And then it is Winter.

Welcome to winter! Even though it has felt like winter for awhile, we really ushered it in since the last time I was here. We just finished with a nasty real nor'easter blizzard. Snow up to 2 feet was predicted along with strong winds. Not the best thing to face the day after Christmas when shops are looking to end the year on a positive note and so many folks need to travel home for work tomorrow. I don’t mind snow once the storm ends but this kind of blizzard can be dangerous. We ended up with some 12+ inches that blew right off the trees and power lines so my area fared fairly well all things considering.

It is getting increasingly more difficult for my parents to get out to family events even with our help, so I am very thankful that this storm was late enough that it didn’t stop our family from being together this Christmas. The older I get, the more often I hear winter used to describe the time of life we all hope to reach someday. My parents are truly in the winter of their life and we are trying to eek out as many new memories as we can these days.

A good friend sent this to me recently and as soon as I saw the title, I knew what it was and I thought it was a great way to start my last Thankful Thoughts post for 2010. And while I am not yet at the napping stage, I know my winter is closer than even I would like to admit so it is a timely reminder to me as well.

And then it is Winter.
You know, time has a way of moving quickly and catching you unaware of the passing years. It seems just yesterday that I was young, just married and embarking on my new life with my mate. And yet in a way, it seems like eons ago, and I wonder where all the years went. I know that I lived them all... And I have glimpses of how it was back then and of all my hopes and dreams... But, here it is..the winter of my life and it catches me by surprise... How did I get here so fast? Where did the years go and where did my youth go? I remember well...seeing older people through the years and thinking that those older people were years away from me and that winter was so far off that I could not fathom it or imagine fully what it would be like... But, here it is...my friends are retired and getting gray...they move slower and I see an older person now. Lots are in better shape than me... but, I see the great change... Not like the ones that I remember who were young and vibrant... but, like me, their age is beginning to show and we are now those older folks that we used to see and never thought we'd be.
Each day now, I find that just getting a shower is a real target for the day! And taking a nap is not a treat anymore...it's mandatory! Cause if I don't on my own free will..I just fall asleep where I sit!
And so, now I enter into this new season of my life unprepared for all the aches and pains and the loss of strength and ability to go and do things that I wish I had done but never did!! But, at least I know, that though the winter has come, and I'm not sure how long it will last...this I know, that when it's over...its over....Yes , I have regrets. There are things I wish I hadn't done, things I should have done, but indeed, there are many things I'm happy to have done. It's all in a lifetime....

So, if you're not in your winter yet take this as a reminder that it will be here faster than you think. Whatever you would like to accomplish in your life please do it quickly. Don't put things off too long!! Life goes by quickly. D what you can today, as you can never be sure whether this is your winter or not!
You have no promise that you will see all the seasons of your life. Life is a gift to you. The way you live your life is your gift to those who come after.
Make it a fantastic one!
LIVE IT WELL!!----ENJOY TODAY!!!!-----DO SOMETHING FUN!!!----
BE HAPPY!!!----BE THANKFUL!!!!!

I know that I am!!

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Did you all have a Merry Christmas? We sure did Behind My Red Door. Even though over the years I have streamlined the menu and I prepare several dishes ahead of time and I get help from family with some of the food and we even made a table that requires no tablecloth, it still is a lot of work doing two feasts two days in a row. But it only happens once a year and as long as I can do it with the help of my wonderful hubby, I will. It’s all about family!

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I am so thankful for all the Christmas greetings we received. It is fun to catch up with old friends at this time of year and see how much their children have grown and to meet new family members. A few old friends are first time grandparents this year and I love sharing that with them!

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I am so thankful I made these for Christmas morning.

Maple-Bacon Breakfast Rolls

adapted from a recipe on Pillsbury.com

1 lb. turkey bacon cooked and chopped small

1 egg

2 cans Pillsbury® Crescent Rolls

6 tablespoons Butter, softened

10 tablespoons maple syrup

2/3 cup powdered sugar

DIRECTIONS:

Heat oven to 375°F. Open one canister of rolls and lay flat. Separate into 4 rectangles. – (Pressing the center seam of two triangles together making it into a triangle). Repeat with other can so you have 8 rectangles.

In small bowl, mix 3 tablespoons of the butter, 3 tablespoons of the syrup, bacon and the egg. Spread mixture evenly over dough, covering to edges. Spread evenly over each rectangle. Roll each ~ starting with a short end. Chill for 30 minutes. Slice each roll into 6 pinwheels. (makes 48) Place on cookie sheet allowing room for them to double in size while cooking.

Bake 13 minutes or until light golden brown. See photo above. Remove rolls from cookie sheet to cooling rack. Meanwhile, in small bowl, mix powdered sugar, remaining butter and remaining syrup with wire whisk until smooth. Drizzle icing over rolls.

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While I was making these on Thursday, and doing a million other things to be ready for family to come the next day, Mr. Red Door discovered a plumbing leak in the crawl space under our front landing – in the pipe coming from the water supply into our home. He had to shut down the water to our entire house for a few hours while he fixed the pipe. I am so thankful he got that done in a few hours so I could continue on with all the food preparation for Christmas Eve and Day.

Just as these came out of the oven, one of Mr. Red Door’s close friends stopped by unexpectedly and I am thankful that I had a nice hot snack to offer them – considering the mess we were in! I only put the glaze on the ones I served the guys, and I put the rest of the glaze and pinwheels in the refrigerator until Christmas morning. I heated some on a plate in the microwave and because the chilled the glaze was thick, I used a butter knife to spread some on each roll and the heat melted it, making it all yummy and gooey! This is a keeper!

(PS- because I make pepperoni pinwheels in this fashion and freeze those, I am sure these can make ahead and frozen too.)

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I am so thankful for all the kind comments and emails after my last post. Thank to everyone that inquired about me. I started to really feel better on Wednesday ~ JUST in time! And I am feeling much better about the disappointments as well. Chats with good friends, hugs and reassurance from my DH, and some time and distance was all I needed.

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I am so thankful that our DD Jen has met THE one. Jonathan is a fine young man, and we are so pleased that he could be with us for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day this year. We hope he becomes a permanent part of the family in time

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I am thankful that our son and DIL both got over a nasty tummy virus in time to enjoy Christmas Eve and Christmas Day and that Lili escaped it.

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Here are just few pics of our sweetie pie from Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.

Here she is playing with the retro kitchen Bampee and I got her for her house…

Sorry Lili, you don’t fit in there!

And she is learning to clean too…

She truly does light up our lives!

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And that my friends is my last Thankful Thoughts post for 2010. But because I have had such a great response to these, I will be starting 2011 with a Thankful Thoughts post reflecting on the past year and I will then add thankful thoughts to each post I make in 2011.

I leave you now with my New Year’s blessing for each of you!

All throughout the coming year,
May your life be filled with little celebrations
Of happiness.

May the road you walk be a smooth one
And your troubles be few — if any.
May the days that lie ahead
Be health and many.

May you have friends in abundance
And the sun shine bright around you
May the world be a wonderful place to live

And may God's love always surround you.

Until next time- hugs, Grammee Linda

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