HGP Prep Week Five

This week MHH members tackle the Master Bathroom and linen closet.  I deep-cleaned my bathroom a few weeks ago because I was ready to put up fall color linens.

This week we are also encouraged to make a batch of holiday goodies and add an extra meal to the freezer.  I for one am waiting til December to bake goodies. I have dedicated an entire day with Christmas music, eggnog, the works.  Besides my freezer is small and I don't have room. However I have dedicated my freezer to meals. As the holidays draw closer and I am pressed for time, all I will have to do is quickly grab something from the freezer, heat and serve.  CEO shares some great tips for freezer cooking.  So far in my freezer I have meatloaf, minced bbq, and lasagna.  More will be added each week.

Other plans for this week are:

• purchase more non-perishable items for holiday meals. This also includes baking ingredients
• purchase more Christmas gifts from list
• work on homemade gifts
• look for new holiday movies to add to my collection

This Week

Well it's Rudy Day at MHH & OC.  There's two more before the big day (Dec. 25th).  This week found me putting up more fall decorations and organizing the master bedroom.  Also I printed labels for the DVD greeting cards I'm sending out this year. My famiy is really gonna enjoy watching this homemade dvd over and over again. While watching the many photos of Christmases past, songs by Donny Hathaway and Luther Vandross play in the background.

My dessert list is finally done! It's mainly cookies.

• chocolate chip
• chocolate cake mix cookies with peanut butter chips
• old-fashioned snicker doodles
• sugar cut-outs
• eggnog sparkle
• oatmeal-raisin
• Santa thumbprint
• pecan-shortbread
• Oreo balls
• Ornament shape holiday cake
• Grandmother's jelly cookies.

I got the recipes for the snicker doodles and eggnog sparkle cookies from two nice ladies who are fellow members at Magical Holiday Home, (Hi Jessica and Snowangel00). Snowangel you may not remember posting this recipe. It was when CEO had the forum at Organized Christmas.

I'm at work right now and things are really quiet and slow. My boss has kept hisself closed up in his office all morning.  Well I'm enjoying it while I can.

Be sure to check out my other blogs, Hey Rudolph! and The Harvest. I just added new posts over there.

September Rudy Day

Another Rudolph Day is here.  What will you do to celebrate?

For me, I am undecided.  I have some crafts that I can do.  I need to get started on altering a few canister jars.  I have everything I need (craft paper, ribbons, glue, etc).  These jars will be filled with candies (caramel, m&m's, Hershey kisses, etc.) and given to the ladies in the accounting office. They love snacks.

Yesterday I printed cover labels for the DVD greeting cards I put together.  My family is definately going to love receiving these. Here's what they look like:

Since today is Friday, I may stretch Rudy Day over the entire weekend.  On my last visit to the grocery store I stocked up on popcorn and hot chocolate. We are expecting rain for most of the weekend which is good because it will keep my in the house. I will spend Sunday lying around in pajamas and watch movies (a couple being Christmas). First I must get my dinner cooked. Oh I almost forgot! Our Ravens play the Browns Sunday. So before and after the game I will be watching movies.

Saturday I will go out for a bit and shop for the remaining gifts for the advent calendar I made back in July.  I finally decided how to display the little Christmas stockings.  I attached them to fleece fabric so that it can hang on the wall or door.

It's work right now, so the celebration is on hold until later today.  Hope everyone has a chance to do something Christmas today!

99 Days to Christmas

Time is running down!  While reading posts on MHH, I saw that yesterday marked 100 days before Christmas. It kind of shocked me.  I knew it was closing in but didn't realize that it was so close.  Things are going to get really busy from now until. 

Today I brought my Christmas notebook to work with me. When I get a chance I am going to flip through it to see how much I have left to do from my checklist.  I know for one, I have to get the rest of my shopping done. I plan to spend Saturday doing just that. I think I will shop by myself as I want to take my time and I plan to get out very early in the morning and travel to a lot of places in several different counties.

I also want to finish writing up my room by room plans. I think there are three more areas to plan. Oh plus my office.  The office this year is going to be a bird theme. I purchased a lot of red birds from Dollar Tree either last Christmas or the year before. So that's what will be on my office tree this year, along with some faux berry garland, and maybe some seeded ornaments (may have to make those myself). You know things that go with birds.   Oh and I still need to finish a couple of craft projects.

HGP Holiday Prep Week Three

Well it's week three. Time to take care of the entry/foyer. My foyer is pretty small and there wasn't much to do since I had tackled that area weeks ago.  This weekend I just swept and mopped the floor.  Then I put up the fall decorations there and in the livingroom. Things are looking pretty good.

Now on to holiday prep.

This week the plans suggests

1.  Make one batch of Holiday Goodies. I planned to make a Boston Cream cake with upcoming Sunday's dinner but may instead bake a few cookies. They won't be for the holidays though. LOL!
2. Make one extra meal for freezer again labeled HOLIDAY MEAL.  So far I have two meals in the freezer - meatloaf and minced bbq.  They will come in handy during December when I don't have time to cook. I can make sandwiches with those. Mmm, mmm, mmm!
3. Buy two canned food items from Menus (get 2 of each item, one to use and one to donate to food drive).   I need to get started on this.  I want to make sure I have less to purchase when the holidays drawer closer. I hate when I'm in the middle of cooking and I realize I'm missing an ingredient and have to run out to the nearby store and pay a fortune when if I had remembered, the cost would have been cheaper at my regular store.
4. Keep 2 boxes in a pantry area or storage place to put these in so that they are not used in everyday cooking - make sure to label them so that when food drives start your holiday supply stays intact and the food drive gets the food purchased for it.
5. Buy all supplies for homemade gifts. Package each project with directions and other information in zipper food storage bag and place in a basket or box in craft/sewing area.
6. Buy film, camera batteries, blank videotapes. Hide them; write yourself a note. I recently bought several packs rechargeable batteries for my digital camera. I need to purchase more DVD recordable disks for making movies to give to folks after the holidays. I always film everyone opening their gifts and just having fun. This year I want them to see how crazy the are. Hahaha

That's it for now. Happy planning!

HGP - Holiday Prep Week Two

August 30th kick-started the Holiday Grand Plan at Organized Christmas.  Week one was dedicated to the front porch. This is week two: The Livingroom.

In addition to cleaning our homes we are also prepping for the upcoming Holidays - Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years. So during each week we also take time to get things ready like creating gift lists, making a budget, planning menus, etc.

Week two is a little more challenging.  For week two we're asked to answer questions like, what does the holidays mean to us, what traditions are important, etc. If you want to see more check out week two of the HGP.  

Week two also suggests that we start stocking up the pantry with extra flour, sugar, etc. for the tons of baking some of us will be doing.  I had a list of desserts I want to make but I have been finding other recipes I want to try so my list keeps changing.  My goal this week will be to come to a final decision of what I will make. That's it. No more changes.  One item I will definately be making are those delicious Oreo Balls.  My family and co-workers absolutely love them. Just yesterday a co-worker was asking me about them. No kidding. 

Patriot Day

Today marks the 8th anniversary of the hits on the World Trade Center in New York City, the Pentagon in Washington D.C, and the plane (United Flight 93) that crashed in Pennsylvania.  In Honor of those precious lives lost, and those who were there helping, risking their lives to save others, I pay tribute.

GOD BLESS AMERICA!!!

Back In Business!

Hooray!  Magicial Holiday Home forums are back up and looking great.  Let me tell you I and many others were going through withdrawals when the site went down last week. There has been lots of changes to the new forum.  Check it out.  Gingerbug, our wonderful creator has truly outdone herself. We over at MHH love her dearly.

Houston, We Have A Problem

I'm am losing my mind. My favorite forum, Magical Holiday Home is experiencing some problems and I can't chat with my MHH family. What's a girl to do.

I'm off today (furloughed rather). I am going to take full advantage of this day. First, eat breakfast. After breakfast I will make more greeting card cd's to send out this year. Then I will continue working on my balcony. I'm getting it ready for autumn then soon after. Christmas.

I have been putting together weekly menus by looking through cookbooks and going on the internet for recipes. While doing so I have come across a lot of delicious looking desserts that I will like to try and maybe do round the holidays. This Sunday I will try my first new dessert - "Angel Lush Pineapple Cake". It's a recipe I found in a Kraft Food recipe book. I'll let you know how I made out.