CHRISTMAS AT THE LAKE!!!!

I believe this was one of the nicest Christmas's we have ever experienced!!!

  We were all together for Christmas Eve, Ben, Melissa and Devin, Brandon, Aubrey and Ryan, my folks, Dave and I and our friend from Arkansas, Marilyn.  We had our normal appetizer buffet with seafood, wings, dips, meatballs, etc.  Lots of fun presents and good cheer!!!

The kids have always had Christmas in Middleton, WI.  When they were little we went to Cornell a couple of times but they only remember Middleton, so this was different for them.  Ben and Melissa took of later Christmas Eve and headed to Iowa City so they could be in Wisconsin for Christmas Day.  Brandon and Aubrey are leaving Tuesday for a few days in the Dells, Ryan is going to be so surprised at the indoor water parks!!!  And Brandon has to hit Delaney's surplus!!!!

Sunday we fired up the new smoker Ben got Dad and did a turkey and was that good!!!  We haven't worked with a smoker made like this before so we were not sure.  It's a keeper, what a wonderful bird.  I rubbed it down with Emeril's Bayou Blast and wrapped it in wet cheesecloth and smoked it boob side down for 3-4 hours, the last hour we turned it over, mopped it and then took off the cheescloth for the last half hour, YUM!!!!!  Moist and delish!!!

A big thanks to Linda for the reindeer cookie idea!!!  Darling and they taste great!!!

It's been a wild couple of months but things are coming together and I know we made the right decision to move to Missouri!!! 

                       And now a Happy New Year to everyone!!!

Quilt Jackets!!!

Here's my Mom Marjorie modeling one of the coats, 

doesn't she look fab for 90 years old!!!!!?????

Sorry folks, I'm on a roll, 
got most of the boxes unpacked and put away,
 at least it feels that way, may not look that way!!!!!

                               We are settled in and machines are plugged in, 
                                                                      I'm SEWING!!!!!

Now I know some folks would have a fit cutting up these old quilts BUT, like I mentioned before, I really don't know who made them or when, they don't fit on any bed I own, they are falling apart and I believe in upcycling so now we can wear them!!!  They are fragile and will not wear well but what the hey!!!   I think they are kind of fun!!!  I used some old pattern that was hanging around, I left off the shirt tales and on the beige one I lost the collar and buttons.  And for the button holes I just sewing a narrow rectangle and cut it open.  My machines would not do a nice button hole with all that thickness, I assembled the jacket on my industrial machine.

We have been having wild nights with the dogs, the last three nights they start pawing at us while we are sleeping, they shake and carry on like I don't know what!!!
  Abbey is sleeping in the laundry room closet, they try to get in the shower with us, it's very unlike any of them to behave this way.
 Then they sit and shake and cry, it's been horrible.  So this morning while trying to calm one of them the smoke alarm chirped AGAIN!!!and she shook her head and then the light went on!!!  I bet the noise hurts their ears, they are trying to hide from the noise.  And since these alarms were no doubt put in all at once 3-4 of them were chirping!!!  So, all the batteries are out, I tried putting new ones in and chirping increased, they are kind of fancy so they must have to be reset, can't find the directions, they must be here!!!!

So, our nights have been short what with all the dog drama!!!  Then today we had some good news, our one dog has become diabetic so we are on insulin.  I last purchased the insulin from Costco in Wisconsin and it cost around $80.00 I called Wally World here, they need no prescription and the cost is $24.88, now that's something to chew on.  Talk about MARK-UP!!!
  I could just scream, I hate supporting Wally World but they got ya but the short hairs!!

                        Once again thanks for joining me, please share any ideas you have for old quilts and pics.

And Y'all have a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!!!

                   
                                 

Birthday Time!!!!

Great Grandpa Jack loves holding  Devin !!!  It is the best part of his day.  Great Grandma Marge likes baby watching the best!!!  What fun to see the four generations!!!

Tonight we celebrated the birthdays of Melissa, Brandon and Aubrey!!!  We had a dinner here at our new home in Osage Beach!!!  It is such fun to be near our kids and their spouses and grand daughter Devin.

Tonight I got going with the muffin tins, I made mac and cheese in the giant muffin tins homemade cheese sauce with bacon and bread crumb top.  Then I made mashed potatoes cooked in chicken broth mashed with sour cream, cream cheese and butter topped with shredded cheese.  They went nicely with sirloin steak sliced thin and shrimp, tossed salad and chocolate banana bundt cake.  I really like using the muffin tins they are cute and make life easy!!

I keep threatening to start sewing, butttttt it has been hard, I love to sew but really I was burned out and needed a rest!!!  I did do an order and will patch Brandon's jeans this week.  I also cut out a jacket out of an old quilt I had.  I actually have several old quilts and I decided I have had them hanging around for 30 plus years, they don't fit on any bed I own these days so I am going to make them into something useful!!!  A jacket will be the first project.  More on that later.

We have been running to Columbia for Dad's nose surgery, they got all the melanoma but the graft is questionable so back on Friday.  The we have a friend coming for Christmas from Arkansas, the kids will be here Christmas Eve and then they are heading up North.  I don't mind running to Columbia I got a membership for Sam's from my friend Lynne so I can replace my Costco runs, not as nice a Costco but it works well.

The best news this week, Dave got a job with a local slaughter house so he is back cutting meat.  Like the old days, the custom orders still have all the stuff like liver and tongue and heart, interesting!!!!  And all the custom are hanging beef, no boxes like the stores!!!  Back to lifting hind quarters!!!!  He was pretty excited and so are we!!!!!

  Someone has to work!!!

                                                     Have a wonderful Holiday Season!!!!!!