The whole enchilada

I received The Pioneer Woman's cookbook for Christmas. I've already tried several of the recipes from it and so far each of them have been a success. This was tonight's dinner: Simple, Perfect Enchiladas. It wasn't a hard recipe, but it was a bit involved, with lots of steps. Dinner was a little later than usual, but I think the yummy result was well worth the wait.

I had a really great visit with my dad tonight. He was feeling good. We watched some football and chatted. He even showed a spark of his usual ornery self and I was able to snap a shot of him laughing. I won't repeat what he said, but he had a twinkle in his eye (the one I know so well) and a big grin on his face when he said it.

See the cap hanging on the wall? Even while in the nursing home, he has to have a baseball cap. He usually wears it all day long. I suppose it makes him feel more like himself.

This was one of the best moods I've seen him in since his stroke on December 14th. It made my heart happy!

I just about froze my face off to get this, but it was worth it. The intricacies of snowflakes are so amazing. To think, no two are alike. God is so cool like that.

This was lunch today. It was perfect for the very cold, snowy weather we're having. Being able to have fresh, homemade soup from our own tomatoes made all of last summer's effort worth it.

Beginning of a new dress

{the start of a new dress on her new dress form}

Heather has started a new formal dress...this one is for the Sweetheart dance in February. I love the bright, bold color of this fabric. The dress itself is simple, but I'm sure she'll jazz it up in some way. I mean, this is the girl who adorned her last dress with peacock feathers. She said something about gold, magenta and turquoise sequins...

The only problem (according to her) with the color choice is the question of what her date will wear so he will coordinate. After all, he must look good also. She's thinking a paler, more sublte version of orange with a white tie. "I know exactly what I'm going to do!" she exclaimed. "He can get a white tie and I'll sew a sequin design on it!"

Look out Vera Wang!

Happy New Year!

I can't believe 2009 is {almost} over! It's been a rough year in some ways and I'm looking forward to the possibilites 2010 holds!

So, as we end, here is a shot of the last full moon of 2009 and the last full moon of this decade. It's pretty special that a blue moon is occuring on New Year's Eve.

I wish you all the very best life has to offer! Happy New Year!

My favorite Christmas gift

Yes, these are native Americans and pilgrims made from construction paper and toilet paper tubes. They were made for me by my very sweet, very thoughtful, very wonderful daughters, Heather and Wendy.

Up until this past fall, I had others almost exactly like these freckle faced characters. Heather had made a couple of pilgrims in her Girl Scout troop in 1st or 2nd grade. Then, when Wendy was pre-school age, she and Heather crafted some more pilgrims and a pair of native Americans. I thought they were adorable and always set them out as part of my fall/Thanksgiving decorations.

Sadly, due to an unfortunate incident, I no longer have the originals. In October, when I opened the plastic tub of fall decorations, I discovered some of my miniature gourds had spoiled. Everything was damp and covered in mold! (I'm not sure what happened. I've stored real gourds before with no problems.) It was a horrible, stinky mess. I had to wear a mask and gloves to go through it all.

Only a couple of ceramic pumpkins were salvageable; everything else was totally ruined. I wasn't upset about losing the foam pumpkins or the silk leaf garlands or the candles. What upset me was losing the little hand print turkeys with the colorful craft store feathers and the scarecrow coloring pages and Wendy's family turkey project from kindergarten; all the girls' precious hand made things. Including the construction paper and toilet paper tube pilgrims and native Americans.

I cried as I sorted and threw things away. I cried as I called my mom and told her what had happened. I cried as I went to bed that night. I was heart broken.

Then, Christmas morning, I cried again as I opened the box and saw what my girls had made for me. I barely had the lid opened when I whispered "Oh, girls!" and the tears started to flow.

This is undoubtedly the sweetest, most thoughtful gift I have ever received. It took planning and time; not to mention secret stashing of toilet paper tubes. :)