…Christmas is just around the corner.
Christmas? What am I thinking, talking about Christmas, Fall just started. Exactly. Tomorrow is the first of October which only leaves two months to plan and execute operation Home Made Christmas – Second Edition.
As I sit night after night knitting pumpkin hats (if I had known they would be this popular I would have started knitting them last November) I am getting that, “Oh my Goodness, what am I going to do for Christmas this year?” panic attacks. I have a short list to work from, but want to remain original. At this point in time my Sister and her family are not flying in from Regina. Anything can change, but I have to think easy to pack up and send out.
I am welcome to any ideas or suggestions, even if it is just something you personally would like, I might just be inspired to create it for Christmas.
My short list so far is:
- Family Board Game
- Family Happy Pants (lounge pants, flannels, we call them Happy Pants)
- Bath Soaps, Salts, Lotions
- Handmade Note Paper.
- Knit Hats
- Christmas CD, Family Favorites.
- Family Photo Albums (with photos I took of the family!! I did do this a couple of years ago, but it might be time to put another album or two together.)
So, there you have it, the short list. I am sure I have more on the list in my head, but I can’t seem to pull it out right now. All year long I have been printing off suggestions from websites and what not, so I still have to go through these and see which ones are feasible.
Anybody else out there willing to take on the Handmade Christmas this year? I say bring it on.
I spent Monday getting the fixings ready for Apple butter. I made the apple sauce, then got the slow cooker ready. It needs to cook for 12 – 14 hours so I put it on at 7pm and let it go all night long. Which is great, except when I had to wake up and feed Apple. Oh the smell of apples and cinnamon. It was enough to make me want to go down and get a snack, but I didn’t.
Hubby and Opa put it on their ice cream. Apple and I put it in our yogurt. J and A don’t eat apple butter apparently, but that’s ok, more for us!
Here is the finished batch. Some smaller jars and a few larger ones. But, all in all delicious. Hubby was trying to tell some ladies at work about it and they couldn’t grasp that I made it without butter. I guess a lot of people actually use butter in their apple butter, but I have always used the non-butter recipe. It calls for apple sauce, apple cider, honey, cinnamon, all spice and cloves. That’s it!
And as if we aren’t eating apples every two minutes, I seriously had to stop J he was eating them like there was no tomorrow, Hubby wanted an Apple Crisp. My Mom has always called it an Apple Betty, not sure why, but whether you call it a Crisp or a Betty it sure was delicious. Again, J and A didn’t eat any but Hubby, Opa, Apple and I dove right in. I might see an Apple pie in the future….
**Thank you all for your kind words and support for the run. I am very excited and thrilled at the support I have received. I ran 3k full out tonight, so I hope to run earlier tomorrow when I haven’t just finished a huge meal that ended in Apple Betty, to see if I can make it to 4k.
Because I just don’t know what to do.
This year has been tough, not only for me but for two of my close friends. Two wonderful, smart, beautiful women that I know personally have had to deal with Breast Cancer this year. One is coming to the end of her treatments and has shown nothing but amazing courage and strength. The other is starting tomorrow. Both will have had a mastectomy. Something I don’t know I would handle with grace very well even though my girls could use a little lift and aren’t exactly what they used to be.
I have been trying to think of what I can do to offer support. Other than offering a shoulder to lean on or any help that I can give, I have decided to run the CIBC Run for the Cure. A 5k run that is on October 5th. I know I am not leaving myself much time, but really what is time when dealing with this horrible disease. It is what I want to do. It is what I can offer at this time.
I have never been one for canvasing for fundraising, but more of a donation kind of gal. In this case I thought it was appropriate to put it out there for anyone who may want to do a little something themselves, but just don’t know how. You can donate (by clicking here, I am registered as BeachMama{first name} Anna{last name}) anyway you want to in any amount or in just offering support to someone in need. And if you live in Ottawa and want to join me in this 5k, I am open to running along side you if you don’t mind taking a walk break every now and then (possibly). Leave me a comment and I will email you back.
And Thank You for supporting me.
