Merry Christmas

I know the next few days are going to be very hectic for everyone with family and friends, gifts and food.  I want to take this time to wish all of you a very Merry Christmas and may you have a wonderful 2015.  May the new year bring you lots of good food and friends and family to enjoy it with you.

I have had some requests to see the Christmas trees.  They are up, they went up much later than they usually do and I am not sure when I am going to want to take them down.  I will show you my trees and a few other new surprises from the house.  There will be more pictures later of the house, and I didn't take any picture of the front of the house because it got dark earlier than I thought.  I hope you like them.

On either side of our bedroom door we have two of the Snowbaby cases.  This case has the Disney snowbabies.  And some Christmas on top.

This case has the Snowbunnies.

This is the large case with the rest of the Snowbabies. I like some of the newer ones that have color added to them.  These cases us to be in the entry way of the house but now they are in a better place.  You can look at them better.

Behind this door is our master bedroom.

We have a nice new bed.  Well the bed frame is not ready yet.  We bought a sleigh bed from the Amish and it won't be ready until March or April. It will really make the room look different.  We are also getting night tables, so we won't be using tv trays forever.

We moved the old tv from the den to our room.

And we have some sweet little Christmas decorations under it.

Today my closet was finished.  Our cabinet maker built me a chest for one end.  The shelves are perfect for purses and bags.

The other end has my shoe rack.

And I have the racks for clothes.

Outside my closet is this built in.  Nice shelves and then cabinet on bottom.

This is the back wall.  My mother made my curtains and pillows.  I think they turned out really well.

The other side of the cabinets.  I really like our tree.  It is the Disney tree.  It use to be in the Pooh bathroom but we had enough ornaments to make that one just a Pooh tree and add this new tree this year.  I love the shape of it.

Joe's mother painted all these little Santas.  They are made out of the crushed walnut material.

And this little case has all my figurines inside, Cherished Teddies on carousel horses, Precious Moments, and Calico kittens.

Another picture of the tree.

Close up of some of the ornaments.

In our bathroom I added a larger tree too.  We have had a Gone With the Wind tree for several years so it was time for the tree to be upgraded.  The ornaments are so heavy the smaller tree had a hard time holding them.  This one seems to as well.  The top seems a little top heavy but we will make do.  I like the magnolias on top.

Another look.

Out in the den there are more Santas.  These shelves and the ones in the bedroom were designed with Christmas in mind.  At least that is my story.

The fireplace with the stockings hung with care.

The travel tree.  When we travel we buy ornaments from the places we visit and then add them to the tree.  I think we need a new tree next year.  The tree bless it's heart has about half the lights not working.  He is getting an overhaul next year.

Another look at it.

My gingerbread tree.  He was kinda displaced this year with the changes to the kitchen and walls.  He use to be in the bay window but there is no bay window this year.  So he is here in the back of the kitchen and right now he can't be plugged up.  There is no plug there.  Maybe we can work something out.

Another look.

Here are my Christmas flowers my husband sent me.

There's exciting stuff behind this door.

This is my pantry.  Shelves not too deep to lose things.

I love my shelves for canned goods.

And all my spices are on the door.

This is our main tree.  I think it looks bigger there this year than where we use to put it.

Another look

This is our Winnie the Pooh tree.  I did not realize how many ornaments we had until I started putting up the tree.

This is Megan's Bama tree.  I think it is full too but I bet I could find room for a National Championship ornament or two.

Another look.  I was playing with the setting on my camera here.

Here's the Pooh with that camera setting too.

I hope you enjoyed seeing all our trees and decorations.  There was suppose to be a new train tree too but we couldn't find the train ornaments this year so it will be a new addition next year.  Merry Christmas to you and your family.  May you be on Santa's good list and get everything you asked for.

Holiday Food Gifts

I know you might think that it is too late to make some holiday gifts, but if you need a last minute gift the answer could be in your pantry.  These can be used year round as well as Christmas.  I made these last week for a party I was going to.

Hot Cocoa Mix Ornaments

Buy some clear ornaments, wash them and let them air dry for a day or so.  You can use any flavor of hot chocolate mix or make your own.

I found a little bowl to sit the ornament in.

Find a funnel that will work.  Pour the cocoa through the funnel.

Then add some of the peppermint baking pieces.  If you do not want peppermint you could add some mini chocolate chips.

Add some mini mini marshmallows.  These are found in a plastic jar next to the hot chocolate mixes.

Put the lids back on and you have some cute little gifts for friends.  These would make great gifts for kids to make and give to their friends or have a party with their friends to make them.  I will say I don't know what kind of mess kids would make but I made a pretty big one myself.


These next gifts are dip mixes.  Most of them you just add a few ingredients to have a nice dip for all those bowl games or when friends drop by,

Fiesta Dip Mix

Now these mixes say to put them in an light bulb shaped ornament.  I didn't find any of those but I did find some small ornaments but there was too much of the spice mix for the ornament so I had to go to plan B.  But they would be cute in little baby food jars or other small containers.

Add 1 1/2 teaspoons dried parsley

1 1/2 teaspoon dried minced onion

3/4 teaspoon dried chives

1 1/2 teaspoon chili powder

3/4 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon salt

Add a tag that says mix with 1/2 cup sour cream or yogurt and 1/2 cup mayonnaise.  Place in the refrigerator for 2-4 hours.


Italian Dip Mix

1 Tablespoon Parmesan cheese

3/4 teaspoon onion powder

3/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/3 teaspoon paprika

1/2 teaspoon celery seed

1/4 teaspoon season salt

Just mix well.  Add 1/2 cup sour cream.  Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

Bacon Dip Mix

1 Tablespoon bacon bits (imitation unless storing in fridge)

1/2 teaspoon beef bouillon granules

1/2 Tablespoons dried minced onion

1/8 teaspoon dried minced garlic

Add 1/2 cup sour cream.  Refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Ranch Herb Dip and Dressing Mix

2 teaspoons dried parsley flakes

1 1/2 teaspoon thyme

1 teaspoon dried onion flakes

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper

Add 1 1/2 cup sour cream, 1/2 cup mayo, and 2 teaspoon lemon juice.  Refrigerate for at least 4 hours.

Fiesta Dip Mix

1 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley

1 1/2 teaspoon dried minced onion

3/4 teaspoon dried chives

1 1/2 teaspoon chili powder

3/4 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon salt

add 1/2 cup sour cream and 1/2 cup mayo

Italian Dip Mix

1 Tablespoon Parmesan cheese

3/4 teaspoon garlic powder

3/4 teaspoon onion powder

1/3 teaspoon paprika

1/2 teaspoon celery seed

1/4 teaspoon season salt

add 1/2 cup sour cream

Bacon Dip Mix

1 Tablespoon bacon bits

1/2 teaspoon beef bouillon granules

1/2 Tablespoon dried minced onion

1/8 teaspoon dried minced garlic

Add 1/2 cup sour cream

Ranch Herb Dip and Dressing Mix

2 teaspoon dried parsley flakes

1 1/2 teaspoon thyme

1 teaspoon dried onion flakes

1/4 teaspoons garlic powder

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper

Add 1 1/2 cup sour cream, 1/2 cup mayo, and 2 teaspoon lemon juice