Christmas came for me this week!

      In the form of Bogs boots! I have already been wearing them and I really like them! I have photos later on. I really don't want anything for Christmas as I don't think it's all about 'me'! Jesus is the reason for the season so I want my focus to be on Him! I believe that giving is as important, or more so, than receiving and I so enjoy watching the faces of others light up when they receive! Especially the children! There is so much to be thankful for this season, even in a world of uncertainty! I can hardly wait to see the kids open their gifts!

      I have really felt 'cruddy' this week as I have a bad cold. It started out with hoarseness, then an excruciating sore throat. Now the sore throat is gone, but I have continual dripping of the nose, watery eyes, and puffy head. In spite of all this, I went outside and worked a little in the garden and behind the house. I did that yesterday too! The weather is so mild and the sun is so warm! I even removed my sweater and had on a short-sleeved shirt! I am so ready to get those garden beds prepared for Spring! I found some dirt on the hill that I think we can use, if we can access it better. I'm talking to Ran as soon as he gets home to see if he can clear me out a path (there are several downed trees and much brush in the way). Like he doesn't have anything else to do! There are so many projects to finish, and heat to be added, he works all the time! He finally got the heat going upstairs and one unit installed downstairs. Yay! We didn't even need heat today, but I know it will come in handy real soon!

      I hope ya'll are having a wonderful holiday season and enjoy being with your loved one(s)! Time is rapidly approaching to the Day! I hope to talk with ya'll again soon! If not, I may take some time off during the holidays, so don't worry if you don't hear from me til after the first. I don't know that it will be that long, but it could be, with family and travel and such. Have a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! Blessings from Bama!

I have become addicted to this concoction for the past two days! A teaspoon of our honey, a teaspoon of the vinegar, and a half teaspoon of garlic. Not pictured is Oregano oil I placed externally on my throat. I am better since it all began!

How do you like the Bogs?

I like those flowers!

I've already gotten them dirty! They are really comfortable and easy to get on and off. 

While I was celebrating my birthday....

      Innocent people were being killed! Even at my son's own school the day before, a child (he is 18) was arrested and charged with terrorists threats. Well, he actually went and turned himself in; they didn't come to the school. He had written a note stating something bad was going to happen and that people would be killed! My son said the boy always said stuff like that and wouldn't actually do anything since he was small and had no weapons, but still! There are so many people with serious mental problems! They need help! The child has ruined his life! I was so concerned for my son and his small rural school, then the next day that happened in Connecticut! What is going on? I'm sure everyone is asking this question! My prayers are, and have been going out for these people today! My prayers are also with the families of victims in my home state, one county over, who've lost their lives to idiots! I guess I could make this whole post about killings and murders, but I've read too much about that, and I'm sure you have too!

      In spite of the awful events around here and elsewhere, we had a very nice family gathering with my husbands family yesterday. Lots of good food, family, and kids opening presents! It comes and goes so quickly! 

      I had a wonderful time Friday, visiting with a friend! We talked and walked through the house and yard for hours! I even forgot to show her upstairs! I just want to tell her that friendship is more valuable than any possession! I'm so thankful for ours! And I'm thankful for my online friends, as well! Thanks for reading! Blessing from Bama! 

Celebrating Aunt FeFe's birthday at her favorite meat-n-three!

Do you think he looks like his Mom?

More family time!

My German Chocolate bundt cake turned out pretty good! I especially like the icing!

I felt a cold coming on Saturday, so I got to cooking some spicy food! Unfortunately, the large jar broke in the freezer. Guess I didn't let it cool enough first. This soup is very spicy and delicious! I also made a spicy Soba noodle salad, not pictured. Oh, and the pumpkins in the background were too stringy to do anything with. If I save the seeds, do you think the pumpkins grown from them will be stringy?

Great-grandchildren, one not there, and one is not related. (holding baby)

Grandchildren, two not there. See Skylar?

Calling all doctors!

      Yasmine and Layla were here this past weekend and we brought them out a doctor's kit to play with. They were ecstatic! They played with that thing all night long! They also played with some 'stainless steel' pots and pans and plastic food. We ate all day long! It was such fun playing with them! They are getting at the age where one doesn't have to babysit them; they can occupy themselves with toys and such! We don't have cable, so they don't watch tv except for a few videos. I mostly let them play instead of keeping the tv on. It was a pleasure to keep them.

      Skylar helped me in the kitchen again tonight. We cooked his beloved chicken stir-fry. It was delicious! It was nice to have his company in the kitchen! We had Panettone for dessert. It is an Italian fruit cake that we can only find this time of year at World Market. In the years past, we could find some at Wal-Mart and Aldi. Have you ever eaten Panettone? It is delicious! We also like the soft gingerbread cookies from Aldi. They are a product of Germany.  They taste so good!

      I will be celebrating my 52 birthday on Friday! I plan on staying home and enjoying the company of a friend. We ate at Bonefish Grill in Birmingham this past weekend for my birthday. I don't like having a birthday this time of year because it cuts into Christmas! I never liked it as a child either! Never many presents! I'm ok with that now, though. I don't need anything! Except a Nigerian Dwarf billy! They are hard to find around here! I'll be so glad when I get two! Yes, two! Not brothers, two separate ones! I'm still searching Craigslist and I'll let you know as soon as I get one! Ya'll have a blessed day! Blessings from Bama!

They were so cute 'doctoring' uncle Randy!

Layla copies everything Yasmine does! Soon Riley will join them!

Loving that passy! Still has that head-full of hair!

Layla is checking his ears.

Now it's Yasmine's turn.

Skylar's chicken stir-fry.

Trying to get a new look on my blog!

      I have been diligently trying to change the look of my blog! Why did I wait until the Christmas season? I don't know! I will work on the header some more but at a later date. The main thing I want to change is the favicon! I have been trying to find the right photo or theme all week! That is why I haven't written a post until tonight! I think I finally found one; just hope it will work! Change is something I have to make myself do because it's so easy to get comfortable with the way things are. One day, I'd like to do tabs and add the ziplist for recipes! Won't that be a change! Do ya'll like to change the look of your blog at times?

      I don't have many photos to share but I do have a few. I am at this very moment shelling some more pecans! When I finish this batch, it will be 25 pounds! I don't know if that will be enough, but that may be all I can get this year. I ordered some seeds and they have already arrived! If I knew winter wasn't coming, I'd put them into the seed starters. But, I will have to wait. Hope ya'll have a great weekend! Blessings from Bama!

Twenty bags of leaves waiting to go in the garden beds.

Skylar is removing the bad dirt so we can replace it with good dirt.

Randy bent over to pet the other goat and this one jumped off the doghouse onto his back!

Open-pollinated seeds from Marie Seeds.

What a mild December we're having!

      It's really amazing that in December, I can go outside and work in the yard in a short sleeved shirt! If the sun was shining, I would probably have on shorts as well! It's overcast with rain in the forecast, so that's one reason for the warm temps. We have only gotten rain once a week for a few hours this past couple of weeks! It is a very dry season, too! Usually this time of year, we have lots of rain, but the weather patterns are different now. Maybe it will turn cold in January! Two years ago, we had snow at Christmas, then again in January! That was a fluke thing, as we never get snow here! I just want it to be Spring again! I've been bagging leaves and working in the garden cleaning out the beds. I even decided to empty four of the beds of all the dirt and put in better dirt! I got a half bed done today! That headache wouldn't let me do anymore! I guess I need to take another headache pill today like I did yesterday. I'll be glad when this season of my life changes, if you know what I mean!

      As time races toward Christmas Day, we have gotten all the kids a little something for Christmas. The things just need to be wrapped and put under the tree! I don't like to fight last minute shopping crowds, so we were better prepared this year, shopping a little in advance. I can't say I have all my Christmas shopping done, but most of it is. Do ya'll shop early, or wait to the last minute? Some people like the adrenaline rush of shopping on Christmas Eve! I would only be in the store if I absolutely couldn't do without the item, on Christmas Eve! 

      Since I've been inside this afternoon, I decided I'd cook some things. Nothing major, just marinara sauce and tuna dip. I used the leftover pack of cream cheese for the dip and two cans of tuna. I poured in some liquid smoke and stirred real good. I hope it tastes good. It reminds me of the chicken ball I make. I've also been shelling more pecans. I want to have my freezer full as I can afford since we love to eat them sugared with cinnamon. They are delicious! I used the recipe in the Calling All Cooks recipe book. It's the telephone cookbook for Alabama. Ya'll have a great week! Blessings from Bama! (What about that TIDE!)

I couldn't resist the blue eyes, cheeks, smile, and one sock!

Such delicious pecans!

The making of a good dip!

The cinnamon-sugared pecans. The one on the left is Skylar's. He' says they taste better, but I made them the same!

Marinara sauce made from home-grown tomatoes.