Friday Focus

[BookSaver]

Thanks, Kathryn.
Holiday prep: Tonight's 5 by 10

1) Print the cooking instructions for DMIL's soup mixes. Meant to do this Wednesday night after work, but I was too tired to look for the pretty card stock. I couldn't find my first choice, must have used up for something for the sewing group. Found acceptable paper this morning. The instructions are already typed up, I just need to change to a larger font and arrange on the page.

2) Wrap DMIL's gift now that all of the components are ready. I decided the safest way to pack the glass jars was to buy a couple of cloth shopping bags to hold them all. Must find ribbons and bows to make them pretty.

3) Wrap DMom's gift.

4) Wrap DH's gift.

5) Make the 1st batch of fudge.

I did call DSisIL this afternoon to ask about Christmas Day. At Thanksgiving she invited us for Christmas Day because all 3 of their boys will be home with their families. She said she would let us know where (possibly at the in-town son's new house) and what time. I kept waiting for an Email or FB message, but finally decided we really needed to know because if we weren't going to their place, we needed to make other arrangements of when to see DMIL. DSisIL was glad I'd called, she'd been waiting to hear from one of the kids to decide a time but since she had me on the phone, she decided to have everyone come for the evening meal.

DSisIL mentioned that they will be doing the traditional men's & women's grab bag gifts. Having such late notice, DH and I will not be participating -- which makes DH very happy. I suppose that I could have run back out this evening and bought a couple more gifts ... but I'm sticking to my resolve to stay out of the stores today and tomorrow.

We went to the auto garage today and out to lunch at the truck stop, that's the closest I want to get to any retail establishment for the near future.

[Kathryn-in-Canada]

Nap is done. Now I have to wake up. I have some decaf tea brewing and some biscotti to soak in it. Hopefully the sugar will give me a second wind.

[Nancy]

Back from the store run have the car unloaded and stuff is put away and counters are clear again. I'm SO grateful that I'd cleared them off this morning makes it so much easier when we bring in the stuff out of the trunk.

I've been putting together puzzles I got at the thrift shop for the dgkids all but one had all the pieces one was even unopened still with the seal on it!

We've had dinner and are enjoying a nice quiet evening at home.
It was slammed at one store the other one was busy too, had to stop at the one close to home
for some thing the larger chain store was out of they were not very busy at all.

[Sunny]

No sleeping in for us today. Our focus was was to get all the rest of our shopping done. Neither dh or I wanted to go out tomorrow. We were able to stick pretty close to our budget and did find some really good sales. We didn't spend as much as we have in past years. Now to get it all wrapped and under the tree! We probably won't get dfam#3's box in the mail until Tues. But they said "no worries"; they understood because of the setbacks we've had here.

There are lots of good ideas here for finger foods. Veggie tray with dips, mini sandwiches with cheese spreads, deviled eggs, mini cream puffs filled with tuna or cheese spread, etc. etc. all sounds good. Oh, how about jello with fruit (lime or cherry jello) or veggies (shredded cabbage & carrots - lemon jello). That can be made a day ahead! Hope the multi scheduling all coordinates. Gentle pets for ((Tobias)).

Kathryn... ((Hugs)) and prayers for Dh's new dbaby cousin!!

OKay... your Christmas holiday lunch today sounded nice. I wish I had your awesome organization and prep skills! ((DBro#2)).

Thinking of all our travelers this weekend and wishing them safe travel to each destination!

BookSaver.... so good that your dh wasn't hurt! Maybe the other driver had expired license/insurance or none at all!

Lynlee loved your story of Christmas on the beach!

Gosh, look at the time. I've been watching the Mormon Tab. Choir and St. Olaf's choir programs on a PBS station while typing, so of course I was distracted by the beautiful music! Waving hello to everyone.

[Harriet]

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Oops, this did not post, much earlier:


So wise to keep a prototype and also to photograph, Twins Mom. Much creativity in my youth wasn't documented - sometimes people mention previous gifts to me and I realize I couldn't duplicate now without reinventing the wheel.

I've prepared my ddad's gifts to the grandchildren after HRH came from bank with the crisp bills ddad wanted. Thought for a bit that I'd lost the money-holder cards I'd ordered, but found them. My rememberer is overwhelmed, so I'm forgetting where I put things. Happy to manage matching gift tags and little bows for those. Done.

((Emptynester)) Feel better.

The few times I have been at candlelight services, I've been nervous, Kathryn. Whether as a child or adult I felt the same way. Give me a rattley communion tray to pass any time - at least it doesn't have a flame that I could use to singe my neighbor's hair, or burn the carpet, or do some other dangerous trick by mistake. If I had a candle in one hand and was expected to hold paper in the other I'd not be able to think about worship at all.

[Dove]

Hi everyone! When my mom was tired she used to say, "I'm too pooped to pop!" Feeling that way myself tonight , but I'm pleased at all I accomplished. The house is spiffed & clean, which was a large part of my focus for today.

Dh was a huge help -- he went to the grocery store for about 20 items. Odds & ends like cream for dsis' coffee, limes for dbil' beer ( I had never heard of this practice until I met him ; he is a Texan who drinks Corona). Also misc items for gathering with dfamily, & our new years eve menu, too, so that I don't have to set foot inside a store again until 2012 . Dh said the aisles in the supermarket were packed, there was no parking, & even the road leading toward the store was bumper to bumper.

Tomorrow will be fun & relaxing. I have several mini jobs & kitchen things to focus on, plus wrapping gifts for dnieces & dnephews.

Harriet, you got so many great finger food ideas today! The only others I would add is peanuts or cashews, some sliced pepperoni to go with the cheese & crackers, or a quick & easy picnic spread: cold cuts, a big bag of rolls, store bought potato salad, chips, fruit. Add some sliced tomatos, lettuce or spinach, mayo & mustard to the table & let guests assemle their own sandwiches. You could also go with frozen appetizers from the store. And in keeping with the picnic theme (hey, we've heard of Christmas in July, this can be a picnic in December ) for dessert serve ice cream & a few different toppings for make-your-own sundaes.

((MT)), I'm so sorry you are sick. Hope you feel much better tomorrow.

Kathryn, I'll add the baby & family to my prayers.

So glad your dh is OK, Bookie!

It's after midnight here -- Merry Christmas Eve!

Sweet dreams.

[Harriet]

Thank you all for so many ideas today. I'm sure we'll have a fun buffet.

BookSaver, yes, I'll just bet it was someone who for some reason or another wasn't supposed to be driving and couldn't have accepted any attention. So glad your dh is okay - that's the only important thing. Tell him to let it go - he can't take care of everyone and he did the best he could.

The evening was spent compiling our 3 older children-and-spouse's gifts (lots of little things) into blanket-boxes, wrapping and making large enough gift tags. These will serve as their "stockings" this year. They'll each open to reveal a brightly colored kneeling pad with a calendar chosen for them on top of it, matching colors. Underneath are the things for the guys of each couple - flashlight with temperature gauge, hats with ear-protectors. And everyone has their character bandaids, of course, and an assortment of little things they each like, picked up for them through the year.

Typing this out makes me think of hanging another tag on each of a cut-out stocking.

Earlier I wrapped for HRH, who wants dd to have one wrapped gift on the hearth and wanted a mystery box wrapped with a tag he wrote for "my girlfriend". I think I may be through with the scotch tape and scissor detail. Except for HRH's gift. Oh, and one more for his little niece. Oh, and the tags for several already wrapped. I guess I'd better not brag.

I didn't mention here, but I called Wal grens corporate office and complained about the Play boy items I found on sale there. Not magazines, various products, for instance perfume and some other toiletry type items. I guess I'll always complain about their merchandising. Nobody has to do anything about it - companies that buy their merchandise want to make money and they don't have to listen to me - but they will have to take the call as long as I'm able to dial.

Happy Christmas Eve.

[lucylee]

CI: finally. It is 1:30 a.m.
[ ] exercise Nope... didn't happen... however, I was on my feet for approx. 12 hours today. Does that count?
[x] s2s
-- started to town, realized I had forgotten my phone, returned home
[x] CVS
-- remembered I didn't have $5 coupon with me
[x] grocery store
-- returned home for coupon
[x] funeral visitation for coworker's father
[x] CVS Part II
-- called dmom who decided I would be much more useful if I helped w/shopping She said ddad & dbro could help cut up fruit.
[x] went to mall & grocery store, w/dmom
-- and had a really, really nice time... but... VERY rushed, almost late getting home to dh for movie, and had to just run in and out speaking to dbro, who just came in from Florida, and couldn't invite him to movie w/us b/c didn't have time to wait for him to get ready, or drop him off afterwards, b/c dh was in incredible rush to get home and see AU basketball... who lost miserably, so I guess that served dh right.
[x] delivered dmom's roasting pan to ds, who is baking a (precooked) ham
[x] returned home to get dh
[x] go see Mission Impossible w/dh
[x] finish baking cookies
-- which was QUITE an experience in itself. * sigh * Ddil made up a batch of those cookies in a jar and gave me a jar. This led to my borrowing an egg from dmil, buying butter & vanilla, which I never use, and buying parchment paper, which I'll never use, b/c the instructions called for it. I did not wait for butter to soften to room temperature, so getting the butter & egg to a creamy texture was almost impossible. Brown sugar in the jar was a little hard, so getting dry ingredients mixed was difficult. Cookies took longer to cook than directions said, and then they still seem too dry & crumbly. Also, never got really brown on top. * sigh * I'm afraid ddil will be disappointed in the way they turned out, but it is probably as much my fault as it is hers.
[ ] finish my own wrapping

Yep. I've had a day of it. I hope I can get the wrapping finished before time to go to dmil's tomorrow night.

Waving to ALL!!!