New Years Eve

The basement is decorated, the food is ready, now time to get myself ready and for the guest to arrive at 8:00pm. Going to be a night filled with good friends, good food, and good memories. I wish everyone a wonderful safe New Years Eve and a bight new year. Please no one drink and drive its a bad way to start a new beginning off. New Years Eve is a time to start a new for those who feel the need a new start to life. I am going to make my New Years resolutions to spend as much time as possible with my son, do great in school, make and reach the goals I set for myself, try to go to Al-anon again, and to live life one day at a time, to love others with my whole heart, and too be a good friend to everyone. I don't believe in setting my New Years resolutions to be one of weight loss because losing weight will not make my life fuller, it will not make me happier or help others. I want my resolutions to impact others in a good way and make my life fuller.

May everyone have a bright and wonderful New Year filled with all joys life can bring. In the words of Richard Dean Anderson from Star Gate the TV series "See you on the other side" 

Crocheting for the Homeless and Needy Dec2010

I have completed my monthly goal of 4 adult hats, 4 adult scarves, and 4 preemie hats for the hospital. With it being such a busy month and how I only started the week before Christmas I think I did pretty well. :) I am also almost finished the pink and purple toddler blanket I have been working on for for about a month or so just need to finish the 5 row boarder. I hope with starting the new semester starting in Jan that I can make my goal for that month.  With there being so many out there who needs help, other then donating to the food bank which we do every time we get a brown bag in our paper this is what I can do to at least make them a little more comfortable. In the end I hope that me doing these will bring warmth to at least someone. I understand that some homeless are there by choice and others are not. I also know that there are so many needy all over the world, however; I believe that we should take care of the people in our own areas first. I know that may sound callous but, how fair is it for us to care and send money, food and aid all over the world and do very little for the ones that are right here. To add to that I would like to announce that next year on top of everything I am doing here I am going to send baby hats, dish clothes, and whatever else I can to countries who also require help. Doing this will just add to what I am doing for the people here. I think everyone in this world deserves the basics in life and I can't afford to physically so to other countries to help so this is me helping. I will also look into other ways to help people are here that costs nothing but my time as I find them and look into them I will post them on here.

This is the pattern for the adult hats I used: http://bohemianmermaid.blogspot.com/2009/09/basic-hat-pattern.html I changed it a little bit but this is where I got the idea for it. 

I am so lucky

Today I got Pictures in the mail of Owen. They are his 12 month pictures. I thought the birthday ones I got when I went for the visit a few weeks ago where the 12 month pictures but I guess not lol. I am also got Christmas pictures in am email not to long ago, he was even wearing one of the outfits I got him and he wore the PJs I got him for Christmas on Christmas day night :). They are planning a visit here sometime soon maybe even his week I love seeing him so much makes my day every time. According to them he loved opening his gifts so much he was inclined to help everyone else with theirs. He had so much fun on Christmas last year he was just a month old for Christmas and didn't have a clue but this year he knew what was wrapped up lol. The picture I have included is him in one of the outfits I got him, its for 24 months and hes only now 13 months I can't believe how tall he is! I can't wait to see him again I love the kisses and hugs.

My sister is engaged!!!!

Super exciting news my only and baby sister is engaged!!! He proposed on Christmas Eve she was very surprised. Its going to be a long engagement but that just means more time for them to plan and get everything just the way they want it to be. I can't wait! My mom is hosting the engagement party in the spring when we can have a BBQ and of course I am going to help in which ever way they need me too! She wants to have her engagement pictures done in the winter I think with snow as the back ground which going to be just beautiful. This is such wonderful news. Her and Jay have been together for what seems like forever lol at least 6 years so this was bound to happen sooner or later lol. I hope that they will be very happy together in the years to come they both deserve it. I love them both and wish them all the wonderful things life will bring! The photo is of when she first told me and showed me the ring on Christmas morning. I screamed and jumped up and down which I have never done before but I am just so excited and happy for her!

Grandma is back home

After being here a week grandma is safe in her own home 3 hours north of here. Yesterday was a bit of a confuckle to say the least. Our car we only use for city driving at the moment because it needs a new barring and with Richard (my lovely common law boyfriend) laid off we can not afford the $500.00 to replace it so its not safe to drive on the highway, so we had a friend who said no problem we can take my truck to London to take her to the bus station and if there is no bus we can make the trip all the way to port. Well at about 2:00pm Richard messaged him and he was stuck with family so we had to come up with a new plan. No big deal we would figure it out and we did we borrowed Richards dads truck to take her to the bus station. The whole time we are trying to find another opinion I have grandma saying that she will never come here again and just making me more stressed out. The entire ride to London's bus station which is an hour from us she complained about what happened. We get to the station we wait the 30 minutes until the bus is supposed to be there to help her get loaded on. at 5:45pm when the bus is supposed to leave there is still no bus. we talk to the people behind the counter again and they call over to about town the ones who run the northern run and they well we canceled the bus for today. There are 6 other people waiting for this bus. A very nice man who is going to the same place as my grandmother calls over and rips the lady a new one, still no change, then the guys walk the black over to about town to talk to them in person. I stay with grandma so she is not alone, she complains the entire time I tell to not get worked up its life and it will all work out in the end. The Gray hound people tell us they just phone and will be sending cars over to pick everyone and up take them right to there front door well this is wonderful. Once everyone gets back its time to load everyone up. Grandma looks right at Richard and in the meanest voice I have ever heard her use says if I would have known this was going to happened I would have never come!!. We load her into her car and get us back into the truck to head home. My sister calls I tell her everything that has happened and she pretty much blames everything on me and tells me that I was mean to my grandmother all week which is very untrue we waited on her whenever she needed anything, gave her our bed and we slept on an air mattress, drove her where ever she needed to be. My sister spend a total of 1.5 hours with her the whole time well after everything that happened and all the stress I have been under I didn't need her blaming me for everything so to stay the least this moment we are not speaking. Grandma is home all safe and sound and there will not be another year for a very long time that I bring her down.

Chrismas Is Over

Well Christmas is over the presents are opened and put away! The turkey and all the fixings has been cooked, enjoyed, and cleaned up. Love everything I got. Loved spending time with my family and friends. A friend of mine who I have not seen in at least a year came by for a visit well she was in town visiting family it was just like no time has pasted at all I forgot how much I enjoyed talking with her. I went boxing day shopping today. The only super busy store was Future Shop we didn't end up getting anything there; however, we did get a few christmas decorations for next year that match our blue and sliver color schem. This afternoon grandma will be heading back to Port Elgin. I can't wait til to tomorrow to have a day to relax and start to take down the decorations. I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas Holidays with friends and family!!



On another note I miss Owen so much special times of the year are the hardest!!

Grandma is here and I seen my son today!!!

Well we made it to pick Grandma and bring her back here. I seen my son for a few minutes today when I dropped his stocking off. Doing is stocking every year is my tradition for him. He was in a wonderful mood today so happy to see me all smiles I am glad I got to see him it made my week!!! I did all of my Christmas dinner shopping today $132.00 later I have everything I need for a wonderful Christmas dinner. Just three more things to bake Sugar cookies, Cheese cake tarts, and lime in the coconut bars because someone ate them all on me lol at least I know they are good lol :). This week just got busier as well seeing as Richards parents have invited us for dinner on Tuesday which is very nice of them they are cooking surf and turf however what a week to pick to do that :S with so much to do and so little time to get it done!!! Tomorrow I need to pick up one last gift and a pair of winter boots for myself and then no more shopping WOOT!!! I get to avoid all the rush crowds :) Well I guess I should get to work seeing as I have to get dinner on the table yet!!!! Tonight I am going to make the Lime bars and put up the rest of the Christmas decorations

preparing for my holidays

Well now that exams are done its time for me to finish prepping for our families Christmas dinner. I have been hosting all of the families holiday's dinners since my grandmother pasted away. I love every minute of it however it is a lot of work from decorating to making the dinner. This year we are bringing my grandmother on my dads side down from Port Elgin which is three hours from us. She will be here for a week and then take her back home. I have our tree up and decorated however I need to get the outside decorations as well as the rest of the inside decorations up. Then I have to do all the food shopping and our dinners are never small :) and now that Richards parents join us I make a ham as well because his dad will not eat turkey :S. So our dinner consists of Turkey, Ham (new this year), mashed potato's, Sweet potato's (which my mom makes and brings), stuffing, corn, turnip, cranberry sauce, sugar glazed carrot's, pineapple for the ham, buns, pickle plates that have cheese crackers and olives on them, raw veggie trays, Apple pie, Pumpkin pie, and new this year for peacan pie. Its a lot of food but our door is always open to friends and family who want to come for Christmas. I make everything from scratch and almost the same way my grandmother did. Right from the stuffing the same way she did to the turkey covered in bacon :). My grandmother held our family together at Christmas and since she has pasted most of the extended family doesn't come anymore. Many are busy with their own families but I do miss the days when all of us where together. Maybe one day we can be. My day Christmas starts on Christmas eve we go to Richards grandmothers where we do a Christmas gift lottery and then we go to Richards parents to exchange gifts with them once we get home I get to start my dinner prep with getting the stuffing ready everything but the eggs, and this year I will be cooking a ham Christmas eve. I prep as much as I can the night before Christmas because at 6am on Christmas morning the turkey gets stuffed and covered in bacon and ginger ale poured in the roasting pan and put in the oven. Once that is in there we head to my mothers where open stockings and presents and spend time together. Once done there I come home and start peeling and cooking. At about 2pm everyone starts to arrive and we eat and talk and then everyone goes home.

Boxing day we take my grandmother home. Take down the Christmas decorations and start to put up the New Years Eve decorations. This year we are hosting the New Years Eve party for all of our friends.

The day before New Years Eve I start cooking and baking and making trays of food for the party, plus creating the "house drink", making sure there is a DD and music for the party, New Years Eve we start to set up and await everyone who is coming and pick up those who need rides.


New Years Day all the decorations come down and we clean up from the party. Then I get to relax and enjoy my couple of days to relax before I have to get things ready for back to school and also I am getting my wisdom teeth removed WOOT not so much lol but it needs to be done so.

With everything that needs to be and as busy as it is. I love every minute of it and can't wait to host each holiday.

My family is important to me. We may not always be the most functional however we love each other and it works for us most of the time!!!!

Old Christmas Cartoons

Finally finished my last exam today!!! Now comes the waiting for my final grades which will be Christmas Eve of all days :( Tonight I am spending it relaxing after such a stressful week. I am watching old cartoon Christmas movies. Such as; the Flintstones Family Christmas, Tis the Season to be Smurfy, Garfield Christmas, He-Man & She-Ra Christmas, and Alf's Christmas. I love old cartoons they do not make the same as they used to. I don't think I could pick my favorite cartoon even if I tried I loved most of them lol. I don't understand why they have changed them so much and what with them being to violent? oh and did anyone notice when they released the sesame street from the 70-80's it was rated mature? And when they play bugs bunny on teletoon they cut out all the good parts whats with that? I am sure how they think that the old cartoons are too violent when look at the video games some of these kids are playing. I seen one playing Grand theft auto and he was 5 and people wonder where they get their "potty mouths" from. I never told anyone they got f-ing jacked from watching bugs bunny. Then again had I said anything like that I would have had red pepper put in my mouth. Mom never used soap lol.
I know what I am getting my son for Easter now I am going to get him a bunch of the old cartoons so he watch them as he grows. I am sure the adoptive dad will love watching them with him. :)

Well that is my rant on cartoons lol

Chocolate Christmas Log

1 egg beaten
1 cup icing sugar
1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs
1/2 coco
2 tbsp butter or margarine, melted
2-1/2 cups coloured marshmallows
Coconut


Mix the first 7 ingredients together om bowl. Press into a roll. (Mine never looks like roll until I roll it in the coconut)
Roll in coconut (I do this on wax paper then roll it up in the paper and freeze it cuts easier and lasts forever in the freezer as long as its not eaten first!!)

This has been in our family forever I don't ever remember a Christmas where my grandma (may her soul be at rest) didn't make it. Now that she has pasted there is not a Christmas that I don't make it!!!!

Coconut lemon Squares

1 cup All-purpose flour
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 butter/margarine

2 eggs
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 tsp lemon rind grated
1 cup chopped walnuts

1 cup coconut
1/4 tsp salt

Bottom Layer: crumble first 3 ingredients until mealy (I do this by hand find it works better). Press into un-greased 9*9 inch pan. bake in 350 degrees F oven for about 10 minutes

Second layer: Beat eggs  until frothy. add rest of ingredients. Stir to mix. Pour over bottom layer. Bale in 350 degree F oven for about 25 minutes or until golden brown. when slightly cool cut into 36 Squares.

From Company's Coming

Chocolate Billionaires (Taste like mr.big)

1 package (14 ounces) caramels
3 tablespoons water
1-1/2 cups chopped pecans
1 cup rice cereal
3 cups milk chocolate chips (I just used normal chocolate chips)
1-1/2 teaspoons shortening

1) Line two baking sheets with waxed paper: grease the paper and set aside (I did one sheet at a time seeing as I could only fit one at a time in my fridge). In a heavy saucepan, combine the caramels and waster; cook and stir over low heat until smooth. Stir in pecans and cereal until coated. Drop by the teaspoonfuls onto prepared pans. refrigerate for 10 minutes or until firm. (I did teaspoonfuls and had to cut them in half after I did the chocolate coating because they were huge).

2) Meanwhile, in a microwave, melt chocolate chips and shortening; stir until smooth. Dip candy into chocolate, coating all sides; allow excess to drip off. Place on prepared pans. refrigerate until set. store in an airtight container. (Do the dipping fast as the caramel will start to melt. I froze mine after in a container)

ENJOY!!!!

EXAM WEEK!!!!

Yesterday was the first day of exams and would have been my first college exam ever. However due to all the snow, blowing snow and Ice causing issues all exams where canceled. Last night the city declared itself in a state of emergency, I have never seen one of those around here before. ALL schools, buses, and EXAMS are canceled they haven't closed schools in more then 10 years. and they cancel buses all the time. I didn't know what do with my "freedom" yesterday and I have no idea what I am going to do today. Maybe I will clean up all those branches that came down because of the ice yesterday. There are over 300 hundred people stuck on the 402 I wish there was something I could do to help! So I guess it will be another STAY OFF THE ROADS days!!!!!

Shrek happily never after

Watched this movie last it was a good movie had its funny parts liked the others better but it was still good. I am sure it would sound a whole lot better if I had little ones who watched it with me but I did not, I admit it I am a fan of kids movies lol.

Visit

Poor little guy so tired from teething and being sick!

Richard and I had a visit with my son today. Let me give you a little history here. I have a 13 month old son, he was born Nov. 26, 2009. I named him Owen Michael (The adoptive parents have named him Nicholas Owen) There was an adoption plan in place when I had him. I choice the family and I choice open adoption they are wonderful. They could not have their own children, and they had been on the adoption waiting list for many years. Every adoption is different every family is different I am lucky. With my open adoption I get visits, They come here I go there. I get pictures every month and emails every milestone or event that happens. It has not been easy and I love my son with all my heart. This visit we had at their house (my first time there I was very nervous) They have a beautiful, warm, welcoming home. I spent 3 hours there time flies at the visits this time he was a bit cranky because he is teething. I gave him is Birthday and baptism gifts which he got to open today however all the Christmas's gifts hes going to have to wait till Christmas. Hes not so much of a little boy he weights 27LBS and is 30Inches tall its crazy. My mom came for this visit it is the first time she has seen him since I was in the hospital when he was born. (I was lucky in a way there as well I had a c-section which meant I was in the hospital for 5 days and I got to spend those five hard but wonderful days with him). Today as hard as it was to leave and its hard every visit to leave I know hes happy, loved and very much doted on. He will never want or need for anything in his life. I wish I could spend everyday with him however at that point in my life I was not in a good place and knew that this would be better for him. Anyway his favorite gift today was part of the lamb I gave him for  his baptism it came with this little figure of a lamb with a book and its just the right size to fit in his hand and he loved it. All in all it was a wonderful day spent with him.

Crocheting for the Homeless and Needy

Today I got a plan, that I am going to start crocheting for the needy and homeless. Last year I started to make baby hats for the hospitial and I have about 50 done in all different colours. Now I have decided to make scarfs, hats and lap blankets for the shelter here in town. I am going to keep making the hats for the hospital as well. I figure I will make them and drop them all off once a year.

So my goal is to make 4 scarfs, 4 adult hats and 4 baby hats a month I know that doesn't sound like a lot however after 1 year that's 48 of each, which doesn't sounds like a lot either but its a start and its me doing something good others, and its an attainable goal to achieve with everything else going on in my life. Besides who knows maybe it will catch on and others will do it as well.

One of the patterns I am going to use I found a website its just a simple pattern. I am going to try a different pattern each month so I don't get board with doing the same thing over and over again.

http://prayersncrafts.blogspot.com/2009/09/free-crochet-scarf-pattern-for-homeless.html

It is a very nice pattern and could be used for other things not just the homeless or needy.

Raspberry Lemon Whoopie Pies

As requested:

Now this calls for alot of "name brand" items I just used what was on hand. I also didn't have wire racks I let them cool on my cutting boards. and for the golden shortening I used the normal crisco shortening because that is what I had and they turned out just fine. Next time however i will make them smaller as they turned out huge and I would rather have them bite sized.

The Love of Baking Robinhood.ca


1cup(250ml) Carnation 2% or fat free evaporated milk
2tbsp(30ml) Freshly Squeezed Lemon Juice
2 1/3cups(575ml) Robin hood all purpose flour
1tbsp(15ml) finely grated lemon rind
1tsp(5ml) baking soda
Pinch of Salt
1/2cup(125ml) crisco golden all-vegetable shortening
1cup(250ml) redpath granulated sugar
1 egg
1tsp(5ml) vanilla extract
1/2cup smucker's pure raspberry jam
Icing sugar (optional)

1) Preheat Oven to 350degreesF (180degreesC). line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
2) Mix together evaporated milk and lemon juice; set aside.
3) In a medium bowl, combine flour, rind, baking soda and salt.
4) In a separate bowl, using electric beaters, beat together shortening and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla. with mixer on low, add the flour and egg starting and ending with the flour mixture and scraping down the bowl between each addition.
5) Scoop heaping tablespoons (15ml) of batter; drop onto prepared baking sheets, spacing about 2" (5cm) apart. Bake for 13-15 minutes or until tops are set. cool on baking sheets or wire racks for 2 mins. transfer cookies to wire racks to cool completely.
6) ASSEMBLY: spread underside of 1 cookie with jam. Sandwich with another cookie, flat side down. Repeat with remaining cookies and Jam. Sprinkle icing sugar over top of pies and serve.

Christmas Baking

Every year I try out some new recipes and of course always make all the old ones over the years the amount of things I make at Christmas as grown to well over 30 recipes. This year I decided that with school, exams, hosting the family Christmas as well as hosting the new years ever party and everything else going on I would cut it down to a select few the list still reaches 10+.

Chocolate Billionaires--Taste of Home Holiday's (New)
Raspberry Lemon whoopie Pies--Robin Hood (New)
Butter Tarts (New)
Fudge Mint Cookie Bars--Betty Crocker Christmas Cookies (New)
Lime in the Coconut--Betty Crocker Christmas Cookies (New)
Marshmallow Delights--Company Coming KIDS COOK! (New)
Cranberry Coconut Brownies--30 Minute Pantry (New)
Chocolate Christmas Log (Very old My grandmother who past away Taught me this)
Non-Chocolate Christmas Log (New)
Butterscotch Confetti (Old make it at least 5 times a year)
Coconut Lemon Bars--Company's Coming 150 Squares (New)
Melt In your mouth Shortbread (Old)
Spitz (Old however this year I had to buy a new cookie press)
Sugar Cookies (Old)
Dipped Vanillas--Company's coming for Christmas (New)
Nutty Pecan Log -- Company's coming for Christmas (New)
Raspberry Cheese cake tarts (New)
Cherry Cheese cake tarts (New)

Introduction

So, I thought I would do an introduction before I jumped right into it. At the moment I am 25 years old and in school to be a medical admin (for now anyway that changes daily for me) I am common law married and love my Richard. This blog was just going to be about crocheting but there is just so much more to talk about then just crochet as much as I love it. My plan is to try and write daily however we will see how that goes lol. I am sure that my English teacher will be appalled by my lack of grammar and proper writing style but that's okay too. If at any point I write something that offends you I am going to say sorry now; however, don't stop coming because you might miss something profound or an awesome pattern that I have come up with. Oh yeah I guess I should mention that too 9/10 I create my own patterns and never use the same one twice because I don't write them down so I forget them so here I will post them. Any patterns that I borrow or use from another site there will always be a link to it. Please follow there guide lines for use of the pattern as for mine, do what you wish with them, just don't sell them that wouldn't be very fair to me lol. I live with Richard who is my loving boyfriend, Len who is our roommate, 2 cats Sanity and Twister, 1 ferret who cam with Len lol who is the most awesome pet in the world named Otto.

Well I guess that's a good enough introduction I look forward to interacting with you all!!!