Good Thursday morning and Happy New Year!
Wow! I'm really coming up in the blogging world. Four comments yesterday. Of course, I had to walk one of the girls through the complexities of blog comments, but she's on board now, so I'm expecting great things from her!!
And it was great to hear from Dawn from the Inn. I hope your little guy has a great birthday party!
I have also added not one, but two, more mantle pictures. Look for a couple more tea pics tomorrow, and then I'll pick another topic. I don't want you to get tired of tea photos. The fact that we've hung in there for ten years is pretty amazing. Four of our ten could not attend this year, but of the six of us shown in the first picture, five of us have never missed (one of them being me). I jokingly said several years ago anyone who came to all 12 teas would receive a pair of diamond earrings. Well, four of these girls are hardcore. They're coming with a stomach virus, fever, chills, broken limbs, etc., etc., etc. They say they are not missing for any reason. It's starting to worry me... alot. The 12th tea may have to be held in a secret location. If they can't find the tea, they can't attend. I hate for it to end on that note, but let's face it... these chicks need to learn when I'm joking!
The year 2009... a clean slate... a new beginning. Anything can happen. Anything is possible. Good or bad. It's a little intimidating. To be honest, I haven't been looking forward to New Year's for the past three years. We named 2006 "The Year of Josh's Illness." We named 2007 "The Year of Mom's Illnesses." We named 2008 "The Year of Accepting, Living and Dealing With All the Illnesses." But we haven't named 2009 yet. We'll just wait and see what these next few days and months bring. And looking back at the last three years, although the names have a lot of negativity in them, there have been many positives that have come about. I couldn't have said that in 2006 or 2007. It's not easy to say it in 2009, but it's comforting to know that as I write this, it's not just a bunch of words I feel like I need to say whether I mean them or not... I really do mean them. We've come a long way, baby... but we've got a long way to go.
I guess the most comforting thing about the unknown of the coming year is the fact that there are no surprises for God in 2009. He'll walk us through this year, just like he's walked us through all the other years... sometimes carrying us... sometimes pushing us, but always, always WITH us. My favorite verse when I was younger was Hebrews 13:5, but for a number of different reasons now, it is still the verse I turn to time and time again. "I will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake you." Whew! I needed to hear that! "I can do all things through Him who strengthens me," Philippians 4:13. Yes I can! "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus," Philippians 4:6-7. If Mikie and I have learned anything during the past three years, it is we can not do it alone... and thankfully, we don't have to.
Yes, 2009 is full of unknowns, but I'm going through 2009 with Someone who isn't fearful, isn't timid, and isn't going to abandon me or my family. I think 2009 is going to be okay. I'll name it later, but for now, I'm just going to take it one day at a time. Today is January 1, 2009... and so far, it's been a pretty good day.
Now for our date.
Grandparent Double Date/Cooking
Plan an evening with your child, a grandmother, and an old family recipe. Ask the grandmother to carefully choose a dish that is unique to your family and make sure you buy all the ingredients required. Next, everyone dons an apron and gets busy! Give the child or teenager cooking responsibilities which are age-appropriate. Make sure the evening is filled with laughter, good food and conversation (especially from the grandmother) about the differences in each generation, family stories, etc.
Be sure to write the recipe on a card and start your child/teenager's own recipe box (even if she is as young as five or six). When she is a mother and grandmother one day, it will be amazing what memories that index card will hold. NOTE: Don't forget that cleaning up is just as important as the cooking!
Have a wonderful New Year's Day. I'll be back Friday with a book suggestion, and then next week we'll be getting into some real winter activities, traditions, recipes and such. Talk to you tomorrow!
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
White Chicken Chili and Prayer Calendar
Good Wednesday morning!
Wow! Although our Christmas Tea trip lasted a little over 24 hours, it seemed as though we had been gone a very, very long time. I've posted several pictures of the tea in the Gallery above. (NOTE: I will be adding a "Mantle" picture tomorrow and Friday... that's what they call a little "tease" to make you want to come back for more!)
First of all, I want to say the Mayor's Mansion Inn Bed and Breakfast in Chattanooga is fabulous. Beautiful rooms, fantastic breakfast, very hospitable innkeepers. It was great. We stayed up way too late (12:30) playing parlor games in the parlor (HA). Wendy and I found out after we went to bed at 12:31 a.m., Dee and Dawn took peanut butter pie down the hall to LeAnna and Tonya's room, and they stayed up until 4:30 a.m. (Wendy and I were NOT upset they didn't bring pie to our room... believe me!)
Two of the other guests at the Inn were Santa Claus and his wife, Mrs. Claus. They came for a quick get away after their busy season. (This man was really saying he was Santa, and from the way he and his wife dressed both days and the way he laughed... well, who am I to say otherwise.)
We had tea at the English Rose Tea Room which is a "real" English tea room, and we had the Victorian Tea. It was beautiful and delicious.
The trip back was very quiet since four of our tea friends were operating on four or less hours of sleep. But that was okay, too. It was a comfortable silence.
This year was our 10th tea and they all have themes. This year's theme was Celebration of Giving. Since Christmas was just a few days ago, and we were spending money at the Inn and tea, we decided to "give" each other two compliments apiece. I set out little red bags in the floor and everyone had to drop their compliments into the person's bag... kind of like Valentine's Day in elementary school. We then read the compliments in our bag. It was a very nice gift, and one that will not soon be forgotten, or broken, or thrown away. It was the kind of gift that lasts... the kind of gift when we're not feeling that great, or we've had a bad day we can look at the compliments and they will lift our spirits a bit. It was thoughtful, kind and from the heart. The best kind of gift.
Also, I got another Christmas card while I was gone, so the count is now up to 65. Like I've said before, I will accept them until March. (Who am I kidding? You can send them to me in August, and I'll be thrilled.)
Okay. A short little blog post today, but I am posting a recipe AND a seasonal tradition.
White Chicken Chili
You will need the following:
2 tbsp. olive oil
2 cloves garlic
2 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. oregano
4 chicken breasts (chopped) or 4 large cans of Swanson white chicken
2 cups chicken broth
1 cup water
2 tbsp. lemon juice
2 (15 oz.) cans Great Northern beans (undrained)
1 tsp. lemon pepper
1 can chopped green chilies (undrained)
Put all of these ingredients in your crock pot. Stir well. Cook on low for four to five hours. Serve with grated Monterey Jack cheese and sour cream.
I took this recipe from the Aegis Women's Club cookbook from our area and changed a few things to make it a crock pot recipe. Once you have all the ingredients, it couldn't be any easier or more delicious. I'm making a pot tonight!
Prayer Calendar
Almost everyone gets a new pocket calendar from the bank or some other business before the new year begins. Instead of throwing it away or not using it, take a few minutes to jot down names of family, friends, children, work associates, church leaders, etc. and their birthdates. Keep the calendar with your Bible or daily quiet time reading material, and take a moment to pray for any person marked in your calendar on their birthday. If it is someone you normally send a card or contact on their birthday, be sure to let them know they were prayed for that day. Like the "Bag of Compliments" mentioned above, this is the kind of gift that can encourage someone who may need it very badly. You never know what someone is going through.
Well, that's it for today. I have a good date for tomorrow's post, and since it will be New Year's Day, I probably should reconsider my decision about New Year's Resolutions... Ummm. Nope, I don't think so!
Have a great day, and I'll talk to you tomorrow.
Wow! Although our Christmas Tea trip lasted a little over 24 hours, it seemed as though we had been gone a very, very long time. I've posted several pictures of the tea in the Gallery above. (NOTE: I will be adding a "Mantle" picture tomorrow and Friday... that's what they call a little "tease" to make you want to come back for more!)
First of all, I want to say the Mayor's Mansion Inn Bed and Breakfast in Chattanooga is fabulous. Beautiful rooms, fantastic breakfast, very hospitable innkeepers. It was great. We stayed up way too late (12:30) playing parlor games in the parlor (HA). Wendy and I found out after we went to bed at 12:31 a.m., Dee and Dawn took peanut butter pie down the hall to LeAnna and Tonya's room, and they stayed up until 4:30 a.m. (Wendy and I were NOT upset they didn't bring pie to our room... believe me!)
Two of the other guests at the Inn were Santa Claus and his wife, Mrs. Claus. They came for a quick get away after their busy season. (This man was really saying he was Santa, and from the way he and his wife dressed both days and the way he laughed... well, who am I to say otherwise.)
We had tea at the English Rose Tea Room which is a "real" English tea room, and we had the Victorian Tea. It was beautiful and delicious.
The trip back was very quiet since four of our tea friends were operating on four or less hours of sleep. But that was okay, too. It was a comfortable silence.
This year was our 10th tea and they all have themes. This year's theme was Celebration of Giving. Since Christmas was just a few days ago, and we were spending money at the Inn and tea, we decided to "give" each other two compliments apiece. I set out little red bags in the floor and everyone had to drop their compliments into the person's bag... kind of like Valentine's Day in elementary school. We then read the compliments in our bag. It was a very nice gift, and one that will not soon be forgotten, or broken, or thrown away. It was the kind of gift that lasts... the kind of gift when we're not feeling that great, or we've had a bad day we can look at the compliments and they will lift our spirits a bit. It was thoughtful, kind and from the heart. The best kind of gift.
Also, I got another Christmas card while I was gone, so the count is now up to 65. Like I've said before, I will accept them until March. (Who am I kidding? You can send them to me in August, and I'll be thrilled.)
Okay. A short little blog post today, but I am posting a recipe AND a seasonal tradition.
White Chicken Chili
You will need the following:
2 tbsp. olive oil
2 cloves garlic
2 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. oregano
4 chicken breasts (chopped) or 4 large cans of Swanson white chicken
2 cups chicken broth
1 cup water
2 tbsp. lemon juice
2 (15 oz.) cans Great Northern beans (undrained)
1 tsp. lemon pepper
1 can chopped green chilies (undrained)
Put all of these ingredients in your crock pot. Stir well. Cook on low for four to five hours. Serve with grated Monterey Jack cheese and sour cream.
I took this recipe from the Aegis Women's Club cookbook from our area and changed a few things to make it a crock pot recipe. Once you have all the ingredients, it couldn't be any easier or more delicious. I'm making a pot tonight!
Prayer Calendar
Almost everyone gets a new pocket calendar from the bank or some other business before the new year begins. Instead of throwing it away or not using it, take a few minutes to jot down names of family, friends, children, work associates, church leaders, etc. and their birthdates. Keep the calendar with your Bible or daily quiet time reading material, and take a moment to pray for any person marked in your calendar on their birthday. If it is someone you normally send a card or contact on their birthday, be sure to let them know they were prayed for that day. Like the "Bag of Compliments" mentioned above, this is the kind of gift that can encourage someone who may need it very badly. You never know what someone is going through.
Well, that's it for today. I have a good date for tomorrow's post, and since it will be New Year's Day, I probably should reconsider my decision about New Year's Resolutions... Ummm. Nope, I don't think so!
Have a great day, and I'll talk to you tomorrow.
Friday, December 26, 2008
Thomas the Train Party
Good Monday morning!
My Showcase Pic is a picture of Austin and my nephew, Bradley, Christmas morning. I remember when they really looked like that when they opened their gifts (and they weren't faking)!
I've added Christmas pictures to the Gallery over the weekend, and I'll be adding tea pictures, etc. the rest of the week.
Christmas Card Count - Hasn't changed... yet.
Readership Count - 118... A little low, but I'm thinking the holidays played a big part.
Things I highly recommend - Apples to Apples - A great game for the family; Bedtime Stories with Adam Sandler - A great movie for the family (I never thought I'd be recommending an Adam Sandler movie for the kids); and Digital Picture Frames - So much fun!
I hope everyone had a great Christmas. It's amazing to me the preparation time that goes into making a wonderful Christmas for your family, and within seconds (it seems) it's over for another year. It is truly an amazing season though. My only New Year's Resolution for 2009 will be to remain aware of the needs of others, and focus the time and effort I spend on Christmas for my family all year long... not just a 25-day period once a year. Just think if we put the energy, effort, love, time and commitment into making many, many days in 2009 as special and memorable as we try to make Christmas Day. We couldn't do it every day... we'd kill ourselves! But maybe we could get rid of some things that are cluttering up our lives to make more time for the really important people... our families. Maybe we could take the time to "be still" and listen and know God more in 2009. As always, easier said than done, but I like this resolution better than the "weight" thing or the "money" thing or the "laundry" thing or the "stop smoking cigars" thing (I'm kidding, I'm kidding!).
Our Day After Christmas Movie (Bedtime Stories) was a lot of fun. It was a little young for Austin and Joshua, but I've found that continually giving them two pound tubs of buttered popcorn pretty much makes any movie good. They were good sports, and they said it was a pretty good movie. Roxie loved it, so I would definitely recommend it for the 12 and under crowd.
The Pita Stop, our Lebanese restaurant pick for the night, got four out of five Faulkner stars. Josh declared it tasteless... everything from the beef kabob to the humus. Everyone tried baklava and liked it, and even though he ate a bite of the baklava, Josh ordered the plain cheesecake and declared it delicious. (Thank goodness!)
Saturday morning was a treat for me. I met old friends at Klingler's Bakery in Vestavia. Alesia lives out of state, and even though Celeste and I live only 30 or 40 minutes apart, we see each other once a year at Christmas. We stayed and talked as hard as we could for three hours about everything, and I brought an album of old pictures from 1988 to 1992. Boy, did we look good! Kids really take it out of you, don't they?
Roxie and I then went shopping for bargains, and Mikie and the boys spent the afternoon in the woods hunting. Roxie and I had better luck than they did. We found a few bargains... they came home without venison.
That pretty much covers our Christmas weekend. I have nine rolls of film and 352 pictures being processed off the digital camera. I've done worse, but I've done better, too!
I forgot to mention I would be going out of town later on today. This is our tenth Christmas Tea and we're celebrating in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Seven of us will spend the night in a beautiful (I hope) bed and breakfast tonight, and tomorrow we'll go to the English Rose Tea Room. (I know this is a good tea room because we ate there at a Church Conference many, many years ago.) So, I said all that to say I will NOT post Tuesday, December 30, but I'll be back on Wednesday, December 31. I will have a Recipe AND a Seasonal Tradition Wednesday... so we don't get behind.
Now, for our party of the week.
Thomas The Train Party (3 to 5 Year-Old Boys)
When dealing with train-loving toddlers and preschoolers, less is more. Instead of having a two hour party, 90 minutes will do. The perfect number for this party is five or six, but if you've got everything ready and you're very organized, you can add one or two. You will need to keep things on schedule and moving. You do not want a lapse of time between activities or you will lose control. Once you lose control with this age group, it is very hard to get it back! You will also want three "mom" helpers for this party. (One to help with games; one to help with crowd control; and one to be taking pictures/video.)
Schedule:
12:50 - 1:05
Thomas the Train color sheet and/or Thomas the Train train set
1:05 - 1:20
Thomas the Train Rides
1:20 - 1:35
Thomas the Train Smoke Toss
1:35 - 1:50
Thomas the Train Guess What's Missing Game
1:50 - 2:00
Cake Time
2:00 - 2:15
Gift Time
If you have a Thomas the Train train set, have it ready for the boys to play with as they arrive. If not, have Thomas the Train color sheets and crayons ready to go. The boys should color and/or play with the train set until everyone arrives.
(NOTE: Never wait over five minutes for latecomers before you start the party. If the party starts at 1:00, the activities need to start by 1:05. Latecomers can join in when they arrive.)
Now it is time for the Thomas the Train Ride. You may not believe it, but this is the hit of the party. Put blankets in a wheelbarrow. Use one of your Thomas the Train paper plates and tape it to the front of the wheelbarrow. Put two or three of the boys in the wheelbarrow and ride them around the yard, up and down the driveway and/or street. (When I helped a friend with this party, she had a wooden train whistle she had bought at Cracker Barrel, and I ran behind the wheelbarrow blowing the train whistle. The kids loved it... and it made for some hilarious video footage later on!) After everyone has had a ride, move on to the Thomas the Train Smoke Toss.
Have a double sheet and lightweight pillows in white pillow cases. The goal is to throw the pillows in the middle of the sheet and have the kids pop the sheet and bounce the pillows into three laundry baskets nearby. (Again, tape a Thomas the Train paper plate to the front of each of the baskets.) Make one laundry basket close by and easy. Put the second one a little further away, and the third even further away. You are trying to get at least one puff of smoke (a/k/a pillow) into each of the three baskets. There is no win or lose. If you have four or five pillows, it will take about 15 minutes to try to get them all in the laundry baskets. (This also wears them out!) Now, on to the Thomas the Train Guess What's Missing Game.
Have eight to ten Thomas the Train pieces. If you don't have that many pieces, you can use tools an engineer would use to work on a train (hammer, screwdriver, wrench, etc.). Put all the pieces on a towel spread out on the floor in front of you. Have all the kids sit across from you and let them look at (but not touch) the items. Cover the items with a second towel. Reach your hand under the towel, and remove one item... just slide it under your leg. Remove the cover towel and see which child notices which item is missing first. Repeat the game for 10 to 15 minutes.
Now it is time for cake. The cake can be bought at a local Wal-Mart, or you can make your own using clean Thomas the Train pieces (these can be washed and given to the birthday boy after the party) on a sheet cake with white icing. Again, with this age group, using pre-made ice cream cups and chilled juice boxes is the way to go. Fast set up and easy clean up.
For gift opening, you will want to have a place where you have taped Thomas the Train plates onto the floor in a large semi-circle with each child's name written on it. The child sits on his plate. The birthday child should be sitting in a folding chair and not on the floor. Tell each child that you will call on the quietest one to bring the gift they brought up to the birthday child. Also, remind the children if they sit on their plate while the gifts are being open, they will get a surprise to put in their goodie bag (a piece of candy is fine). They then need to sit down on their plate before the birthday child opens the gift. With the kids sitting this way, it enables you to get clear pictures of the birthday boy opening his presents. When a gift is opened, have a helper mom put the gift in a large bag. When all the gifts are open, have the helper mom quickly take the gifts to your bedroom and close the door. This will prevent the gifts from being broken, pieces lost, etc., etc.
(NOTE: YOU HAVE TO PREPARE THE BIRTHDAY CHILD FOR THIS. YOU HAVE TO LET HIM KNOW WHY THE PRESENTS ARE BEING TAKEN OUT OF THE ROOM, AND WHERE THEY ARE GOING TO BE. IF HE ISN'T PREPARED, BEWARE! THERE WILL BE A MAJOR MELTDOWN!)
There will probably be 10 to 15 minutes left after you open gifts. To distract the kids from the gifts being taken into another room, ask them if they want another Thomas the Train Ride, or if they would like to play the Thomas the Train Smoke Toss game again. (They will probably all want to ride.)
As the moms pick them up, give them their goodie bags and take a picture of them beside the birthday boy.
The following are items you can put into the goodie bag:
1. Any Thomas the Train party favors from Wal-Mart or your local party store
2. Pack of sugarless gum (Tell the moms gum is in the bag.)
3. Wooden train whistles (This depends on price and availability.)
4. A Thomas the Train napkin for the mom to pack in the child's lunchbox the next day (write the party verse, Proverbs 22:6, on each napkin)
5. Your child's favorite candy (Tell the other children this is your child's favorite candy and every time they eat this candy, please remember your child and the fun time they spent together.)
Instead of a devotion during this party, when you say the blessing at Cake Time, read the verse Proverbs 22:6, "Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it." The children will not totally understand the verse, but ask God's blessing on each child by name, and pray that he will never turn from God. Thank God for that child's friendship and a specific personality trait (ability to share, big smile, etc.) before ending with "Amen."
This is a fun party for little guys. It goes by very quickly, and you'll be surprised how much you can do in 90 minutes as opposed to the normal two hour party.
Have a great Monday. I'll be back on Wednesday, so I'll talk to you then!
My Showcase Pic is a picture of Austin and my nephew, Bradley, Christmas morning. I remember when they really looked like that when they opened their gifts (and they weren't faking)!
I've added Christmas pictures to the Gallery over the weekend, and I'll be adding tea pictures, etc. the rest of the week.
Christmas Card Count - Hasn't changed... yet.
Readership Count - 118... A little low, but I'm thinking the holidays played a big part.
Things I highly recommend - Apples to Apples - A great game for the family; Bedtime Stories with Adam Sandler - A great movie for the family (I never thought I'd be recommending an Adam Sandler movie for the kids); and Digital Picture Frames - So much fun!
I hope everyone had a great Christmas. It's amazing to me the preparation time that goes into making a wonderful Christmas for your family, and within seconds (it seems) it's over for another year. It is truly an amazing season though. My only New Year's Resolution for 2009 will be to remain aware of the needs of others, and focus the time and effort I spend on Christmas for my family all year long... not just a 25-day period once a year. Just think if we put the energy, effort, love, time and commitment into making many, many days in 2009 as special and memorable as we try to make Christmas Day. We couldn't do it every day... we'd kill ourselves! But maybe we could get rid of some things that are cluttering up our lives to make more time for the really important people... our families. Maybe we could take the time to "be still" and listen and know God more in 2009. As always, easier said than done, but I like this resolution better than the "weight" thing or the "money" thing or the "laundry" thing or the "stop smoking cigars" thing (I'm kidding, I'm kidding!).
Our Day After Christmas Movie (Bedtime Stories) was a lot of fun. It was a little young for Austin and Joshua, but I've found that continually giving them two pound tubs of buttered popcorn pretty much makes any movie good. They were good sports, and they said it was a pretty good movie. Roxie loved it, so I would definitely recommend it for the 12 and under crowd.
The Pita Stop, our Lebanese restaurant pick for the night, got four out of five Faulkner stars. Josh declared it tasteless... everything from the beef kabob to the humus. Everyone tried baklava and liked it, and even though he ate a bite of the baklava, Josh ordered the plain cheesecake and declared it delicious. (Thank goodness!)
Saturday morning was a treat for me. I met old friends at Klingler's Bakery in Vestavia. Alesia lives out of state, and even though Celeste and I live only 30 or 40 minutes apart, we see each other once a year at Christmas. We stayed and talked as hard as we could for three hours about everything, and I brought an album of old pictures from 1988 to 1992. Boy, did we look good! Kids really take it out of you, don't they?
Roxie and I then went shopping for bargains, and Mikie and the boys spent the afternoon in the woods hunting. Roxie and I had better luck than they did. We found a few bargains... they came home without venison.
That pretty much covers our Christmas weekend. I have nine rolls of film and 352 pictures being processed off the digital camera. I've done worse, but I've done better, too!
I forgot to mention I would be going out of town later on today. This is our tenth Christmas Tea and we're celebrating in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Seven of us will spend the night in a beautiful (I hope) bed and breakfast tonight, and tomorrow we'll go to the English Rose Tea Room. (I know this is a good tea room because we ate there at a Church Conference many, many years ago.) So, I said all that to say I will NOT post Tuesday, December 30, but I'll be back on Wednesday, December 31. I will have a Recipe AND a Seasonal Tradition Wednesday... so we don't get behind.
Now, for our party of the week.
Thomas The Train Party (3 to 5 Year-Old Boys)
When dealing with train-loving toddlers and preschoolers, less is more. Instead of having a two hour party, 90 minutes will do. The perfect number for this party is five or six, but if you've got everything ready and you're very organized, you can add one or two. You will need to keep things on schedule and moving. You do not want a lapse of time between activities or you will lose control. Once you lose control with this age group, it is very hard to get it back! You will also want three "mom" helpers for this party. (One to help with games; one to help with crowd control; and one to be taking pictures/video.)
Schedule:
12:50 - 1:05
Thomas the Train color sheet and/or Thomas the Train train set
1:05 - 1:20
Thomas the Train Rides
1:20 - 1:35
Thomas the Train Smoke Toss
1:35 - 1:50
Thomas the Train Guess What's Missing Game
1:50 - 2:00
Cake Time
2:00 - 2:15
Gift Time
If you have a Thomas the Train train set, have it ready for the boys to play with as they arrive. If not, have Thomas the Train color sheets and crayons ready to go. The boys should color and/or play with the train set until everyone arrives.
(NOTE: Never wait over five minutes for latecomers before you start the party. If the party starts at 1:00, the activities need to start by 1:05. Latecomers can join in when they arrive.)
Now it is time for the Thomas the Train Ride. You may not believe it, but this is the hit of the party. Put blankets in a wheelbarrow. Use one of your Thomas the Train paper plates and tape it to the front of the wheelbarrow. Put two or three of the boys in the wheelbarrow and ride them around the yard, up and down the driveway and/or street. (When I helped a friend with this party, she had a wooden train whistle she had bought at Cracker Barrel, and I ran behind the wheelbarrow blowing the train whistle. The kids loved it... and it made for some hilarious video footage later on!) After everyone has had a ride, move on to the Thomas the Train Smoke Toss.
Have a double sheet and lightweight pillows in white pillow cases. The goal is to throw the pillows in the middle of the sheet and have the kids pop the sheet and bounce the pillows into three laundry baskets nearby. (Again, tape a Thomas the Train paper plate to the front of each of the baskets.) Make one laundry basket close by and easy. Put the second one a little further away, and the third even further away. You are trying to get at least one puff of smoke (a/k/a pillow) into each of the three baskets. There is no win or lose. If you have four or five pillows, it will take about 15 minutes to try to get them all in the laundry baskets. (This also wears them out!) Now, on to the Thomas the Train Guess What's Missing Game.
Have eight to ten Thomas the Train pieces. If you don't have that many pieces, you can use tools an engineer would use to work on a train (hammer, screwdriver, wrench, etc.). Put all the pieces on a towel spread out on the floor in front of you. Have all the kids sit across from you and let them look at (but not touch) the items. Cover the items with a second towel. Reach your hand under the towel, and remove one item... just slide it under your leg. Remove the cover towel and see which child notices which item is missing first. Repeat the game for 10 to 15 minutes.
Now it is time for cake. The cake can be bought at a local Wal-Mart, or you can make your own using clean Thomas the Train pieces (these can be washed and given to the birthday boy after the party) on a sheet cake with white icing. Again, with this age group, using pre-made ice cream cups and chilled juice boxes is the way to go. Fast set up and easy clean up.
For gift opening, you will want to have a place where you have taped Thomas the Train plates onto the floor in a large semi-circle with each child's name written on it. The child sits on his plate. The birthday child should be sitting in a folding chair and not on the floor. Tell each child that you will call on the quietest one to bring the gift they brought up to the birthday child. Also, remind the children if they sit on their plate while the gifts are being open, they will get a surprise to put in their goodie bag (a piece of candy is fine). They then need to sit down on their plate before the birthday child opens the gift. With the kids sitting this way, it enables you to get clear pictures of the birthday boy opening his presents. When a gift is opened, have a helper mom put the gift in a large bag. When all the gifts are open, have the helper mom quickly take the gifts to your bedroom and close the door. This will prevent the gifts from being broken, pieces lost, etc., etc.
(NOTE: YOU HAVE TO PREPARE THE BIRTHDAY CHILD FOR THIS. YOU HAVE TO LET HIM KNOW WHY THE PRESENTS ARE BEING TAKEN OUT OF THE ROOM, AND WHERE THEY ARE GOING TO BE. IF HE ISN'T PREPARED, BEWARE! THERE WILL BE A MAJOR MELTDOWN!)
There will probably be 10 to 15 minutes left after you open gifts. To distract the kids from the gifts being taken into another room, ask them if they want another Thomas the Train Ride, or if they would like to play the Thomas the Train Smoke Toss game again. (They will probably all want to ride.)
As the moms pick them up, give them their goodie bags and take a picture of them beside the birthday boy.
The following are items you can put into the goodie bag:
1. Any Thomas the Train party favors from Wal-Mart or your local party store
2. Pack of sugarless gum (Tell the moms gum is in the bag.)
3. Wooden train whistles (This depends on price and availability.)
4. A Thomas the Train napkin for the mom to pack in the child's lunchbox the next day (write the party verse, Proverbs 22:6, on each napkin)
5. Your child's favorite candy (Tell the other children this is your child's favorite candy and every time they eat this candy, please remember your child and the fun time they spent together.)
Instead of a devotion during this party, when you say the blessing at Cake Time, read the verse Proverbs 22:6, "Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it." The children will not totally understand the verse, but ask God's blessing on each child by name, and pray that he will never turn from God. Thank God for that child's friendship and a specific personality trait (ability to share, big smile, etc.) before ending with "Amen."
This is a fun party for little guys. It goes by very quickly, and you'll be surprised how much you can do in 90 minutes as opposed to the normal two hour party.
Have a great Monday. I'll be back on Wednesday, so I'll talk to you then!
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
Manicure Date
Good Thursday morning... and Merry Christmas!
I'm not going to post a super-long story or thought today. I just want to simply wish you a wonderful day with family and friends, safe travel and many, many moments to remember throughout the years. Take a thousand pictures of everyone and everything that happens today.
I know it's Thursday, but I will give you the final Christmas Card Count today. It is 64. However, as I have said before, I expect three to six more cards AFTER Christmas, so I'll let you know if the number gets any bigger. I know, I know. Some of you are very upset right now. But I'm fine... really. No, I didn't reach my goal... but there's always next year!
Also, take a look at the Gallery, and you'll see a picture of my friend, Robin, The Commenter. Merry Christmas, Robin!
I have a date AND a book for today so I'll get right to it.
Manicure Date
Every year for the past five years, Roxie and I have gotten Christmas Eve manicures. (See new pictures in the Gallery.) We go to our local manicure shop five minutes before it opens and run inside. Yesterday we both got French manicures. She has tiny snowmen on her fingernails, and I have snowflakes on mine. This is another "transition tradition" as well as a date, and we'll be able to do this even when I'm older and grayer, and she is an adult. (I hope one day to include daughters-in-law and granddaughters, too, if possible... and then maybe a brunch. Yeah... that's a good idea.) But this Christmas Eve it was just me and my Roxie, and we thoroughly enjoyed this "unrushed" time together.
When we got home, because of our nails, Mikie was in charge of the kitchen clean-up for a day, Austin and Josh were in charge of bathroom clean-up for a day (all three), and Roxie and I did things like cooking, wrapping, folding clothes, ironing, etc. This worked for us... especially the kitchen clean-up part!
Now for the book (a day early... you've got to know this is driving me crazy to put the book selection on Thursday instead of Friday, but I'm trying to be flexible!).
Book
I love A Christmas Carol. I love the movie and all the variations they've made. I love the book, too, but I realize that the Dickens' version is much too much for little ones. However, the story is a good one. I love Scrooge's change of heart, his total generosity at the end of the book, the realization of his faults, etc. And I love the last line when Tiny Tim declares, "God bless us, everyone." Out of the mouths of babes.
For little ones, you can buy the Disney version or any other children's version of the book. There are several to choose from.
Also, some of my favorite secular Christmas books come from Disney: Winnie the Pooh's Stories for Christmas, Disney's Christmas Storybook and Disney's Christmas With All the Trimmings. These books contain great short stories for little ones with shorter attention spans, and they are told by all of the kids' favorite Disney characters. Disney's Christmas With All the Trimmings also has crafts and things to do at the end of each chapter, so that is a very fun book.
Again, I'll talk to you on Monday, December 29. "Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!"
I'm not going to post a super-long story or thought today. I just want to simply wish you a wonderful day with family and friends, safe travel and many, many moments to remember throughout the years. Take a thousand pictures of everyone and everything that happens today.
I know it's Thursday, but I will give you the final Christmas Card Count today. It is 64. However, as I have said before, I expect three to six more cards AFTER Christmas, so I'll let you know if the number gets any bigger. I know, I know. Some of you are very upset right now. But I'm fine... really. No, I didn't reach my goal... but there's always next year!
Also, take a look at the Gallery, and you'll see a picture of my friend, Robin, The Commenter. Merry Christmas, Robin!
I have a date AND a book for today so I'll get right to it.
Manicure Date
Every year for the past five years, Roxie and I have gotten Christmas Eve manicures. (See new pictures in the Gallery.) We go to our local manicure shop five minutes before it opens and run inside. Yesterday we both got French manicures. She has tiny snowmen on her fingernails, and I have snowflakes on mine. This is another "transition tradition" as well as a date, and we'll be able to do this even when I'm older and grayer, and she is an adult. (I hope one day to include daughters-in-law and granddaughters, too, if possible... and then maybe a brunch. Yeah... that's a good idea.) But this Christmas Eve it was just me and my Roxie, and we thoroughly enjoyed this "unrushed" time together.
When we got home, because of our nails, Mikie was in charge of the kitchen clean-up for a day, Austin and Josh were in charge of bathroom clean-up for a day (all three), and Roxie and I did things like cooking, wrapping, folding clothes, ironing, etc. This worked for us... especially the kitchen clean-up part!
Now for the book (a day early... you've got to know this is driving me crazy to put the book selection on Thursday instead of Friday, but I'm trying to be flexible!).
Book
I love A Christmas Carol. I love the movie and all the variations they've made. I love the book, too, but I realize that the Dickens' version is much too much for little ones. However, the story is a good one. I love Scrooge's change of heart, his total generosity at the end of the book, the realization of his faults, etc. And I love the last line when Tiny Tim declares, "God bless us, everyone." Out of the mouths of babes.
For little ones, you can buy the Disney version or any other children's version of the book. There are several to choose from.
Also, some of my favorite secular Christmas books come from Disney: Winnie the Pooh's Stories for Christmas, Disney's Christmas Storybook and Disney's Christmas With All the Trimmings. These books contain great short stories for little ones with shorter attention spans, and they are told by all of the kids' favorite Disney characters. Disney's Christmas With All the Trimmings also has crafts and things to do at the end of each chapter, so that is a very fun book.
Again, I'll talk to you on Monday, December 29. "Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!"
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
Day After Christmas Movie Night
Good Wednesday morning!
I know today is a big "last minute" type day. One more stocking stuffer... a couple of ingredients you were sure you had in the pantry, but you were wrong... wrapping, wrapping, wrapping. It will be a busy day for most, to be sure.
This is our day (the Faulkner Five). I always call and double check to make sure the Chinese restaurant will indeed be open at 5:45 when the Carol and Candlelight Service is over. I make sure we are all aware we have to be at the church at 4:00 to 4:10 to get a seat for the 5:00 service. We then argue (discuss) what we think we did last year, and everyone is sure we didn't get there until 4:35 or 4:40 (except for me and Mikie). WRONG! We'll let the kids exchange their gifts to one another tonight, and Mike and I will exchange our gifts to each other after they go to bed. And then I hope I get to "sleep in heavenly peace!"
NOTE: One of my favorite pictures I ever took of the kids when they were little was on Christmas Eve night when they were SOUND asleep... drool and all. They were so precious, and it made a great scrapbook page.
I told you yesterday I had a little mouse story to share. I guess it's my own version of Despereaux... but with a very sad ending.
Last Tuesday night, we had a little visitor. A cute, tiny little mouse was found wandering upstairs in the kids' bedrooms. Mike, Austin, Joshua and Roxie tried to catch, chase, extricate the mouse from the house, but to no avail.
Let me say in the seven years we've lived in this house, we have only had one other tiny visitor. We live next to a wooded lot, and sometimes when the weather changes, they try to come in for warmth or dryness or both. However, we also have several cats in our neighborhood, so there has never been a mouse or chipmunk problem in our home.
Surprisingly, I was not freaked out by our little guest. Mike put one trap in the kitchen, and I planned on going to the store the next day to buy the traps that don't hurt the little creatures, but keep them contained so you can put them back into the woods from whence they came.
All day long, I worked around house, but little Despereaux didn't make an appearance. I even thought he might have ventured outside again.
I wasn't really thinking about little Despereaux. I was making supper, setting the table, getting everything ready for the dinner time rush. I had gathered the household trash earlier and set it by the door. December is Roxie's month to take the trash out, and I called her to finish her chore. Beside the trash bag was a large black trash bag, but instead of trash it held 15 to 20 of Roxie's outfits to be taken to a friend with three little girls. Not wanting Roxie to take out BOTH trash bags, I walked over to the door, picked up the clothes bag and moved it to a different area of the house. When I walked over to pick up the clothes bag, I stepped on the corner of the trash bag. I heard a crunch, but because I had been cooking all day, I assumed it was an egg shell in the bottom of the trash bag.
Roxie came and scooped up the bag to take outside to the garbage can... and screamed. There underneath the bag was Despereaux. We both jumped back expecting him to scamper, but he just lay there very still. Austin and Josh came running to see what the commotion was about. Josh was the first to declare him dead. Austin was the first to declare him flatter than a pancake. "He's been crushed," he said.
"How?" Roxie asked. All three of them were eye level with the pancake of a mouse now.
"Was the trash bag heavy?" one of the boys asked Roxie.
"No, it was really light," she replied.
"Well, this doesn't make sense," one of them logically stated.
Unfortunately, I knew exactly what had happened. It was the parking lot bird all over again. Me and my mammoth feet had crushed yet another woodland creature... except this one had not survived. I told the guys what had happened.
"You stomped it to death!" Roxie accused.
"No. Stomping would mean I had done it on purpose," I explained. "I simply stepped on something it was hiding under. It was an accident, pure and simple."
"Well, it sure looks like you stomped it," one of the guys noted as Austin disposed of the little guy.
"How much do you weigh anyway?" was Roxie's next question.
"That's irrelevant. We should just be thankful he died quickly." I wish I could have said painlessly, too, but what are the odds of a fully grown woman crushing you and it not hurting... at least a little bit.
Despereaux continues to be a topic of conversation at our home... and at church... and at family gatherings this Christmas season. I try to act like it doesn't matter, but I've got to tell you it was not one of my finer moments.
Needless to say, we will NOT be reading The Night Before Christmas in our home this season. It is just too painful and fresh... "Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse." Especially, it would seem, a little mouse named Despereaux Faulkner. The End... (literally).
Day After Christmas Movie Night
Do you remember when you were a kid how yucky the day after Christmas was? It was just a big anticlimactic day. Christmas had been great, but now you were starting the countdown until the next Christmas, and it was just kind of sad.
I decided I wanted to do something with the kids the day after Christmas which we could continue to do even when they reached adulthood and had kids of their own. We would go to a movie the afternoon AFTER Christmas. After the movie, we would choose a neat restaurant and go out to eat, too. And to afford this outing right after we had spent so much money during the Christmas season, I decided to make the kids' stockings into "go to the movie" stockings. That means every year the kids each get a $10 RAVE Movie Theater Gift Certificate and their favorite movie candy in their stocking. (We still buy popcorn and drinks when we get there.) Our restaurant of choice is paid for with our Family Date Money we put aside every pay day ($20 a pay period), so the Day After Christmas Movie is not a burden... it is covered. And it is fun.
The best movies seem to come out from Thanksgiving to Christmas, so it usually isn't hard to pick a good one. Right now, we're waiting for the reviews for Marley and Me and Bedtime Stories. Trying to find a movie that spans the 12 year-old girl to 17 year-old guy range can be tricky sometimes, but Austin and Josh are both troopers, and so far we've been able to enjoy all the movies we've picked since this tradition started six years ago.
I highly recommend doing this. Like I said, our family has enjoyed it so much, and it is very easy to bring along girlfriends, and later spouses and their children. Not knowing how much time we'll get to spend with the kids when they grow up and marry and have other family obligations, this will also ensure some fun time for us during the holidays we might not otherwise have.
Late tomorrow night, I will post for Thursday morning. I will include a date AND one more seasonal book. I'll take the rest of the weekend off (no posts Friday, Saturday and Sunday), but I'll be back Monday, December 29 with some wintertime fun for everyone.
Oh, yeah... the Christmas Card Count. I almost forgot (NOT)! I have 63 Christmas cards. I will get the mail today and tomorrow, and if my math is right, I just need 12 more cards. I also have to tell you that I usually get three to five cards after Christmas (which is totally acceptable.)
Have a great Christmas Eve, and I'll talk to you tomorrow.
I know today is a big "last minute" type day. One more stocking stuffer... a couple of ingredients you were sure you had in the pantry, but you were wrong... wrapping, wrapping, wrapping. It will be a busy day for most, to be sure.
This is our day (the Faulkner Five). I always call and double check to make sure the Chinese restaurant will indeed be open at 5:45 when the Carol and Candlelight Service is over. I make sure we are all aware we have to be at the church at 4:00 to 4:10 to get a seat for the 5:00 service. We then argue (discuss) what we think we did last year, and everyone is sure we didn't get there until 4:35 or 4:40 (except for me and Mikie). WRONG! We'll let the kids exchange their gifts to one another tonight, and Mike and I will exchange our gifts to each other after they go to bed. And then I hope I get to "sleep in heavenly peace!"
NOTE: One of my favorite pictures I ever took of the kids when they were little was on Christmas Eve night when they were SOUND asleep... drool and all. They were so precious, and it made a great scrapbook page.
I told you yesterday I had a little mouse story to share. I guess it's my own version of Despereaux... but with a very sad ending.
Last Tuesday night, we had a little visitor. A cute, tiny little mouse was found wandering upstairs in the kids' bedrooms. Mike, Austin, Joshua and Roxie tried to catch, chase, extricate the mouse from the house, but to no avail.
Let me say in the seven years we've lived in this house, we have only had one other tiny visitor. We live next to a wooded lot, and sometimes when the weather changes, they try to come in for warmth or dryness or both. However, we also have several cats in our neighborhood, so there has never been a mouse or chipmunk problem in our home.
Surprisingly, I was not freaked out by our little guest. Mike put one trap in the kitchen, and I planned on going to the store the next day to buy the traps that don't hurt the little creatures, but keep them contained so you can put them back into the woods from whence they came.
All day long, I worked around house, but little Despereaux didn't make an appearance. I even thought he might have ventured outside again.
I wasn't really thinking about little Despereaux. I was making supper, setting the table, getting everything ready for the dinner time rush. I had gathered the household trash earlier and set it by the door. December is Roxie's month to take the trash out, and I called her to finish her chore. Beside the trash bag was a large black trash bag, but instead of trash it held 15 to 20 of Roxie's outfits to be taken to a friend with three little girls. Not wanting Roxie to take out BOTH trash bags, I walked over to the door, picked up the clothes bag and moved it to a different area of the house. When I walked over to pick up the clothes bag, I stepped on the corner of the trash bag. I heard a crunch, but because I had been cooking all day, I assumed it was an egg shell in the bottom of the trash bag.
Roxie came and scooped up the bag to take outside to the garbage can... and screamed. There underneath the bag was Despereaux. We both jumped back expecting him to scamper, but he just lay there very still. Austin and Josh came running to see what the commotion was about. Josh was the first to declare him dead. Austin was the first to declare him flatter than a pancake. "He's been crushed," he said.
"How?" Roxie asked. All three of them were eye level with the pancake of a mouse now.
"Was the trash bag heavy?" one of the boys asked Roxie.
"No, it was really light," she replied.
"Well, this doesn't make sense," one of them logically stated.
Unfortunately, I knew exactly what had happened. It was the parking lot bird all over again. Me and my mammoth feet had crushed yet another woodland creature... except this one had not survived. I told the guys what had happened.
"You stomped it to death!" Roxie accused.
"No. Stomping would mean I had done it on purpose," I explained. "I simply stepped on something it was hiding under. It was an accident, pure and simple."
"Well, it sure looks like you stomped it," one of the guys noted as Austin disposed of the little guy.
"How much do you weigh anyway?" was Roxie's next question.
"That's irrelevant. We should just be thankful he died quickly." I wish I could have said painlessly, too, but what are the odds of a fully grown woman crushing you and it not hurting... at least a little bit.
Despereaux continues to be a topic of conversation at our home... and at church... and at family gatherings this Christmas season. I try to act like it doesn't matter, but I've got to tell you it was not one of my finer moments.
Needless to say, we will NOT be reading The Night Before Christmas in our home this season. It is just too painful and fresh... "Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse." Especially, it would seem, a little mouse named Despereaux Faulkner. The End... (literally).
Day After Christmas Movie Night
Do you remember when you were a kid how yucky the day after Christmas was? It was just a big anticlimactic day. Christmas had been great, but now you were starting the countdown until the next Christmas, and it was just kind of sad.
I decided I wanted to do something with the kids the day after Christmas which we could continue to do even when they reached adulthood and had kids of their own. We would go to a movie the afternoon AFTER Christmas. After the movie, we would choose a neat restaurant and go out to eat, too. And to afford this outing right after we had spent so much money during the Christmas season, I decided to make the kids' stockings into "go to the movie" stockings. That means every year the kids each get a $10 RAVE Movie Theater Gift Certificate and their favorite movie candy in their stocking. (We still buy popcorn and drinks when we get there.) Our restaurant of choice is paid for with our Family Date Money we put aside every pay day ($20 a pay period), so the Day After Christmas Movie is not a burden... it is covered. And it is fun.
The best movies seem to come out from Thanksgiving to Christmas, so it usually isn't hard to pick a good one. Right now, we're waiting for the reviews for Marley and Me and Bedtime Stories. Trying to find a movie that spans the 12 year-old girl to 17 year-old guy range can be tricky sometimes, but Austin and Josh are both troopers, and so far we've been able to enjoy all the movies we've picked since this tradition started six years ago.
I highly recommend doing this. Like I said, our family has enjoyed it so much, and it is very easy to bring along girlfriends, and later spouses and their children. Not knowing how much time we'll get to spend with the kids when they grow up and marry and have other family obligations, this will also ensure some fun time for us during the holidays we might not otherwise have.
Late tomorrow night, I will post for Thursday morning. I will include a date AND one more seasonal book. I'll take the rest of the weekend off (no posts Friday, Saturday and Sunday), but I'll be back Monday, December 29 with some wintertime fun for everyone.
Oh, yeah... the Christmas Card Count. I almost forgot (NOT)! I have 63 Christmas cards. I will get the mail today and tomorrow, and if my math is right, I just need 12 more cards. I also have to tell you that I usually get three to five cards after Christmas (which is totally acceptable.)
Have a great Christmas Eve, and I'll talk to you tomorrow.
Monday, December 22, 2008
Slice of Heaven Spice Cake
Good Tuesday morning!
It's hard to believe Christmas is only two days away, isn't it? It kind of sneaks up on you, doesn't it? Roxie wanted to get one of those signs to put in her room that counts down the hours, minutes and seconds until Christmas day, but I knew this would cause a great deal of stress in my life, and I vetoed that idea.
I bought my last three Christmas gifts yesterday, and that felt great. I was fortunate to be able to get everything I needed in our little town, and I didn't have to go to a major mall. Really though, I don't mind going to the mall with the crowds and the hustle and bustle if I have most everything done. It can be a very festive time, and I love to watch people, smell the smells and listen to the music. It can really put you in the "mood."
I know several people this season who are unable to be "festive." I know people who are fighting cancer this Christmas season. I know people who are spending every minute they can at the hospital with a loved one who is very, very ill. I know people who are waiting for test results that could change their lives forever during this "happiest season of all." I know people who are about to have their first Christmas without a special loved one by their side. I know people who have lost their jobs, or have been told they may lose their jobs in the very near future. I know people who are smiling and trying to act like everything is okay, but everyday is an enormous struggle for them. I know people who are struggling with debilitating depression. I can specifically put a name with all of the life situations listed above, and I know a very small circle of people compared to most of you.
This has been my first Christmas in four years I have actually looked forward to the season. I have been excited about the celebrations, the pageants, the shopping, the baking, the decorating, etc. But I am painfully aware of the people mentioned above who are suffering and hurting and just want to skip Christmas altogether. I wish I could take away their pain... but I know I cannot. I do know however, that during the past four years, the constant in my life that kept me going day in and day out when I didn't have the physical, mental or emotional strength to function was my relationship with Jesus. He didn't look the other way. He never pretended nothing was wrong. He wasn't too busy to listen, even when I said the same thing over and over and over again.
So, this Christmas, I think the very least I can do is to not look the other way, not pretend something isn't wrong, and listen whenever I'm given the chance to do so, even if the other person is saying the same thing over and over and over again. That would be the best Christmas gift I could give someone this holiday season.
I love Christmas... and Thanksgiving... and Easter... and Halloween. I love celebrating, parties and implementing traditions. That's my "thing." For the four years leading up to this particular Christmas, those traditions were difficult to keep up, but in so many ways, they kept the Faulkner Five together, and we're a stronger family unit because of them... the little things that tied us together. But the one huge thing that ties us together is, and will always be, our relationship with Jesus. A little baby boy born in a manger in Bethlehem all those years ago.
If you know someone hurting this season, I encourage you to talk to them today... even if it's a little depressing or it isn't something you really feel like dealing with this close to Christmas. It could mean more than you would ever know, and be the best Christmas gift that person ever receives. Let's give our best Christmas gifts a little early this year.
Enough of this heavy stuff! Let's bake something light, easy and yummy.
Slice of Heaven Spice Cake
This is another one of those "cake mix" cakes I love. Plus, if you make any kind of spice cake during the holidays, it smells like Christmas to me.
Cake
1 box spice cake mix
1 can (21 oz.) apple pie filling
1/3 cup apple butter
3 large eggs
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Grease pan.
3. Combine dry cake mix with the apple pie filling, apple butter and eggs. (Do not add any oil or water.) Stir well.
4. You will need two 8" round pans. Reference the cake mix box for amount of time directed on the box. While cake is cooling, prepare icing.
Icing
1 package (8 oz. cream cheese, softened)
1 stick butter, softened
1 cup confectioner's sugar
4 tbsp. apple butter
1. Blend all ingredients until smooth.
2. Spread icing between the two layers and on the top of the cake. You do not have to spread the icing on the sides of the cake.
Easy, and delicious.
I know you have a million things to do this Tuesday before Christmas. Have a great day, and get a lot done... and make time to call someone who may need to talk a little today.
Tomorrow is a "fun" day. I have a true little story about a Christmas mouse, and a "transition tradition" to be celebrated the day AFTER Christmas.
Talk to you tomorrow.
It's hard to believe Christmas is only two days away, isn't it? It kind of sneaks up on you, doesn't it? Roxie wanted to get one of those signs to put in her room that counts down the hours, minutes and seconds until Christmas day, but I knew this would cause a great deal of stress in my life, and I vetoed that idea.
I bought my last three Christmas gifts yesterday, and that felt great. I was fortunate to be able to get everything I needed in our little town, and I didn't have to go to a major mall. Really though, I don't mind going to the mall with the crowds and the hustle and bustle if I have most everything done. It can be a very festive time, and I love to watch people, smell the smells and listen to the music. It can really put you in the "mood."
I know several people this season who are unable to be "festive." I know people who are fighting cancer this Christmas season. I know people who are spending every minute they can at the hospital with a loved one who is very, very ill. I know people who are waiting for test results that could change their lives forever during this "happiest season of all." I know people who are about to have their first Christmas without a special loved one by their side. I know people who have lost their jobs, or have been told they may lose their jobs in the very near future. I know people who are smiling and trying to act like everything is okay, but everyday is an enormous struggle for them. I know people who are struggling with debilitating depression. I can specifically put a name with all of the life situations listed above, and I know a very small circle of people compared to most of you.
This has been my first Christmas in four years I have actually looked forward to the season. I have been excited about the celebrations, the pageants, the shopping, the baking, the decorating, etc. But I am painfully aware of the people mentioned above who are suffering and hurting and just want to skip Christmas altogether. I wish I could take away their pain... but I know I cannot. I do know however, that during the past four years, the constant in my life that kept me going day in and day out when I didn't have the physical, mental or emotional strength to function was my relationship with Jesus. He didn't look the other way. He never pretended nothing was wrong. He wasn't too busy to listen, even when I said the same thing over and over and over again.
So, this Christmas, I think the very least I can do is to not look the other way, not pretend something isn't wrong, and listen whenever I'm given the chance to do so, even if the other person is saying the same thing over and over and over again. That would be the best Christmas gift I could give someone this holiday season.
I love Christmas... and Thanksgiving... and Easter... and Halloween. I love celebrating, parties and implementing traditions. That's my "thing." For the four years leading up to this particular Christmas, those traditions were difficult to keep up, but in so many ways, they kept the Faulkner Five together, and we're a stronger family unit because of them... the little things that tied us together. But the one huge thing that ties us together is, and will always be, our relationship with Jesus. A little baby boy born in a manger in Bethlehem all those years ago.
If you know someone hurting this season, I encourage you to talk to them today... even if it's a little depressing or it isn't something you really feel like dealing with this close to Christmas. It could mean more than you would ever know, and be the best Christmas gift that person ever receives. Let's give our best Christmas gifts a little early this year.
Enough of this heavy stuff! Let's bake something light, easy and yummy.
Slice of Heaven Spice Cake
This is another one of those "cake mix" cakes I love. Plus, if you make any kind of spice cake during the holidays, it smells like Christmas to me.
Cake
1 box spice cake mix
1 can (21 oz.) apple pie filling
1/3 cup apple butter
3 large eggs
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Grease pan.
3. Combine dry cake mix with the apple pie filling, apple butter and eggs. (Do not add any oil or water.) Stir well.
4. You will need two 8" round pans. Reference the cake mix box for amount of time directed on the box. While cake is cooling, prepare icing.
Icing
1 package (8 oz. cream cheese, softened)
1 stick butter, softened
1 cup confectioner's sugar
4 tbsp. apple butter
1. Blend all ingredients until smooth.
2. Spread icing between the two layers and on the top of the cake. You do not have to spread the icing on the sides of the cake.
Easy, and delicious.
I know you have a million things to do this Tuesday before Christmas. Have a great day, and get a lot done... and make time to call someone who may need to talk a little today.
Tomorrow is a "fun" day. I have a true little story about a Christmas mouse, and a "transition tradition" to be celebrated the day AFTER Christmas.
Talk to you tomorrow.
Saturday, December 20, 2008
Traveling Christmas Tea Party
Good Monday morning!
First things first... If you go to the the section on the right of your screen that lists the blogs I visit, click onto "a little bit of me," and look at Susan's champagne Christmas tree. I love the tree, but the best part as you read the entire post is the picture ornament frames. She gets one each year and... well, just read the rest. Great idea, especially if you're just now starting out with babies. To one day have a tree filled with pictures of the people you love most... now that's a Christmas tree.
Also, the Showcase Pic this week is from June when we were Golden Ticket guests at the Rick and Bubba show. This is one of the most fun things you can do... EVER. And it's free. You get to sit from 7:00 a.m. until the show ends and then Rick, Bubba and company autograph things for you and take pictures with you. We took my nephew, Brad, and my niece, Katie. My other nephew, Zac, got sick in the parking lot and was unable to come to the show. However, Rick and Bubba talked about him several times during the show telling why he wasn't there, so that was pretty nice.
For all of you out there who are losing sleep worrying about my Christmas Card Count being in the 30s, worry no more! The official Christmas Card Count for this Monday is 53. That's right. Cards have just been pouring in, and as of this post, I haven't had to confiscate Austin's two cards or the six cards on Mikie's desk. We'll see how the next four days go.
Also, good news in the Readership Count department. The total for this past week was 149. The most hits I've ever had in one day is 26. This past Tuesday I had 30. Only 20 away from my goal of 50. And it's supposedly a very busy week for everyone... you know, with Christmas less than a week away and all. So, I am very pleased with that number considering some people are probably too busy to read blogs this past week and the week coming up. (I would just encourage you if you only have time to read one or two blogs, make sure you read mine first. Just a suggestion.)
I have found a faithful "commenter" in my friend, Robin. It is such a thrill to have a comment, and she obviously likes to comment, so we're a good pair. Oh, and by the way, this week in the Gallery there will be a picture of Robin. She doesn't know when and she doesn't know where, but she asked to be in the Gallery, and since she's gotten permission from her mom for her picture to appear on my blog, she's in! (By the way... Robin's a grown-up. When I re-read that paragraph it gave the impression of a much younger Robin. Just wanted to clear that up!)
I've included a picture from Austin's Senior Christmas Luncheon from last week. He took the camera, and all I asked of him was to take five pictures (one including him, and the others of friends who are important to him). The boy came home with 23 pictures. Good pictures, too. I am so proud. Instead of one scrapbook page, I can now create a three page spread.
Friday night, we went to the Palisades Park in Oneonta for Christmas with my mom's side of the family. We had a great time. After we opened gifts, a couple of the grown-ups (thanks Adam and Mary) took all the kids through the park to look at the thousands and thousands of lights. When everyone came back, we played quarter bingo. All the kids play and my mom has a bag of quarters ($21 worth this year). When you get a bingo, you get a quarter. It is a fun game, and when Mikie found out we could recoup our gas money used to travel to Oneonta, he got in the game, too. We're not too proud to take money from the kid's table. We're not really sure if this is gambling or not, but we have decided to call it "another Christmas gift." We then played Buzzword (winning team got $50... just kidding). Mikie and I are having an unexpected date night this week with all our winnings (again, just kidding). If you don't have Buzzword as a family game, I highly recommend it. Fun, easy, and fast (unlike Monopoly).
I've also included a couple of Palisades pics in the Gallery for your perusal. (Good word. I had to use it all the time during my legal secretary days. It doesn't really come up that much now.)
Yesterday was the Faulkner Family Christmas in Oxford. It was wonderful having baby Matthew with us. He'll be one on January 2. It was a long day with a lot of people, but he was so pleasant and sweet. Precious little guy.
Before we opened our gifts, Brandi and Jared (parents of Matthew) were in charge of the devotion, and Brandi read the sweetest story (God Gave Us Christmas by Lisa Tawn Bergren). The main characters are a mama and baby polar bear... you've got to love polar bears. It tells the wonderful story of Christmas and God in an unique way. Beautiful illustrations, too. You know what I'm about to say... go pick this up for your Holiday Book Basket. It's a keeper.
While Matthew slept, we played a great new card game (Phase 10). I'm not just saying that because I won by an enormous amount (and won $25... do I have to keep say "just kidding?"), but it is a good card game, and once you've played through the first hand, it's not a hard game at all. We've put it on our list of "Games to Get" for Faulkner Family Game Night. I usually have the final say in the decision of what does or does not get on the list. If I don't like it (or there's no chance I can win), I can assure you, it's not going to be bought!
Also, you'll notice some pics from the Faulkner Family Christmas. I put a picture of Roxie and Savanna with the ornaments they made on Sunday. They are candy wreaths made with peppermints and Jolly Ranchers with a picture of the two of them in the middle, and cute, fuzzy penguin ornaments we made from kits from Target. I'll be adding more pictures throughout the week to the Gallery.
Now, for the party of the week.
Traveling Christmas Tea Party
Actually, this is the party I'm planning on having for our 12th Christmas Tea in two years, but I thought it could easily be adapted for a pre-teen or teenage girls' Christmas party.
You will need three willing moms. Again, the best number would be six to eight girls. You want them to be able to sit at a table together or sit at two tables of four. You would also have this party in the middle of the day. It will last between 1 1/2 hours to 2 hours depending on travel time.
The girls are to dress up in Christmas clothes, make-up, hair, etc. Christmas music should be playing at each home as they enter the door. The first house is the soup and/or salad house. A simple green salad with add-ins on the side and a nice hot soup in the crock pot (taco soup or potato soup) with crackers and cheese are the perfect dishes to serve at the first house. If you decide to use paper products, just make sure they are pretty and festive. Bless the food and each girl at House Number One. You should stay at this home for 25 - 30 minutes. Load up the girls, and head to House Number Two.
House Number Two should be ready to serve pretty sandwiches cut with cookie cutters in the shapes of trees, bells, angels, etc. Just make two or three varieties (ask a few of the girls what they like). A tray with sliced fruit (apples, oranges, grapes) and two or three different cheeses can be in the center of the table, also. This should be the house where hot tea is served. You can use Celestial Seasonings Tea which has a combination box of fruit teas. Pour each girl a tea cup of hot water and let them choose their flavor. Let the tea bag steep for a few minutes, and then let them add sugar and cream until they have it tasting the way they like. You should stay at this home for 25 -30 minutes. Load up the girls, and head to House Number Three.
House Number Three is the dessert house. You should have one or two types of cookies to serve, as well as a cake or pie. You can also have a piece or two of candy on each plate (Hershey's Kisses, etc.). After the girls have their dessert, House Number Three is the house where the devotion will be read. It can be a book (The Three Trees, The Crippled Lamb, etc.), or it can be straight from Luke 2 with each girl reading one or two verses going around the table. You began with a prayer, and it would be a great idea to end with a prayer. You will stay at this house 25 - 30 minutes. Load up the girls, and take them home.
NOTE: Something fun to do when you drop off a girl... let all of the other girls get out of the car to walk her to the door to say good-bye.
This party would take some planning, but if you think about just having it for 30 minutes in your home, AND giving the girls some quality time with each other along with prayer and devotion... well, it's a good thing to do.
Tomorrow I have another quick and easy recipe for you to try. Also, don't forget to check on Wednesday. This Seasonal Tradition has become one of my favorite "transition traditions," and it takes little or no planning, no mess and it's fun for everyone.
Have a great Monday, and I'll talk to you tomorrow.
First things first... If you go to the the section on the right of your screen that lists the blogs I visit, click onto "a little bit of me," and look at Susan's champagne Christmas tree. I love the tree, but the best part as you read the entire post is the picture ornament frames. She gets one each year and... well, just read the rest. Great idea, especially if you're just now starting out with babies. To one day have a tree filled with pictures of the people you love most... now that's a Christmas tree.
Also, the Showcase Pic this week is from June when we were Golden Ticket guests at the Rick and Bubba show. This is one of the most fun things you can do... EVER. And it's free. You get to sit from 7:00 a.m. until the show ends and then Rick, Bubba and company autograph things for you and take pictures with you. We took my nephew, Brad, and my niece, Katie. My other nephew, Zac, got sick in the parking lot and was unable to come to the show. However, Rick and Bubba talked about him several times during the show telling why he wasn't there, so that was pretty nice.
For all of you out there who are losing sleep worrying about my Christmas Card Count being in the 30s, worry no more! The official Christmas Card Count for this Monday is 53. That's right. Cards have just been pouring in, and as of this post, I haven't had to confiscate Austin's two cards or the six cards on Mikie's desk. We'll see how the next four days go.
Also, good news in the Readership Count department. The total for this past week was 149. The most hits I've ever had in one day is 26. This past Tuesday I had 30. Only 20 away from my goal of 50. And it's supposedly a very busy week for everyone... you know, with Christmas less than a week away and all. So, I am very pleased with that number considering some people are probably too busy to read blogs this past week and the week coming up. (I would just encourage you if you only have time to read one or two blogs, make sure you read mine first. Just a suggestion.)
I have found a faithful "commenter" in my friend, Robin. It is such a thrill to have a comment, and she obviously likes to comment, so we're a good pair. Oh, and by the way, this week in the Gallery there will be a picture of Robin. She doesn't know when and she doesn't know where, but she asked to be in the Gallery, and since she's gotten permission from her mom for her picture to appear on my blog, she's in! (By the way... Robin's a grown-up. When I re-read that paragraph it gave the impression of a much younger Robin. Just wanted to clear that up!)
I've included a picture from Austin's Senior Christmas Luncheon from last week. He took the camera, and all I asked of him was to take five pictures (one including him, and the others of friends who are important to him). The boy came home with 23 pictures. Good pictures, too. I am so proud. Instead of one scrapbook page, I can now create a three page spread.
Friday night, we went to the Palisades Park in Oneonta for Christmas with my mom's side of the family. We had a great time. After we opened gifts, a couple of the grown-ups (thanks Adam and Mary) took all the kids through the park to look at the thousands and thousands of lights. When everyone came back, we played quarter bingo. All the kids play and my mom has a bag of quarters ($21 worth this year). When you get a bingo, you get a quarter. It is a fun game, and when Mikie found out we could recoup our gas money used to travel to Oneonta, he got in the game, too. We're not too proud to take money from the kid's table. We're not really sure if this is gambling or not, but we have decided to call it "another Christmas gift." We then played Buzzword (winning team got $50... just kidding). Mikie and I are having an unexpected date night this week with all our winnings (again, just kidding). If you don't have Buzzword as a family game, I highly recommend it. Fun, easy, and fast (unlike Monopoly).
I've also included a couple of Palisades pics in the Gallery for your perusal. (Good word. I had to use it all the time during my legal secretary days. It doesn't really come up that much now.)
Yesterday was the Faulkner Family Christmas in Oxford. It was wonderful having baby Matthew with us. He'll be one on January 2. It was a long day with a lot of people, but he was so pleasant and sweet. Precious little guy.
Before we opened our gifts, Brandi and Jared (parents of Matthew) were in charge of the devotion, and Brandi read the sweetest story (God Gave Us Christmas by Lisa Tawn Bergren). The main characters are a mama and baby polar bear... you've got to love polar bears. It tells the wonderful story of Christmas and God in an unique way. Beautiful illustrations, too. You know what I'm about to say... go pick this up for your Holiday Book Basket. It's a keeper.
While Matthew slept, we played a great new card game (Phase 10). I'm not just saying that because I won by an enormous amount (and won $25... do I have to keep say "just kidding?"), but it is a good card game, and once you've played through the first hand, it's not a hard game at all. We've put it on our list of "Games to Get" for Faulkner Family Game Night. I usually have the final say in the decision of what does or does not get on the list. If I don't like it (or there's no chance I can win), I can assure you, it's not going to be bought!
Also, you'll notice some pics from the Faulkner Family Christmas. I put a picture of Roxie and Savanna with the ornaments they made on Sunday. They are candy wreaths made with peppermints and Jolly Ranchers with a picture of the two of them in the middle, and cute, fuzzy penguin ornaments we made from kits from Target. I'll be adding more pictures throughout the week to the Gallery.
Now, for the party of the week.
Traveling Christmas Tea Party
Actually, this is the party I'm planning on having for our 12th Christmas Tea in two years, but I thought it could easily be adapted for a pre-teen or teenage girls' Christmas party.
You will need three willing moms. Again, the best number would be six to eight girls. You want them to be able to sit at a table together or sit at two tables of four. You would also have this party in the middle of the day. It will last between 1 1/2 hours to 2 hours depending on travel time.
The girls are to dress up in Christmas clothes, make-up, hair, etc. Christmas music should be playing at each home as they enter the door. The first house is the soup and/or salad house. A simple green salad with add-ins on the side and a nice hot soup in the crock pot (taco soup or potato soup) with crackers and cheese are the perfect dishes to serve at the first house. If you decide to use paper products, just make sure they are pretty and festive. Bless the food and each girl at House Number One. You should stay at this home for 25 - 30 minutes. Load up the girls, and head to House Number Two.
House Number Two should be ready to serve pretty sandwiches cut with cookie cutters in the shapes of trees, bells, angels, etc. Just make two or three varieties (ask a few of the girls what they like). A tray with sliced fruit (apples, oranges, grapes) and two or three different cheeses can be in the center of the table, also. This should be the house where hot tea is served. You can use Celestial Seasonings Tea which has a combination box of fruit teas. Pour each girl a tea cup of hot water and let them choose their flavor. Let the tea bag steep for a few minutes, and then let them add sugar and cream until they have it tasting the way they like. You should stay at this home for 25 -30 minutes. Load up the girls, and head to House Number Three.
House Number Three is the dessert house. You should have one or two types of cookies to serve, as well as a cake or pie. You can also have a piece or two of candy on each plate (Hershey's Kisses, etc.). After the girls have their dessert, House Number Three is the house where the devotion will be read. It can be a book (The Three Trees, The Crippled Lamb, etc.), or it can be straight from Luke 2 with each girl reading one or two verses going around the table. You began with a prayer, and it would be a great idea to end with a prayer. You will stay at this house 25 - 30 minutes. Load up the girls, and take them home.
NOTE: Something fun to do when you drop off a girl... let all of the other girls get out of the car to walk her to the door to say good-bye.
This party would take some planning, but if you think about just having it for 30 minutes in your home, AND giving the girls some quality time with each other along with prayer and devotion... well, it's a good thing to do.
Tomorrow I have another quick and easy recipe for you to try. Also, don't forget to check on Wednesday. This Seasonal Tradition has become one of my favorite "transition traditions," and it takes little or no planning, no mess and it's fun for everyone.
Have a great Monday, and I'll talk to you tomorrow.
Thursday, December 18, 2008
Weekend Happenings
Good Friday morning!
I know you are just dying to know how many Christmas cards I have received. I know you have nothing more exciting going on in your life, and this has become your one true obsession. Well, wait no longer! I have (DRUM ROLL, PLEASE!) 37. I hope you weren't expecting 73. (I know I was.) But 37 is a nice number. Much more substantial than 20 and working it's way to 50. I remember when I was 37 myself. It's not a bad number at all. I am pleased with our progress thus far.
I've added the pictures of the band members who were nominated for Mr. GHS (and our friend, Taylor) to the Photo Gallery. They clean up nicely, don't they?
For any new readers out there (and there are a few), I was going to go over the way A Simple Life works. The following is the "schedule" for the blog:
Monday - Parties/Events
Tuesday - Recipes (copied, not created)
Wednesday - Seasonal Traditions
Thursday - Date (spouse or child)
Friday - Book of the Week
Saturday and Sunday - No new posts
Next week will be different because of the holidays, and there will be new posts Monday through Thursday. Thursday I will have a date and a book listed. I will not blog Friday, Saturday or Sunday, but new posts will begin again on Monday, December 29.
The Showcase Pic is different every week beginning on Mondays. The pictures you see in the gallery above the posts are for the current week. When the Showcase Pic changes on Monday, the pictures above the posts go to the bottom of the page, and current pictures take their place at the top.
That, in a nutshell, is how A Simple Life Blog works. And knowing me, it will never change. I don't like change. However, if there is a way to improve the blog, (and you communicate the way to improve the blog to me very nicely) I will try my best to accommodate. I didn't say I couldn't change... just that I don't like it very much.
Friday posts are usually a round-up of the week, along with plans we have for the weekend. Monday begins all over again with family stories, amusing anecdotes and humorous musings... at least what I think are amusing and humorous.
Since this is a Friday post, I'll just let you know that this is our Family Christmas Weekend. We'll be in Oneonta Friday night for the Bradley Christmas party (my Mom's side of the family). We'll be in Oxford Saturday for the Faulkner Christmas party (my husband's side of the family). And Miss Savanna will be coming over Sunday after church to make Christmas ornaments with Miss Roxie.
I think the plan for late Sunday night is SURVIVOR. That's right. We haven't seen the last three hour show. And, amazing as it may seem, we don't know who the winner is as of this moment. How could that be? How could we possibly not know who the winner is? Could it be that absolutely no one watches Survivor anymore except for the Faulkner Five? Could it be that absolutely no one cares who outwitted, outplayed and outlasted all the other mean contestants? I don't know the answer to these (and many other) questions, but of one thing I am sure... Sunday night we will know who the sole survivor is for Gabon, The Final Eden. (And just to make it Christmasy, we're going to sing Christmas carols during the commercials... and much like the Amazing Race finale, we will be wearing our Santa hats!)
We'll also begin reading aloud The Best Christmas Pageant Ever a couple of chapters a night until Christmas Eve. Love that book!
Book
The book for today is truly one of my favorite Christmas books of all times. The Small One by Alex Walsh. It is the story of a little boy who has to sell his donkey, Small One, and how he finally finds the right person to become his new owner. Little does he know that the kind man who buys Small One is Joseph himself, and his little donkey will be carrying Mary, the mother of Baby Jesus, into Bethlehem that Christmas night long, long ago. It is such a sweet, simple story and our kids loved it for years and years and years.
Next week I'll be sharing one more Christmas party for the kiddos, an easy crockpot meal, another transition tradition to try the day AFTER Christmas, a fun wintertime date and a book to read aloud as a family during the school break.
I hope this last weekend before Christmas is a wonderful one for you and your family. Travel safely, enjoy your family and friends, and I'll talk to you again on Monday.
I know you are just dying to know how many Christmas cards I have received. I know you have nothing more exciting going on in your life, and this has become your one true obsession. Well, wait no longer! I have (DRUM ROLL, PLEASE!) 37. I hope you weren't expecting 73. (I know I was.) But 37 is a nice number. Much more substantial than 20 and working it's way to 50. I remember when I was 37 myself. It's not a bad number at all. I am pleased with our progress thus far.
I've added the pictures of the band members who were nominated for Mr. GHS (and our friend, Taylor) to the Photo Gallery. They clean up nicely, don't they?
For any new readers out there (and there are a few), I was going to go over the way A Simple Life works. The following is the "schedule" for the blog:
Monday - Parties/Events
Tuesday - Recipes (copied, not created)
Wednesday - Seasonal Traditions
Thursday - Date (spouse or child)
Friday - Book of the Week
Saturday and Sunday - No new posts
Next week will be different because of the holidays, and there will be new posts Monday through Thursday. Thursday I will have a date and a book listed. I will not blog Friday, Saturday or Sunday, but new posts will begin again on Monday, December 29.
The Showcase Pic is different every week beginning on Mondays. The pictures you see in the gallery above the posts are for the current week. When the Showcase Pic changes on Monday, the pictures above the posts go to the bottom of the page, and current pictures take their place at the top.
That, in a nutshell, is how A Simple Life Blog works. And knowing me, it will never change. I don't like change. However, if there is a way to improve the blog, (and you communicate the way to improve the blog to me very nicely) I will try my best to accommodate. I didn't say I couldn't change... just that I don't like it very much.
Friday posts are usually a round-up of the week, along with plans we have for the weekend. Monday begins all over again with family stories, amusing anecdotes and humorous musings... at least what I think are amusing and humorous.
Since this is a Friday post, I'll just let you know that this is our Family Christmas Weekend. We'll be in Oneonta Friday night for the Bradley Christmas party (my Mom's side of the family). We'll be in Oxford Saturday for the Faulkner Christmas party (my husband's side of the family). And Miss Savanna will be coming over Sunday after church to make Christmas ornaments with Miss Roxie.
I think the plan for late Sunday night is SURVIVOR. That's right. We haven't seen the last three hour show. And, amazing as it may seem, we don't know who the winner is as of this moment. How could that be? How could we possibly not know who the winner is? Could it be that absolutely no one watches Survivor anymore except for the Faulkner Five? Could it be that absolutely no one cares who outwitted, outplayed and outlasted all the other mean contestants? I don't know the answer to these (and many other) questions, but of one thing I am sure... Sunday night we will know who the sole survivor is for Gabon, The Final Eden. (And just to make it Christmasy, we're going to sing Christmas carols during the commercials... and much like the Amazing Race finale, we will be wearing our Santa hats!)
We'll also begin reading aloud The Best Christmas Pageant Ever a couple of chapters a night until Christmas Eve. Love that book!
Book
The book for today is truly one of my favorite Christmas books of all times. The Small One by Alex Walsh. It is the story of a little boy who has to sell his donkey, Small One, and how he finally finds the right person to become his new owner. Little does he know that the kind man who buys Small One is Joseph himself, and his little donkey will be carrying Mary, the mother of Baby Jesus, into Bethlehem that Christmas night long, long ago. It is such a sweet, simple story and our kids loved it for years and years and years.
Next week I'll be sharing one more Christmas party for the kiddos, an easy crockpot meal, another transition tradition to try the day AFTER Christmas, a fun wintertime date and a book to read aloud as a family during the school break.
I hope this last weekend before Christmas is a wonderful one for you and your family. Travel safely, enjoy your family and friends, and I'll talk to you again on Monday.
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Gift Bag Date
Good Thursday morning!
WOW! Wednesday was pretty eventful. The new pictures in the gallery are all from the skit Ballet Ruse the seniors put on every year at Christmas. The football players, basketball players, band members, choir, etc., etc. all participate in dances. Thankfully, Austin didn't have to wear a tutu, but many brave young men did (and may I say they were all very... graceful. Yeah, that's the word... graceful.) Austin did a dance to Danger Zone, but I think the only one really in danger was the young lady he had to flip over his head in three different performances. I saw her before I left, and she looked fine. The whole thing was hilarious (and I stayed for all three performances -- first one with my mom, second with a friend and third with Mikie).
I said on Monday Austin had a skit he was supposed to be in this week, but I didn't say he was nominated for Mr. GHS. It's a big honor, and he was nominated with five other fine young men (four of them from the band). Although he didn't win, I was very proud of him and the other guys. They shook hands, slapped backs and clapped as the winner was announced. Class act all the way.
There was also a Miss GHS and all six of those girls were excellent, too. It was very difficult to say who you wanted to win. (Except for Austin. As the woman who gave birth to him, I really did want him to win!)
"Is that it? Is that what you call an eventful Wednesday?" you may ask. Well, let me finish. Around 3:00 Wednesday afternoon, I heard someone open our glass door very slowly and quietly. I kept waiting for a knock, and then I heard a very light tapping... and then feet running away... and then a car pulling away very fast. Thinking it was one of the Austin's friends, I walked to the door and found a teddy bear (see the picture above). He had a letter attached explaining we had to keep him for just a little while, sign the letter, and then leave him for another family to find. On Christmas Eve night, he is supposed to be delivered to a specific address (and those people don't know he's coming either). It's a fun little game. His name is Ted DeBear, and we delivered him to a new home last night. We're the third family he's visited, so we didn't want to keep him too long because we wanted him to make many more journeys before his final destination next Wednesday night.
"Big deal. Two things in one day. I bet you're just exhausted!" Boy, are you grumpy. Actually, I had THREE things in one day... count 'em... 1-2-3. Mike's office party was last night at RoJo. It's a Mexican restaurant I've never been to before, and it was wonderful. Wednesday is church night for us, but this is once a year, so we went to Rojo.
There, three things. Fun, busy day. I didn't get to do anything at home except two loads of laundry, and before I change my clothes in just a minute, I'm going to load the dishwasher so I feel like I've accomplished something on the home front today. Not too worry. I'm not going anywhere tomorrow.
Oh, yeah. And the last three things on my list I was going to pick up on Monday so I could be FINISHED. Still not done. I'll probably be out Christmas Eve picking up the last three presents.
I wish I could give you a Christmas Card update today because I received a LARGE number of cards yesterday, but that would go against everything I believe in. I said Monday, Wednesday and Friday updates, and I meant it. I will not deviate from the "Update Rule." Although I will say things are definitely looking up in the Christmas Card department.
I said that today's date would be a "date with a purpose." Well, here it is.
Gift Bag Date
Everyone knows someone elderly, whether it is someone from church or in your neighborhood or in your grandparent's neighborhood, etc. Take one child (no matter what age) to the Dollar Tree and purchase six or seven items to put into a gift bag. If the bag is for a lady, here are some ideas for her gift bag:
Fingernail Files
Birthday/Sympathy/Get Well Cards (go ahead and put a stamp on each envelope -- if you buy two cards, use two stamps, etc.)
Hand Lotion
Puzzle Books (Word Find, Sudoku, Crossword)
Ladies' Magazine
Bag of Peppermints or Butterscotch Hard Candy (if you know she's not diabetic)
Small Hand Sanitizer
Here are some suggestions if the bag is for a man:
Puzzle Books (Word Find, Sudoku, Crossword)
Pens and/or Pencils
Fingernail Clippers
Peanut Butter and Cheese Crackers
Comb
Hand Lotions (no fragrance)
Chap Sticks
Bag of Peppermints or Butterscotch Hard Candy (if you know he's not diabetic)
After your little shopping expedition, get into the car and load up the gift bag. (Now this can be a bag bought at the Dollar Tree or if you have a young child, it can be a brown paper bag decorated with Christmas stickers and drawings before you leave to go shopping.) Also, have an orange and an apple to put into the bag.
Now you are ready for the delivery. When you arrive at your destination, walk with your child to ring the doorbell and give the gift bag to the elderly person. Have the child tell them "Merry Christmas," and leave them with a hug. (Always leave them with a hug.)
If you have three children, you now have three different Christmas dates. Although you could do this as a group activity, one-on-one you will have plenty of time to talk about giving instead of receiving. And let's face it... going into the Dollar Tree with three or four can cause major stress; whereas, going in with one child and talking and planning can be fun and easy... a real teachable moment.
No matter what age, learning to give is a major lesson. There are some adults who have never learned how to do it graciously and from the heart.
Enjoy this time with your child, and know that you are making an elderly person happy that day. You and your son/daughter may be giving the only hug that man or woman has gotten all day or all week. You never know.
Tomorrow is our last Christmas book before Christmas actually arrives. It is a good one, so stop by to get the title to add to your Holiday Book Basket.
Have a great Thursday, and I'll talk to you tomorrow.
WOW! Wednesday was pretty eventful. The new pictures in the gallery are all from the skit Ballet Ruse the seniors put on every year at Christmas. The football players, basketball players, band members, choir, etc., etc. all participate in dances. Thankfully, Austin didn't have to wear a tutu, but many brave young men did (and may I say they were all very... graceful. Yeah, that's the word... graceful.) Austin did a dance to Danger Zone, but I think the only one really in danger was the young lady he had to flip over his head in three different performances. I saw her before I left, and she looked fine. The whole thing was hilarious (and I stayed for all three performances -- first one with my mom, second with a friend and third with Mikie).
I said on Monday Austin had a skit he was supposed to be in this week, but I didn't say he was nominated for Mr. GHS. It's a big honor, and he was nominated with five other fine young men (four of them from the band). Although he didn't win, I was very proud of him and the other guys. They shook hands, slapped backs and clapped as the winner was announced. Class act all the way.
There was also a Miss GHS and all six of those girls were excellent, too. It was very difficult to say who you wanted to win. (Except for Austin. As the woman who gave birth to him, I really did want him to win!)
"Is that it? Is that what you call an eventful Wednesday?" you may ask. Well, let me finish. Around 3:00 Wednesday afternoon, I heard someone open our glass door very slowly and quietly. I kept waiting for a knock, and then I heard a very light tapping... and then feet running away... and then a car pulling away very fast. Thinking it was one of the Austin's friends, I walked to the door and found a teddy bear (see the picture above). He had a letter attached explaining we had to keep him for just a little while, sign the letter, and then leave him for another family to find. On Christmas Eve night, he is supposed to be delivered to a specific address (and those people don't know he's coming either). It's a fun little game. His name is Ted DeBear, and we delivered him to a new home last night. We're the third family he's visited, so we didn't want to keep him too long because we wanted him to make many more journeys before his final destination next Wednesday night.
"Big deal. Two things in one day. I bet you're just exhausted!" Boy, are you grumpy. Actually, I had THREE things in one day... count 'em... 1-2-3. Mike's office party was last night at RoJo. It's a Mexican restaurant I've never been to before, and it was wonderful. Wednesday is church night for us, but this is once a year, so we went to Rojo.
There, three things. Fun, busy day. I didn't get to do anything at home except two loads of laundry, and before I change my clothes in just a minute, I'm going to load the dishwasher so I feel like I've accomplished something on the home front today. Not too worry. I'm not going anywhere tomorrow.
Oh, yeah. And the last three things on my list I was going to pick up on Monday so I could be FINISHED. Still not done. I'll probably be out Christmas Eve picking up the last three presents.
I wish I could give you a Christmas Card update today because I received a LARGE number of cards yesterday, but that would go against everything I believe in. I said Monday, Wednesday and Friday updates, and I meant it. I will not deviate from the "Update Rule." Although I will say things are definitely looking up in the Christmas Card department.
I said that today's date would be a "date with a purpose." Well, here it is.
Gift Bag Date
Everyone knows someone elderly, whether it is someone from church or in your neighborhood or in your grandparent's neighborhood, etc. Take one child (no matter what age) to the Dollar Tree and purchase six or seven items to put into a gift bag. If the bag is for a lady, here are some ideas for her gift bag:
Fingernail Files
Birthday/Sympathy/Get Well Cards (go ahead and put a stamp on each envelope -- if you buy two cards, use two stamps, etc.)
Hand Lotion
Puzzle Books (Word Find, Sudoku, Crossword)
Ladies' Magazine
Bag of Peppermints or Butterscotch Hard Candy (if you know she's not diabetic)
Small Hand Sanitizer
Here are some suggestions if the bag is for a man:
Puzzle Books (Word Find, Sudoku, Crossword)
Pens and/or Pencils
Fingernail Clippers
Peanut Butter and Cheese Crackers
Comb
Hand Lotions (no fragrance)
Chap Sticks
Bag of Peppermints or Butterscotch Hard Candy (if you know he's not diabetic)
After your little shopping expedition, get into the car and load up the gift bag. (Now this can be a bag bought at the Dollar Tree or if you have a young child, it can be a brown paper bag decorated with Christmas stickers and drawings before you leave to go shopping.) Also, have an orange and an apple to put into the bag.
Now you are ready for the delivery. When you arrive at your destination, walk with your child to ring the doorbell and give the gift bag to the elderly person. Have the child tell them "Merry Christmas," and leave them with a hug. (Always leave them with a hug.)
If you have three children, you now have three different Christmas dates. Although you could do this as a group activity, one-on-one you will have plenty of time to talk about giving instead of receiving. And let's face it... going into the Dollar Tree with three or four can cause major stress; whereas, going in with one child and talking and planning can be fun and easy... a real teachable moment.
No matter what age, learning to give is a major lesson. There are some adults who have never learned how to do it graciously and from the heart.
Enjoy this time with your child, and know that you are making an elderly person happy that day. You and your son/daughter may be giving the only hug that man or woman has gotten all day or all week. You never know.
Tomorrow is our last Christmas book before Christmas actually arrives. It is a good one, so stop by to get the title to add to your Holiday Book Basket.
Have a great Thursday, and I'll talk to you tomorrow.
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
Chinese Chicken Christmas Eve
Good Wednesday morning!
The Christmas Card Count now stands at 29! I guess everyone didn't watch Matt Lauer Monday when he announced everyone in the Continental United States would be mailing their Christmas cards that day. At least, that is what I choose to believe.
I was at Wal-Mart today, and I saw the newest toy... Kota, the Triceratops. Have you seen this? It's a dinosaur a two, three or four year-old can actually sit on. It's that big.
My guys were huge dinosaur fans back in the day. We had big plastic dinosaurs, little plastic dinosaurs, the heavy rubber dinosaurs, all the dinosaur movies, every dinosaur book ever written, etc., etc. They both loved them, so for at least six or seven years in our home, that was the major topic of discussion.
When you asked Joshua what he wanted to be when he grew up, he would simply reply, "A dinosaur."
"You mean like Barney or a person who dresses up like a dinosaur and goes to birthday parties and stuff like that?"
"No. A T-Rex. A real dinosaur."
Mike and I reasoned we wouldn't have to spend a lot on college tuition on that one. No, sir. No way you have to go to a four year college for that kind of training. He would probably just need to go to a good junior college for that degree!
Last year, the McWane Center had a big dinosaur exhibit on their third floor. They had a special where you and your dinosaur fanatic could come to the McWane Center after hours, watch Night at the Museum on the IMAX, and then spend the night on the floor with all the dinosaurs in a sleeping bag with your parent. How cool was that? I tried to be happy for all the parents with age appropriate children for this activity. I really did... but it was hard.
Just like it's hard to see this giant dinosaur the kids could have sat on, and watched dinosaur movies next to, and pushed a button to make it growl... I know. I'm sounding a little whiny.
When Roxie was two, she got one of those sturdy plastic dollhouses with the plastic furniture and the plastic little dolls. It was pink and white and very pretty, and I was thrilled it wasn't a dinosaur. One day when I went in to get her up from her nap, the first thing I saw was the mother and daddy plastic dolls lying on the floor, and four large plastic dinosaurs in the bedroom, kitchen and living room area. I quickly removed them from the dollhouse, only to be reprimanded by my two year-old little girl saying, "No, Mommy, no!"
Obviously, the dinosaur invasion of the dollhouse wasn't the work of the two boys... it was Roxie. (My heart broke a little that day.)
Last year, I could have fit all of Austin's gifts into one shirt box. It's not that he didn't get anything... everything was just expensive and tiny. I miss the shapes and the bright colors and the size of the toys when the kids were little. But I'm not bitter. Nope. Not me. Not "I'm-never-ever-going-to-hear-squeals-of-glee-as-they-open-their-surprises-from-Santa" little ol' me.
I did enjoy those years very, very much. And I hope if you're in that season of your life with little ones you are enjoying that special time, too. And I'll let you in on a little secret. Even though they don't "squeal with glee," it is kind of nice not having neon orange, yellow, red and green toys all over my autumnal colored den anymore. There I am. Always looking for the silver lining!
Now, on to the tradition...
Chinese Chicken Christmas Eve
For some reason, the Faulkner Five have always had Christmas Eve to ourselves. Mike's parents celebrate their anniversary on Christmas Eve. My parents have always gone to a friend's Christmas Eve party. My two brothers-in-law (one on each side of the family) have always spent Christmas Eve with their families, so that left us to our own devices on Christmas Eve.
We've always gone to the Candlelight Service, but when Austin was very little we decided to make the Christmas Eve meal a little different. Since we were having big meals on Christmas Day, and we had a little work to do later on Christmas Eve night, we decided to simplify.
We didn't want pizza because we had that fairly often (like every other day). We didn't want fast food like hamburgers or chicken. A lot of restaurants were closed Christmas Eve. What to do, what to do?
After watching The Christmas Story and the famous scene where the family is forced to go to a Chinese restaurant on Christmas Day because dogs ate their turkey, we decided to do the same. And, even in our small town, the Chinese restaurant was open. We ordered our meal before the Candlelight Service, and picked it up a few minutes after we left the church. Perfect. We ate Chinese Chicken on our Christmas china by candlelight. We threw away our boxes, put our plates in the dishwasher and we were good to go.
This is our 17th year celebrating this tradition. We don't know if our kids will celebrate Christmas Eve with their new families as they grow up and marry, but I think Mikie and I like Chinese food enough to keep this one going on our own.
Again, this may not work for your family, but Christmas Eve without a fortune cookie... well, it's just not Christmas Eve around here!
I'm going to have several new pictures to post tomorrow, and don't forget, I'll have a new date for you to try, also.
Have a great Wednesday, and I'll talk to you soon.
The Christmas Card Count now stands at 29! I guess everyone didn't watch Matt Lauer Monday when he announced everyone in the Continental United States would be mailing their Christmas cards that day. At least, that is what I choose to believe.
I was at Wal-Mart today, and I saw the newest toy... Kota, the Triceratops. Have you seen this? It's a dinosaur a two, three or four year-old can actually sit on. It's that big.
My guys were huge dinosaur fans back in the day. We had big plastic dinosaurs, little plastic dinosaurs, the heavy rubber dinosaurs, all the dinosaur movies, every dinosaur book ever written, etc., etc. They both loved them, so for at least six or seven years in our home, that was the major topic of discussion.
When you asked Joshua what he wanted to be when he grew up, he would simply reply, "A dinosaur."
"You mean like Barney or a person who dresses up like a dinosaur and goes to birthday parties and stuff like that?"
"No. A T-Rex. A real dinosaur."
Mike and I reasoned we wouldn't have to spend a lot on college tuition on that one. No, sir. No way you have to go to a four year college for that kind of training. He would probably just need to go to a good junior college for that degree!
Last year, the McWane Center had a big dinosaur exhibit on their third floor. They had a special where you and your dinosaur fanatic could come to the McWane Center after hours, watch Night at the Museum on the IMAX, and then spend the night on the floor with all the dinosaurs in a sleeping bag with your parent. How cool was that? I tried to be happy for all the parents with age appropriate children for this activity. I really did... but it was hard.
Just like it's hard to see this giant dinosaur the kids could have sat on, and watched dinosaur movies next to, and pushed a button to make it growl... I know. I'm sounding a little whiny.
When Roxie was two, she got one of those sturdy plastic dollhouses with the plastic furniture and the plastic little dolls. It was pink and white and very pretty, and I was thrilled it wasn't a dinosaur. One day when I went in to get her up from her nap, the first thing I saw was the mother and daddy plastic dolls lying on the floor, and four large plastic dinosaurs in the bedroom, kitchen and living room area. I quickly removed them from the dollhouse, only to be reprimanded by my two year-old little girl saying, "No, Mommy, no!"
Obviously, the dinosaur invasion of the dollhouse wasn't the work of the two boys... it was Roxie. (My heart broke a little that day.)
Last year, I could have fit all of Austin's gifts into one shirt box. It's not that he didn't get anything... everything was just expensive and tiny. I miss the shapes and the bright colors and the size of the toys when the kids were little. But I'm not bitter. Nope. Not me. Not "I'm-never-ever-going-to-hear-squeals-of-glee-as-they-open-their-surprises-from-Santa" little ol' me.
I did enjoy those years very, very much. And I hope if you're in that season of your life with little ones you are enjoying that special time, too. And I'll let you in on a little secret. Even though they don't "squeal with glee," it is kind of nice not having neon orange, yellow, red and green toys all over my autumnal colored den anymore. There I am. Always looking for the silver lining!
Now, on to the tradition...
Chinese Chicken Christmas Eve
For some reason, the Faulkner Five have always had Christmas Eve to ourselves. Mike's parents celebrate their anniversary on Christmas Eve. My parents have always gone to a friend's Christmas Eve party. My two brothers-in-law (one on each side of the family) have always spent Christmas Eve with their families, so that left us to our own devices on Christmas Eve.
We've always gone to the Candlelight Service, but when Austin was very little we decided to make the Christmas Eve meal a little different. Since we were having big meals on Christmas Day, and we had a little work to do later on Christmas Eve night, we decided to simplify.
We didn't want pizza because we had that fairly often (like every other day). We didn't want fast food like hamburgers or chicken. A lot of restaurants were closed Christmas Eve. What to do, what to do?
After watching The Christmas Story and the famous scene where the family is forced to go to a Chinese restaurant on Christmas Day because dogs ate their turkey, we decided to do the same. And, even in our small town, the Chinese restaurant was open. We ordered our meal before the Candlelight Service, and picked it up a few minutes after we left the church. Perfect. We ate Chinese Chicken on our Christmas china by candlelight. We threw away our boxes, put our plates in the dishwasher and we were good to go.
This is our 17th year celebrating this tradition. We don't know if our kids will celebrate Christmas Eve with their new families as they grow up and marry, but I think Mikie and I like Chinese food enough to keep this one going on our own.
Again, this may not work for your family, but Christmas Eve without a fortune cookie... well, it's just not Christmas Eve around here!
I'm going to have several new pictures to post tomorrow, and don't forget, I'll have a new date for you to try, also.
Have a great Wednesday, and I'll talk to you soon.
Monday, December 15, 2008
Quiche
Good Tuesday morning!
Could it get any more gray or dreary or rainy? I love these days.
For one thing, I think I look better in this lighting. (Actually, I look best in candlelight... with one candle!) During the summer, spring and fall, I just think a gray sky makes the other colors "pop." In the winter, you always have that little hope of a snow day (even when it's 50+ degrees).
I wanted to share a few middle-age terms I found in the book Humor for a Woman's Heart 2. This particular article is by Laura Jensen Walker, and she is very comfortable with her middle age-ness:
1. Age spots - Cute freckles gone bad.
2. Hot flash - Better than an I.D., this furnace blast from the waist up tells everyone around you that you're over 40.
3. Mentalpause - Inability to remember names, places and what you were just about to say. (I have had this since I was 25!)
4. Middle Age - Caught between a glamour girl and a golden girl.
5. Mood Swings - Pick a mood, any mood, then change it in a heartbeat, add tears and stir. (Roxie has had this since age 10!)
6. Naps - Ecstasy. (Good word AND good definition!)
7. Thermostat Wars - He may get the remote, but you've won the real battle: supreme control of the thermostat.
8. Watchamacallit - Latest word addition to the middle-age dictionary -- must be said in tandem with pointing at common, everyday objects.
9. Wrinkle Cream - Save your money. Buy chocolate instead.
And my favorite:
10. Menopause - The only time in your life when you get to have the same wardrobe from season to season -- all summer clothes all year long (and that means white after Labor Day).
I like people who are comfortable with where they are in life. I hope when I'm middle-aged (in six more years -- the women in my family can live to be 106), I have as good an attitude as Ms. Walker. And by the way, I highly recommend this book. It has stories and quotes from 26 funny, Godly women, and it will leave a smile on your face every time you read it.
And as I stated above, don't forget my piece of lighting advice... one candle is better than two when it comes to not showing all of your flaws. And it's less painful than Botox -- mainly because I believe in sitting as far away from the candle as humanly possible.
Christmas Card Update - I'm not going to give you a number until tomorrow, but I will tell you that yesterday was the biggest mail day of the year for the Post Office, which means that today when the mailman comes it could be HUGE. (This was officially reported by Matt Lauer on The Today Show. That means it is true.)
TIP FOR THE DAY: Crank up the Christmas music for every meal (including breakfast). Do the same in the car and embarrass your teenagers by pulling up beside their friends and sing and smile at the top of your lungs. That's my plan for doing something Christmasy today! Isn't Christmas fun?
Quiche
This is a simple, simple ham quiche you can make in the morning, refrigerate and then bake 40 minutes before you're ready for dinner.
You will need the following:
2 cups Half and Half
1 Tablespoon chives
2 teaspoons onion flakes
1/2 teaspoon curry powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 eggs, slightly beaten
1/2 cup ham cut into small squares (use the deli-sliced ham you would use to make a sandwich)
2 pie shells
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1. Bake pie shells according to directions on package.
2. Put 1 cup of shredded cheese in the bottom of each baked pie shell.
3. Microwave half and half, chives, onion, curry and salt for 2 to 2 1/2 minutes.
4. Add beaten eggs and 1/2 cup ham to the microwaved ingredients. Stir.
5. Pour over cheese in the two prepared pie shells.
6. Put aluminum foil around edge of pie shells (to keep from burning), and bake at 375 degrees for 30 - 40 minutes or until knife comes out of the quiche clean.
That's it! Serve with fruit or a salad and you've got a delicious AND quick supper. It's also great to warm up the next day for lunch or leftovers a night or two later.
I hope you have a wonderful Tuesday. Remember, tomorrow is a Christmas Eve tradition you may want to try.
Take care and I'll talk to you tomorrow.
Could it get any more gray or dreary or rainy? I love these days.
For one thing, I think I look better in this lighting. (Actually, I look best in candlelight... with one candle!) During the summer, spring and fall, I just think a gray sky makes the other colors "pop." In the winter, you always have that little hope of a snow day (even when it's 50+ degrees).
I wanted to share a few middle-age terms I found in the book Humor for a Woman's Heart 2. This particular article is by Laura Jensen Walker, and she is very comfortable with her middle age-ness:
1. Age spots - Cute freckles gone bad.
2. Hot flash - Better than an I.D., this furnace blast from the waist up tells everyone around you that you're over 40.
3. Mentalpause - Inability to remember names, places and what you were just about to say. (I have had this since I was 25!)
4. Middle Age - Caught between a glamour girl and a golden girl.
5. Mood Swings - Pick a mood, any mood, then change it in a heartbeat, add tears and stir. (Roxie has had this since age 10!)
6. Naps - Ecstasy. (Good word AND good definition!)
7. Thermostat Wars - He may get the remote, but you've won the real battle: supreme control of the thermostat.
8. Watchamacallit - Latest word addition to the middle-age dictionary -- must be said in tandem with pointing at common, everyday objects.
9. Wrinkle Cream - Save your money. Buy chocolate instead.
And my favorite:
10. Menopause - The only time in your life when you get to have the same wardrobe from season to season -- all summer clothes all year long (and that means white after Labor Day).
I like people who are comfortable with where they are in life. I hope when I'm middle-aged (in six more years -- the women in my family can live to be 106), I have as good an attitude as Ms. Walker. And by the way, I highly recommend this book. It has stories and quotes from 26 funny, Godly women, and it will leave a smile on your face every time you read it.
And as I stated above, don't forget my piece of lighting advice... one candle is better than two when it comes to not showing all of your flaws. And it's less painful than Botox -- mainly because I believe in sitting as far away from the candle as humanly possible.
Christmas Card Update - I'm not going to give you a number until tomorrow, but I will tell you that yesterday was the biggest mail day of the year for the Post Office, which means that today when the mailman comes it could be HUGE. (This was officially reported by Matt Lauer on The Today Show. That means it is true.)
TIP FOR THE DAY: Crank up the Christmas music for every meal (including breakfast). Do the same in the car and embarrass your teenagers by pulling up beside their friends and sing and smile at the top of your lungs. That's my plan for doing something Christmasy today! Isn't Christmas fun?
Quiche
This is a simple, simple ham quiche you can make in the morning, refrigerate and then bake 40 minutes before you're ready for dinner.
You will need the following:
2 cups Half and Half
1 Tablespoon chives
2 teaspoons onion flakes
1/2 teaspoon curry powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 eggs, slightly beaten
1/2 cup ham cut into small squares (use the deli-sliced ham you would use to make a sandwich)
2 pie shells
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1. Bake pie shells according to directions on package.
2. Put 1 cup of shredded cheese in the bottom of each baked pie shell.
3. Microwave half and half, chives, onion, curry and salt for 2 to 2 1/2 minutes.
4. Add beaten eggs and 1/2 cup ham to the microwaved ingredients. Stir.
5. Pour over cheese in the two prepared pie shells.
6. Put aluminum foil around edge of pie shells (to keep from burning), and bake at 375 degrees for 30 - 40 minutes or until knife comes out of the quiche clean.
That's it! Serve with fruit or a salad and you've got a delicious AND quick supper. It's also great to warm up the next day for lunch or leftovers a night or two later.
I hope you have a wonderful Tuesday. Remember, tomorrow is a Christmas Eve tradition you may want to try.
Take care and I'll talk to you tomorrow.
Saturday, December 13, 2008
Christmas Tea Party
Good Monday morning!
You'll notice a new Showcase Pic. Last year for Christmas, we gave Mike six laps at Talladega. I highly recommend it. It was expensive, but his parents, my family (and of course the remaining Faulkner Four), all went in on the gift. It was his only gift, but six months later when he actually raced on the course, he said it was definitely worth it. It is a great experience if you have someone in your family who enjoys racing as much as Mikie.
Also, I've added a couple of pictures of things we did this weekend. You'll see Roxie and Mikie after her tournament game (we lost by one basket in overtime). I had Austin take the camera into the dressing room and got a great picture of him and Melia in his tuxedo right before the church Pageant. Roxie and her friend, Hannah, baked delicious Snowmen Cookies for our dessert one night, and I had to take a picture or two to show their hard work.
I'll be adding pictures since we have several things going on toward the middle of the week.
The Christmas Card Count is officially 23. S-l-o-w-l-y and surely we're getting there.
My readership number is much better. It stands at 143. Still, I have a long way to go to reach both goals. I'm not losing any sleep over it. Well, maybe a little sleep. Maybe 30 to 45 minutes a night. (Mike would interject right now that I NEVER lose any sleep.) I am blessed with a metabolism that can fall asleep anytime I become horizontal... and sometimes vertical, too, depending on the day I've had. It's a gift I don't take for granted because my mom hasn't slept since I can remember. I think five hours a night is an amazing amount for her, whereas for me, five hours is just a nice little nap.
Let's face it... you can't be 47 years-old (and look 47 years-old) if you don't get enough sleep.
Mikie and I had our Klingler's date and it was wonderful. I look forward to that date all year long, and even though we go more than once a year, Christmas is the best.
The Christmas Pageant was the "Christmas highlight" of the week, and it was so good. I'm so glad we were able to go as a family and watch Austin sing.
I literally just have three more gifts to buy. That feels so great. I'm going to try to do them today so I can say, "I am finished," instead of "I am almost finished."
I hope you had a great weekend, too. There's still a lot of Christmas to be had. Be sure and take advantage each and every day of this season by doing something a little special for your family or someone in your neighborhood. It's amazing whose name God might put into your head and heart who might have a need to just talk. There was a Christmas three years ago when I was literally on auto-pilot the entire month (and for two years after), and I know what a blessing it would have been for someone to take time out of a busy season to minister to me and my family. There are families right outside your door who have that need today. You don't have to look very far.
I received a card from a very dear family who is having an extremely difficult year. Her card simply read, "Carry on the Spirit of Christmas." I like that so much because it is saying the Spirit of Christmas doesn't just last 25 days in December... it goes throughout this year, and the next and the next. We're the ones who put it in the "time frame" of 25 days of Christmas. It was a very good reminder for me, and I will always keep that card.
Christmas Tea Party
This is a tradition that started exactly ten years ago this year. I bought the book The Twelve Teas of Christmas by Emilie Barnes. In the book, it describes 12 different teas in detail. It gives you a theme (Celebration of Friendship, Celebration of Joy, Celebration of Traditions, etc.), decoration ideas, invitation ideas and menus. It is a beautiful little book. You're supposed to pick a "tea" and host it at your home. I tweaked it a little bit, and the following is what we have been doing for the last ten years.
I asked ten friends to join me one Saturday before Christmas for an hour and a half at a local tea room. There was only one criteria. They didn't have to do a thing. It was to be a stress free time to visit and share during a sometimes stressful holiday.
They didn't have to buy a gift. They didn't have to bring a dish. They didn't have to decorate or clean their home. They just had to get dressed and meet at a tea room for a beautiful Christmas tea. It was a lot of fun. The first year was the Celebration of Friendship. I explained we would be having a Christmas tea once a year for the next 12 years. I also said anyone who attended all 12 of the teas would receive a special gift at the 12th tea. Everyone was willing to give it a try.
By the time our second tea rolled around, one of the girls had moved to Kentucky, so we added a new member to the 12 Teas of Christmas. Although she wasn't eligible for the 12 year prize, she was still willing to attend.
We decided to hold our FIFTH and TENTH teas out of town, and on our fifth a few days AFTER Christmas (again keeping it stress free), we went to a wonderful bed and breakfast in Marietta, Georgia (2 1/2 hours away), and then to a tea room the next day before heading home.
During our Celebration of Family (Tea #2), we invited our mothers and/or daughters to join us for a tea. That was a memorable tea because as we were paying, a tornado decided to come through, and we ended up staying in my mother's basement for about an hour until the danger was over.
We also have had the tea at a different tea room each and every year. Again, some have been better than others, but all have been memorable.
As we approach our tenth tea, we are planning a trip to Chattanooga, Tennessee to stay at the Mayor's Mansion Bed and Breakfast, having tea at the English Rose Tea Room the next day and then traveling home. This year is a Celebration of Giving. Since we try not to spend extra money on gifts, this year everyone has to write two things they admire about each person on the trip. Every girl will have a bag with her name on it, and everyone will drop two "admiration slips" into her bag when we arrive at the bed and breakfast. We'll read the slips before we go to bed that night. Instead of "giving" a bought gift for each person, every girl will leave Chattanooga with a gift bag of compliments which will hopefully mean more and last longer than anything anyone could possibly purchase.
So far there are three girls (not including me) who have not missed a single tea. In only two more years, these girls will be given a special gift at our 12th and final tea. These three girls are serious, too. They're coming whether they have a contagious illness, broken bones, etc. (I had originally told them diamond earrings, but now I'm thinking really big rhinestones!)
The 12th tea is called a Celebration of Stillness. Perfect. This tea will be held in my home. It will be all white. There will be beautiful music playing. The food will be perfect... (if I can save enough money over the next two years to have it catered!). Our verse for this tea will be, of course, "Be still, and know that I am God."
However, I'm not going to skip ahead and miss this year's tea and next year's tea by planning the last one. No, sir. I know better than that. Enjoy the moment. That's my motto! (I have got to get that tattooed somewhere!)
During one of the busiest times of the year, I do appreciate the ladies who have committed to these last ten years and the next two, also. We have laughed. We have cried. We have taken pictures galore, and I think we've made some fun memories together.
Our numbers are a little smaller this year. One of the girls lives in Tennessee, and won't be able to join us this year. Another has a commitment here in town, but she'll be back next year, and yet another will be going to Texas for a family function. Also, two of the girls who will be attending the tea this year will be moving to Illinois and Mississippi in the near future. So only seven of the ten will be attending the Celebration of Giving.
It's amazing how fast things change, isn't it? In the blink of an eye. That's why it's so important to tell the people in your life how much you care for them right now... today. And if you're fortunate enough to see them tomorrow, tell them then, also.
I'll leave you with a little poem by Sandy Lynam Clough that is written in the front of this delightful book:
Tomorrow, I have a very simple quiche you can make ahead of time for dinner. Just add fruit and salad, and you've got a quick light meal for a busy night of choir concerts and such.
Have a great Monday, and I'll talk to you tomorrow.
You'll notice a new Showcase Pic. Last year for Christmas, we gave Mike six laps at Talladega. I highly recommend it. It was expensive, but his parents, my family (and of course the remaining Faulkner Four), all went in on the gift. It was his only gift, but six months later when he actually raced on the course, he said it was definitely worth it. It is a great experience if you have someone in your family who enjoys racing as much as Mikie.
Also, I've added a couple of pictures of things we did this weekend. You'll see Roxie and Mikie after her tournament game (we lost by one basket in overtime). I had Austin take the camera into the dressing room and got a great picture of him and Melia in his tuxedo right before the church Pageant. Roxie and her friend, Hannah, baked delicious Snowmen Cookies for our dessert one night, and I had to take a picture or two to show their hard work.
I'll be adding pictures since we have several things going on toward the middle of the week.
The Christmas Card Count is officially 23. S-l-o-w-l-y and surely we're getting there.
My readership number is much better. It stands at 143. Still, I have a long way to go to reach both goals. I'm not losing any sleep over it. Well, maybe a little sleep. Maybe 30 to 45 minutes a night. (Mike would interject right now that I NEVER lose any sleep.) I am blessed with a metabolism that can fall asleep anytime I become horizontal... and sometimes vertical, too, depending on the day I've had. It's a gift I don't take for granted because my mom hasn't slept since I can remember. I think five hours a night is an amazing amount for her, whereas for me, five hours is just a nice little nap.
Let's face it... you can't be 47 years-old (and look 47 years-old) if you don't get enough sleep.
Mikie and I had our Klingler's date and it was wonderful. I look forward to that date all year long, and even though we go more than once a year, Christmas is the best.
The Christmas Pageant was the "Christmas highlight" of the week, and it was so good. I'm so glad we were able to go as a family and watch Austin sing.
I literally just have three more gifts to buy. That feels so great. I'm going to try to do them today so I can say, "I am finished," instead of "I am almost finished."
I hope you had a great weekend, too. There's still a lot of Christmas to be had. Be sure and take advantage each and every day of this season by doing something a little special for your family or someone in your neighborhood. It's amazing whose name God might put into your head and heart who might have a need to just talk. There was a Christmas three years ago when I was literally on auto-pilot the entire month (and for two years after), and I know what a blessing it would have been for someone to take time out of a busy season to minister to me and my family. There are families right outside your door who have that need today. You don't have to look very far.
I received a card from a very dear family who is having an extremely difficult year. Her card simply read, "Carry on the Spirit of Christmas." I like that so much because it is saying the Spirit of Christmas doesn't just last 25 days in December... it goes throughout this year, and the next and the next. We're the ones who put it in the "time frame" of 25 days of Christmas. It was a very good reminder for me, and I will always keep that card.
Christmas Tea Party
This is a tradition that started exactly ten years ago this year. I bought the book The Twelve Teas of Christmas by Emilie Barnes. In the book, it describes 12 different teas in detail. It gives you a theme (Celebration of Friendship, Celebration of Joy, Celebration of Traditions, etc.), decoration ideas, invitation ideas and menus. It is a beautiful little book. You're supposed to pick a "tea" and host it at your home. I tweaked it a little bit, and the following is what we have been doing for the last ten years.
I asked ten friends to join me one Saturday before Christmas for an hour and a half at a local tea room. There was only one criteria. They didn't have to do a thing. It was to be a stress free time to visit and share during a sometimes stressful holiday.
They didn't have to buy a gift. They didn't have to bring a dish. They didn't have to decorate or clean their home. They just had to get dressed and meet at a tea room for a beautiful Christmas tea. It was a lot of fun. The first year was the Celebration of Friendship. I explained we would be having a Christmas tea once a year for the next 12 years. I also said anyone who attended all 12 of the teas would receive a special gift at the 12th tea. Everyone was willing to give it a try.
By the time our second tea rolled around, one of the girls had moved to Kentucky, so we added a new member to the 12 Teas of Christmas. Although she wasn't eligible for the 12 year prize, she was still willing to attend.
We decided to hold our FIFTH and TENTH teas out of town, and on our fifth a few days AFTER Christmas (again keeping it stress free), we went to a wonderful bed and breakfast in Marietta, Georgia (2 1/2 hours away), and then to a tea room the next day before heading home.
During our Celebration of Family (Tea #2), we invited our mothers and/or daughters to join us for a tea. That was a memorable tea because as we were paying, a tornado decided to come through, and we ended up staying in my mother's basement for about an hour until the danger was over.
We also have had the tea at a different tea room each and every year. Again, some have been better than others, but all have been memorable.
As we approach our tenth tea, we are planning a trip to Chattanooga, Tennessee to stay at the Mayor's Mansion Bed and Breakfast, having tea at the English Rose Tea Room the next day and then traveling home. This year is a Celebration of Giving. Since we try not to spend extra money on gifts, this year everyone has to write two things they admire about each person on the trip. Every girl will have a bag with her name on it, and everyone will drop two "admiration slips" into her bag when we arrive at the bed and breakfast. We'll read the slips before we go to bed that night. Instead of "giving" a bought gift for each person, every girl will leave Chattanooga with a gift bag of compliments which will hopefully mean more and last longer than anything anyone could possibly purchase.
So far there are three girls (not including me) who have not missed a single tea. In only two more years, these girls will be given a special gift at our 12th and final tea. These three girls are serious, too. They're coming whether they have a contagious illness, broken bones, etc. (I had originally told them diamond earrings, but now I'm thinking really big rhinestones!)
The 12th tea is called a Celebration of Stillness. Perfect. This tea will be held in my home. It will be all white. There will be beautiful music playing. The food will be perfect... (if I can save enough money over the next two years to have it catered!). Our verse for this tea will be, of course, "Be still, and know that I am God."
However, I'm not going to skip ahead and miss this year's tea and next year's tea by planning the last one. No, sir. I know better than that. Enjoy the moment. That's my motto! (I have got to get that tattooed somewhere!)
During one of the busiest times of the year, I do appreciate the ladies who have committed to these last ten years and the next two, also. We have laughed. We have cried. We have taken pictures galore, and I think we've made some fun memories together.
Our numbers are a little smaller this year. One of the girls lives in Tennessee, and won't be able to join us this year. Another has a commitment here in town, but she'll be back next year, and yet another will be going to Texas for a family function. Also, two of the girls who will be attending the tea this year will be moving to Illinois and Mississippi in the near future. So only seven of the ten will be attending the Celebration of Giving.
It's amazing how fast things change, isn't it? In the blink of an eye. That's why it's so important to tell the people in your life how much you care for them right now... today. And if you're fortunate enough to see them tomorrow, tell them then, also.
I'll leave you with a little poem by Sandy Lynam Clough that is written in the front of this delightful book:
If teacups could talk
And teapots could sing,
Especially at Christmas,
They would tell us some things...
Of family and friends,
Carolers and trees,
Sharing the warmth of the season
With twelve special teas.
Also, if the Christmas season is just too busy for you to add one more event in your life, this would be a great thing to try to do each spring around Easter time. You could use the same themes and adapt them for the Easter season.Tomorrow, I have a very simple quiche you can make ahead of time for dinner. Just add fruit and salad, and you've got a quick light meal for a busy night of choir concerts and such.
Have a great Monday, and I'll talk to you tomorrow.
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Weekend Happenings
Good Friday morning!
The Featured Ornament today is Roxie's little Christmas tree. She wanted a tree in her room at a very early age, and that was fine with me. She has a collection of Snow Baby ornaments she used for years. The last two years she has used a set of colorful ornaments I made as a pre-teen. This year, she decided she wanted to do something a little hip and funky, so we bought tiny lime green, aqua and hot pink glass balls and a really fun silver tinsel garland which had all of the above-mentioned colors. She loves to knit scarves, so we grabbed two that had the right color scheme and wrapped them around the base of the tree. She did a really good job of decorating.
The Christmas card count now stands at 20. Austin received a card from the Auburn University Admissions Department, as well as Jacksonville State Admissions Department, but so far he has refused to let me have them. I'm not pushing him now, but the closer I get to 75... watch out! Also, Mikie has four cards at the office from various people I don't know. Those may be coming home next week, also.
When I receive a card from someone I haven't heard from since last year, I love calling them and catching up. I become very nostalgic as we talk about things we used to do together, kids growing up, grandchildren (that's right, I said grandchildren!), etc. It only takes a few minutes, and it's one of those little things that can really make your day. I highly recommend it!
This weekend is the Christmas Pageant at our church, and Roxie's basketball tournament. Austin will be at the church tonight, Saturday and Sunday, and Roxie will have games tonight and tomorrow afternoon.
Mike and I decided to have our Klingler's date this Saturday morning since it's a slow weekend (during the day). He's also been anxious to get to the new Bass Pro Shop which has opened nearby, so I think he and Josh are going to have a little outing after our breakfast to check it out. It looks like a great store, and the people we've talked to have really said some wonderful things. (I like the fact it has a restaurant and a fudge shop. Now, why don't more stores have fudge shops? People go nuts over the fudge shops in Tennessee. You know it would be a big hit! If I was even the least bit entrepreneurial, I might try opening up one of those... but I'm not.)
Except for the fact the following story happened during the Christmas season, it is not especially festive or spiritual. It has more to do with my relationship with birds. At 47 years of age, I have nine bird stories. These are not particularly pleasant stories for me... most of them bring with them horrible memories. However, this particular bird story took place in the month of December, and thus, I will now share it with you.
I was going Christmas shopping at the mall (many years ago), and I parked about a mile from the nearest entrance. Rather than ride around and around and around looking for parking spaces (like my Mom), I go to the outskirts of town and hike. On this particular day, I was almost to the doors of the store when out from under a car a little "parking lot bird" flew. (I know they have a name other than "parking lot bird," but I'm pretty sure everyone knows which birds I'm talking about... the ones that always hang out in the parking lots of malls and grocery stores.)
Anyway, I must have been high stepping it, because before I could stop, I heard a crunch which means I had accidentally stepped on the bird. I froze (with my foot off of the bird), and it half hobbled, half hopped around the parking lot.
I have to admit I panicked. I didn't know what to do. Were "parking lot birds" like horses? When they broke their wing or leg (or someone else broke their wing or leg), were you supposed to put them out of their misery? Would the other birds take care of it, or would they leave it there to die a horrible, painful death. I watched it for another minute. It wasn't getting any better. My first thought was that since I was the one, in fact, who had caused the injury, I couldn't just leave it there to suffer. With all the children coming in and out of the mall, I couldn't very well stomp the little thing to death. That would look bad. That would look really, really bad.
So, still not thinking clearly at all, I decided to walk/run miles to my car and drive back to the scene of the crime. I guess the walk back to the car cleared my head because I started remembering stories of people nursing birds back to health with eye droppers and worms and stuff like that. I breathed a sigh of relief (as I know you are doing right now) knowing that I didn't need to run over the bird with the car (again, doing the bird/horse, broken wing/broken leg comparison... where on earth did that come from?).
Since I was already at the car, I drove back to the spot where I had left the bird. No hobbling, hopping "parking lot bird" anywhere to be seen. I parked the car in the middle of the lane and got out and started looking underneath other parked cars. Again, no sign of the injured bird. There were healthy "parking lot birds" all over the place. I continued looking for another ten minutes or so, and finally, because of the traffic jam my parked car had caused, I had to move on.
Could one of the "parking lot birds" I had just seen have been the one I stepped on? Could I have just caused a minor injury and the little bird just had to "walk it off?" Could it be a little Christmas miracle... you know, like one of those Hallmark movies they show every year at this time?
As I parked on the outskirts of town again, and began the long hike back to the store, I was definitely relieved I had not killed an innocent little "parking lot bird." Especially during the Christmas season. And I learned two important lessons: (1) Always think things through before you act on your impulses (like stomping a bird to death to get it out of its misery); and (2) Always shuffle through parking lots. It takes a lot longer to get where you're going, but the end result is you don't step on innocent little birds. The End!
Book
Today's book of the week is truly wonderful. You will need to put a blanket under the tree the night you read this one if your kids are small, and pass out candy canes. One for each child to lick and enjoy as you read The Candymaker's Gift by David and Helen Haidle.
The illustrations in this book are so beautiful, and even as it talks about candy and the relationship between a little girl and her grandfather, it again tells the Christmas story in an eloquent, fun and memorable way. Your child will never look at a candy cane the same way again.
In the back of the book, it also has step-by-step instructions for a Candy Cane Party for your children.
Next week I have an annual event for moms and their friends, a wonderfully easy quiche (real men do eat quiche if that is what you put on the table), a Christmas Eve tradition, a date with a purpose and yet another book for your Holiday Book Basket.
Have a great weekend, and I'll talk to you on Monday!
The Featured Ornament today is Roxie's little Christmas tree. She wanted a tree in her room at a very early age, and that was fine with me. She has a collection of Snow Baby ornaments she used for years. The last two years she has used a set of colorful ornaments I made as a pre-teen. This year, she decided she wanted to do something a little hip and funky, so we bought tiny lime green, aqua and hot pink glass balls and a really fun silver tinsel garland which had all of the above-mentioned colors. She loves to knit scarves, so we grabbed two that had the right color scheme and wrapped them around the base of the tree. She did a really good job of decorating.
The Christmas card count now stands at 20. Austin received a card from the Auburn University Admissions Department, as well as Jacksonville State Admissions Department, but so far he has refused to let me have them. I'm not pushing him now, but the closer I get to 75... watch out! Also, Mikie has four cards at the office from various people I don't know. Those may be coming home next week, also.
When I receive a card from someone I haven't heard from since last year, I love calling them and catching up. I become very nostalgic as we talk about things we used to do together, kids growing up, grandchildren (that's right, I said grandchildren!), etc. It only takes a few minutes, and it's one of those little things that can really make your day. I highly recommend it!
This weekend is the Christmas Pageant at our church, and Roxie's basketball tournament. Austin will be at the church tonight, Saturday and Sunday, and Roxie will have games tonight and tomorrow afternoon.
Mike and I decided to have our Klingler's date this Saturday morning since it's a slow weekend (during the day). He's also been anxious to get to the new Bass Pro Shop which has opened nearby, so I think he and Josh are going to have a little outing after our breakfast to check it out. It looks like a great store, and the people we've talked to have really said some wonderful things. (I like the fact it has a restaurant and a fudge shop. Now, why don't more stores have fudge shops? People go nuts over the fudge shops in Tennessee. You know it would be a big hit! If I was even the least bit entrepreneurial, I might try opening up one of those... but I'm not.)
Except for the fact the following story happened during the Christmas season, it is not especially festive or spiritual. It has more to do with my relationship with birds. At 47 years of age, I have nine bird stories. These are not particularly pleasant stories for me... most of them bring with them horrible memories. However, this particular bird story took place in the month of December, and thus, I will now share it with you.
I was going Christmas shopping at the mall (many years ago), and I parked about a mile from the nearest entrance. Rather than ride around and around and around looking for parking spaces (like my Mom), I go to the outskirts of town and hike. On this particular day, I was almost to the doors of the store when out from under a car a little "parking lot bird" flew. (I know they have a name other than "parking lot bird," but I'm pretty sure everyone knows which birds I'm talking about... the ones that always hang out in the parking lots of malls and grocery stores.)
Anyway, I must have been high stepping it, because before I could stop, I heard a crunch which means I had accidentally stepped on the bird. I froze (with my foot off of the bird), and it half hobbled, half hopped around the parking lot.
I have to admit I panicked. I didn't know what to do. Were "parking lot birds" like horses? When they broke their wing or leg (or someone else broke their wing or leg), were you supposed to put them out of their misery? Would the other birds take care of it, or would they leave it there to die a horrible, painful death. I watched it for another minute. It wasn't getting any better. My first thought was that since I was the one, in fact, who had caused the injury, I couldn't just leave it there to suffer. With all the children coming in and out of the mall, I couldn't very well stomp the little thing to death. That would look bad. That would look really, really bad.
So, still not thinking clearly at all, I decided to walk/run miles to my car and drive back to the scene of the crime. I guess the walk back to the car cleared my head because I started remembering stories of people nursing birds back to health with eye droppers and worms and stuff like that. I breathed a sigh of relief (as I know you are doing right now) knowing that I didn't need to run over the bird with the car (again, doing the bird/horse, broken wing/broken leg comparison... where on earth did that come from?).
Since I was already at the car, I drove back to the spot where I had left the bird. No hobbling, hopping "parking lot bird" anywhere to be seen. I parked the car in the middle of the lane and got out and started looking underneath other parked cars. Again, no sign of the injured bird. There were healthy "parking lot birds" all over the place. I continued looking for another ten minutes or so, and finally, because of the traffic jam my parked car had caused, I had to move on.
Could one of the "parking lot birds" I had just seen have been the one I stepped on? Could I have just caused a minor injury and the little bird just had to "walk it off?" Could it be a little Christmas miracle... you know, like one of those Hallmark movies they show every year at this time?
As I parked on the outskirts of town again, and began the long hike back to the store, I was definitely relieved I had not killed an innocent little "parking lot bird." Especially during the Christmas season. And I learned two important lessons: (1) Always think things through before you act on your impulses (like stomping a bird to death to get it out of its misery); and (2) Always shuffle through parking lots. It takes a lot longer to get where you're going, but the end result is you don't step on innocent little birds. The End!
Book
Today's book of the week is truly wonderful. You will need to put a blanket under the tree the night you read this one if your kids are small, and pass out candy canes. One for each child to lick and enjoy as you read The Candymaker's Gift by David and Helen Haidle.
The illustrations in this book are so beautiful, and even as it talks about candy and the relationship between a little girl and her grandfather, it again tells the Christmas story in an eloquent, fun and memorable way. Your child will never look at a candy cane the same way again.
In the back of the book, it also has step-by-step instructions for a Candy Cane Party for your children.
Next week I have an annual event for moms and their friends, a wonderfully easy quiche (real men do eat quiche if that is what you put on the table), a Christmas Eve tradition, a date with a purpose and yet another book for your Holiday Book Basket.
Have a great weekend, and I'll talk to you on Monday!
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Klingler's Breakfast
Good Thursday morning!
The Featured Ornament today is my Christmas china. My Mom bought a set each for me and my sister many years ago, and I've never seen any other china like it. It is unique. I love the pattern and the colors, and I always set the table the first day of December. We eat ALL of our meals on the Christmas china until New Year's Eve. It sets the mood.
Just as I predicted Tuesday... it was a rainy, gray, blustery sort of day on Wednesday. "They" told us we might even get snow today. In Alabama, there is always the hope of snow, but it is rare that accumulation actually occurs. We're the ultimate optimists though... always hoping, running to Wal-Mart to buy bread and milk (which we already have), and waking up to... you guessed it. Another day WITHOUT snow.
Sometime this winter, people will start talking about the blizzard of '93 (which was an actual blizzard -- not just 3" of the slushy stuff), and the kids won't believe us because, well, we're old and we exaggerate. And what we don't exaggerate, they think we just totally made up. (I do have pictures, however.)
We'll see what today brings. The anticipation is really the fun part. The anticipation is the fun part of Christmas, too, isn't it? Especially when you're a little guy or girl. "How many more days, Mom?" Even using the chocolate Advent Calendars and the paper chain countdown didn't stop the question, "How many more days?"
My kids know how many more days now. They even know the hours and minutes, and they can calculate these facts and figures all by themselves. They don't need my help with that anymore.
I know many moms worry about their children understanding the real meaning of Christmas. I know I did. Do they care more about the gifts and the parties than the story -- the very true story -- of how Jesus Christ came to this Earth as God's greatest gift to all of us? I think at different times in their lives, the priorities do get mixed up a little, but when I asked Josh a few years ago what his favorite Christmas activity was, it wasn't cutting down the tree, opening presents or going to the family Christmas parties. He said, "I love the Candlelight Service on Christmas Eve where we sing the old carols, and they read the Christmas story out of Luke. I love when the last song we sing is 'Silent Night,' and we light the candles and hold them high above our heads and the whole sanctuary is lit only by the candles. I love hearing what Christmas is really all about."
"Not the gifts the next morning, or seeing all the cousins that afternoon, or the other 'stuff' we do all month long? The Candlelight Service is your favorite? Really?"
"Really," he said simply.
Josh is a simple guy. He likes what he likes, and that's that. And I love that about him.
I remember his third Candlelight Service. I let him actually hold the candle (while I held him and Mike held his arm and I kept my other arm free to grab the candle should it suddenly become air born). His usually non-stop little body was completely still. Concentration was etched on his brow. His tiny voice sang, "Sleep in Heavenly peace. Sleep in Heavenly peace," and then following the lead of our pastor in the quiet aftermath of singing "Silent Night," everyone blew out their candle. The church went dark for just a second, and in that darkness.. in that moment when everyone was contemplating Heavenly peace, Josh yelled out as loudly he could, "I blewed them all out! I blewed them all out!" Because, you see, in a two and a half year-old little boy's mind, when you blow out a candle and every candle in the building goes out... well, you "blewed" them all out by yourself!
Don't worry if your child is a little more hooked on Santa and gifts some years than the Nativity Scene or the church Pageant. That's very normal. The Bible says, "When I was a child, I used to speak as a child, think as a child, reason as a child; when I became a man, I did away with childish things," 1 Corinthians 13:11. My Josh was growing up. He got it, and he was putting away some childish things. (Don't get me wrong. The kid still loves his presents, too!)
This week has been a little heavy post-wise, so tomorrow I will have a lighter story to share before we get to our weekend. But now, I'll share a favorite date of mine with my favorite guy, Mikie.
Klingler's Breakfast
Every December, Mike and I have a breakfast date at Klingler's European Bakery in Vestavia. It is warm, inviting, cozy and delicious. We drink hot chocolate out of clear glass mugs and eat quiche (me) and omelets (Mike). They have nutcrackers, fruit cakes, homemade gingerbread men, etc., etc. Eating breakfast at a bakery, especially one as nice as Klingler's, is like eating in someone's kitchen... someone who is a really, really good cook. It has a different atmosphere than a regular restaurant.
I realize if you are reading this and you live somewhere other than the great state of Alabama, planning a breakfast date with your beloved at Klingler's in Vestavia may pose a problem. However, I bet somewhere near your home is a special place you and your spouse could make your own. A place to get away on a cold Saturday morning, just the two of you, to talk and quietly drink your coffee before officially starting the weekend. In a busy month, with three kids and their busy schedules, taking time out to start the day (with a meal you don't have to cook or clean up after) with your spouse is a great tradition.
NOTE: Usually breakfast dates are a little cheaper than dinner dates, too... no dessert! Enjoy!
Tomorrow I have another wonderful Christmas book to read with the kids under the tree. This one is fun because you have to read it with a snack.
Have a wonderful Thursday, and I'll talk to you tomorrow.
The Featured Ornament today is my Christmas china. My Mom bought a set each for me and my sister many years ago, and I've never seen any other china like it. It is unique. I love the pattern and the colors, and I always set the table the first day of December. We eat ALL of our meals on the Christmas china until New Year's Eve. It sets the mood.
Just as I predicted Tuesday... it was a rainy, gray, blustery sort of day on Wednesday. "They" told us we might even get snow today. In Alabama, there is always the hope of snow, but it is rare that accumulation actually occurs. We're the ultimate optimists though... always hoping, running to Wal-Mart to buy bread and milk (which we already have), and waking up to... you guessed it. Another day WITHOUT snow.
Sometime this winter, people will start talking about the blizzard of '93 (which was an actual blizzard -- not just 3" of the slushy stuff), and the kids won't believe us because, well, we're old and we exaggerate. And what we don't exaggerate, they think we just totally made up. (I do have pictures, however.)
We'll see what today brings. The anticipation is really the fun part. The anticipation is the fun part of Christmas, too, isn't it? Especially when you're a little guy or girl. "How many more days, Mom?" Even using the chocolate Advent Calendars and the paper chain countdown didn't stop the question, "How many more days?"
My kids know how many more days now. They even know the hours and minutes, and they can calculate these facts and figures all by themselves. They don't need my help with that anymore.
I know many moms worry about their children understanding the real meaning of Christmas. I know I did. Do they care more about the gifts and the parties than the story -- the very true story -- of how Jesus Christ came to this Earth as God's greatest gift to all of us? I think at different times in their lives, the priorities do get mixed up a little, but when I asked Josh a few years ago what his favorite Christmas activity was, it wasn't cutting down the tree, opening presents or going to the family Christmas parties. He said, "I love the Candlelight Service on Christmas Eve where we sing the old carols, and they read the Christmas story out of Luke. I love when the last song we sing is 'Silent Night,' and we light the candles and hold them high above our heads and the whole sanctuary is lit only by the candles. I love hearing what Christmas is really all about."
"Not the gifts the next morning, or seeing all the cousins that afternoon, or the other 'stuff' we do all month long? The Candlelight Service is your favorite? Really?"
"Really," he said simply.
Josh is a simple guy. He likes what he likes, and that's that. And I love that about him.
I remember his third Candlelight Service. I let him actually hold the candle (while I held him and Mike held his arm and I kept my other arm free to grab the candle should it suddenly become air born). His usually non-stop little body was completely still. Concentration was etched on his brow. His tiny voice sang, "Sleep in Heavenly peace. Sleep in Heavenly peace," and then following the lead of our pastor in the quiet aftermath of singing "Silent Night," everyone blew out their candle. The church went dark for just a second, and in that darkness.. in that moment when everyone was contemplating Heavenly peace, Josh yelled out as loudly he could, "I blewed them all out! I blewed them all out!" Because, you see, in a two and a half year-old little boy's mind, when you blow out a candle and every candle in the building goes out... well, you "blewed" them all out by yourself!
Don't worry if your child is a little more hooked on Santa and gifts some years than the Nativity Scene or the church Pageant. That's very normal. The Bible says, "When I was a child, I used to speak as a child, think as a child, reason as a child; when I became a man, I did away with childish things," 1 Corinthians 13:11. My Josh was growing up. He got it, and he was putting away some childish things. (Don't get me wrong. The kid still loves his presents, too!)
This week has been a little heavy post-wise, so tomorrow I will have a lighter story to share before we get to our weekend. But now, I'll share a favorite date of mine with my favorite guy, Mikie.
Klingler's Breakfast
Every December, Mike and I have a breakfast date at Klingler's European Bakery in Vestavia. It is warm, inviting, cozy and delicious. We drink hot chocolate out of clear glass mugs and eat quiche (me) and omelets (Mike). They have nutcrackers, fruit cakes, homemade gingerbread men, etc., etc. Eating breakfast at a bakery, especially one as nice as Klingler's, is like eating in someone's kitchen... someone who is a really, really good cook. It has a different atmosphere than a regular restaurant.
I realize if you are reading this and you live somewhere other than the great state of Alabama, planning a breakfast date with your beloved at Klingler's in Vestavia may pose a problem. However, I bet somewhere near your home is a special place you and your spouse could make your own. A place to get away on a cold Saturday morning, just the two of you, to talk and quietly drink your coffee before officially starting the weekend. In a busy month, with three kids and their busy schedules, taking time out to start the day (with a meal you don't have to cook or clean up after) with your spouse is a great tradition.
NOTE: Usually breakfast dates are a little cheaper than dinner dates, too... no dessert! Enjoy!
Tomorrow I have another wonderful Christmas book to read with the kids under the tree. This one is fun because you have to read it with a snack.
Have a wonderful Thursday, and I'll talk to you tomorrow.
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Friday...
Finally, some new basketball action shots.
The JV team had two 40-minute games Friday, so I thought I would just go ahead and start filming now!
And here's the obligatory Bryant Tuggle pic. He's a HUGE supporter of our baskeball team. Always has been... always will be. Well, until he gets his own driver's license!
Saturday...
We spent the day with the cousins Saturday. Monica, Amy, Roxie and I shopped at Brookwood, ate at Yolo's and went to the movies (Pirates 4). It was a great day, but the best part was our celebrity sighting...
That's right! Will Ferrell! (Please feel free to use your imagination. I know we did!)
Sunday...
Mikie's 50th Family Birthday Celebration! Everyone knows 50 year-old men LOVE the Green Lantern...and their wives really like Ryan Reynolds! (How cool would it be to have your picture on a birthday party plate package? Another goal, perhaps?)
What do you give a 50 year-old guys for his birthday? Cards... filled with money, Ricky Skaggs' concert tickets, a True Grit DVD and a Red Devil's Food Cake with Divinity Icing (from his Mom). It was a very good day!
Lovely Melia gave him the True Grit DVD. (I LOVE that movie!)
And it wouldn't be a birthday without a hug from Roxie!