~Busy Busy Busy~

It's the time of year that everyone is busy, busy, busy. That includes me. I have waited, as usual, till the last minute to do some of my gifts that I do every year.. The girls that work in the main office of the company that Larry works for in Charlotte, NC. Always get an afghan or some crocheted item for Christmas. I found out about 3 weeks ago what color one of the girls wants. She always comes up with some strange color that is hard to find. This year it is AUBERGINE (kinda eggplant color) I found it on the internet, so you have to wait for it to come in. I finally got it last week, only to realize there is not enough to do the afghan. Then I was off to find something to go with it, Finally decided on Black, so then I had to order it. I now have it and can finish this project. Larry will be going to Charlotte on the 10th for their annual sales meeting. He will take them with him and deliver then personally. He has worked for this company for almost 11 years and I have done something for them each year. They do so much for him all year in keeping all his travel reservations made, that I feel we owe them something. they are always so excited to see what I have come up each year for them. Year before last I sent them Santa Hats with jingle bells crocheted into the fuzzy ball on the hat. One of them has driven the big boss crazy with hers, He is a Scrooge, as Larry is, but I don't let that stop me..
I will begin wearing my santa hat to work on Monday, I start the first of December and will wear it every day until Christmas. That is if I can find it, I just thought, I do not remember seeing it since we have moved. I will have to set out to find it this afternoon.
OK Curiosity got the best of me. I had to stop and go find the santa hat. I FOUND It, It was still in a box in the pout house, I have it now and ready for work on Monday... I will get someone to take a pic of me in it and I will post it on here.

We are having our Thanksgiving dinner at mom and dad's tomorrow. Our family has gotten so big and so many places to go and some have to work even on holidays, that we decided to have it on Sunday, when most of us can be there, I think Shawn (James's oldest) has to work until 5, and Buck is in Georgia, but he will be there in thoughts.
I have made 2 pecan pies this morning. I am doing an apple cinnamon cake with caramel sauce and a sweet potato casserole for lunch tomorrow. Not sure what else I may come up with to fix, but it is sure we will have plenty of food. We always do..

Well gotta go and get some more cooking done.. More Later..

~I WON I WON~

We had our Thanksgiving Potluck at work yesterday. Each department brings a group of items, Home Health brought veggies and side dishes, Personal Care brought Desserts, Administration did the meats, etc.. Then we always have a dessert contest for whoever wants to enter. I made a Pumpkin Spice Cake with Raisins and Nuts, then topped it with Cream cheese frosting. There were 10 desserts in the contest and I won it... I was shocked, one girl (my BFF) made a Pumpkin Turtle Pie. It was AWESOME!!!! She is bringing the recipe to me, I will share when I get it.. After I tasted her's I did not think I had a chance. But I WON!!!!!!! Sorry I did not get a pic before I took it to work. Maybe next time I will remember.

Oh, I forgot the prize, It was the Food Network Favorites Cookbook and a Betty Crocker Grilling Cookbook. I love them. I have been thinking about ordering the Food Network one, It is well worth it from what I could see just skimming through it yesterday. Maybe after the Holiday Rush, I can sit down and really look through it and pick out some great sounding stuff. Too busy right now, maybe in a few weeks I will get a chance.

Later all,,,

~One Toy Complete~

The 1947 FarmAll Cub is complete. We finished it on Saturday. I think it turned out really good. We are very proud of it. I have come to the conclusion, that together there is nothing that Larry and I cannot do. We have rebuilt 2 campers, the lakehouse (alot of that was done by Buck & Bruce, but we also did alot), now the tractors.. We printed out both of these pictures and have them framed and hanging on the wall in the Pout House.

We moved this one against the back wall and have moved the 1960 model one in there to start on it. We are going to do the same thing to that one that we have done to this one. I can't wait to see it. The 1960 has a belly mower on it that we are also going to redo. This one has cultivator, turning plow and blade for it. We are not going to redo those, no sense in it. Once we are through with these, his BIL has an old John Deere Cultivator that we are going to restore, just for looks, not to be used, We will have to locate a single tree or maybe a double tree for it, not sure which.

I told Larry, I need to take a break I have something else that needs to be completed.. So I am working on Christmas stuff for a couple of weeks. Then it is back to tractor. We have all winter to finish them. I hope to put them in the fair parade next fall, maybe get Kiefer to drive one and put the girls in overalls and pig tails in a wagon behind it. Not sure if he can settle down and drive responsibly enough for that, we will see.. I will have to walk beside, just to make sure Kelsey does not climb out. I may drive the other one and put her on there with me, just to make sure she stays put.. I think it will be neat. Wish Larry would drive one and me drive the other, but there is no way he will do that. Oh well..

Well, gotta go and get some work done. I am off tomorrow though and I am going to spend the entire day working on my Christmas Stuff... I think I will be the only one home.. The whole house to myself, at least most of the day.. Bruce will be in around 5. I don't even have to get dressed, unless Pam needs me for something. I will check on her several times during the day, as I do every day. Not complaining about it, she is my sister and I will do what I can to help her recouperate from this surgery as long as she does not get crazy...

Mom and Dad, Hope you are having a WONDERFUL TIME.... Miss you.... LOVE YOU!!!!! DON'T HURRY HOME!!!!!!!

~Events of the Week~

Monday, worked 1/2 day, then had to attend funeral of my Best Friends MIL, then I took lunch to the house and served the family. Cleaned and put away everything.. Then home to take care of my own home..

This is Apple Cinnamon Amish Friendship bread with Caramel Sauce (thanks Sheri for this recipe) that I made for Dessert after the funeral. The Office gave me money to buy Chicken and all the fixins for lunch. I have orders for 4 of these for Thanksgiving. Everyone at the office just loved the one I made for our Bosses Day Salad Luncheon.

Tuesday, slept a little late, then off to pick up the Yukon, pick up Mom and Dad, pick up Pam and off to Little Rock, Pam to the DR. she has to have outpatient surgery to remove another hematoma on her L arm, that will be Thursday or Friday. Then off to the Airport to send mom and dad to California.. Made it home in time to make Bread for a snack after Water Aerobics, I know kinda defeats the purpose, but sometimes it is good to just socialize with each other. Then home to bed.

This is Banana Nut and Pumpkin Spice Friendship Bread. On the Pumpkin I put a Cream Cheese Glaze.

Wednesday, off to work, put out fires from Tuesday most all day. Got alot accomplished, having to change all my payables forms, they devised new ones for us. Jammed up my printer and no one has been able to get it to work since, too much work, gotta slow down.. Kept Kelsey until Rocky got home, we watered the outside plants (Crysanthemums) on the porch and steps. then we went and looked at the tractor. It was really nice out so we sat on the back porch and tried to learn "Star light, Star Bright", not sure how much she remembers, but it was a start.

Thursday, UP at 3 AM, Pam has to be at the surgery center at 5:30. She was out of Surgery and we were headed home before 11 AM. Got her home and settled, then off to the grocery store (for her and myself). Home put up groceries and started a pot of soup. Back to town to pick up Bri and take her home. Took Pam supper and went to aerobics, then home and made Cinnamon rolls for work.

Finally FRIDAY!!!! and Payday to boot... Bosses B-day today (cinnamon rolls for her), Then put out more fires from yesterday. Things are settled now and I am winding down to go home.. I will take Bri to her dad tonite and then home to hopefully relax. Larry cleaned house last nite while I was gone. I am so LUCKY!!!!

We hope to finish putting the tractor back together tomorrow and crank it up. I can't wait to drive it... Sunday I plan to barter with my SIL for a haircut, bread for a haircut.. How much will it take???.. But today, my hair did perfect, everyone at work commented on how good it looked today, what did I do different, not a thing... . kinda makes me want to not cut it, but I know this working great will not last.. So I guess it is time for a cut.

Well time to log off and shut down and head for the house, making a pit stop at Pam's to check on her. Talked to her earlier and she said she was doing fine, feeling beginning to come back in her arm, she can move her fingers better.

So till Next TIME!!!!! May God Bless and Keep YOU!!!

~Oh Deer, Deer,, Deer,,, Deer,,,, Deer~

Wonder why there are so many "Deer" in the title?? I will explain.. It has been a busy weekend here in Deer Hunting Country.

To start off: Bruce Killed a 8 point with his Bow on Saturday morning. This was his "4th" this season. Bow season starts Oct. 1 and runs through Feb. 28th. He has gotten 3 doe and this Buck.. He does not gun hunt, only bow (for Deer, he uses a gun for coon and other hunting), he and Rocky are both strictly bow hunters, but Rocky does take Deanna gun hunting during gun season, that is this next weekend. Buck does the Black powder and modern Gun. He does not get into Bow hunting much.

Then: Kiefer called and he had gotten a Button Buck that morning... I think this is Kiefer's 3rd deer, not sure, I will have to check that out.

Then: Saturday afternoon: Cember called and she had gotten a Button Buck... That is her second deer to kill.. She was with her dad hunting when she was about 3 1/2. Buck killed a deer and then she wanted to know if she could go "pat it" since he "powed it". now she is the one doing the "Powing".

Sunday afternoon: I got a text that Gabby had killed her first ever deer, a Doe... She called me and did not talk but just a second. Then she had to go help Dad skin and clean her deer.. She gets into whatever her daddy is doing. she is his shadow.. Cember likes to kill them, just not so much on the cleaning part.

10 minutes later, I had a text that Cember had gotten another Button Buck...

SO that is "5" Deer killed in less than 36 hours in our family.

I know some of you are not HUNTERS, but my family is... This is very exciting for us. We will have plenty of deer meat for the winter. Buck and Mandy were really busy Saturday and Sunday evenings, with "3" to clean and cut up.. I will post pics when I get some..

Well gotta go and get some bread baked, My sister in laws are out of Breakfast food. Aunt Faye got me started on Amish Friendship Bread in August when we went and picked up the swing, then I started baking it for everyone, now Larry's sisters think they have to have it for breakfast every day. They whined to Larry today, they had to have Honey Buns from Walmart for breakfast. So I am off to bake more breakfast.

Tomorrow is a busy day. I pick up the Yukon at the shop (u-joints went out) in the morning, then it off to the airport to take mom and dad. Then maybe to work or back home, not sure yet.. Depends on stuff..

So nite all. God Bless and Keep you ALL!!!!!!!

~HAPPY BIRTHDAY~

Justin (the one in the middle), Today you are 10... Wow when did that happen. You were the second born within 17 months. The second to get to double digits this Year, Cember was 10 in April.. You were the only boy born in the midst of 4 girls, the first girls born into the family in 37 years. I remember the day you were born. so little, the 3rd little boy for your mom and dad, as I have 3 boys, kinda odd, your dad and I (the oldest boy and the oldest girl) each have 3 boys. then Tony and Pam (the youngest boy and the youngest girl) have a boy and a girl in that order. Not sure how Sheridan Schools is surviving with 4 McLemore children in the same grade.. Keep on your studies and be all you want to be....

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JUSTIN!!!!!!!

~My Little Spooks~

After work yesterday, I went to mom and dad's to help make the traditional Caramel Popcorn Balls, that they kids look forward to EVERY YEAR!!!!!!! Yes, even the older ones, Tony, Pam, Rochelle, Myself, all the way down to Kelsey... We all LOVE them. I waited there for all the haints to come around. Briauna has pneumonia, so we made her stay in. Maranda carried Bri's trick or treat bucket around and gathered some candy for Bri. Thanks Maranda..

Kelsey (Itsy Bitsy Spider) came in the door, "I Want Canny" and as she left she treated us with her version of "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star". How cute. The first song she learned was "ITsy Bitsy Spider (hense the costume). Now we are working on "Old McDonald" I remember all the kids learning to sing little songs like that.. Here are pics of our little haints..

Cember was a Vampiretta.. Today, Cember killed a button head buck. WAY TO GO CEM!!!!!!!! Congratulations...

Gabriel was a Cheerleader... Raw, Raw, Sis Boom Bah!!!!!!!!!!! and all that yelling stuff.. Maranda Was our Resident Punk Rock Skateboarder.. For real, She is REALLY GOOD on a skateboard. She is very athletic... Kiefer is the resident Scare Crow. I need him in my garden.. Rather, we need him out there where Bruce planted Clover for the deer. They are eating all the seed... Kiefer also got a Button Head buck today in the Youth Hunt.. Way to go Kief. !!!! Keep it up...

Briauna put on 3 different costumes, but would not let me take her picture in them. Maybe I will get some of her later.

Well gotta go to bed. I have a really busy day tomorrow, well actually for the next 3 days. My best friend lost her mother in law last Wednesday. They are having visitation tomorrow afternoon and I am making a big pot of soup to take up there. Then Monday is the funeral and Tuesday I am taking my parents to the airport to LEAVE ON A JET PLANE for California to visit with my dad's sister who is very ill and his older brother, that is also married to my mom's younger sister. I am so glad they are getting to get away for a few days.. I will miss them terribly, but we do have CELL PHONES!!!!! So until next time. Say La Vee!!!!!!!!!!