I can't help myself!

Sorry I can't help myself....

I'm ordering from a local source this year.

Maybe you guys should check these guys out!

Have a Blessed Day!

Lisa

Young Entrepreneur

After much begging, promising, negotiations and pleading.

We have come to an agreement.

Jamie is starting his own business.

Rabbits.

Hmmm.....wasn't it a few years ago I said I would never, ever, EVER get rabbits again?!

Well never say never.

I think at this time he's older and more mature than he was when he first tried it.

Well for one thing, these are meat rabbits and now that he's become the "great white hunter", he won't mind turning cute little bunnies into rabbit stew.

That was the big issue the first time.

It shouldn't be an issue this time.

I hope.

We'll have to wait and see.

But we're really proud of him.

It's been two weeks and he's really taking care of them.

He got a buck and two does and until the business takes off, he's promised

 to only breed one doe at a time.

I don't want to be overrun by rabbits.

He actually saved his money to start this venture. 

We only had to invest a little bit.

It's nice to see him have some initiative to do something.

Most teens his age stay inside and play video games.

So we'll have to wait and see.

We'll keep you informed.

And if you know someone that wants a rabbit, 

send them our way!

Have a Blessed Day

Lisa

Vampires need not apply.

Ok, we like garlic, well really we love garlic.

I started with 3 bulbs a friend gave me 4 years ago.

This fall I decided I was going to expand.

I just used to plant a 5 X 5 bed.

This fall I planted a 5 X 12 bed!

Then I planted the 5 X 5 bed.

I have a problem...

By the time I was done I had planted 

over 140 cloves of garlic.

So that means if they all grow I'll be getting over 140 bulbs of garlic!!

Ack.

Oh well, we'll be safe from vampires.

Have a Blessed Day

Lisa

Slow Cooker Granola Recipe

I've noticed that I've mentioned it before, but I've never posted my slow cooker granola recipe.

I've tried granola recipes before that you bake in the oven.

But the problem with those is that I usually end up burning them.

Then one day a friend of mine mentioned she had a recipe that was easy to make.

I must admit she was right.

So here's the almost (I did burn it once)foolproof 

slow cooker granola recipe!

Ingredients

5 cups rolled oats (the old fashioned kind)

1 cup sliced almonds

3/4 cup sweetened dried cranberries

3/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut

1/2 cup chopped dates or raisins

1/2 cup sesame seeds

2/3 cup maple syrup

1/4 cup corn oil

1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

pinch of salt

Combine everything in a lightly oiled slow cooker and stir.

Cook on high uncovered for 1.5 hours

Stir occasionally

Reduce heat to low and cook for another 2 hours. Stir occasionally.

Use within 2 weeks.

It fills a 4qt slow cooker.

The ingredients aren't written in stone.

I never use coconut or raisins anymore.

Last batch I used dry, roasted, unsalted peanuts.

I also dried blueberries, pumpkin seeds, hemp, flax and chia seeds.

And Voila! a nutritious breakfast for the next two weeks.

I also use in on top of yogurt, ice cream...the possibilities are endless!

I tried adding this to my website but I cannot figure it out for the life of me!

My last helper had written step by step instructions on how to do it and I think the website people changed the format on me...again.

grrrrr....

Oh well...

Have a Blessed Evening

Lisa

Santa's coming to town!

Last year we decided to visit Dave's parents at Tideview Terrace where they are staying.

We also decided to have fun with it.

Read about it here

We only had enough stuffed toys to do the two houses his parents are in.

But the residents enjoyed it so much, we were determined to find enough stuffed toys for everyone this year. That meant 90 stuffed toys and 90 stuffed toys to wrap also.

So I've been collecting stuffed toys all year long.

I'd go to thrift stores and buy some. My mom would go and find some also.

By the end, I was missing a dozen or so.

So I put an ad on Facebook and got a whole bunch there also.

By the time I was done I had more than enough.

(But there's always next year ;) )

We were going to bring Emilie the elf like we had done last year.

But I couldn't find her new costume I had bought for her anywhere!

I had even written on the calendar where I had put it, so this year I'd know where it was.

But it was gone....we didn't need it anyway. Emilie passed away a week before the event.

So after I had wrapped 100 gifts (just in case some young children were there visiting their grandparents) Santa and I hopped in his trusty sleigh (GMC Sierra) and off we went.

This is what 100 gifts and a Santa suit looks like

Santa had also had surgery 3 weeks before the visit and couldn't lift anything more than 5 pounds.

So guess who lugged the bags?

I'm telling you...it's not cold in those places. By the time we were done, 

I was sweating, I mean glowing, profusely. 

Santa was soaking wet!!

But everyone had an awesome time.

Because of privacy issues, I can't put up pictures of the residents. So I'm posting some of Santa's parents and a friend of the family.

It's so much fun seeing the smiles on their faces. It's worth all the glowing and work we have to do before hand.  Next year we'll hopefully be able to bring Simonne as the elf since some of the residents love the animal connection as much as the Santa visit.

I hope ya'll had an awesome Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Have a Blessed Day

Lisa