And it's about to begin (for the next 2+ weeks!)

I never did show you the twinkle lights in my kitchen.

I love them.

They are staying year round.

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These pictures were of last week,

when Mr. Husband was away and I was baking up a storm.

Lemon bars, turtle bars, they are safely in the freezer!

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We are about to begin visits with family for Western Christmas

and then will have New Years quietly and then

gear up for our Jan 7th Christmas.

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I am praying for at least 1 good day to do lots of BAKING as

everything got askew this year and my baking has been 

last minute, instead of the dreamed of

months ahead wrapped up well and snug in our freezer. 

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I have presents to wrap, our Christmas cards 

are going out late this year, and it's all OK.

*

Christ came in the middle of everything to 

be with us.

All will be well and in all matter of things will be well.

*

{don't fret if I don't post a lot the next weeks,

it will mean I am living in the moment and am too busy to write!}

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Have a blessed Christmas everyone whose Christmas is

this Friday!

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Christ is born!

Glorify Him!

Good

My home with soft lights of winter nights before Christmas.

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My husband is back home now,

we are so glad to be together again.

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Today we go to our far away church for St. Nicholas Day!

I am ready - cookies baked, presents wrapped...!!!

Turtle Bars ~ eat one and you will want another

First time I made my Mom's *wonderful* *decadent* *gooey caramel goodness*

I read the recipe wrong and put the chocolate chips in the batter.

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Note, this recipe does have nuts in it, so don't bake it for those

with nut allergies!

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Here's how it is really done and the recipe, too: 

60 caramels or 14-21 oz package (we're talking Kraft Caramels here,

nothing mind blowing!)

half cup evaporated milk

melt it in microwave, 5 minutes cook level 8

batter is as follows:

box German chocolate cake mix (or any chocolate cake mix,

goal here is chocolate)

3 quarter cup melted butter

1/3 cup evaporated milk

1 cup chopped nuts (walnuts)

1 cup chocolate chips

set melted milk and caramel aside

grease and flour a 9x13 pan 

mixing bowl combine cake mix, melted butter, 1/3 cup e. milk and nuts 

then spread half of that mixture into 9x13 pan

bake at 350 for 8 minutes

take out and sprinkle chocolate chips over baked crust

then spread caramel mixture over chocolate chips

then rest of cake mixture crumble over caramel layer 

bake another 18 to 20 minutes

Take out of oven and let cool.

Don't try to slice it until fully cool.

Steps in a nutshell:

Melt caramel with evaporated milk, mix batter up, bake half for 8 minutes, put chocolate chips on top, then pour melted caramel on top and add rest of batter and bake! 

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I have made two batches of these this week

while Mr. Husband is away.

Once they were fully cooled, 

I left them out overnight, covered only after cool,

and slice next day, ladling them out with a strong flat 

pancake flipper onto tin foil,

which then I wrapped loosely over the top (about 4 or so bars per tin foil

and put them in a freezer bag and 

stored until Christmas!

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Three TIPS:

Don't confuse the NEEDED evaporated milk

with the NOT needed sweetened condensed milk.

I almost did and my neighbour actually gave me 

the evaporated milk to make this!

When you cook the caramels in the microwave with the

evaporated milk, if they are not fully melted,

like in my picture above, take a fork or spoon

and stir it.  The first time I did this

it was still just a tad lumpy.

Both times I microwaved it in a *covered* bowl,

a glass pot with glass lid to be precise,

and when it was still lumpy,

I microwaved it on power level 8 for 30 SECONDS more

uncovered and stirred and it was fully smooth, liquid.

The second time I stirred and did not need to do anymore heating.

Also, my Mom said to save time, 

unwrapping all the caramels and putting them in a covered container

until you bake them will save time.

I did it this way and it was super helpful!

Thanks Mom! 

Christmas Gifts ~ hand knit, hand made

This is the most special bag, as it is

the last of the lovely spa collection from our stay in

Quebec City on our Honeymoon 

three years ago!

It's wrapped up with a nice hand knit white cloth! 

I knit so many wash cloths so I would be ready to 

bag up some simple Christmas gifts this year:

we have been keeping the best of the hotel soaps

from various places to give this year,

I am hoping along side Christmas baked goods and homemade 

blends of tea. 

*

Reading various things

including 

Is there a Nutmeg in the House? by Elizabeth David.

What are you reading and creating?

Yarn Along with us!

Christmas Tree and Today

This is the same ornament that my godmother gave me

years ago - I insisted that my Mom keep that one, as I like knowing it is on her tree,

even when I can't come home for Christmas. 

This one I bought with my godmother from our MI church bookstore

when I was there in November. 

Such a special time. 

Should I tell you about a certain Cleo cat

who took off not one but TWO bows from

the presents below?

Naughty Cleo! 

I got this cute little dog when I probably a young preteen or so.

This one was from Mrs. M, my preschool teacher.

When I was doing up the tree this year,

I was overwhelmed with the realization that I have had so many 

loving people in my life through the years

and I did not realize just how much I have been given...

This star is from one of my dear church friends. 

Even my phone has a festive new cover :)

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Well, today Mr. Husband is working on the other coast, there till late Thursday.

I am baking, getting ready for St. Nicholas day, and things like that.

I had a phone call from a friend today and 

her struggles sadden me.

Please pray for my friend who 

some of you know as Mara.

*

I put up Christmas white lights under my kitchen cupboards.

Pictures forthcoming.

I love them.

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St. Nicholas day is this Saturday.

I am really looking forward to this.

*

I find the times when Mr Husband is away

on work in another state or even country that

I really miss him.

My Mother says this is a good thing.

I think so too. 

*

What is happening in your corner of the world today?

May we know that God loves us and 

that Christmas means that He wants to be with us,

even in and even because of us being in,

all of our mess.

*

God is with us. 

Today is a beautiful feast day

I took this picture of the Kursk Root Icon

on Dec 4th when we were at the liturgy at 

St. A. N. church.

Today is the feast day of this wonderful icon.

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How much we need our holy Mother of God's prayers.

I was able to get our Christmas Tree up and decorated.

I"ve been trying to pace myself.

It's been difficult.

Today is my husband's work's Christmas party.

He leaves for a 4 day work-related trip early next week.

We are still not feeling 100%.

I ask your prayers.

Putting up the Christmas Tree on St. Katharine's Eve and Day!

I got out our tree yesterday,

it looks so small when putting the first of three pieces together! 

Tree progress, from left to right...

 Last night I put up the tree

and lights.

I have to try to fix a bottom strand of lights,

I have two tips to try from my Dad via IG :)

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Today I hope to decorate the tree,

order presents,

and get this house ready for Christmas!

Today is Saint Katharine's Day!

She is a wonderful Saint and Holy Martyr!

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I am trying, in the midst of this,

to pace myself, stay well hydrated and eat healthy foods.

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We are still in between the lines of well/sick 

and are doing our best.

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Happy Feast Day!

How it is now, in the midst of the Nativity Season

It's Saturday afternoon.

I made it through being gone two weeks,

two good weeks, to my parents in MI.

Mr. Husband and I were apart for 4 days

and the gratefulness of me being back

Mr. Husband has been speaking of for 3 days now.

*

I stayed longer to go through childhood and teen-hood and 

then early adult years of the 20's and early 30s worth of things

and got rid of more than half of everything.

My books that were there are now about 1/3 left.

My childhood toys, halved.

Letters and papers, maybe halved.

Pictures, still have much to do but got rid of some.

*

I also had dates with my Mom, with my Aunt and Cousins,

my Godmother, siblings, Thanksgiving meals and more family visits.

*

It was good.

Also hard to go through things, 

as so many of my friends and others have

suffered great losses that when we were in our mid-twenties

could not foresee. 

*

Mr. Husband's allergies are raging,

I am tired from a nonstop schedule of things and

am just praying to recoop so I can bake 

St. Nicholas cookies and such things.

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Mr. Husband is traveling again soon, for work.

It will be my time to miss him.

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I got more fun Christmas things,

napkins, ornaments, a new table cloth,

and beautiful napkin ring holders.

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I hope to do two Christmas dinners that others are at,

as well as time with Mr. Husband.

*

This coming week includes eyeglass appointments,

Husband's work Christmas party,

a few meetings, and I hope baking, home decorating

and peace in our home.

*

I found out recently that I am a bit low on iron;

I've been having some fatigue issues, to the point that

I am not as strong as I was last year.

So while I am reading a lot of blogs but am not blogging or

even commenting as much on others.

*

It's the Nativity Season and I am asking for mercy.

For me and for many who I know who are

struggling with a lot of heavy and hard things.

*

I think one of the reasons I love Christmas so much

are the many stories of hope coming in the midst of

darkness, cold and indeed the bleak mid-winter.

Christ has come to be with us in the midst of 

all that life is, messes, mix-ups, joys, sorrow and 

time spent waiting and searching.

*

God gives beauty and hope in it all;

I was at a Chanticleer concert yesterday

and this song was preformed

with such beauty, precision and a real 

sense of Orthodoxy that Tavener had picked up

in his searching.  

To see and hear it performed in person

was a real sense of hope beyond what most

of us see in terms of our daily lives

struggle.

*

It's the Nativity Season and I am asking for mercy. 

A Beautiful Picture

This has to be one of the most beautiful pictures I have 

of this house, one near my parents.

*

We all have times in our lives when we are suddenly 

thrown for a series of loops so large and incomprehensible

that it is hard to process, even years later.

*

I can't write much about this one,

as most of the story is not mine to tell.

*

But it is of loss of a Mother of young children,

it is of unresolved grief, of a generation and two generations

if not three generations of children who are orphaned and then sire orphans

and of situations that do not seem solvable this side of the grave.

*

When ever I pass by the road with Mr. Husband,

I list off the names of the people who used to live there and 

who do not anymore,

the family of orphans has left years ago.

*

I have letters from one of these children that I found in a box

of things I was going through as part of my stay at my parents this year

and I am still sad seeing those letters, or the pictures,

knowing that those children are grown, are long outside of my life and

still suffering as adults.

*

I understand more as time goes on,

as I myself will be 39 now, how

I could not help them as much as I wished, when I was

not yet an adult myself,

and how even now I am still learning to understand

where the lines are in terms of giving to others and what I can 

and cannot give....

*

It's not easy, is it?

To know what one can offer another and what things are 

beyond one's capacity.  I would say this is one 

of the biggest lessons I have been learning in the last years and see now

how I have been learning these lessons on and off for years now.

*

Last I heard of the continuing suffering of the orphaned children

was over 3 years ago, when Mr Husband and I were still dating

and he called only to find me weeping at the 

last sadness of this story that had come our way,

months after it had come to that family...

*

I remember, those many years ago, really over 20 years now,

how I saw how beautiful the land is and 

indeed, I treasure that picture I took this week

and yet, that house is a picture of so much pain.

*

We all have things in our lives that cause grief and

even things that we can't resolve for ourselves, our families and

really, one just goes on best one can,

with as much love, respect and care that one can give.

And with prayer....

*

I am seeing too that it is possible to build a life

of meaning and beauty even after seeing such sadness

in the lives of others and how the pain ricocheted into the lives

of many who you love.

*

Beauty and hope, they are still with us.

God is still with us....

Making Gifts and a special book on Papa-Dimitri

Finished this book on Papa-Dimitri that I got at the monastery last Friday.
It's good and I need to read it again... 

Making and giving away washcloths as gifts for family and dear friends!

*

I am in Michigan for 1 more full day and DV

fly back to NJ on Thursday.

*

What are you making and reading?

Yarn Along with us!

Quilting Adventures Continued

Beginning of November was the quilt guild meeting :: I saw some beautifully made

quilts :: went out to lunch with my husband and a friend :: tried sewing and practicing 

free motion quilting with varied success. 

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I am looking forward to trying to sew more after the Holidays!