putting off a cold slumber. (t minus six hours until wake up)

it is downright frosty outside. the mountain areas of our local tv coverage are getting snow. that is still foreign to me that you have two different areas, different CLIMATES, covered by the same “local” channels.

so we are still going heatless. our electric bill was $21 less this month! I know, it seems kind of dumb–it’s $10 a person so why not pay it, right? But last month we left a LOT of lights on all night, or when we left. We’re trying to see if we keep the lights off, unplug the things we’re not using and keep the heat off if we can bring it down to $35 less per month. it helps that we’ll be gone for three or four days. (For comparison purposes: we have a two bedroom, two bath apartment with about 900-1000 square feet of living space. Our normal monthly bill is around $65-$72 dollars. This month’s bill was $50 after last month’s bill being $71.) It really doesn’t feel like a drag to have the heat off until you’re really cold, but mandy and I bundle up. We’ve gotten used to wearing socks around the house, to cuddling up under blankets. Two things make it really warm in our house (without using the oven or dishwasher for extra heat–we do that anyways): one thing is to burn candles! they do put out a lot of heat. Create a nice candle garden on your coffee table and keep your hands and feet toasty–and it doesn’t suck out heat like a standard fireplace. another thing we do is to keep the halogen track lights on for about 2 hours before bed. those things heat up a room like nobody’s business.

So anyways. We’re having a “college family” thanksgiving–all our friends are contributing food and drink and we’re meeting up at Chads/Nathans/Justins to chow down, i do believe. It’s nice to get together with them since I’m missing thanksgiving with my extended family. I mean, I could go down, but there’s really no point in going if i have to leave again on sunday then come back tuesday. LAME. But i’m making green bean casserole and bringing rolls and mandy is making an apple pie… yum! and betsy is bringing brown rice and nathan’s doing the turkey and kel is bringing pecan pie and some sort of pineapple casserole (i hope its the one i was going to make) and kit is making sweet potato souffle and carmen is making stuffing and gravy! I might throw in an extra veggie dish or something because i think we’re going to have a carb heavy meal if i don’t… some corn or baby limas or a squash casserole. haha. i’m excited. thanksgiving is such a relaxed and fun time.

also! I am baking pumpkin cookies this week so that chad and I can take some home to our respective families. I’m excited, I do hope they turn out like Granny Zuercher’s. (It’s a fabulous converted house bakery in Pendleton, SC not far from the square downtown! Stop by after a delicious lunch at Pendleton Cafe if you’re ever around that area!)

finallyyyyy. we put the tree up! again, stupid camera problems, so no pics yet. i didn’t do major ribbons flowing from the top this year, but it looks good anyways–i made a LOT of bows with that little roll of $3 ribbon! I bought two boxes of candy canes from Ingles for $.98 each and with that, the tree is done. My sewn ornaments don’t even have room on it, so instead of making those, I am making rustic stockings for the walls! At least it will make it a little more festive. I also think i’m going to tie ribbons around the mirrors on the walls, red and gold or red and white, and instead of poinsettias for my silver vases–a candy cane display! Not to mention the wreath and the snowflakes for the windows, and of course candles too! It’s going to feel a lot warmer decoration-wise than real-life, hehe.

okay. computer is dying, clock is reminding me i have six hours left, and i am refusing to plug in my charger until i use the computer tomorrow… so i’m out of here! peace!

 

ps: three things: I really want a good gyro, my computer charger gets so hot i use it to warm up (it’s another trick!) and i am posting the recipe for really really good hot choco right now.

• 1/3 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/2 cup milk choco chips
• mix above things together in a saucepan on the stove over medium heat until combined. then…
• 1/2 cup mini marshmallows
• 1 packet hot cocoa mix
• stir these things in, let marshmallows melt, and then pour into mugs. Makes two mugs, but you have to top it off with a little cold milk (it cools it down so you can drink it right away, and also means the mix makes two drinks!)

ok, now i’m gone.

putting off art history.

we stole a tree last night. like, a christmas tree for kit. And of course, i mean nothing bad by this, but um, it was more of a pine tree and less of a christmas tree, but that’s ok, it still looks pretty festive with the lights on. And then we made ornaments… like the wooden ones i spoke of in my last post.

“stealing” the tree was pretty fun though–we drove around pendleton looking for trees and eventually found a tree down the road to the milliken finishing plant. haha. milliken was the source for my upstairs carpet and the centerpiece for kit’s christmas this year. the company that keeps on giving.

but to get there… i had to go to the boys’ apartment to meet up with her, nathan and justin–and it felt weird being in chad’s room without chad being anywhere near. i missed him a lot then. he comes home today!

my recipe for this week/month is going to be the simplest dish i made all month, and thanks to kitastic for the inspiration!

• 1-1 1/2 cups cooked chicken (two boneless skinless breasts)
• 2 cans cream of chicken (fat free)
• 8 oz light sour cream
• 1 small can peas (they make cans the size of small tomato sauce cans. I used Lesueur peas–so much better than regular peas) –drained
• 1 small can carrots (drained)
• fresh ground pepper and salt to taste
• 1 crushed sleeve ritz type crackers

Mix together all but last ingredient; top with ritz; bake at 375 for 30 minutes.

Alternatively, you can use other veggies–broccoli would be good (fresh would be best); spinach and fresh mushrooms (and change one of the cans of cream of chicken to cream of mushroom), one can of blue lake cut green beans, or kit’s way is to not put any veggies in, but to top with ritz and yummy poppy seeds! (i couldnt–mandy’s not a huge fan of the poppy seeds). I also think she doubled the sour cream, which was tasty too. Mandy’s just on a health kick so i tried making it as healthy as possible for us! (I reduced the amt of ritz, too)

Good luck this week, everyone! I’m excited for our “family/apartment” thanksgiving next weekend!

sorry about the wait.

i’d been waiting to write until I found a camera to show you all my wonderful attempts at christmas decor, but alas, it seems that none of the cameras are matching up with their respected transfer cords, or my card reader isn’t working, or my MMS doesn’t work on my phone… so yeah. i’ll take pictures when the tree is done.

Each year, Mandy and I try to spend around $30 or less decorating our tree. We come up with a theme and buy different decor each year. We try to make it as earth friendly as possible, and do reuse things–most of our themes have very simple decor in plain colors so that we can reuse it. We’ve done “candy tree,” “toy tree,” “nature in gold,” “a blue christmas,” and several others. This year, we’re doing a homemade christmas/rustic christmas. I spent about $10 at michaels buying wood “DIY paint” ornaments. (I did buy the paint, but because it was to restock my own paint supply, I don’t count it in the budget). I also bought $3 gold ribbon at walmart (for a 60 yard roll; it was a little over an inch wide) and have made bows. I also bought $7 worth of fabric: two yards for the tree skirt and a yard and a half for sewing small stockings in a ticking stripe/muslin kind of fabric also found at walmart. At Dollar Tree, I found some gold bells ($1) and they have all kinds of other goodies there. I already have other bells, glittery snowflakes and globe ornaments; i think they’re the wrong color so i may have to spray paint them, but a little gold spraypaint is something I already have. I’m hanging everything with twine–$1.44 at walmart for a large spool, and I almost forgot–instead of buying more ribbon or something to go around the tree, mandy and I made very tiny paper chains–green and red. The loops were made of three inch strips of paper, cut about 3/8ths of an inch wide, and taped together. They form 1 inch loops when strung together, and look darling–don’t think of the construction paper chains made by kids, the effect is more rustic and less kindergarten.

I should add that our tree is 6′ pre-lit, we bought it at walmart last year for $30. (We only sprung for the 6′ tree because chad lived in an apartment with very, VERY low ceilings–though it will cut down on our decorating costs, I’d advise you to go with at least a 6.5′ if you can!)

I reused the twine and found some stamps for $1.50 at walmart to make my own cards ($4/pack at michaels; 8 come in the pack), but i’m not telling how i did that! The cards are on the card aisle at michaels–the red ones with the kraft envelopes! I bought plaid christmas placemats (2), green and gold ribbon, a glitter poinsettia, berries and christmas cookie tins for $1 each at Dollar Tree. I got little loaf pans in red and green at Michaels for $1, and they have plenty of $1 stamps, ribbon, cards, tags and other odds and ends that are GREAT for the holidays!

And of course, my favorite part, gift wrap: We found kraft paper with gold stars at Dollar Tree about a month ago, but they were out last time I went. I like it–its simple and pretty. We also have candy striped red and white paper from walmart and a solid red roll–and I bought all kinds of ribbon on sale. I don’t use gift wrap ribbon after the many, many times it shred on me last year while wrapping, but i found a lot of ribbon at Michaels for $1 (it’s half off for right now, and normally $1.99) and Dollar General, Walmart and Big Lots–I should note that Michaels’ old prints and discontinued colors of “basic basic” ribbon, normally $3 a roll, is $1 at Big Lots. I found my tags at Michaels for $3.99/12 pack of Martha Stewart Craft tags, but I had the 40% off coupon. I wouldn’t discount the value of investing in a tag punch, buying some via Etsy or making your own. If I hadn’t found those, I would be making my own, but those were exactly what I was looking for! My Michaels was sold out two days after they put them out though (I caught them on a good afternoon) so look carefully and if you can’t find them, down the tag aisle, above the wonderful red cards I mentioned earlier, in the same section, there is a 20 pack of white tags for $4.99. That’s a little steep, but if you have the 50% off coupon from last week or this week, it’d be cheap!

And for holiday baking, Target has sprinkles (5 kinds) for $2.50; they also have hand towels for $1 if you’re into the total home christmas decor. Also, check for sales on baking mixes like quick bread or muffin mixes–I found banana bread mix for $1 at Ingles and now I have something to fill my little loaf pans–$4 for three little gifts isn’t bad!

I should add on top of everything: though mandy, chad and I are aiming to save money in how we decorate, we believe in using some of that money to help others. we buy inexpensive presents for children to donate later in the season, as we go along–so in an effort to get the word out, please do your part, too! You could:

• Adopt a family/child
• donate toys
• sponsor a coat drive
• give to food drives/food pantries
• donate baby products to local shelters
• volunteer throughout the holidays
• donate money to the salvation army
• make a care package for a soldier
• bake goods and make food for your local first responders-fire, police, ems
• help others.

So that’s my post. A long one, I know, but one that means a lot to me.