Holiday Highlights

I was sitting here wondering what was a highlight of this year's holiday for me. One was getting to have company over for Christmas Eve. This is the first time in years that we've been able to do that (or that I've been willing to do that). I started out with something simple, the Chen's and Lilly, plus Everett, Ann, and Daniel, so it wasn't too intimidating. Still, it was such a great feeling to be able to sit around and chat with folks at our own home.

Another highlight: the candlelight service at our church for Christmas Eve. This has been going on for years, but sharing it with first-time visitors is a treat. David asked to sing "O Holy Night", and we've been told that this was probably the best singing he's done. One woman told us on Sunday that guests she had with her told her, "That man is missing his calling working at Toyota!" I just know we loved hearing it.

Another highlight: Making cookies at Libby's. Going to Libby's is always a treat, especially when the family is gathered there. My cousins, Susie, Martha, and I are learning how to make divinity (or virginity, as it is sometimes known around here). It's always special to learn something that has been a part of family Christmases since a person was a child, especially when that person is as old as I!

Another highlight: Being with our darling granddaughter. Last year she was too little to understand anything about the holidays, but now she is catching on that Christmas is special. Her mama and daddy have a small nativity set up in their living room, and they have been adding to it over the course of the holidays. Lydia said even after they had opened the last box, Cora would go and stand by the nativity and look at them like, isn't there more? She also discovered candy and cookies this Christmas, and Mama and Dada keep a big supply of them in their dining room. She is big into hospitality, so one of the first things she did was run into the dining room and get the box of stick candy to bring to share with us. Fortunately, that time someone rescued it before she dropped it--the next time, we weren't quite as lucky. Now there are no more intact sticks in the box.

On the same line, another highlight (or maybe part of the last one): Seeing the way our daughter and son-in-law have grown as parents. David and I love to watch them interacting with Cora.

Another highlight: Spending time with Annie and Daniel. I am so amazed and pleased with the way my daughter has embraced married life and adulthood. She is so gracious a hostess, and so helpful around here--I really hated to see them leave on Christmas day!

Another highlight: Spending time with Everett. We had the privilege of meeting one of Everett's friends from seminary, which was especially meaningful, since this person has only known Everett as an adult. He told us some great stuff about our son, and seemed to mean what he said. That was special, too.

And probably another highlight: Having the whole house to ourselves for a couple of days, with no need to go anywhere or do anything! Right now, David is kicked back in the recliner watching UK football, which seems to be going well, and I am enjoying communicating with my friends.

I guess that does it...I'm sure there are more, and I may add to the list later, but for now, good night, happy New Year's Eve, and God bless!

New Year's Resolutions

The time has come for the making (or not making) of New Year's resolutions. I really am not one who feels bound by the need to keep the darn things once I make them, so this never has been a very big deal with me. About the only resolution I'm fairly consistent with making (and usually keeping) is the one to read the Bible through each year. I'm a little behind this year for various reasons, but I intend to catch up before midnight tomorrow. I'm up to Zachariah, anyway--if there is a Zachariah!, and I've nearly finished Revelations, so I'm getting there.

For those of you who endeavor to make and keep New Year's resolutions, I have a link to a pretty good list, but for some reason, Blogger can't decode it. So much for that. Let's just say, it starts with stuff like "Gain 30 pounds," and goes from there. What would you add to that list?

Happy New Years to all, and God bless.

The Perfect Christmas Gift

The Christmas Story

Okay, I'll admit it, it's one of my favorite movies. And don't even get Lydia started on this one (or Geron either, for that matter, even though his opinion of the movie differs from Lydia's). Today while clicking for charity, I came across this game. Let's just say, it's a great way to waste your time. Love to all, and God bless.

Wow! I guess good!

61% Geek

100% Free at JustSayHi

Reindeer Problem

I got this from my email buddy, Pastor Tim, in his Cybersalt Digest. I'm sure he won't mind if I share it with you.

As you know, it is very important for Santa and his reindeer to be very quiet when they deliver presents on Christmas Eve so no one will know they are there. One Christmas Eve as Santa Claus landed on a rooftop, he suddenly heard a very loud "Snort sniff honk honk snort!" coming from one of his reindeer.

Since he was in the sleigh behind them, he didn't know which one it was. It happened again, only louder this time: "Snort sniff honk honk snort!"

Dogs in the neighborhood began to bark. "Shhh!" Santa hissed. "Please be quiet!"

He went to work lifting the sack of toys out of the sleigh when he heard it again, only a lot louder this time. "SNORT SNIFF HONK HONK SNORT!" Lights came on all over the neighborhood and some people even stuck their heads out of their windows.

Santa was horrified. Jumping back into the sleigh, he drove quickly back to the North Pole. He lined up all the reindeer and announced, "We are not going to deliver another present until the reindeer who is making funny noises with his nose steps forward and apologizes!"

None of the reindeer stepped forward.

Santa held up a piece of paper. "I know who it is, and I have written your name on this paper. But I want to give you a chance to do the right thing on your own."

Still none of the reindeer came forward. So Santa did the only thing he could do - read off the rude-nosed reindeer!

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

Thought you might enjoy seeing a picture of our house decorated for Christmas...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qUOjbzs8NCA

The Bazaar

The Bazaar is done.
It was fun.
I'll be danged if I do it again.

Ain't gonna happen

For those of you who are looking for the link to the video that Jenn commented on (in the last blog)--it ain't gonna happen, since I've already deleted it. Sorry bout that.

Bits and pieces of my life this week

Those of you who know me, know that I've been really involved the last couple of weeks with the hospital auxiliary bazaar. Thankfully, by this time tomorrow, it will be a DONE DEED. Today I am baking stuff for the bake sale. We've been asked to bring at least 2 items. So far, I have 7 little pumpkin cake loaves--I had hoped they would be higher than they are, but they taste good. They probably WOULD have been higher if I had paid attention to the recipe and believed it when it said cook for 45 minutes--I jumped the gun and pulled them out about 10 minutes before they were done. I also have some Asian spiced nuts ready to package, a super simple recipe that David likes a lot.

Which leads me to this slightly off-color comment: A couple of weeks ago, we bought some cashews on sale at Kroger's, some weird flavor thing (maybe chili-lime?), and neither of us have much wanted to get into them. This afternoon David said, "That treatment you used on the Asian nuts would be good on those cashews." Next thing I knew, I saw him sitting in "his" recliner, munching away on the undoctored cashews. I said, "Would you like for me to treat your nuts with that spice mix?" and just as soon as I said, it, I realized WHAT I had said and started laughing. His response, "I think that would hurt."

Now I'm off to fix supper, then to fix a Paula Deen recipe, some applesauce muffins (Apple Barn recipe), bag up some novelty gifts, and get some sleep before this bizarre business starts tomorrow at too-early forty-five.

Love to all, and God bless.

A cure for the common cold, hmmm?

or at least the type that David has...Vick's Vapo-Rub has been around for a long time. People rubbed it on their children's chests when they had chest colds, maybe with some degree of success--I don't know. My mom didn't do that. I had a housemother in college who swore by it. You didn't dare cough around her, or Mom Venn would be showing up at your dorm room with her jar of Vapo-Rub. When I was finishing up my senior year, I had pneumonia, and there she was, jar in hand. I can't say that it worked too well on the pneumonia--I ended up in the hospital and then home for about a week after that.

NOW I'm learning that the CHEST is not where the stuff belongs. It belongs on your FEET. I don't know where I read that, but I told Mary C about it before Thanksgiving. I haven't heard if it worked for her, but it DID work for Mr. David. I caught him in the act of slathering it on his feet this morning, then left him here while I hit the stores for a frenzy of impulse buying. When I got back, he told me that the stuff WORKED. He feels better and is barely coughing. Considering that colds often hit him like a ton of bricks, I was delighted that something this simple might be helping him.

Love to all, and God bless.

What's new? Not much.

unless you count David's cold. We have to go out to the pharmacy in a little while to buy him some Delsym, you know, D-E-L-S-Y-M, as the smarta-- girl in the commercial says. Me? I'd rather have a hot toddy, thank you.

Love to all, and God bless...and maybe I'll think of what I REALLY was going to blog about in a few minutes!