Patience

Patience is a virtue. How many times have I heard that? But patience is a virtue that, unfortunately, I lack. I come by it honestly: My sisters and dad are some of the most impatient people I know. {My mom is also impatient, but she blames it on A.D.D. Ha.} Now, to most people, I think I come off as having an even temperament, but they don't see the thunderstorm of impatience behind my eyes. The storm usually shows itself in little burst of thunder and lightening aimed towards myself, my kids, Andy, the dog, or anyone else who happens to be putting a wrench in my routine.

My patriarchal blessing actually specifically mentions patience. And how I will be blessed with an added measure of it. Kind of like extra chocolate chips in the cookie dough. I could use that added measure right about now. But I digress.

For the last couple of years, scrapbook designer Ali Edwards has incorporated one word as a theme for the year, here is a website dedicated to that idea.

I started this post on January 5th, since I had chosen my word at the first of the year. As you can see, I have also been blessed with an added measure of procrastination, since that was almost exactly two months ago.

I decided to add 4 more words to my one little word, because another family saying is "If a little is good, then a lot is better."

This is kind of a reminder board of those other 4 words: Faith, Love, Pray, Hope. It is made out of a 24" square piece of oak plywood, with some of my favorite colors and things. Sorry, it's not very legible, but includes quotes {cuz I love them} for each word.

Now, I'm challenging you to write down something that you want to keep uppermost in your thoughts. It can be on a post-it note on your fridge, painted, embroidered, collaged, anything. Do this as a family! Vote on what will be your word for a month, a year, whatever. I promise, you won't regret that few minutes of time spent.

Visit Michelle for more Winter Bazaar!

Countdown to Christmas

EDITED: Millerjk, I need your e-mail address. If you scroll down and look to the right, click on "View my complete profile", then click on e-mail on the left, you can send me an e-mail. If you are not millerjk, but still want a scripture list, please do the same. Thanks!

We love counting down to Christmas day, and what better way to do that countdown than with an advent calendar? My sister-in-law gave us this beautiful calendar several years ago that I fill with scriptures to tell the Christmas story. {If you are interested in a copy of them, comment or send an e-mail to me and I will get them to you. They are a Microsoft works word processor document, but I can copy them to wordpad, also. I don’t know how to convert them to an adobe document.}

The scriptures begin with Samuel’s prophecy in the Book of Mormon, Joseph and Mary’s journey to Bethlehem, the birth of Christ, and their flight into Egypt to escape King Herod. I always add this part. When I was young we would listen to a cassette tape of the Christmas story, and it always ended with Joseph and Mary escaping to Egypt with the Christ child, so that is how the story should go. At least to me. But you could just use mine as a springboard to create your own scriptures for your advent calendar. I roll each strip of paper with the scripture printed on it, then tie it with a ribbon and put them in the pockets.

I would also like to add some Christmas songs this year, such as “Samuel tells of Baby Jesus”, “Oh, Little Town of Bethlehem”, “Away in a Manger”, etc., and “He Sent His Son” as the last song. It’s so beautiful I want to cry every time I hear it!

Here are some other ideas for advent calendars if you don’t have one already.

Christmas Countdown and some Christmas Coupons from the Friend Magazine.

This is a sweet advent calendar made from a cookie sheet.

And these beautiful houses from the Rouge de Garance blog could be used year after year. I'd make them, but I can't read French. Come to think of it, I can't speak French either!

Look below the scarecrows to see the adorable advent tree that Nini made for Green Parents magazine. What a great idea!

This easy advent calendar uses plastic wrap and ribbon.

Here is a fun homemade calendar from Family Fun.

And for 25 days of ideas check out this page from About.com:Homeschooling. Each day has recipes, crafts, games, etc.

Find more great ideas at Scribbet's Winter Bazaar.

Winter Bizarre

If September = Apples and October = Pumpkins
Then November = Cranberries!

That’s my kind of equation!

I Love Cranberries! And here are a few reasons why.


1. Andy’s friend Jeff has a cranberry farm in Banden, Oregon, and we’ve gotta support the farmers! Plus I love the Ocean Spray commercials. Go here to see their funny Thanksgiving video, and download their free recipe e-book, too. The farmers totally remind me of Jeff! Andy was up there for the harvest a few years ago and his whole body was sore from wading through the bogs. I really would like to see the farm someday, before Jeff goes on to something new.


2. My FavorITEST EverEVER EVERRRRR sandwich was the “Plymouth Rock” made by the lovely deli employees at my local Safeway grocery store. Every other week I would do my grocery run and stop by the deli to order my Plymouth Rock, and only a Plymouth Rock would do. The #10 sandwich on the board. Only made on the Multigrain roll. With the real, thickly sliced roasted turkey breast, mayo, jellied cranberry sauce, some thick slices of Havarti cheese {until then I didn’t even know that I liked Havarti} and green leaf lettuce. Heaven in a sandwich. Fast forward a few years where I now live in the middle of nowhere Missouri with no Safeway within a few states of here. You and I can {more like have to} make a reasonable facsimile of this sandwich, just use your favorite roll, and pile it up nice and thick with the rest of the ingredients. If you like cranberry sauce, I promise you won’t be sorry.


3. They’re RED! What more can I say?


4. Cranberry cookies. {They’re really bars, but who cares?} This recipe is from my mom, and made it into our family cookbook. I bake these every year at Christmas time and always get requests for the recipes. We moved to Missouri in November, and when the girls in Andy’s office found out we were moving, they mourned the loss of him bringing in plates full of these babies. Yum!


Cranberry Cookies
¾ cup shortening
1 cup butter
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 ½ cups flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
2 cups fresh cranberries
1 cup butterscotch chips
½ cup chopped nuts
Cream shortening, butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla. Mix in flour, salt and baking powder and blend. Fold in cranberries {just toss them in whole} and nuts. Spread evenly on a jelly-roll style cookie sheet. Sprinkle butterscotch chips on top. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes.


Go see what all the other Winter Bizarre-ies are doing at Scribbet's blog!

Treat bags for hungry little monsters

This post is for The Winter Bazaar on Scribbet's blog.

An easy treat bag or Halloween card can be made by using digital scrap booking elements that you size and print out on your own printer.


I started with a lovely round pumpkin, designed by the talented Rhonna Farrer, printed on white cardstock and sized just right to punch out with a circle punch.


Then I printed out the word BOO onto cardstock, also, spaced so I could cut them apart with scalloped scissors, fold, staple to the top of a snack sized zippy bag, topped with the punched pumpkin, and before you can say "Spooky", there you have it. Cheap and easy, but still with a homemade touch.

I guess I could have put the candy in the bag the right way, but at midnight, who cares!

And here are my two favorite pumpkins, my twin nephews. These are for you, Tara!

Candy Corn

Some Candy Corn Facts you never knew you wanted to know:

*October 30th is National Candy Corn Day
*One serving of candy corn contains only about 140 calories
*Candy corn has 3.57 calories per kernel
*More than 35 million pounds of candy corn will be produced this year. That equates to nearly 9billion pieces -- enough to circle the moon nearly four times if laid end-to-end.
*Halloween accounts for 75% of the annual candy corn production
*A cup of candy corn has fewer calories than a cup of raisins.
*Candy Corn was invented by George Renninger and produced by the Wunderlee Candy Company in the 1880's. In 1900, the Goelitz Candy Company, now Jelly Belly Candy Company, started mass producing  candy corn, but, due to the lack of machinery, it was only made available seasonally from March to November. Its recipe is unchanged from the original.
*Candy corn isn't just for Halloween there is also:
Reindeer corn for Christmas (red, green, and white)
Indian corn (it's chocolate and vanilla flavored)
Cupid corn for Valentine's Day (red, pink, and white)
Bunny corn for Easter (pastel-colored)


Have some fun with your kids: try to stick them onto your teeth to look like a vampire, jack-o-lantern, or hillbilly! Who cares about cavities!!

Here is another HUGE recipe, but it can be cut in half to be more manageable. This is great for a Halloween party or to give away to friends and neighbors! Just decorate paper lunch sacks with some Halloween stickers, fold top of bag over, punch two holes through the top and lace a festive ribbon and tie with a bow.

Candy Corn Popcorn
24 cups popped popcorn
2 cups walnut halves
1 cup butter or margarine
2 cups firmly packed brown sugar
½ cup molasses
1 tsp. Salt
1 tsp. Vanilla
1 tsp. Apple pie spice {or cinnamon}
½ tsp. Baking soda
2 packages candy corn {12.5 oz each} The chocolate candy corn is good, too


Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Combine popcorn and walnuts in a lightly greased large roasting pan. In a heavy large saucepan, melt butter over med-high heat. Stir in brown sugar, molasses, and salt. Stirring constantly, bring mixture to a boil. Boil 5 minutes without stirring.


Remove from heat; stir in vanilla, apple pie spice, and baking soda. {Mixture will foam} Pour syrup over popcorn mixture; stir until well coated. Bake 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes. Spread on lightly greased foil to cool. Sprinkle candy corn over popcorn mixture. Store in airtight container.


Yield: about 30 cups popcorn mix


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