Jingle Bell Run

Third year running

I did the Jingle Bell Run again this year. Luckily the weather warmed up for us on Saturday so it wasn't so bad. I didn't do as well as I was hoping...I ran a 12:13 mile. But not bad considering I haven't been running outside for a while.

My lungs and muscles were not used to the cold so my muscles locked up during the run and I had to pull over twice to stretch out. My lungs felt like they were filled with fluid because all I did after about a mile is cough and hack. That is what happens when you don't condition your body to the cold.

My mom surprised me and walked all 3 mile. She signed up and then on Monday decided she wasn't going to walk because of the cold. She promised she would at least take me and cheer me on. Well when we got there she changed her mind and decided to go for it.

I was so proud of her for completing the whole thing!

This years shirt was white....love the long sleeved shirts.

I'm now on the search for my next run.

Cookie Weekend

Its a tradition for me to make lots and lots of cookies before Christmas and then hand them out to everyone. My cookie traditions is a very structured and detailed process. Probably more so than most people when they make Chirstmas cookies.

I start out the day before I plan to bake and get out all my cookie books. I have about 5 that I pull from everyone. I try to make the traditional cookies every year than I look for cookies or bars that I've never made just to keep it fresh and to keep people wondering what I'm going to do from year to year.

This part usually takes a hour or so. This year I'm making the following

Chocolate Chip cookies
Snickerdoodles

Oatmeal Cookies

Chocolate covered Bon bons
White Chocolate Chip and Macadamia nut cookie
Chewy Red Respberry Bars
Lemon Crumb bar
Doulbe Delicious Cookie Bars

Once the selection is made then I begin to figuring out how much of all the ingredients I need. I have an excel spreadsheet that I put in all the ingredients for each and it calculates how much I need of everything. Once this is done I go into my cabinets and see how much I have on hand and subtrack that amount so I know exactly how much I need of everything.

Here is what I had on hand before I went shopping.

Once I have my list then I go shopping. Once I make it home I have to divide up my kitchen into different working spaces. This saves a lot of time when I'm working.

First I move all my ingredients to my storage area....the kitchen table

Then I set up my mixing area (to the right) and my bagging area (Left). I bag all my dough and refrigerate what I'm not trying to bake at that time.

When it's time to bake I have my baking area, cooling area and cookie bagging area all set up in the same area.

The baking usually takes about 2 days to finish everything. On the second day I clean up all the areas and then set up an area to package my cookies.

Oh did I add that I also enjoy a beverage or two while I'm working. This year I decided to make my own mimosa. Mitch showed me how to make them so while I was at the store I picked some champagne and some OJ. Very tasty treat and helps prevent me from eating the cookies...mimosa and cookies don't go very well together:)

Anyway this year I have to make over 500 cookies or so....well my brake is over and it's time for me start baking again.

Pheasant Hunting

WARNING: GRAPHIC HUNTING PICTURE!!!!

I felt like I needed to put the warning up for those who are faint of heart about hunting...thank you for not being one of those people:)...LOL

To many people are surprised I hunt pheasants. I purchased my first 20g this past Oct and Mitch and I went out hunting in Nov one Sunday. To be honest I didn't have time to practice with it so I was no good at aiming the darn thing. I didn't get a bird:(

Anyway the following Saturday Mitch and I headed out again but this time it was a little different. Mitch went shooting with his gun and I went shooting with my camera. I really enjoy getting a great shot and I did!...take a look at this one.

Yes this is Mitch bringing down a Pheasant and I caught it on film...OK really it was digital!

This was an awesome picture because you can see the hunter, the tip of the gun, the gun smoke, the bird and the feathers behind the bird.

I have other pictures that I like but this is my favorite of the bunch!