Starting the new year with good and bad

So today, we were supposed to go to Dan’s mom & her husband’s house (Lois and Harry) for their annual New Year’s Day open house. The three of us were supposed to go, but as I woke up, I got a sinus headache and was getting so grumpy.

Dan ended up going alone and taking Theo.  I ended up taking like 3 naps and still not feeling 100%. My head still feels full.

Theo did well at grandma & grandpa’s house - even with a full house.  Dan did say that he get a little testy at the end when people were leaving and he was ready to go.  He was grabbed/trying to stop him and I guess he tried to nip someone.

I ended up talking to my brother, Brett, for awhile, and just watching tv.

We got our annual stocking from Lois and Harry full of goodies - fruit, cookies, candies, little stuff, and lottery tickets.  We always have fun with the lottery tickets - even more fun that we actually won $130!!!

So, 2018 is starting out as a turn of luck! Let’s see what happens when the lottery numbers are pulled on Wednesday!  We purchased a couple of tickets since no one has won in awhile and the jackpot is BIG!

Our Christmas Eve

Christmas Eve day is full of cooking, an early dinner, and opening presents.

We always start out day with making knots and zeppole (or at least what we call zeppole).  Our fryer was done last year. We got it as a wedding gift (I think), so it was like 20 years old.  It was getting so hot and the temperature gauge did not work.

Early this year, we purchased an air fryer.  It works ok with certain things - like French fries and a couple of recipes that are made for it, but today, we really wanted it to work for knots and zeppole.

We had two fails.

The first was using gluten free flour for the knots.  It did NOT work well two fold.  First the flour isn’t the same consistency as regular flour when it comes to making the dough for the knots.  It took awhile to be able to make knots.  Next fail was the air fryer.  It didn’t work at all.  I put little balls of dough in it to try it out and put the time to the same as doughnuts.  They were cooked, but it tasted bland.  It tasted a little better with the cinnamon-sugar on it, but still didn’t taste the same.

So to the back up plan.  Old school oil heated up in a pan.  Then they came out a little better.  They cooked better, browned, and then added the cinnamon-sugar.  Success.

The rest of dinner went well - the zeppole went well, the spaghetti and the oranges.

Presents went well.  Theo has a wonderful first Christmas.  He loved all of his presents - 3 toys and a bunch of treats.

Dan got candy and 2 TV seasons of a show he wanted - Ash vs Evil Dead, plus I got him some Star Wars sleepwear. He got me a Shar-Pei book that I wanted and a window cling that says I love my Shar-Pei, along with a bracelet, a scarf/wrap and some candy canes, fruit and peanuts.

Tomorrow will be cinnamon rolls for breakfast and Chinese for lunch!

Lazy Sunday

Actually, not a lazy Sunday since we got some thing around the house.  Dan finished up the holiday decorations outside and I finished decorating the tree.

I haven’t felt too well - obviously the sore throat was sinuses because now I am coughing and nauseous from the coughing.  I’m not sleeping well because I’ll be asleep and all of the sudden I start coughing.

I was able to have a little photo shoot with Theo in front of the Christmas tree.🎄  So that was fun.  I can’t get over how well he does with putting stuff on (a bow, and a Santa suit).  Esa never liked to put on stuff.  She was ok with the collars, but that was it.

Catching up again....

Man, I’ve been terrible at trying to get this blog thing going again! So here I am, trying to catch up again. I now have a keyboard for my iPad so hopefully, I’ll be a little better.

Today and yesterday have been lazy days.  Yesterday, I felt sick with a sore throat (that’s been around since Tuesday), so just did some online shopping. Today, we went out to lunch and to Walgreens and then started with the holiday decorations.

Thanksgiving, Dan’s family came over (his mom, and her husband Harry, and his sister Donna and her husband Bill). It was the first meeting between Donna, Bill and Theo.  Theo did so well with everything - the cooking, the people, the food sitting around, etc.

Before everyone came over, we watch the National Dog Show presented by Purina on TV.  Of course, I was looking fo the Shar Pei - I was shocked to see that the handler was the breeder that I know!

Theo's first Halloweeen

Every year, it seems like we get more and more kids.  We are on a PRIME street/neighborhood.  This year, we bought a whole (reusable) grocery bag FULL of candy - so probably like 20 bags of candy (and only spent like $25 because of coupons).

We always bring the pups out - along with their outfits.  Esa had collars and then Z had costumes and a Halloween sweater.  They always did well.  They loved seeing everyone and of course, didn't want to be left inside.

2 of Esa's collars

Theo's bandana - we picked this up at Barktoberfest

We really weren't sure how Theo would do, but definitely knew we needed to keep training him on meeting people and not reacting.

Dan held him the whole night and I handed out candy.  Theo did pretty well unless there were just so many kids/people that he was just overwhelmed.  Or the kids were running. Overall, I thought he did well especially since it was all so new to him. 

Can I have some candy? How about a treat?

He got some pets and was good with those people.  Although, sometimes he did jump at them (and bark/growl) as they were moving away from him - that was only a couple of times.

The teenagers were the ones that came up and petted him.  One teenage guy even came over and said, I just want to pet your dog.

Obviously, we tired him out last night because this morning, I woke up before him and it still took him a few minutes to get out of the chair and go outside.  Then he came back in and laid back down.

Oh, and I bet you anything, we were the only house that handed out dog treats for the dogs who came by too.

Adventures - Christmas Eve & Christmas

So we always celebrate on Christmas Eve and we prepare all of the Italian dishes from my family.

Orange Salad

Zeppole

Sous Chef watching over making knots

After dinner we opened up stockings.  We just did stockings this year, but hubby buy me more than just stocking stuffers.  He got a big present before Christmas.  Z was really excited for the stockings - his and both of ours.

We always have extra frozen bread dough, so a couple of years ago, we started making cinnamon rolls for Christmas morning.

When my aunt Helen was in the nursing home, we started ordering Chinese on Christmas Day.
We've continued that tradition since she passed away.

We hope your day was good!

Adventures for the week - December 20

So I really want to start getting more active on here.  I usually post to Instagram which is linked to Facebook for Daily Zed.

Tuesday, we went to see the lights around the neighborhood and then to Leesburg, Va where there is a house that has lights and music.  They also do this at Halloween time. - Edwards Landing Lights.  We decided that since we would probably just be in the car to bring Z.  He doesn't mind the car at all.  
He kind of freaked out because he slid off of the seat and we decided to just bring him up front.  He just FROZE.  Dan was like "maybe he thinks we are dropping him off."  Once he was upfront on my lap, he was fine.  We drove around then headed up to Leesburg.  We didn't know how big of an event it was going to be.  There were people hanging out all over.  We parked and luckily we had his leash with us.

The Daily Zed: Valentine's Day!

I woke up to a surprise this morning.  I didn't expect anything from Dan. It was a nice surprise since today is a rough day for both of us.

I was planning on making a card for Dan yesterday, but he was home from work.  I  planned on doing Zed's paw print. 

I got all set with a towel on the floor, paper, ink, and wipes.  Zed came over and rolled on his back.  It didn't work trying it that way. Then with him sitting up which worked out well.

First couple of tries.  

The final one.  Zed was so patient with me pressing his paw down a couple of times.  Never mind cleaning his paw afterwards!

And the final product - 

The Daily Zed: Christmas Cookies

Aaww- someone is trying to get into the Christmas cookies!

The Daily Zed: Christmas Day

Merry Christmas from Our House to Yours!

The Daily Zed: Christmas Eve

"I know there's a present under here for me...."

 

Adventures: Gingerbread House Party

Last night our neighbors, +Stephanie Segall  & +Daniel Segall, had a Gingerbread House decorating party.

This was the first time I had ever decorated a gingerbread house.  I had picked up a kit from ACMoore on sale for $6.99 (and then of course they were cheaper the next week!) and a couple of light up necklaces.

First up, trying to figure out what piece was what - yes, I had to read the directions!  Obviously, I didn't read the frosting directions very well, because I ended up with frosting coming out of the back end of the frosting bag & had it all over me by the end of the night! 

The first gluing/caulking job went well, until the roof was put on - then the whole thing collapsed!  Second try, went better.  I carefully put the roof on and held it for awhile.  After that, I let it sit until after we had dinner.

Next was decorating. I went for a red & white theme.  I used the red glitter frosting that we brought and some candies.

Well, the peppermint that I used, didn't stick and slid down, then when I was trying to put the necklace lights on it, I kept bumping against the frosting.  The biggest issue - when I put in one of the toothpicks to hold the lights, the wall started to collapse in. 

Anyway - not bad for the first time!

back of the house

front of the house (notice the bleeding red down the side)

one of the sides

the other side

Adventures: Halloween

We have a TON of kids in our neighborhood.  Every year it seems like we have more and more kids.  We always have over 50 kids stop by and this year was no different.  Trick or Treating usually lasts about 2 hours - from 6 pm to 8 pm.  After a couple of times alone for halloween, I asked Dan to be home (he's usually working).  It's no fun sitting outside waiting for kids by yourself!  And hard to hand out candy and watch the dogs at the same time.

Due to the storm this week, we didn't put halloween decorations out.  Dan was home yesterday, so in the afternoon, he put the decorations out. 

 

He also carved one pumpkin and put decorations on another.  The carve one started out as the Capitals logo, but he had a hard time with it, so they became eyes.  I bet you wouldn't have even guessed that if I didn't tell you!

Pups weren't too happy with the costumes.  Zed will do anything, so he was ok with the gnome costume.  He just didn't like it covering his ears.  Esa didn't really care about the bells on the collar nevermind about even having it on!  Most of the evening, she had her tail between her legs.

Our neighbor had a new smoke machine that he was using.  Come to find out, Esa was not happy with that machine - she was totally afraid of the smoke.

As usual, Zed started to shiver.  So I brought a blanket out and he was all about that.  I put the blanket on my lap and he climbed right on it & I wrapped him up.  Esa got tired after about an hour, and ended up laying down.

All in all, a good night.  Zed went crazy a couple of times with some of the other neighborhood dogs coming by, but was fine with all of the kids and them petting him.  Esa loved all of the attention.  Luckily, she loves kids & doesn't mind them all over her.