Christmas Busyness

Tonight's photo shows the start of my day...a cup of Christmas tea and busy at my sewing machine.  The thread behind my cup and saucer shows just part of the thread spools that I have out for making Christmas ornaments.  I don't want to put the thread away until I have all the ornaments finished because I KNOW that  if I put them away I will HAVE to get them back out! Trying to save myself any extra steps! So I am surrounded by beautiful color.  I finally brought a little table in to put next to my machine to put the thread on so I can do some regular sewing without knocking thread off with the item that I am sewing.  I did finish one of the quilted Christmas presents last night.  Down to one quilted Christmas present and three ornaments left to get finished.  After I got to a certain point in my newest sewing project, I decided that I would do some Christmas cooking.  I spent most of the afternoon downstairs making some barbecue pulled chicken for our Christmas meal.  We are having a "picnic-type meal for Christmas.  At first I was just going to make the pull pork that I made earlier in the week.  But when Woody brought home some chicken I decided that I would also make barbecue pulled chicken, too.  That is something that I have never made before.  But I think that it turned out quite good.  I sampled a piece when I was pulling it apart.  There may be one more barbecue meat entree as Woody bought a beef brisket.  I have never cooked a brisket except for corned beef brisket.  I decided that would be another good barbecue offering...so we will have choices!  Most of the recipes that I am making are tried and true recipes and at Christmas I often make a new recipe or two...so adding these two different barbecued meats to the menu meets the new recipe category.  I'm going to do a little more sewing this evening...but not a lot as my recliner is calling my name!

Woody kept busy most of the day.  He has wrapped a gift or two, made a trip to the library, blown leaves, raked, and walked four miles, watched some basketball on TV...plus has helped mein the kitchen...washing up greasy pots and pans that wouldn't fit in the dishwasher. I gave the neighbors their assignments for the Christmas dinner this afternoon when Kathy came over here for a few minutes.  I gave things that the children can do...make a fruit gelatin salad and deviled eggs.  Melany's assignment is birthday cakes for Jesus.  Our family has grown so she needs to make two cakes these days.  Planning for what a week from now will be over at this hour!  I guess the countdown till our family Christmas celebration is really on since it is less than a week now! Heading back to the sewing machine and a Christmas mug of tea.  'Tis the season!