Patience at 225 Degrees

One of my favorite "Christmas Goodies" memories is from a snowy, blowy evening when we got a huge tray of Christmas cookies and candy from Mrs. Kuhns.

Dad had just bought a snowblower for the back of his tractor, so he was regularly hired by Amish friends who needed their lanes cleared out before the milk man came.

Payment was usually in cash, but one evening, right around Christmas time, Dad brought home a big tray full of a variety of candies and cookies from 

Roman and Martha Kuhns. 

One of those scrumptious candies 

was homemade caramels.

The caramels were Dad's favorite, 

so Mom got the recipe from Mrs. Kuhns.

Since Dad celebrated his birthday on December 17, she "surprised" him every year with a pan full of caramels.

One of the funniest memories I have of the caramels was when Mom shoved the finished tray into the oven before Dad could see them.  

She forgot that they were there, 

and that evening turned on the oven.

Melted caramels are really just as good 

as those that are all set up.

Spoon candy.

Here's what I didn't know about the caramels.

They take a tremendous amount of patience.

It seems that the first 220 degrees goes pretty quickly.

It's the last 20 that will test your patience completely.

They are so pretty when they start out...

Here we are holding at 225 degrees.

And holding...

and holding...

Finally!

We hit 240 degrees and get to add the vanilla!

 Hi Carrie! 

Ahhhh...gold!

Now we just have to wait for them to cool!

Unless you want to try them on some vanilla ice cream.

Hmmmm...

Patience, Jodi!

Enjoying Christmas Goodies,

Wooly Bear and His Boy

This is Matthew.

This is Wooly Bear.

See him in the back of the truck?

Makes me think of "The Mouse and the Motorcycle."

Especially when he is reaching his head up over 

the cab of the truck as far as he can.

He really does seem to be enjoying himself.

 For a boy who didn't really want to touch 

the wooly worm...

he sure has changed his mind.

Wooly Bear is now hanging out with a stick 

and some water in our butterfly farm net.

Matthew is determined to keep him as his pet.

And when I start to protest and his big blue eyes 

start to tear up...

well, I am deemed completely helpless.

So...congratulate me!

I am now the proud owner of a Wooly Bear.

Enjoying the tenderheartedness of my little boy,

Josh's Family Party...In No Particular Order

I have worked and worked on getting my pictures for Josh's Family Birthday Party into order for this blog post, but it is just taking way too long.

So, here is Josh's Family Party...in no particular order.

Which may drive me just a little crazy.

Family arrived on Sunday morning!

The first guests were from northern Indiana...Papa B, Uncle Robbie, Aunt Brandy, and Baby Ciara!

Baby Ciara isn't so much of a baby anymore...

She and Matthew tried out the music box while waiting for the other guests to arrive.

Music tastes good!

And so does everything else when you're almost one.

Next to arrive were Grandma and Grandpa, GG, 

Uncle Brian, and Uncle Scott.

Grandma looked on as Josh decorated his Brownie Cake.

There's that sweet Josh smile!

I don't have any pictures from lunch.

Josh chose something simple this year...pizza and chips!

Yay for simple!

After eating and clean-up...PRESENTS!

This year, Josh could read his own birthday cards!

Unless signed in cursive handwriting.  

I'm not sure what Matthew is looking for here.

He was already camped out in a grocery bag that he found among the litter.

William, the Tool Boy, was quick to check out 

Josh's new drill.

It looks like Papa B is patiently waiting his turn 

to check it out too.

Time for singing!

And cake!

And ice cream!

Oh...and for lighting his own candles!

It seems that Matthew already has 

chocolate lining his lips.

Hmmm...

Happy Birthday, Dear Joshua!

O.K.

Here's where I gave up trying to get pictures in order, so you are going to just get a sampling of the rest of the day.

I can't believe that Baby Girl is going to be ONE 

in less than a month!

And then a big sister in just about three months!

Unicorn siting!

Enjoying it all...even the disorder of this blog post,