My Wishes For You All

May all your dreams come true.

Tomorrow I hope to share my goals for the year. I always work on them New Years Eve and fine tune them as I go through the year.

Everybody have a wonderful evening.

God bless.

Menu Monday and A Little Bit More

Here are my menus for the upcoming week. Lots of using up items and trying to get the meat freezer cleaned out a bit. Things are getting lost in there and I am refusing to lose food to freezer burn.

Monday

Leftover Ham warmed up. Served with potato salad and cole slaw.

Tuesday

Pork Chops in mushroom sauce, mashed potatoes, and green beans.

Wednesday

Clean out the fridge.

Thursday

Leftover Pork made into a stir fry using onions, peppers, mushrooms, carrots and celery. Served over noodles.

Friday

Tuna Casserole

Saturday

Chicken Legs with Back attached. Cooked in the oven, served with rice and peas.

Sunday

Beef Roast, roast potatoes and roast carrots.

So there are my menus for the week. I am really hoping to stick to what I have planned. Perhaps not on the night I have written them down but near enough.

I am also going to share some of the tree decorations I bought while on our vacation to the UK.

Now while browsing the gift shop at the Tower of London we came across this set of ornaments.

A collection made up of Henry the VIII and his 6 wives..... These were made out of felt and slightly (well a bit more than slightly) tacky. They looked as if children had made them and for what the cost was I would have expected a bit more care taken in their making.

Looking a bit more I found this.

 Slightly less tacky, in fact very well made and the price at about the $8.00 mark was just about right. I did have Kurt asking me what on earth Henry and his wives had to do with Christmas. My response was "They celebrated the holiday season as well." Seemed to do the trick.

I have some more ornaments I picked up at the Tower shop and will share a couple with you here. These are small miniatures of things found around the British Isles, sort of icons.

A Beefeater, not a very good picture but he is at the top of my tree. Perhaps I can get a better picture later.

Her Majesty's Mail.

One more of the set.

A call box. These are disappearing I am told....What a pity.

A lot less tacky than the felt ornaments and they really go with my red and silver tree.

Everybody have a wonderful evening.

God bless.

Sunday Ramblings

The end of the year and the end of the holiday season is almost upon us.

I actually started my 58th year today. Looking back at my 57th year I see both joy and sorrow. I lost a good friend, but also gained the chance to meet someone in person. I got to travel to 2 other countries, 4 if you count the fact that 3 countries make up the United Kingdom. I learned to loom knit, and even managed to finish a few projects started a long time ago.

I grew closer to Harvey and learned to live with him being around (it really wasn't as bad as I thought it would be).

All in all it was a wonderful year and I am so looking forward to the adventures that this year will bring. Both the joys and the sorrows, for after all it is the sorrows that make the joys that much sweeter.

Now I will share with all of you my birthday presents. Of course since for some odd reason my family wraps my birthday gifts in Christmas paper and place them under the tree, you all know when I unwrap them.

Harvey bought me two more angels for my collection. These from a man who says I have too many angels to begin with.

Kris and Kurt had bought me a Kobo ereader a couple of years ago for Christmas. No matter how often Kris tells me that using my credit card on line is just fine especially on a secure site, he knows I won't purchase anything.

So..... Kris gave me a gift card to purchase more books this year. This will sure come in handy as I am running out of reading material.

Kurt takes full advantage of my love of knitting and tried to find me something to use for that purpose.

So my gift from him was this knitting bowl. I am sure enjoying not chasing my yarn across the floor!!

Everybody have a wonderful evening.

God bless.

My Guys Really Do Know Me

Yesterday I talked about Christmas and mention how the men in my life really know me. Thought I would share some pictures with you all of the gifts that I got.

I love sparkly things, kind of like a raven in that respect and over the years Harvey has indulged my craving. This year my favorite jewelry store is closing and had some great deals (where am I going to send Harvey for my sparklies now???) and Harvey did some shopping. This is what he came home with for Christmas.

 A beautiful two tone gold bracelet!! Just what I wanted.

Kurt indulged my love of angels by buying me these.

These are now sitting in my curio cabinet with all the others he, Kris, others and Harvey have bought me over the years.

Kris, now, noticed the last time he was home that I was running low on things that made my house smell nice in the evening.

A whole bunch of lovey smelling candles (hmm, better dust under here as there seems to be some build up that I did not notice until now. I have already started burning a few.

At our family gathering I "stole" this basket of goodies after my gift was taken away. Hand soap, lotions, scrubbing gloves and cloths. Perfect for the winter when I need to pamper myself once in awhile.

I even opened my birthday gifts as both the boys will be gone when my birthday rolls around. They do love to see how I like what they give me. I will share those tomorrow as that is my birthday.

Everybody have a wonderful evening.

God bless.

All Is Calm

Well Christmas is over for another year, just have to get through my birthday on Sunday and New Years Eve. I find it amazing that this year has passed in what seems like the blink of an eye.

Yesterday we had our extended family get together at my brother in law's place just north of the city. There were supposed to be 22 of us gathering (really quite a small gathering now) but one brother in law was sick and Kris was ill as well. So we were down to 20 including children.

Overall the experience was not as grueling as some years, but I think next year we will give it a miss and just do a family get together.

Here are a few photos of our gathering.

This is a picture of Sharri (sitting with  her back to the camera), Bradley (the baby of the family) is next, Kurt scratching his head, and then Sharri's husband James. Coming down the stairs is Diane along with Blake, Easton, and Juaquin.

Here is James once again, Harvey and Diane's husband Phil.

Here is a picture of all the men (minus Bryce, Blake and Easton they had already left by this time).

Here are the women (minus Andrea and the youngest Kate left as well).

When I first saw this picture I thought my lord I have a huge rear end. Then I realized my sweater was bunched up which makes the picture a bit easier to take. Have I ever told you that I hate getting my picture taken!!!

Tomorrow I will share a few more pictures with you all. What Harvey has been up to in the workroom and how well the men in my life know me and what I like.

Everybody have a wonderful evening.

God bless.

Wishing You All....

 Wishing all of my blogging friends a holiday season full of the joy and love you all deserve.

God bless.

Menu Monday

The beginning of a new week and the menus magically appear (not really, but since I do them a month at a time posting them weekly is easy when I remember).

Monday

Hot dogs, pasta and beans.

Tuesday

I was going to make pork chops but I will make Lasagna instead. Served with some cole slaw.

Wednesday

Out for pot luck supper for Christmas with the extended family. My contribution is ham (hmmm, better check and make sure I still have the ham).

Thursday

This was going to be clean out the fridge night, but I don't think there will be much of anything in there. So I will make a turkey. (Kurt and Kris will actually have some leftovers to take home). The usual fixings with the turkey will also appear on the table.

Friday

Lazy Perogies served here.

Saturday

Pork chops, mashed potatoes, mushroom gravy and carrots.

Sunday

Leftover turkey made into something absolutely delish.

So there they are my menus for this week.

Everybody have a wonderful day.

God bless.

Sunday Ramblings

Today was the fourth Sunday of Advent, bringing with it the lighting of all the candles in our Advent wreath at church.

Today the candle represents peace.... Something that can be difficult to find in our hectic world at this time of year.

Right now I feel at peace because one of our sons is home and under our roof once again. It may only be for a week, but once he is joined by his brother my home will feel much like it did back when they were growing up and I could see them each and every day. I can see that they are healthy and growing to either love their chosen professions or willing to work at those chosen professions.

I also feel peace because the weather is so cold that I am getting to stay in and putz around the house doing all those little things that make a house a home.

Today we (meaning Harvey, Kurt and I) went and helped decorate the church for Christmas. As I hung decorations on the two large trees in the sanctuary I reflected on how peaceful the church was and how everyone there seemed to know exactly what they were doing. It was also wonderful having those of my family that were home there helping as well. Isn't that what peace is, a group of people working together for the good of their community. Now if only we could take that out to the rest of the world.

I was going to make this top out of the stretch velvet I had left.

It seemed that no matter which way I laid the pattern or which way I folded it there was just not enough.

So I decided to make the vest instead.

 Hopefully it turns out. I just don't know if stretch velvet is the right fabric for this.

Everybody have a wonderful evening.

God bless.

Departures and Arrivals

Yesterday we said our good byes to Sister Adelaide (or as she would often remind some of us that were close to her Sister Lemonade, cause you know it rhymes with Adelaide).

This picture was taken for her 75th anniversary as a Sister of Loretto just two years ago. We had a joyous celebration and the memories of working on it will be with me forever.

Today, Kurt arrived home from Alberta. The bad boy teased me and said the roads were so bad he had decided to stay in Moose Jaw tonight and travel home tomorrow. Of course gullible me thought nothing of it. About five minutes later I got another call from him saying he had decided to try to come home after all. I, tried to convince him that if the roads were that bad he should wait until tomorrow and travel while it was still light. Kurt started to laugh and then said "Look out the front window Ma." There he was, getting out of his car and laughing at me. Boy has he ever learned to pick on his poor mother from his dad. Got to get both of them back somehow.

Everybody have a wonderful evening.

God bless.

Thursday Tid Bits

Boy can you ever tell that the longest night of winter will soon be upon us. The sun is coming up later and later while setting earlier and earlier. Soon however the reverse will begin and I can hardly wait.

Tomorrow we lay Sister Adelaide to rest. The emptiness that her passing will leave behind in our parish will take a long time to replace.

Just a bit on what has been happening around the old Phillips homestead.

I managed to finish all the mitts for the men in my family.

 Each of the men in my life will be receiving 2 pairs of mittens just like those pictured. They are bagged and ready to go under the tree. A pair of grey and a pair of navy blue, after all you can never have too many pairs of mittens in the house.

I also managed to get my Christmas skirt sewn.

I have about a meter left of this stretch velvet and so will try making a top to go along with it. I had thought about making a vest, but just do not think the material is suitable for such a project. I do have a lovely pattern that I have used over and over again that I plan on using. I may even do a bit of metallic embroidery on it just to give it a bit of glitz. I will try and remember to post a picture of it once it is done.

Everybody have a wonderful evening.

God bless.

Menu Monday

Posting this very early (for me) today as I have a long list to accomplish and I don't want to forget.

Monday

Smoked Sausages, rice and green beans.

Tuesday

Leftover pork roast made into a casserole. Salad on the side.

Wednesday

Turkey Soup from the freezer and Grilled Cheese Sandwiches made from home made bread.

Thursday

Clean out the fridge smorg.

Friday

Glace and eggs

Saturday

Leftover Ham made into Pasties.

Sunday

Sweet and Sour ribs served over rice and a salad.

So those are my menus for the upcoming week. Kurt should be home by Saturday so I am not sure how much in the way of leftovers there will be for the rest of the week........

Everybody have a wonderful day

God bless.

Sunday Ramblings

It is the Third Sunday in Advent and the candle this week stands for "Joy".

Right now it is hard to feel joyful as a good friend and upstanding member of my parish passed away on Friday.

Sister Adelaide was a fixture at Sunday Mass (and weekday Masses). She has worked for the parish ever since her order left Estevan. Sister was the only one to say she was not leaving when the order recalled the others to Toronto. Here was this tiny, little person (she only came to my shoulder) standing up to her Mother Provincial and saying she would not leave. That we needed her here (quite true).

Her smiling face at Mass brought joy to so many people. I became an Associate of the order many years ago and so I got to know Sister on a more personal level. She had a sense of humor second to none and I can remember driving to meetings and laughing the entire trip. I can remember all the hugs she gave me during the hard times in my life, she saw me through the death of my in laws and my parents. We traveled together to give talks to the youth of the parish on vocations. I also got to look after her love birds whenever she would go on vacation.

Her selfless work in the parish was something to behold. Since she did not drive you could often see her walking to and from the church. It didn't matter if it was raining or snowing and icy, there she would be this small nun making her way to and from church. I would often stop and offer her a ride if I was nearby, but Sister Adelaide would smilingly say, "I need the exercise." and continue on her way.

I will miss you greatly, Sister. Thank you for the joy and laughter you brought into all our lives.

Everybody have a wonderful evening.

God bless.

My Favorite Christmas Movie

While I have many favorite Christmas movies the one I can watch over and over again (in fact I do) every year is ..........

So this evening I will be sitting with my knitting, laughing, smiling and crying as I watch.

What is your favorite Christmas movie?

Everybody have a wonderful evening.

God bless.

Thursday Tid Bits

It was a lovely day today. No sun, but no real wind either. We now are getting a light dusting of snow with more to come tomorrow. As long as it doesn't get to be bone chilling once again I will be happy as I can go for a short walk every morning. I love walking outside.

Today a few things were accomplished. I managed to finish the third pair of mitts out of the leftover grey yarn.

I do have to sew them up yet (my least favorite part of knitting), but that will not take much time in the scheme of things. I have also started some navy ones as well. This is using up some leftover navy yarn from another project. Sort of decluttering all the leftover bits and bobs I seem to collect.

Harvey finished what he says is my birthday present this year.

 I am now the proud owner of a donkey and cart to plant some more flowers in my yard this spring. I think he did a wonderful job.

He has now started on another project. Of course it is not the table for my sewing room and I am beginning to think he is putting off that project for as long as he can........

Everybody have a wonderful evening.

God bless.

Menu Monday

It's that time of the week again, seems to be coming faster and faster each week. Must be because it is the end of the year.

Monday

Leftover Stew from the freezer. Served with slices of homemade bread.

Tuesday

Leftover Chicken. I think I will make Chicken a la King.

Wenesday

Leftover Frozen Chili, served over pasta.

Thursday

Clean out the fridge Smorg.

Friday

Salmon Casserole and a salad.

Saturday

Leftover Ham made into some type of casserole. Served with the remainder of the salad.

Sunday

Pork Roast, roast potatoes, and beets.

So there you have it. Kind of a use it up week so that I can manage to get other things done before Christmas.

Everybody have a wonderful evening.

God bless.

Sunday Ramblings

 The Second Sunday of Advent has come and gone. Today we lit the candle for Peace.......

This week has ended on a very peaceful note in the Phillips household. It has been so bitterly cold that we have gone no where for the entire weekend. When the wind chill makes it feel like almost  -40 C a person just stays in as much as possible.

Peace is something we all reach for, but in this world is so far away from our reach. We lost a wonderful statesman this week with the death of Nelson Mandela. A man who reached out to those of his country men and women in need. He is so right hate is learned at a young age while love is something that is in our hearts from the time we are born. To have true peace one must love all of mankind no matter their race, belief or even unbelief. I hope sometime that I can be even half the person he was.

I spent today in the sewing room for the most part. I was busy making fabric gift bags.

Here are a couple of pictures of what I came up with.

The glitter glue ones are still drying, but the others are ready to use. The green and gold ones were made out of an old Christmas table cloth, the red ones were made out of leftover red fabric from an altar cloth I made for the school and the green ones were made out of a drapery panel from our living room. There is enough of the green damask material to make a few more, which I plan on doing later this week. This was good frugal use of fabric. I do have some snowmen fabric I want to use up as well. All these bags were made with items from my stash. Got to love a good stash!!!!

I am also using up bits and bobs of yarn knitting mitts. Slowly but surely I am decluttering both my yarn and my fabric.

Everybody have a wonderful evening.

God bless.

Getting Things Accomplished

After two days and a terrible back ache from bending over too much I have finally gotten my tree decorated.

This is the first year we have placed the tree downstairs and because the ceiling is so low my poor angel will not fit on the top. I have placed her to the side of the tree on a ledge that runs around the room. The tree just does not seem finished without her.

I also finished Kris's afghan!!! A whole three and a half weeks before Christmas. My knitting needles are now busy with mittens. I plan on having a few pairs of those under the tree as well, using up the bits and bobs of leftover yarn from previous projects is going to make these very frugal gifts.

Here is a picture of the finished afghan......

It should keep Kris toasty warm in his chilly apartment. When the temperature drops below -30 C he says it gets a bit cool. Let's just hope Ray does not take over this one as well.

Harvey has been busy as well. Here he is working on a project in his workroom in the back part of the basement.

He is busy painting a new addition to my flower baskets. I have a feeling that once it is totally done it will be beautiful.

Weather wise it has been extremely cold here with the wind chills making it feel like something in the -45 C range. Perhaps this is why I got the afghan finished today, there is no way I want to be out when exposed skin can freeze in 10 minutes.

Everybody have a wonderful evening.

God bless.

Thursday Tid Bits

It's a good thing that our trip to the UK taught Harvey and I how to go for a long stretch using the least number of clothes that we possibly could as it came in handy. Since our washer broke down things have been tight clothing wise. We were getting the most wear out of what we put on as we possibly could.

The part we ordered that broke was supposed to come tomorrow, and we were lucky enough to get it delivered to our door late yesterday. Harvey installed it today and we are back in business. I tried out the washer on the sheets I had stripped off the bed just before it bit the dust. It worked, and I now have a working washer!!!!

This is the part that broke, the door latch....... The part was inexpensive, but the shipping was outrageous!!! I just hope that the washer lasts a bit longer after all 4 years is no time at all.

It is getting really cold here and after three days of work I am so glad to finally be staying put in my nice warm house. I was supposed to go to Book Club tonight but just could not face the bone chilling temperature of -24 C (-11 F) with the wind making it feel like -37 C (-35 F). It is not a fitting night to be out and about.

Harvey is busy in his workshop down in the basement, I hope to have pictures soon of what he has been busy building. So far it looks pretty darn good and it is keeping him out of my hair.

A few more pictures of my decorating endeavors.

This was a gift from my sister many years ago.

An old fabric tree that I made at a Christmas craft workshop many, many years ago.

 Everybody have a wonderful evening.

God bless.

Midweek and Still Subbing

It is the middle of the week and I am still subbing at one of our Catholic schools here in the city. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy subbing most of the time..... This week however we have had a start to our long, cold winter. Not at all as happy getting out of bed early and heading out into the dark and the cold!!! Today, however, is the last day this week (keeping fingers crossed) and I am with the "Big Kids" not the pre school. I have one day booked next week and then that is it for the month (I think at this point).

Yesterday when I got home I did manage to pull out some of the Christmas decor and get started on our upstairs.....

Here are a few photos of what I managed to accomplish after finding the boxes. Hubby of course had changed the location of where I kept them previous years.

My center table. I think the crowning glory is the poinsettias that Hubby won at his Christmas party.
Two of my creches are on this table as well as a couple of candle holders and a tin basket of scented pine cones.

Hmmm, I have a bit to remove from here yet. Another creche and more candle holders..... Need to get rid of the autumn decor......

More to share the next time I blog. Right now I am off to get ready for work.

Everybody have a wonderful day.

God bless.

Menu Monday

I noticed a great many bits and bobs getting by me in the freezer a couple of days ago. Nothing that has spoiled, but enough bags of leftover meat from other meals that I need to clear them out!!! So my menus this month reflect a clear 'em up, move 'em out attitude. After all there will be plenty more leftovers come Christmas!!!

Monday

Leftover ham is going to be made into a casserole using up some broccoli and cheese from the fridge.
Should probably serve a salad with this.

Tuesday

Hot Beef Sandwiches and oven fries. This will use up the leftover beef roast from yesterdays supper as well as the drippings. There will be a salad along with this using up what was left from Monday.

Wednesday

I work all day so I am going to make Chicken Breasts on a bed of rice covered with mushroom soup. Veggie will be some green beans from the freezer.

Thursday

Clean out the fridge night!!!

Friday

Fish Fillets, rice and corn

Saturday

Chili and toast. Should have enough to freeze for another meal later next week.

Sunday

Roast Chicken, potatoes, carrots and salad.

So there we are. I should be great for shopping this week. Perhaps just dairy and produce on Saturday......

Everybody have a wonderful day.

God bless.

Sunday Ramblings

It is the beginning of the Advent Season, waiting for the birth of Christ. Today Father Brian spoke on how Advent is a time of waiting and how in today's society people want instant gratification. We need to learn patience and be willing to wait for what is really important in our faith lives. We were given a challenge to listen and watch for where God is in our lives.

I spoke to Kris today, and he did not sound too happy. I really do hope that he is not slipping into depression again. He mentioned in a text that he was not having a good week. Of course that got me worried once again. Tonight he said he is not going to worry about "it", whatever "it" is...... Now this did get me worried and I plan on lighting a candle and saying an extra prayer for him for the next while.

I have two half days and a full day of subbing this week and to make matters worse we are heading into our first storm of the winter season. I sure hope that the rain the weather pundits have forecast does not appear. I would much rather drive through 5 inches of snow.

Everybody have a wonderful evening.

God bless.