Winter Days

 My daughter made a ginger bread house, and I made Russian Tea Cakes.

It's winter. It's cold outside.
I have been baking...

And enjoying a cozy fire.

Oh, this is not our fireplace. It's Netflix Crackling Birchwood (Fireplace 4K).
We have had burning restrictions for the last five days (six, today).
In the last 12 days, we've only been allowed to burn two days.

So I am baking. Praise the LORD, I'm baking!
Yesterday, I made two batches of bagels.

My son gets up at 3:30 many mornings for work.
I get up to make sure he gets breakfast.
He loves fried eggs. A little meat and cheese on it is nice too.
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The Holidays Still Linger

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~ Breakfast Menu ~ 
Oven fried potatoes
Fried eggs
Biscuit wrapped sausages
Orange juice and coffee
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I am enjoying these days while the children are out of college and have occasional days off work.


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A Puzzling Weekend

 We spent the last four days building this puzzle. It was quite the challenge.
Four days this puzzle was on our living room floor.
Some of us worked on it for hours at a time, while others stopped occasionally to add a piece here of there.
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May your home be warm and cozy.

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Holiday Special

My daughter found this set of six holly-berry classes for me at the thrift store
~ only $1.75 ~
There match the set of the four holly-berry mugs I have.
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I made Apple Cranberry Pie for Christmas this year.
The tasty surprise to this pie is orange zest.
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Christmas Eve

 Last night, after our nightly drive to look at lights, 
my daughters and I spent the night by the tree,
staying up late to building this cupcake puzzle
 ~ my oldest daughter's Christmas tradition ~

Today I will be listening to Christmas music and baking Christmas pies,
watching favorite Christmas movies with my family,
and enjoying an evening drive through a spectacle of lights.

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~ Today's Breakfast Menu ~
Bacon
 Fried or scrambled eggs
Pancakes with homemade blackberry syrup
Fruit Salad
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~ Happy Christmas Eve ~

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Early Chirstmas

~ A pre-Christmas breakfast ~

Last night our five children were all home.

We hopped into the van with a box of See's chocolates and headed downtown.

Stopping at McDonald's, we got 7 large coffees.

Then off we went to look at the Fabulous Forties light display.

The Fab Forties neighborhood is part of the East Sacramento district. President Ronald Reagan lived at 1341 45th Street while serving most of his term as Governor of California. The "Fab '40s" is the historic terminus of a once extensive streetcar network that covered nearly all the historic neighborhoods of the city. Forty-sixth street at J Street was the turnaround point for the J Street Line making it one of the widest streets in East Sacramento. The lots between 38th and 46th Streets and bordered by J Street and Folsom Boulevard are among the largest in East Sacramento, creating the concentration of larger houses that gave rise to the area's name.

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Since this was the only time we could get all five children together this Christmas weekend,

we opened our gifts when we returned home.

What a joyous celebration we had!

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Cozy Fireside

This is my Christmas card this year

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I spent most of the day coloring my drawing.

Can you believe it took me that long!

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California Winter

 ~ Another frosty morning ~
Okay, maybe it's not such a big deal, but it's exciting to me.

Brrr...
A perfect morning for a warm fire.

Now that's ice coffee!

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Snowflakes on a COLD Winter Morning

It's 29° Outside ~ That's COLD for a place where palm trees grow.

Perfect weather to show you my snowflakes.

I wanted to have them ready the weekend after Thanksgiving.
I'm late. At least I still have two weeks to enjoy them for December,
and I may just leave them up into January.

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Christmas in the House

Oh how I love Christmas time!

It truly is the BEST time of the year.

My mother-in-law made this manger scene for us when our children were little.

It is a WET day - rain coming down in sheets.

A perfect day to for a cozy fire.

 ~Cookies and hot chocolate by the fireside ~

~ Christmas cards on my front door ~

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Just a Little Bit of Christmas

I spent the yesterday wrapping presents.

What a happy sight!

I only wish the Christmas holidays lasted longer.

The days are speeding by too fast.

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First Frost

It is 32 degrees out this morning.

Winter has arrived early.

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