Homesteading With katlupe

Real or Fake--undecided

We have put up an artificial tree for years, but am thinking this year we might do a real one with homemade ornaments--I think it would just be something different and fun--I have not even begun to decorate for Christmas this year--I am going to keep it very simple--simplicity seems to be in the air at our home and in our life this season--so as with the rest of life our Christmas will also be a no fuss, focus on Christ, keep it simple kinda holiday--I am actually enjoying this season much more this year than in previous years and I liken that to the fact we are not getting all caught up in the 'commercialism' of it all--we are just enjoying the season for what it means--such blessing in that!

~Kris

My computer is down.....

Until I can either get my home computer up and running or when I have a moment here at my moms I won't be writing for awhile.   Also, my husbands surgery will be on the 8th please keep him in your prayers.  My MIL will be having surgery on the 10th two days following please keep her in your prayers. We have  friend who is in serious need of prayers he has an infection around his heart and does not look good for him, please keep him and his family in prayers.  I know I am asking for a lot of prayers but we sure could use them.   I could go on with a few other friends who need prayers too as we all do but we sure do appreciate them. 

Hope y'all had a good Thanksgiving and had time to think about all the things your thankful for.

Blessings,

Sherry

A country boy can survive

Well, he did it again!  2 more!!! ~~Way to go~~

Limit here is 6 deer so he's already half done.  If he gets anymore I think we'll give them away.  He's still hoping for a big rack to put on the wall though!

Raindrops on Roses!

Well, I promised Id report back here after making my cinnamon rolls this evening and so....the verdict is in : They were awesome!!! My husband and both my boys LOVED them! My husband said "Hon, you should make these and sell them, they are that good! " I had never contemplated that, but there`s an idea. lol Anyhow, I made my dough in my bread machine and rolled it out and cut into the strips like the recipie required. I managed to get three huge rolls out of the recipie. I placed each one to rise in an aluminum pie tin, they were just the right size. Once the rolls had risen some, I popped them into the oven and they were good to go. I took the first one out and iced it while it was warm. They tore into it like there was no tomorrow! I had planned on taking one to my daughter and her husband tomorrow morning for breakfeast, but no guy, my three guys inhaled all 3 of them!!! So...I have decided that I probably wont be making them to sell anytime soon (too much red tape) but, I will be making them for a nice gift to give during the Holiday Season. Im gonna make some for people that we know and are casually aquainted with and wrap them nicely in colored saran wrap and attach a bow, along with a nice card with the recipie intact. Ill pass them out with a Christmas Card from our family. I thought it would be a nice gesture. As soon as I start making them up Ill be sure and post a pic of one, wrapped and ready to give. So, with that being said, I think homemade gifts are a nice gesture. I have a lot of Fruit Jars that are sitting in my cabinent and I would like to put them to use making some Jar Mixes and Bath Salts and the like. If anyone here has any good recipies, please, by all means, share them with me. 

It is raining here tonight, its suppose to turn into snow before morning, we are not expected to get any accumulation but the roads could be slick tomorrow due to the drop in temperatures. While there are not any roses left for me to find raindrops on, I am reminded of a Christmas Album that my husband and I bought the first year we were married, is was by Kenny Rogers and it had the song:

Raindrops on Roses,

and Whiskers on Kittens,

Bright Copper Kettles

and Warm Woolen Mittens.

Brown paper packages

tied up in strings,

these are a few of my favorite things....

So...I hope I have shared just a few of my favorite things with you this evening. You can bet Ill be posting again real soon. Hope everyone has had a wonderful weekend. God bless each of you from my home to yours!

Gwen

And so it begins

Tomorrow is December 1st and with that begins the gift giving for me. I not only have Christmas gifts to purchase but I also have over a dozen or so birthdays, including my husband and three kids. This madness will continue untill my dd's  26th birthday on January 31st. There is almost one every week with 2 nephews, 1 niece, my 3  kids, one dh, 2 brothers in law, a mother in law, a brother, a best friend,  and a cousin or two for good measure.  With times being the way they are, some of these special people will get some baked goods and maybe a card or two.  All this gift giving also comes with a whole lot of baking added in too. That's not too good for someone who is on a diet, ME. I think that's going to be the toughest of all things to handle, not being able to eat cake and other goodies. Oh oh.

   Well the weekend was a rainy one for a couple of days, so Zach and I decided it was a good time to take out the Christmas decorations and do up the house.  I ended up going through each box and decided that I had way too much "stuff", so I've put aside a car trunk full of thrift store donations. It's all still good stuff that I hope someone else might need. I tend to keep ALL the handmade thing-a-ma-jigs that the kiddos made growing up. You know how that is, you just can't let go of those. That's the stuff you give to your new son and daughters in law. LOL I can't wait for that.

   I waited untill today to do the outside of the house. I had to go get some new red ribbon and bows for the porch post. I love the red, green,  and white look of decorations. I'm not much for shinny items or too many lights. I don't remember the last time I put lights on the outside of the house, probably years ago when my son Eric was helping and climbing the ladder for me.  Since I broke my foot five years ago, I do not climb up anything higher than a chair, and even that gives me the willys. LOL.

   Well everyone has finished supper, so I'll head off to do some dishes. Then later I think I  will pop some popcorn and catch a Christmas movie or two. I saw White Christmas last night, LOVED it.

Some Thanksgiving Tidbits

Just thought Id post an additional entry today with some pics and stuff from our Thanksgiving this past week. I cooked up a storm! This was our menu:

• Golden Roast Turkey
• Baked Ham
• Homemade Whipped Potatos
• Homemade Turkey Gravy
• Sweet Potato Mallow
• Green Beans with Whole Potatos
• Buttered Corn
• Dinner Rolls
• Pumpkin Pie
• Pumpkin Roll
• Pecan Pie
• Chocolate Pie
• Softdrinks & Spice of Christmas Life Punch

Everyone ate till they couldnt eat anymore. lol I was suprised I had room for dessert even though I only ate one platefull. So, I wanted to share a few pics we took that day:

This was my Pumpkin Cream Cheese Roll

Our Turkey in the Beginning...lol

My Grandbaby Lillianna Rose and I

My daughter Brittany & Granddaughter Lilly

Gigantic Cinnamon Rolls

Good afternoon ladies. I trust everyone had a good Thanksgiving this past week? Ours was good. I cooked so much food. You would think I would still be full. But Im back in the kitchen today. lol The temps are dropping outside and they are calling for snow this evening. There is just something about the cold air and the mention of snow that puts me in the Holiday Cooking Mood. So, I made some Maple Pecan Fudge and it is in the kitchen setting up. I wanted to share something else with you today.

So....here while back (thats country talk dont cha know? ) lol Anyhow, a while back my son Matt and I were bored so we decided to make a trip out to the local Old Timers Flea Market. For those of you who dont know what that is its like a Giant Yard Sale inside a huge building! We LOVE it. Anyhow, so we went. And I had heard ppl talk about these good cinnnamon rolls that some lady makes and brings in there to sell, they almost always sell out rather quickly and I have never been fortunate enough to get there in time to grab one. But this time we lucked out and did! I mean these things are as big as a Dinner Plate and DELICIOUS!!! They are chock full of Cinnamon too. One is big enough to feed a family of 4! So, after we enjoyed the roll as a family, I was wondering if maybe I could duplicate them. I have a bread machine that I was fortunate enough to pick up at my Thrift Store for $8.00!! It worked perfect too, so that in itself was a deal as much as my husband loves Yeast Bread and Rolls.
Well, I had no sooner decided that I was going to try and duplicate that recipie until I was in Wal-Mart shopping and I picked up Taste of Homes New 2008 Holiday Recipie Guide and Smack Dab in the front of the book there is a recipie that catches my eye: GIGANTIC CINNAMON ROLLS!!!

I COULD not believe my eyes! There they were!!! FATE indeeed! lol So......I got out my amish bread recipie and have the dough inside of my bread machine mixing and rising. And Im am going to try this recipie!! I will let you know if it turns out.
Meantime, here it is if you would like to try it for yourself:

1/2 C.
Sugar
1/2 C.
Packed Brown Sugar
2 tsp Ground Cinnamon
2 loaves of frozen bread dough, thawed (or u fav recipie)
1/2 C.
Melted Butter
1/2 C.
Chopped Pecans
1-1/4 C. Powd.
Sugar
6 tsp Milk
1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract

In shallow bowl combine sugars and cinnamon, set aside. On lightly floured surface roll each loaf of bread dough into a 12 x 4 rectangle, Cut each rectangle into four 1 inch strips. Roll each strip into a 18 inch long rope. Dip in butter and then roll in the sugar mixture.

Coil one rope in the center of a 12 inch greased Pizza Pan, add 3 more ropes (Im going to use a pie pan and might go with 3 ropes instead of 4) Pinch ends to seal together in order to fill one pan. Sprinkle with pecans and remaining cinnamon sugar. Cover until doubled, about 45 mins. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-30 mins or till golden brown. Mix powd sugar and milk and vanilla till smooth in another small bowl, drizzle over the warm rolls.

If you do make them let me know how they turned out! I am hoping they are as good as the ones this lady makes. Ill be sure to let you all know though!

It's Snowing!

I woke to snow falling from the sky this morning--not something we see very often in my neck of the woods--I am not a snow person and would like to live further south where there is no snow--But since I don't I will have to deal with what we get here--The snow is pretty, but I do not like the cold temps--for those with muscle/Joint issues its really hard on them and I fall into that category--if it wasn't for illness I might enjoy it more--Not sure how much accumulation if any we will get--most likely none since the ground temps are so warm and Thursday it was almost 70 degrees here--LOL--now snow--and highs this week reaching almost 60--we have such roller coaster weather--I did snap a few pictures of the snow will post them later--of course to those of you up north they will seem trivial--LOL--But for us southern folks any snow is something to photograph!!

~Kris

Travalogue, chicken pox, swimming, and pancakes

Booger's Day

Well, I woke up a happy puppy....got Mom up at 5:30AM,

as usual, so I could go outside and do my morning rituals. I

met the cats on the top step....Oh boy...I get to chase them

out into the yard, what fun that is...they really run...wait

until I learn to bark, they will hear me coming then...Back

into the house, Wow, smells good, Mom is fixing breakfast.

I eat my kibbles, get a drink, then run into the room where

Mom and Dad are, and I make a big dive into my new soft

bed. It is all black, has a Milkbone on the corner...I like to

chew on it a little bit...Mom finally gave me a bite of egg

and toast, I was really good, I just sit and give her "that

look"...you know, the starving dog one...Yep, works every

time. I have good manners, and she tells me what a good

boy I am. Finally, Dad has finished his coffee, I can hardly

wait, we go outside and he turns me loose in the fenced

chicken yard....What fun ! I chase a big fluffy rooster,

wow, could he run, but I chased and chased,and when I

finally caught up to him, that stupid bird just STOPPED !

Well, my nose went in his behind, and he sat on me ! Good

grief, I felt like a feather duster ! Dad laughed, thought I

was funny...then I ran into the garden, and found some

Llama hair...boy, I grabbed it and just ran all over the

garden, finally had to lay it down...then I dug in the

dirt...Wowee...I can blow dust bubbles in the dirt ! I only

sneezed once, then we came back to the house. I got to

chase the cats one more time. Dad said it was a wonder

the old white cat with the crooked tail didn't stripe my

nose. I have had a great day, sleeping and eating, going

out and playing...I am so glad Mom and Dad adopted

me...I just love it here at Itsy Bitsy Farm.