jtracy

I really hope one of you ladies will have this recipe, I havent been able to find it online anywhere. A few years ago at a church dinner for christmas one of the ladies brought a cranberry cake , it was very thin layers of sweetened cranberries, then whipped cream, then graham crackers, in about 12 layers. I know it sounds very simple, but for some reason I CANT get it to come out right, lol I think she put something in the cranberries, but the lady has since passed away, and noone else knows how she made it. if anyone can help I would really appreciate it.

Unikemom, this is actually the fudge recipe my family has used for ever. I adore it, the fudge is really really rich, and extremely creamy! thanks for sharing this, You reminded me to go make some fudge for Christmas!

Thank you so much for your caring. This death has been a mixed thing for me. I loved my uncle dearly, he was the youngest brother of my father, and not that much older then me. We used to hang out all the time, while I was stationed in Ft Lewis Wa he and his wife lived in the Seattle area, so they would come over all the time. It was very very sad for me to have to say good bye. It was also hard because I had to deal with family members that I absolutely detest, and want nothing to do with. My father had 5 brothers and two sisters. My aunts are wonderful women, who I would do anything for, very caring and loving. My uncles on the other hand, I have childhood memories of one uncle sitting outside our home in a drunken rage, with a hunting rifle waiting for one of us to come out. Needless to say he isnt one of the near and dear to me. Another uncle was and still is a man I want nothing to do with. When i was younger he would make sexual comments to me, and attempt to touch. He never got far, but just thinking of him now gives me creepy feelings. I had to interact with both of these uncles at the wake and funeral. It was very hard for me, trying to deal with the emotional loss of one uncle I cared about, and at the same time feeling as if I wished it was the other two uncles who were there. Very unforgiving of me, and I dont like that in myself, but thats how I feel. I've spent a lot of time in prayer lately, trying to come to terms with my fathers family and my issues with them. Hopefully Soon, I can let go of the anger and fear, and just greive for the uncle I loved.

Sorry to vent like this, but I'm so glad you all are here so that I can, and I know you will all be supportive. Thank you so much.

Bigskymommy

I'm here, i'm here, and once again I'm sorry, the day i posted my last message i got a call from my grandmother, my uncle was in a terrible car accident and passed away the morning of the 15th. I've been dealing with my family, and everything else totally slipped my mind. I got home yesterday from the funeral, and almost cried when I saw the ornaments still sitting on my desk. I apologise to you all. They were placed in the mailbox today, you should be getting them by early next week, depending on how the mail goes with Thanksgiving and all.

So very sorry

Bigskymommy

I'm so sorry ladies, I havent been online much at all with the new job I got, and have been SO busy, I have all my ornaments finished, and they will be in the mail tomorrow, please forgive me for not making the deadline

bigskymommy

Caveman, I was just wondering what you thought of Hijackthis, I use it on my mothers computer, she's a wonderful lady who CONSTANTLY goes to sites that have browser hijackers lol. I've found it to be fairly easy for me to use, but I'm pretty experienced with computers. It's not something I personally would recommend for a new user, or one who was unsure of editting the reg, but if an advanced user was backing someone up, I think it would be a fairly good program for getting rid of her hijacking problems. I've set my moms computer up with Spybot S&D, hijackthis, AVG, and winxps basic firewall, now unless she really gets silly in her browsing, I usually only have to do routine maintence for her.

Good Morning everyone!

Today looks to be a bright beautiful fall day, crisp and clear, and slightly chilly this morning but warming up this afternoon. I'll be stuck indoors again today though

Yay!

hehe I'm sorry! lol I truly am NOT usually this far ahead, I'll be honest, for the last 4 years, like four days before christmas I'm

I got my first one done! getting a jump start on it, since I'm notoriously horrid with deadlines and usually have to rush at the last minute! I cant wait to get ornaments from everyone who joined, I'm as excited as a kid for this christmas to come! btw, LOL come november and we all have them sent out and recieved, remind me to tell you the story of my "practice" ornament!

to you and your family that things can be worked out so that you feel safe, your marriage grows stronger from this, and sd gets the help she needs.

Good Morning everyone!excuse me while I try to down my 1st cuppa

Buttercup, I used to raise rats myself, and from my experience, there is a HUGE difference between wild rats and those classified as pet rats. I've seen the wild rats (shudder) the ugly brown or black ones, and they are to me very scary to look at, but the rats I bred were a beautiful creamy peach color, and they were very loving. They enjoyed sitting on my shuolder with thier tail wrapped around my neck and just watching whatever I did. One would even take her paw and stroke my hair as she sat there.

As for farm animals that I would raise, I'm not really sure. My grandmother had a huge chicken farm as I was growing up, and i personally cant stand the little things now lol I still have scars from a mean ol banty rooster and his viscious wives who would act more like roosters then laying hens I think I would like a milk cow, and a few horses, a couple of pigs, and some ducks.

13. Puffy eyes - Preparation H

I've heard this one before, but in all honesty, I think I'd rather have the puffy eyes lol. It's not vanity, it's that I cant handle the thought of putting uhm....scuse my language here, but butt cream, on my eyes, all day long I think I'd be thinking about the fact that something I used a LOT of on my bottom while pregnant is now on my face hehe

YAY! Wonderful news!

Unikemom, sounds like youre prepared, thats great, take care, and heres a few that Ivan decides he just wants to lay down and take a nap till he fades away! Take care, and stay safe!

hehehehe I had no clue about that one, and was so tired last night all I could think of when i saw T in the BP was toilets in the big potty I think I have potty on the brain since I'm training DS#3 atm lol

Hmmmmmmmmm we need a little scratching the head thinking emoticon cause thats exactly what i was doing after i saw this post HappyGirl, this was a fun little break from studying!

for you. I know how scary surgery of a loved one can be. My thoughts are with your family.

Isnt think outside the bun for KFC? either KFC or Taco Bell, lol I cant remember which, but I guess it doesnt matter, the nearest fast food place to me other then mcdonalds subway and hardees is about 90 miles away. and then that 90 mile drive is the worst!

I've been a penny pincher for a long time, so when it comes to christmas my gift beliefs fit right in with that. I would much rather give gifts from the heart, usually something I've made, and this year, I found the perfect gift idea. While making my marathon jelly (lol I've put up 48 pints SO FAR with more left to do) I had some apple juice that I wanted to make up. while on a search for the perfect apple jelly recipe I came across this one Candy Apple Jelly. it's pretty simple, and smells looks and TASTES delicious. Everyone on my list this year will be getting a jar of jelly, and a small jar of biscuit mix that all they have to add is water, along with recipe cards with the directions for everything. For those of you interested, heres the recipe for the jelly. I'll post the biscuit mix later as I have another batch of jelly in a water bath atm lol.

Candy Apple Jelly

7 cups apple juice

1 cup red cinnamon candies

8 cups granulated sugar

1 box Sure Jell Fruit Pectin

1/2 teaspoon butter or margarine

Measure apple juice and cinnamon candies into 6 or 8-quart saucepan.

Prepare jars by placing jars on a rack in a canner or large sauce pot of boiling water. The water should cover the jars by 1 to 2 inches. Cover the canner and bring water to a boil; boil 10 minutes. Remove the jars from the canner. Let jars stand to cool. Check seals.

Measure sugar into separate bowl. Stir fruit pectin into fruit juice in saucepan. Add butter. Bring mixture to full rolling boil on high heat, stirring constantly. Quickly stir in all sugar. Return to full rolling boil and boil exactly 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Skim off any foam with metal spoon.

Ladle quickly into prepared jars, filling to within 1/8 inch of tops. Wipe jar rims and threads. Cover with two-piece lids. Seal and put into a boiling water bath for 10 minutes.

I've never given jellys of gifts in a jar before, so if anyone has any ideas for how to decorate the tops, please help!

Well, I made some of my jelly last night, and boy do I have a tale to tell about it this morning lol. A little background first, I'm staying at my mothers house for a few weeks until everything gets turned back on at my home, we spent the summer in boston, so I had it all turned off when we left.

JennyB, this is the recipe my family has used for blackberry jam for as long as I can remember. it calls for Certo pectin, but as far as I know any powdered pectin should work.

Ingredients

4 c prepared fruit

7 c sugar measured into a seperate bowl

1/2 tsp butter or margarine (optional, it reduces the foam)

1 pouch certo dry fruit pectin

Bring canner half full of water to a simmer, wash jelly jars in hot soapy water, rinse, and let sit in the simmering canner until ready to use. Drain well before filling.

Crush blackberries thoroughly (easier if done about 1 c at a time), strain half through a sieve if desired. Measure exactly 4 C prepared fruit into a 8 qt saucepan (I use a liquid measuring cup for the fruit)

Stir the sugar into the fruit, add the butter if desired, and bring to a full rolling boil, stirring CONSTANTLY (rolling boil means when you stir it it still boils, you cant stir it down) Stir in the pectin, return to a full rolling boil and boil exactly 1 minute again stirring constantly. Remove from heat, skim off any foam that forms, and ladle immediately into hot jars filling to 1/8th inch of tops of jars. wipe the rim and threads of the jars clean, cover with two piece lids, tighten rings tightly, and put in hot water bath. Cover the hot water bath, bring to a gentle boil, and process for 10 minute. remove jars and put on a towel until cool. check lids after cooling to make sure of sealing.

I can try to put those into metric measurements if you need, but I'm not really great at that, maybe someone else on the boards is better then I am. also, there are altitude conversions for the water bath, if youre over 1000 ft above sea level and want them let me know. Hope this helps, I LOVE blackberry jam!

Good luck!!!

Yay! thanks so much!