Treasures From Kansas City, Sugarplums and a Cozy Fireplace.....It's a Week Before Christmas!

 We started our December Saturday just a week before Christmmas sitting in front of the warm fireplace, one of the few cold enough mornings to do this so far this season.

Good coffee and my Quiet Time.....before Louis Dean got up.

We have been reading through the Bible and are nearing the end of the New Testament.

In our out loud reading, we have only a couple of chapters left in The Little Shepherd of Kingdom Come by John Fox, Jr. I do believe this is the BEST book we have read all year!

Shhhhhh......I have researched the author - born in 1862 and died in 1919 - and have ordered a few of his most popular books as a Christmas present for Louis Dean. 

I was expecting several deliveries from Amazon today - which did arrive later this afternoon - when I brought in a big box from Fed Ex. It was from my Kansas City Siblings and was FULL of treasures.

They had custom shirts made just for me!

And copies of old family photos so I can see what my dad looked like in different stages of his life.

He's pictured here both alone and with his wife and children and this gives me a 'picture' of the man he was - along with all the wonderful stories my brother has told me and the things my sister has said.

This is the first Christmas that I have known who my earthly father was and the first to have this new and precious relationship with Rita and Buster and Anna Marie - my brother's fiancee.

I am so blessed that they have embraced me into the family and not me only, but Nita and Mike and I am looking forward to when ALL my siblings meet one another. 

Deanie has long encouraged me to look for my father but I thought it was hopeless without knowing a name. When I did the DNA testing through 23 and me - because Nita and her daughter, Leah, did it......I could not have been more surprised to find a sister and brother listed in my family tree!!

Long story short - Nita and Mike took me to Kansas City to meet my new siblings and it was like a dream come true to find my paternal family.

I couldn't wait to put my shirt on!!

Thank you, Buster, Anna Marie and Rita!!

Looking forward to seeing yall in 2022!

I've been busy doing laundry all day long - non stop!

We brought everything that was washable home with us and will take it all back clean and fresh.

My order from Grandpa Gus arrived today and I intend to buy some essential oils - mint and cinnamon to go with all the other deterrents we are implementing.

I feel sure our Mice Adventure is nearly over.

The reason they showed up in such force was most probably because of all the plumbing work Louis Dean did after that Arctic freeze in getting water back in the camper and the toilet working.

He's gone back and filled in all the openings he had left undone in his hurry to get WATER going again.

I've started my preparations for Christmas Eve.

This evening I made a batch of caramels - enough for the family and some boxed up for gifts to friends and neighbors.

Next up was the Sugarplums.

I do believe I have made these every single year since - WHAT??

Maybe 1969 and for sure 1970!

I found this image on Pintrest and I had this recipe book way back then!

But, alas, I cannot find MY recipe anywhere online.

I am so glad I wrote it down in an old fashioned themed notebook where I wrote so many recipes.

I still have the original one I wrote out - but I can't seem to lay my hands on it tonight.

I typed this copy in 1971 while I was at work!

The ONE year I worked at an answering service for my mother.

She was in charge of WUITAS.

That being Western Union InternationalTelephone Answering Service.

The other side of the card list the prior dates.

So the sugarplum dough is ready and waiting in the fridge until time to roll it iup in balls and then roll the balls in sprinkles and colored sugars.

We're watching the 1999 version of A Christmas Carol as I write this journal entry tonight.

Now there's only 5 days until Christmas Eve!!!