My 13 dd made my avatar for me! We were going to use a premade one, but she is so creative and loves to make new things, so she came up with this one!  Of course, I am always going on about having chickens in our backyard, so she added some chickens for me too!  I have red hair, but since everyone thinks it looks orange, I let her make my hair orange.  I am not sure why she made it long though, it is really quite short!  If you want to see what I look like, check out www.homeschoolblogger.com/horsefeathers.  I have a real picture of me there!

I finished up my Christmas stuff tonight, and have gotten everything made.  We made loads of Christmas cookies ( and ate a lot too!), and we made jar gifts for friends.  One is friendship soup, and the other is cinnamon pancakes with dried apples.  If anyone would like the recipes, just let me know.   My dd also made peppermint bark, and of course, our families are getting soaps, tub teas, milk baths and sugar scrubs which I make and sell.  I am not sure what the men folk will think of those!  My step dad will be happy -  I made him a bar of mechanics soap, which has orange and grapefruit essential oil, as well as witch hazel, vitamin E, ground walnut shells, and pumice powder.  It works really well, and it smells wonderful!  I hope he likes it! 

We are having my dh's family here on Christmas Day.  It should be interesting, Mike's mom has her own ideas about things and how they have to be done.  I even broke down and bought brussels sprouts to keep her happy (gack!!)

Does anyone have any interesting ways to prepare brussles sprouts?  She cooks them to oblivion, until they are mushy and really quite gross.  I might actually try one if I can find a good way to prepare them!