Author Archives: ~~Rhonda

Living in a small town, I share my life with my husband Russell (married in 1977), five children (one still at home), and six cats (one indoors, the others outside).

I teach an online class called “The Christmas Notebook” which is about all things holiday prep. The many facets of celebrating Christmas comprises one of my favorite hobbies. Other favorite things include gardening, reading, cooking, and scrapbooking.

menu plan monday ~ november 3, 2014

We had a busy weekend with Christmas decorating and Christmas cooking going on. Our daughter-in-law came over on Sunday with the grands to help out. Our middle daughter and oldest grand-daughter put up the Three Kings Tree in the library. I made three kinds of truffles and enjoyed having the company. We also found a […]

two truffles dipped and done

Yesterday I made Peanut Butter Truffles and also dipped the Chocolate Cream Truffle centers that I made earlier this week. I had planned to freeze the Chocolate Cream centers and dip them in candy coating a few days before the party. But DH found a container of various truffles from last Christmas in the freezer […]

two cookie recipes and a truffle in the freezer

The past few days, I made several recipes for the freezer in prep for our annual Christmas Open House. Daniel’s Cookie Bar Bites are a favorite. A few days before the party, I will thaw the cut cookie bars and dip them in chocolate, then decorate them with a variety of sprinkles. Until then, the […]

macadamia nut shortbread cookies 2014

Yesterday, I made the delicious Macadamia Nut Shortbread Cookies that I like so much. They are already packed and put away in the freezer for the Christmas Open House. I used to roll them into logs, refrigerate, then slice to bake. Last year, I scooped and then rolled each portion into a ball and rolled […]

menu plan monday ~ october 27, 2014

Sunday, I made the Brownie Biscotti for the Christmas Open House. It is now in the freezer, awaiting the big day! You can see the recipe at this link: Brownie Biscotti Monday Chicken and Broccoli Stir Fry Rice Tuesday Rosemary Ranch Chicken Sauteed Zucchini and Yellow Squash Baby Baked Potatoes Wednesday Pan Seared Tilapia Steamed […]

saturday afternoon

We have the grands this weekend and that is always fun! DH took the twins to the park to play on the new playground equipment. When they got home, they wanted to play on our devices, so it turned into some impromtu quiet time. Rose Red and Pa’s tablet… Snow White and Ma’s phone… After […]

apple sauce, apple slices, apple jam

Our house smells like apple pie. I can smell it in every room. What a wonderful candle scent it would be, though I’m not sure a candle company could really do justice to the spicy undertones in the air. If only we had smell-a-vision… It smells like apple pie around here because we canned about […]

a few autumn pics

Last Sunday, DH and I took an afternoon drive through the country. The first time I’ve been outside in a little while. I love the change fall brings to the woods, the leaves, the roadside grasses and plants, even the smell of the air. The trees at the country cemetery were beautiful. Hickories and oaks. […]

menu plan monday ~ october 20, 2014

I am not sure how it got to be October 20, already. Where has the time flown to? Yesterday, DH took me for a drive in the country. The leaves are turning, though not at peak yet. We drove out to an old country cemetery where the hickory trees are already a beautiful yellow gold. […]

67 days till Christmas

How do you feel about that?? Only 67 days till Christmas…doesn’t seem so far away, does it? Especially when one thinks about what has to be done between now and then. Time to get your Christmas Notebooks out and get started! At our house, we start early. We have an annual Open House on the […]