Happy Friday

I wanted to play catch up just a bit before I tell you about my Favorites.

We had a great Christmas over here.  I felt like I had cooked for days but it all came together as it always does and it was wonderful.

We always spend Christmas Eve at my sister Sandy’s house. It is sort of a central location for all of the brothers and sisters.  This is just my side of the family. We always spend Christmas Day with Mark’s family.  My family has about 25-30 people who attend and Mark’s family has about 5 people.  I will never forget the first time we had Christmas at our house and there were so many people, Mark told his mom the next day “Mom there were so many people I think they were coming in off the street”.  If you know my family that was probably true and that is alright with us.

Anyway Christmas Eve and the first time we get to see my new Great Niece from California, Elanore, Baby El.    We were so excited she is about 14 months old and just the most precious thing you have ever seen.  She is the granddaughter of my brother who passed away in February so a very bitter sweet time for all of us. I know how much he would have enjoyed spending time with her.

Se we ate and had gifts and talked and talked and talked and trashed my sister’s house and then we cleaned the dishes and talked some more and ate some more and just had a great time being with each other. I think with the absence of my 2 brothers and my sister it makes us really appreciate each other.  Mark was not with us and I always feel his absence so much.  Because of his work he has to miss many of our holiday get-togethers and it is just something I have come to terms with.  It’s not the same without him.

The next day on Christmas Eve we brought my mother in law from the assisted living center, where she is staying, to her house and I cooked the food and took it there.  Mark had to work that day so he had to leave early and it was easier for him to leave from there and get to work on time.  We had a wonderful time and his mom seemed happy to be able to be at her own home for awhile. Just a very small crowd here, Me and Mark, Mark’s mom, his brother, his brother’s girlfriend, and a neighbor who is a dear friend to us.   Again Mark had to go to work and I go home and snuggle with the fur babies until he can get back to us.

So here we are in the week between Christmas and New Year’s.  I feel a little in limbo.  I am taking a few days off to take care of my remaining vacation days at work.  I am not sure most days what day it is.  I think I like that.  I have done a lot of snuggling with the fur babies and watching movies.  A little knitting and even some more baking if you can believe that.

Here are a few of my Friday Favorites:

1. My new Canon Camera that Santa Mark Got me for Christmas. This is the Canon EOS Rebel T6 digital.  My husband is such a Techie.  If I even mention that I want anything that might fall in this category he is all over it.  He researches it to the end to find me the best possible deal he can get with all the bells and whistles.   I can’t wait to use this camera.  It is digital and blue tooth compatible and as you can see he got me several different lenses to use with it.

   
   Stock photo

2. This Coconut Cream Pie recipe.  This is my favorite and I have probably made it about a million times because it is Mark’s favorite of all the pies I make.  I will confess I do not make my own crust.
   3/4 cup sugar
   1/4 cup plus 2 teaspoons cornstarch
   1/8 teaspoon salt
   3 egg yolks, beaten
   3 cups milk
   1&1/2 Tablespoons butter or margarine
   1&1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
   1/2 cup flaked coconut
   1 baked 9-inch pastry shell
   3/4 cup whipping cream
   1/3 cup sifted powdered sugar
   Combine sugar,cornstarch, and salt in a heavy saucepan: stir well.  Combine egg yolks and milk: gradually stir into sugar mixture.  Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens and boils.  Boil 1 minute, stirring constantly.  Remove from heat; stir in butter and vanilla.  Immediately pour into pastry shell.  Cover filling with wax paper.  Let cool 30 minutes, then chill until firm.
   Beat whipping cream until foamy; gradually add powdered sugar, beating until soft peaks form.  Spread whipped cream over filling, chill.  ( FYI, I have also used cool whip)
   
3. The copy of this recipe that belonged to my mama.  This was one of her favorites.  Coffee Cake.  I remember when I was a little girl I loved it when she made this cake.  This recipe is in her handwriting and I copied and laminated it and then put it on this wooden frame.  I gave out several at Christmas to my nieces and nephews and I kept a copy for me.  They loved it and it was a very special gift to them.
4. My favorite movie of all time, When Harry Met Sally, I love this movie and I watch it whenever it comes on.  I have seen it about a million times but I will watch it whenever I catch it on.  I think I know every line of this movie.

 

5. I love these little hearts that come out at Valentines. These are already on the shelves at Walmart.  I saw them today.  They have different sayings on them.  I can eat a million of these.  I try not to even buy them because I will eat the whole bag!!!!  I used to leave them around in different places for my husband.

These are a few of my Friday Favorites.  What have you been up to?  how was your Christmas?  Are you planning a big New Year’s Eve celebration?

Join me in a few days when my blogging gets back on track.  Until then. Happy New Year!!!

Love your day your way!!!

 

 

I guess I should be happy she’s under the tree this time and not in it.

Yes I really do know it is Saturday and not Friday but if you truly know me you understand how my brain works sometimes.

I normally do my best work under pressure, yep that’s my story, so I have really taken my Christmas shopping down to the wire this time.  Although, I saw a friend yesterday and she had barely done any shopping so I’m not the only one.

I know I say this almost every time I post but it really has been a crazy time.  I took a couple of extra days off last week to try to use some vacation days. Well actually Mark and I had to go Nashville on Thursday for a Doctors appointment at Vanderbillt Medical Center for his kidney. He has to go every four months. Even though it is a four hour drive each way we drove over and back the same day.  We leave out at 5:00 am. Because Nashville is in the Central Time Zone and we are in the Eastern Time Zone we gain an hour going to Nashville. We have gone over and spent the night in Nashville and that is easier except for all of the fur babies having to be farmed out. I am happy to report that everything was excellent.  Blood work was great!!!! We are always a little apprehensive going and it is such a relief to get a good report. The kidney is now  seven years old and I always have to remind him that of course it’s doing great it’s my kidney haha haha.

I Made a Birthday cake last week for my nephew Tyler who turned 17.   It is so hard to believe.  I was there when that child was born and it seems like yesterday.  He and his brother always request my Butterfinger Cake or you may know it as Candy Bar cake. It is sooooo simple to make.  I guess I should be glad that is the one they always choose.

Last Saturday I worked because we were having Santa pictures and I wanted to be there to see all the children getting their picture made with Santa.   Oh how I wish I had skipped going to work that day because I drooped my phone and shattered it.  I had one of those protectors that is melted onto the screen, don’t ever get one of those because they don’t peel off.  I don’t have the insurance on my phone and it was going to cost about $150.00 to $200.00 to get if fixed.  Mark and I had been talking about getting new phones so that is what we did.  We got the phones on Thursday and we love them.  We got the Xs Max.  I was really excited about the camera on it and it is great!!!!!

I spent all day yesterday Christmas shopping in Knoxville with my sister. We always have the most fun.  We have our shopping down to a science we divide and conquer.  We also leave plenty of time for coffee and food breaks.  We usually wind up laughing ourselves silly all day long.

Here are a few of my Friday or Ummmm Saturday  favorites:

My new phone case.  I love it.

This Terry’s Chocolate Orange Ball. It seems like I see these mostly at Christmas time but they probably are available all year-long. You break this little ball into individual little segments like oranges.  They are delicious.  Try it!!!!!

These lotion bars I have been making. My hands really tend to be dry during the winter months and these lotion bars are amazing. I will have a post about these soon. I am making some for Christmas gifts.

I told you last week that I was a little on the fence about this Kokie eye liner. I have decided I love it.  You can get it at Wal-Mart or Target. It takes some getting used to. You have to practice with it a little but I really like it.  It is about $7.99.  So affordable enough to give it a try.

The little bins they have at Target when you first walk in. There is nothing over $3.00 or $5.00.  I love these.  There are some really unusual things that you find you just can’t live without.

My homemade peanut butter balls. I make them every year.  It is something my family demands of me.

 

The best Christmas movie of all time. Scrooge starring George C. Scott.  This is a family tradition at our house.  We watch it every year.

And the fact that my husband got a great report from his doctor is the best thing of all!!!

Here are just a few favorites what are some of your favorites this time of year?

Love your day your way!!!