CHRISTMAS TREES, END TIMES, AND STUFF

Yeah.... I put up a Christmas tree. There are many who don't, claiming that it stems from pagan practices.

Well, here is what I know....EVERYTHING Holy that is out there has a counterfeit. EVERY thing. It's what satan does. But, the thing is, I am remembering the birth of Jesus.

Some don't celebrate Christmas as it is supposedly the time of His (Jesus') conception, NOT the time of His birth. Again, I don't think we should split hairs on this. As Easter, arguably one of the most important days to a Christian, is always changing days....yet we still remember....I don't know how good of an argument that is, as those who don't celebrate Christmas don't celebrate Easter....again....pagan roots. BUT, they rename it, calling it "Resurrection Sunday." It's still Easter.

I get so frustrated with the legalism that people hold to. What's more is that nobody really knows the specifics of these holidays, as there had to be a LOT lost in translation.... but we are to remember Jesus' birth, death, and resurrection. 

I think Joel Olsteen and Joyce Meyer....(is it Meyers? or Meyer?) Either way, you know who I'm talking about.... are full of hot air and it annoys me that their "self-help" junk is going all out. People think just because they have a big church and/or preach/teach to thousands that they are on board with all that is great. Weed it out, people. Yes, I think they are Christian, but I do not think all they say is good. Joel is not realistic and Joyce....well, she doesn't know her place as a Biblical woman.

I know....that wasn't in the title. That was free.....

You're welcome.

The false prophet that I read..... she is fascinating, really. Makes me think. She puts stuff up that makes sense....but she is full of bunk. She is trying to put a date to Jesus' schedule. She calls herself a "watcher." I have no problem with that. We are to all watch. We were given things to look for....and, quite honestly, this stuff is happening at an alarming rate. How long do we have? I don't know. But, if it happened tomorrow, I wouldn't be surprised.

Anyway, this gal is like a train-wreck... you know, it's impolite to stare, but you can't pull yourself away.

I would like to write a book. I have some very sketchy ideas.

And, that's all I have to say about that.

One week from today I am scheduled to teach my first CPR class at a local junior college.

Three words:

Ter. i. Fied!

Really, I am. I don't know why. It's something new. I don't generally like new things. I know how to teach. I'm not "eskeered" to speak in front of people. I have the materials that I need. It's just different. This time next week, I will be OK. I am excited to go this path....this path that God has so clearly put me on.

I have a few more posts in my head. One is fermenting. That will be one on the catty side....then deleted. I need to rant. AND, many would get mad. I guess I should just get a private journal going. I mean.....I tend to speak before I think. We shall see.

My youngest son has started using the word, "butt-hole."

I know.... totally gross. And, he is starting to get swats for it. On the "dirty word scale" from 1 - 10, it is not that bad..... but there are a few words that REALLY offend me. That would be one. Yes, he's a boy, and they do stuff like that, but there are other words I would rather him *experiment* with.

Michelle Duggar.... God bless her. I feel badly for her.... as I would for anyone who lost, or loses, a child. It is not any of my business, or yours, for that matter, how many children she chooses to pop out. I mean, really.... I wish I had the means to have more, but it is not right for me. As long as their family is not on welfare....fine. Have as many as you want! It just irks the snot outta me when people say, "Well, they're only living off their TV show." Well, BOO-FREAKIN' HOO!!! You sound a tad jealous. And really? No, duh! Sounds like excellent business sense, if you ask me. If my family could be on TV for a some money..... dude, I might just consider it.

People also complain about how much quality time they (the Duggar parents) spend with their children. First off...once your children get to a certain age, they don't need you. Second, she doesn't work. And, from what I have seen on their show, and read in their books, he doesn't have set hours that he is gone. Plus, they home school. If they spend 10 minutes per child per day, that is probably pretty close to what you and I get in quality time with our own.

That being said, I need to figure out a way to spend more time with my kids. :-)

I got black pearls for Christmas. They are GORGEOUS!

My Christmas stuff is still up. It won't come down until January 7. Because that's what I do.

Next post will probably have something to do with my resolve not to resolve....or maybe I will resolve.

Call it what you want, resolution, reflection, regrouping, recommitting....whatever, it is all the same thing..... brown duck, white duck....still quacks!

Who still reads? I'm curious. If nobody is reading, I'm considering shutting down. What's the point, right?

IT'S BEEN.....AWHILE

Yeah..... it's been awhile since I've been here.... in case you didn't notice?

Did you notice?

We have been very busy.

You know that CPR thing I'm doing? Well, I'm just about done. In fact, I already have some classes scheduled at the community college. I'm nervous as all get-out... but just as excited. This is truly an answer to prayer. That helps with the nerves. God didn't set all this up for me to fail.

The boys are starting their Christmas vacation.... just as my husband ends his vacation. I wish his vacation overlapped with the boys', but we take what we can get. He will, fortunately, be home Christmas Eve. It will be nice to have him home Christmas Day. He will work New Year's day....holiday pay is decent.

I didn't get my candies done. :-( It makes me sad, as I LOVE to make my candies. By the time I had time, it was way too humid. The candies I make are caramels and things that need to set. High humidity prevents it setting. SO.... I baked bread.....about 40 loaves of bread. Those were the gifts to teachers. I'm not done with treats. I still have our neighbors to bake bread for.

Having the kids home for 2 weeks is going to be great. The thing is to keep them busy, while letting them relax, getting my stuff done, and enjoying the holidays AND each other. :-) There will be stories, and treats, and games, and movies. Here are some things I have planned right now: gingerbread houses, sugar cookies, clean, Christmas movies, go look at Christmas light, play games, donut breakfast, play at the park....not forgetting piano lessons, guitar lessons, and JBQ practice.

I have a "catty" to blog, but I need to wait a few days. Nothing really TOO catty, but enough that I need to keep it from certain people.

I will try to be back in a few days. I still have a lot of ideas....they are listed in a file, so I don't forget them.

Until then, know I'm praying for you. I'm praying for my friends, non-friends, ex-friends, a false profit, many following a false religion, and just people.

Later -

IF

If you are cooking Thanksgiving dinner, you really should have your turkey in the fridge, thawing.... assuming it is frozen.

Your menu should be complete.

Most of your shopping should be done.... except for the stuff that needs to be consumed within a day, or two, of purchase.

That being said.... I really should complete my menu.

Oh, don't get me wrong. I know what I want. And, I have most of the stuff planned and purchased. BUT, I haven't had the time to work on my cookbooks, as much as normal. SO.... there might be a few unexpected dishes that show up. :-)

So far, this is what I have:

2 turkeys (one smoked, one roasted)

dressing

mashed potatoes

gravy

sweet potato pie

green beans

broccoli and rice casserole

macaroni and cheese

rolls

cranberry conserve

yum yum salad

fruit salad

pecan pie

pumpkin pie

3-4 other desserts

and 3-4 appetizers

I am doing all, but the mac-n-cheese, taters, sweet potato pie, yum yum salad, and fruit salad. I will make 2 appetizers and the pumpkin and pecan pies. Hubby is prepping the smoked turkey, while I do the roasted turkey.

So.... speaking of that, I'd better make sure my fridge in the garage is on and the turkeys are thawing.... instead of rotting. I *think* hubby turned on the fridge... if not? yikes! We will have 2 rotten turkeys to toss.

TURKEY DAY ON THE WAY

Today, let's talk turkey.

Turkey is one of the easiest things to fix, but so many have never done it and are a bit overwhelmed.

First off, you want to allow roughly 2 pounds per person so if you have 10 adults, you need at least a 20 pound bird...I would allow 1 pound per child. This will feed everyone well and allow leftovers which are a MUST! Keep in mind that when you look at the tag with the weight, they are including bones...you are not getting 20 pounds of meat and an adult isn't going to eat 2 pounds of it.

When you buy your turkey, it needs to be bought with enough time to thaw or defrost. (I have a former friend who would say "dethaw." Huh?)

To thaw in the fridge you need to allow 1 day per 4 pounds. So, a 20 pound turkey will need 5 days....Thanksgiving is on Thursday. Your 20 pound bird should be bought and in the fridge by Saturday! There is another way to thaw...using a cold water bath, but this is a pain in the tush. You have to change out the water every 30 minutes. It's messy and you have a mushy, gross mess if there happens to be a hole in the wrap. Also, if the bird gets TOO warm, you do run the risk of bacteria in the meat. Just buy it a week early and keep it in the fridge.

Thursday morning you need to get up EARLY (if you want your feast at lunch) and work on prepping "Tom." If you buy that 20 pound turkey, you will need to bake it 3 1/2 to 4 hours. (Until a meat thermometer, stuck in the inner thigh (don't touch the bone) reads 180.) You really don't want a "self-basting" turkey, as that tends to mask the flavor of the turkey (IMHO). At the same time, if you buy a frozen bird, it doesn't get much better than Butterball....again, IMHO.

So, unwrap your turkey, rinse inside and out.

****VERY IMPORTANT**** Remove the bag with the giblets and neck.

Pat turkey dry with paper towels. Oil the skin. (here is where opinion comes into play) You can brush with vegetable oil, spray with cooking spray or rub with butter.

Personally, I like to take a handful of softened butter (quite literally) and rub it over the breast UNDER the skin AND on top of the skin. This will keep the bird moist and will brown the skin nicely.

Sprinkle both outside AND cavity with salt and pepper. Then fill the cavity with aromatics. (I personally don't do stuffing. The thought grosses me out (it also adds baking time) I do a pan of dressing.) I fill cavity with onion, celery, thyme, garlic, maybe lemon slices. You won't eat this, but it flavors the meat mildly.

Tuck the wings under the body to prevent them from browning too much. Tie the legs together. (You want to do this as the legs loosen from the body and the skin will break. You will end up with leg bones and meat just hanging off the body....broken skin and a lot of moisture lost) Some folks say to skewer the opening...I don't because I don't stuff with a side dish.

Put turkey, breast side up, (flat portion down), in a roasting pan. You NEED something heavy-duty. If you do buy a disposable roasting pan, it will need to be put on a cookie sheet or other heavy-duty baking pan. I have placed it flat on the pan, roasted it in a bag (in the pan) and put the turkey on a rack.) I have had success with all 3, so don't freak if you don't have a turkey-bag. I will say this, a bag helps with clean-up as the juices can really stick to the pan. Just be sure to cut a vent in the bag and allow enough room for the steam to "puff up" the bag. You don't want it to touch the top of the oven. My preference is to place it on a rack.

Put the turkey into a 325 degree oven and bake for at least 3 1/2 hours (for a 20 pound turkey). The last 30 minutes to an hour, you might need to tent some foil over the breast to keep it from getting too brown and too dry. You won't do this if you use a bag.

Before taking it out, check for doneness. One easy way is to grab a leg-bone and move it back and forth. If it moves easily, it should be done...or really close to being done. I like to check the temp. I stick a meat thermometer into the inner thigh (where it is thickest...NOT touching the bone) to see if it reads "180." If yes, I remove from oven.

Final step before carving....LET THE MEAT REST FOR AT LEAST 30 MINUTES. Keep it covered with foil to retain heat. Really, this step is very necessary. ANY meat that you roast should sit out for a bit. As the meat is roasting, the juice tends to head to the surface and evaporate. While the meat is resting, the juices redistribute leading to a moist meat. If you carve too soon, a lot of the juice will run out at the first cut.

Carve, either at the table or in the kitchen. (This is what I prefer. I carve it and arrange on a platter to put in the center of the table.)

Well, there you go. I hope this was helpful. Another great help is Butterball...the company. You can go to butterball.com and they can give you MANY turkey tips. They even have a hot line that you can call on Thanksgiving Day to help will any "uh-ohs" or other concerns you may have.

HAPPY TURKEY DAY!

Pumpkin Whoopie Pies

So, I made these whoopie pies today. They are my latest, favorite things to make.

Anyway, these are a big hit, whenever I take them anywhere.

Today, in about 2-1/2 hours, I fixed about 60 of these. Lots of fun. Full of flavor. It doesn't get much better than this.

A lot of folks asked for the recipe......so here it is!

Cookies:

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 1/4 cups granulated sugar

2 large eggs, at room temperature, lightly beaten

1 cup Pumpkin

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Cream Cheese Filling:

4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature

6 tablespoons butter, softened

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

Directions

For cookies: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease or line four baking sheets with parchment paper.

Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger and salt in medium bowl.

Beat butter and sugar in large mixer bowl on medium speed for 2 minutes.

Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.

Add pumpkin and vanilla extract; beat until smooth.

Stir in flour mixture until combined.

Drop by heaping measuring teaspoons onto prepared baking sheets. (A total of 72 cookies are needed for the recipe.)

Bake for 10 to 13 minutes or until springy to the touch.

Cool on baking sheets for 5 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.

For cream cheese filling: Beat cream cheese, butter and vanilla extract in small mixer bowl on medium speed until fluffy.

Gradually beat in powdered sugar until light and fluffy.

Spread a heaping teaspoon of filling onto flat side of one cookie; top with flat side of second cookie to make a sandwich. Repeat with remaining cookies and filling.

THIS-N-THAT

I have been busy. What about you all?

The holidays are here. Thanksgiving is quickly approaching. And I...... just made my menu. :-(

I am SO behind, but it is all good.

I am now, officially, a CPR Instructor. I will be starting to teach soon, I hope. I need to observe a few classes before I start teaching. There are a few things I need to watch.

I'm nervous as all get-out.

No.... that isn't bold enough.

I'm completely terrified.....and excited.

My oldest son is doing well. He got his cast a little over a week ago, but his arm is quite swollen. So, they split the cast, and taped it. We go in on Monday to get it tightened. Then, the Monday after Thanksgiving is when he will have it removed. After that, he will have 4 more weeks of restriction. That puts us the day after Christmas. :-( Poor thing. He was wanted to try out for the basketball team and he will miss the entire season.

I am planning 2 parties for the last day of school before Thanksgiving break. One is a feast. One is a Charlie Brown Thanksgiving. Fun, but work.....on top of the 376 or so things that I feel are on my list. :-) But, I LOVE this time of year... just for this reason.

I didn't get to do my pumpkins this year. Still time? Maybe. I don't know if I can get the tiny pumpkins still. Oh well.... what do you do?

See, here's what happens. I plan all year. (If you read me at all, you know that I look forward to Christmas all year. :-) ) Anyway, I keep putting off stuff until timing is better. Or until I'm done with this, or finished with that. Then, I find that I am almost out of time.

Next year.... HAHA! We shall see.

I have a few Christmas crafts I am wanting to work on.

I was supposed to have my tree up LAST week.... didn't happen. I don't remember why. :-(

I have about 80 Christmas cards to make. I have NO idea how, or when, that will happen. *sigh* I don't have time to start, just yet.

Heck, I just got laundry caught up. Since I finished my long-term subbing stint, I have *maybe* had 3 days at home.

I have a list 2 miles long.

That makes me happy.

My teeth still hurt. Not as bad, but still. I'm tired of dental issues. SO. Tired.

OK.... I'm done.

I'll try to be back soon.

INJURED....AGAIN

My oldest boy..... this one....

Well, he had a bit of an accident today. He, one of his brothers (DS #2) and DH were going deer hunting. We had no school today, due to staff development, AND it is "youth hunt" weekend, so the 3 boys, and some friends, took advantage of the time off.

My boys got to the lease early. They started scouting out the feeders, and such, in order to be sure everything was ready for the morning. DH sent the 2 boys out on 4-wheelers.

Let's just say, "Thank God for helmets."

Basically, the boys went one way, DH another. (DS #1 has a phone.) They weren't at the lease 10 minutes when DH got a call from DS #1... "Dad. I'm hurt."

He had come over a slight rise, going down into a ditch.... except the ditch wasn't too deep or wide. He came over and the front end bit the dirt.... sudden stop. Head hit the handle bars (helmet.... he's OK), his leg got a bit banged up, but he took a lot of the impact on his right arm.

Yes, he has a buckle fracture. The 2nd break in his young life. Same arm, close to the same place. He is right-handed, so he will have a bit of difficulty with school work. Also, his guitar lessons will be put on hold. How long? Not quite sure.

He will go to an ortho. in the next 3-5 days and get a cast. I'm currently trying to figure that one out, as I'm supposed to chaperone a field trip on Monday, meet with 1st grade room moms on Tuesday, meet with 2nd grade room moms on Wednesday, and chaperone another field trip on Thursday. (I currently have no plans for Friday, but that is a week away. I'm SURE something will come up soon.)

Yeah.... that's the excitement in our house.