Catching Up!

Time to catch up!  Thanks for all the well wishes and prayers for my son during his dental procedure in the operating room.  He came through it very well and recovered faster than ever.  We were able to get on the road home (2 hour drive) and arrived home safe and sound 1 1/2 ahead of the snowstorm/blizzard that hit here in Iowa.  

We ended up with 12.9 inches of snow and I've been busy with my camera capturing the beauty of our first snow for the Winter.  It was a heavy wet snow so the snow blower wasn't useful.  As you can see from the photo, I can handle a shovel with the best of them.  Everything was shut down yesterday but as long as you drive sensibly you can get around pretty well today.  The temps here are very cold which means we will have a WHITE CHRISTMAS! 

I've opened 3 more gifts from Teresa for the Advent Exchange and can tell you I'm feeling truly spoiled.

Day 19 was this beautiful lined fabric project bag.  The sampler fabric on the front is actually a pocket and it closes with a button.  Teresa, if you made this I'm truly in awe of your sewing/finishing skills. Inside bag was a charm pack called Cinnamon Spice by Blackbird Designs.  Day 20 was an assortment of linens and some GA Limited Edition over-dyed threads.  Isn't the Celadon colored linen beautiful?!   I made a separate photo of one linen included in this package. According to the label on the package it is 36 count printed with original artwork.  It is the coolest piece of linen.  I imagine you are to stitch something on it but I feel like I want to frame it as art instead.  I've never seen anything like it before.  Day 21 was this Longaberger basket with a stitched lid.  The design looks to me like one from L'Atelier Perdu and I'm a huge fan.  

I gifted Teresa on Day 19 patterns x 4 for various pouches, scissor cases, floss keeps, etc. by some French Designers.   

Day 20 was a scissor block and a pair of scissors.  I had my dad make the block for me and I sanded and stained.  Day 21 was a LED Candle in the Sampler style from Where Sister's Gather .  I have several of these candles myself and just love them.   I hope Teresa loves it as much as I do.

Now that my friend, Allison has opened her Christmas gift I can share the placemats I made especially for her based on the colors in her home.  Now she needs a table topper to match.

I just have to share a recipe I tried last night that is a keeper for us.  Many of you have probably already cooked one similar to this.  This recipe was inspired after watching Rachel Ray and Guy Fieri on her show yesterday.  They were talking about chili using ground chicken and I just happened to have some on hand so decided to make some last night.  I kind of made up my recipe based on my mom's original chili recipe and what I happened to have on hand.

1 lb. ground chicken browned
Add chopped onion and celery

Add 1 can petite diced tomatoes

Add 1 can tomato soup (undiluted)

Add 1 5 ounce can tomato juice

Add 1 can white kidney beans (cannellini)

Simmer until warmed through.  I didn't add any additional spices this time (hubby's stomach thanked me) as took all the flavor from the veggies and tomato soup/juice but you could add chili powder, cumin, peppers, etc.  Hubby and I agreed we like this chili better than the traditional chili we've always make.  

Until next time May you enjoy the blessing of family and friends during this Holiday Season!