We get a lot of boxes here every day. Big boxes, little boxes, all kinds of boxes. Usually the Elves unpack the big boxes (because those always contain yarn orders). If there are any smaller boxes of undetermined origin, they usually leave these on the counter for me to open later. A while back, I wandered up front to check on something, and while I was talking to the Elves, I opened the small box sitting there (obviously waiting for me. Obviously.). I flipped back the flaps and pulled out …. a sleep mask? Huh? That’s when Elf Karen said, “Oh my gosh – that’s not for us. The Fed Ex guy left that box here for the Sleep Center people across the hall!” Well heck. That was the end of me opening up boxes just because they were sitting there waiting for me. Obviously. We carefully taped the box back up and I’m pretty sure you couldn’t even tell that it had been opened. (And fortunately none of them are knitters and read this blog.) However, Karen has started leaving me notes on boxes that I ought to just leave well enough alone. I guess she still doesn’t trust me. (Although if those Sleep Center people kept regular daytime hours, we wouldn’t be storing their deliveries. Just sayin’.) Are some of you getting boxes at your house that you need to leave alone and not open up? In fact, I know you are, because we’re shipping a lot of them out there to you as gifts. Don’t snoop. 🙂
Today’s recipe is something that Photo Elf Wendy brought in to contribute to the Loopy Kitchen. It’s called Three Hour Granola because if you eat a handful of it, you can stave off your hunger for three more hours until dinnertime. And it’s delicious! A good alternative to all of the holiday sweets. (It’s not low-cal, but it IS healthy, in moderation.) Or a quick gift to mix up and give to friends and neighbors.
Wendy’s Three Hour Trail Mix
2c. old fashioned rolled oats
3 c. cashews, whole
3 c. pecans, whole or halves
3 c. walnuts, whole or halves
3 c. almonds, whole
2 c. unsalted sunflower seeds
(plus any other nuts you want to add)
1 c. flaked coconut, unsweetened
1/4 c. canola oil
1/4c. honey
2c. dried cranberries (set aside)
2c. golden raisins (set aside)
Mix dry ingredients in a large, foil, turkey roasting pan. Add oil & honey, stir well to coat. Toast in a 350 degree, stirring every 15 mins. until browned. (Approx. 60 mins.) Allow to cool completely. Add dried fruit & store in a closed canister on the counter (with scoop). Store extras in air-tight containers or Ziplocs.
I absolutely love reading your Random Acts of Kindness comments. I keep jotting down things that spark my imagination, and am continually bowled over by the incredible ways in which you have helped those around you. I hope you all find something to do for someone this weekend, so that we all have a whole new batch of things to read about over coffee on Monday’s blog post. I know that these December contests require you to DO something in order to enter (unlike most of our contests), and you continue to rise to the occasion. You all are amazing.
Sheri whonowhasbothkidshomefortheholidays
andthatcoverseverythingIwant
Both kids!! How lovely for you. Hope you have a wonderful holiday!
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! Glad both of the photo shy kids are home safely. Enjoy!
Happy holidays. Glad the kids are home for the holidays. Hope the Elves have a Merry Christmas/Happy New Year too.
Forecasting 6 to 12 inches of snow here which is a lot for us. So I’m home and ready to knit, read, movie watch, and eat.
Having loved ones around is *the* best present ever. Enjoy them and take lots of pictures : )
Hey, those poor Sleep Center people _have_ to work at night, because that’s when people sleep. You can’t study sleep during the daytime, unless you’re here in the U.S. watching people sleep in Asia via Skype, or something like that. I’m just sayin’ . . .
My mom has an entire stack of boxes she is not to open. I have come to the shopping point in my life that for Christmas – I Internet shop and ship everything to WI (where I celebrate Christmas). It avoids the whole loading and unloading the car thing.
My MIL sent me email yesterday asking if we’d gotten our package and admonishing us not to open anything before Christmas. I don’t know why she thinks she needs to say that. I never open presents before Christmas. I don’t like knowing in advance!
Sheri,
Thanks so much for all the joy you and the Elves have brought to us all-yes, I know it’s a business, and we pay for the yarn, etc., but you all have so much value added to the products. Your personal care for us all comes through in your blog and emails.
MERRY CHRISTMAS!
I’m the one making sure no-one else in the house opens the boxes that arrive. But I’m looking forward to just-graduated college-son arriving home next weekend, and other CS arriving home *this* weekend! As you said, what more could we moms want?!?
I’ve set a goal to finish all of my UFOs by the end of the year – hope you have some happy knitting time, as well!
I had to leave for work before my husband got home one day and I was expecting a package to be delivered any moment. I put a note on the door for the UPS driver that said: “Dear UPS: Please face the return address label to the wall so that my husband doesn’t “accidentally” see it when he gets home. Thanks” I left another message on the door for my husband: “Dear husband: You don’t need to see the box’s identification. This isn’t the box you’re looking for. You can go about your business. Move along.” I dont’ know if he got the Star Wars reference, but he didn’t peek at the box!
Hooray for a kind UPS driver and for me successfully using the Force on my husband!
Oh that Teux-Deux is AWESOME! Thanks for the link!
I think I’ll make me a batch of that Trail Mix. We always used to call that stuff “gorp”. Anyone else call it that?
Have a wonderful time with the kids and a very Merry Christmas to all!!!!!
Sherri, Have a Merry Christmas with both kids home. We are suppose to leave for Hilton Head tomorrow. But this is not going to happen expecting 10-20 inches of snow. Will try for late Sunday afternoon.
I’m glad both kids are home with you! Have a great weekend!
I’m glad your kids are home with you for Christmas and New Years. We’re still waiting on our daughter trying to drive here from Northern VA. She drove 8 hrs the first night and got about a normal 3 hour trip up the road. We’re hoping tomorrow will be much better driving for her and that she’ll make it home okay, Lord willing. 🙂 Have a great weekend loving on your kiddos!
Does the Heffakranz count as a Random Act of Kindness?
Barbara
That trail mix receipe will be very expensive to make. Those nuts (3cups each) cost a small fortune!
Sheri, your blog title sounds a little like what I’d tell my cats, if I thought they’d ever listen to my reprimanding them about anything and if I ever had the heart to deny them a good box. The TLE Priority boxes aren’t big enough to interest them, though, guess I might have to order myself a spinning wheel at some point — for the box, you know…