Ohh The Mind is Racing This Morning... Too Much On it...

Friday already and in another week Christmas will be over... we will all be sitting around wondering why we eat all that food and thinking that it is time to start going to the gym to get some of the weight off... he he...

Up very early this morning because Carl was asked by Greg to take him to the airport as he is heading off to Calgary for the Christmas holiday to spend it with Mitch, Megs, Jake, Lisa and Jonah... of course the fact that I was asleep before 9 pm last night had something to do with it as well... he he

The decorations in the house has been completed... but Carl who has been working on getting some things that stopped working while he was away fixed has put up Christmas lights outside but want to put more and if he runs out of time to put them up that is okay we have quite a few up already... but the snow blower is now working.. the sub pump is fixed or I should say the hole to the pump has been replaced and is working nicely... lights that were burnt out and I couldn't get out or reach are not shining to light up our world... and Christmas lights that I couldn't get up are now lighting up our front of the yard and because it is only the front part of the yard Carl wants to add more to the back to light that part of the yard up as well... and I thought that was going to be done yesterday but he started to play with his snow blower instead and by dinner time last night it was finally finished... so I guess today will be the day that we do it after we do our things in the morning... Like Carl is going to his parents to try and get the ice out of their drive way and I will be going up to my parents while dad goes to the hospital for an appointment... mom and I are going to make all of Flo and Roger's gifts that are under the tree shine with ribbon.... ohh I love ribbon on packages...

We had an unexpected visitor yesterday afternoon... Brian Melanson dropped in still torn up about staying at home with Jill for Christmas or come here...but I got that dilemma solved by inviting him for New Years here... and as the time continued to creep by he was invited to stay for dinner last night as well... We both enjoy his company and knowing that he spent a lot of his time alone... I am sure he enjoys ours most times LOL....

This week it has been mainly getting together with Robin either on line or on the phone to get things I need to know for Christmas Dinner ...and getting a very important recipe for dessert.... so I can make sure that I can get the stuff for it here... also I am down to one gift I think... someone is always popping up... that I have forgotten... so that is not bad... especially since I do know what I want to get the person...

Each year that I do Christmas Dinner here at the house I look forward and appreciate all the help that I get from other family members that take in all the extra goodies to be added to the meal but this year it is a little different... as much as I would like to have these things it is not happening this year.... because I am making Christmas Dinner here at the house .... now some people are going to wonder why this is... well here it is...

We are having a gluten free Christmas dinner... why are we having that ... well Robin is coming home for Christmas this year and it is not often that he does and he has Celiac which means simply no flour or wheat produces can he eat or he will be very sick... and I don't want that.... so for the last month I have been writing and talking to him about products that he can or can't have so that I could make a meal that he can sit down with the family and enjoy without any fear of becoming sick over it... and a spoon, knife or fork being placed back from one dish that is not gluten free can make him sick so the whole meal will be gluten free so that there is no chance it can happen....

The Menu for the day is
Shrimp ring....Turkey of course (provide by Robin and Amanda), with stuffing made with gluten free bread (provide by Robin and Amanda and I have to say if I had a bread maker I think I would be having this bread over ours more often... it is great bread... ) potatoes, carrots and string beans (provided by Hubert and Yvette) Broccoli with cheese... (was planning on taking out the Broccoli bake this year any way because of all the salt products that are added to the dish for the sake of Dad and Carl since both are on salt free diets) gravy ....Cole slaw and cranberry homemade (which reminds me I have to go out and get some cranberries before they all disappear in the stores)... pretty much the same just made a little different....

Desserts will be carrot cake (recipe provide by Robin and Amanda) I am hoping I make it as good as Amanda does.... cherry tarts, scotch cakes, lemon squares and anything else I can get from the lady who lives down shore that actually makes gluten free produces... and when I go get this stuff I will hug her in thanks of helping out with our Christmas dinner....

When we go down to Robin and Amanda's we eat very well but we eat gluten free ....

On New Years Day I know that some who are going to be here for Christmas will not be here but to those that are going to be here I will tell you now I want the extras LOL..... because the house will be filled once again and that 34 pound bird that is sitting in Mom and Dad's freeze will be out and in the oven cooking waiting for everyone to have a piece or two or three of it...

Oh yes a message to Flo...you remember I said I was going to divide the ring into three sharing it with others well it just didn't happen the way I thought it was going to LOL.....after Carl and Brian got into it there was not enough to divide anything... Brian loved it as well I think the two of them had three pieces each before I cut them off... because if not the whole thing would have been gone... thanks for the ring... came at a good time with the unexpected company last night...

So that is what is going on around here... I still have a few gifts that have to be wrapped...but that is not a major thing at all... I think I can actually say after 2 months trying to get ready for Christmas I am almost there and looking forward to the Day to come to have the house filled with family and friends... if no one gave me a gift for Christmas (which I have been saying for years) it wouldn't matter because this is the gift that I have always enjoyed and treasured for many years) a house full of the people I love and care for dearly.. all the decorating, all the preparing is worth it when you guys are here to celebrate this day with Carl and I....and those who are not able to come you are in my heart hoping that one year you will be sitting around the tables enjoying the family as much as I do.... so in advance I will say thank you so very much for giving me the greatest Christmas gift of all... You....

Have a wonderful and awesome Friday guys...
Joanne