On presents

Ahhhh Christmas 2010 is over! With all of it's craziness and chaos it is over.

All in all it was okay. A little extra stress added in with pupster getting bit and needing to be taken to the vet, he's totally fine and well I survived it!

But let's talk about presents. What makes a present a present? Is it a bow?
What is your favorite present?
What is the best present you gave?

For me this is actually a tough subject - presents are actually very triggering to me and I prefer not to get them (and it takes me forever to open them - I have to be in the right frame of mind) but people (myself really included here) love to give gifts. I was recently told (by my sister no less) that I am the most difficult person to buy for. She might be right since no food no clothes! But really? Anything for pup is the best gift ever... But in reality I probably am hard to BUY for. But gifts of time are always always always well received! Offer to play a game with me! Say you'll go for a walk with me. Read me a few pages of operation beautiful (operationbeautiful.com). Listen to me when I need to talk. To me, those are gifts! Very real presents...

My friend L after a particularly bad night listened to me cry and talked to me and made me feel loved. She also gave me permission to call her 24/7 when I am having a panic attack. That is a gift! With a gorgeous bow on top - just waiting to be opened when I need a gift, cool huh?

Hubster reads me poems and operation beautiful as I go to sleep at night (I am waiting on the brain cells to work again). That is a daily present, one I get to look forward to nightly.

Those were my favorite presents of 2010!

And my favorite to give was probably a megaphone to my nephew - he freaked (I knew he would - he drives a plow it will come in handy).

My biggest surprise of a gift was a telescope I gave to a niece whom (sadly) I hardly know and her sister texted me to tell me she loved it and put it together within 5 minutes of opening it!

And my happiest gift to give was probably to my friend L - I had made her slippers and she put them on right then and there at her very nice Christmas open house (even though they didn't match her gorgeous green dress)

I hope you had the happiest of holidays! I will be back soon with some jewelry I made, some ideas I have, and goals for 2011...

A pretty interesting post

Averie always has great posts but I really thought this one was a great read, what so you think?

http://www.loveveggiesandyoga.com/2010/12/natures-pharmacy-fun-food-facts-diet.html

Folding friendships

Today I was blessed! I was able to play driedle with a friend (she taught me - I'd never played before) and then she was kind enough to uncondisendingly show me how to make origami cranes.

The reason this was so impressive is that a few years ago I folded well over 1,000 cranes for my mom as a mothers day gift - 3 months later she was diagnosed with her evil cancer. As she succumbed to her illness I did to mine too. After mom's passing I slipped into some deep depression and ED and apparently that stole the ability to fold cranes from me. I relearned and took step by step photos... And she coached and cheered, just what I needed today! A day I knew I had a rough therapy session ahead of me and a no doubt stressful doc appointment tomorrow.
For a couple (of all too quick hours) I headed out a lot happier than I have been in a bit!
And while I am singing her kudos (not saying her name in case she prefers I not) this is my same friend who gave me 24/7 access to call her when I was in a bad place!

This is what Martha would call a good thing!

A week...

How are you?
This week has been a rollercoaster for me. Pupster and I are currently cuddling in bed but I spent most of yesterday and the day before thinking I didn't want a dog anymore. So let's get on with some of the highs and lows of this week. I made homemade (bread machine) bread for a bake swap - I hope oprahby2011.com liked it! And then I made melissa's whipper snappers (for the recipe go here). http://rainforestgurl.blogspot.com/2010/12/blogger-cookie-exchange.html
First I made red velvet and sister, hubster, and friends could not eat them fast enough - side note what is red velvet?

Then I made strawberry. The only difference I do is I don't roll them in powdered sugar I plop them on the parchment and sprinkle it over because I hate touching food. And again they were loved - definitely a new go to recipe! I also sent some (with the oatmeal cookies) to the winner of tina's (carrotsncake.com) auction - hope they are well received!

So that is all the good stuff the bad is that I *think* my therapist has discharged me (he wants to see me Monday but that is the distinct feeling I get) so I am going to have to figure that one out... And to boot this week's labs came back bad so I am fearing that there is a hospital visit in my near future (I am quite hoping it will be after Christmas) ugh it always happens all at once doesn't it?

But the good news is that the house is decorated and the caroles are playing and honestly life is good!

So tell me about your week?
And I can't wait to tell you about Sturbridge

Created a keeper + a recipe

Pupster is my sidekick, my constant companion and so the other day when his breeder sent me pictures of a new litter my heart melted. I want one was my first thought! Followed closely by poor pupster would have to share my love and attention (hubster notwithstanding of course) I could never do that to him! I am still debating, our old dog is fading quickly and I doubt she will make the winter (fear not she's not in pain) and I worry if he would be miserable alone. I debate if he needs a puppy of his own or if I could adopt an older dog for him (he is only 1 1/2) these were the thoughts that ran through my head as we walked yesterday (old lady says no thanks to the walks and uses the dog door and the fenced in run). All in all the only thing I could come up with was that pupster is a keeper!

Speaking of keepers

Brown sugar oatmeal cookies with red hots are keepers too (5 stars from the hubster)

1 bar earth balance butter flavor
1 egg
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 generous cup organic quick cooking oats (whole foods bulk bin)
6 tablespoons flour (I used half white all purpose half while wheat)
3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
3 tablespoons red hots candy

Combine until "fluffy" earth balance, egg, brown sugar and vanilla.
In a separate mixing bowl combine oats, flour, and cinnamon.
Mix the dry into the wet - just mix until combined, do not over mix.
Add in red hots (and chocolate chips if desired) scoop teaspoons full onto a parchment lined sheet and bake at 325* for 11-13 minutes until just browning.
I recommend cooking on the parchment (the red hits melt) and keeping an eye in them. They go from not done to burned very quickly