Tuesday, October 26, 2010

It's in the air

I can feel it, and not just because its only 34 degrees outside with 20mph winds. Winter is coming, which means CHRISTMAS! Yeah, I'm like a 5yr old when it comes to Christmas, the excitment, can't sleep at night, is it here, is it here kind of excitment and not for presents, okay yes I like presents, but really what gets to me is the feeling. I've peeked at a few catalogs, okay fine, they are dogeared and marked, and I've checked online to see if it really speaks to me. Christmas is my holiday and not just evidenced by the numerous totes that could fill a storage unit but instead take up just about one side of the garage, but by my obsession with all things Christmas. I love to shop, I love to decorate, I love to bake, I love to eat, I love to just sit late in the evening staring at my Christmas tree in all its glory with some Christmas music in the background, like maybe Donny Osmond singing Mary Did you Know? Or Straight, No Chaser singing just about anything, or Amy Grant, or okay the list is long, the cd's are numerous, but the music is important, the peace and contenment that I find at the time is worth more than any gift. That's what I love about Christmas. Now it's only 60 days away, which is hardly anytime at all, but I will not decorate before Thanksgiving, except to get the light up outside. I'm strict with the no decorating, each Holiday deserves its own time. I do not listen to music yet, although when I'm driving to Utah to my girlfriends for the annual shopping weekend, I do listen to it then, this is usually the weekend before Thanksgiving, so I give in then. After Thanksgiving, its like Santa's workshop comes alive.
Truly I blame the weather for getting me going.

Wednesday, October 20, 2010

Catch Up

WOW! It's been awhile. Lots of "Life" has been happening. First the freezing and canning continued. Did get peach and raspberry freezer jam made. Even made a small batch of raspberry/huckleberry jam. Huckleberries were like gold this year. The peach jam was made late at night with the help of this little German lady known as my mother. Thanks MOM!!
I made another small batch of salsa, this time just a bit hotter. I also made 2 1/2 pints of pepper and onion relish, like H & D's. Not bad, just a bit spicier than the original and not as spicy as the hot & spicy. Happy medium. I have to admit its been kind of fun. Also during the peach freezer jam, my Mom made a batch of her spaghetti sauce for the freezer. That is my husband's favorite gift for Christmas from my Mom.
More updates, State Fair, 4-H, no placement ribbon for Caitlin, she was disappointed but she and the hubs won goldfish at one of the games at the fair, and 4-H was forgotten.
School has started and we have parent-teacher conference tomorrow night. Her weekly updates look good, and the grades are pretty good, except for Language arts, that one is a B-. We have some work ahead.
My husbands stepfather went into the hospital (ICU actually) for an aorta aneurysm. It had not ruptured, thank heavens. However, they are getting a second opinion from a specialist in Utah. Basically should he have surgery to put a mesh casing along the vein to keep it from bursting. The surgery is extremely high risk. Not doing anything but treating with medicine could mean he could be going along and it bursts and the likelihood of survival is very slim. Not encouraging. Lots of prayers.
With that, are fall plans will be adjusted. My hubby will be stopping at his Mom's to feed their cows and the rest of the critters, then come home to do ours. Then during calving season, ugh, that will make for some very long days and nights, but we do what needs to be done. I worry for the hubs, hoping he will be healed completely from the horse episode to handle all of that. Too many unknowns right now.
This is part of life, trials and struggles come and we deal. Just as the joys that come our way, its a package deal, the good with the bad.
I stand behind my thinking of boring is good!
Now for what is on my plate next. Lots of projects, furniture, small projects, fabric. The list is endless but I'm very excited.