Hi to everyone!! What a long day so far, and only 5:30 pm. So I still have a few more hours to go. Kids got out of school yesterday. I spent a big part of the day wrapping gifts, perfecting my smash and tape method!!! Definitely bought too many presents... Seems like more when you have to get them all wrapped. I did use a lot of gift bags, and I didn't wrap all the stocking stuff like I usually do!

Stayed up late and watched a Christmas show on TV. It was pretty good, but I didn't get to bed until midnight. Too late for me!!

Got up early this morning, and headed to St. Clairsville with the kids. We met my Mom at the Newellstown Diner, where my sister is the cook and manager. We had a good breakfast. I had pancakes, sausage and homefries, and orange juice, and a small piece of a cinnamon roll she had made. They were good, I will have to get her recipe for them.

Then my Mom took the kids shopping for Cale and I. They all put some money together and bought us something. I went to Krogers, Wal-mart, and the Dollar Tree and the bank. So I should be done shopping until after the first of the new year, I hope!!!! It was really not crowded at all.

Went and picked up the kids, came home and unloaded everything. Then I sewed a table runner for my dining room table. It has snowflakes on it and is really cute. I bought a candle holder that is wrought iron and holds 4 big candles. So it looks nice on my table.

Now I am working on my Christmas cards. Better late than never!!! I just had to take a break and come on here.

Tomorrow is major cleaning day and baking some cookies with the kids. We are going to visit out Amish friends tomorrow evening, and I want to take them a platter of cookies.

So the busy-ness continues. I know I will check in over the next few days, but not much time to post anything big. Have a nice evening and a good day tomorrow as well...

-- Melissa (me@home.net), December 20, 2001

Answers

Hi to Everyone, It just stopped snowing and I've been enjoying Christmas music and reading forums. Hope to go out to lunch with a friend tomorrow and get a present for my husband. We will have Christmas with the kids early this year(Sat) our son works nights and daughter is having his folks on Christmas eve and then to his Grandmas for Christmas day. Since we had so much beef this year,we are having TB steaks with Mexican food. I love this at the restraunt,so wanted to try this with company. I do wish everyone a Merry Christmas.

-- Jo (farmerjo@kvalley.com), December 20, 2001.

It has been along day hasn't it, but productive. Let see, I went to the chiropractor, made bunches of spicy chex mix, made a batch of chocky chips, emptied trash before the dumpster was emptied, and all the other day to day stuff. Straightened out the fridge, thought I was gonna make lasagna, but the hamburger turned out to be a pork roast, Gary was pleased, I don't eat pork. And I pulled all the sprouts off of 1 1/2 bushels of potatoes. You just never know what a day will bring.

-- Cindy (SE. IN) (atilrthehony@hotmail.com), December 20, 2001.

Hello Melissa,

My day has been busy, as usual! Tomorrow I will cook up a special treat for family and friends! Orange/Caramel Torte! This is easier than it sounds. I just make a stack of crepes and put them to the side to cool. Then I make a thick orange sauce and put it to the side to cool. After they both cool I spread the orange sauce ontop of the first crepe and then add a crepe, then spread orange sauce ontop it that one, and on and on until I have about 5 or 8 crepes stacked high. On the last one I pour caramel sauce until it just starts to drizzle down the sides. Put it all in the refrigerator until tomorrow. Put it out and slice it up like a cake!

The way to a man's heart is through his stomach....so he should learn to cook well if he loves himself!

Sincerely,

Ernest

-- http://communities.msn.com/livingoffthelandintheozarks (espresso42@hotmail.com), December 20, 2001.

Ernest, sounds good! I love anything ORANGE!! I love lemon stuff too.

-- Melissa (me@home.net), December 21, 2001.