Good Monday morning!
I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday. The mountains were beautiful, and our Thanksgiving trip was successful. When you take four teenagers and two pre-teens anywhere for four days, it can really go either way!
We had our Thanksgiving Dinner by candlelight Thursday night all dressed up in dresses and ties (girls - dresses; boys - ties). It was very, very festive. I've added a few pictures of our Thanksgiving to the picture gallery. Also, the Showcase Pic of the Week is a picture I really like of Austin and me. (He's being silly, but that's okay... at least he's letting someone take his picture with his Mom!) I'm always on the picture taking end, but this past weekend, I had a lot of pictures taken of me with everyone.
Dixie Stampede was wonderful. "Everyone" said we would need to expect to be in traffic one to two hours to get to the Stampede for the 1:00 show, so we left at 9:45 to make it by 11:45 when the doors opened and the 12:15 pre-show. As we came out from our cabin area, there was a sign that said Pigeon Forge - 5 Miles. Hmmm. We had never been down that road before. There were no cars coming either way. No traffic at all. Hmmm again. We decided to go for it. Five miles later, we pull up to a red light on the main drag in Pigeon Forge. Across the street... Dixie Stampede. Time - 10:00 a.m. Are you kidding me? Now we were dressed, psyched up for a two hour traffic jam and we were there in 15 minutes! No way. So instead of going back up to the cabin (just in case the traffic did get bad in the next hour or so), we went shopping for an hour and then back to get our tickets and enjoy the show. And enjoy the show we did. It was wonderful.
The Christmas show is truly spectacular (and I'm not just saying that because it's on the front of the brochure). I think one of my favorite moments was when they had a nativity scene with live sheep, donkeys and CAMELS. Three of the most beautiful camels I have ever seen brought the Three Wise Men to Mary and Joseph. They didn't even look real they were so groomed and fluffy. I was pretty happy (except for the fact they wouldn't let me film during the show -- you'll just have to take my word for it).
The next day was the official "Day at the Cabin," so while the guys stayed in to watch the Iron Bowl, the girls went down some back roads and found fudge to sustain us. We watched Christmas movies, played Buzz Word (great game, by the way), took turns in the hot tub and just hung out.
Today it looked like the entire state of Alabama was trying to go home, and we were in horrible traffic until 20 minutes outside of Chattanooga where everything miraculously cleared up. How does that happen? One minute, you're bumper to bumper, and the next it's like 2,000 cars have just been lifted off the highway. I'm not complaining, but it's kind of strange, don't you think?
We made some wonderful memories... and now it's time to get back to the school grind and make some Christmas memories as well during the next 25 days.
And I have just the things to help. This week alone, I have a great party for girls of all ages, a delicious and simple meal for your busy Christmas schedule, a great tradition to start with your children (male and female), a great Christmas date and a holiday book you have to go out and buy... RIGHT NOW! And I'll have more of the same next week.
Before we get to business, I will give you my Christmas card count (Monday, Wednesday and Friday).
Christmas Cards - 2 (I'm okay, I'm okay... it's still very early in the season.)
I had told you I was trying to up my blog count, also. However, I think I will give weekly totals for that goal. We'll still be able to see if my "readership" is growing.
Blog Total (Week of November 23) - 73 (Ugh! That's down from 129 last week. Maybe no one reads blogs during the holidays. Again, it's still very early in the season, so we'll see if it gets better.)
Secret Pal Party (Girls - Any Ages)
Once again, this party is set at the mall. You'll need an even number of girls and at least one mom to help with each group. Six to eight girls divided into two teams of three or four would work well. Each girl will need to bring $10.
Before you leave for the mall, have each girl fill out the following questionnaire (WITHOUT putting her name on the form):
Favorite Color
Favorite Animal
Favorite Food
Favorite Accessory (Ear Rings, Bracelet, Nail Polish, Etc.)
Favorite Thing I Collect
When you arrive at the mall, divide the girls into two groups. Group A will draw a name out of a bag that includes only the information for the girls in Group B. Group B will draw a name out of a bag that includes only the information for the girls in Group A. Do it this way to ensure you don't have two girls on the same team buying for each other.
Now, Group A with the Mom Leader will get to shop in one-half of the mall for 40 minutes. Group B with the Mom Leader will get to shop in the other half of the mall for 40 minutes. At the end of 40 minutes, the Mom Leaders will call each other, and the girls will swap sides of the mall for another 30 to 40 minutes. Remember, they do not swap Mom Leaders. The groups stay together until the end of the shopping time. Also, the girls are NOT shopping for themselves. They are shopping for items their Secret Pal would enjoy going by the questionnaire they chose out of the bag.
While the girls are shopping, you as the Mom Leader are taking them into stores that might have items they could purchase for their Secret Pal. At the end of the 60 to 80 minutes of shopping, again the Mom Leaders will call each other and tell each other they are ready for wrapping. Have each Mom Leader meet at a specific place in the mall for wrapping. (One Mom Leader may take her group to a table at the Food Court while the other Mom Leader takes her group to a sitting area outside one of the major stores. This is to be pre-determined before the shopping begins.)
When you arrive at the wrapping destination, the Mom Leader will give each girl a medium-sized gift bag and two or three sheets of tissue paper. Each girl will then wrap her gift for her Secret Pal. After another ten or 15 minutes for wrapping, the Mom Leaders will call each other and meet in a pre-determined area in the Food Court for supper. (Chick-Fil-A, McDonald's, etc.) The girls will all meet, and then take turns reading the sheet of paper they drew at the beginning of the evening. The girls can all take turns guessing whose sheet has just been read. When the correct girl has been guessed, her Secret Pal can give her the gift(s) to open. Then it will be another girl's turn to read her sheet that has all of the Favorites of another friend listed. When that girl's name is guessed, she gets to open her gift(s). Repeat this process until everyone has opened their gift. Take your time, and let each girl open her gift as slowly or quickly as she wants.
After everyone has opened their gift(s), you can enjoy a hamburger and the Christmas decorations before heading home. End the evening with a prayer thanking God for friendship and Christmas fun. Also include the verse "Every good thing bestowed and every perfect GIFT is from above, coming down from the Father of lights..." James 1:17. Remind them of the most perfect gift of all, Jesus.
This would also make a great Sunday School Social for pre-teen or young teenage girls. It's always good to teach young teens (or even older ones for that matter) to focus more on others than themselves.
I hope you have a wonderful Monday. Remember, Tuesday is a quick and easy recipe to use on those December nights that are full of school concerts, Christmas parades and other things that might get in the way of a big sit-down dinner. I'll talk to you tomorrow.
Sunday, November 30, 2008
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
City Adventure - Part Four
Good Thanksgiving (Thursday) morning!
We've already had our Thanksgiving with Mikie's family, and that was a lot of fun. I have to admit, the whole holiday "thing" has been re-energized by having a new baby in our midst. Thanks to our niece and her husband (Brandi and Jared), we now have Matthew. We haven't had a baby for 11 years (Roxie was the last one). And Matthew is not only the first grandchild and the first great-grandchild... he is also our first great-nephew. Which means I am officially a great-aunt. (I've always been a great aunt, but now other people have to admit it!) Matthew is pure enjoyment... happy, beautiful, animated and at almost 11 months old, he can read. He points to a picture, makes sounds and is ready to turn the page. He's brilliant, I tell you! Having a baby during the holidays makes it so much fun, and he is at the top of our list of what we're most thankful for this year.
By the time you're reading this, we will hopefully be on the road to the mountains. (Maybe not. We're notorious for leaving later than planned.) If things go as planned, we'll be having a candlelit Thanksgiving dinner tonight, and Mom requested we all dress up... ties and dresses. It should be fun.
Thanksgiving has turned into one of my favorite holidays as I've grown a little older. When I was a kid, it was just another thing I was trying to get through to get closer to Christmas, but I think we get a little more reflective the older we get... maybe a little wiser. I want moments to last a little longer. I not only want to record them with 1,000+ pictures, but in my memory as well. I want to remember the conversations around the dinner table, the fight over the last roll, and the inevitable, "I ate way too much." I want to remember people's faces... gangly teenage boys with braces and too long hair, teenage girls who have been in the bathroom WAY too long fixing hair and applying make-up, boys AND girls being naive enough to think Thanksgiving just "happens" or just "appears," not realizing all the work and preparation that takes place ahead of time.
I listed one of my favorite movies of all times is Cheaper By the Dozen. I like the whole movie, but my favorite part is the end when Steve Martin is sitting at the dinner table and his 12 kids are all talking, eating, etc., and Bonnie Hunt is at the other end of the table. For a moment, just a moment, everything for Steve Martin's character stops and he takes everything in... the chaos, the laughter, the noise, the fact that everyone is gathered together once again around the table. He shares a look with his wife, Bonnie Hunt's character, and then he enters the moment himself. The fact that his family is together and happy and healthy isn't taken for granted or lost in the shuffle. He gets it. He appreciates it. (I know, I know. This is a corny holiday movie, but I really like that part.)
I try to do that when we're all together now. It doesn't come naturally for me to stop (even for the briefest of moments), and breathe it all in. To make the mental picture instead of the camera picture is difficult for me. But when I've been able to accomplish this small feat, it has certainly been worth it. I can think back and there will be a smile on my face. That's what life is really made of, you know. Moments... good and bad. Some memorable, some forgettable, some extraordinary, some etched in our minds whether we want them to be or not. I hope you and your family enjoy so many good moments today. From our family to yours... Happy Thanksgiving!
Now, we have a little business to take care of.
City Adventure - Part Four
Okay. I think I've covered most of the questions regarding how to plan a City Adventure. We've been on two, so we are by no means experts.
Our first City Adventure was Atlanta, and although we had been there many times (Stone Mountain, Six Flags, Renaissance Festival, Aquarium, Zoo Atlanta, etc.), there were a couple of things we had not done before, so we began planning.
Since this was our first City Adventure and we were just going for a Friday and Saturday night in November, we took advantage of a couple of seasonal things.
We planned the following:
Tour of the new Coca-Cola Factory
Tour of CNN
Ice Skating in Millennium Park
Christmas Laser Light Show at Stone Mountain
Lunch at the Varsity
Lunch at Miss Pittypat's Porch
We didn't plan as much, nor did we plan anything free. However, we had saved the money, and we were well within our budget. This is basically how it played out...
Tour of the new Coca-Cola Factory - Great! We stayed about two hours more than they tell you to allot time to visit. We enjoyed everything from the movie to the old factory display to the polar bear to the tasting area. (We LOVED the tasting area.) It was great fun.
Tour of CNN - When we asked around to see what people thought about the tour, we could not find anyone who had actually been on the tour (including people who lived in Atlanta). "No reason," they would say. We decided to do the tour, but the reason no one goes on the tour with kids is pretty obvious. First, you do need to go during a weekday when it is much busier. There were very few people working the weekend shift and no one "famous." Two, it is definitely geared for news-loving adults more than teens or younger kids. I would not say "Do not go," but keep in mind who the tour is really for, and how expensive it is for younger people who are not "into" news or news coverage.
Ice Skating in Millennium Park - So much fun. It would have been even more fun at night with the lights, but it was a crisp, cool day and all of my kids love ice skating, so it was a big hit.
Christmas Laser Light Show at Stone Mountain - We have seen the Laser Light Show many, many times and absolutely love it. However, I think this was the first time they had a "Christmas" Laser Light Show. It lasted exactly eight minutes and the visuals weren't very good, and the music wasn't loud enough. I have a feeling they will tweak this in coming years, but it was not what we expected. We didn't pay to go into Stone Mountain itself (which was so beautifully lit) because of our budget, but if we go again in November, we will definitely go into Stone Mountain for the Christmas activities.
The Varsity - Eating at the Varsity was a treat since it is so old and so famous. We enjoyed our food and the atmosphere, and we wore our hats a lot longer than we needed to once we left the restaurant.
Miss Pittypat's Porch - We decided not to eat there since we were staying on the other side of Atlanta, so we will eat there on another occasion.
There was a Greek Diner across the street from our hotel, and it was a wonderful surprise. We all tried something a little different, and because the owner of the restaurant thought Roxie was cute, he let her pick out two huge pieces of cheesecake (she hates cheesecake) for us to take back to the hotel for later (a savings of $6.95 a piece)!
After taking the Atlanta trip (and enjoying it very much), we decided to plan a City Adventure once a year. For the year 2009, we will be going to Nashville, Tennessee. I have already started researching and we have already started saving. It's going to be a wonderful trip... I just feel it in my bones!
Book
I said I would throw in another favorite book for today. Actually, my favorite book for today is a set of vacation guides. The Family Fun Vacation Guide to (fill in the blank). They have New England, Florida, Southwest, Great Lakes, Mid-Atlantic and California. For example, the New England book includes six states, day-trip itineraries, family-friendly restaurants, fun museums, age-by-age-advice, etc. They have maps, places to stay and they rate everything by the star system for specific ages. They are absolutely wonderful, easy to read, and have more information than the Internet. (I don't know that for a fact, but they are really, really good books.)
You can find them at Books-A-Million in the travel section. They are in paperback and cost $17.95, but I think they are well worth the money, especially if you are going to be able to use the book more than once.
Remember, I'll be gone for the next few days, but there will be a post bright and early Monday morning with a Christmas party or event. Have a great weekend, and take care.
We've already had our Thanksgiving with Mikie's family, and that was a lot of fun. I have to admit, the whole holiday "thing" has been re-energized by having a new baby in our midst. Thanks to our niece and her husband (Brandi and Jared), we now have Matthew. We haven't had a baby for 11 years (Roxie was the last one). And Matthew is not only the first grandchild and the first great-grandchild... he is also our first great-nephew. Which means I am officially a great-aunt. (I've always been a great aunt, but now other people have to admit it!) Matthew is pure enjoyment... happy, beautiful, animated and at almost 11 months old, he can read. He points to a picture, makes sounds and is ready to turn the page. He's brilliant, I tell you! Having a baby during the holidays makes it so much fun, and he is at the top of our list of what we're most thankful for this year.
By the time you're reading this, we will hopefully be on the road to the mountains. (Maybe not. We're notorious for leaving later than planned.) If things go as planned, we'll be having a candlelit Thanksgiving dinner tonight, and Mom requested we all dress up... ties and dresses. It should be fun.
Thanksgiving has turned into one of my favorite holidays as I've grown a little older. When I was a kid, it was just another thing I was trying to get through to get closer to Christmas, but I think we get a little more reflective the older we get... maybe a little wiser. I want moments to last a little longer. I not only want to record them with 1,000+ pictures, but in my memory as well. I want to remember the conversations around the dinner table, the fight over the last roll, and the inevitable, "I ate way too much." I want to remember people's faces... gangly teenage boys with braces and too long hair, teenage girls who have been in the bathroom WAY too long fixing hair and applying make-up, boys AND girls being naive enough to think Thanksgiving just "happens" or just "appears," not realizing all the work and preparation that takes place ahead of time.
I listed one of my favorite movies of all times is Cheaper By the Dozen. I like the whole movie, but my favorite part is the end when Steve Martin is sitting at the dinner table and his 12 kids are all talking, eating, etc., and Bonnie Hunt is at the other end of the table. For a moment, just a moment, everything for Steve Martin's character stops and he takes everything in... the chaos, the laughter, the noise, the fact that everyone is gathered together once again around the table. He shares a look with his wife, Bonnie Hunt's character, and then he enters the moment himself. The fact that his family is together and happy and healthy isn't taken for granted or lost in the shuffle. He gets it. He appreciates it. (I know, I know. This is a corny holiday movie, but I really like that part.)
I try to do that when we're all together now. It doesn't come naturally for me to stop (even for the briefest of moments), and breathe it all in. To make the mental picture instead of the camera picture is difficult for me. But when I've been able to accomplish this small feat, it has certainly been worth it. I can think back and there will be a smile on my face. That's what life is really made of, you know. Moments... good and bad. Some memorable, some forgettable, some extraordinary, some etched in our minds whether we want them to be or not. I hope you and your family enjoy so many good moments today. From our family to yours... Happy Thanksgiving!
Now, we have a little business to take care of.
City Adventure - Part Four
Okay. I think I've covered most of the questions regarding how to plan a City Adventure. We've been on two, so we are by no means experts.
Our first City Adventure was Atlanta, and although we had been there many times (Stone Mountain, Six Flags, Renaissance Festival, Aquarium, Zoo Atlanta, etc.), there were a couple of things we had not done before, so we began planning.
Since this was our first City Adventure and we were just going for a Friday and Saturday night in November, we took advantage of a couple of seasonal things.
We planned the following:
Tour of the new Coca-Cola Factory
Tour of CNN
Ice Skating in Millennium Park
Christmas Laser Light Show at Stone Mountain
Lunch at the Varsity
Lunch at Miss Pittypat's Porch
We didn't plan as much, nor did we plan anything free. However, we had saved the money, and we were well within our budget. This is basically how it played out...
Tour of the new Coca-Cola Factory - Great! We stayed about two hours more than they tell you to allot time to visit. We enjoyed everything from the movie to the old factory display to the polar bear to the tasting area. (We LOVED the tasting area.) It was great fun.
Tour of CNN - When we asked around to see what people thought about the tour, we could not find anyone who had actually been on the tour (including people who lived in Atlanta). "No reason," they would say. We decided to do the tour, but the reason no one goes on the tour with kids is pretty obvious. First, you do need to go during a weekday when it is much busier. There were very few people working the weekend shift and no one "famous." Two, it is definitely geared for news-loving adults more than teens or younger kids. I would not say "Do not go," but keep in mind who the tour is really for, and how expensive it is for younger people who are not "into" news or news coverage.
Ice Skating in Millennium Park - So much fun. It would have been even more fun at night with the lights, but it was a crisp, cool day and all of my kids love ice skating, so it was a big hit.
Christmas Laser Light Show at Stone Mountain - We have seen the Laser Light Show many, many times and absolutely love it. However, I think this was the first time they had a "Christmas" Laser Light Show. It lasted exactly eight minutes and the visuals weren't very good, and the music wasn't loud enough. I have a feeling they will tweak this in coming years, but it was not what we expected. We didn't pay to go into Stone Mountain itself (which was so beautifully lit) because of our budget, but if we go again in November, we will definitely go into Stone Mountain for the Christmas activities.
The Varsity - Eating at the Varsity was a treat since it is so old and so famous. We enjoyed our food and the atmosphere, and we wore our hats a lot longer than we needed to once we left the restaurant.
Miss Pittypat's Porch - We decided not to eat there since we were staying on the other side of Atlanta, so we will eat there on another occasion.
There was a Greek Diner across the street from our hotel, and it was a wonderful surprise. We all tried something a little different, and because the owner of the restaurant thought Roxie was cute, he let her pick out two huge pieces of cheesecake (she hates cheesecake) for us to take back to the hotel for later (a savings of $6.95 a piece)!
After taking the Atlanta trip (and enjoying it very much), we decided to plan a City Adventure once a year. For the year 2009, we will be going to Nashville, Tennessee. I have already started researching and we have already started saving. It's going to be a wonderful trip... I just feel it in my bones!
Book
I said I would throw in another favorite book for today. Actually, my favorite book for today is a set of vacation guides. The Family Fun Vacation Guide to (fill in the blank). They have New England, Florida, Southwest, Great Lakes, Mid-Atlantic and California. For example, the New England book includes six states, day-trip itineraries, family-friendly restaurants, fun museums, age-by-age-advice, etc. They have maps, places to stay and they rate everything by the star system for specific ages. They are absolutely wonderful, easy to read, and have more information than the Internet. (I don't know that for a fact, but they are really, really good books.)
You can find them at Books-A-Million in the travel section. They are in paperback and cost $17.95, but I think they are well worth the money, especially if you are going to be able to use the book more than once.
Remember, I'll be gone for the next few days, but there will be a post bright and early Monday morning with a Christmas party or event. Have a great weekend, and take care.
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
City Adventure - Part Three
Good Wednesday morning!
Lots of packing going on around here. Getting five people ready for a four day trip is a lot of work. Thankfully, everyone's getting to the age they can pack themselves. (I have to check a couple of suitcases for appropriate clothing selections, but for the most part, teenagers can be very helpful!)
We're leaving this Thursday morning, Thanksgiving, to go to the mountains. We go every year with my parents and my sister and her family. It is a tradition. It is something we count on and look forward to each year. However, we have not always gone on Thanksgiving.
In 1998, we went on our first trip to the mountains as a family, and it was on Thanksgiving. Zac, my youngest nephew, wasn't even one yet. We stayed in a beautiful (but too small) cabin and had a wonderful time. The next nine years we went in January and February for some reason. I guess because they weren't as hectic as the holidays. If we went in January, we celebrated my niece's birthday (Katie), and if we went in February we celebrated Zac's birthday. They have had almost as many birthdays in the mountains as they have at home.
This year marks ten years of going to the mountains together. For many of those years, we were an even dozen. My parents, my family of five and my sister's family of five, but four years ago, my Dad suddenly passed away. Going to the mountains is not as "joyful" as it used to be because his absence is so evident in everything we do there.
He and the dads would always take the boys to the Knifeworks to browse and buy knives (he was a big collector); and the girls would head in the other direction in search of fudge. (We were big collectors, also. However, our collection didn't last as long as the knife collection).
We still do the same things though. Mike and Tom take the boys to Knifeworks, and of course, we womenfolk load up the van and look for fudge. We are the hunters in this group... in search of the perfect fudge! We do these things because we know Dad would not have wanted us to stop. He would have wanted us to go and enjoy and soak in the beauty of his favorite place in the world... so we go... and we do enjoy, but mostly we just miss him.
Our second year in the mountains, we took the kids to the Dixie Stampede. They had a ball even though the younger four do not remember it now. So this year, we decided to make a special trip to Dixie Stampede again so everyone will be able to experience this fun activity together.
Although this will not be the last time we go to the mountains as a family, like it or not things are changing. Austin will be going to college next year, and Brad the next. Within the next five to ten years, the kids could realistically be getting married and having children of their own. Things are changing indeed.
I hope everyone has a great Thanksgiving. I hope everyone remembers to tell every member of their family how much they love them, and how much they mean to them. We take so much for granted... like the fact we expect everyone will be here next Thanksgiving and the next. I know I keep saying it again and again on this blog, but this is the only Thanksgiving 2008 you will ever have. Please celebrate it well.
City Adventure - Part Three
I have one more question and answer for you before I finish telling you about the Memphis City Adventure.
How do you get the kids interested and excited in something that ISN'T Disney or the beach or the mountains or (fill in the blank)?
Good question. I'm glad you asked. For the Memphis trip, it was based around Graceland and Elvis. Now how was I going to get a 17 year-old, 14 year-old and a 11 year-old thrilled to be going to museums for the better part of two days. I started with old Elvis movies. I bought three of them at Wal-Mart for $5.99 each, and we played one on the way there and two on the way home. They loved them. They were corny... Elvis broke into song at the least little pause in the storyline... there were at least two or more fights in every movie... the kids laughed at things that weren't meant to be funny. But most of all, I think the kids understood that Elvis was "special."
Also, even though the kids were way too old for this, I had a bag in the front of the van, and every hour on the hour, we would stop the movie or whatever else we were doing and one of them got to pick a piece of folded paper out of the bag. It was just a "fun fact" about Memphis. Nothing hilarious or earth shattering. Just a little nothing fact they didn't know before. (And to make things even more "preschool," every time they read a fact, they got a piece of candy. Don't laugh... it worked.)
We also made sure the other things we planned for the trip interested the kids at least a little. (Gibson Guitar was definitely something Josh was looking forward to more than the others, but Austin and Roxie had a ball there, also.)
Having a hotel with the pool and weight room was also very good. If you're not having the greatest day (more bad than good), head to the hotel for a soak in the hot tub and a pay per view movie that everyone will enjoy. We did that, and we had popcorn and relaxed and got ready for the next day. Make the trip fun, but not hectic... educational, but not boring... active, but not exhausting. And you'll have good time.
Tomorrow, I'll post some information about our Atlanta City Adventure. We had a couple of duds in this one, but we were able to salvage the trip and have a really memorable mini-vacation.
Have a great day today, and I'll talk to you tomorrow.
Lots of packing going on around here. Getting five people ready for a four day trip is a lot of work. Thankfully, everyone's getting to the age they can pack themselves. (I have to check a couple of suitcases for appropriate clothing selections, but for the most part, teenagers can be very helpful!)
We're leaving this Thursday morning, Thanksgiving, to go to the mountains. We go every year with my parents and my sister and her family. It is a tradition. It is something we count on and look forward to each year. However, we have not always gone on Thanksgiving.
In 1998, we went on our first trip to the mountains as a family, and it was on Thanksgiving. Zac, my youngest nephew, wasn't even one yet. We stayed in a beautiful (but too small) cabin and had a wonderful time. The next nine years we went in January and February for some reason. I guess because they weren't as hectic as the holidays. If we went in January, we celebrated my niece's birthday (Katie), and if we went in February we celebrated Zac's birthday. They have had almost as many birthdays in the mountains as they have at home.
This year marks ten years of going to the mountains together. For many of those years, we were an even dozen. My parents, my family of five and my sister's family of five, but four years ago, my Dad suddenly passed away. Going to the mountains is not as "joyful" as it used to be because his absence is so evident in everything we do there.
He and the dads would always take the boys to the Knifeworks to browse and buy knives (he was a big collector); and the girls would head in the other direction in search of fudge. (We were big collectors, also. However, our collection didn't last as long as the knife collection).
We still do the same things though. Mike and Tom take the boys to Knifeworks, and of course, we womenfolk load up the van and look for fudge. We are the hunters in this group... in search of the perfect fudge! We do these things because we know Dad would not have wanted us to stop. He would have wanted us to go and enjoy and soak in the beauty of his favorite place in the world... so we go... and we do enjoy, but mostly we just miss him.
Our second year in the mountains, we took the kids to the Dixie Stampede. They had a ball even though the younger four do not remember it now. So this year, we decided to make a special trip to Dixie Stampede again so everyone will be able to experience this fun activity together.
Although this will not be the last time we go to the mountains as a family, like it or not things are changing. Austin will be going to college next year, and Brad the next. Within the next five to ten years, the kids could realistically be getting married and having children of their own. Things are changing indeed.
I hope everyone has a great Thanksgiving. I hope everyone remembers to tell every member of their family how much they love them, and how much they mean to them. We take so much for granted... like the fact we expect everyone will be here next Thanksgiving and the next. I know I keep saying it again and again on this blog, but this is the only Thanksgiving 2008 you will ever have. Please celebrate it well.
City Adventure - Part Three
I have one more question and answer for you before I finish telling you about the Memphis City Adventure.
How do you get the kids interested and excited in something that ISN'T Disney or the beach or the mountains or (fill in the blank)?
Good question. I'm glad you asked. For the Memphis trip, it was based around Graceland and Elvis. Now how was I going to get a 17 year-old, 14 year-old and a 11 year-old thrilled to be going to museums for the better part of two days. I started with old Elvis movies. I bought three of them at Wal-Mart for $5.99 each, and we played one on the way there and two on the way home. They loved them. They were corny... Elvis broke into song at the least little pause in the storyline... there were at least two or more fights in every movie... the kids laughed at things that weren't meant to be funny. But most of all, I think the kids understood that Elvis was "special."
Also, even though the kids were way too old for this, I had a bag in the front of the van, and every hour on the hour, we would stop the movie or whatever else we were doing and one of them got to pick a piece of folded paper out of the bag. It was just a "fun fact" about Memphis. Nothing hilarious or earth shattering. Just a little nothing fact they didn't know before. (And to make things even more "preschool," every time they read a fact, they got a piece of candy. Don't laugh... it worked.)
We also made sure the other things we planned for the trip interested the kids at least a little. (Gibson Guitar was definitely something Josh was looking forward to more than the others, but Austin and Roxie had a ball there, also.)
Having a hotel with the pool and weight room was also very good. If you're not having the greatest day (more bad than good), head to the hotel for a soak in the hot tub and a pay per view movie that everyone will enjoy. We did that, and we had popcorn and relaxed and got ready for the next day. Make the trip fun, but not hectic... educational, but not boring... active, but not exhausting. And you'll have good time.
Tomorrow, I'll post some information about our Atlanta City Adventure. We had a couple of duds in this one, but we were able to salvage the trip and have a really memorable mini-vacation.
Have a great day today, and I'll talk to you tomorrow.
Monday, November 24, 2008
City Adventure - Part Two
Good Tuesday morning!
It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas! It looks like a lot of people are skipping Thanksgiving this year (but I know they're not). We spent Sunday with Mike's family in Oxford, and it was pretty amazing how many people were putting up their Christmas trees and outside lights. And I'm pretty sure that everything was lit up last night after we pulled out. It makes me a little breathless and nervous... but I have to stop myself and enjoy Thanksgiving... even though there is a big ol' gingerbread house sitting on my dining room table!
Okay. Just a little info. If you go to Becky Higgin's Blog (see my Blog List), always make sure to check out the Recipe section of her blog. I have tried at least a dozen of her recipes and they are very good, and a lot of them are very easy. Her Chicken Noodle Soup and Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins are some of my favorites, and I've started taking the soup to families who have just had a baby with some homeade cornbread, etc. Anyway, it's a good recipe source.
Also, check out the Cornbread Pudding recipe on the sophistimom blog (see my Blog List). I haven't tried it yet, but I'm going to very soon. It looks really good to me.
I guess I'll get right to it for today. My last goal (for now... not forever).
Goal Number Four
My fourth goal is very new. Since I started my blog almost six weeks ago, and I don't have it on a blogging list anywhere, and since I have "advertised" by word of mouth only... well, I suppose you can guess the rest. I would like to have 50+ hits a day on my blog by January 1. Right now, I average 23 to 26 hits a day which is great, but being a number person, it would be fun to see that number grow.
So, if you are one of the 23 to 26 people who read this blog every day, I am asking you, the Few and the Faithful, to share my blog address with someone who would be interested. If it's someone who doesn't have the slightest interest in the stuff I have an enormous interest in... please don't bother them. But, if there's a young mom out there you know, etc., etc. who might have an interest, by all means, SHARE!
If you don't know me personally, you probably think this is a pretty shameless plug. But keep in mind, I call people and beg for Christmas cards, so I guess I am pretty shameless. (One of my better qualities!)
I have a little sitemeter that keeps up with how many hits I get a day, so I'll be watching and updating. I guess I can let you know every Monday, Wednesday and Friday during the month of December when I give you my Christmas card count. Let's try to be efficient, shall we?
(I've probably lost 15 to 20 readers just by posting this request!) Oh, well! For those hanging in there, I've got two more tips for the City Adventure. Also, I've made a list of some things coming up in the next few months other than the norm at the bottom of this post.
City Adventure - Part Two
Here are two more questions (and answers) regarding City Adventures:
How do you pick activities for your family?
I usually go to the library and check out a book on the city if there is one available. Also, I Google "Family Fun in (Name of City)," and I get a ton of information there. I call the Chamber of Commerce and ask them to send me any and all brochures they have regarding anything vacation-worthy their city has to offer. Then, I start talking to anyone and everyone to see who has family in the city, who has gone there for vacation, what was their favorite thing to do, where was their favorite place to eat, etc., etc., etc.
I've even gotten names and numbers of people I didn't know from people who were family or friends with them, and talked with them personally to see what they liked. (Always get the family member or friend to check with the person first to see if they would be willing to talk with you a few minutes before you call. I've never had a problem with this.)
Also, you can call one of the larger hotels in the city and ask to speak to the concierge. All you have to say is that you're looking into planning a trip and ask what he would suggest for a family of four with young children (or teenagers, or grandparents, etc.). These people are loaded with wonderful information and they do not mind sharing.
Another resource is the local library in the city. Librarians know many, many things about their city, and they may even have an event calendar with concerts in the park, etc. listed on them.
Whenever you talk to someone and get an idea for a place or restaurant to visit, write down the name of the place to research on-line at a later time. Most of the time, the person you're talking to will not remember how much tickets or menu items cost. You'll need to get this information from the specific place.
How many activities do you pick for a two and a half day stay?
My "rule of thumb" is to try to pick ten things to do that cost (tours, restaurants, zoos, museums, etc.) and five things to do that are free. After you find 15 things, narrow the ten "costly" items down to five. Now you have to find out how much the tickets are and times. Keep in mind, you will not do ten things in two and a half days, but you need the options. Here is the original list from our Memphis Trip:
Orpheum Theater ($)
Graceland Tour ($)
Gibson Guitar Tour ($)
Canoeing at Mud Island ($)
Picnic Only at Mud Island (FREE)
Peabody Hotel - March of the Ducks (FREE)
A. Schwab Drug Store (FREE)
Beale Street (FREE)
Duck Tours ($)
Zoo ($)
Sun Studios (FREE)
Corky's Barbecue ($)
The Little Tea Shop ($)
Central Barbecue ($)
Stop at Tupelo on the way home to visit Elvis' Birthplace (FREE)
Now, what we actually ended up doing for free was the following:
Walking down famous Beale Street (during the day)
Looking at one of the most famous and oldest stores in the country - A. Schwab
Picnic at Mud Island
Watching the ducks march in at the Peabody Hotel
Stop at Tupelo on the way home to visit Elvis' Birthplace
The things we did that cost some money were as follows:
Graceland Tour
The Little Tea Shop
Gibson Guitar Tour
Corky's Barbecue
The restaurants were famous and excellent. We had gotten several good recommendations from residents and visitors alike saying how good they both were. The Graceland Tour was wonderful and we spent several hours there. One of the unexpected favorites was the Gibson Guitar Tour. I was probably the only one who wasn't crazy about it, but it was hard for me to breathe in the factory because of all the fine dust. No one in our family has breathing problems, but I wouldn't suggest this tour to someone who has asthma or any other kind of respiratory problems. However, all the kids and Mikie loved it.
The things we ended up not doing just did not fit into the time schedule. We weren't disappointed because we were able to experience such new and different things, and we'll do the other things next time we go to Memphis... because we definitely want to go again!
We went back and forth about whether to canoe at Mud Island (which is a pretty little island right beside downtown Memphis and next to the Mississippi River). It is beautiful. However, when you put your canoe in, you are in the fast-flowing Mississippi River... you know, the one with the barges and the white caps and... did I say fast-flowing water? Having only canoed once before (we think... we weren't even sure), we decided we were not experienced enough "canoers" to survive that adventure on the Mighty Mississippi. (However, the picnic was very nice, and the view was great, and did I mention it was FREE?)
I wanted to share a quick story about Elvis. One of the main reasons I wanted to go to Memphis was to see Graceland. I was, and am, a huge Elvis fan. At age 14, I was in attendance at his last concert in Birmingham before he passed away the next year. I watched every movie he was ever in with my cousin, Becky, growing up. He was "it."
When Austin was nine years-old, the old Alabama Theater had an Elvis Movie Marathon, and on Sunday afternoon, I took Austin to see Blue Hawaii. The old theater had been redone and it was so beautiful. It was fun sharing something that had been so important to me growing up. They even had an Elvis impersonator there to perform before the movie. (He was great, by the way.)
Austin and I walked into the theater and went to get popcorn and a drink. We walked up to a counter and they had these beautiful turquoise drinks in these fun huge glasses sitting on the counter top. Austin slapped his hand down and said, "I'll have one of those, please."
The person behind the counter said, "You can't have one, son, but your mother certainly can."
I wasn't really paying attention, so I said, "Sure. I'll have one. What are they called?"
"Blue Hawaii," was the reply.
"Cute," I said. I did not hesitate ordering one because I thought the only reason they didn't want a nine year-old boy having one was because he might spill a bright blue drink all over the Alabama Theater. I totally understood that. "Give me two straws, please," I requested.
"Why?" the person asked.
"So we don't have to share a straw," I pointed out. That was an odd question.
"Ma'am, this is an alcoholic drink. You can't let your child have any of it."
Wow. It never even occurred to me that the Alabama Theater would serve alcoholic drinks on a Sunday at an Elvis movie. Wow, again. "Two Cokes, please," I said.
Austin, of course, had taken all this in. "You would have let me get drunk. You were going to give me alcohol. Alcohol is a drug, you know." Thank you, D.A.R.E. Program.
"Austin, it was a mistake... and if you ever tell anyone (and I mean anyone), that will be an even bigger mistake. Do you understand?"
He nodded and we headed to our seats. Close call. I've had several of those, but hopefully this will serve as a warning to all of you out there... I've asked around and most turquoise colored drinks do, in fact, have alcohol in them. Just so you know.
Tune in tomorrow for Part Three of the City Adventure where I'll share one more question and answer, and I'll post a couple of good/bad experiences we've had in our two city adventures. Every "bad" helps you tweak things for the next adventure.
Okay. In December, everything will be back to normal (Monday - Party/Event; Tuesday - Recipe; Wednesday - Seasonal Tradition; Thursday - Child or Spouse Date; and Friday - Book). In January, there will be one week devoted to "How to Start Camping With Your Family." We have almost three dozen camping adventures under our belt (I'll have to count by then and give you an exact number), and I'll share what I've learned, and maybe some others will jump in with advice about what they've learned during their camping experiences. After the "Camping" week, we'll get back on schedule once again.
Then, in February, I would like to share some of my son's story. Josh has been ill since December 5 of 2005, and although he is much improved right now, there is no cure for his illness. (He has good days and bad days... and always will.) When he was diagnosed, Mike and I were in a place where there were not many resources and fewer people to talk to, so I would like to talk about this time in our lives because maybe there is a chance it might help someone else (or even us if there is any feedback). And again, since February is a huge holiday month, I will get back on track for a lot of Valentine fun to have with your kids and spouse. (I've got some great Valentine/February "stuff.")
I hope everyone has a great Tuesday. I'll talk to you tomorrow!
It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas! It looks like a lot of people are skipping Thanksgiving this year (but I know they're not). We spent Sunday with Mike's family in Oxford, and it was pretty amazing how many people were putting up their Christmas trees and outside lights. And I'm pretty sure that everything was lit up last night after we pulled out. It makes me a little breathless and nervous... but I have to stop myself and enjoy Thanksgiving... even though there is a big ol' gingerbread house sitting on my dining room table!
Okay. Just a little info. If you go to Becky Higgin's Blog (see my Blog List), always make sure to check out the Recipe section of her blog. I have tried at least a dozen of her recipes and they are very good, and a lot of them are very easy. Her Chicken Noodle Soup and Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins are some of my favorites, and I've started taking the soup to families who have just had a baby with some homeade cornbread, etc. Anyway, it's a good recipe source.
Also, check out the Cornbread Pudding recipe on the sophistimom blog (see my Blog List). I haven't tried it yet, but I'm going to very soon. It looks really good to me.
I guess I'll get right to it for today. My last goal (for now... not forever).
Goal Number Four
My fourth goal is very new. Since I started my blog almost six weeks ago, and I don't have it on a blogging list anywhere, and since I have "advertised" by word of mouth only... well, I suppose you can guess the rest. I would like to have 50+ hits a day on my blog by January 1. Right now, I average 23 to 26 hits a day which is great, but being a number person, it would be fun to see that number grow.
So, if you are one of the 23 to 26 people who read this blog every day, I am asking you, the Few and the Faithful, to share my blog address with someone who would be interested. If it's someone who doesn't have the slightest interest in the stuff I have an enormous interest in... please don't bother them. But, if there's a young mom out there you know, etc., etc. who might have an interest, by all means, SHARE!
If you don't know me personally, you probably think this is a pretty shameless plug. But keep in mind, I call people and beg for Christmas cards, so I guess I am pretty shameless. (One of my better qualities!)
I have a little sitemeter that keeps up with how many hits I get a day, so I'll be watching and updating. I guess I can let you know every Monday, Wednesday and Friday during the month of December when I give you my Christmas card count. Let's try to be efficient, shall we?
(I've probably lost 15 to 20 readers just by posting this request!) Oh, well! For those hanging in there, I've got two more tips for the City Adventure. Also, I've made a list of some things coming up in the next few months other than the norm at the bottom of this post.
City Adventure - Part Two
Here are two more questions (and answers) regarding City Adventures:
How do you pick activities for your family?
I usually go to the library and check out a book on the city if there is one available. Also, I Google "Family Fun in (Name of City)," and I get a ton of information there. I call the Chamber of Commerce and ask them to send me any and all brochures they have regarding anything vacation-worthy their city has to offer. Then, I start talking to anyone and everyone to see who has family in the city, who has gone there for vacation, what was their favorite thing to do, where was their favorite place to eat, etc., etc., etc.
I've even gotten names and numbers of people I didn't know from people who were family or friends with them, and talked with them personally to see what they liked. (Always get the family member or friend to check with the person first to see if they would be willing to talk with you a few minutes before you call. I've never had a problem with this.)
Also, you can call one of the larger hotels in the city and ask to speak to the concierge. All you have to say is that you're looking into planning a trip and ask what he would suggest for a family of four with young children (or teenagers, or grandparents, etc.). These people are loaded with wonderful information and they do not mind sharing.
Another resource is the local library in the city. Librarians know many, many things about their city, and they may even have an event calendar with concerts in the park, etc. listed on them.
Whenever you talk to someone and get an idea for a place or restaurant to visit, write down the name of the place to research on-line at a later time. Most of the time, the person you're talking to will not remember how much tickets or menu items cost. You'll need to get this information from the specific place.
How many activities do you pick for a two and a half day stay?
My "rule of thumb" is to try to pick ten things to do that cost (tours, restaurants, zoos, museums, etc.) and five things to do that are free. After you find 15 things, narrow the ten "costly" items down to five. Now you have to find out how much the tickets are and times. Keep in mind, you will not do ten things in two and a half days, but you need the options. Here is the original list from our Memphis Trip:
Orpheum Theater ($)
Graceland Tour ($)
Gibson Guitar Tour ($)
Canoeing at Mud Island ($)
Picnic Only at Mud Island (FREE)
Peabody Hotel - March of the Ducks (FREE)
A. Schwab Drug Store (FREE)
Beale Street (FREE)
Duck Tours ($)
Zoo ($)
Sun Studios (FREE)
Corky's Barbecue ($)
The Little Tea Shop ($)
Central Barbecue ($)
Stop at Tupelo on the way home to visit Elvis' Birthplace (FREE)
Now, what we actually ended up doing for free was the following:
Walking down famous Beale Street (during the day)
Looking at one of the most famous and oldest stores in the country - A. Schwab
Picnic at Mud Island
Watching the ducks march in at the Peabody Hotel
Stop at Tupelo on the way home to visit Elvis' Birthplace
The things we did that cost some money were as follows:
Graceland Tour
The Little Tea Shop
Gibson Guitar Tour
Corky's Barbecue
The restaurants were famous and excellent. We had gotten several good recommendations from residents and visitors alike saying how good they both were. The Graceland Tour was wonderful and we spent several hours there. One of the unexpected favorites was the Gibson Guitar Tour. I was probably the only one who wasn't crazy about it, but it was hard for me to breathe in the factory because of all the fine dust. No one in our family has breathing problems, but I wouldn't suggest this tour to someone who has asthma or any other kind of respiratory problems. However, all the kids and Mikie loved it.
The things we ended up not doing just did not fit into the time schedule. We weren't disappointed because we were able to experience such new and different things, and we'll do the other things next time we go to Memphis... because we definitely want to go again!
We went back and forth about whether to canoe at Mud Island (which is a pretty little island right beside downtown Memphis and next to the Mississippi River). It is beautiful. However, when you put your canoe in, you are in the fast-flowing Mississippi River... you know, the one with the barges and the white caps and... did I say fast-flowing water? Having only canoed once before (we think... we weren't even sure), we decided we were not experienced enough "canoers" to survive that adventure on the Mighty Mississippi. (However, the picnic was very nice, and the view was great, and did I mention it was FREE?)
I wanted to share a quick story about Elvis. One of the main reasons I wanted to go to Memphis was to see Graceland. I was, and am, a huge Elvis fan. At age 14, I was in attendance at his last concert in Birmingham before he passed away the next year. I watched every movie he was ever in with my cousin, Becky, growing up. He was "it."
When Austin was nine years-old, the old Alabama Theater had an Elvis Movie Marathon, and on Sunday afternoon, I took Austin to see Blue Hawaii. The old theater had been redone and it was so beautiful. It was fun sharing something that had been so important to me growing up. They even had an Elvis impersonator there to perform before the movie. (He was great, by the way.)
Austin and I walked into the theater and went to get popcorn and a drink. We walked up to a counter and they had these beautiful turquoise drinks in these fun huge glasses sitting on the counter top. Austin slapped his hand down and said, "I'll have one of those, please."
The person behind the counter said, "You can't have one, son, but your mother certainly can."
I wasn't really paying attention, so I said, "Sure. I'll have one. What are they called?"
"Blue Hawaii," was the reply.
"Cute," I said. I did not hesitate ordering one because I thought the only reason they didn't want a nine year-old boy having one was because he might spill a bright blue drink all over the Alabama Theater. I totally understood that. "Give me two straws, please," I requested.
"Why?" the person asked.
"So we don't have to share a straw," I pointed out. That was an odd question.
"Ma'am, this is an alcoholic drink. You can't let your child have any of it."
Wow. It never even occurred to me that the Alabama Theater would serve alcoholic drinks on a Sunday at an Elvis movie. Wow, again. "Two Cokes, please," I said.
Austin, of course, had taken all this in. "You would have let me get drunk. You were going to give me alcohol. Alcohol is a drug, you know." Thank you, D.A.R.E. Program.
"Austin, it was a mistake... and if you ever tell anyone (and I mean anyone), that will be an even bigger mistake. Do you understand?"
He nodded and we headed to our seats. Close call. I've had several of those, but hopefully this will serve as a warning to all of you out there... I've asked around and most turquoise colored drinks do, in fact, have alcohol in them. Just so you know.
Tune in tomorrow for Part Three of the City Adventure where I'll share one more question and answer, and I'll post a couple of good/bad experiences we've had in our two city adventures. Every "bad" helps you tweak things for the next adventure.
Okay. In December, everything will be back to normal (Monday - Party/Event; Tuesday - Recipe; Wednesday - Seasonal Tradition; Thursday - Child or Spouse Date; and Friday - Book). In January, there will be one week devoted to "How to Start Camping With Your Family." We have almost three dozen camping adventures under our belt (I'll have to count by then and give you an exact number), and I'll share what I've learned, and maybe some others will jump in with advice about what they've learned during their camping experiences. After the "Camping" week, we'll get back on schedule once again.
Then, in February, I would like to share some of my son's story. Josh has been ill since December 5 of 2005, and although he is much improved right now, there is no cure for his illness. (He has good days and bad days... and always will.) When he was diagnosed, Mike and I were in a place where there were not many resources and fewer people to talk to, so I would like to talk about this time in our lives because maybe there is a chance it might help someone else (or even us if there is any feedback). And again, since February is a huge holiday month, I will get back on track for a lot of Valentine fun to have with your kids and spouse. (I've got some great Valentine/February "stuff.")
I hope everyone has a great Tuesday. I'll talk to you tomorrow!
Friday, November 21, 2008
City Adventure - Part One
Good Monday morning!
I hope everyone had a a great weekend. We certainly did, and part of the reason why is because it's not over yet. We're off the entire week. Nine whole days! YES!
There's a new pic in the Showcase Picture of the Week. There's a couple of some weekend happenings. I'll be adding one or two pictures a day of the City Adventure we took to Memphis this past summer, also.
Roxie has been fighting NOT celebrating any part of Christmas until after Thanksgiving. I haven't told her yet, but since we are going to be out of town next weekend, I have to bring up two of our trees and have them ready to light when we get home Sunday night. She is NOT going to be happy. We're going to have to make our Christmas Tree Farm run sometime the next week when Mikie can get off work early, so some of our decorating will have to be done after December 1. That's not how I like it to be, but we do keep everything up until New Year's Eve so that will help my feelings a little.
And just to drive her a little more over the edge, we had her friend, Ragan, over today to do gingerbread houses. (See pictures above.) Gingerbread houses were fine... crafty and fun, but Ragan wanted to have Christmas music playing, too. Okay. Roxie was a good, little hostess. (She's like that with her food, too. She doesn't like anthing touching anything else. Just like she doesn't like Halloween "touching" Thanksgiving, or Thanksgiving "touching" Christmas. We have got to get a little more flexible over here!)
Today's a big day. Today I reveal Goal Number Three. That's right! It's one of my favorites.
I've always loved getting mail. Any kind of mail... letters, cards, magazines, other people's mail, etc. But Christmas cards. Oh, the joy! To hear from people you haven't heard from all year. To get pictures of their little ones and their puppies and kittens. To just get the cards themselves all festive and beautiful. To receive a letter telling every tiny little detail that has happened to that family over the year. It is delightful! (I am not kidding... I love those letters!) These cards are part of my holiday decorations each year. I cover the entryways into my living room, my music room and my den with all of the cards. If by some wonderful chance I have even more cards, they start adorning my smaller entryways into the dining room and kitchen.
When Mike and I first married, I set a goal of getting 50 cards that year. Now keep in mind, I'm not someone who doesn't send out Christmas cards and just expects them. No sir. I send cards. I send cards to people I've known since I was two all the way to the two policemen who helped me with my "official" wreck the other day. (One of them gave me his card with the police report. The BEST part of that day, I can tell you!) Right now, my list stands at a little more than 110.
I can't tell you how excited I was five years ago when I received exactly 50 cards. (The year before, I had received 48 cards, and I must be honest... that just about did me in.) Thankfully, five years ago one of my friends didn't send her card until New Year's, but it counted because it had the word Christmas in it. Forty-nine. That was worse than the year before when I had 48. Forty-nine. I waited until the middle of January and put my cards away. Oh, well... maybe next year. But then a Christmas miracle happened... in March. My old roommate sent me a Christmas card. It had the word "Christmas" on it. Her children were even dressed in costume for a live nativity scene. She had written on the envelope they had had a very hectic year, and this was the best she could do. FIFTY! FIFTY! Yes. I called her immediately and told her how excited I was to get a Christmas card in March. How fun. How inventive of her. She was wonderful. (I was not kidding. I was ecstatic!) (Now that's a good word... "ecstatic." Not up there with "autumnal," but a good word nonetheless!)
Now what? I was only 42 years old. I had reached an important milestone in my life. There were 50 people out there who would send me Christmas cards. I decided I would up the goal to 65. Wow. That would take some doing, wouldn't it? Sixty-five was a huge number.
Three years later, I reached the goal of 65. Of course, now I had become a telephone solicitor and had started calling to make sure friends and family were sending me a card. (I actually have people who just send me a card... no one else, just me. They tell me that to make me feel bad for them, I think, but I just say "Thank you very much," and let them know how much their Christmas cheer is appreciated.) My goal for the past two years has been 75. Last year, I received 70. This is my year. I can feel it.
Here are the rules for this goal. The card can come from anyone as long as it is a Christmas card with a Christmas greeting appearing somewhere on the card itself. I even accept the Christmas card from the insurance agent of the people who lived in this house before us... we've been here seven years this November, and he diligently sends a card and a calendar every year.
One time I parked crooked at a Cracker Barrel where I had met some friends for a Christmas breakfast. When I came out of the restaurant, there was a torn brown paper bag stuck to my windshield. There were some mild obscenities written on the bag regarding my careless parking (it's hard parking the big gold van sometimes), but at the bottom the person had written very sarcastically "MERRY CHRISTMAS!" Ah. A Christmas card. Number 68 to be exact. Of course, when I got home, I neatly trimmed the torn paper bag and used a Sharpie to remove some of the more questionable Christmas verbage, but I hung it up just the same. A Christmas card is a Christmas card... even if the Grinch gives it to you!
I even have a person who sends me anonymous Christmas cards... one or two each year to help me reach my goal. In fact, on Friday, November 21 of this year, I received my first two Christmas cards. One from an anonymous friend, and one from the Salvation Army asking for a donation. They are hanging alone in the entryway of my living room. (See picture above.) I love them... and I love the anonymous people who sent them my way!
"Isn't Christmas stressful enough without having to add the pressure of trying to get a certain number of Christmas cards each year?" you may ask.
To which I cheerfully respond, "Isn't it amazing since Christmas can be so stressful that having a little ol' Christmas card in your mailbox melts away all the 'baggage' that can come with this holiday? Isn't it wonderful to hear from people far and near and see pictures of their family in Christmas sweaters and hear wonderful stories about what everyone has been doing? Isn't it the most glorious feeling to have memories flood over you of times spent with that person or family in years past?"
It's a funny, harmless little goal. I like it. It makes me smile. It makes me skip to my mailbox every day beginning the day after Thanksgiving... which in turn makes my neighbors smile. My goal this year is 75. There, I said it again. I will let you know each Monday, Wednesday and Friday beginning December 1 how I'm doing in the card department just so you can share in the excitement!
Don't forget... there's one more goal I'll share with you tomorrow. But until then, we have a City Adventure to plan.
City Adventure - Part 1
In Part 1 of planning a City Adventure, I will answer the following questions:
What is a City Adventure?
A City Adventure is exploring a new city with your family. Actually, it can be a city you have visited before (like Atlanta), but with a City Adventure you will see and do things you have never done before.
How do you pick the City?
Since gas has been so high up until just recently, we look for a city two to four hours from our home. Atlanta is 2 1/2 hours away. Memphis is 3 1/2 to 4 hours away. We look for a metropolitan city that has a lot of different things to offer: entertainment, lodging, restaurants, tours, etc.
How do you afford the City Adventure?
Much like the Family Date, we put $20 a pay period into an envelope marked City Adventure. Mike and I will also put $10 to $20 from Christmas money or birthday money we might receive into the envelope. If he gets a bonus or an income tax refund, we will put $20 to $50 in the envelope. We are trying to save $500 to $600 for five people staying in a city for two nights. This can take nine to ten months, so we make sure we plan carefully to have things to do the whole family will enjoy.
We are looking for lodging that serves continental breakfast. We are also looking for lodging that has a pool, weight room and any other amenities our family would enjoy. (TIP: We stayed at Homewood Suites in Memphis, and they not only served a continental breakfast, but a "light" supper. One night the supper consisted of chicken pot pie, English peas and a salad bar. The second night they had egg rolls, lo mein noodles and a salad bar. Having two meals a day included in our stay at the hotel was wonderful, and we carefully picked the two "special" restaurants where we wanted to eat while in Memphis.)
Also, in any large city you visit, call the Chamber of Commerce well ahead of time and ask them if any of the museums, zoos, aquariums or other places of interest in their city have "free days" or "free times" which are open to the public. It may be the first Tuesday of the month from noon until 5:00 (and it may be two or three things are free on the same day at the same time). If that's the case, you can plan your trip to include that day and pick one or two of the free things to do. If you go to a museum at noon for free and stay two hours, you can probably still make it to the zoo before the 5:00 deadline and maybe have two free hours there, also.
Tune in tomorrow for City Adventure - Part 2. This post will answer two more questions regarding the planning of your adventure.
I hope you have a great Monday, and I'll talk to you tomorrow!
I hope everyone had a a great weekend. We certainly did, and part of the reason why is because it's not over yet. We're off the entire week. Nine whole days! YES!
There's a new pic in the Showcase Picture of the Week. There's a couple of some weekend happenings. I'll be adding one or two pictures a day of the City Adventure we took to Memphis this past summer, also.
Roxie has been fighting NOT celebrating any part of Christmas until after Thanksgiving. I haven't told her yet, but since we are going to be out of town next weekend, I have to bring up two of our trees and have them ready to light when we get home Sunday night. She is NOT going to be happy. We're going to have to make our Christmas Tree Farm run sometime the next week when Mikie can get off work early, so some of our decorating will have to be done after December 1. That's not how I like it to be, but we do keep everything up until New Year's Eve so that will help my feelings a little.
And just to drive her a little more over the edge, we had her friend, Ragan, over today to do gingerbread houses. (See pictures above.) Gingerbread houses were fine... crafty and fun, but Ragan wanted to have Christmas music playing, too. Okay. Roxie was a good, little hostess. (She's like that with her food, too. She doesn't like anthing touching anything else. Just like she doesn't like Halloween "touching" Thanksgiving, or Thanksgiving "touching" Christmas. We have got to get a little more flexible over here!)
Today's a big day. Today I reveal Goal Number Three. That's right! It's one of my favorites.
I've always loved getting mail. Any kind of mail... letters, cards, magazines, other people's mail, etc. But Christmas cards. Oh, the joy! To hear from people you haven't heard from all year. To get pictures of their little ones and their puppies and kittens. To just get the cards themselves all festive and beautiful. To receive a letter telling every tiny little detail that has happened to that family over the year. It is delightful! (I am not kidding... I love those letters!) These cards are part of my holiday decorations each year. I cover the entryways into my living room, my music room and my den with all of the cards. If by some wonderful chance I have even more cards, they start adorning my smaller entryways into the dining room and kitchen.
When Mike and I first married, I set a goal of getting 50 cards that year. Now keep in mind, I'm not someone who doesn't send out Christmas cards and just expects them. No sir. I send cards. I send cards to people I've known since I was two all the way to the two policemen who helped me with my "official" wreck the other day. (One of them gave me his card with the police report. The BEST part of that day, I can tell you!) Right now, my list stands at a little more than 110.
I can't tell you how excited I was five years ago when I received exactly 50 cards. (The year before, I had received 48 cards, and I must be honest... that just about did me in.) Thankfully, five years ago one of my friends didn't send her card until New Year's, but it counted because it had the word Christmas in it. Forty-nine. That was worse than the year before when I had 48. Forty-nine. I waited until the middle of January and put my cards away. Oh, well... maybe next year. But then a Christmas miracle happened... in March. My old roommate sent me a Christmas card. It had the word "Christmas" on it. Her children were even dressed in costume for a live nativity scene. She had written on the envelope they had had a very hectic year, and this was the best she could do. FIFTY! FIFTY! Yes. I called her immediately and told her how excited I was to get a Christmas card in March. How fun. How inventive of her. She was wonderful. (I was not kidding. I was ecstatic!) (Now that's a good word... "ecstatic." Not up there with "autumnal," but a good word nonetheless!)
Now what? I was only 42 years old. I had reached an important milestone in my life. There were 50 people out there who would send me Christmas cards. I decided I would up the goal to 65. Wow. That would take some doing, wouldn't it? Sixty-five was a huge number.
Three years later, I reached the goal of 65. Of course, now I had become a telephone solicitor and had started calling to make sure friends and family were sending me a card. (I actually have people who just send me a card... no one else, just me. They tell me that to make me feel bad for them, I think, but I just say "Thank you very much," and let them know how much their Christmas cheer is appreciated.) My goal for the past two years has been 75. Last year, I received 70. This is my year. I can feel it.
Here are the rules for this goal. The card can come from anyone as long as it is a Christmas card with a Christmas greeting appearing somewhere on the card itself. I even accept the Christmas card from the insurance agent of the people who lived in this house before us... we've been here seven years this November, and he diligently sends a card and a calendar every year.
One time I parked crooked at a Cracker Barrel where I had met some friends for a Christmas breakfast. When I came out of the restaurant, there was a torn brown paper bag stuck to my windshield. There were some mild obscenities written on the bag regarding my careless parking (it's hard parking the big gold van sometimes), but at the bottom the person had written very sarcastically "MERRY CHRISTMAS!" Ah. A Christmas card. Number 68 to be exact. Of course, when I got home, I neatly trimmed the torn paper bag and used a Sharpie to remove some of the more questionable Christmas verbage, but I hung it up just the same. A Christmas card is a Christmas card... even if the Grinch gives it to you!
I even have a person who sends me anonymous Christmas cards... one or two each year to help me reach my goal. In fact, on Friday, November 21 of this year, I received my first two Christmas cards. One from an anonymous friend, and one from the Salvation Army asking for a donation. They are hanging alone in the entryway of my living room. (See picture above.) I love them... and I love the anonymous people who sent them my way!
"Isn't Christmas stressful enough without having to add the pressure of trying to get a certain number of Christmas cards each year?" you may ask.
To which I cheerfully respond, "Isn't it amazing since Christmas can be so stressful that having a little ol' Christmas card in your mailbox melts away all the 'baggage' that can come with this holiday? Isn't it wonderful to hear from people far and near and see pictures of their family in Christmas sweaters and hear wonderful stories about what everyone has been doing? Isn't it the most glorious feeling to have memories flood over you of times spent with that person or family in years past?"
It's a funny, harmless little goal. I like it. It makes me smile. It makes me skip to my mailbox every day beginning the day after Thanksgiving... which in turn makes my neighbors smile. My goal this year is 75. There, I said it again. I will let you know each Monday, Wednesday and Friday beginning December 1 how I'm doing in the card department just so you can share in the excitement!
Don't forget... there's one more goal I'll share with you tomorrow. But until then, we have a City Adventure to plan.
City Adventure - Part 1
In Part 1 of planning a City Adventure, I will answer the following questions:
What is a City Adventure?
A City Adventure is exploring a new city with your family. Actually, it can be a city you have visited before (like Atlanta), but with a City Adventure you will see and do things you have never done before.
How do you pick the City?
Since gas has been so high up until just recently, we look for a city two to four hours from our home. Atlanta is 2 1/2 hours away. Memphis is 3 1/2 to 4 hours away. We look for a metropolitan city that has a lot of different things to offer: entertainment, lodging, restaurants, tours, etc.
How do you afford the City Adventure?
Much like the Family Date, we put $20 a pay period into an envelope marked City Adventure. Mike and I will also put $10 to $20 from Christmas money or birthday money we might receive into the envelope. If he gets a bonus or an income tax refund, we will put $20 to $50 in the envelope. We are trying to save $500 to $600 for five people staying in a city for two nights. This can take nine to ten months, so we make sure we plan carefully to have things to do the whole family will enjoy.
We are looking for lodging that serves continental breakfast. We are also looking for lodging that has a pool, weight room and any other amenities our family would enjoy. (TIP: We stayed at Homewood Suites in Memphis, and they not only served a continental breakfast, but a "light" supper. One night the supper consisted of chicken pot pie, English peas and a salad bar. The second night they had egg rolls, lo mein noodles and a salad bar. Having two meals a day included in our stay at the hotel was wonderful, and we carefully picked the two "special" restaurants where we wanted to eat while in Memphis.)
Also, in any large city you visit, call the Chamber of Commerce well ahead of time and ask them if any of the museums, zoos, aquariums or other places of interest in their city have "free days" or "free times" which are open to the public. It may be the first Tuesday of the month from noon until 5:00 (and it may be two or three things are free on the same day at the same time). If that's the case, you can plan your trip to include that day and pick one or two of the free things to do. If you go to a museum at noon for free and stay two hours, you can probably still make it to the zoo before the 5:00 deadline and maybe have two free hours there, also.
Tune in tomorrow for City Adventure - Part 2. This post will answer two more questions regarding the planning of your adventure.
I hope you have a great Monday, and I'll talk to you tomorrow!
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Weekend Happenings
Good Friday morning!
First, a reminder! Next week I will just be posting Monday through Thursday, and it will be on how to plan a City Adventure. The following week, we will be back on schedule with parties, recipes, dates, traditions, books, etc. I will NOT be posting next Friday because of the holidays.
This weekend, we were tentatively planning a late, late fall camping trip, but with our mountain trip looming for Thursday through Sunday of next week, I decided to take my own advice and make things more simple.
Mikie and Roxie are going on a movie date tomorrow night (Madagascar 2). Josh and one of his buddies are getting together tomorrow night. Austin and Melia are going on a date Saturday night. We're all going to Mike's parent's home in Oxford for an early Thanksgiving with them on Sunday, and then Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday we'll be cooking, packing and getting ready for our 11th annual trip to the mountains.
We've always taken this trip with my parents and my sister and her family beginning in 1998, and we started it on a Thanksgiving. Even though we went in February of this year, we wanted the tenth anniversary of the trip to be on Thanksgiving again. Thus, we get to have two mountain trips in the year 2008. We'll talk more about the mountain trip in the next couple of weeks.
Now for the moment you've all been waiting for...
Goal Number Two:
I don't think my second goal could be considered as silly as my first one. I have never gotten a speeding ticket or a parking ticket, and my goal is to make it until I'm 50 years old (only three years to go) without one. I was bragging about this goal to someone the other day, and he asked me, "You've never been stopped for a ticket?"
"I didn't say I've never been stopped. I've been stopped several times... well, at least eight or nine times (which isn't that many times considering I've been driving 31 years). But that doesn't count. It's not on any record. Being stopped is not the same as receiving a ticket," I pointed out.
"What did you get stopped for?" he asked.
"Well, the normal stuff. Not making a complete stop at a stop sign a couple of times. Speeding... but just five to ten miles over the speed limit. Not anything reckless." And in my defense, a couple of those times, I really needed to get to a bathroom because I had been drinking a two liter of Dr. Pepper on the way home!
"Why didn't they give you tickets if they stopped you," he persisted.
"Uh... because I get really, really upset when I get pulled over," I explained thinking that would stop the conversation and answer his questions.
"What does that mean?"
He was not getting it! "I cry! All right... I cry! And not just a little tear or two. I mean, I am sobbing like I just had a really bad haircut... or something!" I stopped talking, because he was looking at me strangely.
"So you make yourself cry to get out of getting a ticket?"
"I don't make myself cry. I'm really, really upset that I might be getting a ticket. And I'm really, really upset that the lights are flashing and people might see me, especially now that I drive my big gold van. No, my tears are very real, and I am genuinely upset."
"That means you have warnings on your record," he said.
"Well, warnings aren't tickets. If the goal was not to have a warning, then I would have to say I didn't meet that goal. The goal is not to have a ticket... and I don't!" I was ready for this conversation to end.
In October of this year, I had my first "official" wreck. I also had a goal to not have a wreck before I turned 50. It was a fender bender, and it was my fault, and it hurt the person's bumper and tail light. It did not hurt the big gold van. (I love my big gold van!) I called the police and the paramedics and they came immediately. I stayed with the women until the police arrived, and then stepped back to my van. They were not hurt, and everyone had insurance and the policemen came back to me.
"Are you okay?" the police officer asked me.
"Oh, yeah. I'm fine. I'm just glad they're okay," I responded quietly.
"They are okay. They're going on to lunch. This happens all the time. This is not a bad thing at all."
"Yeah. But officially, this is a wreck, right?" I asked.
"Well, yes. But everyone's okay and it's just a little body work, and everyone has insurance, so it's not a big deal," he reassured me.
"Okay," I said again, quietly.
The other police officer came over. "Are you sure you're okay?" he asked. "You didn't get jarred or anything? Do you need the paramedics to look at you?"
"No, no, I'm fine." They weren't buying it!
"Okay. To be honest, I had this goal where I wasn't going to have a ticket or a wreck until I reached 50... and then I was going to extend the goal."
"Well, how old are you?" one of the officers asked.
"I'm 47," I sighed.
"Wow, you almost made it," the other officer said. I could tell they were just trying to cheer me up. "You still have that ticket goal thing."
"Yeah. About that. Could you tell the other officers to be a little 'understanding' the next three years? I'm not talking about letting me run wild or anything... but if they see me going five or six mph over the limit, if they could just turn the other way... well, that would be really great."
"You know, we really can't do that. But you just be careful and abide by the law, and you'll make your goal." With that they walked away.
It's a good thing I get so upset when I get pulled over... I may still need to have a good cry sometime in the next couple of years!
The goals just keep getting better, guys! Monday's goal makes as much sense as the last two... but by sharing it with you, I bet I can meet Goal Number Three this Christmas! Don't worry.. you don't have to buy me a present! I mean, you can if you want to... but that doesn't really have anything to do with that goal.
Now for our Book of the Week!
Books
The book series for this week is the Redwall books written by Brian Jacques. There are nineteen books in this series so far. A new one came out this past month. They are large books, but they are exciting, interesting and fun to read. They are about wars and battles, but you have to keep in mind, the main characters are woodland creatures. (I'm talking rabbits, badgers, etc.) They are entertaining and even if you have a young teen (or an older one -- Austin is 17 and still enjoys reading them) that may not be a big reader, you could try one of these to see if it keeps his interest. They have humor, drama and plot twists galore. You don't HAVE to read them in sequence, but the stories flow much better if you do. You'll be familiar with characters from previous books, etc.
They come out in hardback first, but some are available in paperback now. Also, the public libraries carry these books, and except for the newest one, they are not hard to find.
Again, the series is excellent, and Mr. Jacques' storytelling skills will keep even adults interested in these books. If you have sons ages ten to 12, it might even be a good read aloud book during the holidays or summer when there isn't any homework to get in the way. I've read three of them, and although I'm a "girl," I can definitely see the appeal to the masculine gender. I highly recommend these books for the guys in your family.
I hope you have a great weekend! Do something meaningful with your spouse or your family or your friends. Be thankful for the special people in your life... not just on Thanksgiving, but every day!
First, a reminder! Next week I will just be posting Monday through Thursday, and it will be on how to plan a City Adventure. The following week, we will be back on schedule with parties, recipes, dates, traditions, books, etc. I will NOT be posting next Friday because of the holidays.
This weekend, we were tentatively planning a late, late fall camping trip, but with our mountain trip looming for Thursday through Sunday of next week, I decided to take my own advice and make things more simple.
Mikie and Roxie are going on a movie date tomorrow night (Madagascar 2). Josh and one of his buddies are getting together tomorrow night. Austin and Melia are going on a date Saturday night. We're all going to Mike's parent's home in Oxford for an early Thanksgiving with them on Sunday, and then Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday we'll be cooking, packing and getting ready for our 11th annual trip to the mountains.
We've always taken this trip with my parents and my sister and her family beginning in 1998, and we started it on a Thanksgiving. Even though we went in February of this year, we wanted the tenth anniversary of the trip to be on Thanksgiving again. Thus, we get to have two mountain trips in the year 2008. We'll talk more about the mountain trip in the next couple of weeks.
Now for the moment you've all been waiting for...
Goal Number Two:
I don't think my second goal could be considered as silly as my first one. I have never gotten a speeding ticket or a parking ticket, and my goal is to make it until I'm 50 years old (only three years to go) without one. I was bragging about this goal to someone the other day, and he asked me, "You've never been stopped for a ticket?"
"I didn't say I've never been stopped. I've been stopped several times... well, at least eight or nine times (which isn't that many times considering I've been driving 31 years). But that doesn't count. It's not on any record. Being stopped is not the same as receiving a ticket," I pointed out.
"What did you get stopped for?" he asked.
"Well, the normal stuff. Not making a complete stop at a stop sign a couple of times. Speeding... but just five to ten miles over the speed limit. Not anything reckless." And in my defense, a couple of those times, I really needed to get to a bathroom because I had been drinking a two liter of Dr. Pepper on the way home!
"Why didn't they give you tickets if they stopped you," he persisted.
"Uh... because I get really, really upset when I get pulled over," I explained thinking that would stop the conversation and answer his questions.
"What does that mean?"
He was not getting it! "I cry! All right... I cry! And not just a little tear or two. I mean, I am sobbing like I just had a really bad haircut... or something!" I stopped talking, because he was looking at me strangely.
"So you make yourself cry to get out of getting a ticket?"
"I don't make myself cry. I'm really, really upset that I might be getting a ticket. And I'm really, really upset that the lights are flashing and people might see me, especially now that I drive my big gold van. No, my tears are very real, and I am genuinely upset."
"That means you have warnings on your record," he said.
"Well, warnings aren't tickets. If the goal was not to have a warning, then I would have to say I didn't meet that goal. The goal is not to have a ticket... and I don't!" I was ready for this conversation to end.
In October of this year, I had my first "official" wreck. I also had a goal to not have a wreck before I turned 50. It was a fender bender, and it was my fault, and it hurt the person's bumper and tail light. It did not hurt the big gold van. (I love my big gold van!) I called the police and the paramedics and they came immediately. I stayed with the women until the police arrived, and then stepped back to my van. They were not hurt, and everyone had insurance and the policemen came back to me.
"Are you okay?" the police officer asked me.
"Oh, yeah. I'm fine. I'm just glad they're okay," I responded quietly.
"They are okay. They're going on to lunch. This happens all the time. This is not a bad thing at all."
"Yeah. But officially, this is a wreck, right?" I asked.
"Well, yes. But everyone's okay and it's just a little body work, and everyone has insurance, so it's not a big deal," he reassured me.
"Okay," I said again, quietly.
The other police officer came over. "Are you sure you're okay?" he asked. "You didn't get jarred or anything? Do you need the paramedics to look at you?"
"No, no, I'm fine." They weren't buying it!
"Okay. To be honest, I had this goal where I wasn't going to have a ticket or a wreck until I reached 50... and then I was going to extend the goal."
"Well, how old are you?" one of the officers asked.
"I'm 47," I sighed.
"Wow, you almost made it," the other officer said. I could tell they were just trying to cheer me up. "You still have that ticket goal thing."
"Yeah. About that. Could you tell the other officers to be a little 'understanding' the next three years? I'm not talking about letting me run wild or anything... but if they see me going five or six mph over the limit, if they could just turn the other way... well, that would be really great."
"You know, we really can't do that. But you just be careful and abide by the law, and you'll make your goal." With that they walked away.
It's a good thing I get so upset when I get pulled over... I may still need to have a good cry sometime in the next couple of years!
The goals just keep getting better, guys! Monday's goal makes as much sense as the last two... but by sharing it with you, I bet I can meet Goal Number Three this Christmas! Don't worry.. you don't have to buy me a present! I mean, you can if you want to... but that doesn't really have anything to do with that goal.
Now for our Book of the Week!
Books
The book series for this week is the Redwall books written by Brian Jacques. There are nineteen books in this series so far. A new one came out this past month. They are large books, but they are exciting, interesting and fun to read. They are about wars and battles, but you have to keep in mind, the main characters are woodland creatures. (I'm talking rabbits, badgers, etc.) They are entertaining and even if you have a young teen (or an older one -- Austin is 17 and still enjoys reading them) that may not be a big reader, you could try one of these to see if it keeps his interest. They have humor, drama and plot twists galore. You don't HAVE to read them in sequence, but the stories flow much better if you do. You'll be familiar with characters from previous books, etc.
They come out in hardback first, but some are available in paperback now. Also, the public libraries carry these books, and except for the newest one, they are not hard to find.
Again, the series is excellent, and Mr. Jacques' storytelling skills will keep even adults interested in these books. If you have sons ages ten to 12, it might even be a good read aloud book during the holidays or summer when there isn't any homework to get in the way. I've read three of them, and although I'm a "girl," I can definitely see the appeal to the masculine gender. I highly recommend these books for the guys in your family.
I hope you have a great weekend! Do something meaningful with your spouse or your family or your friends. Be thankful for the special people in your life... not just on Thanksgiving, but every day!
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Ethnic Restaurants
Good Thursday morning!
You'll notice I've added a new blog on my Blog List. It's a photography blog from a girl in California. Her name is Tara, and I like her pictures. Very natural, and not at all posed. She seems like a spontaneous, joyful person, which as I've pointed out in other posts, I am not, but I admire her outlook on life. I like looking at different ways to take pictures, and she has some really good ideas. Very talented. Anyway, I enjoy looking at them, so I assumed everyone else I knew would, too.
I wanted to talk a little about goals today. I am a goal-oriented person, but much to the chagrin (good word, but not my third favorite) of my husband, Mikie, my goals do not make a lot of sense. Over the next four days of blogging (Thursday, Friday, Monday and Tuesday), I will reveal my top four goals. These are goals I've had well over two decades. Except for the one I reveal today, I may very well have them for two more decades. Who knows? It's about the only thing about me that is "up in the air," and I like that about me.
Goal Number One:
My children will never have ear infections. Now before we get too far into this one, I'll let you in on a little secret. I don't have this goal anymore... and not because the kids are too old or the goal is too dumb, but because of Joshua. Austin went all through babyhood with no ear infections. Joshua went all through babyhood with no ear infections. So I thought, "What if Roxie makes it all the way through babyhood with no ear infections. Wow! Wouldn't that be something?" And it happened. Roxie made it through babyhood with no ear infections.
So just imagine, if you will, my amazement when at age TEN, Josh complained of headache, fever, and other general symptoms. I took him to the doctor like a good mother, and after a few seconds, my doctor said, "He has an ear infection."
What?!?!? An ear infection?!?!? Roxie was seven, Josh was TEN and Austin was 13. This couldn't be happening. I was stunned. But, having worked for attorneys for ten years of my life, I was already looking for a loophole. "Uh, what do you call an ear infection when a TEN year-old boy has one?" I asked.
"An ear infection," the doctor said without even looking up from his clipboard.
"I know, but is there another name for it... perhaps a Latin term that is used when the child with the ear infection is TEN years-old or older?"
"I don't understand what you're asking me?" the doctor responded, now looking at me puzzled over his clipboard.
"Could it possibly be something like, oh, I don't know... swimmer's ear?" I asked hopefully.
"It's January. Has he been swimming in January?"
"No," I mumbled.
"Is there a problem?" the doctor then asked. Having completely put the clipboard down, he was just downright staring now.
"Well, it's silly really, but I had this little 'goal' that my children would make it to adulthood without having an ear infection. You've got to admit, a TEN year-old having an ear infection when he's NEVER had one before is kind of weird, isn't it?" The least he could do was admit it was "weird."
"Well, not really. Even adults get ear infections."
This did nothing to relieve my disappointment, and I decided then and there to get a new pediatrician. "Well, I think we want a second opinion," I said gathering my purse and keys.
"For an ear infection? Are you kidding me?"
I guess when he started raising his voice I knew it was hopeless. The only thing worse than having your first ear infection with three kids at the age of TEN, was paying two co-pays to get the same news twice. I apologized, got my first ever prescription for ear infection drugs and trudged out of the office.
When I got into the car, I took a deep breath and tried to shake off the disappointment. "I have three other goals that are still intact. This is not the end of the world," I told myself.
Tune in tomorrow to see what Goal Number Two is... and just a little hint -- it's still going strong!
I'm going to do things a little differently next week, and I wanted to give you a head's up. Monday through Thursday, I will be posting a step-by-step guide to planning a City Adventure. That's right. A City Adventure. We've had two, and we're planning our third as I write this post. They're fun, educational, good for any and all ages and will help your family bond. Also, in this time of economic distress (I mentioned that in yesterday's post), I will also include tips for paying for these City Adventures. To find out EXACTLY what I'm talking about, you'll have to tune in next Monday through Thursday. (I will be off next Friday due to the holidays... but I can't help myself. At the bottom of Thursday's post you will find the Book of the Week. The last one before I start on my Christmas book list, my Christmas seasonal traditions, my Christmas party/events, my Christmas dates, and my Christmas recipes. That's right folks... the last non-Christmas thing that will be on this blog for a WHOLE month. Exciting, isn't it?)
Now for the much anticipated Family Date!
Ethnic Restaurants (Family Date)
I know things are tight right now. Between the holidays and the bad economic situation our country is in at the moment, you may be thinking this is not something you can swing right now. However, I have a plan.
With five in our family (three of which are man-sized eaters), going out to eat at different restaurants doesn't fit into our budget AT ALL. So, a couple of years ago, I started getting $20 a paycheck and putting it in an envelope called "Family Date." It takes a while to build up depending on what you want the Family Date to be. Right now, we're saving for dinner AND a movie at a real movie theater... with popcorn. Yes, I said it. We want popcorn, too!! And a really large drink with five straws! That's what we want! That will cost our family of five about $125 to $135. It's a lot for dinner and a movie, but because we're saving for it, we choose both restaurant and movie very wisely. (Also, if you can't afford $20 a pay period, put in $10 or $5. Eventually, it will add up so you can have a "guilt-free" Family Date.)
The title for today's family date is Ethnic Restaurant, so I want to encourage you to try something a little different than the norm. Most, if not all, of us have eaten at Chinese, Mexican, Italian, etc. restaurants. They are very common. However, have you and your family tried Greek, Thai, French, Indian or Middle Eastern cuisine? This may not work well if you have younger children who only eat chicken fingers, but if you call ahead, you might be surprised to find that some of the restaurants will indeed serve a grilled cheese sandwich or fruit to your more finicky eaters.
Our next pick is Pita Stop Cafe which is near UAB. Mike and I ate there years ago (before kids), and thoroughly enjoyed it. We tried humus and some other traditional Middle Eastern dishes. So we've been saving and when we have the $125, we are taking the whole family to Pita Stop Cafe (and a movie -- I don't want you to think Pita Stop Cafe is that expensive). We know they have things everyone will eat, but when going to a different restaurant like this, we are going to urge each member of the family to order something different, and we are going to at least try a bite of the different types of food.
Also, since it takes a while to save $125, there is time to watch Food Network and Travel Channel listings to see if there are any shows about the Middle East coming up. If so, we will tape them and watch them together. Not only will you learn about the food, but the culture as well. (Avoid watching Bizarre Foods with Andrew Zimmerman for the purpose of getting your family excited about trying a new cuisine. You and your kids will never go to a restaurant other than a McDonald's as long as you live!)
I know they are very, very common now, but the Japanese restaurants that cook while you sit at the table are not only entertaining and fun, but they are a great way to try different food while still having some of the staples everyone will eat (chicken and rice). If you have not taken your children to one of these restaurants yet, I highly recommend it. There are several of them all over the Greater Birmingham area. We're fortunate to have a good one in our small town, also.
I haven't had Thai or Indian food (yet), but I have heard that it is very spicy, so I would want to actually talk to someone who has eaten (and enjoyed) the food at the restaurant before I took the whole family there.
There used to be a really nice French restaurant at the Botanical Gardens. It is a different restaurant now. I enjoyed trying some different dishes there, but I have to say I was always disappointed in how small the dessert portions were. However, as small as they were, they were delicious (and a Snickers candy bar in the car on the way home finished off my sweet tooth nicely).
Check out the Yellow Pages in the Restaurant Section and you will find restaurant listings for authentic Indian, Thai, Greek, Cajun, etc., etc. Pick one, and plan a Family Date today. You can even try sushi as a family. (Our family won't be doing this, but if you're the more adventurous type, go for it!) The food will be different, the decor will be different and the music will be different. It will be something (good or bad) you can experience together as a family... and as long as you make sure you have some peanut butter crackers in your purse, you will have a good time. (HINT: I'm a big believer in always having peanut butter crackers in my purse. It has offset many a restaurant disaster when the kids were smaller.)
Tune in tomorrow for Goal Number Two, as well as a great book series for young teenage boys (and older). I love good book series, and the author of this series is still going strong, so every year or so a new book comes out.
Have a great day, and I'll talk to you tomorrow.
You'll notice I've added a new blog on my Blog List. It's a photography blog from a girl in California. Her name is Tara, and I like her pictures. Very natural, and not at all posed. She seems like a spontaneous, joyful person, which as I've pointed out in other posts, I am not, but I admire her outlook on life. I like looking at different ways to take pictures, and she has some really good ideas. Very talented. Anyway, I enjoy looking at them, so I assumed everyone else I knew would, too.
I wanted to talk a little about goals today. I am a goal-oriented person, but much to the chagrin (good word, but not my third favorite) of my husband, Mikie, my goals do not make a lot of sense. Over the next four days of blogging (Thursday, Friday, Monday and Tuesday), I will reveal my top four goals. These are goals I've had well over two decades. Except for the one I reveal today, I may very well have them for two more decades. Who knows? It's about the only thing about me that is "up in the air," and I like that about me.
Goal Number One:
My children will never have ear infections. Now before we get too far into this one, I'll let you in on a little secret. I don't have this goal anymore... and not because the kids are too old or the goal is too dumb, but because of Joshua. Austin went all through babyhood with no ear infections. Joshua went all through babyhood with no ear infections. So I thought, "What if Roxie makes it all the way through babyhood with no ear infections. Wow! Wouldn't that be something?" And it happened. Roxie made it through babyhood with no ear infections.
So just imagine, if you will, my amazement when at age TEN, Josh complained of headache, fever, and other general symptoms. I took him to the doctor like a good mother, and after a few seconds, my doctor said, "He has an ear infection."
What?!?!? An ear infection?!?!? Roxie was seven, Josh was TEN and Austin was 13. This couldn't be happening. I was stunned. But, having worked for attorneys for ten years of my life, I was already looking for a loophole. "Uh, what do you call an ear infection when a TEN year-old boy has one?" I asked.
"An ear infection," the doctor said without even looking up from his clipboard.
"I know, but is there another name for it... perhaps a Latin term that is used when the child with the ear infection is TEN years-old or older?"
"I don't understand what you're asking me?" the doctor responded, now looking at me puzzled over his clipboard.
"Could it possibly be something like, oh, I don't know... swimmer's ear?" I asked hopefully.
"It's January. Has he been swimming in January?"
"No," I mumbled.
"Is there a problem?" the doctor then asked. Having completely put the clipboard down, he was just downright staring now.
"Well, it's silly really, but I had this little 'goal' that my children would make it to adulthood without having an ear infection. You've got to admit, a TEN year-old having an ear infection when he's NEVER had one before is kind of weird, isn't it?" The least he could do was admit it was "weird."
"Well, not really. Even adults get ear infections."
This did nothing to relieve my disappointment, and I decided then and there to get a new pediatrician. "Well, I think we want a second opinion," I said gathering my purse and keys.
"For an ear infection? Are you kidding me?"
I guess when he started raising his voice I knew it was hopeless. The only thing worse than having your first ear infection with three kids at the age of TEN, was paying two co-pays to get the same news twice. I apologized, got my first ever prescription for ear infection drugs and trudged out of the office.
When I got into the car, I took a deep breath and tried to shake off the disappointment. "I have three other goals that are still intact. This is not the end of the world," I told myself.
Tune in tomorrow to see what Goal Number Two is... and just a little hint -- it's still going strong!
I'm going to do things a little differently next week, and I wanted to give you a head's up. Monday through Thursday, I will be posting a step-by-step guide to planning a City Adventure. That's right. A City Adventure. We've had two, and we're planning our third as I write this post. They're fun, educational, good for any and all ages and will help your family bond. Also, in this time of economic distress (I mentioned that in yesterday's post), I will also include tips for paying for these City Adventures. To find out EXACTLY what I'm talking about, you'll have to tune in next Monday through Thursday. (I will be off next Friday due to the holidays... but I can't help myself. At the bottom of Thursday's post you will find the Book of the Week. The last one before I start on my Christmas book list, my Christmas seasonal traditions, my Christmas party/events, my Christmas dates, and my Christmas recipes. That's right folks... the last non-Christmas thing that will be on this blog for a WHOLE month. Exciting, isn't it?)
Now for the much anticipated Family Date!
Ethnic Restaurants (Family Date)
I know things are tight right now. Between the holidays and the bad economic situation our country is in at the moment, you may be thinking this is not something you can swing right now. However, I have a plan.
With five in our family (three of which are man-sized eaters), going out to eat at different restaurants doesn't fit into our budget AT ALL. So, a couple of years ago, I started getting $20 a paycheck and putting it in an envelope called "Family Date." It takes a while to build up depending on what you want the Family Date to be. Right now, we're saving for dinner AND a movie at a real movie theater... with popcorn. Yes, I said it. We want popcorn, too!! And a really large drink with five straws! That's what we want! That will cost our family of five about $125 to $135. It's a lot for dinner and a movie, but because we're saving for it, we choose both restaurant and movie very wisely. (Also, if you can't afford $20 a pay period, put in $10 or $5. Eventually, it will add up so you can have a "guilt-free" Family Date.)
The title for today's family date is Ethnic Restaurant, so I want to encourage you to try something a little different than the norm. Most, if not all, of us have eaten at Chinese, Mexican, Italian, etc. restaurants. They are very common. However, have you and your family tried Greek, Thai, French, Indian or Middle Eastern cuisine? This may not work well if you have younger children who only eat chicken fingers, but if you call ahead, you might be surprised to find that some of the restaurants will indeed serve a grilled cheese sandwich or fruit to your more finicky eaters.
Our next pick is Pita Stop Cafe which is near UAB. Mike and I ate there years ago (before kids), and thoroughly enjoyed it. We tried humus and some other traditional Middle Eastern dishes. So we've been saving and when we have the $125, we are taking the whole family to Pita Stop Cafe (and a movie -- I don't want you to think Pita Stop Cafe is that expensive). We know they have things everyone will eat, but when going to a different restaurant like this, we are going to urge each member of the family to order something different, and we are going to at least try a bite of the different types of food.
Also, since it takes a while to save $125, there is time to watch Food Network and Travel Channel listings to see if there are any shows about the Middle East coming up. If so, we will tape them and watch them together. Not only will you learn about the food, but the culture as well. (Avoid watching Bizarre Foods with Andrew Zimmerman for the purpose of getting your family excited about trying a new cuisine. You and your kids will never go to a restaurant other than a McDonald's as long as you live!)
I know they are very, very common now, but the Japanese restaurants that cook while you sit at the table are not only entertaining and fun, but they are a great way to try different food while still having some of the staples everyone will eat (chicken and rice). If you have not taken your children to one of these restaurants yet, I highly recommend it. There are several of them all over the Greater Birmingham area. We're fortunate to have a good one in our small town, also.
I haven't had Thai or Indian food (yet), but I have heard that it is very spicy, so I would want to actually talk to someone who has eaten (and enjoyed) the food at the restaurant before I took the whole family there.
There used to be a really nice French restaurant at the Botanical Gardens. It is a different restaurant now. I enjoyed trying some different dishes there, but I have to say I was always disappointed in how small the dessert portions were. However, as small as they were, they were delicious (and a Snickers candy bar in the car on the way home finished off my sweet tooth nicely).
Check out the Yellow Pages in the Restaurant Section and you will find restaurant listings for authentic Indian, Thai, Greek, Cajun, etc., etc. Pick one, and plan a Family Date today. You can even try sushi as a family. (Our family won't be doing this, but if you're the more adventurous type, go for it!) The food will be different, the decor will be different and the music will be different. It will be something (good or bad) you can experience together as a family... and as long as you make sure you have some peanut butter crackers in your purse, you will have a good time. (HINT: I'm a big believer in always having peanut butter crackers in my purse. It has offset many a restaurant disaster when the kids were smaller.)
Tune in tomorrow for Goal Number Two, as well as a great book series for young teenage boys (and older). I love good book series, and the author of this series is still going strong, so every year or so a new book comes out.
Have a great day, and I'll talk to you tomorrow.
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Thankful Pies
Good Wednesday morning!
Last night, I took a meal to a family who just had their first baby... a boy named Jonah. He was 7 lbs. 2 oz. of newborn perfection. Wrinkly little forehead. Soft black hair. Tiny button nose. And the most wonderful smell. The I-just-had-a-bath-and-I-smell-like-baby-bath-and-baby-lotion-and-baby-powder smell. I just breathed him in. Exhale...
Now rewind three hours earlier that day. I'm sitting in my big, gold van beside my 15 year-old son. Not in the driver's seat... in the passenger seat. I'm using a voice I don't even recognize. It is soft, controlled, emotionless. I, however, am not any of those things. Josh did well. We went to a new neighborhood to practice today, because instead of baking pies for my neighbors this season (read the bottom of this post), I'm giving them the gift of teaching my child how to drive in someone's neighborhood other than our own. Happy Thanksgiving, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year ALL rolled up into one, Neighbors!
Josh is a different type of driver than Austin was, which only leads me to believe that Roxie will be a different type of driver, also. I was talking to a mom of four the other day, and we both agreed that although the children had the same mom and dad, whether you had two or twenty, they are all so different. It would really be helpful to parents across the globe if their kids had at least some of the same characteristics, but nope... that ain't gonna happen!
I miss the newborns. I even miss all the annoying older moms telling me to enjoy this time because it will be gone before I can blink. (By the way, I refrained from telling the new mom last night the same exact thing.)
Austin is receiving acceptance letters from colleges that are more than an hour away. Josh is learning to drive and thus, one day he, too, will be able to drive away. Roxie is picking out outfits, fixing her hair, accessorizing, and making "life plans," as she likes to call them, and watching her brothers grow up and away, and looking forward to the time when it's her turn. It's an exciting part of life for them.
When Roxie was born, I wrote a long story about how she came to be. The last paragraph summed up my feelings at that time in my life, and it's very accurate even now.
"September 26, 1995 - Our life with Roxie officially begins. I can't even imagine how it is going to turn out. When Austin was born, I was amazed at how much I loved him. He was my total obsession. When Joshua was born, I was amazed I could love another child as much as my first. He was my heart. When Roxie was born, I was amazed God had blessed me yet again with this beautiful little girl. She was my heart's desire. I am the most blessed woman."
I thought all day yesterday about what happens to a mom when her "total obsession," her "heart," and her "heart's desire" all grow up and start their own lives. (If you can't tell, I've been a little melancholy.) Luckily for me, I still have my "best friend" living in the house... and I can repeat the last sentence of that journal entry made so many years ago... "I am the most blessed woman."
I know, I know. We're not finished yet. We've got six or more good years left of at-home parenting. Oh, and lest any of you forget, me, Josh and the big, gold van may be appearing in a neighborhood near you very soon! (We're working on "dodging mailboxes" next week!)
Now for our Seasonal Tradition. Let's bake some pies!!
Thankful Pies
I already warned you there was a lot of food this week, but this little tradition has something other than just a pie attached to it... the real meaning of being thankful and thoughtful.
All you have to do is jot down a list with your child or children of people in the neighborhood you think might like a pie. It could be a widow or widower, a young family, a single working mom, new neighbors, etc., etc. After you have made the list and have a number (anywhere from one to five is "doable"), take the kids and buy the ingredients for a pumpkin pie. If you're not a big baker, it is easy, easy. Buy the number of pie crusts you need. Check out the recipe on the can of Libby's Pumpkin. If you buy the 29 oz. can, it makes two deep dish pies or three regular pies. There is no easier recipe, and the kids can help with adding ingredients, mixing, putting aluminium foil around the edge of the crust so it doesn't burn, etc., etc.
While the pies are baking, have the kids write notes to the neighbors telling them why they are thankful for them. "We're thankful for you because you give us giant candy bars on Halloween." "We're thankful for you because we love all the Christmas decorations you put up every year and they are beautiful." "We're thankful for you because we love it when you walk your dog down to our house for us to play with him/her." "We're thankful you have kids our age to play with every day."
If there isn't anything specific the kids can think of, have them write down a Thanksgiving verse on the note. Here are a few:
"That I may proclaim with the voice of THANKSGIVING, and declare all Thy wonders." Ps. 26:7
"Let us come before His presence with THANKSGIVING; Let us shout joyfully to Him with psalms." Ps. 95:2
"Enter His gates with THANKSGIVING, and His courts with praise. Give thanks to Him; bless His name." Ps. 100:4
"Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with THANKSGIVING let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, shall guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."
Phil. 4:6-7
You may have had a difficult year yourself, and you might just want to put on the note, "I'm just thankful I'm able to bake this pie for a wonderful neighbor."
Kids from the age of three and up will be able to help in some way with this tradition.
Also, delivering the pies is fun. Call the neighbors to make sure they are home. Don't go in the house or add any stress (unexpected company). Just knock on the door, leave the pie and note and give them a hug. You never, ever know who might need a hug that day... or a Thanksgiving Pie.
Tomorrow's date is a Family Date, and takes a little planning, but it will be fun!
Have a great day, and I'll talk to you tomorrow!
Last night, I took a meal to a family who just had their first baby... a boy named Jonah. He was 7 lbs. 2 oz. of newborn perfection. Wrinkly little forehead. Soft black hair. Tiny button nose. And the most wonderful smell. The I-just-had-a-bath-and-I-smell-like-baby-bath-and-baby-lotion-and-baby-powder smell. I just breathed him in. Exhale...
Now rewind three hours earlier that day. I'm sitting in my big, gold van beside my 15 year-old son. Not in the driver's seat... in the passenger seat. I'm using a voice I don't even recognize. It is soft, controlled, emotionless. I, however, am not any of those things. Josh did well. We went to a new neighborhood to practice today, because instead of baking pies for my neighbors this season (read the bottom of this post), I'm giving them the gift of teaching my child how to drive in someone's neighborhood other than our own. Happy Thanksgiving, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year ALL rolled up into one, Neighbors!
Josh is a different type of driver than Austin was, which only leads me to believe that Roxie will be a different type of driver, also. I was talking to a mom of four the other day, and we both agreed that although the children had the same mom and dad, whether you had two or twenty, they are all so different. It would really be helpful to parents across the globe if their kids had at least some of the same characteristics, but nope... that ain't gonna happen!
I miss the newborns. I even miss all the annoying older moms telling me to enjoy this time because it will be gone before I can blink. (By the way, I refrained from telling the new mom last night the same exact thing.)
Austin is receiving acceptance letters from colleges that are more than an hour away. Josh is learning to drive and thus, one day he, too, will be able to drive away. Roxie is picking out outfits, fixing her hair, accessorizing, and making "life plans," as she likes to call them, and watching her brothers grow up and away, and looking forward to the time when it's her turn. It's an exciting part of life for them.
When Roxie was born, I wrote a long story about how she came to be. The last paragraph summed up my feelings at that time in my life, and it's very accurate even now.
"September 26, 1995 - Our life with Roxie officially begins. I can't even imagine how it is going to turn out. When Austin was born, I was amazed at how much I loved him. He was my total obsession. When Joshua was born, I was amazed I could love another child as much as my first. He was my heart. When Roxie was born, I was amazed God had blessed me yet again with this beautiful little girl. She was my heart's desire. I am the most blessed woman."
I thought all day yesterday about what happens to a mom when her "total obsession," her "heart," and her "heart's desire" all grow up and start their own lives. (If you can't tell, I've been a little melancholy.) Luckily for me, I still have my "best friend" living in the house... and I can repeat the last sentence of that journal entry made so many years ago... "I am the most blessed woman."
I know, I know. We're not finished yet. We've got six or more good years left of at-home parenting. Oh, and lest any of you forget, me, Josh and the big, gold van may be appearing in a neighborhood near you very soon! (We're working on "dodging mailboxes" next week!)
Now for our Seasonal Tradition. Let's bake some pies!!
Thankful Pies
I already warned you there was a lot of food this week, but this little tradition has something other than just a pie attached to it... the real meaning of being thankful and thoughtful.
All you have to do is jot down a list with your child or children of people in the neighborhood you think might like a pie. It could be a widow or widower, a young family, a single working mom, new neighbors, etc., etc. After you have made the list and have a number (anywhere from one to five is "doable"), take the kids and buy the ingredients for a pumpkin pie. If you're not a big baker, it is easy, easy. Buy the number of pie crusts you need. Check out the recipe on the can of Libby's Pumpkin. If you buy the 29 oz. can, it makes two deep dish pies or three regular pies. There is no easier recipe, and the kids can help with adding ingredients, mixing, putting aluminium foil around the edge of the crust so it doesn't burn, etc., etc.
While the pies are baking, have the kids write notes to the neighbors telling them why they are thankful for them. "We're thankful for you because you give us giant candy bars on Halloween." "We're thankful for you because we love all the Christmas decorations you put up every year and they are beautiful." "We're thankful for you because we love it when you walk your dog down to our house for us to play with him/her." "We're thankful you have kids our age to play with every day."
If there isn't anything specific the kids can think of, have them write down a Thanksgiving verse on the note. Here are a few:
"That I may proclaim with the voice of THANKSGIVING, and declare all Thy wonders." Ps. 26:7
"Let us come before His presence with THANKSGIVING; Let us shout joyfully to Him with psalms." Ps. 95:2
"Enter His gates with THANKSGIVING, and His courts with praise. Give thanks to Him; bless His name." Ps. 100:4
"Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with THANKSGIVING let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, shall guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."
Phil. 4:6-7
You may have had a difficult year yourself, and you might just want to put on the note, "I'm just thankful I'm able to bake this pie for a wonderful neighbor."
Kids from the age of three and up will be able to help in some way with this tradition.
Also, delivering the pies is fun. Call the neighbors to make sure they are home. Don't go in the house or add any stress (unexpected company). Just knock on the door, leave the pie and note and give them a hug. You never, ever know who might need a hug that day... or a Thanksgiving Pie.
Tomorrow's date is a Family Date, and takes a little planning, but it will be fun!
Have a great day, and I'll talk to you tomorrow!
Monday, November 17, 2008
Banana Butterscotch Pound Cake
Good Tuesday morning!
Before we start with the recipe, I wanted to share something I read that has helped me in the daunting task of raising teenagers. First of all, I am a kid person. In saying that, let me clarify that I am a "little" kid person. Ages newborn to five is where I shine. I knew as I had my children that one day they would probably become teenagers, but I was in denial for a very long, long time. But here it is. It can no longer be ignored. At 17, 15 and 12, my kids do not want me to serve their friends edible play dough or play hide and seek or make forts with blankets, pillows and chairs. So I have had to face facts and grow up.
I had someone say to me once, "I would rather be in a room with 100 teenagers than a newborn baby." I could not even comprehend what she was thinking. I would rather be in a room with 100 five year-olds than... well, anybody. I know what to do and how to do it with that age group.
I went to school to become a teacher and got a B.S. degree in early childhood. At that time, you had the choice of getting a diploma for Kindergarten through 3rd grade... and for me, 3rd grade was pushing it! I student taught first grade, and I was where I was supposed to be. Sweet, sweet kids who thought I hung the moon. No eye rolling. No heavy sighing. No turning crimson because I came in the room wearing Halloween socks. (Actually, visible excitement when I came in the room wearing Halloween socks!)
But I wanted to experience AND enjoy every aspect of my kids... not just newborn to five. So I had to adjust.
One of the things that has been hardest for me, but I think has paid off the most, is to "Just say yes." I've read so many books I couldn't remember which book I had seen the phrase, but a friend told me when we were talking that she had read the same thing about saying "Yes" to teenagers in a James Dobson book. I believe that. It sounds very wise and sound... just like James Dobson. I took it to heart, and started thinking before speaking and when one of the kids would ask me something, I would stop and think. Will this hurt them? Is there really any reason other than I don't want to take the time to deny them this request? Nine times out of ten the answer was "No!" When Austin would come into the kitchen while I was fixing supper and ask for a quick 15-minute driving lesson around the neighborhood, my first instinct was to say, "No. I'm cooking supper." But then I would stop and think. Were we in a hurry to eat that night? No. Was the meal I was preparing so difficult that it needed my undivided attention for the next 15 minutes, or could I simply turn off the stove for a few minutes and come back to it a little later? Yes. Did the other kids have somewhere they had to go... did I? No.
So when Austin would ask the question, after much rewiring of my brain, I would respond with, "Sure, why not?" and off we would go.
When Josh would ask if he could have a friend spend the night spur of the moment (we've talked about how spontaneous I'm NOT), I would stop and think. Does the house have to be perfect for a ten year-old boy to come over and spend the night? No. Do I have to have a seven-course meal to feed him to make him happy? No. Is he going to talk to anyone about the house or the food when he leaves? No... he's a ten year-old boy. He's going to be thrilled to have pizza, Cokes and slice and bake cookies. Then I would respond with, "Sure, why not?" and we would invite him over.
"Mom, do you mind if I have a different shampoo than what you use?" Roxie would ask. I could easily say no, but the other shampoo was only $.40 more and every time I say, "Yes," I am saving up for the time Mike and I absolutely HAVE to say, "No."
Are my kids perfect? Uh, NO. Do they ever fuss, fight, talk back, roll their eyes WAY in the back of their heads, stomp their feet, slam doors, pout, etc., etc., etc.? Uh, YES... sometimes. They're teenagers... that's their job! But I will say when it comes to some of the harder questions, when Mike and I have had to say "No," because of all the "Yes" answers we've been able to give, it has made it easier for them to take. We have found we don't argue about our answers regarding the "big" stuff.
Roxie and I were in a changing room a year ago trying on clothes. She loves to try on clothes, and we weren't agreeing on everything, but we still had a lot to put on. In the next stall, a young lady told her mother, "I am going to get this, too!" The mother told her it wasn't decent, and she was not going to pay for the item. The young lady then told her mother, "Fine. I'll buy it with my own money!" And she stomped out of the stall. Roxie and I peeked out our door, and Roxie whispered, "She's my age."
Instead of saying what I wanted to say ("If you EVER talk to me like that, it will the last time you go shopping until you're 21!"), I asked her what she thought. "Well, just because she used her money doesn't mean it's decent. And she shouldn't have yelled at her Mother like that." We made a deal then and there regarding our shopping together. There would be times I wouldn't like what she picked out. There would be times she would not like what I picked out. But in that entire store, there had to be something we both liked... and that's what we would look for. Has communication ever broken down in the dressing room stall with Miss Roxie and me? Yes. But have we tried to remind ourselves about our "deal?" Yes. So far, so good. (I know, I know. She's just 12... we have a loooong way to go.)
I guess what I'm trying to say is Mike and I are not perfect teenage parents. I wish we were. I know parents who are definitely "teenager" people, and they are so much more natural with this age group than I am. I envy them, and admire them. But what I read in the book was good advice, so I'm passing it on to other parents who may be dealing with teens right now, too. Saying "no" is easy. Saying "yes" is a lot harder. But right now (17, 15 and 12), it has been worth it! Our kids are a work in progress, and we don't know how they'll turn out, but every little bit of sound advice helps, doesn't it? (That, and a ton of prayer!)
Now, on to something I know will turn out all right. I've made the cake 12 times, and so far so good.
Banana Butterscotch Pound Cake
If you are not a banana or a butterscotch or even a pound cake kind of person, I can tell you right now you will NOT like this cake. However, if you like these three things, this is the cake for you. I got the recipe off the back of a Nestle Butterscotch Morsel bag and it is wonderful. Oh, and like I said in an earlier post, it's pretty orange so Thanksgiving is the perfect time to serve it to family and friends.
You will need the following:
1 package (11 oz.) Nestle Toll House Butterscotch Flavored Morsels, divided
1 package yellow cake mix
4 large eggs
3/4 cup (2 medium) mashed ripe bananas
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease 10-cup Bundt or round tube pan.
2. Microwave 1 1/3 cups morsels in medium, uncovered, microwave-safe bowl on MEDIUM-HIGH power for 1 minute; STIR. Morsels may retain some of their shape. If necessary, microwave at additional 10- to 15-second intervals, stirring just until morsels are melted.
3. Combine cake mix, eggs, bananas, vegetable oil, water and sugar in large mixer bowl. Beat on low speed until moistened. Beat on high speed for 2 minutes. Stir 2 cups batter into melted morsels.
4. Alternately spoon batters into prepared baking pan.
5. Bake for 35 to 45 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in cake comes out clean. Cool in pan for 20 minutes.
6. Place remaining morsels in small, heavy-duty plastic bag. Microwave on MEDIUM-HIGH power for 30 seconds; knead. Microwave at additional 10- to 15-second intervals, kneading until smooth. Cut tiny corner from bag; squeeze to drizzle over cake.
7. NOTE: I usually don't drizzle the butterscotch. I lightly sprinkle the cake with powdered sugar. It is quicker and the cake is super moist and sweet without the drizzle. Either way, it's good. I've made it several times, and it doesn't sink or lose its shape. It is a very pretty, presentable pound cake.
Tomorrow's Seasonal Tradition takes place in the kitchen... and out in the neighborhood. You can do it any time between now and next Thursday (Thanksgiving Day), and it will be something special and selfless you can do with your kids.
I hope you have a great day, and I'll talk to you tomorrow.
Before we start with the recipe, I wanted to share something I read that has helped me in the daunting task of raising teenagers. First of all, I am a kid person. In saying that, let me clarify that I am a "little" kid person. Ages newborn to five is where I shine. I knew as I had my children that one day they would probably become teenagers, but I was in denial for a very long, long time. But here it is. It can no longer be ignored. At 17, 15 and 12, my kids do not want me to serve their friends edible play dough or play hide and seek or make forts with blankets, pillows and chairs. So I have had to face facts and grow up.
I had someone say to me once, "I would rather be in a room with 100 teenagers than a newborn baby." I could not even comprehend what she was thinking. I would rather be in a room with 100 five year-olds than... well, anybody. I know what to do and how to do it with that age group.
I went to school to become a teacher and got a B.S. degree in early childhood. At that time, you had the choice of getting a diploma for Kindergarten through 3rd grade... and for me, 3rd grade was pushing it! I student taught first grade, and I was where I was supposed to be. Sweet, sweet kids who thought I hung the moon. No eye rolling. No heavy sighing. No turning crimson because I came in the room wearing Halloween socks. (Actually, visible excitement when I came in the room wearing Halloween socks!)
But I wanted to experience AND enjoy every aspect of my kids... not just newborn to five. So I had to adjust.
One of the things that has been hardest for me, but I think has paid off the most, is to "Just say yes." I've read so many books I couldn't remember which book I had seen the phrase, but a friend told me when we were talking that she had read the same thing about saying "Yes" to teenagers in a James Dobson book. I believe that. It sounds very wise and sound... just like James Dobson. I took it to heart, and started thinking before speaking and when one of the kids would ask me something, I would stop and think. Will this hurt them? Is there really any reason other than I don't want to take the time to deny them this request? Nine times out of ten the answer was "No!" When Austin would come into the kitchen while I was fixing supper and ask for a quick 15-minute driving lesson around the neighborhood, my first instinct was to say, "No. I'm cooking supper." But then I would stop and think. Were we in a hurry to eat that night? No. Was the meal I was preparing so difficult that it needed my undivided attention for the next 15 minutes, or could I simply turn off the stove for a few minutes and come back to it a little later? Yes. Did the other kids have somewhere they had to go... did I? No.
So when Austin would ask the question, after much rewiring of my brain, I would respond with, "Sure, why not?" and off we would go.
When Josh would ask if he could have a friend spend the night spur of the moment (we've talked about how spontaneous I'm NOT), I would stop and think. Does the house have to be perfect for a ten year-old boy to come over and spend the night? No. Do I have to have a seven-course meal to feed him to make him happy? No. Is he going to talk to anyone about the house or the food when he leaves? No... he's a ten year-old boy. He's going to be thrilled to have pizza, Cokes and slice and bake cookies. Then I would respond with, "Sure, why not?" and we would invite him over.
"Mom, do you mind if I have a different shampoo than what you use?" Roxie would ask. I could easily say no, but the other shampoo was only $.40 more and every time I say, "Yes," I am saving up for the time Mike and I absolutely HAVE to say, "No."
Are my kids perfect? Uh, NO. Do they ever fuss, fight, talk back, roll their eyes WAY in the back of their heads, stomp their feet, slam doors, pout, etc., etc., etc.? Uh, YES... sometimes. They're teenagers... that's their job! But I will say when it comes to some of the harder questions, when Mike and I have had to say "No," because of all the "Yes" answers we've been able to give, it has made it easier for them to take. We have found we don't argue about our answers regarding the "big" stuff.
Roxie and I were in a changing room a year ago trying on clothes. She loves to try on clothes, and we weren't agreeing on everything, but we still had a lot to put on. In the next stall, a young lady told her mother, "I am going to get this, too!" The mother told her it wasn't decent, and she was not going to pay for the item. The young lady then told her mother, "Fine. I'll buy it with my own money!" And she stomped out of the stall. Roxie and I peeked out our door, and Roxie whispered, "She's my age."
Instead of saying what I wanted to say ("If you EVER talk to me like that, it will the last time you go shopping until you're 21!"), I asked her what she thought. "Well, just because she used her money doesn't mean it's decent. And she shouldn't have yelled at her Mother like that." We made a deal then and there regarding our shopping together. There would be times I wouldn't like what she picked out. There would be times she would not like what I picked out. But in that entire store, there had to be something we both liked... and that's what we would look for. Has communication ever broken down in the dressing room stall with Miss Roxie and me? Yes. But have we tried to remind ourselves about our "deal?" Yes. So far, so good. (I know, I know. She's just 12... we have a loooong way to go.)
I guess what I'm trying to say is Mike and I are not perfect teenage parents. I wish we were. I know parents who are definitely "teenager" people, and they are so much more natural with this age group than I am. I envy them, and admire them. But what I read in the book was good advice, so I'm passing it on to other parents who may be dealing with teens right now, too. Saying "no" is easy. Saying "yes" is a lot harder. But right now (17, 15 and 12), it has been worth it! Our kids are a work in progress, and we don't know how they'll turn out, but every little bit of sound advice helps, doesn't it? (That, and a ton of prayer!)
Now, on to something I know will turn out all right. I've made the cake 12 times, and so far so good.
Banana Butterscotch Pound Cake
If you are not a banana or a butterscotch or even a pound cake kind of person, I can tell you right now you will NOT like this cake. However, if you like these three things, this is the cake for you. I got the recipe off the back of a Nestle Butterscotch Morsel bag and it is wonderful. Oh, and like I said in an earlier post, it's pretty orange so Thanksgiving is the perfect time to serve it to family and friends.
You will need the following:
1 package (11 oz.) Nestle Toll House Butterscotch Flavored Morsels, divided
1 package yellow cake mix
4 large eggs
3/4 cup (2 medium) mashed ripe bananas
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease 10-cup Bundt or round tube pan.
2. Microwave 1 1/3 cups morsels in medium, uncovered, microwave-safe bowl on MEDIUM-HIGH power for 1 minute; STIR. Morsels may retain some of their shape. If necessary, microwave at additional 10- to 15-second intervals, stirring just until morsels are melted.
3. Combine cake mix, eggs, bananas, vegetable oil, water and sugar in large mixer bowl. Beat on low speed until moistened. Beat on high speed for 2 minutes. Stir 2 cups batter into melted morsels.
4. Alternately spoon batters into prepared baking pan.
5. Bake for 35 to 45 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in cake comes out clean. Cool in pan for 20 minutes.
6. Place remaining morsels in small, heavy-duty plastic bag. Microwave on MEDIUM-HIGH power for 30 seconds; knead. Microwave at additional 10- to 15-second intervals, kneading until smooth. Cut tiny corner from bag; squeeze to drizzle over cake.
7. NOTE: I usually don't drizzle the butterscotch. I lightly sprinkle the cake with powdered sugar. It is quicker and the cake is super moist and sweet without the drizzle. Either way, it's good. I've made it several times, and it doesn't sink or lose its shape. It is a very pretty, presentable pound cake.
Tomorrow's Seasonal Tradition takes place in the kitchen... and out in the neighborhood. You can do it any time between now and next Thursday (Thanksgiving Day), and it will be something special and selfless you can do with your kids.
I hope you have a great day, and I'll talk to you tomorrow.
Friday, November 14, 2008
Barbie Party
Good Monday morning!
I hope your weekend was everything you wanted it to be.
First things first... I don't want my blog to become "predictable," so you will notice that there are three pictures of a camel at the top of the posts today. There is no particular reason. I went to the Zoo a couple of weeks ago with my daughter and niece and nephew, and I love taking pictures of the animals. (Little fact about me... I love to visit botanical gardens (all kinds), zoos and/or aquariums and libraries. These are my three favorite places in the whole world other than home.) Anyway, I love taking pictures of camels. I've never taken a picture of a camel without it looking as if it were trying to say something to me. What does it want? Does it talk to everyone, or is it just me? Am I some kind of "camel whisperer?" Until I figure it out, I'm just going to keep on snappin'!
You'll notice a new Showcase Pic in the right-hand corner of me and Mikie, and pictures of our makeover at the mall. Of course, I couldn't resist an "I told you so" picture of what was once a beautiful fall tree. Heavy, heavy sigh! Winter, here we come. (Which, truthfully, winter is my second favorite season. It may have something to do with how much better I look in sweaters than bathing suits, but I also think it's because there's always that small glimmer of hope in Central Alabama that maybe, just maybe, we'll get a snow day... with power... and no ice... and get to stay in our pajamas ALL day long drinking hot chocolate. It rarely happens, but when it does it is truly something wonderful.)
Also, a new pic in the gallery is 15 year-old Josh behind the wheel. He is learning to drive. Our second driving teenager. Goosebumps all over me now as I see it in writing. (We may have to hire Roxie a limo and a driver when the time comes for her to learn. I'm too old for this!)
Monica and Roxie had a wonderful time getting their makeover at the Clinique Counter at Belks. It was free, and although they want you to buy something, you are not obligated to do so. (I did buy some eye make-up remover, and I may buy some of the skin care products for Roxie for Christmas, but you don't have to spend a lot of money that day.) The lady that did the makeover was very professional and did a good job on the girls. They looked very pretty, but the make-up was definitely age appropriate.
After a day of shopping with cousins, and watching a movie Saturday night with family (and Melia), we were ready for a "day of rest" on Sunday. Pastor Kevin preached an excellent sermon on marriage... very inspiring, so I really want to think on the things he said in his sermon. And then Mikie surprised us by taking us to a Mexican restaurant for lunch. We NEVER do that, and I was beyond thrilled. (Well, we do it once or twice a year.) After church Sunday night, we finished off the wonderful weekend with the Faulkner Five watching Amazing Race. And now we're ready for the week ahead!
This week's activities are all over the place. A Barbie Party today (with Football Card Party and Hot Wheels Party variations for the guys); a very sweet (and easy) dessert which is the perfect "color" for the Thanksgiving festivities coming up; a Seasonal Tradition that takes place in the kitchen; a Family Date that stretches your taste buds (that means no chicken fingers or pizza); and a wonderful book for the holidays that are coming up. Lots and lots of food in this week's post, but nothing complicated... all very "doable." So let's get this week started!
Barbie Party
Ages 4 - 7
To give credit where credit is due, I think this party was originally my cousin Amy's idea. I said before, this does not have to be a birthday party. In fact, it works much better as a little girl get-together. First, call and invite five to seven little girls asking them to bring their favorite Barbie and a brand new outfit wrapped as a gift. Set a price limit on the outfit. NOTE: When we had this party, everyone brought a ballgown type outfit and one little girl brought a really cute casual outfit with accessories. It cost as much as the ballgowns, but the little girl who received the casual outfit could have been disappointed. (She wasn't, but it could have gone either way.) If I were to do this party again, I would set a price range and a dress code -- ballgowns.
In a large circle, set a Barbie paper plate with each little girl's name written on it. Behind the plate, have a gallon size zip-lock bag with the child's name written on it, also. All the girls are to go and sit on the plate with their name. Have one of the newer Barbie movies ready to go, and start playing it on the DVD. As long as the movie is playing, the girls continue to pass around the wrapped Barbie outfits. When the movie stops, whichever gift the girl is holding is now hers. (If for some reason, one of the little girls gets her own gift, play the movie again and again until everyone has a gift they did not bring.) It's like musical chairs.
When everyone has a gift, have them open them all at once. They will immediately begin undressing their doll and start redressing them with the new clothes. This is when you need the zip-lock bags. Have them put everything they take off their doll in the bag so it doesn't get lost or mixed up.
After all the dolls are dressed, retire to the dining room where you have set up a Barbie party. Plastic pink tablecloth, Barbie paper plates, Barbie (or pink) napkins, clear plastic cups (with two drops of red food coloring in the bottom) and pretty confetti all over the table.
The food for this party is super simple. Each child gets a mini-can of Sprite. When you pour it in their clear plastic cup, the red food coloring in the bottom turns it pink automatically. Serve yellow cake cupcakes with NO icing. On each plate there should be a plain cupcake, a Milo's plastic sauce cup filled with pink icing, and a Milo's plastic sauce cup half-way filled with pretty white and pink sprinkles. Every child gets to decorate their own cupcake. Have small bowls of bananas, grapes and sliced apples on the table, also. For something salty, you can have white cheddar Cheeze-Its. (I'm just trying to stay away from orange and pink. I know Cheese Puffs are the salty snack of choice in this age group, but the colors just don't match!)
After snack, have the girls go to a room in the house you have prepared for "Barbie Play." Roxie had the 1970s Living Room set, the Pet Store set, the Horse Stable set and the Beach set from the Barbie collection. She would get one for her birthday or Christmas. We had put each "set" in a specific corner of the room. When the girls walked in, they immediately went to the corner that interested them the most. It was interesting to see them split up nicely. They went back and forth and interacted at the different "stations." They may want to change their Barbie clothes back to the ones they wore, but most of mine played in the stables and pet store in the ballgowns. After about 20 to 30 minutes of play, you can either call it a day or go downstairs with every pillow you can find in the house and pile up on the floor to watch the newest (or the oldest) Barbie movie. It's up to you. It was a fun, easy party. Like I said, it flows better if it isn't a birthday party since everyone brings one gift and leaves with one gift. Now for variations to this theme!
Football Card Party
Ages 8 - 10
Everything is the same, except the guys bring a pack of football cards. The movie you play while they pass the packs around the circle is Facing the Giants or Remember the Titans. For boys who may not have started collecting football cards, you can also pass out one or two sleeves for the cards. These can be bought at Wal-Mart or a specialty store for 5 sheets for $1. They fit into a three ring binder, but if all the boys do not have a binder, the sleeves will protect their cards until they get them home.
This party's food is basically tailgaiting food... hotdogs, chips, cokes, pizza, etc. Also, after they open their cards, they can trade for a few minutes and then either watch the movie of choice or go outside and play flag football.
As with most boy parties, less is more. Instead of having five to seven boys, it would probably be better to have four or five. It only takes one who loses interest in the cards, food or movie to get the others going in a different direction.
Hot Wheels Party
Ages 3 - 5
Every boy brings a wrapped Hot Wheels car. Using the plates from the movie Cars with the boys' names on them, have them sit in a circle on their plate and pass the cars around while you have Rascal Flatts singing "Life is a Highway." Stop the music and let the boys open the cars they have in their hands.
The food for the party is simple... everything in miniature. Krystal hamburgers or Chick-Fil-A chicken mini biscuits, Bagel Bites, bags of mini Pringles, mini-canned Sprites or Cokes, and make tiny cupcakes using the mini-muffin pans.
Ask around and borrow so you can have more than one kind of Hot Wheels track available for them to play on with their cars. After about 20 or 30 minutes of play, they can get every pillow in the house (just like above) and settle in to watch the movie Cars. As with the Football Card party, four or five boys is a good number to have fun and keep their interest.
I've had the Barbie Party and the Football Card Party and both were pretty successful except I had eight boys at the Football Card Party, and as I pointed out above, several lost interest and tried to pull away from the trading and the movie. Always try to invite girls and boys who are interested in what you're doing. Little girls who don't play with Barbies will not have a good time at a Barbie Party. Little boys who don't like sports will not enjoy the Football Card Party. Little boys who aren't into Hot Wheels will quickly lose interest in that kind of party.
You can think of other themes, also. Both of my guys would have loved a Super Hero Party using the same ideas from above, but passing around action figures and then watching Spiderman or another action hero movie. Just pick what you know your child and their close friends enjoy, and you'll have a great time.
DISCLAIMER: It may sound as if I'm anti-boy because I don't usually have as many of them in the house for a party as I do the girls, but that isn't so. In actuality, I consider myself more of a "boy" mom. I'm just talking from experience, and whenever two or more boys are gathered, there is always the chance of heavy wrestling and severe foundational damage to furniture and your home. That's why I try to have a plan, a schedule and a workable number of guys. (I never like to have a party where I have to fuss at the guests... NEVER. I try to avoid it at all costs, and having smaller numbers with the guys helps me be a "non-fussy" mom.)
I know it's a super long post today, but you get three parties for the price of one. That's not too bad, is it?
If anyone reading these posts is trying any of the ideas, let me know how they are working for you. I'd love to hear the pros and cons. Or if you have an idea you could share, I'm all about listening and learning... and I will not take the credit for your idea!
Well, tomorrow it will be time for our very delicious, very easy, very orange dessert. (It is something you and your son or daughter could make together. Cooking together is always a good way to spend time with your child, boy or girl, and it's teaching them something as well.)
Also, I've added a new blog that I enjoy reading to my list. It's a cooking blog, and although I have just tried two of the recipes, she's very good about adding something new several times a week. She also actually "creates" her recipes. Being a huge copier, I really admire people who can create.
Have a great day and I'll talk to you soon.
I hope your weekend was everything you wanted it to be.
First things first... I don't want my blog to become "predictable," so you will notice that there are three pictures of a camel at the top of the posts today. There is no particular reason. I went to the Zoo a couple of weeks ago with my daughter and niece and nephew, and I love taking pictures of the animals. (Little fact about me... I love to visit botanical gardens (all kinds), zoos and/or aquariums and libraries. These are my three favorite places in the whole world other than home.) Anyway, I love taking pictures of camels. I've never taken a picture of a camel without it looking as if it were trying to say something to me. What does it want? Does it talk to everyone, or is it just me? Am I some kind of "camel whisperer?" Until I figure it out, I'm just going to keep on snappin'!
You'll notice a new Showcase Pic in the right-hand corner of me and Mikie, and pictures of our makeover at the mall. Of course, I couldn't resist an "I told you so" picture of what was once a beautiful fall tree. Heavy, heavy sigh! Winter, here we come. (Which, truthfully, winter is my second favorite season. It may have something to do with how much better I look in sweaters than bathing suits, but I also think it's because there's always that small glimmer of hope in Central Alabama that maybe, just maybe, we'll get a snow day... with power... and no ice... and get to stay in our pajamas ALL day long drinking hot chocolate. It rarely happens, but when it does it is truly something wonderful.)
Also, a new pic in the gallery is 15 year-old Josh behind the wheel. He is learning to drive. Our second driving teenager. Goosebumps all over me now as I see it in writing. (We may have to hire Roxie a limo and a driver when the time comes for her to learn. I'm too old for this!)
Monica and Roxie had a wonderful time getting their makeover at the Clinique Counter at Belks. It was free, and although they want you to buy something, you are not obligated to do so. (I did buy some eye make-up remover, and I may buy some of the skin care products for Roxie for Christmas, but you don't have to spend a lot of money that day.) The lady that did the makeover was very professional and did a good job on the girls. They looked very pretty, but the make-up was definitely age appropriate.
After a day of shopping with cousins, and watching a movie Saturday night with family (and Melia), we were ready for a "day of rest" on Sunday. Pastor Kevin preached an excellent sermon on marriage... very inspiring, so I really want to think on the things he said in his sermon. And then Mikie surprised us by taking us to a Mexican restaurant for lunch. We NEVER do that, and I was beyond thrilled. (Well, we do it once or twice a year.) After church Sunday night, we finished off the wonderful weekend with the Faulkner Five watching Amazing Race. And now we're ready for the week ahead!
This week's activities are all over the place. A Barbie Party today (with Football Card Party and Hot Wheels Party variations for the guys); a very sweet (and easy) dessert which is the perfect "color" for the Thanksgiving festivities coming up; a Seasonal Tradition that takes place in the kitchen; a Family Date that stretches your taste buds (that means no chicken fingers or pizza); and a wonderful book for the holidays that are coming up. Lots and lots of food in this week's post, but nothing complicated... all very "doable." So let's get this week started!
Barbie Party
Ages 4 - 7
To give credit where credit is due, I think this party was originally my cousin Amy's idea. I said before, this does not have to be a birthday party. In fact, it works much better as a little girl get-together. First, call and invite five to seven little girls asking them to bring their favorite Barbie and a brand new outfit wrapped as a gift. Set a price limit on the outfit. NOTE: When we had this party, everyone brought a ballgown type outfit and one little girl brought a really cute casual outfit with accessories. It cost as much as the ballgowns, but the little girl who received the casual outfit could have been disappointed. (She wasn't, but it could have gone either way.) If I were to do this party again, I would set a price range and a dress code -- ballgowns.
In a large circle, set a Barbie paper plate with each little girl's name written on it. Behind the plate, have a gallon size zip-lock bag with the child's name written on it, also. All the girls are to go and sit on the plate with their name. Have one of the newer Barbie movies ready to go, and start playing it on the DVD. As long as the movie is playing, the girls continue to pass around the wrapped Barbie outfits. When the movie stops, whichever gift the girl is holding is now hers. (If for some reason, one of the little girls gets her own gift, play the movie again and again until everyone has a gift they did not bring.) It's like musical chairs.
When everyone has a gift, have them open them all at once. They will immediately begin undressing their doll and start redressing them with the new clothes. This is when you need the zip-lock bags. Have them put everything they take off their doll in the bag so it doesn't get lost or mixed up.
After all the dolls are dressed, retire to the dining room where you have set up a Barbie party. Plastic pink tablecloth, Barbie paper plates, Barbie (or pink) napkins, clear plastic cups (with two drops of red food coloring in the bottom) and pretty confetti all over the table.
The food for this party is super simple. Each child gets a mini-can of Sprite. When you pour it in their clear plastic cup, the red food coloring in the bottom turns it pink automatically. Serve yellow cake cupcakes with NO icing. On each plate there should be a plain cupcake, a Milo's plastic sauce cup filled with pink icing, and a Milo's plastic sauce cup half-way filled with pretty white and pink sprinkles. Every child gets to decorate their own cupcake. Have small bowls of bananas, grapes and sliced apples on the table, also. For something salty, you can have white cheddar Cheeze-Its. (I'm just trying to stay away from orange and pink. I know Cheese Puffs are the salty snack of choice in this age group, but the colors just don't match!)
After snack, have the girls go to a room in the house you have prepared for "Barbie Play." Roxie had the 1970s Living Room set, the Pet Store set, the Horse Stable set and the Beach set from the Barbie collection. She would get one for her birthday or Christmas. We had put each "set" in a specific corner of the room. When the girls walked in, they immediately went to the corner that interested them the most. It was interesting to see them split up nicely. They went back and forth and interacted at the different "stations." They may want to change their Barbie clothes back to the ones they wore, but most of mine played in the stables and pet store in the ballgowns. After about 20 to 30 minutes of play, you can either call it a day or go downstairs with every pillow you can find in the house and pile up on the floor to watch the newest (or the oldest) Barbie movie. It's up to you. It was a fun, easy party. Like I said, it flows better if it isn't a birthday party since everyone brings one gift and leaves with one gift. Now for variations to this theme!
Football Card Party
Ages 8 - 10
Everything is the same, except the guys bring a pack of football cards. The movie you play while they pass the packs around the circle is Facing the Giants or Remember the Titans. For boys who may not have started collecting football cards, you can also pass out one or two sleeves for the cards. These can be bought at Wal-Mart or a specialty store for 5 sheets for $1. They fit into a three ring binder, but if all the boys do not have a binder, the sleeves will protect their cards until they get them home.
This party's food is basically tailgaiting food... hotdogs, chips, cokes, pizza, etc. Also, after they open their cards, they can trade for a few minutes and then either watch the movie of choice or go outside and play flag football.
As with most boy parties, less is more. Instead of having five to seven boys, it would probably be better to have four or five. It only takes one who loses interest in the cards, food or movie to get the others going in a different direction.
Hot Wheels Party
Ages 3 - 5
Every boy brings a wrapped Hot Wheels car. Using the plates from the movie Cars with the boys' names on them, have them sit in a circle on their plate and pass the cars around while you have Rascal Flatts singing "Life is a Highway." Stop the music and let the boys open the cars they have in their hands.
The food for the party is simple... everything in miniature. Krystal hamburgers or Chick-Fil-A chicken mini biscuits, Bagel Bites, bags of mini Pringles, mini-canned Sprites or Cokes, and make tiny cupcakes using the mini-muffin pans.
Ask around and borrow so you can have more than one kind of Hot Wheels track available for them to play on with their cars. After about 20 or 30 minutes of play, they can get every pillow in the house (just like above) and settle in to watch the movie Cars. As with the Football Card party, four or five boys is a good number to have fun and keep their interest.
I've had the Barbie Party and the Football Card Party and both were pretty successful except I had eight boys at the Football Card Party, and as I pointed out above, several lost interest and tried to pull away from the trading and the movie. Always try to invite girls and boys who are interested in what you're doing. Little girls who don't play with Barbies will not have a good time at a Barbie Party. Little boys who don't like sports will not enjoy the Football Card Party. Little boys who aren't into Hot Wheels will quickly lose interest in that kind of party.
You can think of other themes, also. Both of my guys would have loved a Super Hero Party using the same ideas from above, but passing around action figures and then watching Spiderman or another action hero movie. Just pick what you know your child and their close friends enjoy, and you'll have a great time.
DISCLAIMER: It may sound as if I'm anti-boy because I don't usually have as many of them in the house for a party as I do the girls, but that isn't so. In actuality, I consider myself more of a "boy" mom. I'm just talking from experience, and whenever two or more boys are gathered, there is always the chance of heavy wrestling and severe foundational damage to furniture and your home. That's why I try to have a plan, a schedule and a workable number of guys. (I never like to have a party where I have to fuss at the guests... NEVER. I try to avoid it at all costs, and having smaller numbers with the guys helps me be a "non-fussy" mom.)
I know it's a super long post today, but you get three parties for the price of one. That's not too bad, is it?
If anyone reading these posts is trying any of the ideas, let me know how they are working for you. I'd love to hear the pros and cons. Or if you have an idea you could share, I'm all about listening and learning... and I will not take the credit for your idea!
Well, tomorrow it will be time for our very delicious, very easy, very orange dessert. (It is something you and your son or daughter could make together. Cooking together is always a good way to spend time with your child, boy or girl, and it's teaching them something as well.)
Also, I've added a new blog that I enjoy reading to my list. It's a cooking blog, and although I have just tried two of the recipes, she's very good about adding something new several times a week. She also actually "creates" her recipes. Being a huge copier, I really admire people who can create.
Have a great day and I'll talk to you soon.
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Weekend Happenings
Good Friday morning!
How's your weekend looking? We've got a good one to look forward to, I think. Roxie's cousin, Monica, will be spending the night with us tomorrow night (a late birthday outing), and we'll be heading to one of our favorite places in the world on Saturday. That's right... the Mall! One of Monica's "birthday surprises" is a makeover at the Clinique Counter at Belk's, so that's going to be fun. We also like to eat at Edgar's Bakery behind the mall. It's going to be cold, so we'll order soup or chili in one of their bread bowls. I don't know about you, but any kind of plate or bowl that is edible makes it twice as nice. Now if you'll serve my ice tea in a coconut and give me a pretzel spoon, I'll be a happy camper. When you can eat what you would normally have to wash up, that's a good lunch.
While we're doing the makeover thing, Mike, Austin, Josh and a couple of friends will be cheering for Auburn. I think we'll all be together for dinner Saturday night, and Sunday looks free and easy... just church. Or a "spontaneously" planned football game down at the lot! Can you say "relaxing?"
Before we get into today's book titles, I wanted to share a little story about Austin and his friend when they were younger (seven or eight). They were really into The Hardy Boy books. They read every one they could get their hands on. Mysteries were THE thing.
One day, his friend's mom and I decided to pick them up from school around 1:00 and take them on a Mystery Trip. We had Josh, Roxie and the friend's two brothers with us also, so we decided the Mystery Trip should be the BMX Track at Oak Mountain. It was something my guys had never done before, and we wanted to go before school let out in case it got crowded.
We packed the bikes in Mike's truck (I traded cars with him that day), and I hid behind a church while she went into the school to check out the unsuspecting boys. From our vantage point, we could see them, but they couldn't see us.
I let them pull out and waited a few seconds before I began to follow. My friend explained to them they were going on a Mystery Trip. The questions soon began. "Where's Miss Belinda?" "Why did you check us out?" "How far are we going?" "Is it going to be dangerous?" Without giving the destination away, my friend answered the questions as best she could.
On the highway, Austin looked back and spotted me. "Hey, isn't that my Dad's truck?" (He had a very distinctive truck.) Not realizing I had been spotted, I didn't fall back, but knowing I was following them still did not give them the necessary clues to solve the mystery.
Right before we arrived at the BMX Track, Austin's friend said, "I hope this isn't just some kind of 'ho ax' (said as two words)."
My friend said she kept saying the words, "Ho ax. Ho ax," trying to figure out what her son was talking about. "I think he means 'hoax,'" Austin finally said. When you read mystery novels set in the 1950s, you tend to start talking that way. Needless to say, when Austin told me he needed some new dungarees, I knew it was time to get some different reading material.
Our Mystery Trip was a huge success. The boys were thrilled, and although they figured out I was following them, it wasn't until we almost reached the destination that they figured out exactly where we were going. I hope it's something they'll never forget. I hope it's something they'll try with their own kids one day. I hope no one ever pulls a better "ho ax" on them than we did that day.
Books
Speaking of mysteries, when I was a pre-teen, those were my favorite kinds of books. I read every Nancy Drew, Hardy Boys and Trixie Belden book ever written.
Today's pick is the Trixie Belden series. There are over 15 different books, and they were out of print for a very long time. They started returning to bookshelves about two years ago, and I was thrilled. Now these are not "with-it," 2008 kinds of books. They are probably set in the 50s, and the characters are 14 to 17-year old teenagers. However, they are very age appropriate for the ten to 12 year-old crowd (and a little older). Roxie loves them and insists on reading them in chronological order. (You don't have to read them this way. Each mystery stands on its own. She's just like her mom and likes to do things in order if possible.) She chuckles every time she reads the phrases "Gleeps" and "Jeepers." (Personally, I had never heard the term "Gleeps" before I read these books years ago, but Roxie is convinced I used to say it all the time when I was a kid. No, I didn't! I was a big enough nerd without walking around exclaiming "Gleeps" all the time!)
These books come in hardback and you can find them or order them from Books-A-Million. They are affordable to collect ($6.99 each). They are also available at public libraries now. The author's name is Kathryn Kenny. Again, they are a blast from the past, but so enjoyable.
The mysteries are just scary enough... no blood, no guts, but plenty of suspense for your pre-teen. And they're different from the Nancy Drew series. Nancy is so sophisticated (and older), and Trixie just kind of stumbles onto things here and there... kind of like a "real" person might do (in pre-teen "imaginary land"). They would make a great Christmas gift, too.
I'm taking the weekend off, as usual. (From blogging... not living!) I'll be back on Monday with a party your little girl will enjoy. It doesn't even have to be a birthday party. When I did it with Roxie and her friends several years ago, we just did it one day after school. It was fun, easy and memorable. I'll also give you two little boy variations of the same party that I tried with my guys.
Have a great weekend, and have some fun with your family and friends!
How's your weekend looking? We've got a good one to look forward to, I think. Roxie's cousin, Monica, will be spending the night with us tomorrow night (a late birthday outing), and we'll be heading to one of our favorite places in the world on Saturday. That's right... the Mall! One of Monica's "birthday surprises" is a makeover at the Clinique Counter at Belk's, so that's going to be fun. We also like to eat at Edgar's Bakery behind the mall. It's going to be cold, so we'll order soup or chili in one of their bread bowls. I don't know about you, but any kind of plate or bowl that is edible makes it twice as nice. Now if you'll serve my ice tea in a coconut and give me a pretzel spoon, I'll be a happy camper. When you can eat what you would normally have to wash up, that's a good lunch.
While we're doing the makeover thing, Mike, Austin, Josh and a couple of friends will be cheering for Auburn. I think we'll all be together for dinner Saturday night, and Sunday looks free and easy... just church. Or a "spontaneously" planned football game down at the lot! Can you say "relaxing?"
Before we get into today's book titles, I wanted to share a little story about Austin and his friend when they were younger (seven or eight). They were really into The Hardy Boy books. They read every one they could get their hands on. Mysteries were THE thing.
One day, his friend's mom and I decided to pick them up from school around 1:00 and take them on a Mystery Trip. We had Josh, Roxie and the friend's two brothers with us also, so we decided the Mystery Trip should be the BMX Track at Oak Mountain. It was something my guys had never done before, and we wanted to go before school let out in case it got crowded.
We packed the bikes in Mike's truck (I traded cars with him that day), and I hid behind a church while she went into the school to check out the unsuspecting boys. From our vantage point, we could see them, but they couldn't see us.
I let them pull out and waited a few seconds before I began to follow. My friend explained to them they were going on a Mystery Trip. The questions soon began. "Where's Miss Belinda?" "Why did you check us out?" "How far are we going?" "Is it going to be dangerous?" Without giving the destination away, my friend answered the questions as best she could.
On the highway, Austin looked back and spotted me. "Hey, isn't that my Dad's truck?" (He had a very distinctive truck.) Not realizing I had been spotted, I didn't fall back, but knowing I was following them still did not give them the necessary clues to solve the mystery.
Right before we arrived at the BMX Track, Austin's friend said, "I hope this isn't just some kind of 'ho ax' (said as two words)."
My friend said she kept saying the words, "Ho ax. Ho ax," trying to figure out what her son was talking about. "I think he means 'hoax,'" Austin finally said. When you read mystery novels set in the 1950s, you tend to start talking that way. Needless to say, when Austin told me he needed some new dungarees, I knew it was time to get some different reading material.
Our Mystery Trip was a huge success. The boys were thrilled, and although they figured out I was following them, it wasn't until we almost reached the destination that they figured out exactly where we were going. I hope it's something they'll never forget. I hope it's something they'll try with their own kids one day. I hope no one ever pulls a better "ho ax" on them than we did that day.
Books
Speaking of mysteries, when I was a pre-teen, those were my favorite kinds of books. I read every Nancy Drew, Hardy Boys and Trixie Belden book ever written.
Today's pick is the Trixie Belden series. There are over 15 different books, and they were out of print for a very long time. They started returning to bookshelves about two years ago, and I was thrilled. Now these are not "with-it," 2008 kinds of books. They are probably set in the 50s, and the characters are 14 to 17-year old teenagers. However, they are very age appropriate for the ten to 12 year-old crowd (and a little older). Roxie loves them and insists on reading them in chronological order. (You don't have to read them this way. Each mystery stands on its own. She's just like her mom and likes to do things in order if possible.) She chuckles every time she reads the phrases "Gleeps" and "Jeepers." (Personally, I had never heard the term "Gleeps" before I read these books years ago, but Roxie is convinced I used to say it all the time when I was a kid. No, I didn't! I was a big enough nerd without walking around exclaiming "Gleeps" all the time!)
These books come in hardback and you can find them or order them from Books-A-Million. They are affordable to collect ($6.99 each). They are also available at public libraries now. The author's name is Kathryn Kenny. Again, they are a blast from the past, but so enjoyable.
The mysteries are just scary enough... no blood, no guts, but plenty of suspense for your pre-teen. And they're different from the Nancy Drew series. Nancy is so sophisticated (and older), and Trixie just kind of stumbles onto things here and there... kind of like a "real" person might do (in pre-teen "imaginary land"). They would make a great Christmas gift, too.
I'm taking the weekend off, as usual. (From blogging... not living!) I'll be back on Monday with a party your little girl will enjoy. It doesn't even have to be a birthday party. When I did it with Roxie and her friends several years ago, we just did it one day after school. It was fun, easy and memorable. I'll also give you two little boy variations of the same party that I tried with my guys.
Have a great weekend, and have some fun with your family and friends!
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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!