Last day of 2014

So today is the last day of 2014.  Who could imagine 25 years ago that we would see the year 2015?  Not me!  I don't make resolutions because I always break them before January is up.  However, this year (and I got started early) I decided to "create and sell".  I decided to pick crochet back up (I've known how since I was a little girl) and have a purpose to make things, which should keep me going.  I've created a page  to sell my yarn creations on, and also will sell them at our shop.

2015 looks like it will be a year of many changes.  We bought a building and will be moving one of our businesses.  That will take up most of my first 6 months.  We have already started that process of moving and remodeling, back in November.  Our goal is to be set up and ready to go, in the new building, by April 1st (no joke, for real), while still keeping the business going in it's current building as long as we possibly can so we can still be generating income.  Makes for many LONG days and SHORT nights, but it will all be worth it in the end.

Hope all of you have a super 2015!  Thank you to everyone who has visited my blog in 2014.

Blogmas 2014 Day 25 Christmas Day

Merry Christmas! 

We don't have a white Christmas like the weather man said we would have. Yesterday we had a 50% chance of snow, but it never came. Today it's super windy and in the mid 50's.

We slept in, something we NEVER get to do.  I finally got up about 10:30 and made homemade pizza for lunch.  We spent some time working at our new building, then came home and chilled.  I worked on another crochet hat, and hubby and the boys watched a movie and played games.

Back to regular schedule tomorrow.

I'm linking up with Diary of a Stay At Home Mom

Blogmas 2014 Day 24 Christmas Eve

We worked a short day today at both businesses, closing at 4:00.  We loaded our gifts and a few things for cooking Christmas dinner and headed home.

All my family was there. Both boys and their girlfriends.  We had a wonderful fun evening. We had homemade Mac n Cheese and shrimp and some other goodies.

After we ate we opened gifts.

Here is one of my gifts. This thing is HUGE!  It stands about 6' tall and weighs a ton. Lol!  It's sitting in the recliner.... Well trying to anyway.

It was the best Christmas Eve I've had in a long time.
I'm linking up with Diary of a Stay At Home Mom

Blogmas 2014 Day 23 Favorite Christmas Story

This is my favorite version of my favorite Christmas story.  (and I'm linking to it for a 3rd time.  LOL!) I'm linking up with Diary of a Stay At Home Mom

Happy Homemaker Monday ~~ 12/22/2014

Today's Breakfast Menu:::

Well I had a cup of coffee.  

The weather this week:::

today  it's drizzling.  The high is supposed to be around 50.  Unless they have changed the forecast on me again since last night the rest of the week is supposed to be sunny/cloudy and near the 50's.

Listening to:::

nothing right now

Currently Reading:::

Promises to Keep by Ann Tatlock  *affiliate link  I may or may not finish this by the end of 2014.  
I finished reading The Measure of Katie Calloway a few days ago.  It's an excellent book!!!  *affiliate link

Currently Watching:::

I can't remember all the shows I've watched this past week. I found some more links to watch stuff online for FREE, so I've been doing that.  I watched some ABC Family.....The Santa Clause and Santa Clause I think it was.  I also watched Annie, and hubby and I have watched Young Guns and Young Guns 2.  I watched Alvin and the Chipmunks Chipwrecked with my future daughter-in-law.  we have also watched the 3 dumb and dumber movies.

If you watch videos I post, I highly recommend using google chrome with the AdBlock extension.  It eliminates 99.9% of the pop-ups.

Current scent:::

haven't warmed/burned anything today.  I have been burning Black Blossom and Sandalwood at home though.

WIP:::

Nothing in progress right now, but I did finish another slouchy hat and a little bag last night.  I will share those in another post soon.  I most likely will start another slouchy hat soon.  I have the yarn already picked out.

Looking around the house:::

I  really should do a little cleaning before Christmas eve.......If I don't get it done it's no big deal, my kids can deal with it.  Maybe it will feel more like home.  LOL!

Tonight's to do list:::

we are going out of town for some last minute Christmas stuff.  You know, food, and a "real meal" for us, probably at our favorite buffet place.  I will also be taking some pictures to add to today's Blogmas post, which I will probably get up tomorrow since I have no way to work on blog posts at home.

Recipe I recently tried:::

Haven't made anything new lately, but I just might for Christmas.  I'd like to try an apple pie again.  I have plenty of apples, but I may cheat and use a store bought crust.

I like to:::

sit and crochet with my Fuzzy kitty snoozing on my lap.  Funny thing the yard doesn't phase her.....unless it's red, then she won't leave it alone.

Today I'm wearing:::

my hot pink tennies, tights, a black denim skirt, and a tye dye t-shirt under a fuzzy warm blue/black/green sweater 

From the camera:::

Fuzzy was watching something outside.

I'm linking up with Sandra over at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom

Blogmas 2014 Day 22 Day in the Life of Christmas Prep

 We worked as usual today.  My day started at 7:30 when the alarm went off.  I always hit the snooze several times.  At the shop around 8:30 and open at 9:00.  Hubby had a couple jobs scheduled and of course the phone was ringing all day with people wanting things done before Christmas.  Sorry....take a number.  LOL!  We also had quite a few last minute shoppers looking for those last minute gifts and gifts.  It was a rather busy day.  We headed out after we closed.  About an hour later we arrived at our destination.  We ate at our favorite buffet restaurant.  We stopped at Target for a few things. Next we went to the mall.  Son and I walked around while hubby was buying gifts.  After we left the mall we stopped at a grocery store.  While there we decided what we were eating on Christmas eve.....Homemade Mac & Cheese, and shrimp that we already have in the freezer.  We also picked up some chips and stuff to make dip.  It boggled my mind how many groceries I got for the dollars spent.  Way more than if we would have shopped at home!  (example cottage cheese is almost $5 a carton, there it was about $2.50 a carton).  Anyway, we headed home.  It was after 10:00 when we got home.  I sat, with kitty on my lap,  and chatted with a friend and hubby and son finished watching a movie.  Hubby watched more of  another movie and I cuddled with kitty on the bed before turning in around 1:00.

Linking up at Diary of a Stay at "Home Mom

Blogmas 2014 Day 21 My Favorite Christmas Poem or Picture

Hummmm......Not sure I have a favorite one.  Does the Peanuts Christmas story count?  I've shared it before, but here it is again. The best part of the show, in my opinion, starts about 2:25.  Linus tells the best "poem" and paints the perfect "picture" of what Christmas is all about.

Linking up with Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom

Star Bright Slouchy Hat

I finished that slouchy hat this morning and absolutely LOVE it!  When I first started, I wasn't so sure I would like the color combination, but the farther I got the more I liked it.

I love how the yellow made lines on it's own.  That's what I like about variegated yarn, it creates it's own pattern, and it probably won't be the same if you created 2 of the same items with the same yarn.

This is the first of many I plan to create in 2015 (I know I got an early start).  It's part of my "create and sell" plan.  I decided to do this because I have trouble reading books from my mobile devices (which in 2014 I've read 47 books and will probably finish #48 by the end of the year), and I think it's because I look at them too much.  SO, after creating the first 2 slouchy hats that I made for Christmas gifts this year I decided I wanted to make some to sell in my shop.  Hubby and I think they will go over pretty good.  I wish I would have gotten this idea a little longer before Christmas.  *sigh*  Oh well, God has a plan and either I'm a little behind or I'm at the beginning.

I'm ready to start another one.  I can't wait to see how it turns out.  It's another variegated yarn.  They are my favorite to work with.

Blogmas 2014 Day 20 Last Minute Gift Ideas

I don't have any last minute.....oh wait!  I forgot I had purchased a gift earlier this year  for my oldest son and his finance.  LOL!  They both get 2 gifts, but the 1 they have to share.  It was put under the tree AFTER the reveal.  ;-)

Usually last minute gifts isn't something we do.  We get what we want to get them and that's what they get.  

BUT.....if you just have to have one last thing, may I suggest gift cards from your local mom & pop businesses?  

Linking up with Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom

Blogmas 2014 Day 19 Preparing for Christmas

Not much pre-prepping for me.  Thankfully we were BUSY at both businesses yesterday.  I hope it stays that way through the end of the year.  I am wanting to give away free sugar cookies on Christmas Eve at Cosmic Castle, so I will be working on those Saturday and Sunday.  Other than that.....I've not done anything.  What I make for us at home will be made Christmas eve and Christmas day.

Linking up with Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom

Blogmas 2014 Day 18 Stocking Stuffer Ideas

Stocking stuffers aren't something we did much.  Even when I was growing up I only remember maybe 1 or 2 years with stockings.  One thing we did do one year for the boys though......we had gotten them the fisher price castle (a shared gift) and we opened the box and took out all the knights.  We wrapped some for gifts, and the rest we stuffed into their stockings.

Some ideas for stockings though.....gift cards for places the person likes to shop.  Local businesses are a great place to get gift cards.  Our town also has what's called PK Dollars.  They are gift certificates that you purchase at the local Chamber of Commerce, and they can be spent at participating  locally owned business.  It's really a cool idea!  It's a merger from the past Downtown Dollars program.  We take them at both our businesses.  It's a good way to keep money local.

Linking up with Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom.

Blogmas 2014 Day 17 My Christmas Tree

You've already seen them a couple times already.  ;-)

The top one is the tree at Cosmic Castle.  The presents under the tree are real presents.  They are from my youngest son.  One is supposed to be mine and the other for his girlfriend.  The tree is a little fiber optic tree and is really cute in the dark.

The bottom one (which was hard to get a picture of) is at the Lock Shop, and the presents under it are real as well.  Those are the presents I've made (you can see them all in my Crochet tag) and a special gift for the oldest and his finance, that only hubby and I know what it is. The only present that isn't under there is the mouse I crochet for the cat.  I have that hidden at home.   This  is the tree in the light show and other shop pictures I shared a few days ago.

Our tree has been put up at our shop (instead of home) since we first opened our storefront in 2003.  That was a fun year because the boys just thought they were empty boxes.  We have been saving boxes to put gifts in, and then those boxes got wrapped and put under the tree.  They were kinda down that year, but understood since we told them that opening a store was expensive and we probably wouldn't have Christmas presents, but would get them some things when we got our tax return back.  Were they ever confused when we told them to carry the boxes to the car when we closed on Christmas eve.

We are not big on lots of gifts either.  We give practical useful things.  you know, books they want to read, educational stuff, etc.  We have always done this.  We have been know to open boxes and wrap things separately on the years we just didn't have money to buy more than one or two things.  We would get 1 large gift for them to share, and  wrap parts  separately.  Now they are older, and harder to shop for, but they are always thankful for what they get. :-)

Joining Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom again today.  I have really enjoyed blogging along with her Blogmas 2014 and reading other's posts.  Thank you Sandra for hosting it.

Blogmas 2014 Day 16 Christmas in my Home Country

Not real sure what to write here.  My home country is the USA.  I think the USA has about as many  traditions, as it has people.  Traditions were different when I was growing up in Indiana than they were when I was a teen and had moved to Kansas, and now as an adult living in Kansas.

Growing up in Indiana where I lived everything was decorated.  The church in my town always had a living nativity (which I got to participate in one year).  There was so much joy and cheer it was most defiantly a jolly season.

When I moved to Kansas, there wasn't as much decorating and jolliness, but there still was some cheerfulness.  I didn't see near as many decorations as I did in Indiana.

Now as an adult, living in a different part of Kansas, about the only tradition I have observed is the obsession of Black Friday.  Very few people decorate in the town I live in now.  Some businesses don't even decorate.  The big box stores all have Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas stuff out at the same time.  It shouldn't be too long (maybe a week or so?) before the Christmas stuff does on clearance and the Valentines day stuff comes out.  *sigh*

I think the old classic Christmas cartoons that we watched on TV are the best.  Charlie Brown Christmas, Rudolph, Frosty the Snowman.....I'm sure there were more but those are the ones I remember the most.


Linking up with Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom

Happy Homemaker Monday ~~ 12/15/14

Today's Breakfast Menu:::
Well....for breakfast I had a cuppa java and a red pear.  It's now lunch time and I'm writing this while I eat.  I have fries and one of those clubhouse burgers from mcdonalds.

The weather this week:::
today  is cloudy and cooler.  the wind is blowing too making it necessary for a jacket.  the rest of the week looks to be in the 40's with a chance for some sort of wintry weather towards the end of the week.

Listening to:::
customers talking with hubby

Currently Reading:::
Crochet patterns.  I have to have something to do in the down times at work, when I can't really concentrate on crocheting.

I read Amish Baby: Hannah and Jakob's Book (Amish Couples 1) in the past couple weeks.  This one is OK, but it's written for teenagers, and in a completely different style of writing than I am used to.  I wasn't sure I was going to be able to finish reading it, but about a quarter of the way though it grabbed my attention.  *affiliate link

I started reading The Measure of Katie Calloway a few days ago.  It's hard to put down!  *affiliate link

Currently Watching:::
I've been watching Airwolf online.  I finally finished Season 1 Episode 1 of Airwolf.  I also watched Elf.  I discovered Airwolf was on HULU.  Currently watching S1E3 (E1 and E2 were combined on the original show I watched so I haven't skipped one)

If you watch videos I post, I highly recommend using google chrome with the AdBlock extension.  It eliminates 99.9% of the pop-ups.

Current scent:::
haven't warmed/burned anything today.  I do have 4 scents soaking to restock.

WIP:::
Changed this from Working on Christmas to WIP.  I've decided to create and sell in 2015.  My first item should be ready to put on the webstore soon.  I recently purchased yarn from RedHeart, and this is the first project from that purchase.  I started it yesterday actually.  It reminds me of Fruity Pebbles.  LOL!

Looking around the house:::
I cleaned last night!  It looks much better.  As always there is still work to do.


Tonight's to do list:::
need to go to the dollar store for some things, then off to make chicien & noodles for tomorrow.

Recipe I recently tried:::

Haven't made anything new lately.

I like to:::
completely ignore the fact that I have housework to do.  It works for a while, then I get the notion to clean/do it all at once.  Good thing I have a small house.  It's one of the advantages. ;-)

Today I'm wearing:::
another pair of jeans that needs patching, a tyedye t-shirt, a long sleeve shirt, and my hot pink tennies.

From the camera:::

Found this in the cash drawer this past week.  That sticker was stuck on good.  LOL!



I'm linking up with Sandra over at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom

Blogmas 2014 Day 15 My Christmas Decorations

We don't decorate at home.  We aren't there enough to enjoy it.  At Cosmic Castle.....I have a fiber optic tree and a bit of garland.  Yes those are some of our REAL presents under that tree.

Here are a couple pictures of our shop (and my page too) from a few years back.  It doesn't really change too much.  We keep the lights (minus the tree) up all year because we use them for our light-o-rama  for Valentines day, the 4th of July, and Halloween..  

Here is our other tree, at the shop.  it's in the window and very hard to get   a picture of without a glare and getting the whole tree.  It is part of the light show, and those are REAL presents under the tree.  sorry they are so hard to see and you can't see the whole tree *sigh*

I got a video of one of the songs in the light show last night.  I braved the rain to take it.  Sorry the volume is low I was standing practically out in the street in order to get the whole shop front.  And sorry for the lights on inside, hubby was in there getting ready for a job that is scheduled first thing Monday morning.  There is abut 25 minutes total of music set to lights that play every half hour from 5pm to 10pm.

Last year our light show won 2nd place in the business category for the holiday lighting contest put on by our local chamber of commerce.  They ask us to enter again this year.  SO we shall see if we win again.  :-)  

Here are the lights the city puts up.  The corners downtown have wreathes and the rest of the light poles have snowflakes.  Not much else decorating is done.  There isn't much around tow

Linking up with Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom

Blogmas 2014 Day 14 My Favorite Childhood Christmas Memory

Christmas was a big thing at my house growing up.  Big family means lots of gifts under the tree.  Santa wasn't promoted when I was growing up.  I knew about him, but I also knew that my Pa (aka my grandpa, my grandparents raised me, so when I mention my Pa/Dad, it's always my grandpa) (or aunts/uncles/etc) bought the presents that went under the tree.

One memory I have is probably when I was maybe 5/6 years old.  I can't really remember the year, just the event. My dad would have wrapping parties.  My Aunt (who is 13 tears older than me and was still living at home), my Mom (aka my grandma) and me, maybe someone else, I can't really remember.  We would wrap boxes and put the bows on and then ask Dad who they belonged to.  We were having such a good time wrapping and such it drove us nuts when he said "put your name on it."

Another memory I have is you never, and I mean NEVER spent time checking out boxes under the tree.  Once they were there you left them alone.  If you were caught checking out boxes. touching them, shaking them, etc.  those were the LAST gifts you got to open on Christmas morning.  *sigh*  I only did that once, and the gift I just couldn't stop looking at and touching ended up being my very first sewing box.  My Aunt gave it to me.  I still have the box. ;-)  I think I was about 8/9 years old that year.

Another memory is the year I got my canopy bed.  It came with a pink canopy and pink Hollie Hobbie spread and pillow sham.  I was so proud of that bed!  I ended up passing it down to my cousin (who is 12 years younger than me).  I think I got this when I was 10 years old.  I also got a desk that went with the bed (it was a set) but it didn't come in in time for Christmas, so I got it for my birthday present in January.

Last but not least, when we moved to Kansas (when I was 12), for some reason we didn't have a tree that first year.  Instead we had a scavenger hunt for gifts.  the giver hid the gifts and then made up clues to help the person hunting find the gift.  Several times other gifts were found instead.  LOL!

Last but not least.  This was also the same year we moved to Kansas.  To make the story short, I ended up being grounded from my stereo for 3 months for something that really wasn't my fault.  BUT I got it back on Christmas day.


Those are my best childhood Christmas memories.  I'm linking up with Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom.

Blogmas 2014 Day 13 How I'm Counting Down

I'm not counting down.  Never really have.  I think one year the boys and I made an advent calendar (it was a coloring/pasting activity), but half way though I think we forgot about it.  LOL!

Well maybe I do count down, but it's more of how many days left I have to get/make presents and decide what we're eating and buy groceries.  It usually comes down to Christmas eve and we're like "oh crap".  LOL!

At least this year I made presents and they are ALL DONE!  They are wrapped and under the tree at the shop.

I'm linking up with Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom

Blogmas 2014 Day 12 Christmas Around Here

Much like several blogs I visited before posting (there were 8 links) we are brown/green too.  We had some snow around Thanksgiving time, but it appears we won't have a white Christmas. Temperatures for the next 10 days look to be in the 40's/50's with a chance for rain here and there.  

The last white Christmas we had was I believe back in 2008 maybe?  It's been a while.  I remember that particular year it was snowing on Christmas eve when we closed up shop (early of course, like probably around 3:00 in the afternoon).  By the time 5:00 rolled along hubby had made the decision he WAS NOT going out on any calls.  The snow by then was at least mid-calf.  By the time it was done it was knee high.  The town was pretty much shut down for 2 days.  Seems like we maybe had 2 feet of snow, but don't hold me to that.  It's a rare thing when it happens.

I haven't been out and about to take many pictures this year. Too much going on.

Here are the decorations downtown.  You can see pretty much how most Christmases are.  Brown and cold.

  

Linking up with Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom

Crochet Mouse

Ok so my mouse has problems.  It's ears are on it's nose.  LOL!  Next one will be better.  Also I didn't have an "E" crochet hook for some reason, so I used an "F".  Wonder where my "E" hook disappeared to.  I don't think it made much difference in the mouse though.  

  

I used THIS PATTERN, like I mentioned yesterday.  Funny thing Fuzzball has not touched my yarn ONCE since I started crocheting back in September.  She sits on my lap and the yarn is usually all over her, yet she snoozes and purrs.  Last night however, with the red yarn (red is her favorite color) she was playing with it and acting all silly with it touching her.

She was pretty good until I was finishing it off.  She kept trying to take it away from me.  Silly kitty!  I hid it from her until Christmas eve.  Maybe she will forget about it by then.  I will have to give it to her early before everyone comes over.  She isn't a people person and will probably disappear all night.

So Christmas is all done.  All homemade this year.  It hasn't cost me anything because I already had the yarn.

Final Crochet Bag

This is the final crochet bag I made for Christmas gifts.  I think it is my favorite one.  Instead of just leaving the top plain with the drawstring, I finished it off with a shell stitch on top.  I also used the new binding technique I shared about with the video a few days back.  Here is the link to the basic pattern I used for the bags.

I have 1 more gift to make, and it will be for our kitty cat, Fuzzball.  I am going to use this pattern, I think, and wrap the mouse too, just to see if she will open it.  I plan to take a video of her getting her gift too.  Just hope I can figure out how to get it uploaded to YouTube.  

Did you make homemade gifts for Christmas?  You can see mine  HERE.  I still haven't found those pot holder/dish cloths I want to send to a friend though. GRRRR!

Blogmas 2014 Day 11 Christmas Menu

The Menu?  I haven't a clue!  Hubby has mentioned he wants his salad.  It's just a regular salad with chicken, bacon, cheese, lettuce.....and his special homemade chipotle vinaigrette dressing.  I would like to make bacon wrapped water chestnuts.  I have everything I need because I thought I was going to make them for Thanksgiving.  Maybe some homemade chocolate chip cookies.  I'm sure we will have chips and dips, that's a staple anyway.  We will probably go food shopping next week or the week after.  Take an evening and go out of town for a nice meal and shop for holiday goodies to last us through the New Year.

It probably depends on how much work we get done on the new building how much time I will have for fixing the specialties.

In the past couple years we have made homemade pizzas for Christmas.  Oh my those were delicious!  Hubby made a french dip pizza one year and it was A.M.A.Z.I.N.G!  

I know Christmas is just 2 weeks away, and sadly I don't have a plan, yet.

Linking up with Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom

Blogmas 2014 Day 10 Cookies and Recipes

Chocolate Chip Cookies are my specialty.  I've got the recipe down. 

This makes 2 and a half dozen 1 ounce cookies.

1 stick salted butter

(at room temperature, my opinion this DOES make a difference)

3/4 cups sugar

2/3 cups brown sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla

1 egg

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 1/2 cups flour

3/4 cups semi chocolate chips

Mix with a fork, by hand,  butter and both sugars

Add egg, vanilla, baking soda, and salt.  Mix well

spoon out flour into mixing cup and level off, add to mixture, and mix well.

add chocolate chips, mix

use the butter paper to lightly grease your cookie sheet.  

I weigh each ball out to 1 ounce and place on cookie sheet

bake in preheated 325* oven for 10 minutes.  

(I bake mine in a convection oven, so you may need to adjust your time/temperature for your oven)

They will be puffy when they come out of the oven, I drop the cookie sheet on the table to flatten them.  

Let them sit on the cookie sheet a couple minutes so they start to firm up a little, then move to a wire rack to cool.  (I often just put some aluminum foil on the counter and let them finish cooling there.)

Makes about 2 1/2 dozen cookies IF they last long enough.  ;-)

On a side note, a useless bit of information, chocolate chips weigh about 1/8 ounces each.  At least the ones I use do.

Baking the cookies

Blogmas 2014 Day 9 Winter Items I Can't Live Without

The most important winter item that I can't live without is HEAT!

I wish I had a fireplace.  Some day maybe I will.
I also can't live without a warm coat and a double thick stocking hat.  
Hot drinks and good books are good to have too.
I'm linking up with Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom

Happy Homemaker Monday ~~ 12/9/14

Today's Breakfast Menu:::
Cup of coffee with hazelnut creamer

The weather this week:::
much better than last week.  It was 45 when I got up this morning and the sun is shining.  Haven't seen the sun for several days.  Today it's supposed to get up around 55.  That works for me!  We have a slight chance for rain.  The rest of the week looks about the same.  Saturday and Sunday we are supposed to hit 60 and have a bigger chance for rain.

Listening to:::
The metal roof popping and creaking as the sun heats it up and Metal Christmas music.  (haven't heard any artists I recognize yet  LOL!)

Currently Reading:::
Crochet patterns.  I decided this year instead of reading all the time I want to create and sell. My plan is to crochet things to sell in our shop and online.   I also probably will read books, just not like I have this past year. In those moments where I can't crochet I've been reading Amish Baby: Hannah and Jakob's Book (Amish Couples 1) (affiliate link).  It is an Amish book written for teens.  It's a struggle for me to read because it's written in very simple English, if that makes sense.  Almost like a kids book.  It is interesting though and since I have other things I want to do right now, I'll finish it.

Currently Watching:::
I've been watching Airwolf online.  I used to watch it religiously when I was a teenager.  It's fun to go back and rewatch it again. I've been trying to watch Season 1 Episode 1 for almost 2 weeks now and have about 20 minutes left to watch.  Looking forward to Season 1 Episode 2.    I was SO into Airwolf  that when I was a teenager I had the model of the helicopter.  Wonder what ever happened to it.  I bet it met the trash can.  LOL!   If you watch videos from this site I highly recommend using google chrome with the AdBlock extension.  It eliminates 99.9% of the pop-ups.

Current scent:::
I am in the process of soaking some incense.  there is a lot of mixed scents going on right now.  One that sticks out though is Apple Cinnamon.

Working on Christmas:::
I have started on the last "adult" present.  I'm making dice bags for hubby and the boys.  Here are the two I have finished.  I also want to make at least one catnip mouse for Fuzzy.  Maybe more if time allows.

Looking around the house:::
Not too bad.  Just needs some touch ups here and there.  I DO need to vacuum and spray the floor (it's all carpet *sigh*) for fleas.  You'd think as cold as it's been they would all be gone.  Poor Fuzzy I think she is allergic to them like Reecie was.


Tonight's to do list:::
Need to stop at the grocery store and pick up some eggs for chicken noodles and some things for us to eat/snack on.  I think we are having Bacon Burger Dogs for supper tonight.  At least that's what hubby said he wanted.   I will also be making a double batch of chicken and noodles for tomorrow.  Then more Christmas Crochet if there are any minutes left.

Recipe I recently tried:::
I haven't tried anything new since Thanksgiving.  Unless you count creating dips with chipotle base and sour cream.  MMMmmmm I can't wait to get fryers so we can have homemade french fries.  I bet the chipotle dip would be amazing with them.

I like to:::
cuddle with Fuzzy.  Lately this has been our late night thing.  She curls up in my lap and snoozes while I crochet.  She never has touched my yarn.  Hummmm.......

Today I'm wearing:::
Jeans (with a hole in the knee that I need to patch), my neon pink tennies, a long sleeve shirt and a t-shirt underneath, just in case I get too warm, but I don't see that happening until I get home tonight and start cooking.  LOL!

From the camera:::

Found this painting in the upstairs of our new building. It's painted by Leonard Wren, born and raised in Coffeyville, KS. 

So here's the story behind the painting. There was a burger joint "on the main drag" around 22nd and Main here in our town called Herkies. It was open somewhere around the 1974-1976 time frame.  From what I've  learned Mr. Wren designed the interior of the business, the menus, the signs and even the employee's uniforms.  

We will be displaying this painting in our new building, along with the story behind it.  Maybe Mr. Wren will be able to come see it and tell us more. :-D

I'm linking up with Sandra over at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom