Emptyknitster

The Oregon family reported in and are having a great winter break. They are hopping with joy over the wallabies! I think I have conquered the signing up for, and ordering of, the DVD movie rental membership! Thanks again for this thoughtful gift! A movie and popcorn will be something to look forward to after a long cold day. Love you all and Happy New Year! Brother Scott in a prayerful mood...

Wish you were here dear grandchildren, we missed you today...

We slept in until 7:15 and are having a great day! Santa is the man of the day....  Everyone is happy except, perhaps, one kitty.....

For years I have made the same thing for Christmas breakfast. The casserole is easy, the rolls are warm and fresh! I precook the bacon and freeze it so all I have to do in the morning is pop the casserole and unbaked rolls in the oven, slice a few pieces of fruit, heat the bacon in the microwave and 35 minutes later,  yummy! Green Chili Bake 10 eggs 4 cups shredded jack cheese 2 cups cottage cheese 1/4 cup butter, melted 1/4 cup flour 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon baking powder 2 - 4 ounce cans chopped green chilies, drained Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly oil a 13x9 baking dish. Beat eggs in a large mixing bowl. Stir in cheese, cottage cheese, butter, flour baking powder, salt and chilies. Pour into baking pan, and bake 35 minutes or until the eggs are set. Cool for 10 minutes. Serve 8 to 10 for brunch, 12 to 16 as an appetizer. Pull - Apart Coffee Cake 1 package dry yeast 1/4 cup warm water 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 cup sugar 1/4 cup salad oil 3/4 cup warm mil...

 While at community knitting yesterday I mentioned a recipe that has become a family favorite. I promised to post it when I got home. The original recipe appeared in Country Living Magazine years ago but my Mom immediately took it for her own. We love it because once started in the morning, you sit back all day and at dinner time it is a guest worthy meal! Serve on rice...... Crockpot Pork Chops   4 pork chops 2 medium onions chopped 2 celery ribs 1 large green pepper sliced 2 Tablespoons vinegar 2 Tablespoons brown sugar 2 Tablespoons worcestershire sauce 1 Tablespoon lemon juice 1 beef bouillon cube Place above ingredients in crock pot and cook 6 - 8 hours. In the last 30 minutes add the following to thicken: 2  Tablespoons corn starch 2 Tablespoons water

Sunday the family from North Dakota arrived and our Christmas began! The kiddos were happy to feed the turkeys their breakfast. Then they went with Grandpa into the workshop and built some birdhouses. The Tiger was so excited that "She Gramma" let him into his room! (At home The Tiger has his own man cave) Sadie was impressed with the food in the room. We had a busy day and fun filled day. That night, Sadie was nestled into the arms of her Auntie with visions of sugar plums dancing in her head. The Tiger's visions would happen later!   This morning we woke up with a wonderful snowstorm....

Okay, it's time for me to just get over it! I haven't written since Saturday's Griz game because they lost . For a second half team, they choked! I still love them, and so do many others! The Christmas shoppers were out Sunday in their Griz wear, buying more!       Wildcats 23, Griz 21

Six years ago one of my students, John Sweet, gave me a Christmas Cactus that came from the mother plant owned by his Great-great grandmother. His great-great grandmother had taken it across the prairie in a covered wagon on the Bozeman Trail. John's mother had never been able to get it to bloom.... This year I was able to get a few blooms. I believe that the plant needs to be root bound, and have extended amounts of darkness in the fall. The Sweet brothers lived up to their names. John's older brother, Steve, was also in my sixth grade class and had the nickname of Sweetie Pie.The last time I visited with Steve, we enjoyed catching up with what was going on in his life and he had promised to come and visit me for a more lengthy visit. Just weeks later he tragically died.

I knit this sweater earlier in the fall for a baby shower gift. I always love to see the little ones in their knitted garments! This was a fast knit, with clear instructions. The sweater can easily be modified. I knit longer sleeves than the suggested 3/4 length and added the lighter pink striping. I will knit this pattern again. It is cute and could be used for either a boy or girl. I'm always looking for a a great stash buster! Pattern:Garter Yoke Baby Cardi by Jennifer Hoel Yarn: 0 skeins = 0.0 yards (0.0m) Colorway pink Cascade Yarns 220 Wool 1 skeins = 220.0 yards (201.2m)   Colorway garnet

Today, a friend was taking home a new spritz gun from a Pampered Chef order and there was a discussion about spritz cookies. These cookies are the only spritz cookies I bake. It is a recipe that my mom used to make. She used lime jello, with the holly stencil, and put a red hot at the bottom. She also used red jello, with the flower stencil, and sprinkled red sugar on the top. Enjoy! Jello Spritz Cookies 4 cups flour 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 1/2 cups margarine 1 cup sugar 1 package (3 oz) jello 1 teaspoon vanilla 1 egg Cream butter, sugar, jello. Add egg, vanilla then flour and baking powder. Run through the spritz gun. Bake on ungreased pan, 350 degrees for 8 minutes.

What a great weekend! We arrived in Missoula about noon and the weather was great, crisp but no snow on the horizon. We made a quick stop at the bookstore to pick up anything Griz related that we hadn't bought on previous trips, and then on to our seats in the stadium. The game started at 2pm and we were ready! Monte, Mo and the team came out and the game began.       The  temperature began to drop...and at half time there were snowflakes in the air.       By third quarter the snow shovels were out! I understand that ESPN were impressed with the Griz nation, 30 below windchill and all 24,000 fans remained in the stadium cheering the Griz to victory.     The fans rocked the stadium! Cheers echoed through Missoula! Griz 24 - Mountaineers 17 Steve and Patrick had a great time!  The next morning there was six inches of powder on the ground and we were thinking that it would be a difficult trip home, it was for the first sevent...

Several years ago, son-in-law Troy gave me some "Underarmor" - winter underwear - for Christmas. Now, being from ND I knew he was on to something! It's great - keeps you warm even on the coldest days! It's been below zero this week and is supposed to be in the 20's today for the game - snow tonight and tomorrow.  I have all my warm gear packed for the trip up to Missoula for the football semifinals. Thanks a bunch for thinking of me Troy! I'll keep you posted on the game.

I have knit the grandchildren many things, but this blanket is "The Tiger's" favorite. It is a copy of a baby blanket my son-in-law had as a baby knit by "Aunt Polly". She was a little old English lady and a dear friend of his family. I spent several years looking for the pattern. It is a circular blanket with lots of yarn overs. Finally, I had to just sit with the old baby blanket in front of me and knit it stitch for stitch. All the kiddos liked the blanket but only "The Tiger" LOVES IT! This is his second Blue, and his mother has told him to take care of it, because it's the last Blue he'll ever have....well Tiger, just talk to "She Gramma", she'd do anything for you. Thanksgiving 2009

Today Sarah Palin is visiting - thank you very much Sarah P. for bringing this Alaskan Icebox along with you to our fair city! She is here to do a book signing for her book, Going Rogue . Hubby and I thought that perhaps one of us should go to the bookstore for an autograph, not for anyone in this household but for granddaughter Sadie. During the presidential election, Sarah Palin made several interesting statements but it is the one that Sadie remembers that tickles us the most. While waiting in line at the grocery store Sadie pointed to a magazine at the checkout stand and told her mother, "That's Sarah Palin, she can see Russia from her front porch." If only Sarah P. would have added that quote for Sadie Lou, along with her autograph, we would have been there with jingle bells on!

Last week in Montana the thermometer was hitting the 50's on a daily basis but this week we have dropped down into the single digits. I'm glad that we did our traveling to North Dakota last week, because no matter how cold it is here, it's ALWAYS colder in North Dakota! Hubby set out early this morning for the UM Griz vs. Stephen F. Austin game - quarterfinals. I begged off and watched from the comfort of the couch. It was outstanding: Word of the day Turnovers! (10 total) Griz 51 - Lumberjacks 0 On to the Semi-finals next Saturday, don't think I'll be missing it! Even with the cold weather I'm toasty with my new hand knit sweater..... I've been doing a lot of knitting and only picking this sweater up at odd times at home. It took me four months to complete. I'm glad to be done! I had planned on wearing it all fall for a jacket. I like the sweater but do wish it was a bit smaller. A good wash and pop into the dryer may be in order! It is a nice toasty w...

I was putting out Christmas decorations today and hung up the plate that I always do at this time of year. The plate was given to me by an aunt and is from my father's mother's family. They were German and I wanted to think that it came over from Germany with them in 1852. However, with the luxury of the internet, I found out this evening that it was made by a company in business from 1898 - 1902. The business was called J & C Bavaria. Jaeger started this company with Fritz Thomas but the partnership only lasted a few years. Even if the plate wasn't brought over from the old country by my family, it is still over 100 years old and I love it!

We traveled to North Dakota and had a great Thanksgiving weekend, just doing what we like to do...hanging out with family! We watched football Saturday...Quarterfinals for the Montana Grizzlies.Troy was able to hook everything up so that we could watch in the warmth of their new home. Griz played the South Dakota Jackrabbits. They began down one touchdown, Griz down two touchdowns, Griz down three touchdowns, Griz down four touchdowns, last quarter...... PRICELESS! Griz 61 Jackrabbits 48. Sunday's schedule was a Viking game, son-in-law ended up very happy! Ladies watched the Vikings a little and knit. Kiddos were downstairs watching TV... We ate, played cards, and put a puzzle together. Good times!

This weekend we had a wonderful time in North Dakota at Sarah and Troy's new home. It's lovely and seems to have been made for them, even though that was about 80 years ago. Or perhaps they were made for the house! As we walked in, it was instantly home. Sarah and Troy had a perfectly nice house that they loved. Frankly, I thought that Sarah would never be pried from the old one, that is until they saw this house. Everything literally fell together and they were destined for this new home. It is like their old farm house but bigger, warmer and sturdier. We love it. Over the weekend while we were putting puzzles together, it was easy to imagine we were at my grandmother's home in Boulder Colorado. When I was growing up, my mother shared with me that often on a Sunday afternoon she would have friends over and they would put puzzles together or play board games. Her mother would make peanut butter fudge and pop popcorn for them to eat. Mom would make the same Sunday treat ...