Twelve for 12-12-12...

I'm sure that someone else has already thought of this idea BUT I figured I'd do it anyway to commemorate the day since this is the last one we'll see in our lifetime. Here we go...

1- One White Christmas so far in my lifetime. Actually, when we had snow on Christmas Day two years ago it was the first snow on Christmas Georgia had seen in over a 100 years. I'd love some snow this year at any point since we didn't get a single flake last year! Earlier this week it was 70 degrees as Andy put lights on the house in a t-shirt and shorts. Thankfully, it's feeling more like Christmas now that a cold front is moving it's way across the state. Hopefully, it stays this way we really need a cold winter. We had issues this last year with several things because our winter was so mild. Anyways, hoping for snow at some point and watching White Christmas as I dream of a snowy Christmas.

2- Two weeks from yesterday...Christmas is less than two weeks away! So much to do in these next two weeks and I'm sure they are going to fly by.

3- Every single night this week AG has asked if we can light three candles for Advent. And every night we tell him that on Sunday we'll light the third candle. He says we need to light three candles since he's three. Hmmmm... :)

4- Next month AG will be four!?! I can't believe how grown up he is these days. I've got to start working on his birthday plans. We have a general idea on what we are doing but I need to get all the details worked out and soon!

5- Tonight my ladies group at church is having a $5 gift exchange...shhhhhh! Don't tell anyone but my gift was $6 instead of $5.

6- Yesterday I stashed 6 meals in the freezer...2 Turkey Noodle Soup bases just add noodles, 3 Chicken  and Rice Soups, and 1 bag of cooked, diced chicken breasts.

7-The number of miles I ran last night. Longest distance I've gone to date and over halfway to my goal of running a half marathon! I'm happy to be finding my rhythm because my first 1/2 will be one month from today. Andy and I are both running the Disney World Half in January. My goal is to finish and see what my time looks like then I'll set a timed goal for the Princess Half that I'm running at the end of February.

8- The number of items that I currently need to return between Old Navy and Target. The problem is that neither of these stores are actually in Rome and so in order to do said returns I'm going to have to plan special trips to both places and they both aren't in the same area unless I go south towards ATL...however, I don't see myself headed to Kennesaw before the holidays are over because of how crazy it is down there. We'll see what I end up doing. Target is in Cartersville and Old Navy has an outlet in Calhoun. Decisions, decisions.

9- The number of presents that currently need to be wrapped...this does not include the next wave of boxes that are due to arrive the rest of this week! Thank heavens for online shopping. I think 90% of my shopping this year was done online.

10- The number of toes that need a polish change. Actually, I really just need a good pedicure because it has been awhile. Guess I should put this on my list of things to do. Ha.

11- The number of Jesse Tree ornaments currently on our tree. This evening we'll add number 12. We've been alternating who gets to put the ornament on the tree...AG takes the odd days and Avi-Kate has the even days.

12- The 12 Days of Christmas and 'Piggy Pudding' are currently AG's favorite Christmas songs. He loves the Muppets and we bought him a used Muppet Christmas cd off of Amazon for $3 a few weeks ago. Piggy Pudding is actually We Wish You a Merry Christmas. In the song Gonzo starts singing about figgy pudding and Miss Piggy thinks he is saying 'Piggy Pudding'. Gonzo then explains that it's figgy pudding and it's made with figs...then under his breath he says 'and bacon!'. AG thinks that it's hysterical and he cracks up every single time. We listen to it every morning and afternoon on our way to/from Berry.

Freezer Cooking and Reorganizing...

Another day and another picture-less post. (sigh) Oh, well. Life goes on...that's what I'm telling myself any way.

Over the course of the last few weeks I've been tackling simple house projects that have been in need of tackling but at the time had been pushed to the side. Now with AG in school I actually have time to tackle simple tasks and see them to completion without interruptions. The other day I pulled EVERYTHING out of the freezer. I threw away everything that was past it's prime and began to reorganize the inside. I also made a list of everything that I have in the freezer at the moment on hand. I'm easing back in to my freezer cooking routine for the school year since I took a break for the summer. Here's what I found:

-Roasted Tomato Base (I slow roast onions, garlic, and tomatos in the oven then use my food processor to chop it all up...great base for marinara, meat sauce, tomato soup, pizza sauce, etc.): 5 containers
-Chicken Tortilla Soup: 2 containers
-Meat Sauce: 1 container
-Bubba Burgers: 1 box
-Taco Meat: 1 container
-Black bean, Corn, and Chicken Salsa: 1 container
-Rolls: 1 bag
-Garlic Toast:1 box
-Peas: 4 bags
-Corn: 2 bags
-Mixed veggies: 1 bag
-Green Giant Roasted Potatoes: 1 box
-Popsicles
-Various nuts...we keep all of nuts for cooking in the freezer so that they don't spoil.

In the last week I have also managed to put away:
-2 shepherds pies
-6 chicken pastinas

Later this week I will be making a batch of chili for dinner one night and I should be able to put away at least one container to put in to my freezer stash. A good thing about the approaching season is that lots of comfort foods that we associate with fall tend to freeze well. So, I will continue in my habit of making stuff in bulk and putting away here and there. Once I get everything stocked I can actually cook one or two meals a week and then pull from the freezer for the rest. Those one or two meals then become meals that can also replenish the stash. I have friends that do Once-A-Month-Cooking and I'll admit I admire their stamina but prefer putting things away a little as I go. I hate being a slave to my kitchen for a few days a month to cook everything. This way there is less mess and less cleanup...which in turn means more time on other things. Does anyone else have a freezer system they like?