February Recipe

CHINESE NEW YEAR EGG ROLLS

Yields 15-18
1 lb. hot ground sausage
1 cups chopped celery
4 chopped green onions
3/4 pkg. slaw mix, chopped fine
1 cup fresh mushrooms, chopped fine
1 Tbsp. soy sauce
1 pkg. egg roll wrappers

In a large skillet cook sausage until it loses its color. Add celery, onion, slaw and sprouts to sausage in skillet; sprinkle soy sauce over top and cook for a couple of minutes. Drain and cool.
Put 2 tablespoons of sausage mixture in the middle of each wrapper, fold and seal with a little water.

* Heat vegetable oil in deep skillet, drop egg rolls in and fry until golden brown. Serve with your choice of sauces.

*If you are not frying right away, just cover with damp paper towel to keep them from drying out.

Presidents Day

I know this is going to date me, but I remember growing up we got TWO, count them TWO, not one holiday in February. We got Lincoln's AND Washington's birthdays off from school. Now we have just one. I felt fortunate just to have the day off from work!! I spent the bulk of the weekend in my snuggly clothes making jewelry. It was good for my soul! Seems like life just happens sometimes and we don't have control over it ~ it just takes control of us. This weekend I took control and hung out in sweats...Thanks George and Abe!

Brothers

I just got back from my Uncle Jim's funeral. He is on the left, Daddy on the right. Uncle Jim was Dad's only brother. He has lost his Dad, Uncle Clayton, and now Jim, three very important men in his life. Although I know death is a part of life, it was very hard for me to imagine how it must feel to lose your brother. My dad was sad ~ that I know.

Good-bye Uncle Jim ~ We'll miss you ~ and we'll see you again!

Organization

Well, this year for my birthday, my kids, sister, and boyfriend decided to help me get organized. I don't know - I think there is something to being in chaos that feels inspiring and creative.... okay not really, but that was my rationalization for not getting organized! Well, here you have it... the beginning stages of organization... No, the clock is not hung... the wire is not in its drawer... there are miscellaneous beads in a lot of different places, BUT hey, it is a start! I am hopeful to become even more organized as this progresses. I am having to work in a vertical manner instead of horizontal and that is new for me. I used to have two 8' tables that I wandered left to right and found what I needed. Now I have these great cubbies that all of my bead boxes can go in and stay organized! Besides being cute and darling!

Christmas 2007 in Review

What a great Christmas it was! Here is the before picture....

Maycie was a bit overwhelmed by the idea of Christmas and seemed much more interested in the tissue paper and the sounds that it made. She was enthralled by the bows and tags. But.... she loved her Elmo chair!

She loved opening presents with her Uncle Jake ~

And her little butt in her Lucky jeans (courtesy of Grandma Auntie) was absolutely darling....

All in all it was a great Christmas. Having the ability to adapt to all the life gives you marks the test of humanity. This year was a different, but great Christmas. It tested my ability to adapt. And by doing so, I had one of the best Christmases I have ever had.

I look forward to a great 2008! I hope you do too!

Merry Christmas!

Today is Christmas Eve. It seems as if the day is filled with rush, rush. Did I get all the stocking stuffers I need? Where is that darn meat thermometer? Did anyone feed the turtles? Good grief, I forgot to make the Chex mix. Did I wrap the scissors inside a present again? Good thing I own more than one pair ~ and we'll find them on Christmas morning!

This is the first Christmas for my precious little granddaughter Maycie Jean. I can hardly wait. I am going to spend the night at J'Amy's house tonight so that I can wake up Christmas morning with Maycie!

The snow keeps falling... another storm is scheduled for tonight. I hope Rudolph's nose is bright!

Yes that is Maggie, 8lbs. of pure dachshund fury in mad search of her ball in the middle of 8" of snow.

May you each find your own peace and joy in this holiday season, and fill your heart and life with a peace that passeth all understanding...

Cindie

Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow

Well, the snow arrived in full force this weekend! I knew I was in for it when I tried to get up the hill to my house and I had to swerve left to right to try and make progress up the hill. Having that little turbo engine in the volksie only goes so far... It snowed all night and by morning there was no getting out of the driveway. In the end, thank goodness Kirky came and dug me out!!

I am sure that there will be snow for Christmas!