you.  What would you like if you were feeling lonely?  A visit from a friend!  Know someone who is going to be lonely for Christmas or who you know is lonely now?  Take some cookies...stay and chat for a minute.  Or, invite them over to spend Christmas day with you.  It's all good...and you'll feel even better.

             “35 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink:
             I was a stranger, and ye took me in:
             36 Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison,
               and ye came unto me.”

                 Matthew 25:35–36

I love the new movie that came out on BYU TV after Thanksgiving based on Leo Tolstoy's book Martin the Cobbler.  The Winter Thaw.  I highly recommend you watch it, it will totally melt your heart.

The even brighter spot in my day is that I get to see my granddaughter in her first Christmas program!  I get to be a proud grandma today - I'm so excited!!!  lol

Have an excellent day!

Happy Friday and day of service 2

Greetings all!!  Today is the second day of service...and this one honors parents.  Have you spoken to your parents lately?  Since mine are all dead, can't really do that, but I can honor my mother-in-law, who is awesome -- and perhaps my step mom, check in on her, though I'm recovering from a cold, I don't know if she'd want me to come cough on her in person...lol  I might have to just call.

Well, in order to celebrate life, let's look at a couple of things.

first - it's National Mutt Day.  I like that...though it's sad there has to be such a thing.  Mutts are the best dogs!  They don't have all the quirks that some of the breeded dogs do, lol.  Anyway.  We have a couple - we like them.    Here's a spot from Studio C and dogs...  


 

And - it's Special Education Day!  Since I work for special education, I figured this was a special day to commemorate.  If you know someone who works in special education, they do a lot of hard work!  Give them a pat on the back next time you see them -- I promise they'll need it.  :)


And just to be on the healthy side, today is Eat a Red Apple Day.  I'm not a big apple fan unless it's sliced, lol.  But I love applesause!  Do you like red apples?

Yesterday was National Pie day...and tomorrow - lest you forget - is National Fritter Day!!  I wonder who thought fritters up?  I thought I'd look it up real quick, and it's a mixed bag.  The early colonists used to do apple slices and dip them in batter and fry them.  I don't know where it came to what we have today - large fruit and dough fried and slathered with sugar.  ...
oh well, to each their own. 

Have a great weekend!

Christmas Day of Service 1

Well...I had so many plans for today - and then I got sick.  I tell ya...sometimes your body has it in for you, know what I mean?  At least it waited till I got Nano out of the way...

For those of you who haven't seen it yet, the church has this great program starting today...  Christmas Light of the World - 25 days of service.

I had hoped to do something amazing, and it's not going to happen.  But at least I can share it with the world - well, the small part of the world that reads my posts once in a while, lol.

https://www.mormon.org/christmas/in-25-ways-over-25-days/jesus-lifted-others-burdens

I hope you are able to lift someone's burden today and make it lighter. For those living in Tennessee, perhaps you can help those who have lost their homes in the fires.

For those in Utah, perhaps you can help the homeless feel warmer in someway.

Whatever your situation, it's time to honor the Savior by helping others.  It's what he would love for you to do.

What's your plan for today?