A few of my favorite things

The Girlies, age 5.

Pappo reading the nightly bedtime story

One of my favorite girlies

The "Kids"

My other favorite Girlie

Hugs
K~

It's Christmas Time on the Farm

I'm sorry I went AWOL on you.... Blame it on Thanksgiving, more work at "Green", Black Friday shopping, prepping for Christmas and the Ohio clan visit.  I think I see a little light at the end of the tunnel and I'll be back very soon with all kinds of updates and a few new photos.

In the meantime....

I'm not giving up my 

joy to anyone. 

If I know of someone that celebrates another holiday during this time of year, 

I will be glad to wish them whatever holiday they want. 

Just tell me what it is and I'll shout it to the world 

and wish you a grand celebration.

Back Soon!

Hugs,

Kay

Photos of the Christmas Blizzard 2009

The Prairie Farm after the Christmas Blizzard of 2009

I'm still behind here on my blog. I promised you all photos of the Christmas Blizzard of 2009, and here they are. Those of you who frequent my Facebook page, have seen these. Sorry.

As it's a bitterly cold evening here tonight on the Farm. The weather people say this next week should be our coldest of the season. That can only mean, it'll be warmer the next week, right? I shouldn't be surprised at the cold. It is always frigid sometime in early January. I guess I'm just getting older and not as able to deal with it. Either that or I'm just turning into a huge weinie!

And now on to the photos:

First we had ice. (We still have ice! It's just all covered with the snow now. I hate ice!)

During the night and during the snowstorm, we kept hearing the cracks and crashes of tree branches. We were relieved to find all the biggest ones fell behind the garage and not on the roof.


Ds2 was here for the Christmas Holiday, coming out mid-day on Christmas Eve day. It was good to have him here safe and sound under our roof during the storm. And he was a huge help with trying to get the generator going and the kerosene heater going when the power was out. He helped with chores and all the other hard jobs that come up on a farm during a major winter storm. He was more than ready to get back to "civilization" by the Sunday after Christmas, when the snowplow finally opened up our road.

He scooped the steps by the garage and I did the sidewalk, while Farmer-dear did the "big" scooping with the John Deere.


This is our neighbors' across the road. Can you find their car?
And just past their place, we had this....


This is looking west from our mailbox. Somewhere in that big drift past the blue 9-1-1 sign is their mailbox. The road was totally drifted shut. The last snowstorm, there was a drift a bit smaller than this. We tried to go through it. and couldn't make it as far as that first pole past the plum thicket. Needless to say we did not try it this time. The drifts were deeper and harder and longer.

After the snowplow went through and we knew Ds2 was back in the city, Farmer-dear took the pickup out to see if we could get to work in the morning. He found the neighbor's mailbox. Or at least the front of it.

At the top of the hill to the west, in the middle of what was the big drift. (Looking east. Those first trees on the left are the neighbors'. We are just about 100 ft further down the hill, and to the right.)


Yeah, it was/is just a little deep, when it comes up above the pickup door. Some areas, it is taller than the pickup roof.

I've had enough snow for this winter. And I've had more than enough ice! And the cold can go back up North. I'm ready for Spring!

Warm hugs,
Kay

** "Winter is the time for comfort, for good food and warmth, for the touch of a friendly hand and for a talk beside the fire: it is the time for home."
- Edith Sitwell

Merry Christmas, post-Christmas Blizzard 2009

I finally have enough band-width to say

MERRY CHRISTMAS to all my dear readers.

Unfortunately my internet is sporadic at best yet, so no photos until later.

In a nutshell, freezing drizzle & rain on Wednesday, icy and then the snow started on Friday (Christmas Eve) which turned on full-force with wind overnight. We lost power for good around 4 a.m Christmas Day. It was a chilly morning as the guys (F-R and ds2) attempted to start the generator and then started the kerosene heater.
It was quiet while we opened gifts, but we were warm. We had a cold sandwich Christmas Dinner but we had hot drinks as I could heat water on top of the heater. The guys slept after their ventures out in the frozen wasteland. I stayed awake so we wouldn't succumb to carbon monoxide (You never know!)
We phoned our neighbors around to make sure everyone had some kind of heat. We would have had to really work to get to them, but would have made the effort if needed.
Finally around 3:30 p.m., the power came back on. Schwoo~~~ (Thank you again SCPPD workers!!!)
We had some off and on blinks while the power company continued to repair lines but at least we could cook our Christmas meal, run the furnace, run water and have music/tv on.
We were fine for those 10 hours but it really made us appreciate again how much we rely on electricity.
The word around the neighborhood now is that everyone is getting a generator that run off the tractor PTO. Sounds like a plan to me. And when we redo the kitchen I Am putting in a gas range. At least then we will be able to cook a hot meal.

Today was spent shoveling out as much as we could. Farmer-dear dug out the driveway and up by the shop & garage. Ds2 & I scooped out the walk through a hip-high drift. Farmer-dear then got a call to help a neighbor who lives in town but has cattle just the next place east. Off he went to dig out the drive and check the house, cattle. On to the last neighbors' to the east. On the way he found a pickup, high-centered in the road, with it's tires 2 ft off the surface of the road, on top of the drifts, stuck. No one was in it or around so we hope whoever it was, found a warm spot to wait out the storm.

After 3 hours he had the neighborhood dug out, but we are not going anywhere past our one mile little cleared road. There is a 5ft deep and 70 ft long drift up the hill to the west and who knows what past the neighbors' to the east. We'll just wait for the snowplow. And from what we hear on the news, Interstate 80 is still closed both east and west bound and the state highways nearby. Not to mention our gravel roads still have a sheet of thick ice under the snow.

But it's ok, we have power now, plenty of food, entertainment. We can stay put for several days yet. Ds2 is going a bit stir-crazy but that's to be expected if you are 25 yo and stuck on the farm with the old folks.

And as the Whos in Whoville know, Christmas came even without all the special effects-- the music, lights and meal.

Thank you Lord Jesus for leaving Your Heavenly Throne to come to this sinful world, for taking on human flesh, in order that we could see God face-t0-face and come to know You.

K~
** "The best of all gifts around any Christmas tree:
the presence of a happy family all wrapped up in each other."
~Burton Hillis~

Sunday Stills

It was a foggy day. Now it's a freezing mist/drizzle evening. Winter in Nebraska....







But despite the cold and snow, there is still a little happiness and color in our lives.




Hugs
K~

I'm not giving up my

MERRY CHRISTMAS

joy to anyone.

But if I know of someone that celebrates another holiday
during this time of year, I will be glad to wish them
whatever holiday they want.
Just tell me what it is and I'll shout it to the world
and wish you a grand celebration.

Do they celebrate Christmas in China?

Here is our tree for this year. It's new and tall-er and LED-lit.

I'm slowly getting the decorations up. Actually I'm done except a few of the snow village pieces in the hutch and bookcase. Hopefully this weekend.

I've been scarce around here I know. Things got busy at the Green office right before Thanksgiving and it's just gotten worse/better (depending on your point of view.)

And then we had this little blizzard this week. You may have heard about that. Snow (14" here on the Prairie Farm), wind (45 mph gusts), cold (-20 wind chills and highs in the single digits and teens). We were snowed in for a day and a half with drifts over the road up to the truck windows.
And yet it had a beauty...


And through it all... the busyness, the cold weather, the slippery streets, the snow, the crazy phones at the office, the pressure to "make" Christmas.... through all that, I'm reminded that there is a beautiful, calm, peaceful, Holiness to contemplate.


Blessings,
K~

PS China stopped in to read my blog! *see sidebar* I'm so glad you did. Please come again.

Tis the Season

Happy December Dear Readers! I hope your Thanksgiving was filled with everything you are thankful for. Ours was small and cozy. Just the way we like it.

One thankful blessing, I had a short shopping list this year. I had most of the ingredients on my shelves or in my freezer. I did have to buy the turkey and rolls (ran out of time to bake my own) and produce but the rest I had.

I've started taking stock in Christmas baking ingredients. And I believe I'm ok there too. After the mouse wars we've been battling this year, I've decided I can only stock up using gallon jars or what I can store in the freezer. It has cut down on my usual supplies but that's ok.

So, who was crazy like me and went out shopping on Black Friday (or fired up the computer for online shopping)?

I did the big Door Buster items on-line in the wee hours of Friday morning when the sales went "live" on the websites. I was able to get what was on my list for the most part. A few small items were not available but I'm sure I'll find them in the next few weeks.

Since the grand-girlies & married ones are not coming to the Farm over the holidays this year, I have to be prepared to send them all out by Dec.12th. (my deadline) I'll be finalizing their gifts this weekend. At least all of their "big" gifts are already purchased & are being sent directly to their home.

The busy season is upon us at the Green office. Crazy busy, but fun. And this year I've decided since I come home in the near dark, that I will be turning on alot of lights in the house when I arrive. I'll be turning up the furnace and turning on the music and using my crockpot when I can, so make it cozy when I get home. And to give me a boost of energy to do those things I need to do. Otherwise I go into hybernation mode. I can do That in January. lol

And speaking of the Green office, I need to get moving in that direction. Have a wonderful week everyone! Hoping to show you photos of my decorations after this weekend.

hugs!
K~


If you don't like me wishing you a
MERRY CHRISTMAS!
I'll say, "Excuse my joy."

You may cringe that I celebrate the birth of Jesus, but just tolerate it.

I cannot be concerned that
MERRY CHRISTMAS!
offends you.

If I'm not careful,
the day will come when saying I'm a Christian will offend you.

Roast Duck on the Table, the Bohemian Alps and Christmas

First, I hope everyone had a lovely, relaxed, family-filled Christmas. Ours was exactly that, filled with family times, church service, food and just enjoying it all.

We'll keep Christmas fresh here on the farm for a few more weeks as we wait for the married ones & grand-girlies to come for their visit.

As the norm, a main part of our day was our Christmas meal. We enjoyed the dinner I received from my bosses-- spiral ham, green beans, potatoes gratin, Tiramisu! and added in biscuits, fruit salad, scalloped corn and pumpkin pie.

And Roast Duck!

This is the first duck I've prepared in a LONG time. I seem to remember making one or maybe it was a goose, early in our married life. Before I realized how much Farmer-dear really disliked fowl.

Ds2 (24 yo) asked over and over , Could I make one for Christmas dinner? So began my quest for an organic or at least a locally raised duck. Thankfully, Farmer-dear, despite his disdain for the dish, asked at work and through word of mouth we found a round-about neighbor (and eldest sister of one of my school friends) raised them and had butchered ones for sale.

I happened to run into her one afternoon in town and asked about them. She had large drakes and one small duck in the freezer. Serendipity?
And then the storms began here and life took over and Christmas preparations went on..... I kept thinking I needed to call her. She had said she and their young son were flying out sometime before Christmas to go visit her DD...
Farmer-dear finally called their home on Tuesday evening and yes, she still had the small duck I had told her I wanted.

I called her again yesterday to make plans to pick it up as her home was on the way to my folks. Down a steep hill and back up and slide into her driveway since the gravel roads and such are still icy from our freezing rain & sleet & thunder snow storm last week.

They live on a cozy old-time farm with all the usual farm animals in the "Bohemian Alps" . The end of the glacier deposits from the last ice age created the Rolling Hills of Eastern Nebraska and especially the eastern edge of our county -- hence, 'The Alps'.
Bohemian for the large number of Czech & Bohemian immigrants to this area. My ancestors were some of them.
I'm very at home in the "Alps."

This family is very Czech, so it's like going home when I stepped into their house. I heard the traces of the Czech/Bohemian dialect in their speech. Their home was small and cozy and over-decorated with the usual Christmas finery and then more "silk" poinsettias and garlands and glitter and a large Catholic Nativity on the sideboard. I don't know how to really explain it, but if you have ever seen a Czech Catholic Cemetery decorated for Memorial Day, you'd know exactly what this was like.

(Like this.... just a little over-the-top, but full of love & remembrence.)

Photo & text copyright © 2006-8 Celine Chamberlin, unless otherwise noted. All rights reserved, including reproduction and/or republishing. Do not copy, redistribute, or otherwise use these photos without permission. If you wish to link to these photos, please link to their web pages and not the images themselves. Thank you.

They were so cheerful and excited since yesterday was THE day they were flying out to their dd's. More serendipity that I called when I did?

We chatted and I paid my $7 and off I went to visit my parents. When I got home la Duck was bagged again and left to thaw in a sink of COLD water. Several hours and water changes later, it rested in the fridge overnight.

This morning I searched for "Roasted Duck" recipes and found some basic ones. In short, all I needed to do was rinse it, trim the excess fat, remove some pin feathers (gerk~) and poke through the skin and into the fat so it would drain. Rubbed with seasoned salt, filled the cavity with orange sections and placed in a pan on a rack. Roasted at 375° until the breast temperature was 165°, about 2.5 hours, and the skin was crispy.

Taste-- needed a bit more seasoning. Was a bit more gamey (livery) than I expected, but the meat was fairly tender. I had 2 pieces of breast meat. Ds2 picked that bird clean and later ate the last 3 slices of breast meat out of the fridge. He loved it.
I missed the dumplings and sour kraut that it is served with at Czech Dinners in near-by communities during their festivals. F-R did not even try it. He was quite happy with the spiral ham we also had today.

There was plenty of rendered fat in the roasting pan and I really wished I was a better gourmet. I hated to throw it to the cats but I have to think of our health too and I don't use bacon grease or chicken schmaltz or lard either.

Tomorrow Farmer-dear is looking for a hay grappler (??), some implement to help him haul hay. I guess that means, "Road Trip!" I have 3 new baking cookbooks to read and my annual "The Substitute Guest" reading to do, so I'll be happy to ride along. And maybe if we are close to the city, we'll do a little after Christmas shopping for wrapping paper and ornaments and such.

Wish you a peaceful weekend!
Hugs,
Kay~


More about the Bohemian Alps HERE , a photo or two HERE , and one more mention with Kolaches!

Blessings

Season of Peace



Random Thoughts on Blessings....

We have "enough"...
more than enough, in fact.

God has blessed us....
so much....

...too much?

Who are we to question God's blessings?
The Bible tells us God loves us as a Daddy loves His children.
Who of us doesn't want to bless our children?


Christmas Robin and Friends



We wonder still...
why us...

so much...

and some others,
not so much?

Why Lord?



And so, we say....


"Thank You Father,
for blessing us....

every day....

all the time...

in every way.

Never failing.


Christmas Tree



Please show us how we can bless others.
Help us to follow Your example."


Children Take Christmas Gifts to Underprivileged Villagers



We pray blessings on you, my Dear Readers,
this holiday season
and every day throughout the year.



Merry Christmas.


The Nativity





Kay, Farmer-Man and the Family


Christmas Carolers

The Weather Outside is Frightful.....

Yes it is..... Frightful with sleet, snow, freezing who-knows-what, going on out there.
But thankfully I was able to get home before the worst of it and Farmer-dear and DS2 got the chores done and DS made it home to the city too.

I've been scarce for the past several days. Sorry.... Work at the office is at it's pre-holiday peak and I'm making the Holidays happen here in the Prairie Farm-house too.

Thanks to that Black Friday Shopping Madness, I only had a few more gifts to buy, mostly online. I've started wrapping, but everything seems to be of the large size this year and most of it will not fit under our tree. So, I'm stacking them in the family room in the basement.

In the Prairie Kitchen:

I started baking and making goodies. Some we've eaten and need to be remade, but that's part of the fun of the season. I like it this way better than a marathon baking day like last year. We can enjoy it all season.

Speaking of making goodies... I made Biscuits and Gravy for Farmer-dear to take to the plant as his Holiday Treat. I can now say that those frozen biscuits aren't too bad. Really fluffy and don't taste too artificial. Can't vouch for the canned Sausage Gravy, but it must have been OK, as he only brought home the scrapped clean roaster pan. (Biscuits and Gravy for 40+ hungry factory workers means 5 dozen frozen biscuits, 2 restaurant-sized cans of Gravy and 3 pounds of bulk pork sausage, browned and stirred in.)

Other less-heart attack inducing goodies have been Fudge, Amish Sugar Cookies, Brownies, and Chex Party Mix, so far. Next on the list to make are Scotcharoos and Spritz cookies and maybe Sugared & Spice Pecans.


In the Sewing Room:

There is very little going on in the sewing room right now. I made an executive decision for myself this past spring that I would NOT be going nuts trying to finish up any quiltie gifts after May. The gifts I have made were done in March and are awaiting to be wrapped. I feel so free not having that hanging over my head!
I will participate in a Christmas Mystery (quilt) over Christmas Day & weekend. Or I may just follow what the group is doing while I work on my BFF's Anniversary Quilt. I'll have two 5-day weekends over the holidays and other than making Christmas Dinner and I'll be taking it easy. I'm going through fabric withdrawal. I walk past my sewing area every morning on my way out to do chores and it gets harder and harder to not stop and at least pat some Fat Quarters or stroke some yardage.

Other Random Thoughts:

The other Christmas activities going on here in the Prairie Farmhouse have been:
listening to www.classicholidayradio.com through my iTunes. All the older Christmas music I remember from my childhood (and before...although I don't remember that...)

I ordered our Christmas cards online so we could add 5 photos. www.vistaprint.com
They arrived today and I'm really happy with them. I'll post one or the one I created in iPhoto here over the weekend. (We didn't get the ones from iPhoto because they were mega-expensive!) If you are a RL friend, be watching your mailbox soon.

I've been wrapping gifts and I wish I could remember where I got this roll of paper!! It's thicker and double sided and seems to be never-ending. I used it last year too and it is still a very full roll. Where oh where did I get it????? I'm thinking maybe Target? Shopko? The discount card store? Sam's?? If anyone knows of somewhere that has similar paper, please let me know. I love this paper and it is making wrapping a joy this year.

I'm so happy.... just waiting for one more delivery and I'll be done! Hopefully NO late presents this year. BIG Kudos to all the retailers I purchased from on-line & over the phone this year. You did Good! (Only 3 bobbles so far. Missing packing slips in one order; the wrong color of another item but it'll work and one gift packed and shipped upside down, but it seems to be ok.)
Last year I had to wait on several things and some were discontinued and I had all kinds of problems.

Last year I got flickering battery-operated tea lights, 6 for $3 at Wal-greens. Love them. But as I said, they are battery-operated. Hearing aid batteries. One package of two is over $4! In this era of being "Green" why is it cheaper to toss the lights than to buy new batteries??????

Do you, my Dear Readers, do you get your own gifts? Over the past few years, as we have had our empty nest, Farmer-dear and I have found it easier to just buy a few bigger gifts together and then maybe find our own gifts to wrap for under the tree. (shhh-- I did get him a small surprise because I could not resist. shhhhh)
It started when I stuffed my own stocking. No one else remembered and I was tired of a limp stocking with maybe only a new toothbrush or dark chocolate bar in it. So now I get small gifties through out the fall and any small RAK/Q I get in the mail, go in my stocking. Lip gloss, samples or small freebies from Bath & Bodyworks, new socks, Fat Quarters, Dark Chocolate.
So do you stuff your own stocking too?

Right Now:
I'm wearing: Black & Red Tracksuit & white cami, black cashmere socks
I am listening to: The Classic Holiday Radio on iTunes and the UNL Volleyball game that Farmer-dear is watching.
I am reading: I'm between books right now. Just finished the latest issue of Mark Lipinski's Quilter's Home Magazine.
Last thing I ate/drank: Coffee, fudge and a sugar cookie
Favorite moment of the day: Seeing DS2 wave at me as I pulled onto the farm.

If any of you are a mid-westerner, please be careful tonight & tomorrow with this storm brewing. (I'm watching the lightening and hearing rumbles. It's Thunder Snow!)
Remember.... Jesus is the reason for the Season, not the presents or the activities or parties or food.

I'm off now to see how much it has snowed and to snuggle under some fleece and read for a bit before bed. I love cozy, winter evenings.

HUGS!
Kay~

– "I'm not giving up my MERRY CHRISTMAS joy to anyone.
If I know of someone that celebrates another holiday during this time of year,
I will be glad to wish them whatever holiday they want. Just tell me what it is
and I'll shout it to the world and wish you a grand celebration."

Another Random Thoughts Post

Busy.... but want to visit with all of my readers..... no time to plan & edit and make it pretty, so this will be another random thoughts posting....

1 large pumpkin & 2 smaller pumpkins + baking and blending and draining = 10 cups of pumpkin pulp now freezing in 1 cup blobs for future pies, bread and desserts. Something good from what what might have been just thrown away.

The new SunHeat heater is working great. We are able to keep the furnace on 62-64° and it is very comfortable on the main floor. We added the humidifier now and my lips and hands are happier.

Working ALOT now as the Christmas season is here. Orders coming in and going out. I like playing Santa's helper.

Trying to understand how some women do not like to cook..... but then maybe they don't understand my disdain for mowing.....

Christmas gifts purchased online are arriving. BIG boxes stacked in the garage when I arrive home from work. I need to start wrapping.

I was able to get some decorations up on Saturday. Not the tree or the Christmas Village yet, but hopefully this week. One batch of cookies made and almost all eaten. More this week too.

Things can't be too bad economically. Butter was on sale today for $1.78 per pound; cheese at $1.48 a 12-oz package; sugar, pop, chips, tomato juice, bread.... all on sale. (I'm sorry about the chips and pop. They are for Farmer-dear....really! I don't drink Dr. Pepper or eat too many Doritos.)
I'm still thankful for stores that "price match."

Wonderful times at church lately. Thank you Pastor Aaron! The Spirit is moving at Southview. I love that the alter is open now and we are taking advantage of it. May it continue.

If you found you had to register, ask to be allowed in, emailed me for a "What's up with your Blog?"....sorry. I've needed to add some moderation to my site.

I have photos of my recent cookie baking and my pumpkin mess but I'm not happy with my recent photo quality. Not sure if it's the lighting & my yellow walls or my messing with the camera settings but they are coming out very sallow and ugly. And Farmer-dear says no-one wants to see photos of pumpkin pulp blobs. If you do, then leave a comment saying you do, so I can prove him wrong. LOL

Hope this made some sense. Have a wonderful week! Celebrate Christmas this year, not just X-mas. (thanks again Pastor Aaron)

Hugs,
Kay~

––"One sprig of holly in a house filled with love and contentment
is better than a house full of garlands without love."
~~from Elsa Connors column, Woman's Day magazine, December, 1939

and 10 hours later (A Black Friday Shopping Report)

and 10 hours later.....

My first "real" Black Friday (BF) experience and it was great!


First-- Thanks to BFADs site for the heads up on the on-line shopping.
I avoided the 4 a.m. line at Kohls, got free shipping and 15% using a coupon code. Got 4 gifts*, cashmere socks for me and 2 Cmas dresses for the grand-girls.
Earlier in the evening I had ordered the Brother Label Maker at OfficeMax ($39.99 for $9.99).
So even before midnight I was 1/2 done w/ my list.
Went to bed at 1:30 with the alarm set for 3:30.


By 4:40 a.m. F-d & I were in line at Sears. He by the Tool Dept and me by Ladies Clothing. (Next year I'll know to go inside the mall and be closer if I want something from the main floor.) I was probably 30-40th in line. There were the usual side liners who pushed in when the doors opened. They were verbally assaulted but this being the "nice" Midwest, no-one pulled punches. I hope they had to wait in a line forever and missed out on whatever they wanted.
I hurried my way onto the escalator and quickly found the department/area right away. The case did not have a single DB item* that I wanted. Had to order it. ERGGG. Supposedly ANY cashier could order it. I finally found a relative short line back by the DoorBuster (DB) washer & dryer. BIG MISTAKE. That line never did move.
I overheard that the line in children's clothing was hardly any waiting. I nicely asked the associate if she could do orders and she called her manager who came over to help with the order. It won't be in the store until the 16th but that's ok.

In the mean time F-d was in tools, stuck in lines. I headed to Younkers for the ConAir Clothing Steamer ($30 instead of $70). Even though it was a DB and the store opened at 4 a.m., there was a big stack of them and a short line to pay.

F-d still in line in Sears tools, so I headed to Bath & Bodyworks. Got the DB totebag, other gifts* and could use a G1Free coupon. Helpful associates (3 of them) who went back & forth to the stockroom finding what I had on my list. Busy but not crazy with people. (5:45 a.m.) Went by this store 4 hours later and it was a ZOO!


By now F-d has found his way out of Sears tools, and unloaded at the car. Came to carry my bags and at 6:30 a.m. we headed to another mall to Scheel's Sporting Goods and stood in line until 7 a.m. for 4 gifts*.


F-d & another guy we started talking to in line, commented they flunked Shopping 101 because when the doors opened his wife & I made a beeline for the door in front of us and were asking where things were located. The men just stood back & watched. Eventually they found their way inside. Line was 50-60 deep at the opening, at the door we stood at. We were about 20th. Scheel's had lots of very helpful employees too.

I left F-d w/ the goods to pay and I went over to Vic Secret. They were opening at 7 a.m. at the first mall but this mall all was quiet.
It was 7:20 when F-d emerged from Scheel's. He went to do a bathroom/coffee run and I felt like a stalker roaming around the pre-dawn lit mall. Stopped in B&BW to ask about an item they didn't have at the first store. It was not busy, about 10 people inside.

I went back to VS and was joined by another lady waiting for VS to open. 7:30 and the manager & one other employee arrived and said 8 a.m. open. By then there were about 20 in line, I was 2nd. Got the DB tote bag, gift* and things I wanted. Forgot my $10 off coupon, so that was frustrating.

Dh was waiting outside and we headed to Banana Republic for 40% DB. Found something on clearance for 50% instead.
A & F, no sales ever. But ds wanted something there so I looked since I was right there. AEO, sales but nothing outstanding and I can usually find what I want on clearance, online.

While we were at this mall, heard that the line at Shopko was around the building for the DB.

Then to Joann's Fabrics. Got the Ott Light for 50% off, DMC floss, 50% off notions and packaged batting. Was able to use both the 50% off one item coupon and the 20% off entire purchase. NICE cashier.

Back to the first mall for leisurely looking, Sears again for Tools, then at the KA Mixer. The Pro 500 in the ad was not in stock and I wanted to see it in person before I ordered it.
Back to Younkers to look at their KAMixer. Again, not what I wanted. Glad I left Dh in the food court.
We didn't get anything this time and the mall was CRAZY Busy! By this time (9-11:00 a.m.) all the college football fans were shopping before the Neb/Colo game.

We stopped by a local sewing machine store to look at infrared heater. And ended up getting one. Merry Christmas to us.

11:30 a.m. and headed to ToyRUs. Streets and parking lots are NUTS. We walked in the store and got the LT Cook & Learn Kitchen ($99.99 for $49.99). There was a display right as we came in the store, so picked up one and headed to the checkout. No waiting. The grand-girlies will have something to play with when they visit. (shhhh kids... let them be surprised, ok? )

By then my feet were killing me and I was starving. My 4 a.m. 1/2 cup of coffee was gone long ago.
Lunch, 2 more errands in our small hometown and I was napping in the chair by 2:30.

I'm still excited and thrilled I got 99% of my shopping done today!


I can stay home the rest of the weekend & the season. Dh is in charge of the last 2 gifts. Unfortunately there is all that wrapping to do.

In case you were wondering about our Thanksgiving, we enjoyed the day with ds2. He brought breakfast and spent the day with us. We cooked together and ate too much. It was a nice relaxing day.
And now there is leftover pumpkin pie and fruit salad and rolls to enjoy.
It's been a great holiday.
Tomorrow I do not plan to leave my house at all. F-d has to run into town to pick up a prescription and pay a bill.
I'm going to start doing my Christmas cards, wrapping gifts and will do some laundry and sew and read and enjoy the day.

Get those Christmas cds out everyone, find those cookie recipes, string up the lights. It's finally time!



Holiday Hugs!
Kay~
–– "Until one feels the spirit of Christmas, there is no Christmas.
All else is outward display-so much tinsel and decorations.
For it isn't the holly, it isn't the snow.
It isn't the tree nor the firelight's glow.
It's the warmth that comes to the hearts of men
when the Christmas spirit returns again."
-- Anonymous

*edited because snoopy children may be reading my blog.