I’m skipping the daybook post this week because it’s been a rough weekend for us.

On Friday morning we woke to discover that our sweet German Shepherd had died in her sleep. She was getting older, and had been having a harder time getting around this year. I knew it was coming, but I was still heartbroken.

I actually feel pretty foolish for crying over a dog. But I guess she really was part of our family. She was the kids’ self-appointed guard dog from the day they were born. You couldn’t have asked for a dog who was better with the kids than she was. She kept me company during the evening when Aaron was working late. She usually only barked much at delivery trucks because she knew the UPS and FedEx guys carried dog treats. Winter months would find her curled up on the rug in front of the coal stove, while summertime was spent hanging out in front of the air conditioner. Whenever it snowed, she frolicked around like a puppy, chasing snowballs and diving into the snow drifts.

I’m going to miss hanging up her stocking and filling it with homemade dog treats this Christmas. I already miss the gentle nudge of her nose against my elbow when she wanted me to stop typing and pat her. We loved our nutty German Shepherd, and we’ll miss her a lot.

Thanksgiving baking is in the air! Ahhhhh… doesn’t it smell delicious? As much cooking as there is to do, there’s one of my mom’s recipes that every cook should have in her collection: Fifty-five Minute Rolls. Yes, they really are that quick! Whenever I need yeast rolls in a hurry, I grab this recipe. They usually disappear pretty quickly too. So without further ado…

Kathy’s Fifty-five Minute Rolls

2 cups milk

¼ cup sugar

2 teaspoons salt

¼ cup melted shortening (I use butter)

2 packages dry yeast

½ cup warm water

6 cups flour

melted butter

Heat milk until warm. Add sugar, salt, and shortening. Dissolve yeast in warm water and stir into milk mixture. Add flour and mix well. Cover and let rise in a warm place for 15 minutes. Knead on a floured surface and roll out to 1″ thickness. Cut with a 2 ¾” round cutter. Dip top in butter and fold in half. Place rolls close together (so that sides are touching) on a baking sheet.

Bake at 450 degrees for about 10 minutes. (Rolls will sound hollow when tapped when they are done.) Brush tops with additional butter if desired. Makes about 25 rolls.

One helpful hint I learned from Mom: press the back of a butter knife into the middle of each roll to create a fold line. Much easier to fold the roll in half if you do this first!

I hope you all have a lovely Thanksgiving!

Outside my window… it’s deceptively sunny, but step outside and it’s cold! We could use some snow to help insulate the house a bit.

I am thinking…

I am thankful for…

From the learning rooms… we have this week off for Thanksgiving. The kiddos and I are both enjoying the break.

From the kitchen… I’ll be baking pies and rolls this week. I’m trying to decide whether to try out a new recipe for soft whole wheat rolls, or just make a batch of breadsticks.

I am wearing… black pants, black shirt, and black shoes. If it wasn’t for my bright red socks I’d look a bit depressing!

I am creating… fingerless mitts for Christmas gifts, and still working away on the kids’ sweaters.

I am going… to need a bigger mug for my tea…

I am reading… actually, I’m between books and trying to decide what to read next. It’s a harder choice than you might think! I’m eyeing a time travel historical fiction book that looks intriguing…

I am hoping… that we are able to find a car soon. Car shopping is not particularly fun, but even less so when you have to do it in a rush.

I am hearing… Future World Music. They have a couple of wonderful instrumental albums out, and they are fantastic writing music!

Pondering these words… “Man is least himself when he talks in his own person. Give him a mask and he will tell you the truth.” – Oscar Wilde

Around the house…

One of my favorite things…

A few plans for the rest of the week:

For more daybooks, please visit The Simple Woman’s Daybook.

Since yesterday was Camo’s birthday, I just skipped the daybook post. My not-so-little-guy had a good day, and was quite happy with the scarf!

Today has been pretty chilly. I went outside and thought, “Wow, it feels like it’s going to snow!” There’s no snow predicted for the rest of the week, but you never know in Maine. The house felt a little chilly tonight and so I peeked at the outdoor temperature. 25 degrees! I felt perfectly justified turning up the thermostat a couple of degrees.

Even with the cold, it doesn’t seem possible that we’ll be starting our Christmas break in less than four weeks. (We do school year-round, and take a month off at Christmas.) I have to admit that I’m really looking forward to it. I’ve never regretted scheduling such a long break for December. It’s so nice to be able to just relax and have fun with the kids. Not to mention having extra time for baking and crafting. Munchkin also reminded me that she wanted to try a sewing project too. I’m looking through recipes already so that I can decide what to try this year. Of course, there will be fudge. That’s a given. I’ve been trying to decide on a snack mix for gifting. So many recipes look delicious!

It will be pretty busy around here before out Christmas break though. We still have Aaron’s birthday, our anniversary, Thanksgiving, and this weekend something really exciting! Aaron is going to have some of his photography displayed at a gallery event! The theme of the event is night photography, and Aaron was one of the photographers that was invited to submit a few pieces. The best part? We’re taking a road trip to be there for the artist reception! Can you tell that I’m thrilled? Aaron does amazing work, and I know how much time and effort goes into his photography. I’m so happy to see him get this chance. It’s well-deserved!

How about you? Are you already doing some planning for Christmas? Or, is your November so busy that you haven’t even had time to think about December yet?

I grew up watching classic Doctor Who on PBS with my Dad. Through the magic of Netflix, I’ve introduced my kids to some of the (not so scary) Doctor Who episodes that I grew up enjoying. It should not surprise me that the kids are as enthralled with the adventures through time and space as I was.

Camo even requested a Doctor Who scarf. I did finish it in time for his birthday! There were three nights spent knitting until 2 AM to achieve this goal, but it is done!

Yesterday he surprised me with the announcement that he would like a TARDIS cake for his birthday. Printed templates and signs, chocolate sheet cake, and very blue frosting came together to create this:

Not a perfect replica by any means. Even so, I’m pretty happy with how our last-minute cake request turned out. Tomorrow, we party!

Outside my window… it’s sunny and beautiful outside. A gorgeous fall day to be sure!

I am thinking… about all of the writing I need to catch up on now that my IT staff has my computer fixed. (It was totally my fault that it broke, and I feel rather sheepish about the whole thing!)

I am thankful for… an IT staff who lets me pay in kisses.

From the learning rooms… Camo is having fun with an online curriculum that we are testing out, and my IT staff and I are wishing that the music class used real instrument recordings instead of synthesizer sounds.

From the kitchen… a cup of hot tea to help wake up my brain. It cracks me up that Munchkin has started referring to my tea as “The Earl of Grey”!

I am wearing… jeans, a Doctor Who t-shirt, and the denim shirt that Aaron will probably never see in his side of the closet again…

I am creating… sweaters and dishcloths for Christmas gifts. I’d have all of the sweaters done by now if I didn’t have to keep ripping my work out.

I am going… to be busy with my writing this week. So much to catch up on! It’s definitely hard work, but it’s satisfying work.

I am reading… A Million Little Ways, by Emily Freeman. It’s part of the Bloom bookclub over at inCourage. I just finished up two other books this past week that I’ll be writing up reviews of too.

I am hoping… that winter doesn’t sneak up on us too quickly. I’d like to enjoy at least another six weeks of fall weather!

I am hearing… the album Beethoven for All. I need to hear some really great orchestral music!

Pondering these words… “My past does not hold me. By God’s grace, it propels me.” – Rebecca Keliher

Around the house… the coal stove is running regularly now, and I’m brewing hot tea just about every morning.

One of my favorite things… is our new weekly tradition of movie night. It’s fun to curl up with all the kiddos, no matter what the reason.

A few plans for the rest of the week: Writing, lots of writing! Laundry and cooking too.

For more daybooks, please visit The Simple Woman’s Daybook.