New Years Eve at Big Bear...

 MrD and I took a drive up Big Bear Mountain in the hopes of seeing some snow.

We wernt disappointed. 

In fact.. it reminded me of my home back in Wales.. 

when we used to take a drive up The Horseshoe Pass... 

although we wernt always guarenteed snow.

It was very misty...

very cold...

but very pretty

and lots of fun....

It rounded off our Christmas Season perfectly..

Love and Hugs

Phoebe x

The Snake Whisperer...

 Rather her than me..............

Love and Hugs

Phoebe x

Poorly Boy...

 Well... one Little Guy isnt having a brilliant Christmas...

He's caught a nasty sickness bug so he cant keep anything down

and has now generously passed on to his Mummy

Hopefully they will both be better by New Year...

and then Daddy can have a rest too..

Love and Hugs

Phoebe x

Whats For Dinner ~ Meal Plan Monday..

Here we go into the last week of 2021. How was your Christmas? Ours very quiet... just the two of us. Although our neighbours did call in about 7pm with two plates of puerto Rican food and invited us to a party at their house. Being a couple of party poopers.. and me only having four hours sleep after staying up watching the grandbabies opening their Christmas gifts til 2 am.. we politely declined.. and our neibours graciously accepted

Christmas dinner went without a hitch.. everything was delicious... and I know I said there would be no leftovers... we have plenty. And...after a long search..I finally found parsnips.. yum

We spent the rest of the weekend just relaxing.. watching movies and calling and face timing family. It all went so fast.... and MrD went back to work today. His boss wont be making an appearance... he came down with covid on Christmas Eve and is in the hospital. Not fun.. but hes doing well. Just means more work for MrD but its only for four days. 

Its given terrible weather this week with lots of rain... which I dont mind... as it means there will be snow up the mountain. So guess where we will be going this Friday.

Have a great week

Weekly Plan - 27th December 2021

Monday              Hot Beef and Onion Sandwiches, Potato Wedges

Tuesday              Green Chile Chicken Carbonara

Wednesday         Chicken and Spinach Alfredo 

Thursday            Sausages, Mashed Potatoes, Peas, Onion Gravy

Friday                  New Years Eve Takeaway (probably Chinese)

Saturday              Pizza ( well we have to have it once a week!!)

Sunday                 Chicken, Roast Potaotes, Vegetables

Sunday Thought ~ Isaiah 9:6

Love and Hugs

Phoebe x

Happy Christmas...

Wishing you all a very Happy and Blessed Christmas

Love and Hugs..

MrD and Me xx

In The Kitchen ~ Candy Cane Crinkle Cookies..

The Festive Season is underway at the Daso House... and spirits will rise in a couple of hours when MrD finishes work for Christmas. We have lots to fit in a few days..some last minute shopping..hot chocolate and viewing some Christmas lights tonight... and a drive up the mountain and a church carol service tomorrow

I have already opened one gift from my daughter... on her insistance... and shes absolutely right. This is me to a tee.

Im working my way through Christmas movies...and my baking is now completed.. 

with a Lemon Iced Gingerbread...

Candy Cane  Crinkle Cookies...

with some Chocolate Crinkle Cookies as an alternative.

All absolutely delicious....

Candy Cane Crinkle Cookies

Before coming to the US.. I would never have used a Cake Box Mix... but seriously... they make the best cookies and are a super simple recipe to throw together!  This recipe uses a Devils Food Cake Mix... and with some added ingredients come out fabulous. I also like to fill the "thumbprint" with chocolate chips for an alternative.

1 15.25 devils food cake mix
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons fat free cream cheese
1/2 teaspoon cornstarch
1/2 cup powdered sugar
2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon peppermint flavoring
24 mini candy canes, crushed

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
• Place 24 mini candy canes in a freezer bag and crush with the back of a spoon.
• In a microwave safe mixing bowl combine butter and cream cheese 
• Microwave for 15 seconds, stir.
• Repeat until butter is melted and cream cheese is soft.
• Add cake mix, stir well.
• Add eggs and peppermint, stir until forms a soft dough.
• In a small mixing bowl combine powdered sugar and cornstarch, mix.
• Drop dough by teaspoonfuls (a small cookie scoop works well) into powdered sugar; 1 at a time
• Roll dough to coat, remove and place onto an un-greased cookie sheet.
• Press thumb into the center of each cookie, making a large indent.
• Fill with crushed candy canes.
• Bake 9-10 minutes, until cracked. 
• Let rest 1 minute on pan, sprinkle center with additional crushed candy cane if desired, 
• Remove cookies to cooling rack.

Love and Hugs

and a very Happy and Yummy Christmas

Phoebe x

O Holy Night....

Love and Hugs
Phoebe x

Christmas at Tuesday 4...

 Its been a busy couple of months what with the move...fixing up the house..working in my Etsy shop and of course Christmas prep. Im finally at a the satge where I have the time to read other peoples blogs. Boy how Ive missed it. Its like catching up with old friends.

Anyway...today I thought I would take part in Toni Taddeo's Tuesday 4. Its been a while.. and its my favourite subject... Christmas!

So lets answer some questions...

1. Is your tree up? How tall... what color lights? Is there a color scheme you use?

Yes...its up. Its about seven feet tall with clear lights. Its  mainly decorated the ornaments that I brought with me from England seven years ago. The majority were chosen by my children as one of our traditions was to buy a new ornament every year. Its a tradition MrD and I continue today. 

Taking centre stage is Sammy... the little snowman made by my daughter almost 30 years ago out of cottonballs and a cardboard toilet paper tube

2. Got a menu for Christmas Eve and Day?

This year...we are taking a drive up the mountain to a pretty festive village..and we plan to eat in one of the little restraunts up there. Although...we have to be back for five for the church carol service.

As for Christmas Day.. well at one time I  couldnt dream of having anything but turkey..with (amongst other things) roasties.. and Brussels Sprouts..and a Plum Pudding to follow! My Boys abolutely loved it...as you can see! But since moving to the US...and Christmas being so close to Thanksgiving.. we get a bit turkeyed out. So this year we are having Surf and Turf... Shrimp and Steak. No leftovers...but thats ok as its only the two of us.

3. When does it go up and how long does it stay up?

I start decorating for Christmas the weekend after Thanksgiving... and like to have everything done by December 3rd. Thats the day we switch on all the lights in memory of Mum... who died on that date in 2004. I keep it up as long as possible... but it has to be down by 12th Night...January 6th "to avoid bad luck after the season of merriment"

4. What is your favorite Christmas memory. When do you open your gifts?

This may be a cheat...but my favourite Christmas memory is a recurring one... and encompasses many other memories. Every Boxing Day...the day after Christmas... from when I was a baby..til late teens..my aunts...uncles and cousins all congregated at my Nanas House for a party that lasted til the wee hours of the morning. The men would play cards  the piano room.. the ladies would listen to an old record player in the living room and sing along to records dating back to the war..the cousins would play in the sitting room with the new toys we got from Father Christmas. There was lots of fun...lots of food.. and a lot of sherry passed around. When it got too late..the cousins would share the big beds upstairs and there we would stay til the morning. It was the only time of the year we were all together... and gave us so many wonderful memories..especially of those who are no longer with us.

Oh.. and we always open our presents on Christmas Morning... between coffee and cookies... and breakfast.

 

Great questions.... which ] brought back many memories...

I must do this again

Love and Hugs

Phoebe x

Whats for Dinner ~ Meal Plan Monday

After a lovely Annversary weekend.. we slide into Christmas week. Have I mentioned I truly love this time of year...maybe once or twice

MrD decided to fix the truck brakes himself.. which he did after church yesterday..he's handy like that. So we are prepared for our yearly drive up Big Bear Mountain to the festive village...where we have dinner and buy a new Christmas ornament. Its very cold up there right now... and it has forecast snow.. but snow or not it will be very pretty. Not sure what day we will be going..but as usual my meal plan is interchangeable so its fine

As for the rest of the week...  I have a bit more baking to do.. a couple of gifts to wrap and Im done. With the church candlelit carol service on Christmas Eve the celebrations for the birth of our Saviour can begin.

It really is "The Most Wonderful Time of the Year"

Weekly Plan - 20th December 2021

Monday              Asian Pork Noodle Stir Fry

Tuesday              Green Chile Chicken Carbonara

Wednesday         Chicken Tenders, Potato Wedges, BBQ Baked Beans

Thursday            Brunswick Stew

Friday                  Dinner Out

Saturday             Christmas Day

Sunday                 Leftovers

 

Sunday Thought ~ Luke 1:32

Love and Hugs

Phoebe x

Simple Saturday...

  We had a lovely anniversary.. very simple...just as we like it

MrD surprised me with some beautiful roses.. and we had planned to go out to dinner.. But..he had been in work since 1am and was really tired... so I suggested a take out... and a Christmas movie by the fire.

He jumped at the chance... and surprised me by taking me to a British Fish and Chip shop he had found. The old flamilure smell hit me as we walked through the door. I must say... although they had no mushy peas or pickled eggs... and the chips were crinkle..the fish batter was spot on. Served with salt and lashings of real malt vinegar.. it was delicious and a great treat.

Then earlier tonight we took a drive arounda couple of neighbourhoods looking at the Christmas lights. They were lovely to see... but we had to cut it short. MrD found there was something wrong with the brakes on the truck. He doesnt think its a big job to fix...but a lucky find..as we are taking a drive up the mountain next week

With a busy week coming up... its beginning to feel a bit festive 

Love and Hugs

Phoebe x

Thank You...

Happy Anniversary to the kindest, most generous and hard working man who is my best friend

Thank you for seven years of Love, Laughter, and fun filled adventures,

Thank you for the patience.. respect and understanding... and putting up with my annoying habits (maybe we should get automatic doors for the kitchen cupboards)

Thank you for the care, the Faith and never ending encouragement that helped me through the darkest battle of my life..

Thank you for stepping up to be the the husband I never thought existed... and the dad my kids deserve.

I Thank God for bringing us together..at just the right time.. and I'm grateful every day for the many Blessings He has given us.

But most of all...Thank you for just loving me.

Love you MrD... x