Let me be one of the first to wish you a very Happy New Year!!!

How are you celebrating?

Do you make/believe in New Year’s Resolutions?

Leave your thoughts in a comment and I’ll be back as soon as I have a minute to post my own!

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO YOU AND YOUR FAMILY!!!

I HOPE YOU SPEND A WONDERFUL DAY CARRYING OUT THE TRADITIONS THAT ARE SPECIAL TO YOUR FAMILY AND MAKING NEW MEMORIES IN THE PROCESS!!!  ALL THE VERY BEST!

As promised, I’m also posting the lucky winner of the “Pioneer Woman Cooks” cookbook give-away.

Congratulations to Kristin, who left the following message on December 13:

“Kristin Says: December 13, 2009 at 10:28 am e

I would love the book because I am not only a fan of Pioneer Woman, I am also a fan yours and your daughters blogs.”

Kristin~please send me an e-mail at:  everydaywomanusa@aol.com to claim your prize!  I’ll need a mailing address so that I can get your prize off to you ASAP!  (I didn’t find any contact info. attached to your name, so please e-mail me and let me know.)

THANKS TO EVERYONE FOR LEAVING COMMENTS; I WISH I HAD ONE FOR EVERY ONE OF YOU, BUT PLEASE CHECK BACK FOR GIVE-AWAYS IN THE FUTURE!

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

“Everydaywoman” (aka Ruth)

I’m joining in on the Christmas Cookie Recipe Swap that Farmer’s Daughter is hosting at her blog.  Why not join in by sharing the recipe of your very favorite Christmas cookie?

Believe me, a virtual recipe swap is way easier than the traditional cookie swap!

My very favorite Christmas Cookie has to be my own Mom’s Snowball recipe.  I made these last night as we were awaiting the first big snowfall of the season.  It just seemed like the right thing to do!

They’re easy, yummy, and they disappear quickly!

Mema’s Snowball Cookies

1 cup margarine

1/2 cup confectioner’s sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

2-1/2 cups flour

1/2 cup nuts (walnuts or pecans, chopped or ground)

1/4 teaspoon salt (I usually leave this out)

(Extra confectioner’s sugar for coating cookies)

Cream together margarine, sugar, vanilla.  Mix in flour and nuts.  Hand form into balls and bake in 350 degree F oven for 8-10 minutes.  As soon as they come out of the oven, roll in a bowl of confectioner’s sugar to coat.

Yum, yum!  Enjoy warm or cold (if they last that long!)

Although it took forever to arrive, the Blizzard of 2009 finally arrived last night and transformed our area into a Winter Wonderland . . .

Nature’s tree ornaments . . .

The Mermaid by the pool is a bit chilly . . .

With the temps predicted to stay as cold as they are, we’re guaranteed to have a White Christmas!

Hope you’re having fun wherever you are and perhaps you’re playing in the snow, too!

To see who else is strolling this Sunday, stroll on over to the Quiet Country House.

Yesterday, I had the time of my life when I traveled to NYC and had a chance to meet my all-time favorite blogger, Ree Drummond, aka The Pioneer Woman, in person! 

She’s even nicer, more down-to-earth, sweeter—and even taller—than I expected!

My daughter, Abbie, aka The Farmer’s Daughter, and I went by train, and then taxi to Chelsea Market to meet up with Ree.  Anyone who knows Ree, knows how much she LOVES babies, and she was all over the fact that Abbie’s pregnant and was quite chatty.  She wanted to know when the baby is due, if it’s a first, etc., etc.  (March and yes!)

Abbie wore a top that left no doubt as to whether she was indeed expecting, or not.  Here’s a closeup:

P-dub was all over that!

She was quite gracious, too.  When someone asked for her expertise with a camera . . .

. . . of course, she obliged . . .

When we first arrived at Chelsea Market, we found it to be a magical place.  It’s a huge building, which was orginally a Nabisco Factory, but which is now filled with shops, stores, eateries, and tons of Christmas Decorations.  We saw. . .

Upside-down Christmas trees. . .

and lots of decorations from recycled products . . .

A CD-tree, for instance . . .

. . . and fabulous creations from old plastic cups . . .

As we joined the queue to meet Ree, we had no idea how long the wait would be, as the first people in line had arrived at 8 am for the 11:00 book signing!

We chatted it up with those around us.  There was a couple behind us who traveled from Massachusetts, a little bit further than us, coming in from Connecticut.  The woman, a food blogger known as This Week’s Menu, gave me a great idea, which you’ll see at the end of the post.

With all the visiting and comparing notes about blogs and other interests, the line moved quickly, but it continued to grow and grow and grow . . . behind us!

When it was our turn to meet Ree, I felt I had to ‘fess up to something . . . remember when my hubbie and son were in Oklahoma and they wanted to surprise me with Ree’s just-released cookbook?  Well, they arrived home with a bright, shiny, colorful Pioneer Woman Cooks book, all full of wonderful “cowboy food,” as Ree calls it, but with a suspicious signature . . .

Ree laughed and quickly added her own, authentic signature!

Like I said, Ree is incredibly gracious!

Thanks for an fabulously fun day, Ree!

So . . . in the spirit of this giving season, I’m giving away an AUTOGRAPHED copy of Ree’s famous cookbook, which is currently on the New York Times Bestseller List, as a gift to one of my readers.  (Andrea~thanks so much for the idea!)

This book is oh-so-much-more than a cookbook!  It is a storybook of Ree’s family and adventures on her Oklahoma ranch, bursting with wonderful pictures and stories of her family, both the human kind and the animal kind!  You will surely adore it! 

It also has wonderful recipes, too.  Our daughter, Abbie, recently made us Ree’s Sticky Buns and they are to die for!

So . . . if you’re interested in entering a random drawing for this fabulous book, just leave a comment telling why you’d like it, why you like Ree, or both!

DRAWING TO BE HELD CHRISTMAS EVE, DECEMBER 24th, AND THE WINNER WILL BE ANNOUNCED THEN, SO PLEASE ENTER AND CHECK BACK!!!

HAPPY HOLIDAYS FROM EVERYDAY WOMAN!

Hugs,

Ruth

My “Aloha Friday” question this Friday  is . . .

Do you have any big plans this weekend?

As for me, I’m heading into NYC with my daughter to meet our all-time,  favorite  blogger, Ree Drummond, aka The Pioneer Woman, at her book signing.

I’ll also be addressing baby shower invitations, Christmas shopping, and doing schoolwork.  I’m sure there won’t be enough hours for everything!  What about you?

Whatever you’re doing  this weekend, ENJOY!

 If you’d like to participate in more Aloha Friday questions, click on over to  An Island Life for Kailani’s  “Aloha Friday

Snow began to fall softly as the North Pole Express pulled into the station, as if right on cue.

Children, bundled up in pajamas and hoods, clamored around the station, waiting to board Santa’s train.

Destination:  North Pole!

ALL ABOARD!!!

As we traveled, our conductor told us Christmas stories and shared the story of the “Polar Express.”

The Baker served up the biggest and most delicious gingerbread cookies I’ve ever seen and tasted, along with creamy, rich hot chocolate. . .

A hobo even managed to sneak onto the train . . .

In the spirit of Christmas, we invited him to join us . . .

And, then, the main attraction. . . we reached the North Pole and Santa boarded the train!

Mrs. Claus even joined him . . .

. . . and some of the elves came along, too!

Santa offered the first gifts of Christmas to passengers on the train, as he held up a shiny silver bell from his sleigh . . .

The bell that Santa handed me makes the most glorious jingling sound . . .

As we headed toward home, Santa’s Christmas wish continued to ring in my ears, Merry Christmas to all and to all a Good Night!

To see who else is strolling on this December Sunday, head on over to The Quiet Country House.

Give my son a “manlift,” a fancy stapling gun, and loads of lights, and look what he can do!

The Waterwheel Barn is complete with chaser lights on the waterwheel, which makes it look like it’s spinning, and the icycle lights are the water running down the trough onto the wheel.

If only I could get him to do this for me at home.  It’s usually me—by myself—dangling from a ladder as I attempt to hang white icycle lights around our house.

Are YOU in the mood for holiday decorating?

Just wondering, how many people ventured out, after “stuffing yourself” with turkey and trimmings for midnight shopping, etc.?  Some friends I know start at midnight or even at 4 am, in search of good deals. 

So, my “Aloha Friday” question this Friday after Thanksgiving is . . .

Are you doing the “Black Friday” thing?  If so, did you find any great deals?

 If you’d like to participate in more Aloha Friday questions, click on over to  An Island Life for Kailani’s  “Aloha Friday

As for me, I think I’ll do some online shopping today; try to get some of my “mountain” of coursework done; perhaps start some Christmas decorating; and yes, I do have to go do some usual errands later in the day.  I’ll see what the crowds are like.

Whatever you’re doing on this day after Thanksgiving, ENJOY!

As this new day dawns—Thanksgiving Day— I think it’s appropriate that I take just a few minutes before the busy hustle/bustle of this holiday weekend takes over to give thanks.

In short, I’m thankful for:

• Four generations of family members to celebrate the holidays with
• An 87-year-old mother who inspires me on a daily basis
• A grandbaby on the way (OK, you’ve heard this before!)
• My wonderful husband who supports me even when he thinks I’m crazy (as in currently pursuing my Doctorate)
• Three grown kids who make me intensely proud!
• A career (working with kids and adults) that I love
• Purposeful work at school and home
• Our family farm full of animals and adventures
• Friends who “hold me up” and occasionally, let me “hold them up”
• A positive attitude despite everything around us in the news–and world–that could make us pessimistic
• “Enough” of all of the above!

WHAT ARE YOU THANKFUL FOR ON THIS DAY OF THANKSGIVING?