Christmas Vacation!

It's officially Christmas Vacation for the Pedersen's. We got into Los Angeles early this morning and Steve made the executive decision that we are done working until after Christmas. I agree. The weather around the country and the plan for us to be in Bakersfield by the 22nd leads to the decision to stay put until then. Dispatch won't guarantee that we will be back by our deadline, so we are parking it.

Today is going to be very busy, once I can get Sleeping Beauty out of bed. We need to throw out our fridge. It died a couple weeks ago and we haven't been anywhere at a good time to wrangle it out of the truck. Huge pain in the butt. I am going to try and take pictures of us tossing it. I know, thrilling. Then we are going to clean the big and little trucks and pack to head down to Steve's mom's house. We are going to be there until the 30th, I think. It depends on how freight is moving. If things are slow, then we might stay over the New Year. This morning I have bought Steve a couple of things for his stocking, they should be at his mom's early next week. I have made a grocery and menu list for our time in Bakersfield.

I cook most of the time while we are there. Barbara isn't into cooking anymore (never really was, if the truth be told, she had a very finicky husband, much like mine - like father, like son.)and I don't get to cook very often, so I get the kitchen and I get to have fun. The only thing I hate is her oven, but I am getting the hang of it. Her over cooks about 50 degrees too hot. It is crazy. So, despite quite a few burnt items, I am figuring out her oven. I know most of the things in her pantry, and so I am going to use a bunch of things there and hopefully keep the food costs down. It will be fun. Some of the holiday stuff that I will make are a pecan pie for Steve's Grandma, she requested one back in September. Cheese ball and crackers, of course. Orange Rolls, Heavenly Hash, a Pumpkin Roll. I don't know what else. There are quite a few people around that we share the cooking extravaganza with, so nothing should go to waste.

Steve has requested Stuffed Shells and a Mustard and Balsamic glazed Pork Tenderloin (his fav) with spaghetti squash. I have been craving soup, so I think I will make a turkey soup with dumplings after the Christmas turkey is consumed, and I might make a Potatoe and Bacon soup and an Onion Tart one night. Most of those things we will have leftovers, so that may cover it. I have a box of quinoa that I want to make, not sure how to do it, but it is intriguing. I am loving barley salads and such, so I am thinking I will do something in that direction. I am going to take pictures of some of the stuff we make over Christmas, we will see how it all turns out.

Well, it is almost noon, so I think it is time to wake up the princess and get him to work. I don't enjoy this part of the day. Hope you all are having a good day, Love you T