Cranberry Nut Bread

This is my favorite quick bread recipe to make around the holidays. I make mini loaves of this for my neighbors, along with pumpkin bread.

I really should "healthy" it up a little bit, but just haven't done it. If anybody decides to healthy it up, let me know the outcome and recipe :)

Cranberry Nut Bread
2 c. flour
1 c. sugar
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 egg
3/4 c. orange juice
1T grated orange zest
1 1/2 c. fresh or frozen cranberries
1/2 c. chopped walnuts

In a bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and baking soda. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Beat egg, orange juice and peel; stir into dry ingredients just until blended (batter is thick). Add the cranberries and walnuts. Spoon into a greased and floured loaf pan. Bake at 350* for 65-70 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 minutes before removing to wire rack to cool completely.

**This makes 4 small loaves. Bake at 350* for 30-35 min.
YIELD: 1 loaf or 4 small loaves

The rest of the weekend!

Friday~Doug and I always go shopping on Black Friday. We had no pressing needs. What my kids want can be found on Amazon.com or the local music store :) But it is tradition and it is a fun date.

So we got up about 7 and headed out to Bob Evans. A much shorter wait time at 7:30 am than at 10!

We then headed to the mall, which had been open about 5 hours before we got there! We love watching people. We hit Old Navy and Radio Shack.

Then we went to Kohls. The line was snaked around the store clear to the back. Doug always gets in line with 1 item while I finish shopping LOL. By the time I am done shopping, he's usually close to the front. This year I was fast and we were only 1/2 way through the line. It moved fast though. We were only in the store 45 minutes!

Then we headed to Borders, Pat Catans, Starbucks, and Walmart. We hit WalMart 3 times this weekend!

After our shopping spree, I took a nap :) Doug and Isaac finished up the lights on the bushes. I didn't buy enough and so that was part of what we picked up at WalMart. They look great I think! My inlaws came for pizza and cards in the evening. Isaac and Allen went to the movies with friends.

Saturday~The boys had bowling. I dropped them and then Allen and I went to Sam's Club for groceries. I am SO glad we waited until early Saturday morning. No crowds!

Came home and put a roast in the oven and cleaned lettuce.

Doug decided to sand woodwork upstairs. We were hoping to get it all finished. He didn't, but he doesn't have much left. He'll finish it after the hoildays!

We had dinner. We were going to have a date night, but wasn't sure what to do. The band was playing and I wanted to go dancing, but I was SO sore. And the place they played Saturday is SO small and crowded. People bumping into your seat when they walk. That did not sound fun AT ALL! So we thought maybe we'd go see the new Denzel Washington movie. We love him. But upon further inspection of the checkbook, we nixed that idea LOL.

So, we put up the Christmas tree and decorated the house :) I was going to wait until Friday to do that and not have Doug have to hassle with it. But hey, the night is young (at 6pm LOL) so why not? I am SO glad we did it when Doug was home. He did a fabulous job assembling and fluffing the tree and putting on lights. We did have to run to WalMart for more lights. I should have bought some Friday, but who knew? We just bought all new tree lights last year. The boys piddled out on us and went to bed about 10:30. We were finished and cleaned up by midnight. Then we sat on the couch and enjoyed the lights and some Christmas CDs

Sunday~Doug and the boys went to church this morning. They then swung by to get me and head over to my sister's church. Baby Joey was baptised today. I really enjoyed the service. Their priest is very personable and really did a good job explaining baby baptism and the Catholic church. I do not know much about Catholicism. I was raised Pentecostal and still am. So it was nice to hear why they do this and he talked about first communion and confirmation.

We had a dinner afterwards and were able to visit with family. I held Joey for just a few seconds.

We came home and the boys started on the leaves. Doug took Jordan to work and picked up the last of the groceries. Then wen ton a mad search for leaf bags, which resulted in our 3rd trip to WalMart this weekend LOL. They didn't have leaf bags, neither did the hardware store, or the grocery store where we usually buy them, or Convenient where the neighbor said they had some. He ended up by the mall at Lowes getting bags. Hopefully the piles of leaves will not blow all around before they bag them tomorrow.

I put 3 loaves of banana bread in the oven and shortly will get Doug's food together for the week. I've also done countless loads of laundry all weekend long!

Now he's running Isaac to his dad's house. He's spending the night and going hunting early in the am. Hopefully this time around he gets a deer!

Doug leaves for work again early in the morning. It has been SO nice having him home. I am sad that he has to leave again.

Thanksgiving!

We had such a nice day on Thanksgiving. The day started with taking Jordan to work. He volunteered to work 8:30 to 1. He decided he likes time and a half pay LOL.

Doug bought donuts and a paper. The guys had donuts. I drank coffee and looked at the Black Friday ads. Nothing pressing to be out at 3am for :)

Then Doug adn Isaac hung the outside lights. We had to get new icicle lights this year. My mom bought Doug some about 8 years ago, on clearance after Christmas, for his birthday. They had had it. So we bought new ones and Isaac was the fortunate one to hang them. He did fall off the ladder once and rolled down the small front hill. He was OK and just got back up there to finish. What a guy! Here's the finished product! Isaac did a great job! I did not hold still enough for the night shot, so they are blurry!

We had dinner at my dad's house. My sisters and their families, Gramma and uncle from NC, step-gramma, step-aunt and uncle and their 2 children and aunt's mom, another step-uncle and girlfriend, and Cay's friend from church were there. It was a lovely time. It was fun to see my nieces and nephews. Here I am with my 5 year old niece Allie and my new nephew Joey! I just love being an auntie!

So, about those birthday pictures! I just showed them to Jordan. And he started busting a gut laughing at the last picture! I couldn't understand why! I love that picture because he is smiling and looks happy, which is rare around here these days.

So he says, look at what I'm holding and still I didn't know what he was talking about! He's holding a beer bottle! :::snort::: OK, we do not allow or condone underage drinking! He was at a bowling party for his friend's sister's birthday and they were taking a prank picture with the dad's beer bottle.

So, yes, my son looks quite happy in that picture. No, he did not drink the beer :::snort:::

Happy 17th Birthday Jordan!!!

I cannot believe my first baby is 17 years old!!! He was born the day before Thanksgiving, 17 years ago. This is the first time he's ever celebrated his birthday the day before Thanksgiving.

Jordan is such a great kid! He is a hard worker and will do anything you ask him to. He loves music. He taught himself to play the guitar and the bass. He is quite talented.

Happy Birthday Jordan. I pray you have a great year and you draw closer to the Lord.

Jordan 6 weeks old. Aren't those cheeks just adorable?

Jordan was 3 here. Isaac was 20 months and Allen was a newborn.

And I was a mere 25!

I love this picture of the boys!

Jordan, Isaac and their cousin Ashly. Jordan was 15 here.

This past October. Fishing at the lake is always fun!
Bowling 2006

Jordan is an awesome bowler with an average over 200

(but I can't remember what it is now!)

I love you Jordan! More than you will ever know :)

Cookies! Cookies! They are EVERYWHERE!!

So what do YOU do during Thanksgiving break from school? I bake Christmas cookies :::snort::: I wanted to take the opportunity to get as many as I could in the freezer while I didn't have anything else on the agenda. I baked for 8 hours yesterday and 10 hours today. Well, baked and cleaned up. Here's what I have to show for my hard work :)

I completely forgot to take pictures of the 11 dozen Snickerdoodles and 9 dozen butterscotch chip cookies I made. I also forgot to take a picture of the caramel cream cups AFTER the icing rosettes. But you can imagine how beautiful they look :::snort::: I also made 4 dozen soft ginger cookies, but I forgot to upload that photo!

15 dozen buckeyes

10 dozen PNB kiss cookies
9 dozen PNB Reese Cup tarts
7 dozen meltaway pecan balls
Triple batch of chocolate chip cookie dough
Waiting to be placed on the hot stone! I scoop them onto cutting boards and the last min. the other tray is baking, I plop these onto the stone. You can't want to scoop them right onto the stone and let them sit, because they will melt! And I can clean the mixing bowl and get the next type mixed up! Multi-tasking!! I am a SERIOUS, OCD baker :::snort:::
Out of the oven
13 1/2 dozen chocolate chip

13.5 dozen caramel cream tarts

The pre-baked tart shells

Caramel filling

I forgot to take a picture with the icing rosettes on top.

7 dozen meltaway pecan balls
While I baked on Monday, the boys raked. It was GORGEOUS here! Sunny in the morning and temps in the 50s. It was not great cookie baking weather, but I put on Christmas CDs and had a great time!

I still have Lemon Bars, Melting Moments, Oatmeal Crispies, Chocolate Fudge, Hedgehogs, Strawberries and Mountain cookies to make in the next couple of weeks.

It's been over a week again! I really am aiming to blog regularly again.

This week was busy and yet I had less stress. Doug is home for a couple days and I've been busy cooking! He asked for meatloaf yesterday and sausage and broccoli bread today.

Yesterday after dinner, Doug and I went for hair cuts together. There's just something about your husband seeing you with foils in your hair that is not sexy LOL.........And he is less-than-pleased with my new hair style. It is quite short in the back. But I had it cut short so I could grow it long LOL. He didn't understand that logic :::snort::: But I wanted a wedged hair cut, the front isn't long enough for the back to be long, so we cut it short and it will grow into a longer style. Makes sense, right?

Today we got up early and he drove me on my errands. We did Sam's Club, the coffee shop and the grocery store. Got home in time for the boys to unload/put away the stash before they ahd to leave for bowling at 9am!

I'm spending the day doing laundry and cooking. I hope to nap. Doug and I are going dancing tonight.

Tomorrow we have a meeting with one of our pastors at 10am to discuss the stress in our household. Doug will leave as soon as that is over. But he'll be home Wed. and will be home at least 4 nights, if not 5!! That makes me so happy!

After church the boys and I will go to prayer group. Davina is making a Thanksgiving meal and we're going to spend time eating, socializing and in praise and worship! I'm looking forward to it but am sad Doug will miss it.

Isn't he just precious???

I went to my sister's house the other day. Mom and Gram were there and it was such a nice visit. Allen played with Uncle Joe and then each of his cousins as they came and went.

I just sat on the couch and snuggled Little Joey. Oh he smells so good! I could just keep him. Wish he were mine........but since he isn't, I'll just go over and snuggle him as often as I can!

He'll be 1 month old on Monday. He now is the weight 2 of mine were when they were born and smaller than one of them LOL. He had a rough little start but is doing so great now!

It's been a week!

Monday I decided to finish painting the kitchen to surprise Doug. He planned to do it this weekend, but the boys are in the Jr. Masters' bowling tournament; 5 games each Friday, Saturday and Sunday. I knew it would bless Doug if I did it.

So on Monday I painted 1/2 the kitchen cabinets and baseboards, and also 1 window frame and 4 door frames. I planned to finish the other 1/2 on Tuesday.

By Monday night I had spasms in my back so badly that I was crying. When Doug asked me why I was in that much pain I was crying, I told him what I did. And he is going to finish painting! I've paid for those 4 hours of painting all week! Finally, today, I am able to walk and lift the coffee pot without debilitating pain! I am SO tired of not being able to function.

I've been quiet on the blog lately. When I started blogging, I decided that I would not come here and whine and it would be a positive thing. I've not had a lot to be positive about and I have much to whine about, so I've just not been posting. I'd appreciate prayer. I'm not in a good place right now and I see no relief any time soon. I'm so discouraged about so many things.

So that's our week. The weekend will be extra busy and too short, like always. The weekends fly by and it is sad.

Hopefully I'll have great news about the boys and the bowling tournament!

Dishclothes!

I am knitting new dishcloths for my kitchen. I am having so much fun doing it, too. Here are two I made last week.

I just started a white one that is a basket weave pattern. It's the berry basket weave, I think, at knittingpatterncentral.com

Pictures of my new little nephew.

This is Andi's 4th child and Joe's first. Little Joey is just SO adorable!

And I had to throw in one of Aunt Kelly and Joey. I'll have to go snuggle her baby since I'll never be having another of my own..........

Joey had a rough start. He has a broken clavical? and then after coming home spent 2 days in the hospital with jaundice. He is doing great now.

I'm hoping to get over there this weekend and snuggle him. And perhaps Andi is ready for her dinner? So many people have been bringing her food. What a blessing! I told her I'd wait until it slowed down.........

I started knitting a new dishcloth. It is such a FUN pattern to knit! It's the pattern inside the Peaches & Cream cotton label. It matches my kitchen perfectly!!!

The color is growing on me. Doug is going to paint the cabinets and then I'll decide if I want to repaint the green a different shade, OR keep the minty green color ...........

Woo Hoo it is Friday!!!!!

I love Fridays now even more than ever. Friday is the day my honey comes home. This was a LONG week. Two weeks ago Doug was on vacation. Last week I was in the truck with him for 4 days. That is 4 days living in a very small space with no break. The no break part was wonderful. The small space, well, I got claustrophobic LOL........ So this week was exceptionally hard. And my fibro is really acting up.

Friday is the day that I stop having to be the parent, just for a little bit. If the boys ask me for permission to do something while Doug is home, I look at them and say, "I am NOT the parent right now!"

And Friday means we've made it through another week of school. This year has been difficult! Two in high school and one in jr. high make for long days! School is not "fun" like it was when they were younger. School is hard. Attitudes often stink. Just one more days' work to get through and correct.

Today the 2 older boys are going to help my FIL with something in the morning. I am SO glad I only scheduled math and science for today. They will be gone a few hours and still have school to finish up.

I am HOPING to get over and see the baby today or maybe Sunday afternoon when Doug leaves. I need to call my sis and see.

Plans thsi week.......................
Friday~
Finish up school
Boys help my FIL
Doug comes home
Boys all have plans this evening
We're going dancing

Saturday~
Boys bowling
Working at the cabin to close it up :(
Paint at least 1/2 the kitchen cabinets
Lots and Lots of laundry and grocery shopping
Jordan works

Sunday~
Church
All the food prep for Doug to leave
Doug leaves
Jordan works

Just testing. De'Etta has a signature in her posts, and she explained how to put one on your own blog.

So of course, I had to try it out. Not sure if I like this style, but I'll live with it for a bit :)

Isn't this baby blanket adorable? I finished knitting it on Monday evening. I did most of the work while on the road with Doug.

It is SO soft! And SO easy to do.

I have become addicted to knitting! I started another baby blanket tonight. A dishcloth pattern. I figured one or two more baby blankets and I can move onto something more challenging.

I like to make the bunting Mom gave me the pattern for, but I need to get size 8 needles first!

You can find the pattern for the baby blanket here:

http://majorknitter.typepad.com/photos/patterns/oh_so_soft_baby_blanket.html

Here is Allen's cool cross that he carved into a pumpkin. It really is a pumpking, but he wanted to take the picture all light up, so all you see is the cross.

It's been a while, eh?

Doug and his dad finished the kitchen ceiling and trim work and put in new lights. It looks great!!! Last weekend Doug painted the kitchen walls. I was going for a soft, subdued sage green BUT what I got was MINT green ice cream colored walls! I am NOT learning to love it. So I think we'll take the 1/2 gallon we have left BACK to Sherwin Williams and have them retint and we'll repaint UGH.

The boys have 1/2 of the woodwork sanded. I am not thinking we'll get the project done before Thanksgiving weekend is over! I wish! I want it finished and I do not want sanding going on while the Chirstmas decorations are up. Way too much of a mess for that!

After Doug's vacation, I went to work with him. It was supposed to be Monday morning through Wednesday morning, but I ended up staying with him until he came home Thursday at 11pm! The kids were with my in-laws and had a great time!

I spent Friday running around and buying food, washing mountains of clothes and taking care of Doug. He got sick on the road. Saturday evening he finally went to the urgent care. He had a deep sinus infection. They gave him a shot and some meds and he was better Sunday :)

He's gone again for the week. And after 2 weeks of him being home, I sure am missing him.

I've over done it WAY too much and am paying for it. Today was a bad, bad, bad fibro day. I couldn't even concentrate enough to help Jordan with his math and it was easy! What percent of 6 is 2.4? Well....I can't think about that right now. And gerund phrases and such, forget it! He was happy to skip English today LOL.

So we're getting back into the school groove. Jordan is working. He's also playing guitar a lot. Isaac bought drums OH THE JOY! But I am glad they love music and are teaching themselves these skills.

Allen has been busy carving lots of pumpkins. He did a really cool one with a cross. I'll post pictures later maybe.

So that's what we've been up to around here. Nothing much that seems like a lot :)

Lots and lots happening here!!

My father-in-law thought I should stay at the lake until Thursday evening. Now I know why he thought that!

But I missed my man. I didn't want to spend most of his vacation away from him. If he had a regular job where he came home most nights, I'd still be at the lake :::snort:::

But much is getting done!! The boys have scrapped woodwork and started sanding it today. They are working their tails off! But I don't have pictures of that.

Doug and his dad have replaced many icky spots on the kitchen ceiling and put in drywall, mudded it and screened it. They've done this a few times! Man is it dusty!!!

Here's Doug today while screening. I have NO IDEA how he can see! Thankfully it was warm out (70s), because I hosed him down afterwards! My father-in-law has the neater job!
Dad has also put new woodwork trim and moldings around the kitchen door and also the door leading to the back door (I know...lots of doors). It is beautiful! I'll post pictures of that after we clean the kitchen!

Tomorrow brings more mess. The very last of the ceiling sanding. I cannot wait to get in there with a big bucket of Pinesol! They're going to screen and prime the ceiling in the morning and hopefully we can paint the ceiling in the evenign :)

The boys are going to continue sanding woodwork upstairs!

I am hopeful I'll be able to cook tomorrow!!! I'll at least grill chicken breasts :) And I'd like to clean and get my stuff put back in the kitchen! This clutter is getting to me. But it is only for a short time, right?

I had a lovely, lovely, lovely time at the lake. It was so quiet and peaceful and the weather was gorgeous. I took many walks, watched a few sappy movies (they should have given out kleenex at the video store), and spent time journaling and worshipping. It was awesome! I slept a lot too :)

Cinnamon Raisin Bread

1 1/2 c. milk
1 c. warm water
1 1/4oz. packages active dry yeast
3 eggs
1/2 c. white sugar
1 tsp. salt
1/2 c. butter, softened
2 c. raisins
8 cups flour (I kneaded in an extra 1c. or so)
2 T milk
3/4 c. white sugar
2T ground cinnamon
2T butter, melted

Dissolve yeast in warm water and set aside until yeast is frothy.Warm the milk to 115-120*.

Into the yeast mixture, mix eggs, sugar, butter, salt and raisins. Stir in cooled milk. Add teh flour gradually to make a stiff dough. (I needed extra flour, it was kinda sticky!).

Knead dough on a lightly floured surface for a few minutes. Place in a large, greased, bowl and turn to grease the surface. Cover and allow to rise until doubled. (I rose it about 1 1/2 hours and it was more than doubled, but I got busy )

Roll out on a lightly floured surface into a large rectangle 1/2" thick. Moisten dough with 2T milk. Mix together 3/4c. sugar and 2T cinnamon, sprinkle mixture on top of the moistened dough. Roll up tightly; the roll should be about 3" in diameter. Cut into thirds, and tuck under ends.

Place loaves into well greased loaf pans. Lightly grease tops of loaves. Let rise again for 1 hour.

Bake at 350* for 45 minutes or until loaves are lightly browned and sound hollow whe knocked.

Remove loaves from pans, and brush with melted butter. Let cool before slicing.

YIELD: 3 loaves; 12 slices per loaf1 slice = 4 WW points

What have we been up to??

Lots and lots it seems like.

Monday - Thursday we worked on school and wrapping things up for the week. Doug is on vacation next week, so we will not be doing any school work :)

Thursday night Isaac went to my Gramma's to spend the night.

Friday Allen went to an animal park with my in-laws. I'll post pictures sometime. He had a fabulous time!!

Jordan spent the afternoon with his friend, John, and then worked in the evening.

I went to my girlfriend's house to deliver some PC and visit. I've been friends with Chris for abotu 17 years. It was nice to just sit and visit. After our visit I ran by the mall and then came home to eat lunch, take Jordan to work, deliver more PC and come home again. Doug and I went to dinner and came home to get ready to go out dancing. Isaac came home. We got Jordan from work and then we went out. We had a fabulous time!!! We danced and danced and danced. I had hardly any pain, until the very last song, and it was 1am by then and I was whipped. It was great to feel normal again!!

Saturday came too soon LOL. Doug and the boys went to bowling. I went to Sam's Club, ran by my Dad's house to drop off more PC!, went to the grocery store, came home and put away groceries, put swiss steaks in the oven, cleaned out the fridge, made a sandwich and then the guys were home. Doug took me to the produce store and we came home and put that away. I cleaned and dried a large container of lettuce. Oh, I did 3 loads of wash.

Then I was whipped and took a nap LOL. Doug peeled 5-6 lbs. of potatoes. I got up at 3, finished dinner, John came for dinner, cleaned up kitchen, John dropped Jordan at work on his way to church.

Doug and Allen went upstairs to start stripping paint. Isaac was doing something. I went for a 25 min. walk (about 1.5 miles). Came home and Doug had started a fire out back. So I made coffee and a drink for Doug. We sat around the fire just doing nothing. It was wonderful! Allen made s'mores for all.

Came in and Doug did some computer stuff and I made granola. Then took a bath and now we're watching Indians baseball! We're hopeful that they will beat the Red Sox tonight :)

Tomorrow will be church and then home to make chili for dinner and gather my stuff. I'm heading to the lake, alone, until Tues. night or Wed. morning :)

Doug, the boys and his dad are going to strip and sand woodwork while I relax at the lake. It is a two-fold thing. Doug wants me to get away and be alone and relax because I've been SO overwhelmed. And, I won't be here in their way while they strip and sand woodwork :)

So that's what I've not been blogging. Life is just crazy/busy!