Jared's birthday

My mom happened to be here for Jared's birthday.  His favorite cake is Angel Food.  I contemplated buying a cake at the supermarket but thought that it was too expensive for something so simple, not even decorated, and the fact that I could make one.  It seemed a little daunting but I had the recipe and the right baking pan for it.  Besides, with all the eggs we were getting from our hens I figured we would have plenty to whip something up.  So we commenced to make the cake while my love was off at work.  It turned out fabulous especially after we added whipped cream and strawberries (his favorite fruit).  Just looking at the picture makes me salivate.  

THE ultimate birthday cake

Christmas 2011

My mom and I

 My mom came to visit for Christmas and stayed about 10 days.  We were able to attend the San Antonio Temple, and then on the way home stopped in Johnson City and Marble Falls to see all the Christmas lights.  In Johnson City, at the Pedernales Corporate Building(our electric coop company), they string all the trees with white lights out front.  The pictures show all the detail and beauty.  We knew about these lights but just happened upon the ones in Marble Falls.  That was an actual path they had set up to walk around and watch.  My mom loves to stop and see all the lights.  It kind of is a tradition in my family.  As a child, my grandma's neighborhood had neighbors that had a bigger and better "competition"(so it appeared) every year.  Out of all the lights we would go see, we always had to stop by the two houses on that street.
Another place we stopped was a neighborhood about 20 minutes from our house that had light blinking coordinated with Christmas music playing on a set radio station.  Cool, creative, time consuming. 
One thing she was not here for was Main Street Bethlehem in Burnet.  We have yet to brave the cold to see that.  We have heard nothing but good things about that.  Perhaps next year.

Jare and I

Mom and I in Marble Falls

Finishing touches

 So one of our neighbors had some previous experience sheetrocking and mudding walls.  We had him help out and he did a great job.  You can see the ceiling is all up just needing tape and mud. The walls were still going up.  A few days later, the middle picture was the result  Walls were cut to install the doors and install electrical outlets and such.  It was all coming together as their time here was winding up.   Mudding and such was completed within the next week or so. 
In December, we installed carpet to both rooms a matter of a day or so before my mother flew in for Christmas.  We also put up blinds in all three windows.  The kid's room now has curtains and all the furniture we should need!  Hurray!

Is this satisfactory?

Needing some electrical covers and mudding

Thanksgiving Turkey

Jared loves to make a brine every year for our turkey.  This year we had access to our bishop's turkey fryer so we soaked our bird along with our neighbors.  Due to the number of birds and size, there was not room enough in our fridge.   That night the outdoors was going to be plenty cold to keep the turkeys, so we put them out there in pots of brine with lids.  In order to ensure that raccoons would not get them Jared put weights on the them along with heavy rocks.  They survived the night just fine for our frying the next day, and they were oh so yummy and moist!  Contrary to what I used to believe, they are actually not high in fat because of the flash point.  The other plus is that your oven is not occupied for half the day cooking your turkey and having to baste every hour or so. 

What happened to the garage?!

Cleared out and prepping

 Jared and I decided awhile back that we needed some help to transform our long, single-car garage into bedrooms, and we knew just the man who could do it - my dad.  We logged in online and bought 2 round-trip tickets for my father and stepmother to Austin for November, and arranged for them to stay just in time for Thanksgiving too.  The next day while Jared was off to work, we began to feverishly clear out the rest of the garage that Jared and I didn't get to.   These pictures show some of what we got done the second day on the job.  It was mainly focused on getting the outer framework in.

Support and frame for window

Framing of windows and wall

The garage - Days Three and Four

Enclosed old window, wall, and installed windows

Some more pictures of the process.   It literally took the majority of the time my dad and stepmom were here to get everything up, framed in and form rooms along with the electrical work put in.  I am sure they were sad yet kind of glad to go.  I was truly hoping that they would be able to relax a little while they visited.  I think the only day we really relaxed a bit was on Thanksgiving Day.
Once we were able to finish these things, the division for the rooms was able to be made, the beams went up along with the enclosing and insulation.  It was so exciting to have an extra two rooms, and one specifically for our future child or children.  To assist with holding up the sheetrock, Jared used some empty paintcans as height extensions with the help of a little duck tape wrapped around the cans and his shoes.  Eventually, we made some T's out of 2x4's to hold up the sheetrock while it was being screwed in.  Linda and I did the holding.                                                                  

Insulation went up

Jared striking a pose on his makeshift stilts

Pavuchni Mavpa

Taking a nap

In October, my dear cat, Kitty passed away.   We really don't know what caused her death other than her liver not working properly.   The vet really was not much help as to tell me what was wrong.  Eight hundred bucks later we brought her home to mend or pass so she chose the latter.  I knew she was in pain and had to come to terms with myself that she wanted to go so I told she could go and I would be alright.  I grieved for awhile as well as did our other cat, Hallie.  They were best friends.  I know this all may sound silly to some but pets have a way of working their little hearts into yours and become like a family member hence my grief.
A month later, Jared decided we needed another cat to keep Hallie company and perhaps this time would actually 'love' him (cats tend to attach themselves to the primary caregiver which happens to be me).  We paid a visit to the Central Texas SPCA and took a little look around.  I immediately went to go play with the little kittens.  Jared's eye was drawn to a Siamese tabby mix.  Marcel was about 5 1/2 months old and still very playful.  After vicious attacks of play, I had had enough of those kittens so I went over to see Marcel.  He had a very lovable disposition.  We figured an older cat would be better than a kitten that tend to be a bit more demanding and besides the fact that the adoption rate for a kitten is much higher than the older ones.  We agreed on him and applied to adopt.  Within a few days after he had finished his series of shots, we were able to bring him home.  Hallie was not very receptive to the newcomer, but she finally took to him.  He and the dog actually seemed to get along.  We renamed him Pavuchni Mavpa (Ukrainian for Spider Monkey) after he climbed the backyard tree, for the way he clung to us when being held, and for his coloring.  We call him Pavuk for short.  He is our official family cat (Hallie is known as my cat).   
  

Tuckered out after playing