I slipped on my little guy's snow boots to run to the car this morning. It's a little strange to be able to wear my almost 8 year old's shoes!

I'm on a sour dough bread making kick.

When I lived in Melrose, Massachusetts in my big old turn of the century colonial house, I used to make bread all the time.

Oh, I loved to bang it down on the counter top. What a great stress reliever!

The boys loved my sour dough bread so much that my oldest decided that he was going to sell it. I would make 6 extra loaves each week and he would sell them to neighbors and teachers.

Just walking down memory lane here...

You know you're in the country when...

You're on the way to the movies to see Chronicles of Narnia, moving along at 60ish mph, when suddenly... deer appears out of nowhere and insist on planting themselves in the middle of the road!

Luckily my husband was able to stop the van in time without hitting them!

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We had homemade meatballs with spaghetti and my canned tomato sauce. It was yummy!

Just finished writing my Christmas letter that will be enclosed in my Christmas cards. Actually, I've got the first round of cards all ready to go!

I just love receiving Christmas cards! They are part of our decorations as they get taped to around the doorways and windows. It is so much fun to hear from old friends!

Funny... we've only received one card so far... I was bemoning this fact when my dear husband reminded me that I hadn't sent our cards out yet.

We're off to see Chronicles of Narnia tonight for our date night and supper at the mexican restaraunt. I'm craving their shrimp dish....

Peanut Butter cookies topped with Hershey's Kisses.
Oatmeal chocolate chip cookies.
Hershey's Kisses.

At our local grocery store, I found some really cute Christmas decorated felt stockings for $1 each! What a buy!!!

I made cookies to fill them. Tomorrow I'll visit some friends and share these goodies.

We're off to the church Christmas Party in a little bit... but first I'm making homemade pizza for supper.

You know you're in the country when...

You're traveling down the highway looking at the multitude of black angus cows grazing in a passing field with snow covered mountains in the background... and you don't get into an accident.


It's so cold here today! -19!!!

A new day!

Must be about 3 inches of snow out there today. Got a few more inches of that light fluffy (still broomable!) snow. It's a very cold day here in the single digits... Burrrr....

Several weeks ago when the cold hit, I made up quilt curtains out of that warm window stuff. It's like having a warm winter jacket for your windows and doors. I made one for the drafty front door and one for the back hall entry way. It is soooo much more comfortable in here!

Does anyone make Pizzelles for Christmas? Can you recommend a pizzelle maker for me?

snow...

The snow is falling in fine snow flakes. If I was back home in Massachusetts, this type of snow would accumulate into mounds requiring snow blowers and shovels to remove.

But, here in northern Wyoming... it doesn't seem to amount to much. I've got my broom ready to sweep the walk when it's all done.

This is my 3rd winter here. My first winter was very dry and at times cold. Last winter, we had a light blanket of snow throughout most of the winter. This year seems to be much the same.

My husband (he grew up here) says that when he was growing up there would be feet of snow. But the weather seems to have turned more mild and dry since then.

Massachusetts has been hammered since I left in Fall 2003. I sure don't miss all that shoveling!

I do miss the homes all bright with lots of Christmas lights and decorations.
I do miss going into Boston to see the window displays. Downtown was especially pretty this time of year.
I do miss the earthy pine smell of pine bows lining the pews of the Congregational Church that I attended when I was young.
I do miss those Pizzelle cookies that my Italian neighbor used to make at Christmas time.
I do miss all the Christmas Parties at my neighbor's homes.
I do miss going to Mom and Dad's for Christmas Eve. We'd enjoy shrimp and fish chowder... and all kinds of wonderful food.
I do miss Aunt Shirley's New Year's Day Party with all that yummy food and being surrounded friends and family.

OK, let me wipe my tears and gain my composure here. I guess that I miss home at this time of year.

But, I still DON'T MISS SHOVELING!

Again...

I liked Dreamer so much that I took my 11 year old to see it this afternoon. Just the 2 of us. I had him buy the snacks-he had to calculate how much money would be needed and pay the cashier.

Later he held the door for me to go out of the theater and we walked arm in arm to the car.

We just enjoyed a bowl of my leftover Turkey soup. The longer it sits the more tasty it gets!!!

The next showing is at 7pm. I'm going to take my 7 year old now. Just the two of us...

This movie is a keeper. I definitely want a copy of the DVD when it comes out.

Dreamer...

Went to see the movie Dreamer tonight. It was sooo good. A wonderful family flick. Think that I'll take the boys to the matinee to see it tomorrow.

I left the theater thinking... am I dreaming big enough?

You know you're in the country when...
Went to the local grocery store yesterday. A cashier opened as I was waiting in line to checkout. As she was running my groceries through, she noticed a bag of stuff that was not given to the previous customer.

She was thinking out loud when she said, "Now was that Cindy Smith or Joleen Lindon? I know that it was one of them."

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On Wednesday we finally cooked up our Thanksgiving meal. Just a small turkey. Today I'm simmering turkey rice & vegetable soup on the stove and I have homemade sour dough bread that's just about done cooking.

The house smells soooo good. Wish I could share!

Just spent an hour sweeping the snow out of our "in-process" house.

We had such a scare yesterday...

Our town Christmas celebration is tonight. The town is providing turkey and ham. The North side of town will furnish salads and the South side will bring deserts.

I'm off to the grocery store.