And we got to hear the heartbeat - how amazing was that! Wow ... not sure how I'll concentrate the rest of the day now, but I'd better figure something out as I have meetings this afternoon.
Anyway, for anyone who's interested the heartrate was around 150. And, to me, it didn't sound like horses galloping or a washing machine - it sounded like a fast heartbeat! That's the engineer in me talking - no euphemisms ... lol
Have a wonderful day everyone. I know I will!
Thursday, December 14, 2006
Wednesday, December 13, 2006
Recipes
Faith Ann asked if the Skor bits recipe is on the package. Honestly I have no idea, so I thought I'd post the two I used last night here just in case. The squares one I'm sure everyone's had or made, it's almost too easy to be considered a recipe, but the shortbreads one is a new recipe I hadn't had before I went to a friend's house a few weeks ago. So ...
Skor Bit Squares
Crush 1 box of regular Ritz crackers. Add 1 can sweetened condensed milk and one package (minus about a TBSP) of Skor bits. Mix. Press into greased 8x8 pan. Bake at 325° F for about 17 - 20 minutes (until the top is lightly browned). Allow to cool. I ice with Betty Crocker French Vanilla icing and then sprinkle the reserved Skor bits over the top. Some versions call for chocolate icing.
Skor Bit Shortbreads
So ... there are the two Skor recipes. Definitely not low in calories, but it's Christmas - time to splurge :)
Skor Bit Squares
Crush 1 box of regular Ritz crackers. Add 1 can sweetened condensed milk and one package (minus about a TBSP) of Skor bits. Mix. Press into greased 8x8 pan. Bake at 325° F for about 17 - 20 minutes (until the top is lightly browned). Allow to cool. I ice with Betty Crocker French Vanilla icing and then sprinkle the reserved Skor bits over the top. Some versions call for chocolate icing.
Skor Bit Shortbreads
1 c butter, softenedThese are great because they're shortbreads without the fuss of rolling dough and icing!! I made them the first time and had them out of the oven in under an hour - very different than Mom's shortbread recipe.
1/2 c icing sugar
2 tsp vanilla
1 3/4 c all purpose flour
1/2 c corn starch
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 c Chipits SKOR Toffee bits
1. Preheat oven to 350° F. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.
2. Beat butter, icing sugar, and vanilla until creamy. In a separate bowl, combine
flour, corn starch, baking powder and salt; stir half into butter mixture. Stir in
toffee bits and remaining flour mixture.
3. Roll small tablespoonfuls of dough into balls. Place on prepared cookie sheets, spacing about 2" apart (I put them closer together).
4. Bake in centre of preheated oven for 15 minutes or until lightly golden (I found
that 18 minutes worked for me). Let cool on pan for 5 minutes. Dust with more icing sugar if desired.
So ... there are the two Skor recipes. Definitely not low in calories, but it's Christmas - time to splurge :)
Christmas Prep!
This past week has been very busy, as those near Christmas usually are.
Last week I was feeling very unprepared for Christmas and a little stressed out. Then, on top of that, our car battery decided to die when I left work on Friday night - the night of our Christmas party! Thanks to the help of some wonderful friends and neighbours, we managed to get to the party just a few minutes late. After the party we went and bought a battery which Peter installed on Saturday morning. We were in a bit of a rush to get the battery in as we both had plans on Saturday morning - Peter to go help a friend on a house and me to get my nails done. Gee ... I think I got the better deal! Anyway, after dropping Peter off and before my nail appointment I managed to get to Shoppers. I redeemed some points and got almost all the rest of my shopping done - yay! I still have one gift left to buy, but I'm not too stressed about that.
After I got home around noon, I did some cross-stitch finishing (can't post pics as I finished some gifts ...) and finally used my sewing machine for the first time! I bought it in a yard sale last year and it's been sitting idle ever since! I also had some little gift packs to package, and I got all that done. So ... I'm feeling much better :) I think the exhaustion of the first trimester has finally lifted and I've had much more energy this week than in previous weeks.
Last night I got a bunch of baking done for a youth group party this Thursday night. I did double batches of skor bit shortbreads and chocolate chip cookies, so some will go in the freezer for our Christmas baking! Yay! Tonight I'm babysitting for some friends so it will be a stitchy night - tonight I work on Carousel - can't wait!
Sorry for the novel - that's what happens when you don't update in a week or so!
Oh yeah - we have a dr's appointment tomorrow where we should be able to hear the heartbeat for the first time - I am so excited! I'll post the rate on here so anyone who wants can make predictions ;)
Last week I was feeling very unprepared for Christmas and a little stressed out. Then, on top of that, our car battery decided to die when I left work on Friday night - the night of our Christmas party! Thanks to the help of some wonderful friends and neighbours, we managed to get to the party just a few minutes late. After the party we went and bought a battery which Peter installed on Saturday morning. We were in a bit of a rush to get the battery in as we both had plans on Saturday morning - Peter to go help a friend on a house and me to get my nails done. Gee ... I think I got the better deal! Anyway, after dropping Peter off and before my nail appointment I managed to get to Shoppers. I redeemed some points and got almost all the rest of my shopping done - yay! I still have one gift left to buy, but I'm not too stressed about that.
After I got home around noon, I did some cross-stitch finishing (can't post pics as I finished some gifts ...) and finally used my sewing machine for the first time! I bought it in a yard sale last year and it's been sitting idle ever since! I also had some little gift packs to package, and I got all that done. So ... I'm feeling much better :) I think the exhaustion of the first trimester has finally lifted and I've had much more energy this week than in previous weeks.
Last night I got a bunch of baking done for a youth group party this Thursday night. I did double batches of skor bit shortbreads and chocolate chip cookies, so some will go in the freezer for our Christmas baking! Yay! Tonight I'm babysitting for some friends so it will be a stitchy night - tonight I work on Carousel - can't wait!
Sorry for the novel - that's what happens when you don't update in a week or so!
Oh yeah - we have a dr's appointment tomorrow where we should be able to hear the heartbeat for the first time - I am so excited! I'll post the rate on here so anyone who wants can make predictions ;)
Wednesday, December 6, 2006
Sweetheart Finish!
Well, I wasn't able to finish the ornaments completely tonight. I wasn't well prepared and don't have the gold bristol board I needed. I did finish the rest of the steps, though ... the angels just need their wings and then I promise I'll post pictures :) I'll probably finish them on Friday night since we're tied up tomorrow evening.
But, until then ... here's what I finished up tonight!
This is Teresa Wentzler's Sweetheart rocking horse. Only 5 more to go! It's stitched on 28 ct Opalescent Jazlyn - Sweetheart Pink. Not that you can tell that from the picture!
I'm so excited to have another finish for 2006. It's been a pretty dismal year finishing-wise for me :)
My next finish (other than the ornaments) will probably be the second rocking horse! I don't see Village Skaters or Carousel being done anytime soon.
But, until then ... here's what I finished up tonight!
This is Teresa Wentzler's Sweetheart rocking horse. Only 5 more to go! It's stitched on 28 ct Opalescent Jazlyn - Sweetheart Pink. Not that you can tell that from the picture!I'm so excited to have another finish for 2006. It's been a pretty dismal year finishing-wise for me :)
My next finish (other than the ornaments) will probably be the second rocking horse! I don't see Village Skaters or Carousel being done anytime soon.
19 Days!
How are everyone's Christmas preparations coming? I know I'm not as far along as some people (you know who you are ...) but I'm feeling ok about my progress right now. I have a few deadlines for myself for this weekend and if I can meet them I'll feel even better.
Tonight I'm planning to do some ornament finishing. Thankfully my kitchen table (i.e. hotspot) is clear except for our placemats and centrepiece so I will be able to easily set up my workshop there. I have 9 (I think) ornaments to finish. They are all being finished the same way, so hopefully I can get into some sort of a routine.
I'm looking forward to a relaxing evening listening to some lovely Christmas music. It's a joke in our house that the Christmas music can't start until after Thanksgiving ... the Canadian one! So, we stretch the Christmas music season out from mid-October until Christmas. Funny thing is I don't get tired of it at all. There's something about Christmas music that just puts a smile on my face.
Oh yeah - something new! Check out the bottom of this page for a ticker showing Baby's progress each week.
"It's beginning to look alot like Christmas ... "
Tonight I'm planning to do some ornament finishing. Thankfully my kitchen table (i.e. hotspot) is clear except for our placemats and centrepiece so I will be able to easily set up my workshop there. I have 9 (I think) ornaments to finish. They are all being finished the same way, so hopefully I can get into some sort of a routine.
I'm looking forward to a relaxing evening listening to some lovely Christmas music. It's a joke in our house that the Christmas music can't start until after Thanksgiving ... the Canadian one! So, we stretch the Christmas music season out from mid-October until Christmas. Funny thing is I don't get tired of it at all. There's something about Christmas music that just puts a smile on my face.
Oh yeah - something new! Check out the bottom of this page for a ticker showing Baby's progress each week.
"It's beginning to look alot like Christmas ... "
Tuesday, December 5, 2006
Stitching Rotation for the New Year
I spent some time this fall stitching for Christmas so my regular rotation kind of fell by the wayside. Now that the Little One is coming in June I have some nursery stitching to do! I had already picked the pieces I want ... Teresa Wentzler's Carousel along with her 6 rocking horses. I already finished one other piece I want to frame and put up in the nursery, but I will keep that a secret until I frame it and put a pic up (actually, it's just because I can't find a decent picture of it on the 'net).
I also have 2 fairly large gifts to stitch next year. I can't give any more details than that other than to say that Gift #1 must be done by mid-year and Gift #2 by the end of the year. 'Nuff said! So ... since I'd like to have the nursery ready by June for obvious reasons as well as check some WIPs off my list ... I'm thinking my first rotation will be:
For the second half of the year, my rotation will (might?) look like this:
I took a few tips from Eleni's rotation - I'm going to do 1 night rotations and to keep everything organized I bought a zippered binder at WalMart that also has a front pocket big enough for my floss box! All the fabric for my first rotation set along with the patterns are in sheet protectors in the binder - very nifty!
I hope to post some actual pictures of my progress soon!
I also have 2 fairly large gifts to stitch next year. I can't give any more details than that other than to say that Gift #1 must be done by mid-year and Gift #2 by the end of the year. 'Nuff said! So ... since I'd like to have the nursery ready by June for obvious reasons as well as check some WIPs off my list ... I'm thinking my first rotation will be:
- TW Carousel
- Stoney Creek - Village Skaters (I'm about 65% done this)
- TW Rocking Horses (almost done Sweetheart ... just keep one in the rotation)
- Gift #1
For the second half of the year, my rotation will (might?) look like this:
- Mini Mandalas (finish #1 then do #3; already finished #2)
- Gift #2
- God Has Prepared (magazine piece that's about 60% done - it will be finished quickly)
- Celtic Ladies (I can't wait to get back to this! I'm currently working on Celtic Christmas and if I finish that would start on the next one ... etc ...)
I took a few tips from Eleni's rotation - I'm going to do 1 night rotations and to keep everything organized I bought a zippered binder at WalMart that also has a front pocket big enough for my floss box! All the fabric for my first rotation set along with the patterns are in sheet protectors in the binder - very nifty!
I hope to post some actual pictures of my progress soon!
Sunday, December 3, 2006
Tree Day 2006
Peter and I started going to a specific Christmas tree farm outside of town the year after we got married. We always go the first Sunday in December, which is today! So, after church we gathered for a potluck with a few friends and headed out to cut down our Christmas tree. Thankfully this year we had friends with trucks so we didn't have to tie the tree to the top of our wee little car.
We took about a zillion pictures, but here are a couple.
That's Peter cutting down our tree.In other news, yesterday I spent the day with a friend making spanica pitas (not sure of the spelling!). They are basically phylo pastry filled with either chicken & cheese or feta & spinach. They are a beautiful hors d'oeuvre to have in the freezer around Christmas!
Yesterday marked 13 weeks pregnant. Click here to see how the baby's growing this week.
I'll update with a stitching post later with goals for the new year along with my rotation ideas!
Friday, December 1, 2006
A little background ...
Well, since this is my first post on this blog I thought I should give a few details about myself. My name is Angela, married to Peter for ... well, a few years now :) About 2 years ago we got a crazy idea to build a house using our own 4 hands, some power tools, and lots of friends! You can read about our adventures in housebuilding here.
Thankfully, we are nearing the end of this long adventure, so I wanted a place to chat about the normal things of life ... like cross-stitching (my favourite hobby), flylady, and .... our expected new addition to the family! Yes, as of June 9th (or sometime thereabouts) Peter and I will become a family of 3 and we couldn't be happier about it. God has answered our prayers so faithfully!
So, if you don't like reading about any of those sorts of things listed above (cross-stitch, babies, and housekeeping ;) ) you may want to find somewhere else to be, as that's probably where my focus will be most of the time.
I hope to customize stuff a bit more as I become more familiar with the new blogger beta - it looks really neat!
If you need something to keep you busy, check out the blogs on the right. I think they're pretty neat!
Happy December 1st!
Thankfully, we are nearing the end of this long adventure, so I wanted a place to chat about the normal things of life ... like cross-stitching (my favourite hobby), flylady, and .... our expected new addition to the family! Yes, as of June 9th (or sometime thereabouts) Peter and I will become a family of 3 and we couldn't be happier about it. God has answered our prayers so faithfully!
So, if you don't like reading about any of those sorts of things listed above (cross-stitch, babies, and housekeeping ;) ) you may want to find somewhere else to be, as that's probably where my focus will be most of the time.
I hope to customize stuff a bit more as I become more familiar with the new blogger beta - it looks really neat!
If you need something to keep you busy, check out the blogs on the right. I think they're pretty neat!
Happy December 1st!
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