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 ~ september 23, 2013

September 23, 2013 – 10:32 am

My cat Zak had surgery to remove two injured toes last Wednesday. He came home Thursday and has spent the rest of the week sleeping in a box in the craft/scrapbook room. He still can’t quite figure out what that big blue thing is on his leg. It causes him all kinds of trouble when […]

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menu plan monday ~ september 16, 2013

September 17, 2013 – 4:32 pm

The twins were here Saturday and they found a pumpkin in the garden. Pa let them pick it, of course. 🙂 They drew faces all over it. Snow White said she taught Rose Red how to make a face. “Oval, oval. Triangle. Line, line. Tooth, tooth.” That about covers it. When the twins aren’t here, […]

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menu plan monday ~ september 9, 2013

September 9, 2013 – 10:14 pm

This weekend, I had the help of our middle daughter and my sister in reorganizing the scrapbook room. It needed it badly. Things have piled up and the cabinets no longer store the things I need where I need them. So we took everything off the counters and everything out of the cabinets on the […]

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menu plan monday ~ september 2, 2013

September 2, 2013 – 10:10 pm

The garden is beginning to make the move to autumn. The Sunday bouquet was made of Jerusalem Artichoke, hydrangeas, and ‘Becky’ daisies. We had a nice weekend and enjoyed the extra day to relax. Our son and his family came for lunch today. DH grilled, I made peach/blueberry cobbler, and DH made peach ice cream. […]

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happy birthday, mom

August 31, 2013 – 12:47 pm

My mother was born August 31, 1933. Today would have been her 80th birthday. Back row: my maternal grandparents, Harold and Nellie, and Dale. Front row: Jane, Pete, Tim, and my mother Georgia. High school picture Mom and Dad’s wedding day Our family in 1957 Alan and Georgia with Genny, Paula, Mary, Margaret and Rhonda […]

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eager to start

August 27, 2013 – 7:57 pm

I have a hard time believing it is Christmas prep time at our house. The summer passed so quickly! September is almost here and we will be readying the rooms for Christmas trees soon. Looking at pictures from previous years is putting me in the Christmas frame of mind! The prep is always fun. This […]

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menu plan monday ~ august 26, 2013

August 26, 2013 – 4:50 pm

This past week, we welcomed our oldest daughter home from New York where she worked at a summer camp. It was great to see her again. Seemed she had been gone a long time. Her cat Cedar was very happy to see her again, too! When she went outside to run an errand, Cedar sat […]

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menu plan monday ~ august 19, 2013

August 19, 2013 – 7:41 pm

We’re enjoying the Spiced Peach Jam that we made on Saturday. My only caveat is that the link suggests turning the hot jam over and sealing the jars without a hot water bath. I don’t recommend that. We put the 8-oz jars into a hot water bath for 10 minutes. Safely sealed. Delicious jam. Especially […]

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peaches, peaches, and peaches

August 18, 2013 – 11:47 am

We canned peaches Saturday and made spiced peach jam. Then we made peach ice cream. Dee-licious! I did the slicing. DH manned the stove. We made 28 quarts of sliced peaches in light syrup and 28 8-oz. jars and 2 pint jars of spiced peach jam. Then we made ice cream. A yummy end to […]

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menu plan monday ~ august 12, 2013

August 12, 2013 – 9:29 pm

With many thanks to a dear friend, we have canning in our future. He brought peaches with promises of more, if we want them. Yes! Peach jam, peach pie, peach cobbler, canned peaches…what’s not to want? Buttercup set up guard. I think she liked the smell of the fresh fruit. The house cats have been […]

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