Merry Christmas....2022

Well, I hoped I'd make it back over here to get at least one more post in before Christmas.  Time is getting shorter before the big day arrives.  I got my cards mailed...started my baking...finished the last-minute shopping...and now, the post is getting done.  I'm really trying to be better at posting on my blog.  So many people, including myself, are on Facebook posting instead of here on Blogger.  I love this medium (been here since 2007) because it seems so much more personal...off the beaten path, as it were.  Slower paced.  It seems some people on FB worry more about hits than content.  NOT MY FRIENDS!!! but some... you know the ones...they Never talk to you or visit you once you accept their friend's request.  They never like your post because they don't really take the time to read them. We all have those "friends".  Time to do some FB weeding...

Ready for Santa

Larry made this Eiffel Tower with his laser.  I made him add lights...lol... they change colors.

Tried to get a cute snap of Sloane but she just wasn't in the mood.

Made some Snowball cookies for Santa's arrival...

Also made Pecan Pies (2)

Me, at 3:30 this morning...hubby either, so I fixed toast and coffee.

I wanted a digital Presto Canner for the longest!  It arrived and I'm in canner's Heaven!

Who can be in a bad mood after gazing upon this little face, I ask?!!

I made a Sheet Pan lunch with chicken, potatoes, yellow squash, bell pepper and onions.  Turned out great!

Well, Merry Christmas my Friends!  Stay safe...Stay warm...and enjoy your holiday!

The reason for the Season...

She's Off to Daycare...

 Morning Guys...Well, my greatgran Sloane is off to daycare today.  I've taken care of her since October.  I knew this day was coming, sooner than later, but it doesn't make the parting easier.  You get very attached.  She will still be coming to me on Fridays...only until noon unless Samantha has a client in the afternoon.  So, we won't have to go through total withdrawal...and that's a good thing.  

Hope you've gotten all your Christmas shopping finished.  I'm going out today to get some last-minute things accomplished.  Hubs and I ran to town Saturday...gads...and it was a madhouse!!  Stood in the checkout line over thirty minutes.  My feet were not happy about the situation.  If you're going out, just be safe...check out your surroundings!  I'm licensed to carry but I'm still extremely aware.  These days?  People are under tons of stress.  Try to be kind and patient.  

I'll get in another post before Christmas, hopefully.  Hope you're well and are enjoying the cooler temps.  This is Texas and heat hangs around for at least six months.  Starts early, stays late.  

Be safe...will be around to check up on you soon! 

Sam, Everett and Sloane...

Sam and Sloane

Larry (hubby) Greatgampa and Sloane

I did manage to get our tree up!

Sloane and yours truly, watching Christmas shows...

Who could resist this face??

Our daughter Crystal, Sloane's grandmother, Lolli...getting their hair done...Lolol

This is SO TRUE!Lolol...

I'm still alive...

Yep...still alive.  This babysitting gig is so special.  Yes, I get tired...Some days Samantha's scheduling of clients runs over the usual 6–7-hour day.  Monday through Thursday's it's usually 9-4pm with Fridays being light, 9 to 12.  She's still waiting to hear from the daycare, but I believe it'll be a long wait.  Oh well...I'm really getting attached!  If much longer, it'll be too hard to let her go.  Oh well, will just have to deal with it.

Our Sweetie Sloane

Halloween suit

Our daughter Crystal, and Baby Slone's grandmother (Lolli)

Sloane was Three months old as of yesterday... Teething has begun!

A sheet pan lunch I made yesterday.  Potatoes, bell pepper, yellow squash, onion and chicken thighs.  It was really good.  You can add whatever you like...

This was an ornament I was going to order at one of those online stores...$17.00 each...When I went to check out, it showed $81 dollars!!!  NO WAY...so I took a screenshot of it and backed out.  Talk about thieves!   I wonder how many people never looked at the bottom line and got "took"!

Made some Oatmeal chocolate chip cookies...

Here's the plating of our pan lunch...yum.

Hubby (Larry) is really enjoying his laser.  I asked him to make me some ornaments for the tree...he did...!!Lolol  I especially wanted two for our dogs, Buddy and Libby.

Libby

Buddy

Hope you all are enjoying your week...I'll be around to check on you in a bit!  Be safe out there...

Hugs from

Donna

On Being a GreatGrandParent and Health....

Age can really take a bite out of your daily plans... What you think you can do and what you really can do are two very different propositions.  I'm sitting with my Great-granddaughter all week long... every week... some days being shorter than others.  My mind and heart say yes but, the old body says...you might need to rethink things a bit.  My knees are fine (thank God), I walk although not as much as I'd like.  At 71, your body is still pretty solid...mechanically speaking.  Needless to say, there's no marathons planned in my future.  Yes, Larry and I are confined to the house, pretty much.  But Sloane is so special...your young heart is in direct competition with your aging body... we are in love.  Getting older sucks...

Samantha (my Granddaughter and mom of baby Sloane) is trying to get Sloane into a fancy daycare located just down the street from her work.  The waiting list is long.  (She and her hubby live 35 minutes south of town so for her, that would cut about 35 minutes of travel time cut if she can get her a placement.  Getting up at the crack of dawn and getting home at seven or later is not good especially for a wife and new mom...Her hubby helps out, but he works out of town and can't always be there for them.)    $342 a friggin' week!!  Transparent communication...I'm not sure what all that entails but for the money, it better be gold wrapped!  I want to keep her...but Sami says I can get her anytime I want.  We can do unannounced visits as well. We'll see.    

Anyway, all that to say this...If you're in fairly good health, do all you can to get better!  Walk, then walk some more.  Get a pedometer to see how many steps you're actually doing a day.  I used to be able to do 10,000  to 18,000 at least three to four times a week.  Now?  I'm lucky to get in 3,000.  You don't need to jog...or go to the gym.  Just Get Up off the sofa or chair and start!  Create a path in your house...I walk around the sofa then walk into the living room and back again.  You don't have to walk outdoors!

Okay...I'm through nagging.  We all are here on Earth for different reasons and not all things can be cured or changed.  But...I firmly believe...If you do nothing...Nothing will change!

There are two cookie recipes located at the bottom of this post...A sweet friend requested them.  Check them out...you might want to make them for Thanksgiving!

So, enjoy your day...do what you can...be safe...oh, and get off your butts and Go Vote!  This election either makes or breaks our nation!

Hugs from Donna

Sloane...most days 💕

Milk drunk...lol 💕

Not a care in the world... 💕

Samantha and Sloane 💕

Contemplating life... 💕

Banana Pudding Cookies Recipe

Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

Enjoy!

Levain and Milk Bottle Cookie Wannabes...

 Good morning!  Thought I'd check in with you.  Not up to much but will start keeping my great granddaughter, Sloane, for my granddaughter, Samantha...got that? Lol

It can get confusing.  Samantha is a hair stylist and is beginning her journey back to that world after the birth of little Sloane.  I'll be watching her until Sam can get her into a childcare facility.  There is one close to her place of business which would make it so much easier.  Her job and our house are on opposite ends of town and when she gets through with work, she can easily stop in the daycare, pick up Sloane and head home which is 45 minutes away.

Hubby and I like to try out different coffee shops around town, on occasion.  The last one was called Milk Bottle Cookie Shop, in our town.  Their cookies are good, but they just leave too much of the dough, raw.... way too much.  You just feel like you're eating cookie dough.  Some people like it...I really don't care too much for it.  Some is okay but...not the whole of the center of the cookie.  Anyway, I came home and created my own version.  It's wonderful and tender in the middle but doesn't make you feel like its raw.  

Milk Bottle Coffee...really good.

Our little Sloane Sweetie...12 lbs now!

My version of the Levain cookie...huge and wonderful!

And my Brown Butter cookies...yum!

My Banana Pudding Cookies...also huge (5ozs) and a big hit!

I'm also experimenting with packaging them so I can mail them safely to grandkids and my daughter.  This was done with my vacuum sealer on gentle cycle.  Package up what I want to send, and they are good to go!  Of course, you need to put in extra things to make the trip safely...extra packing paper or noodles.

This is a cookie experiment...Candy Corn Cookies...Taste great but they kept spreading out too much.  SIX inches in width!  I'm still working to correct that.

Hope you all are doing well...Have a wonderful and peaceful week!

I'll be around to check on you!

September 26th, 1972 to 2022...50th Wedding Anniversary

I still remember most vividly, laying on the sofa, in our first apartment at Villa Victoria, asking Larry how our lives would look in fifty years...He was 24 and I was 21.

Lolol...He's now 74 and I'm 71. 

Two children and four grandchildren and one great-granddaughter later...we're still kicking.

We are Blessed.

The Kitchen Air Pro was my gift from hubby.  If you know me, you know I love to bake.  

A tremendous savings at Sam's Club!  $289!!!  It came with a 3qt and 6qt bowl, beaters for both, a slotted spoon for wiping the beater clean (works okay but I'm not impressed). 

Larry's still trying to decide what his gift from me will be...Lol...last words on it were coconut...and pie...lolol  Being married this long, you don't usually party hardy.  It's maybe lunch out...no biggie.

As long as we are still able to here for each other and the kids, that's really all that matters.

Great Gran Sloane...

Our daughter and Sloane's Grandmother, Lolli...

I acquired this recipe from my sister years ago.  I've made it every Christmas since 1979.  Everyone loves the stuff.

These are those weird Butter Swim biscuits...good Lord they're good!  

Recipe here:

Butter Swim Biscuits

Then I made these Egg & Bacon English muffins for the freezer.

They freeze great for up to 3-6 months, if wrapped right.

Also...beef & refried bean burritos.  They also freeze well... to serve, thaw, fill with lettuce, tomato and cheese.  A serious yum!

A dessert of cream brulee...so easy to make.

Hope you all are enjoying the last day of Summer, here in the USA.  

Fall is upon us although you couldn't prove it by me...here in Texas today it's supposed to be 97*F, 36C.  Looks like it'll be hot up until week after next...so tired of the heat.  It blasted us this year!  Our yard is simply straw...since we weren't able to water like we use to.  It's restricted watering.  The water is high here, as well...$130 a month, minimum!  The electric has climbed as well...everything has!

Have a sweet and peaceful week guys...see you next time!