Kitchens and Christmas Plans

This weekend I've got a case of peaches to process. Two years ago when we bought these peaches, I only froze them. This year, I'm venturing into the canning world and making some crockpot peach butter. I've got a great family recipe that calls for peach butter, so I can't wait to try this out! Andrew's especially excited for this adventure, haha!

I'm also planning on making some of this year's Christmas presents over the weekend. Every year, I strive to give as many homemade gifts as possible, for a few reasons.

One, I believe that handmade gifts are even more special than store bought gifts. There is thought, planning, time, energy, and love that goes into handmade gifts. In a way, I think they're more expensive than even the most sought after gifts of the commercial season.

Two, I love using my gifts and talents to let others know I'm thinking about them. Sentimentality is a huge deal to me, even if it may not be to all the recipients.

Three, there's something so nice about seeing all my visions, plans, and hard work turn into something tangible and useful. I'm all about the useful Christmas gifts!

Can't wait to see how successful these items are! Should be a fun and busy weekend!

A New Year, and Some New Goals...

Hard to believe January is almost over. Every year I always seem optimistic that things will magically become new, and we can start over with a clean slate on January 1. Problems, stresses, issues, and drama from 2013 will magically disappear when the clock strikes midnight, right?? Oh, how I wish this was true!

I am, and always have been, a very emotional person. I rejoice with others, I mourn with them. When life throws my friends challenges, I empathize and sympathize with them. I pray for them.

But I'm not always such a great friend to myself. And that's a pretty hard truth to swallow. I would rather blame myself for what goes wrong, and beat myself up about it. I always have. Not an easy habit to break, is it?

2013 was a year full of new beginnings, challenges, leaps of faith, disappointments, and intense stress. Trust me when I say I'm not sorry to leave it behind.

Yet 2014 has started out with its fair share of problems. Lingering drama and stress from the previous year has carried over, health issues have manifested (no doubt in part from the lingering drama and stress), and I'm not sure how much longer I can tread water like this.

Let's be realistic. There is no such thing as a perfect year. I may not have a "good" year this year, but that doesn't mean I can't try. Now, I'm not one to normally make New Years Resolutions. But in light of how much the drama and stress has begun to affect me in negative ways, I'm making a few goals this year. Fairly open-ended and broad, I'm not going to tell myself I have to reach them in any specific way. They're just things I'm going to focus on and keep in mind as we take the bull by the horns.

- Destress (Kind of speaks for itself, don't you think?)
- Declutter (living in a tiny apartment means clutter is a constant. ugh)
- Organize (this goes along with decluttering. whether it's re-organizing my kitchen cabinets or a new method for filing paperwork, little things count.)
- Focus on the positives (THIS. Perhaps it's the hardest for me to do, especially when things are very stressful and uncertain. How often do the negatives waaay overshadow the positives? Looking for the positives is so important.)

This year, I also want to challenge myself outside my comfort zone a little more. I've got a few ideas already, and I'm currently pursuing some of them.

Of course, I'm sure crafting will play a significant role in many of these goals, and potentially contribute to the roots of their problems (craft rooms, or lack thereof, can get so disorganized, can't they?). Here's to a better, healthier, new year!

Tomorrow's baking adventures

Tomorrow is Christmas baking day. I've got two gifts to bake, plus a recipe I'm intrigued to try myself...

Here's the plan (all courtesy of pinterest, of course!):

Cranberry Pistachio Biscotti
Earl Grey Tea Cookies
Salted Chocolate Caramel Bark

Oh, delicious. Hopefully these will all turn out perfect the first time! But then again, it wouldn't be an adventure if they did...

I'll do my best to remember to photograph them and review them after Christmas!

Christmas Break Plans

Tomorrow marks the fourth week in Advent. Advent. Such a busy time, but one of my favorites for the whole year. A time of preparation, planning, anticipation, and hope. A time for reflection, renewal, and comfort. A time for longing, peace, and joy.

Now that I'm officially on Christmas break (and an extended one at that!), it seems that, in a microcosmic way, much of this preparation, planning, longing, anticipation, and hope has been fulfilled. I now have time to reflect, renew, be filled with peace, comfort, and joy. What a blessing to have this time off and enjoy it with family and friends.

I can't wait to get started on all my crafting plans for the next few weeks...

• I've got plans to meet up with some friends for some quality girlfriend coffee bonding time.
• I've got plans to meet up with some friends for some quality girlfriend crafting bonding time.
• I've got plans for working on inventory for my Etsy shop to finally get it up off the ground!
• I've got Christmas presents to finish knitting and crafting, and need to get those out in the post.
• I've got sewing plans, movie watching plans, copious amounts of coffee and tea drinking plans, and enjoying my Christmas present plans (D and I decided to go in on one big gift to ourselves this year, so I already know what I'm getting and it's on its way!).
• I've got RELAXING plans. Oh, sweet relaxing, I've been waiting all year for these few weeks.

We've got a nasty-sounding wintry mix storm going on this weekend. This morning we woke up to a nice thick layer of ice covering the stairs and car. It should hopefully melt off this afternoon, just in time for more ice and snow tonight. I'm so thankful I don't have to go to work next week so I can just stay inside and work on projects.

Pardon me while I go look for my comfy pants and pour myself another cup of coffee.

thoughts on a saturday...

- i've got my lovely new cowl soaking in some wool wash. blocking later tonight and hopefully that means i'll be able to seam it up at knit night on monday.

- i currently want to cast on all the things. this is dangerous.

- cloudy with a chance of meatballs 2 is the best movie i've seen in a long time. i liked it even better than the first movie, which is saying something. chock full of cheesy humor, it was right up my alley and probably the best down time i've had in a good, long time.

- husbands are wonderful. especially mine. see previous thought.

- it finally feels like fall outside! this is the best news concerning my favorite season.

- found out on friday that we get three unexpected, extra paid holidays at work this year. so excited i'll have the day before thanksgiving off! even though it means we won't be able to see family any sooner, i'll love having that extra time to clean and pack.

- pot roast in the crockpot for supper, along with mashed potatoes and green beans? yes please!

- knitting for my niece is becoming super addicting. so far, i've got a hat, some legwarmers on the needles, and her christmas present? well, let's just say it's going to be adorable.

crafty goodness overload

I currently want to knit.all.the.things, sew.all.the.things, and craft.all.the.things.

Making plans for this weekend:
- 5 custom boxy bag orders (and one more on its way)
- curtains for my coworker's open storage shelving here at work
- resurrecting the languishing vest I was knitting for hubby last year (I'm determined to have it finished for the cool weather this year)
- having a blocking and weaving-in-of-the-ends party for this year's church auction items


I think that's enough, don't you?

Hoping we'll also have time to make it down to the Cole Camp fair at some point this weekend! So much for relaxing weekends... ours always seem busy. Enjoyable, but busy.

Saturday...

There are few things in life better than the smell of freshly baked bread. :)

Tasty Thursday... and Some Other Crafty Goodness!

I apparently need to get back on the blogging bandwagon! Only one post a week, and all the same food-related topic. Not that food is bad... it isn't! But I need to get a little variety back in here. For now, I'll blame it on school and the fact that I'm ready for the semester to be OVER.

This week's post-Easter Sunday humdrum has left both D and I feeling somewhat tired and ready for a [real] relaxing weekend. With the Heart Walk this weekend, my history-related festivities next weekend, and a youth lock-in the following weekend, I'm beginning to think we may not see some downtime for quite a while!

As a result, today I bring you a very tasty and simple to prepare dessert... the majority of ingredients you probably already have in your pantry/freezer. If not, it's also pretty inexpensive and the options are endless!

Angel Food Cake with Lime Topping

1 angel food cake, cut into slices (I cheated and bought ours from the store)

1 tub Cool Whip

1 packet sugar-free lime Jello mix (or any flavor you prefer)

Combine softened Cool Whip and lime Jello powder until well blended. Spoon a dollop onto each slice of angel food cake. Add any toppings you'd like, such as chocolate chips, toasted coconut, walnuts, or chocolate sauce.

I think this light and tasty dessert would also be good with pound cake, but who doesn't love some angel food cake every now and again?!

An easy and light dessert for those nights when you need something sweet without the extra sugar.

Blessed Easter! He is risen!

A few weeks ago, I also put this wreath together for our front door. I decided to wait and put it outside until Easter weekend... partially because we got so much rain before then, but also because I liked how it brightened up our living room as well! The original plan was to reuse the grapevine wreath with different seasonal decor, but after cutting two fingers in the process of assembling this one, I think those flowers may stay in there for a while. Despite the creative injuries, I'm really happy with how it turned out! [My mom would be proud... the ribbon on the lower left is leftover from our wedding decor. Yes, we've been married for almost a year and we're still using up the leftovers from the wedding... ribbon, root beer, probably some beer as well.]

And finally, a little knitting update: I'm progressing through a pair of mittens I promised brother-the-younger I'd knit for him. For a first pair of mittens, I'm pleased with how well they're turning out and how fast they seem to be going. Especially for only having time to knit a few rows at a time... silly school getting in the way of all this glorious knitting time. :)

I'm also debating knitting a few items for the LWML auction this summer. Not quite sure what I'd wind up knitting for that, as it would definitely be a balance of time and functionality, but I'm trying to come up with a few good ideas. Maybe some spa sets? Or kitchen sets? Some towels and dishcloths would be a good idea, yes? I also found a cute store in Knob Noster that sells embroidered tea towels... I found one with a sheep on it and just had to have it, of course! I'll keep brainstorming... and browsing Rav. [It's legitimate procrastination, right??] :)

Help spark my creative juices! What type of handmade items would you like to receive or bid on for an auction?

Spring Break -- WHOO!!!

Finally! I thought it would never get here.... this semester has definitely been demanding in ways I wouldn't have expected. I've been learning so much, but some challenging situations that became quite stressful have definitely left me yearning for some mental respite. And now that the opportunity is here, I'm planning on taking full advantage of it! The weather is helping, of course.... temps in the 70s and 80s in March? Strange... but I'm not complaining! One of my favorite things during the entire year is the transition from winter to spring, more daylight, flowers starting to bloom, and listening to the birds sing. So relaxing, so peaceful. Sometimes if I weren't too much of a city girl, I'd love to get away from it all and live in the woods, preferably near a lake or stream... something remote, tranquil, and relaxing. A girl can dream....

So in the mean time, I've got a few projects lined up for break. I'm excited to finally have a chance to focus on some more time-intensive creative projects. It'll be a nice break from the time-intensive analytical projects for school for sure!

• Decorate wreath for front door. I've already got the wreath and the flowers... now I just need to put it all together.
• Organize knitting patterns into binder -- no more rummaging through different places trying to find the other half of the pattern, OK?
• Donate clothes. Yes, we went through our closets when we got married and moved. But surprise, surprise- there's still more! I tend to get emotionally attached to things... everything, it seems! And sometimes I feel so guilty for being so blessed. I want to share that with others.... plus the closets are getting a little crowded.
• Finally organize our movies into some logical order. Genres together, alphabetical order.... can you tell I'm a librarian at heart?
• Start at least one of the long-term knitting projects. D has requested a sweater vest to help combat the cold office. And we've got a special little nephew arriving later this year, which means I get to have fun baby knitting! :)

Is that enough? It doesn't seem like enough, but I know with a little homework thrown in, the week's going to fly by and these few projects will be more than enough! I'd also like to read a book over break... novel idea, I know.

What plans do you have this spring? How are you engaging your creative side?

Dilemmas

After this semester, I have one class left to take to fulfill my credit requirements.

I was just browsing the draft schedule for Fall semester. There are FOUR classes I want to take (well, three and a half.... one I'm on the fence about)...


Hm....

January Knitting

Here we are, already done with the first week in January! Which tells me two things:
1.) I need to finish that baby blanket soon.
2.) Classes are starting again in just a few weeks.

Although I'm looking forward to my outreach class, and am ridiculously excited for my cataloging class (nerd alert!), and still wondering about my fieldwork placement.... I'm still not quite ready to head back into school mode. I know most of my friends who are in school/teachers have already gone back, or are going back within the next week or so. But still.... I'd like to enjoy break a bit longer, please.

The blanket which must be complete by February is half-way done! I'm ready to be finished with it, but hoping the last half will go fairly fast. Almost ready to add the 3rd skein..... almost. And after that, I have a test knit to work on, a neck warmer and pair of mittens for brother-the-younger, and then another big project which is still in the secretive planning stages. Although I may have just bought a ginormous amount of yarn for it last night. :)

Seriously.... does my knitting and yarn buying know no bounds? LOVE. IT. :D

Also, I made a loaf or two of pumpkin chocolate chip bread this morning. And we're having stuffed peppers for supper. AND, some friends are coming through town today on their way home and we're meeting them for lunch. Which means I should probably get ready.

Semester: Complete!

Just taking a few moments while the dryer's finishing to say : THE SEMESTER'S OVER!!! I SURVIVED!

It's been a long, busy semester... lots of changes and adjustments, with a few breakdowns mixed in for good measure. It's hard to believe that it's only been 3.5 months since the semester began- it feels like much longer ago, and I'm equally amazed how much we fit into a semester's worth of learning.

So now that my finals are complete, and I have a few minutes to catch my breath, let me tell you. I am so much more relaxed than I was, even yesterday. It's a wonderful feeling! Slept in until 10:30 today without guilt, am currently wading through the mountain of laundry begging to be clean, and am finishing up the last minute Christmas shopping. Planning on writing some Christmas cards this afternoon, wrapping presents, and getting a few packages in the mail. Tonight of course is Knit Night with the Ladies, and I'm really looking forward to that- even more than I have been in the past few months. :) (Not gonna lie, some times it felt like just another thing to cross off the week's list, but I was always thankful for that break from homework.)

Tomorrow I'm finalizing my weekend menu!! I've been looking forward to cooking and baking for Christmas since last year around this time. Although I've not planned anything extensive or State Dinner-esque, I'm still looking forward to spending some time in the kitchen and concocting some delicious things. Pinterest has been such an inspiration for all this! (And I'm finally admitting right here that I will not be Christmas Cookie Baking on the same level as my Mom this year. I've got two, maybe three to make, and that's about it.)

I'm currently debating between these mini peanut butter pies and this chocolate pretzel pie for Christmas dessert. The rest of our menu consists of spaghetti (easy and tasty) and this delicious Garlic Parmesan Pull-Apart Bread (at least I've heard it's delicious... I've yet to try it!)! I'm thinking the big Christmas meal will take place on Christmas Day... so maybe I should do the peanut butter pies for Christmas Eve? We could eat them instead of cookies while opening presents. While sipping Grandma Jo's Christmas punch. OM NOM. One of my favorite Christmas traditions- hands down.
And wine of course. I've got a bottle of German wine just begging to be opened on Christmas.

And now that my dryer's done, it's time to switch the laundry and start wrapping presents!! :) And listening to the Von Trapp Family Singer's Christmas Album. <3

Because Apparently I Enjoy Making Lists...

It's finals week. FINALLY. I'm so ready for the week to be over, but dreading all the work that still needs to be finished. Such is life. And as stressful as grad school may be, as much as I feel I'm neglecting other aspects of my life, I'm really blessed to have the opportunity to work on this degree- even if from a distance. Although I've decided my next degree (you know.... whenever that may be!) will not be online. I'm not so sure I can do this whole online thing all over again. A class or two if required? Sure. But an entire master's degree? No thank you.

So, in an effort to procrastinate on the impending mountain of doom final projects and exams, I have created another to do list. Deadline? Christmas.

• Legal Final Exam
• Preservation Evaluation
• Reference Final Exam
• Order Christmas cards
• Decorate apartment for Christmas- the tree's already up, but the rest of the decorations? Not so much. Yet.
• Finish Christmas shopping- aka figure out what to give my husband for Christmas
• Finish Christmas knitting- brother-the-younger's neck warmer and mittens, mostly
• Plan Christmas meals/festivities
• Pumpkin Baking. From the Great Pumpkin Adventure 2011.

That's all I can think of right now, although knowing me, I'm already working on a list of craft projects/reading materials to plow through over break.

But for now... it's back to the books. [Or, websites as the case may be.]

It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year

Christmas knitting (!) is coming along well. I'm unfortunately not going to post any pictures of FOs until after Christmas, just in case anyone that's receiving some lovely hand knits is reading (hi Mom!). I'm finding though that the knitting is keeping me sane during an otherwise stressful time of homework, final projects, church obligations, and the general domestic endeavors.

I'm also planning on going to the Show-Me Crafters Show today? (Yes, the question mark is purposeful.) Hopefully, if I can find some time. Never been to one, and maybe it'll give me enough of a mental break- at least for an hour. Then it's back to the homeworking and quiz meetings (although I don't dread those, just the constant stress of interpreting legalese and hoping I mentioned everything in our answers that should be... other than that, it's a good time.)

Other Christmas festivities and traditions (can you tell I'm my mother's daughter) are also already in the works. Cookies, meals, presents, stockings.... and no shame that I'm currently enjoying Starbuck's Christmas Blend. Sometimes, you just have to break the rules (No Christmas before Thanksgiving) and indulge. But I'm looking forward to starting some new Christmas traditions this year with our new family as well.

Definitely looking forward to Christmas break and the opportunity to have a few more adventures in domesticity and take a few days to watch movies, read, and knit- ALL DAY LONG. (I'm thinking it's about time to indulge in some Little Women again.) Twill be glorious.