The Weekend

So after I went to Goody's and Walmart on Friday, I came home and put up Christmas decorations. I will try to get some pics up here for all to see. I did find some good deals at Goody's, but I will not do Wal-mart again, that was just crazy. Then I got called off work on Friday because they were going to be dead, so I met Caleb up in B-town and we went to Menards and Gordman's. We got the carpet for Sesleigh's new room, and some more Christmas shopping done. I worked yesterday, then last night did something that I always used to make fun of my mom for doing. I watched the Hallmark Channel and all their Christmas movies. This morning I went to church for the first week of advent-Hope. I'm not really sure what exactly advent is. I know it is the four weeks before Christmas, but I had this problem last year. I tried to research it, but never came up with the answer I was looking for. Why do we do it, where is it at in the Bible, somebody explain it to me please!? Then today my husband got most of the painting and stuff done in Sas's room. It is her gold gift for Christmas and we hope it will be done by then. It never takes the amount of time or money that you think it will. It will be pretty cool when we get it done, she will love it. It is going to be such a girlie room-pink and purple everywhere. Well I think that's about it for now.

craziness

So yes it is 2:30 in the am and I am up. I am going to be one of those crazy shoppers for the day-after-Thanksgiving sales. I have only done this one other time, but I saw some ads for some really good deals on things the girls specifically asked for. I am only going here in town to Goody's and maybe Walmart. Then when I come home I am putting up Christmas decorations. That is usually my only tradition for after TDay.
Yesterday was a good day. We had my friend and her mom and daughter over for dinner, my in-laws came, and my mom and stepdad came over. I cooked a turkey for the first time ever. It came out beautifully if I do say so myself. I think my father-in-law was doubting my abilities for a minute, but he said it was a very good dinner. Everyone did. I am so a Monica Gellar from "Friends". I love hosting and cooking for the people I love. I think that is how I show my love to people, by cooking and baking. Isn't there an old saying that a way to a man's heart is through his stomach. I think there's some truth to that, because all it takes to make my husband happy is some sugar cookies and homemade pumpkin bars. I didn't realize how much energy it takes to make such a big meal though. We had turkey, ham, candied yams, homemade mac and cheese, pumpkin bars, sugar cookies, green beans, deviled eggs, a relish tray, rolls and homemade apple butter, and of course pie. You would have thought that I was feeding an army! It was great to see everyone laughing, eating, and enjoying themselves. I just kinda sat back, watched, and listened. I loved every minute of it, and that was what I was thankful for.

Apple Butter

So October 21 and 22 we made apple butter. The pictures of my grandparents and dad stirring were taken on the second day. That copper kettle is huge and you must constantly stir the apples. If even a little bit scorches, you have ruined the whole batch. This has been a family tradition of my grandpa's mothers for many years now. They used to have a big family get together, eat a big meal, and make loads of apple butter. The picture of Grace eating the apple was taken on the first day. That entailed peeling and coring all 6 bushels of apples. Just for those of you who don't know what a bushel is, one bushel of apples equals 56 pounds. After they are peeled and cored, we took them inside sliced them up in Grandma's fancy mixer with an attatchment, then we cook them down a bit. It just eliminates a lot of stirring the next day. Grace was having so much fun in the garage chasing apples around the floor. Then she would grab one and just chow down on it. She ate 2 apples like this. She was so cute. The first day we worked for about 8 hours, then the second day we stirred for about 7 hours then canned them up. The apples we used were really juicy, so the water cooked out of them quite a bit and we only got about 94 pints out of that whole 6 bushels. But all the work was well worth it, I love homemade apple butter.