Sunday, December 21, 2014

Ten Things of Thankful, Short and Sweet Version

Sunday evening already, and not a single thankful have I written. In my defense, I've been a wee little bit busy. For real. Want proof? Saturday, I made a coconut cream pie and a French silk pie, made three freezer meals (creamy penne with Italian sausage, chicken and black bean enchilada casserole and sloppy joes), spent the evening helping take pictures at an event (my side gig), did a little Christmas shopping after that, came home and made an apple pie, and got a ham ready and into the oven and set the stove timer to start cooking it around 3 a.m., so it would be done in the morning. Sunday, I started my day at 6 a.m. when I got the ham out of the oven, made a batch of caramel popcorn, made fudge, mixed together a double portion of cheesy potatoes to be baked later, made a double batch of rolls (except for the baking), made fudge, baked a banana bread, wrapped presents (all this before 10 a.m.), packed the ham, pies, rolls and gifts (including the freezer meals), helped load the car, then drove to my parents' home an hour away and finished preparing dinner there, then enjoyed Christmas festivities with my parents and my brother and sister-in-law and niece. When we got home this evening, I had to finish cleaning up the kitchen. 

Now do you understand this short and sweet version of Ten Things of Thankful? I knew you would. Here it is:

1. My parents. I'm a lucky girl to have them.
2. Pie.
3. Edible gifts.
4. Gifts in general.
5. Husbands who help clean the kitchen without even being asked.
6. My trusty and faithful candy thermometer, without which I couldn't make caramel popcorn and fudge and toffee and any number of other things.
7. Pandora Traditional Christmas station. Love me some Andy Williams, Perry Como, Johnny Mathis and the like.
8. Adam Levine.
9. Roundabouts. Just kidding. They suck.
10. Email conversations with faraway friends. Extra bonus if you are raising a chicken that is named for me.

And a big thankful for having a brother and sister in law who are very good at choosing gifts. Ruby, Pete and Fletcher are thrilled with their Christmas gift from their "cousin" Cookie.


Ruby likes the present. 

Ruby walks away, and Fletcher gets a chance
to explore it, finding it to his satisfaction.

Pete lurks and watches the other two.

Ruby's back and won't share.
Fletcher is pissed.

Ruby leaves again, and curiosity finally
overcomes Pete.

Yeah, Pete likes it.

And it tastes good, too.

It's a busy time of year. Take time to remember YOUR thankfuls, big and small.

21 comments:

  1. Cute cat pix, Dyanne. Such a very busy week you had. 'Tis the season. You are the supreme pie maker, I think. Merry and Happy.

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    1. Thanks! I'm starting to get really tired of making pie...

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  2. Good gravy, why do you have to live so far away from me?!?! I would love to live near someone who could make pies and fudge and caramel popcorn for me. Oh, and 'cause we'd have a blast together, too. :)
    It seems yesterday was a big day for family Christmas celebrations. We were at my sister's house in Kentucky all day and most of the night last night with all of my family. There wasn't any pie, but there was chocolate delight, baklava, and lots of cookies.
    I am thrilled that they are putting roundabouts at intersections around here. They are the perfect size and really help keep traffic moving. I do not like the ones in Europe at all. At. All.
    Glad the cats had a good Christmas, too.

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    1. We would have so much fun if we lived closer together! And I would make you pies and fudge and GOOD caramel popcorn.
      Ozarkians are not capable of using roundabouts. I MET someone on one of them the other day.
      The cats are like toddlers; they would rather play with the wrapping paper than the toys.

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  3. All before 10 a.m.? I'm a morning person, but WOW. I'm with Christine--why do we all live so far apart?

    Have a very merry Christmas!

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    1. I was a MACHINE.
      Wouldn't it be nice if we could just fold the country in half when we wanted to travel?

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  4. I hope that you stopped to breath every once in awhile :) Merry Christmas to you and your family xxx

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  5. ADAM LEVINE!! Short or not it is a wonderful list. I am thinking that I would like to come to your house next year for Christmas just to eat :)! Have an wonderful holiday, Dyanne!

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    1. Ahh, yes - Adam Levine, or my boyfriend, as I call him.
      Come visit next year. I'll make pie. And caramel popcorn. And cinnamon rolls.

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  6. MMMMMMMm I LIKE PIE!

    Number nine.....oh so yes.. I will go twice the distance just to avoid them!

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    1. Pie = good
      I am perfectly capable of negotiating a roundabout; 95% of the area's population is not.

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  7. Love #10! All the kitties are so cute...what a cool gift! I would have to douse it in chocolate or pee for skip to be interested in it... no curiosity there...

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    1. They are enjoying their toy. Found it turned over the other morning, so who knows what went on in the night.
      Did Skip not learn his lesson yet about chocolate?

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  8. holy moly - awesome were you able to breathe every so often - Pandora is wonderful, I love to listen while cooking too- you are filled with many blessings - have a wonderful Christmas! :)

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    1. Singing and dancing in the kitchen makes the time go faster!

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  9. We took off for Germany to be with our son who has been studying abroad. So, I have done not one bit of Christmas baking/cooking. For the first time, I left my grown daughters in charge and will fly in just in time to enjoy the fruits of their labor. Feels strange, but exciting all at once.
    Merry Christmas! ~May

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    1. It will be pretty nice to get back from Germany and not have to do any of the cooking! I enjoy doing it, but it would be nice to sit back and enjoy, too! Hope your trip was amazing!

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  10. Five and seven on that list - absolutely. And all the rest is pretty good, too. I was going to e-mail you earlier and say "are you still alive"? But then I realized there was a post and I hadn't read it so I'm the one who's MIA probably.
    Hope you have a wonderful Christmas! Merry Christmas from all of us!

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    1. My dear husband cleaned the entire kitchen twice, after dinner and again after dessert, all on his own. He's a keeper!
      I'm so behind with everything blog related!

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  11. It's the least I can do for them.
    Maybe someday I'll get those two ovens....

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