Tuesday, December 24

[karlinann]

Good morning Rounders! My friend who lives behind us came bearing a gift yesterday and it is so neat. A box of Whitman Sampler chocolates, but the bow on top is a beautiful checked ribbon bow that she made herself and it has tiny LED lights strung through it. That is the prettiest bow I've ever seen. That light is still going and it's like a nightlight. Lovely! How thoughtful and kind of her!

We got more rain yesterday, and the weather is saying 100% today. After the rain stops I'm going to clean the Lanai windows. All this dampness makes a musty smell out there and the floor needs a good mopping too!

I am currently doing a 1000 piece puzzle of stamps. They are so neat. I used to collect stamps.

Hope all of you are safe and warm and feeling the spirit of Christmas, and I hope that spirit lasts all through the year. You are all very special to me. Merry Christmas.

Peace & Plenty.

[bethina]

Good morning..I spent a lot of yesterday resting. I have sinus crap.

I am hosting my family tonight. We go to my sisters in the morning

[maxie]

Merry Christmas Beth. Hope you feel better..

[karlinann]

Beth, bless! That sinus crap is going around apparently! Feel better Chick!

[maxie]

Good Morning! It is going to be a warm Christmas here...close to 70 and sunny for now anyway. There was still some snow on the ground yesterday but I am guessing it will be gone today. Andrew's game surprisingly came in the mail yesterday so he and his mom were by last night. They are coming by today with a gift. That means I have to dress unlike yesterday when I showered and put my jams back on.

Slept in a bit this morning but the Blues played late last night. These 9:30 California starts are pretty late. But we won and that makes 6 in a row. They don't play again until Friday. Have a pile of laundry and the beds are still not together but, for the most part, the house is back in order. Went ahead and ordered Andrew's replacement hoodie so can return the small one at any time. I am basking in the after Christmas and Drew's mom said last night she had not wrapped one thing yet. She is the biggest do it at the last minute person I have ever seen. That would drive me crazy and being as late as I was drove me crazy! Probably why she did not bring gifts last night was because they were not wrapped yet!

Karlinann what a nice idea to put lights in the bow. Some people are just full of crafty ideas. Scott had the neatest gift bags. They looked like regular brown paper bags with the tops rolled down and a string around them with wintery greenery in the bow. So darn cute. He said he got them at Hobby Lobby but I do not shop often there so do not browse. But it is nice that people take the time to look and do find cute ideas.

Hope each of you have a wonderful Christmas Eve. Jon is working today and tomorrow so it will be an early, normal night here. Still eating leftovers...Have a beautiful Holiday everyone!

[Paula A]

Good sunny morning and I am just happy to have this day off! If I was open I would have had one or two and just not worth it...
Candy is one of the special treats of Christmas for me. Even when we lived overseas my grandmother (Nana) would always send us candy. A mix of favorites and then the Christmas foil wrapped chocolates we would find in our stockings and I bought for our kids. The bow sounds so cute! I was happy to find gift boxes for our cookies for neighbors!

I went into our metal shed to look for more ornaments and it is damp! Not sure if it is the roof or the wind that let the moisture in but I am not putting my ornaments back out there! And will be taking some things out...

Karlinann, you took the words out of my mouth: you are all so special to me !

Maxi, which CA team did you beat???

I have not been to a Hobby Lobby. One opened in Redding last year but I have not gone. My one trip recently to our new JoAnn’s was Overwhelming and I forgot to look around beyond my search for fleece for dog blankets. I need to start looking at thrift stores for fleece maybe.

I am off to the grocery store ( only the grace and foolhardy will be out) and to the PO for my mom! I do not want to stand in that line but will... this is where I hope to get good points to make up for the naughty points subtracted!

I put my cookies I ordered from Donna in my outside refrigerator and will put them out with Almond Roca and Hawaiian Host chocolate covered macadamias tomorrow. I am not a stress free hostess and want to let go and enjoy the day with friends!

Enjoy your day and sure hope you get to feeling better, Beth!
Stay well and cozy you all!
Maxi, enjoy that warm temp for all of us having Winter!

Oh, one last thing: the nicest thing yesterday was a card from my two little holy terror brothers: Mom wrote thanks and @We could not do it without you.” That just made my heart overflow! Appreciation is Everything in this business!

[maxie]

We beat San Jose on Saturday and LA last night. Thank goodness we are back home Friday so I will have a normal 7:00 start time. I know, can you believe the weather after having 6 inches of still melting snow last week? Some people are good at expressing thanks and some people are aware enough to know their kids are not angels. Sounds like you have an aware and appreciative mother there..

[cookielady]

Hello!!!!! I've made it! Barely though. LOL!

Yesterday it was like Grand Central Station & it kind of screwed me up. By mid-afternoon I had things under control, so I finally started to seriously wrap gifts. I counted the Dirty Santa gifts, and there are 27 I think. I didn't wrap all of them. Some are in gift bags.

This morning I had to get up and make 3 cream pies. Got those done, was so excited that I was done, done, done. I had 4 customers arrive at the same time. The last one gave me the last names of two ladies that ordered from me. I didn't have their orders and didn't remember them calling me. The husband gave me his wife's shop # and left. I called & called & called. Phn was busy. Finally remembered I have her cell #, so called that. Here she wanted 2 pies & 3 doz salt caramel brownie cups. She said tomorrow morning would be fine. Whew!!!! About a half an hour later a couple more people came. The guy ask if I had any extra pies made....nope...all made to order. I ask what he desired. I was baking anyway, so what was one more pie? He wanted Cherry, and I happen to have that filling already made for an order on Friday. He was one happy camper. He said I make pies like his mother did. I'll take that as a compliment. I now just have to fill the bwn cups, then I'll be done, done, done. Whaaaahoooo!!!!

Becca is coming down later after work, and we'll go to the 7:30 Candle Light service. Love that service. We'll then finish up our wrapping together. I'd also like to get the lasagna assembled. If not, no big deal. There is always tomorrow.

Was talking to Kathy. Matt said he'd put a ring on her finger when she learns how to make a cherry macaroon pie just like me. I'm going to teach that girl! I sent some of their gifts down with her yesterday. One of them was a HUGE box address to the Salsgiver/Buckham Household. It's KILLING Matt not knowing what could be in there. I reminded her of the tradition of opening one gift Christmas Eve. She said that put a big ole smile on his face. Dollar General had all their summer stuff 90% off, and I picked up all kinds of things, including a pool for $2.50. I just packed that box full of all kinds of the items. Fun summer stuff. They'll never guess in a million years what it is.

Well, back to the kitchen to finish those bwn cups. I look forward to reading/hearing for each of you everyday.