Surprise!

I got the best surprise when I got the mail today!!

I always love receiving and opening a package from Broken Tee
pee Designs!! Patty does a great job of making receiving one of her packages an event! The envelope that it arrives in is always decorated, usually with a smiling picture of a goat from Happy Goats Farm. Then once you get the envelope open you are rewarded with packages tied up with ribbons, bows, and origami. So fun!! There is always a note too which are hand written by Patty and sometimes with a little help from a farm resident too. Plus the awesome little treats of Happy Goat Soap Samples! Then you open the box and are dazzled by the jewelry. Swoon!

I was lucky enough to enter and win Patty's contest for her birthday. That is when the lovely Champagne Quartz and Pink Topaz earrings came to live with me. Plus I got a gift certificate to spend at her Etsy shop! I forgot all about that gift certificate until Patty reminded me and I went looking at her shop again. Oh the choices... So very many lovely things!! There was something about these London Blue Topaz, Peridot, and Pearl earrings that just spoke to me... I can't even describe how much lovelier they are in person than in pictures.

If you get a chance go visit Patty at one of her blogs or her Etsy shop if you are looking to treat yourself or someone else with some beautiful handcrafted jewelry or goat milk soaps!
The Maaaaa of Pricilla
Broken Teepee
Broken Teepee Designs
Happy Goats Soap

Holiday Blues

I have a bad case of the holiday blues.
No Christmas tree has been put up and decorated at this house.
No lights have been placed on the house.
No other ornamentation has been done either.
Oh no wait I did put a holiday tablecloth on the dinning room table...

I did make one batch of cookies and one pan of fudge. Both safe for me to eat but really that wasn't to get ready for the holidays. It was because I couldn't stand it with everyone else eating the stuff everywhere and none of it being safe for me.

DH and I are not exchanging gifts.
DHs family decided to do a gift exchange instead of buying for everyone so he has 1 gift from his Mom and I have 1 gift from his brother.
We do have the box of gifts from my cousin and her family in Germany. Too bad their box from us is waiting to be mailed tomorrow when I go to town. Oops!

I am not even cooking a big traditional dinner for Christmas Eve or Christmas Day.
I think we decided that Christmas Eve will be Dairy & Gluten Free Buffalo Wings and Oven Baked Fries.
Christmas Day will be Dairy & Gluten Free Lasagna with Dairy & Gluten Free Garlic Bread and a salad.
Going all out now aren't I??

Really I just want to crawl into bed and stay there snug under the covers until 2010 is here.

It Even LOOKS Cold!

This is the view out the front door today. Our high was 10 degrees above but with the wind chill it was more like 20 below zero! Yikes!!

December Comes In Like a Lion!

We had a snow storm on the 1st. About 2 to 3 inches of snow fell pretty quickly and behind it has been COLDer weather. Tonight it is already about 15 below and still dropping! That is cold enough that even the husky dogs don't want to be out in it, not that I can blame them.