Sentiments by Sophia

New Years Eve Rambling...

I have no eloquent or deep thoughts for the end of the year.  Simply stated, it's been a great year and I'm ready to bring on the next one!  On this New Years Eve, I have some random thoughts.  I’m feeling much better, flu-wise, and appreciate all of the good wishes and thoughts!   So far, no one else is showing any symptoms. Crossing fingers and holding our breath!  Now, if I could just stop with this dang tickling cough! 

Just a few ramblings...

• Carol and I had a girl's night out... dinner then a movie.   "Rumor Has It", the new Jennifer Aniston film. Oh my heck, it’s cute. Of course, Shirley McLean, in any role, is my mother personified! So, I always laugh at her. Jennifer is so absolutely adorable. Kevin Costner, well... what can I say about this man, the Brad Pitt of my generation. Very cute show. TO.TAL. CHICK. FLICK!! Go with a girlfriend!
• ZJ cracked me up today. Today, we were in the kitchen and she asked me, "Mommy, can I have some "wrinkles"?" I said, "When you get old like Mommy, you’ll have plenty, I’m sure. You don’t want them yet. Your still a little girl." "But, Mommy, I love "wrinkles". I tried to explain again. "But, little girls can have "wrinkles" too. I told her she had to grow up some and she got very upset. "But, they are my wrinkles." I said, "What wrinkles, Zy?" She said, "The ones in the green can from the grandma party." She’d gotten some Pringles as part of her white elephant gift from the Corbridge party last week. I knew that she didn’t want wrinkles!
• It snowed and then rained and then snowed and then rained and then snowed.... well, you get the picture... allllllllllll day long. Nonstop. All. Day. And now, 15 hours later, we still only had one inch to show for it. Our beautiful fall has not yet led into a wonderfully white winter. Please pass a blizzard, yesterday!
• New Years Goals...I’ve never been one to share my goals openly, even with Doug. I’m probably the most open book person ever and then when it comes to my goals, I’m so dang private, it’s scary. I’ll be happy to tell after I’ve succeeded! I have set my goals and continue to develop this list for the rest of the weekend in these areas: physical, spiritual, family, talents, relationships, financial. I do have a few trivial goals that I will share:

1. I will learn to and crochet something this year.
2. I will learn to and knit something this year.
3. I will decide which I prefer, am better at, is easier and then will complete something bigger and better!
4. I have a secret 2006 RAK goal!
5. I WILL sleep more in 2006.

As for the rest of my goals,  well, as Forrest Gump said, "That’s all I have to say about that."

• Our New Years Eve party plans changed this year for the first time in over a decade. Life got in the way. Between the guest list and the fact that it's Saturday night, a few changes for this year. We’ll have our traditional candlelight party in our jammies, play games, laugh, eat and turn the TV on to watch the ball drop, toast in our special NYE goblets filled with sparkling apple cider and steal a kiss at midnight. Being on a Saturday night, we’ll probably not stay up until the wee hours because we have a lesson to teach in Sunday School. We’ll not be going to the movies, our one New Years Day tradition, because we’ll be going to church instead. But, we will do the movie on Monday with the babes and then settle down back into the rest of the school year, into the normal routines, think about not eating so much, exercising more and all of those other "first of January" rituals. I love the new year, the fresh start. And it means Winter! Real winter, cold winter, snow and more snow, which I adore! All these things are the stuff that the New Year is made of. Happy, Happy!

Quote of the day: (I love this!)   Be always at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let each new year find you a better man. (Benjamin Franklin)

Year In Review Challenge

Here’s my answers to Amanda’s questions. I loved this challenge! I filled in the blanks on Tuesday and then wrote about the babes instead. I’m grateful for that, now, because I’ve been flat down with the flu most of the day. Every time I get up, I get sick again. I think I’m improving tonight because I just drank 8 oz. of fluid and I'm feeling hungry!  That’s the first for two day. UGH. Anyway, thanks for the comments yesterday and I’m hoping that I’ll be up to reading and doing so blog surfing again today!

JANUARY
1. Did you have a new year's resolution this year? Several and my most serious, I failed at seriously! It was to sleep more in 2005. I’ll be setting that one again in 2006.
2. Who kissed you at midnight? Doug, every year but one for the past thirty years!
3. Did it snow where you live? All New Years Eve and Day
5. Have you ever been to Times Square to watch the ball drop? No, thanks! We enjoy a pajama dinner party in the privacy of our home with several friends who we’ve celebrated with for years.

FEBRUARY  (Liza and Buddy's engagement photos)
1. Who was your valentine? Doug since I was 17.
2. What did your valentine get you? Dinner at our favorite restaurant and roses.
3. When you were little, did you buy valentines for your whole class? Absolutely!

MARCH
1. Are you Irish? No
2. Did you wear green on St. Patty's Day? A green sweater
3. What did you do for St. Patty's Day?: I cook Green Food, green everything from the milk and eggs to the rolls and butter to the soup or potatoes to the cake! I go through LOT of green food coloring every year and my sweetie, Mr. Natural, HATES that day! We don’t call it St. Patty’s day. We call it Green Day.

(Liza's Wedding Day)

APRIL
1. Do you like the rain? I LOVE rain and even more, I love thunderstorms!
2. Did you play an April Fool's joke on anyone this year? I can’t remember what it was but I teased Doug.
3. Did you get tons of candy on Easter? Always! Snickers are the freshest at Easter! Reeses Eggs and ooooooh, baby, those Cadbury Eggs are to die for. Then the Peeps, which we eat head first so that they can’t see us eating them!

MAY
1. What's your favorite kind of flower? Gerber Daisies and Baby’s Breath
2. Do you like the spring? Love it! Love the freshness, the feeling of freedom in coming out after months inside the house.
3. Finish the phrase: "April showers bring...the anticipation of a garden!"
4. What would you think of as a spring color? All pastels, but mostly GREEN!

JUNE
1. What year did you graduate from school? 1976 from the same school that Johnny Depp attended
2. Did you go on any vacations last June? to the ranch and Bear Lake, but our real vacation to Vegas was in August

JULY1. What did you do on the 4th of July? We have a big picnic on Doug’s brother’s front lawn, just below the stadium to watch the fireworks with all of Doug’s siblings, their families and Carol and her family joined us too.
2. Did you go on any vacations during this month? To the ranch in Idaho.

AUGUST
1. Did you do anything special to end off your summer? The last night before school started, we checked into a local motel with a pool side room, went out for dinner and swam until the pool closed at midnight.
2. What was your favorite summer memory of '05? Visiting with family at the ranch in the "hotel" tent, watching DVDs on the portable in a rainstorm during the Corbridge Reunion/
3. Did you go swimming a lot in the summer? Every chance we get at Bear Lake, our trip to Nevada, local pools.
4. Did you go to the beach a lot? It was the first beach experience for us in over 22 years and it was at Bear Lake, not the ocean. It was a whole new discovery and I loved it!

SEPTEMBER
1. Did you attend school/college in '05? Other than the School of Hard Knocks, no.
2. Who is/was your favorite teacher? My HS French Teacher, Ken McMeans, who I kept in touch with for 20 years after graduation. We were good friends.
3. Did you like fall better than summer? Summer is my least favorite season. I LOVE fall second to winter.

OCTOBER
1. What was your favorite Halloween costume ever? It would definitely have been the night I hung out in the casket.
2. What's your favorite candy? Reeses Peanut Butter Cups, plain, no extra anything, no white chocolate. Leave perfection alone, please.
3. What did you dress up like this year? Myself!

NOVEMBER
1. Whose house did you go to for Thanksgiving? We hosted Thanksgiving here, as always.
2. Do you like stuffing? I LOVE stuffing. It’s the best part of the meal!
3. What are you thankful for? I could go on for hours, so I’ll just say, Family, Friends, Faith, Health and Talents.

DECEMBER
1. Do you celebrate Christmas? Amen and Boy, Howdy, do I!
2. Have you ever been kissed under mistletoe? Yes, many, many times!
3. What do you want this year for Christmas? A new chair for my front room. (Next year, if I don’t have it by then!)
4. What's the best present you ever got for Christmas? I discovered that I was pregnant with Liza on Christmas Eve and she was our first child conceived without fertility drugs!
5. Do you like cold weather? I would MUCH rather be cold than hot! You can always add a layer of clothing, an extra blanket, turn the heat up, toss a log on the fire, but you can’t cool off near as easily!
6. How would you rate your year on a scale of 1-10?  It’s been a great year for the most part.  The wedding, the family gatherings, great friends, even though we had a very sick winter, good health.  I think that even with it’s trials, each year should be a ten. Our trials and challenges were growing experiences and we are better off having dealt with them. If we didn’t, then that would make it a losing year.  If we take our challenges and ran with them, then it’s got to be a ten.   Just my humble opinion.  But, it beats the heck out of focusing on the negative. 

Quote for the day:  Some people grin and bear it; others smile and do it.

Hindsight is 20/20 vision.

My home is back in order.   Other than my snowman collection, it’s all put away.  I lasted three days longer than I usually do.  But, that’s not what I wanted to share in this entry at all.

The babes spent the night with their paternal grandmother yesterday. She’s busy with her own life and doesn’t see them often but they love it when they do, especially because they have a cousin their age, who lives there. I always struggle with their visits because I’m such a worrier. She always takes good care of them and she is very loving and kind. It’s just that I’m not there to watch them and be with them, so I worry.

After all of the holiday busyness, I truly expected that I’d enjoy every moment of the silence, the time to relax and time alone with Doug! She took them at 3 in the afternoon. Within half an hour, my house was company clean. Doug worked until after 5. I spent the next two hours walking around the house from room to room and amazingly enough, every room was still clean, just as I’d left it five minutes before. The house was quiet and still and empty. Doug came in from work, we had a great date - dinner, a movie, romance, all great! But, there were several times during the night that we both expressed thoughts of missing them, concern for the babes.

It’s a strange thing. The first time around parenting, I remember thinking often "Five more years and I’ll have the house to myself." or "I can’t wait until they are all grown and I can have my own life back." and many other thoughts like that. I lived for the day that I’d be able to sleep as long as I wanted, my house would stay perfectly clean, I could go out to eat and not have to worry about coming home only to cook for the rest of the family.

I had a taste of that for a few years before our custody of the babes. Liza worked, went to school, was quite independent and very responsible. Doug and I had all that freedom and it was great because it was new and still exciting. But, after four plus years of having the babes in our lives as our own children, as second time parents, when the house is quiet and empty, we both feel a definite void. I missed them immensely. I wanted to play Mancala with Quayd or Kerplunk with Gracie this morning when I woke up. I watched the clock until it was time to go and pick them up at noon. I have a touch of the flu and even with that, I could hardly wait to see them! I didn’t even sleep in!

We had lunch with Liza and they hugged and kissed and squeezed like they’d been gone for months. They had a great time with their grandma. She told me that ZJ had a fever at midnight and had to have some Tylenol and an ice pack. ZJ told me that she asked her grandma if she could call her Mommy and Daddy, but Grandma said no. (I’m sure that she said no out of courtesy, not wanting to interrupt our romantic evening alone.) ZJ was fine this morning and they did have a great time.

It’s always a party at Grandma’s and they come home bearing gifts and telling tales of staying up late, doing all the things that Grandmas let them do, the things that Mom’s usually say no to. Sometimes, I’m almost jealous that their grandma gets that "privilege". I am the mom now. My Grammie days are long past. I’m the one that says "Pick up your socks, hang up your coat, did you brush your teeth, is your bed made, homework first, you need to eat, it’s bedtime..."

With each visit to Grandmas comes this great reminder to me that as a mom, I do need to show a little spontaneity whenever I can. I do need to look for reasons to say "yes" as often as possible. I need to play more, relax a little, gift little gifts even when the budget says no, enjoy them as though I won’t get to see them again for weeks or even months. Tonight, we had a "picnic" ... dinner, snacks, pop, and watched Sky High DVD in our jammies, downstairs in the family room. The babes love this and consider it the ultimate in fun dinners! They’d rather this than Mickey D’s. A simple but wonderful pleasure. One day, they’ll be grown and hopefully, realize what Doug and I have done for them. But, while they are young, I still want them to think of me as a fun mom. It’s painless. It’s important. It’s something that I wish I’d felt more passionate about the first time around.

One of the biggest blessings of second-time parenting - hindsight. The first time around, I read every book, took every class and seminar on parenting, applying everything possible and studied the most successful families that I knew. This time, I’m doing that all again, only this time, I’m using hindsight to my advantage, for certain.

Quote for the day: The essence of intelligence is skill in extracting meaning from everyday experience.

2005 in Review

With the new year fast approaching and the big Christmas holiday behind us, this is usually a week that I do a lot of reflecting on the previous year. I like to review the goals that I set last year for myself, set new ones for the new year and really give some serious thought and prayer to the direction that my life is headed. Goals are a personal thing for me, though they are much easier to keep when shared with others or working together on a plan.

Setting goals happens at different times of the year, for me, as the need arises... usually that first week of back to school and first day of summer vacation for family goals but personal goals come around the new year and my birthday.

Each year, I create a layout with tidbits of life over the past year all condensed into one glance. And so, today, I begin to make the list of life at the Corbridge’s in 2005. It’s been an eventful year, to say the least! Then, my goal for tomorrow will be to scrap the year onto one two page layout. I’ve not scrapped a thing since Christmas Central. No deadlines, no scrapping for weeks! Gee, I hope that I can remember how!

Here's our year in Review:

• January - McKenna Grace turned 6. Liza and Buddy started making wedding plans! I quit teaching scrapbook classes locally, taught in Idaho and Southern Utah.
• February - An engagement ring for Liza, I spent six weeks trying to be mother of the bride from my bed with double pneumonia. Flu and walking pneumonia hit the rest of the family.
• March - Liza and Buddy married in the Logan LDS Temple surrounded by family and friends. Mom, Rick, Dad and Aunt Sue came to Utah for the first family reunion that we’ve had since 1971. Doug turned 51! Zyanne turned 4.
• April - Doug and I celebrated our 28th anniversary.
• May - Our friend, Jason was killed in farming accident.
• June - Quayd completed first grade. Gracie completed Kindergarten. I taught at my favorite convention, Scrapbash in Atlanta. Liza and Buddy bought Doug the "hotel" tent for his birthday/father’s day gift!
• July - The best ever Fourth of July Celebration with Corbridge’s at Danny and Alene’s. Several trips to Bear Lake with Carol and kids, where I decided that a lake beach is almost as good as the ocean. Corbridge Reunion was better than ever and we spent it in the tent rather than the loft or cabin for a new experience in living at the ranch!
• August - Carol and I braved a week long trip to Mesquite and Vegas with seven kids and lived to tell about it! It was a great week with Mom’s hospitality at the hotel making it fun in the sun and pool. School began, Quayd began second grade and Gracie started first grade. She came home on her second day of school announcing that she is no longer McKenna but, now is "Gracie". ZJ tested and needed no speech therapy, so could not qualify for Head Start. She and I became bosom buddies for another year at home. Fun family gathering at Anne and Bob’s in Malad building family ties more and more!
• September - Hurricane Katrina devastated the southern beaches of the US and was a real eyeopener to America that we are not above national disaster or calamity.
• October - Sophia turned 47. Quayd turned 8. It was the most pleasant fall that we could recall! The end of my six and a half years with Ivy Cottage/Scrapbook Trends.
• November - Two weeks spent in preparation for Mom to visit over Thanksgiving weekend and then cancelled at the last minute when she started having severe health issues. Thanksgiving Day included playing outside on the trampoline in the warm weather.
• December - Quayd was baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Record breaking cold followed by record breaking warmth! Christmas day, Dale comes home. Family Christmas party including a new TV from the kids to Mom and Gene. Liza and Buddy head to Vegas for New Years week.

Some other things to recall:

• Highpoints: Liza’s wedding and the family reunion were definitely the highest moments of the year, if not the decade or even our twenty-eight years together! This was the event that solidified my testimony of the eternal family!
• Lowpoints: Definitely, Jason’s death and news of Kelly’s situation worsening.
• Lessons learned: I don’t need a title associated to my name to feel great!
• Greatest accomplishment this year: Organizing the Princess Bride wedding from my death bed, the reunion of my family and my children getting to meet their grandfather for the first time and Leaving the magazine on a positive note!
• Things I’d like to forget this year: All the sickness last winter, the sick feeling of seeing the aftermath of the tsunami and Katrina, a few of Kelly’s experiences.

That’s 2005 in Review for me. I was impressed last week by Amanda’s list and will be filling in those blanks tomorrow! 

Quote for the day:   Denis Waitley: Happiness cannot be traveled to, owned, earned, worn or consumed. Happiness is the spiritual experience of living every minute with love, grace and gratitude.

The holiday planner....

 

In November, I shared some holiday planning/organizing tips and suggested that a planner was the essential tool of the season, to be your right arm throughout the holidays. I was touched by the many responses that I had, both on my blog and privately, of friends who decided to create their own versions of this planner. I’m so impressed by many who have written to me privately, to share that it really did make a difference in their holiday planning! As I mentioned initially, I’d always used my Franklin Planner, but I was inspired to be festive this year by a few other gals who put their scrapping creat-abilities to work! I not only created my own, but made one for my friend, Carol, as well. Now, I’m told by her, that her sisters have reserved a spring Saturday for me to help them create their own for next year!

The first shot of is of my planner, fresh and new. The second was taken today. The planner has been packed, hauled, lugged, tossed and carried everywhere I’ve gone for weeks now. It’s been in every room that I’ve been in, by my side each and every hour since it’s creation. Missing it’s SEI flower and brad, ribbons frayed or gone, tabs bent and even the binding torn, it has served it’s purpose well. It’s filled with lists and recipes, calendars and schedules, how to’s and how not to’s, how many’s and don’t forget’s. It’s been my brain for the past weeks. And now, it has seen it’s better days. It’s history. I’ve converted back to my leather Franklin Planner until next holiday season rolls around.

I’ve loved my holiday planner. It’s taken me through weeks of preparation. It is, in it’s own way, a journal of this season. I love that about planners. But, again, it’s day is over, as is this holiday. As I review the lists, I can see things already that I will do differently next year. I’m already thinking ahead to what will need improvement... less food, more downtime, less stress over gifts, more focus on time together... The same things that I say each year. (Doug laughed when I read this to him.)

Such creatures of habit, we are. Changing my planner at the beginning of each month is just routine. Just as with my planner, normally, by this time, the day after Christmas, all of the signs of Christmas in our home are deep under the staircase, back in their bins. With them, all but the memories of the past several weeks are filed away. Once the gifts are opened, I long for that clean and new, free of clutter feeling! As much as I love EVERY second of the holiday, I also love that "new beginning" that comes with taking down the decorations. Surprisingly enough, I took down only one of the trees today, the downstairs kids tree. The family room is back to normal and has had a good cleaning. When I told Doug that I was thinking about leaving it all up for a few more days, he was shocked...and pleased! I’ve loved the feeling of warmth in my front room this year, more than any year I can ever remember and am simply not ready, yet, to let it go.

I spent an hour in front of the Nativity tree in the front room tonight, all alone, enjoying the lights and the silence. (Well, Jurassic Park 2 was blaring downstairs, but the upstairs was semi-quiet.) I pondered the winter months ahead, reflected on the past few and considered all of my planning, energy and effort that really is the magic behind it all during the holidays. This magic, like with most moms, is my own creation. But, that magic is all put on hold now, for the next several months. The planner, the efforts and energy are, at least for the time being, soon to be put away with the decorations. As I sat pondering this magic tonight, I had a new goal or hope, as it may be. Again, I know that this magic will be up to me. What I’m hoping for, now that the planner and decorations will be put away, is that the magic that I’ve worked so hard to create, will continue on throughout the year.

Quote for the day:  "I will honor Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year." - Charles Dickens

The Day After....

Merry day after Christmas! I’m writing this after a long winter’s nap! We slept in til 9 this morning! It was a lonnnnnng Christmas day! A wonderful day but a long one!

Babes slept in till 7:30, so we opened stockings, went to church, came home and then opened the gifts before brunch. Very different than normal, but the Christmas hymns sung by the congregation, especially "I heard the Bells" were definitely one of the highlights of my day!

Gifts were well received, not so over-whelming, as last year. The babes seemed to be very pleased with their gifts. Quayd’s favorite was Jurassic Park DVD set with all three movies... over his Playstation. Gracie got her Gumball machine (go figure, it was the thing she carried in her arms all day long, and the ONLY thing that she asked for all season) and ZJ played most of the day wearing her Cinderella Princess costume. Forget that the skis and games and dvds. They found their favorites and made them known! Buddy and Liza only spent an hour or so with us but it was a fun hour. Dale was most generous with his gifts to us. He gave me a new wireless mouse for my PC and gave his dad a new Leatherman Wave. Santa was good indeed.

The food was great, way too much, but great! We’ll be eating leftovers for days! Fortunately, lots of raw veggies and such that can be cooked into soups and stews. Our pork roast was cooked to perfection! I’ll be making pork barbeque this week, for sure!

Dale left an hour ago. It’s been fun having him home. I think that he’s enjoyed himself??? Dale’s  whole lifestyle is so completely different than anything that we live or believe. His core values are still there and it shows. But, the conversations are difficult when we are at such different ends of the spectrum. It was great to hear his laugh again and to see him playing with the babes. They adore him and the dogs.

The dogs. Oh my. I do love these animals.  Quayd’s room is, as I type, being aired out, windows opened, fan running. (BRRRR!) No doggie accidents, just doggie scent. They are very well behaved dogs and do listen to "dog out" and "no kisses". I have always loved Chanti and Frog, just as lovable, felt like part of the family instantly, though Oops was totally not amused.

Kelly called and the conversation was short but sweet. My heart ached for her. At one point, even Dale said that he feels sorry for her and the choices that she’s made. She called again after the babes were in bed last night and was not happy that she didn’t get to speak to them. I can’t imagine Christmas without my children.

Here’s the thing that really struck a chord over this holiday. As I was setting out the stockings and such, I felt a real emptiness. I’d not been able to put my finger on exactly where it was coming from until that moment. I realized that I was missing Liza. I had realized that all along, but, it just seemed so blatantly obvious that my sweet girl was not by my side, helping with setting things out, listening to our favorite Christmas music, giggling with anticipation of the morning, as we’ve done together since the babes have joined us. I felt a moment of sadness, but how can I be sad when I know that she’s so happy in her newlywed life, beginning traditions of her very own!

And that was when my heart literally skipped a beat. For just a split second, I imagined my life without the babes. As I placed the stockings in the living room, I realized that this was the year that Doug and I would have experienced a new emptiness, never before felt. This would have been the year that Doug and I would have spent our first Christmas together alone since our very first. I couldn’t even image not stuffing the stockings, setting out the cookies and milk for Santa, the ringing of the bells to know that Santa was on his way. And upon this realization, I gave a prayer of thanks for our life just as it is today. (As I typed the word emptiness in this paragraph, for the first time in my life, I realized where the term "empty nest" comes from. Empty nest = Emptiness.)

My "HOW TO HAVE A HAPPY HOLIDAY" list paid off and we enjoyed a great weekend together. It was chaotic at times with dogs barking, babes howling and even grown-ups refraining from growling! BUT... the hugs and kisses and laughs were wonderful. The time together as family was priceless. The memories will be cherished! It truly was a Merry, Merry!

And to all, a good night!

I think that this photo  pretty much sums up the entire day! 

I'm sure that I'll have plenty to say after a good night's sleep!  One last Merry, Merry!

Merry, Merry!

The stockings were hung.....

Merry Christmas! I had planned on saying Merry, Merry and that was all for my Christmas day blog. But, now, I’m sitting down to wind down a few minutes before I hit the hay.

It’s been a busy day. I stood in the kitchen from about noon on until dinner and by the time I sat down to eat, I was exhausted! So, it was great to have everything done for tomorrow too! No cooking, just eating is always a good thing!

Dinner was wonderful! Buddy and Dale seemed to be getting along well. Liza was happy to spend a bit of time with her brother. Doug was a huge help with dinner. The babes were thrilled that the last candle was being lit. It was just great!

Tonight, after dinner, I did have a panic attack when I couldn’t find ZJ’s new PJs. ha! I searched for an hour while Dale kept the babes busy downstairs. I even unwrapped several gifts and rewrapped thinking that I must have mismarked a package. Nada. Finally, I called ZJ up and told her that I had somehow lost her PJs but that she could open another gift and then change into them tomorrow when we opened the mystery package that they were hidden in. Right before calling the babes up, I thought I’d peek in the stocking stuffers and packages that held the Santa gifts. Sure enough, there were the jammies that I’d had Liza and Buddy run back to Target and get a different size for me! OOPS.

We opened PJs, changed into them, took a few pix under the tree and then Doug told the story  of the Star in the sky, the miracle night of Jesus birth and the beautiful Mary, his mother. Just as Gracie had placed the baby Jesus in the manger of the "chocolate" nativity, we heard "Jingle Jingle" from outside! Gracie had been peeking out the window all night long just hoping that she’d hear Santa flying overhead. This was my happy moment of the entire day.... We heard the jingle and I went to the front door, opened it to look outside for Santa. I turned to ask the babes, "Do you see him anywhere ?" I turned and there was NO ONE there! NO ONE! I went to the back deck door. No one! I went downstairs and all three babes were in their bed, lights out, covers over their heads! I kissed them each goodnight and ZJ whispered, "We didn’t say prayers!" So, she literally whispered her prayer. Gracie did the same thing. Quayd said the fastest prayer that he’s ever said! I LOVE this! Dale came downstairs and I asked him if he’d heard Santa. He said "I was in the bathroom! Is that what I was hearing! I missed him!!" I wonder how many more years we can get away with this? It’s definitely my favorite moment each Christmas Eve!

Well, that’s all for me tonight. May this be the best Christmas ever for you and your family! Merry, Merry!

'Twas the Night Before Christmas...

Christmas

is the season

for kindling

the fire of hospitality

in the hall,

the genial flame of charity

  in the heart.

Yagottaluvit! Christmas break...

• Slept in this morning till 8:15
• Babes had cold cereal, Lucky Charms won in the white elephant at the family party
• Quick bite of leftovers for lunch
• Matinee - Chronicles of Narnia - OUTSTANDING
• Lunch at Liza’s work so that we could visit for a bit
• Late afternoon naps
• Cheese tortellini soup (sans meat) for dinner
• Watched How to Lose a Guy, hanging out

A few little random thoughts today... and I do mean random....

• This is the life! Oh, to have Doug home every moment of every day! I’m loving that!
• The dogs are behaving very well today!  They did stay in Dale's truck though while we were at the movies!  They've taken over the family room sofa though.  I'm choosing my battles.  And this one's not worth the fight.  How cute are they?
• The weather outside is FRIGHTFUL to this snow lovin’ family! Today, it was, believe it or not, WARMER than it was at Halloween! Doug and Quayd played in the backyard for an hour without coats or jackets. Unbelievable. Our snow has all melted away. The only white Christmas that I may be having could be the polyester batting under my snowman tree!
• My morning will be spent in the kitchen. With the exception of the rolls, everything will slow cook all day long. Once I’m done cooking, I’m done cooking until Monday! Mom’s place is NOT in the kitchen on Christmas Day, in my humble opinion!

My Christmas Eve menu:

• Slow-cooked Dutch-oven Pork Roast
• Funeral Potatoes
• Garlic Glazed Baked Potatoes (Both were requested, so what the heck.)
• Frozen Corn and Peas
• Pretzel Salad
• Green Salad
• Homemade Rolls
• Pineapple Juice carbonated with Sprite
• Cheese Cake
• Apple Cake

My Christmas Morning Menu:

• Tortilla Strata
• Fresh Pineapple Fruit Bowl
• Hash Browns with Peppers and Onions
• Cinnamon Breadsticks with Cream Cheese Dip
• Fruit Juices and Milk

My Christmas Day Munchies: (I’m wishing that these were ready to eat right this minute!)

• Veggie Platter
• Cheese Platter
• Spinach Artichoke Dip
• Ham, Cream Cheese Tortilla Roll-ups
• Cheese balls and crackers
• Black Forest Sliced Ham
• Smoked Turkey Slices
• Croissants
• Leftover everything

I’ve promised the babes that they can open a gift in the morning (puzzles for each of them) and then another after dinner (jammies). It is totally casual other than cooking, so this will keep them busy throughout the day. I’m thinking that I may let Dale open Johnny Depp’s Wonka movie. Then I’ll really have them all entertained for the day!

To all of my wonderful family and friends, I hope that this day is calm and bright for each and every one of you and that tomorrow is the merriest of Christmases ever!

Merry, Merry!

Celebrating Family!

Thursday night was the Corbridge party with Doug’s mother and almost all of her posterity. We get together several times a year for reunions and gatherings. The holiday party has become a ritual for the family in the month of December.

Over the years, our party has evolved. Years ago, when our children were young, we hosted the party at our home. The family has grown and homes have not, so now we meet at the Utah State University Logan LDS Institute building, after the university students have all gone home for the holidays. The evening is pretty much the same... dinner, a short talent show, the fun white elephant gift exchange, some singing and some laughs. Even the menu remains pretty consistent.

BUT, each year, the family grows... newlyweds, babies, potential mates (which always give reason for fun speculation and a bit of teasing). However, last night, I noticed something. It’s become more and more obvious to me, that as the family grows, so does the love that we feel for each other. Watching the babes play with their cousins, watching the teens enjoy each other’s company and now, watching the newlyweds and those their age interact... the generations are moving ahead. It seems like only yesterday that Doug and I were the newlyweds at that family holiday gathering. Or was it that we were the new parents? Or the parents of teens?

Time has moved so swiftly over the years. The family has grown in size from ten at the time that I married Doug to forty-six today. Our time together is priceless. Doug lost his father in an accident when Doug was a senior in highschool. Doug is the oldest. So, none of the spouses or grandchildren ever had the privilege of meeting him. But, tonight, as we gathered together to celebrate this Christmas season, I felt certain that his dad was right there watching over us, enjoying every minute of it, as much as we were.

At the end of the evening, my niece and nephew had put together a photo DVD slideshow of  family activities and events from the past year and a half.  This thoughtful gift to the entire family touched everyone's hearts and was definitely the highlight of the evening.  While we celebrate the birth of Christ during this season, tonight’s celebration, to me, was a celebration of family.

Our son, Dale, made it safely here, arriving just in time to shower and head up to the party. He dances to the beat of a different drummer than every other person there tonight. And yet, I could feel the love that was felt for him by all who were there. Again, another reminder that this is what family is all about... loving each other, supporting each other, being there for each other, regardless of the silly hats they wear, the style of their hair or even if they’ve chosen another path of life to live than they were raised.

* Here's the first photo of many that I said I'd take.  ZJ tossed the dog harness on his hat.  He's teasing with that facial expression.  Tomorrow, I'll capture his great smile!

Our holidays will be "interesting" to say the least, with Dale and his two dogs here.   During the party, we left them at home in Quayd’s bedroom. When we returned, they’d dug up the carpet at the door of his room. I’m pleased to say that I chanted in my head, "People are more important than things." the entire time that Doug cleaned up the mess as best he could. I’ve already heard the anti-meat talk and politics were a topic over dinner. I’m not even going to go there with details of his new "do" or the hat that covers it. But, he’s my boy. Quayd got the biggest laugh out of watching me give Dale a big belly bubble after his shower, just like I do Quayd. I have told him about doing this to Dale since he was a little boy, which is why Quayd thinks that I should do it to him each day too. The girls were so excited that Gracie stood at the front door for almost an hour waiting for his truck to pull in. Doug just grinned to be with his son. And Dale got to meet Liza’s husband for the first time , just before the party began. It was a special day.

I used the word "punt" a few days ago in an entry. And punt, I will! We’re going to make this weekend count, dogs and all! It’s all good because, again, this weekend, to me, is more than a celebration of Christmas. It’s a celebration of family. Renee made a comment on my blog a few days ago, "Have a blessed Christmas."  At this moment, that’s exactly what I felt. Blessed. Merry, Merry. Blessed. Blessed.

Quote for the day:   Blessed is the season which engages the whole world in a conspiracy of love! ~Hamilton Wright Mabie

If Mamma ain't happy, ain't nobody happy... it's all up to me.

It’s the babes’ last day of school before the break and Doug surprised me with the news that he’s taking off work until next Tuesday! YES!! That will be one of my best gifts! We are going to have today to play and just enjoy eachother’s company before Dale arrives, the babes are home and the partying begins! I’m thrilled!

I enjoyed a few hours with Liza at Kohls while Doug took care of the babes’ bedtime. We shopped, gabbed, got a bite to eat and even treated ourselves to something new to wear to the family party. With each day, I love having a married daughter more and more. Liza and I have always been best friends but our time together since her marriage is even more appreciated and the little activities of holiday preparation that we’ve shared have been some of my favorite time ever with her!

Our son is on his way home. He has a nineteen hour drive and should pull in sometime in the afternoon before the extended family party. I know that he is 26, but I won’t relax until the long drive is behind him and he safely pulls into the driveway. I never even think about all the hours and hours spent driving every day. But, there’s something about the word "trip" that say "WORRY!" As I’ve mentioned, Dale is my "hippie" son. Last Christmas, I took very few photos of Dale because his tie-died t-shirts, his beanie hats, his long hair all drive me nuts. This year, I remind myself that underneath that fuzzy chin and pony tail lies the boy that I raised and love no matter what. My goal this visit: to not worry what he looks like and to focus on what’s inside, to take photos of him no matter how scruffy he is and to be tolerant of his vegetarian diet, his two pit bull dogs and even his political opinions, no matter how contrary they are to my own! We get so little time together, I’m not going to sweat the small stuff.

Which brings me to my point today. I’ve been doodling a little "to do" list that’s a little different than any of the others I’ve created over the past several weeks. I’ve made little notes of things that get to me and come up with this "self-help" list. Being the anal perfectionist that I am, I’m going to print it out and strategically place a few copies in plain sight for the next two weeks. I’m hoping that this list will be noticed and maybe even rub off on others, but mostly, that it will be a reminder to myself! I’m certain that if I work on this list during the holidays, all will be happier! Mostly ME because as the saying goes, "If Momma ain’t happy, ain’t nobody happy!" It begins with me, so here’s my list on how to have a wonderful holiday....

• Have high hopes and low expectations.
• Think before you speak.
• Give others your full attention when visiting.
• Give others a reason to smile.
• Praise loudly. Blame softly.
• Smile often.
• Laugh a lot.
• Forgive and FORGET about it.
• Give lots of hugs and kisses.
• Say I love you whenever possible.
• Take lots of deep breaths.
• Choose playtime first.
• Relax and take lots of breaks.
• Listen.
• Don’t obsess.
• Don’t expect perfection.
• Let things go quickly.
• Do something crazy three times a day.
• Pray a lot!
• Keep in mind that 99% of the time, no one intends offense.
• Touch, touch and touch some more. Hugs and kisses count!

That’s my very own list. I think that it will be a good reminder for me! At least, it’s a good start! My quote for the day is one that I’ve read in the past few days and can not remember where! "The best of all gifts around any Christmas tree: the presence of a happy family all wrapped up in each other." ~Burton Hillis

Love means Compromise...especially during the holidays

This is Liza's and Buddy's first Christmas tree.  It's three feet tall.  Liza put five strands of lights on this tiny tree!  Today, I took her a little gift to work - a "newlywed" first Christmas ornament and the perfect tree topper, a small crystal like snowflake.   She was thrilled.  I think that Liza has captured her mother's enthusiasm for the holidays!  YAY!!  I just hope that Buddy will share the same excitement!  So far, so good!

As I was cleaning up Christmas Central today and turning it back to my normal scrapbook room (which btw, got me totally in the mood to create a few cards tonight), I started thinking about all of the effort and preparation to make this week just the best ever, year after year. Back in October, I started thinking about the holidays, beginning my Christmas shopping. By November, I was thinking about decorating and who gets what this year. Lists were made and a plan was in order. By Thanksgiving, the house was decorated completely, meals and goodies planned, entertaining began, shopping/wrapping became a daily ritual. And now today, four days before the big day...wrapping complete, deliveries ready to be made, meals planned. The next fire...our New Year’s Eve party, already in the works.

By this time next week, the house will be back to normal, the toys, games and clothes will all have found their new homes in drawers, closets and shelves, thank yous written, photos ready to scrap. And I’ll have begun a page in my planner for next year’s Christmas already.... notes of how much more or less of this or that we needed or should have had, things that I completely forgot about this year but will need to remember better next. Our home will bear one Nativity until Easter and the snowman tree will be moved to the entryway for the month of January. Christmas, or at least, the evidence of it, will be all but a memory.

I realize that I live and breathe Christmas for two months of the year. I’m obsessed and I am not ashamed to admit it. I can’t help it! I love the great feelings if brings... feelings of love, kindness, giving, joy! I live for it for months each year!

And then there is my husband.

Doug and I were raised so completely opposite. As a child, my Christmas was a totally different experience than Doug’s family holidays...From the music to the food to the decor. We had thirty gifts under the tree for each child. Doug’s family didn’t have thirty gifts total under the tree - and there were six kids. My mother spent a month’s income on two children. Doug’s mother spent very little, not because she was tight or couldn’t afford it. For Doug’s family, Christmas was a spiritual event, celebrated the birth of Christ. For my family, the fun, food and presents were the event.

And then we married. Complete opposites. Doug’s family was shocked to find 52 gifts under our newlywed first tree. (So was Doug!) I couldn’t believe the way that they celebrated...or was it that they didn’t celebrate. We had to find some common ground and we were starting so far opposite that we were talking different planets, not just different sides of the fence. It was a difficult transition for both of us that took years. Doug, the ultimate conservative, still cringes when he sees the gifts under the tree, when I talk about yet, another tree idea or when I want to play Christmas music mid-summer. And me, the animated Elf of the North Pole, trying to spread all the good cheer and festive spirit that I can... I still have to practice the ultimate self-control in spending and decking the halls. Doug’s best gift each year is when I tell him that I did not charge one penny! This afternoon, our cellphone conversation went like this:

• Me: Thanks, Babe.  You're being so good about all of the festivities.
• Doug: It’s hard, but, I’m trying.
• Me: I know it’s hard for you, but it’s just as hard as me to stay in control and keep things in check.
• Doug: I’m sure it is!  (Said in his most sarcastic and teasing voice!)

So, all these years later, we still recognize our differences in this area and we still both are trying hard to find that happy medium.

It’s not that Doug isn’t giving and generous. Last week, when I’d bought three pairs of pants for our son, brought them home for him to give his opinion and then planned to return two, Doug said, "He could use them all, couldn’t he?" So, he’s not a Scrooge. It’s just that thirty years later (almost), he’s still never gotten comfortable with the whole holiday thing, ala his wife, the Christmas obsessed elf.

Now, here’s the funny part. Next Monday morning, I’ll wake up ready to take down the trees, put away the decorations and have our home back to normal. (Once the beautifully wrapped packages are gone, it’s not the same!) Doug, who’d just as soon not have the tree up until Christmas Eve will want to keep it up for another week.  Go figure!

I created a layout for our Holiday Tradition Book sharing our Christmas differences. What differences do you share with your mate? How have your made the transition bringing two family’s traditions to creating your own?  It's not an easy task, but it's essential.  Quote for the day:  "Compromise, if not the spice of life, is its solidity.  It is what makes nations great and marriages happy."

Candy Houses, Music and Counting Down!

Christmas candy houses are what I call today’s version of a lazy mom’s gingerbread house. When it comes to gingerbread, I’ll be the first to admit,  they are too much work for me!  So, here's our own version of candy houses!  Years ago, when the big kids were young... we made our Christmas Candy houses using shoe boxes! Cut the shoe box in half and then slide the halves together a bit. Score and fold the shoe box lid and place it over the top of the box as the roof with the pitch of the roof determined by how much you overlap the halves of the shoebox. Today, we simplify the process by using milk pint size cartons (the tall ones) and we seat them on a plastic plate.

The frosting for the houses is not your typical hard frosting that goes on gingerbread houses. This is a soft, fluffy frosting that never hardens, allowing candy to pull of without crackling all over. The frosting recipe is simple: 1 regular size can of the cheapest shortening I can buy and 3 pounds of powdered sugar. Mix until  fluffy. This is OODLES of frosting and will do at least ten milk cartons, plus give lots for the licking of fingers!

Frost the milk cartons and add the candy of choice! I divide the candies and give everyone their own bowl with exactly the same number of every candy. They can eat it or work with it on their houses but this eliminates all the arguing or hassle of everyone wanting more of this or that. All candy is created equal! We create our houses the Monday night before Christmas each year. These candy houses are edible for days and on Christmas morning, what’s left of them goes out with the gift wrap and packaging!

My mother would DIE if she saw this photo!  But, this is what’s been known as "Christmas  Central" instead of my scrapbook room for the past few weeks.  This is the end of my giftwrapping!  These are the gifts for the downstairs tree...where we'll do our family exchanges in the afternoon.  Tissue paper in the gift bags and wrapping that last stack of gift boxes on the window seat then all that's left is to fill the stockings with what's in the stack of boxes on top of the CIS cubes on Christmas Eve! My Tuesday goal: to reclaim my scrapbook room before lunch! Notice the snow outside! Happiness!

Yesterday, I added this link to my blog. I shared it with Carol and her kids tonight during our activity. Carol’s comment was "I like that music." I’ve been thinking about holiday music for a couple of days. Doug used to feel strongly that holiday music cloyed so easily. Today, we can hear the same songs by literally hundreds of performers and usually can find one version that makes us feel good! My eclectic favorite renditions of holiday music:

• Little Drummer Boy by Colin Raye (which I have absolutely HATED my entire life until I heard this version and it instantly became one of my all-time favorites because for the first time, I felt the words.)
• Mary, Did You Know? by Kathy Mattea
• "Wizard in Winter" by Trans-Siberian Orchestra
• Carol of the Bells by Mannheim Steamroller or just about anyone!
• Heirlooms and Breath of Heaven by Amy Grant
• Sleigh Ride by anyone who sings it!
• Let it Snow - the original sung by a woman and I’ve never figured out who it is!
• It’s the most wonderful Time of the Year! by whoever sings it!
• Silent Night by Mannheim Steamroller and also by Michael Crawford
• Have yourself a Merry Little Christmas and The Christmas Song by Michael Bolton
• I heard the Bells on Christmas Day sung in church by all that are present. I can not hear this song/hymn without tears just falling. I hope that we sing it in church on Sunday morning!
• Oh, Holy Night by Martina McBride or Barbra Striesand

That’s it for me today! It’s snowed most of the day off and on. It's looking like we’ll have a white Christmas! Happiness! With five sleeps left until the big morning, I am as excited as the babes! This week is the best of all! A family Christmas party with all of the Corbridges and a special surprise for Grama and Grampa, our son coming home (barring any horrific weather), Liza and Buddy’s first Christmas together as newlyweds, all of the things that the past weeks have led up to... It’s here! I LOVE the thrill of being in the midst of it all!  No matter what happens from this moment until I unplug the tree on Christmas night... My motto for the rest of the week is: " If things don’t go exactly as planned, punt!"  This is the most wonderful time of the year! Make every moment count!

Holiday ramblings, two great recipes and an awesome link!

For as long as I can remember, one of our holiday traditions on the Sunday night before Christmas has been our drive to view the Christmas lights. Over the years, we’ve developed a routine path to follow and expect to see the same homes that we do year after year, oohing and awing as though it’s the first time again and again. Tonight was that night.   It snowed most of the time that we were out.  Here's one of our favorite homes! 

Gracie will be singing the infamous song, for certain, this year. Her dangling tooth decided to come out on it’s own since she’s not let anyone touch it for two weeks. Watching her eat an orange slice tonight from the side of her mouth like it was a piece of jerky was most amusing!

On a serious note about my friend, Jean, who I blogged about yesterday. To the many comments and questions that I received privately today.... Jean arrived home safely today. The fire was caused by a toaster oven that apparently had been left on. They’ve had a home offered to them to live in while their home is being restored. Christmas for them, will be the family portrait that they had taken a few weeks ago, but they are counting their blessings for all that they do have. I am certain that their LDS ward will rally and see to it that they are taken care of! Thanks to all for your prayers, good wishes and thoughts.

Today’s family gathering for my niece’s missionary homecoming was wonderful. Watching the cousins play together and visiting with my sisters-in-law and nieces is always the best! Barbie prepared a most lovely brunch for us all! She served a recipe that is similar to a strata, which is what I usually prepare for our Christmas brunch. This year, we’ll be having this wonderful recipe! It was soooooooo good!

Here’s the recipe. Try it you’ll like it!   Tortilla Strata

• 10 flour tortillas
• 2 cups chopped ham  (I'll use sausage or bacon.)
• 2 cups shredded cheese
• 1 bunch green onions
• 6 beaten eggs
• 2 cups milk
• 1 Tbsp. flour
• 1 tsp. milk

Mix ham, cheese and onions. Fill and roll into the tortillas (like enchiladas). Place in heavily greased 9x13 baking pan. Refrigerate over night. Bake at 325 for 1 hour, 15 minutes, covered with foil. Remove from oven and sprinkle more shredded cheese over top, if desired.

Cheesecake Pops Another treat worth trying this week, especially if you are looking to impress with simplicity!

• Purchase a cheesecake. Using your melon baller, make cheesecake balls. Put a sucker stick into each ball. Freeze on plate for about 30 minutes. Remove and dip in melted chocolate, drizzle with caramel or raspberry glaze. Sprinkle powdered sugar over the finished product. Freeze until serving! Oh, my, my! Simple. Tasty. As Martha would say, "It’s a good thing."

My five guilty pleasures via Chiara: (and I’m adding "holiday" to this list...)

1. Chocolate Covered Cherries and Peanut blossom cookies, which I realize can be made all year long but they remind me of my mother during the holidays!
2. Christmas music all day every day from Thanksgiving till Christmas night
3. My Snowmen... the snowman tree, the snowman shelves, the snowman who sits on my front porch.  It’s hard to pass a cute one by.   
4. Candles burning throughout the house (also done at most times of the year, but there’s something about the holidays that says candles!)
5. And my favorite guilty pleasure during the holidays....Time alone in front of the Christmas tree. From the day that my holiday decorating is done until the day after Christmas when I take it down, I make time to just sit in front of the tree and enjoy the twinkle of the lights, the reflection of the tree in the window, each individual ornament as it floats amongst the branches.

My friend, Amy, sent me the most awesome link!  Turn up the volume on your speakers!  Enjoy!

There’s my random thoughts for the day. ZJ is to the point of asking every hour, "How many more minutes till we can open the presents?" Gracie keeps announcing that "Christmas isn’t all about presents, it’s about Jesus. But, we get presents too!" And Quayd is more excited for the family party this week than he is about Santa. He’s the calendar keeper for the family, letting me know as his first thought each morning, what is the big event for today. The anticipation is one of my favorite parts of the holidays! Counting down the days, hours and minutes! To me, the anticipation of it all is half the fun! This is the busy week... the work, the preparation, the effort can be brutal. Don’t forget to take time to stop and smell the poinsettias along the way!

What really matters...

Well, this was not exactly how I’d planned to spend my evening. As I’d just blown out the candles at the dinner table, our phone rang. It was a friend from our lunch bunch and I could tell immediately, by the urgency in her voice, that this was not a social call. The conversation went like this: "Sophia, this is Tina. Do you have Jeana’s cell number? We can’t find Jeana or Steve and no one has their cell numbers. Their house is on fire and we need to locate them." I immediately repeated it to Doug and he grabbed his planner to find Steve’s cell number while I grabbed my cell where Jeana’s number was programmed in and we both dialed their numbers at the same time.

Doug called Steve with his cell, "Steve, this is Doug. Are you aware that your house is on fire?" Steve has been a fireman for several years now and Doug, calm man that he is, assumed that Steve would have been told by now. He hadn’t. Doug handed the phone to me to share the details that I did have, little as they were. At the same time, Jeana answered her cell and in her usual friendly voice, said, "Hi! You’re calling me all the way in Texas!" She was down visiting her brother. I had to break the news to her that her home was on fire. I left for her home, about eight minutes away, immediately.

When I arrived, the police had the street barricaded at both ends. When I explained that I was expected there, that I’d notified the owners of the fire, he radioed down the hill that I was coming and he let me go right on.  I grabbed my camera and started shooting as fast as I could.

Jeana and I have been friends for over ten years. She and I were in the Relief Society Presidency together way back then. Our love of scrapbooking and the lunch bunch keeps us in touch, even after all these years of not being neighbors. We’ve been at each other’s children’s weddings, I’ve slept at the hospital overnight when she’s had surgery. We joke that we even fooled her doctor when he called us sisters. It was Jeana who suggested that McKenna Grace as Gracie’s name. We share a special friendship.

And tonight, I spent two hours, standing in the freezing and wet cold, surrounded by the sounds and flashing lights of eight fire trucks, on the phone to Jeana... narrating to her, 1500 miles away from her awesome century home, as the fireman axed holes large enough to fit into all over her three week old new roof, as they drug hoses in through her front door and put out the flames that literally obliterated her kitchen, as they carried out her dog and three cats that she’s had as long as I’ve known her. It was rough. We cried together as we got word that they’d discovered the animals all dead. We laughed together that this was one way to get that new kitchen she’s wanted for twenty years. It was awful. 

And then. We counted blessings together. Jeana’s beautiful seventeen year old daughter sleeps above the kitchen that was destroyed completely. Had this fire happened three hours later, her daughter may have been in bed and it would have been impossible for her to come down the stairs and get to safety. Had the neighbor not seen the flames coming through the windows in the kitchen, he would have not called the fire department when he did. One minute more and the already crispy and brown topped Christmas tree would have gone up in flames and the entire house would have been gone in a matter of minutes. Had the fire department not gotten that tree out into the yard, within seconds, Jeana’s scrapbook room would have been gone with every photo and album (and she is one fabulous scrapper) would have been destroyed. As it was, her daughter was in SLC on a date. Her scrapbook room suffered smoke damage and as her husband said, she may need to replace the album covers but the pages are intact. Even though her animals all died, they were recovered. Neighbors had rallied and Steve had a place to stay tonight. Jeana’s flight home is scheduled at 6AM tomorrow and she will be home without hassle. Their five sons were all able to be reached immediately. And, yes, probably, their dreams of restoring this old home will be mostlikely finally be realized without losing any of the irreplacable precious heirlooms and photos that are so often gone after a fire.

While giving the "blow by blow" description of things as they happened to her, I tried to be upbeat and positive. I tried to offer comfort. As I hugged Steve goodbye after the firefighters were certain that they were on top of things and even allowed him to walk through, I felt a need to give thanks and count my own blessings and remember, once again, how quickly life comes at us and the fact that in just a second, life can change forever.

Pulling away, I noticed the tree lying in the front yard and for the first time in a few hours, the thought of Christmas entered my mind. I’ve spent six weeks obsessing over things like matching giftwrap, cocoa machines, which container to store which Hersheys Kisses in, who should get the cherry lipbalm and who should get the apple... And those things are important. To me, they are. I’ve also tried hard to keep the "reason for the season" front and center for my family and my own sake. I don’t think that I’ve lost sight of that. Our faith in Christ and religion is a very real part of our lives. But, somehow, that last look that I took as I did my u-turn to go back up the hill was not of the roof or smoke or flashing lights. It was of that tree lying on the front lawn and I was reminded once again, to give my attention to the things in life that really matter and for those that don’t, well... they don’t.

Quote for the day: "You can’t plow a field simply by turning it over in your mind." Gordon B. Hinckley

Catching up and a fun holiday quiz...

It's 1:37AM.   Our old friend came up from AZ tonight, so Carol and I spent the evening having dinner and shopping some over in the next valley!  I've just walked in the door!  We had a great time and I'm NOT saying a thing that we bought because last time I did so, Carol's daughter read my blog!   (Madi... if you are reading this... don't EVEN think  I'd do THAT again! ;))

Being that it's so late, and that I've got part of this entry written earlier today while I was hoping that TP would figure out their problems... a VERY random thought entry...

Here’s a little fun quiz that my good friend Joyce posted on an email group! I thought I’d share it today and not even tag anyone. Feel free to fill in the blanks on your own blog!

1. Holiday: Christmas or New Years? Christmas
2. Cookies: Sugar or Gingerbread? Sugar
3. Decorations: Santa or Snowmen? Both, I have a St. Nick tree and a snowman tree with a whole lot more snowmen in the room.
4. Decorations: Reindeer or Elves? Reindeer... Those pointy ears give me the heebiegeebies!
5. Colors: Red or Green? Red!
6. Colors: Gold or Silver? I used to would have said (where’s Helena when I need her) that it was gold but lately, I’ve been adding silver too!
7. Tree Topper: Star or Angel? The Nativity tree has a star. The family and kids tree has an angel. The snowman tree has a snowflake and the St. Nick tree has a St. Nick. How original of me, right? ;)
8. Stocking Stuffer: Fruit or Candy? You’ve got to be kidding? Is this questions for real? CHOCOLATE!
9. Tree: Real or Artificial? Artificial... I put them up too early to have a live one.
10. Cartoons: Charlie Brown or Rudolph? Charlie Brown... ya gotta love that Lucy.
11. Movie: It's a Wonderful Life or A Christmas Carol? How about Family Man or Christmas Vacation instead of either.
12. Stocking Stuffer: Jewelry or Gift Card? Yes!
13. Christmas List: Naughty or Nice? NICE, NICE and NICER!
14. Drink: Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate? Hot cocoa... I don’t do eggs unless they are cooked!
15. Holiday Ghost: Past, Present, or Future? Present! Make today the best day you can and tomorrow will take care of itself!
16. Vacation Spot: North Pole or Winter Wonderland? Winter Wonderland!
17. Holiday Song: Jingle Bells or Silver Bells? Neither! They are both two of my least favorites. Please pass some Mannheim Steamroller!
18. Holiday Song: Silent Night or O' Holy Night? Do I have to choose? BOTH!
19. More Fun: Christmas Eve or Christmas Day? Thanksgiving day UNTIL New Years Night!
20. Lights: Clear or Multi-Colored? Clear on all of the trees but the family tree and that’s full of color!
21. Ornaments: Bulbs or Bows? Depends on the tree. Last year was the first year I’ve ever had a real bulb and I love them!
22. Tree Decor: Ribbon, Popcorn, or Garland? Pepper berries and holly
23. Gifts: Wrapping Paper or Gift Bags? Under the upstairs tree, it’s matching gift-wrap. Under the downstairs tree, it’s anything goes, to match the ornaments and the lights!
24. Better To: Give or Receive? BY FAR, to give! That’s why I’m broke at the end of December...but it feels so gooooooooood!

Random thoughts:

• The Apprentice finale. Doug and I were both very disappointed in Randall and felt like I needed to send him a copy of my blog from last week... GIVE THE CAR, RANDALL!
• I’d made garlic rolls from the most amazing recipe that my friend Linda gave me last summer. I have shared this recipe online and can’t remember where but it you have never made a homemade roll in your life, this is the time to begin! TRY THIS recipe and you’ll be hooked!

The BEST garlic rolls EVER! EAZZZZZY!

3 T. Yeast

2 T. Sugar or honey (I used honey)

3 1/2 cups warm water

1 T. salt

8 cups flour

Mix until doughy and form into bread sticks.

Before baking, mix:

2 sticks butter

1/3 heaping cup mayo

½ cup parmesan cheese  (I use half fresh and half out of the green canister)

Roll out breadsticks then fold in half and twist.  Roll in this butter mixture and place on pan about an inch apart.  I let them raise for half an hour but my friend never does.  Season to taste with garlic salt.  (I use lots.)  Bake 400̊ for 15 minutes.

• The cocoa maker...this is just too fun. We’ve used it five times already. It’s absolutely FUN! It heated up four cups of hot cocoa in no time. It’s quiet and does a great job of mixing in all the little cocoa and sugar crystals, leaving no lumps! I love that you put everything, milk, mix, marshmallows, everything into the pot and turn it on - NO MESS! If you make hot cocoa a few times a week in the winter, this is a must have gadget... and I’m not a gadget person! It’s well worth the $20! We’re thinking up hot cocoa concoctions left and right around here now!
• My beautiful niece returned from her LDS mission yesterday. I’m so excited to see her! She and Liza only a few months apart in age and grew up together calling themselves the LMC twins. Not having her favorite cousin there was the only sad thought about Liza’s wedding day. They are anxious to see each other this weekend! Reunions are so sweet and the week before Christmas... could it get any better!

I think I’m done! Seriously, done! I do still have to take the babes out to buy one gift each but that’s not really shopping! Now, next week is filled with visiting, delivering gifts and goodies, seeing the lights in town, the family party with cousins, aunts, uncles, grandparents, the Candy house Family Home Evening and then just lots of time doing puzzles, playing games, watching holiday movies and enjoying the time together!

THIS is the week we work so hard and long to achieve! I’m just humming over and over, "It’s the most wonderful time of the year!" Between that and "Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!", I’m just a walking little music box!  It's great to be back up and running! Merry, merry! 

Holiday Gift ideas....

About fifteen years ago, I was asked to put together a display for a Homemaking Night at our church of holiday baskets. I decided that 101 would be the perfect number of baskets to assemble and for two weeks, I worked hard, creating exactly 101 gift baskets for the display. It was one of my favorite projects ever. This afternoon, while talking with a friend, I had the thought to pull that list off the old computer and share it on my blog. When I went downstairs to the old computer, it refused to open anything in Word Perfect. No list.   Nothing.  Nada. So, tonight, I pull a portion of the list from the old brain and share it.

This list is not complete by any stretch. It’s divisive in triggering thoughts and getting you going on some ideas for last minutes gifts and hard to buy for people. Your budget may allow only one or all or even more than what I’ve listed. But, put together in clever baskets and containers, these can be the beginnings of some fantastic and always to be remembered gifts! Most of the items can include some food items, which are great fillers, as well as an inexpensive way to add more to the gift and make it even more fun.

• For the movie buffs: DVD, microwave popcorn, 2 liter of pop, mix bag of miniature candy bars, wrapped in a fleecy blanket
• For the Working gal or busy mom: People magazine, Bath & Body Works bath essentials, candle, girlie bath towel, in a beautiful basket or a funky colored metal bucket
• For the outdoorsman: Foot warmers, hand warmers, new gloves, new beanie, favorite hunting or fishing magazine, Beef Jerky, nifty flashlight or cool tool
• For the campers: Flashlights, batteries, weenie roasting sticks, hot pad/gloves, first aid kit, bug spray, the makings for s’mores, all in a dutch oven or a cooler or 2 gallon thermos.
• For the gardener: Seed Catalogs, Garden Gloves, new hand tools for garden, all in a large clay pot with a bag of potting soil and fertilizer
• For the college student: HotPot or electric tea kettle, instant soups, cocoa mixes, set of mugs, cassette tapes and a mini cassette recorder for them to send messages back and forth to friends and family, all in a back pack that can be used for other purposes.
• For the person who lives away from family: a calendar with their entire family’s birthdays and celebrations, a package of homemade greeting cards all organized and labeled so that they can just write a message and sign their names, postage stamps, envelopes, pens, all wrapped up in an small desk trash can
• For the chocoholic: Hershey’s Kisses in several varieties, Giant Hershey Bar, Chocolate cookbook, Giant brick of white chocolate, Giant container of Hershey’s syrup, Hot Fudge Sauce, Oreo cookies, all sorts of chocolate treats all wrapped up on a cookie sheet or in a large mixing bowl
• For the small child: Dollar store coloring books, good crayons or markers, glue sticks, safety scissors and a picture frame or notebook with sheet protectors for finished projects in a little brightly colored organizing basket
• For the gourmet: A salt shaker and pepper grinder set, a few varieties of fancy pepper, a speciality cookbook , a unique cooking gadget from the cooking store, all stuffed inside the pockets of an apron or a utensil stone crock
• For the couple who both work lots of hours: Gift Certificates to a fun restaurant, gift certificate to a local spa or salon for pedicures or a massage together, an easy listening CD like Kenny G all wrapped up inside a nice blanket or tied to a bow wrapped around fresh new pillows
• For the Sports fan: A remote control pocket (To hang on the side of the Lazy-boy), a TV guide subscription, Sports Illustrated, a calendar with their favorite team, all wrapped inside a t-shirt or sweat shirt with their favorite team
• For the photographer: Rechargable batteries, a photography magazine or book, camera wipes for lenses, extra miniature containers to hold things in their camera bags
• For the pet lover: Doggie Bones, a doggie toy, a new collar or leash, a pet brush, a gift certificate for pet grooming, all placed in a small pet pillow
• For the reader: A BookLight to read by, a book mark, paperback or two of a favorite author, Gift certificate to a local book store, wrapped in a fleece blanket or a basket filled with chocolates or snacks
• For the music lover: CDs, sheet music for Piano to go along with( if they play), tickets to a local concert or performance out of their ordinary
• For the baker: A rolling mat, hot pads, an apron, a sifter, rolling pins of different sizes, all-in-one measuring utensils, recipe cards, packed into a great mixing bowl or baking pan
• For the Italian food or the Pizza lover: A Pampered Chef Pizza Cutter (there’s none better!), Fresh Dried Herbs, Romano or Parmesan Cheese blocks and a grater (like Olive Garden uses), a recipe book with pizza ideas in a chef’s hat or a red plaid tablecloth
• For the scrapbooker: An adhesive dispenser, refills, Journaling Pens, mechanical pencil and eraser, current scrapbook magazine or idea book.
• For the couch potato: A bag of chips, a 2 liter of pop, a universal Remote Control, TV guide, a neck pillow, a lap blanket
• For the babysitter : A child’s game like Chutes and Ladders or Candyland, bubbles, "Gak", a bag of candy treats, crayons and blank paper with templates, a hand puppet inside a portable clear carrying case for the kids to see what she’s bringing!
• For the Home office worker: A desk organizer, stapler, staples, paper clips in fun shapes and sizes, pens and pencils, sticky notes, glue stick, postage stamps and envelopes
• For the couple in love or newlyweds: A bottle of sparkling apple cider, two goblets, chocolates, a romantic movie, dinner gift certificates.

Well, that’s if  from my memory and off the top of my head. I wish that I could retrieve the whole list from the old PC. Just thought I’d share. Hopefully, someone will get a little inspiration for that hard to buy for person from my list. Happy Friday!

Quote for the day:  It is the personal thoughtfulness, the warm human awareness, the reaching out of the self to one's fellow man that makes giving worthy of the Christmas spirit.--Isabel Currier

Holiday Uglies....

Over the past few weeks and in the next few days, I’m certain that everyone will experience a few of my holiday pet peeves.  (They are anything but sweet like two of my Nativities from our collection!  I just wanted to have a something that was pleasant in this entry! ) I’m careful about pet peeves because once, years ago, the mention of pet peeves on an online group created many tears for a few gals. As always, the internet is wonderful but often hard to read and capture the true emotions being expressed! I hope that you’ll take my tongue in cheek comments for what they are... and hopefully you can relate a bit because they happen to the best of us!

So, with much trepidation, I share a few of my holiday pet peeves & recent experiences.

Poor customer service.

I’ve already written an entire entry about this because this makes me absolutely insane! Why be in business if you aren’t there to serve your customers. How difficult is this to figure out? Today at Kohl’s, a wonderful clerk took care of us at the register, joking and teasing, the entire time. She even goofed on the machine and had to fix the problem, but the fact that she’d been so friendly and cordial made it so that we didn’t mind a bit, the extra few minutes that it took her to rectify the problem. This certainly beat the gal at the McDonalds counter this morning who slighted us one hot cocoa and then acted as though I’d asked her to go out back and milk the cow and harvest the cocoa for the second one!

Here’s probably my biggest gripe during the holidays. Stores like Wal-mart. (Well, that’s a pet peeve on it’s own). But, stores like Wal-mart have 48 check-out lines and registers in the front of the store. It’s a super store with super deals and prices and super POOR planning when it comes to herding us, the customer, through the check-out. FORTY-EIGHT registers and FORTY-two are un-open and not operating. I don’t get this. Are the other 42 registers just for pretend?

Sale priced items that are out of stock. Let’s see. The company spends millions on advertising. They print out ads that are 30 pages long and insert them into newspapers all over America sharing the news of their great deal and when you race to the store to get in on the steal of the century, they have none left because they only had twelve to begin with. It’s sort of like the cocoa maker that I have been in pursuit of for a week. They originally had THIRTY in stock. THIRTY. Our Wal-mart has thirty customers in line at once at any given time of the day or night, 24/7. Our valley has over 120,000 people in it and they think that thirty will suffice? Who’s doing the ordering? Grinch? BTW, we drove to the next valley today and bought three of these precious little babies!

Years and years ago, there was a department store in town called Grand Central, similar to Target or Shopko, only a bit smaller. During the holidays, they used dark red plastic bags that felt like "hefty lawn bags" and were perfect for shopping and hiding all the goods right there in front of the kids! They’d have no idea that you’d just put their Santa items in the bag, right before their very eyes! Today’s bags may as well be gladwrap! Clear shopping bags during the holidays. You can see right through them, so there’s no hiding anything in them, even if they quadruple layer the bag, it’s "Mommy, why is that Pegasus Barbie in the bag?" And furthermore, the tiny bags are barely large won’t even hold a box of Chex! What’s up with that?

Going right along with that, are the clerks at the registers, who can not miss the fact that you have a five year old shopping with you, and after you’ve ever so discreetly hidden the items under your coat for an hour, bought the child a bag of candy and an impulse gadget at the register just to keep the child distracted, will ask, "Uh, did you want to put that Cabbage Patch Doll in the same bag with the baby doll clothes?" Excuse me??? Doesn’t she know that it won’t fit in the first place? WHY does she have to announce it?!

Okay, this one really has my dander up! I'm a good tipper! Always have been because my mother was a hairdresser and we DEPENDED on her tips! Anyway, I'm BUGGED at our Milkman. Yesterday, he left a card along with the delivery. It said, "Merry Christmas. Your milkman." That's it. He didn't even sign his name. We order our bi-weekly dairy products by phone to a computer. "My milkman" delivers at 4AM. In one year, we have never seen him or met him, although his truck screeching out of the driveway at that hour has awakened me a few times. We have never spoken one word. Everyone that I’ve mentioned this to agrees that this card was saying "Don't forget to tip the milkman." I do something for the postlady, the UPS guy, Nate, that comes umpteen times a month, the hairdresser, the gals at the doctors' offices, the teachers, the speech therapist. But, the milkman, who I have yet to and doubt that I ever will meet? Am I being a scrooge here? Does the man want to, at least, sign his name? What? I’m going to write a check or a gift certificate to "My Milkman"?

Well, I’d planned on writing a beautiful and tender entry all day. But, when I sat down to write, Scrooge took over.  I decorate to the nines. I live for the traditions. I wrap. I sing and spread good tidings and joy but tonight, before I lay my head on my pillow (even though it was a great and productive day), I thought I'd share my little Bah-humbug issues with all and then wish all a good night! When I wake up, no more naughty, only nice... because, after all, Santa Claus is comin’ to town!

Quote for the day:  And the Grinch, with his Grinch-feet ice cold in the snow, stood puzzling and puzzling, how could it be so? It came without ribbons. It came without tags. It came without packages, boxes or bags. And he puzzled and puzzled 'till his puzzler was sore. Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn't before. What if Christmas, he thought, doesn't come from a store. What if Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more.
~ Dr. Seuss

On winning and a few other thoughts...

Tonight at Doug’s company party, they gave away over 100 prizes. The least of them all was $20 in cash. The best was two round-trip tickets to anywhere in the continental US that Delta flies plus three days paid vacation.  I joked about our luck and was not surprised when we went home empty handed, which was fine.  I did come away with a great appreciation and respect for what this young company has accomplished in such a short time. I’m impressed!   Dinner was great, btw. I’ve never had "Kamikaze Salmon" but it was goooo-oood! A zesty BBQ sauce on baked salmon. YUMMERS! Whodathunkit!?  It may have tasted better with plane tickets in hand, but I'm not complaining!  It was a great dinner and walking downtown with Doug, holding hands in the snow was a treat!!   He works too much and we play to little together these days, so this was my prize!

Last week, in my traditions blog entry, I shared our little "Circle of Light" tradition, the candles that we burn each night for the 12 days of Christmas. Well, after trying to resurrect our old handmade wooden based candle holder to no avail, I’ve been searching for two weeks to find the perfect new replacement. I thought that it would be no problem to find something that held 12 candles. Wrong. Until last night. Prayer answered. Today was the day to light the first candle, so I was really heartbroken to have found nothing yet. As we were about to walk out of Pier One, I all but tripped over a basket filled with these little star shaped candle holders. I picked one up, found a flat surface and cleared it enough to form 12 of these stars into a circle. They were perfect, except $3.00 each, more than I wanted to spend. We decided that since they were the perfect solution, and this is such an important message that we want to instill about the holiday, to go ahead and make the purchase. When I got to the register, they were marked down to $1.20 each! How sweet is that! I could barely wait to get the babes to bed and play with them. This quilted block is temporary because I picture them on a silver or glass platter. But, it worked for today. Since we knew that we would be at the company party tonight, we lit the first candle during breakfast.  Since we just read "The Littlest Angel" a few nights ago, I think that the babes get it already! YES!  I'd rather have luck on the things that matter over winning dinner at Olive Garden or tickets to a Jazz game anyday!

A few comments responding to comments:

• Hilary, my counter-tops are bare except the cutsie stuff and a cookbook shelf. I keep all appliances (except my Bosch) put away in the bake center and appliance garage. BUT, this cocoa maker... we are one cocoa drinking family! So, I’m picturing it out, plugged in and ready to roll a couple times a day from now till mid-April! Ironically, I mentioned it to a friend at the company party tonight. She has one, hates it and offered to loan it to us this weekend to see if we like it! Cool beans! I’ll make sure to share my findings!
• Sherry, Doug’s and my stocking... I fill Doug’s when I fill the babes. Doug and Liza have seen that my stocking has always had little goodies in it. I usually give her the Reeses to add, but, they take great pleasure in finding all sorts of goodies for me. In the past, it’s been everything from a beautiful ruby and diamond ring to Martina and Toby CDs. My favorite is gift certificates! Give me a gift certificate ANYTIME!

That’s my rambling thoughts for the day. Tomorrow’s blog has a point! It’s maybe even a sentiment. A quote for the day: "Don’t look inside a stocking, don’t look under the tree. The one thing we’re looking for is something we can’t see."

What's in your stocking?

I made absolutely ZIPPO progress on the holiday shopping today, but had a great time doing lunch and shopping with Liza and then visiting with my Sister-in-law outside of Old Navy. (I never even got inside the door!) .... it was one of those days.... too much fraternizing to get anything serious done! But, I’m not fretting a moment over it! I love days like this! (Have I mentioned that I adore my daughter!?) Then, Denise came by tonight with this wonderful little Nativity to add to my collection! Who could complain about a day like today?

The remaining task left on my list is checking off the stocking stuffers. I was thinking about stockings as I was driving today and I honestly can not remember anything I received in my childhood stockings. I remember a small, red fur stocking with the white fur top and my name was written in green glitter in Mom’s handwriting. I have no clue of what went in it!

I’ve noticed that store bought stockings are much larger today than they used to be. This is wisdom. Whoever invented the old fashioned stockings didn’t have any intent of stuffing them with much! I’ve shown photos of our stockings a few times this past month. I cross-stitched and made our family stockings for Liza’s first Christmas. Then, when the babes were born, I created a new set for them. (They were much larger.) I was all set to make the newlyweds’ stockings this year when Liza and I decided to shop for some more contemporary ones instead. Aside from the bright hot colors at Pier One (which were over the top for even my non-traditional daughter’s taste), all of the stockings we found were traditional in color, shape and size. I did end up finding some fun and unique stockings at a local craft store/boutique. I bought an extra to add to my banister for Buddy.

My sister-in-law, Barbie and I were talking about stockings and what to do with them as our children grow up. Send them with? Keep filling them? Add more as the posterity grows? As we discussed the fact that it’s doubtful that I’ll end up having many grandchildren, I am thinking that when Liza and Buddy start having babes, I’ll make their family a set to keep here at our home and I will fill them each year. I’ll be the "Stocking Grammie"! I’m still working through the whole idea of how to make this fun but, I’m thinking that I have a few years before I need to worry about it since Liza and Buddy are in no hurry to begin their family.

Our stockings, traditionally, include a few "must haves" in each. Each year, everyone gets a new toothbrush. It’s a perfect gift because you need it anyway and with all of the fancy whistles and bells toothbrushes, it’s a fun gift! The toe always has an orange and the fillers stuffed throughout the stockings are everyone’s favorite miniature candy bars. Everyone usually gets a new CD, batteries to whatever toys await them under the tree, film (a thing of the past, this year), make-up, lotions, lip balms, smelly stuffs, gift certificates to the movies, places to eat and favorite stores and whatever else I find to fit in them! The guys usually get a tool or flashlight of some sort. Girls get bath and hair things. I LOVE stuffing stockings! Just writing about them makes me want to fill them tonight!

I have a stack of gift boxes in my scrapbook room, AKA Christmas Central. Each of these boxes has a number on it, the numbers are the birth order in our family. Each box holds the goods for the stockings until Christmas Eve. This way, I don’t have to sort them on Christmas Eve and wish that I’d bought a little more of this or that for one and a little less for another. Plus, it’s easy to place things in the boxes as soon as it comes home from the store and doesn’t end up getting lost until next July! On Christmas Eve, when I do stuff the stockings, it only takes a few minutes because the work was done ahead of time. It’s a good thing!

And my last rambling thought.... I want a "Cocomotion" machine like a coffee maker but for hot cocoa! I saw them last week and decided to wait. Today, Liza and I both mentioned at the same moment that we want one. Do you think we could find one? They are sold out since Saturday! I need two of them! That’s where I need to practice what I preach, "If you find something you like, BUY IT NOW! You can always return it but once it’s gone, it’s gone." Sadness. Will continue the pursuit! If I had bought it, I’d be heating up that steaming hot cup of cocoa right about now while I type.

That’s my ramblings tonight. What I love to hear is what’s in everyone else’s stockings? I’ve heard of some great traditions based solely around the stocking. What’s in yours?

Monday morning musings

Last night, I had serious blog fog. I think Survivor and our little finale party had too much of my attention. When I sat down to write my blog last night, I, literally fell asleep at the keyboard. I didn’t realize how tired I was! So, a few random thoughts this morning, before I do some quick cleaning and head to town to finish up the last of my Christmas shopping.

• Survivor finale: Great show, finale wrap-up was slightly boring. I fell asleep! But, the food and company (Liza and Buddy) we had was great!
• While we were out shopping, ZJ picked up a Santa Hat and thought that this would keep her ears warmer than her little pink Barbie hat.  Would you have said no to this request?  I couldn't!
• My printer started giving me fits this past week while I was trying to help a friend print out 48 pages of photos for her Christmas cards and daughters to hand out to friends. I ended up getting a new one, using my extended warrantee at Staples. (I’d never buy anything without one!) Because the cost of printers continues to go down in price, I got what I wanted, as well as a great refund certificate, which bought me the Adobe PSE 4.0 with a $20 rebate, meaning that I bought the program for less than $3 Bonus! I’m going to play tonight and am very excited about it!
• It’s been so cold here all week. When it gets this cold, there’s no chance of snow. Personally, I’m hoping for at least another foot or two by Christmas. But, I’m starting to worry! I love a white Christmas...and New Years... and January...and February...and March! LET IT SNOW!
• My son, Dale, called and said that he’s coming home for Christmas. I’ll believe it when I see him in the driveway but it’s something to think about anyway. He’s the one who lives in Northern California and is a "hippie" type. He’ll come with his two dogs and his vegetarian diet requests, so if he comes, there’s always those two little adjustments that we make in our lives while he visits. I love him to death but I’m just not sure what planet he’s from! It will be great to see him though!
• My mother called and told me that she is getting a new shitzu puppy - for me. Doug hasn’t said no but he’s still not excited about it. And he’s the one that does the animal care in our home, so he has to feel good about it. Liza and Buddy will bring it home when they are on their way back from their New Years Eve Disneyland trip. The babes can hardly contain themselves. Oops will not like it a bit. I’m trying to think of a name for the new possible addition to our family. IF we get him.
• This week is insane. Schedules show the signs of the fact that we are only two weeks from Christmas. Doug’s company party, family gathering, wedding reception, niece coming home from an LDS mission, tithing settlement, haircut appointments.... not to mention that it’s finale week on reality TV... Apprentice, Amazing Race, Martha... So much to do! So little time!
• My to shopping list for today includes: cross-country ski boots for Quayd, gifts for both of our moms, a few random items for Dale, one hard to find item for Buddy (he may be reading so I’m not telling!) A few stocking stuffers for Buddy and Liza.

My quote for the day: "Think, Reflect, Remember". I have it sitting on my desk as a reminder. Normally, it’s about memories. Today, it’s about what I’ve got to get done and not locking my keys in the van and remembering where my cell phone is!

Her best gift = Our favorite memory

It was an unexpected pleasure this weekend when an out of town friend came for a surprise "Girls’ night Out" sleepover! Doug held down the fort while we went out for dinner, shopped until 11:30pm, sat and gabbed until almost 3 in the morning!  Today, more gabbing, lunch with the babes at Chilis before she headed off for her three hour drive home on very little sleep!  A bonus to my holiday!

Another "dork moment" brought to you by Sophia.

While Doug and Quayd were swimming at the Rec Center this afternoon, the girls and I did a bit of Kohl’s shopping. (I do love that store!) As we loaded into the van to leave, I realized that I must have left my cellphone in one of those little black pushcarts inside the store. We raced back inside to find that the cart was long gone.  I asked a few shoppers then explained my dilemma to one group of six shoppers.   The older gentleman pulled his phone out and dialed my number.  We all immediately heard it ringing, not to mention the vibrations that I felt from my jeans pocket!  I’m so glad that I could be the entertainment committee today because the  sweet older man was still laughing as we walked back into the cold parking lot! Brother!

Last night, we spent some time looking at photos in my files on the computer.   Looking at last year’s Christmas brought to my mind and my heart my most favorite moment of many Christmas mornings! Normally, Christmas memories include bright-eyed little children and the discovery of Santa’s trail. However, for as long as I live, my memories of Liza’s last Christmas before her marriage to Buddy, will be among my favorite.

Liza moved into her own apartment during the summer of 2004 with 4 other great college girls. Their bare apartment was in need of everything from furniture to a shower curtain, dishes to decor! We’d given them a couch, a dining table, some of the basics. The girls were so appreciative of every little thing. However, Liza, very much unlike her mother in decorating is not at all into primitive and shabby chic. Liza is more of a contemporary gal...black, red, white, chrome.  So, we went about the summer shopping together, filling her apartment with essentials and on occasion, agreeing about something fun. During one of our shopping excursions, we came across the Sausalito Mail Center at Pier One. Liza fell in LOVE with this piece of furniture. She almost succumbed to the temptation of opening a charge account to buy it right then and there, but maintained her goal to not get into debt by walking away.  Over the next months, the mail center came up in the conversation many, many times.

During the holidays, I was completely thrown when Liza announced that Buddy had bought what we'd planned on giving her,  a TV and DVD player (since their marriage was already in the works). NOW, what?  It wasn’t until the week before Christmas, while walking through Pier One that the memory of the Sausalito Mail Center spoke loud and clear!  I was thrilled to remember "the perfect gift" for Liza, and even better... one that she would NEVER expect!Furniture? Perfect!

Fast Forward to Christmas morning:  Pier One goofed. The Mail Center had not yet arrived. So, I downloaded the photo of it from their website, put it inside a calendar envelope with a message written on it, "Merry Christmas, We love you! Mom & Dad."  On Christmas morning, her final gift (and in this family, the last gift is the best gift of all), she opened, completely clueless as to what this might be. Even when she recognized the photo, she didn’t capture that this was her gift. You can tell by the photos the EXACT second that she got it! Words are not needed here, as the photos tell the rest of the story. She cried. Doug and I cried. It was just the best moment!   Not that the gift was so elaborate or costly.  It was the simple fact that we'd gotten her something that she would never have asked for and had literally NEVER given thought to receiving!  The sweet memories were captured so vividly by the camera and will never be forgotten!

Almost a year later, Liza and Buddy are now in the first phases of building a townhouse. Their wedding registry at Pier One and many generous gifts included the Sausalito entertainment center, the ladder shelves, directors chairs, lamps, matching pillows.  Their first "real home" will be beautifully decorated with the collection of furniture that started with the magical moments seen in these photos!  

GIVE THE CAR!

Roll with me here for a moment. I really do have a point.

We’re Survivor fanatics. We count the days until the seasons begin. We take the phone off the hook at ten till seven on Thursday nights. We don’t miss a minute of each episode. We even rewatch it during the week to see all of the things that we missed the first time around. We love it. But, this week’s episode bothered me. REALLY bothered me. Not like it bothered me the week that Johnny Fairplay told the "my grandmother died" lie. Not even like Richard Hatch’s naked  pixelized body shots in both Borneo and Panama. This was a different irritant.

Last night, Cindy, one of the five remaining survivors, won the car. Jeff then reminded her, after her huge win, of the "curse of the car"... meaning that not one single survivor in all ten seasons that has won the car has ever won the million dollars. He then made her an offer. As four brand new SUVs paraded of the jungle in high gear, Jeff tells Cindy that she can either keep her own new car, or give these cars to each of the four remaining contestants (two of which, had never owned a car in their lives).

Watching it with the DVR, we stopped the show at that moment and asked each other, "What would you do?" There was no question in either of our minds. One car for me, or four others each have one. One. Four. Is there even a question about this? Of course not. We both agreed that we’d give the four their cars. We have a car . It works. It just seemed so blatantly obvious. Give the cars!

We turned the show back on and Cindy says, "I’m here to win. I’d love to give you all a car. BUT. (And it was a BIG BUT!) "I’m going to keep the car AND go for the million." Doug and I were STUNNED!! STUNNED, I tell you! She KEPT the car!?! She had an opportunity to help four people, to do some huge and generous! Even the other players agreed, there was not a doubt in their minds that she was going to give them the cars. Not only that, she would have almost been guarenteeing herself four votes if she made it to the final two. And anyone that has ever watched Survivor knows that it only takes four votes to win. This morning, Carol called to say, "Uh, how about Cindy giving away the million dollars last night?" This was exactly how we felt too. And Doug even speculated that Jeff would have probably said, "Well, since you gave them a car, we’ll just go ahead and give you yours too." We’ll never know on that one.

But, forget the cars! That’s not my point. Not at all. I just don’t get it. Doug and I discussed it t and I’ve thought about it now for 24 more hours. There’s a most valuable tidbit in life that could and does benefit all who abide by it. It’s called the "law of abundance". "What goes around, comes around." The golden rule. The more you give, the more you receive. As opposed to "poverty mentality", meaning, "I’d better get what I can while the gettin’s good." Me, Me, Me!

I really don’t get this. Not just Cindy but people everywhere who can’t see how much better it is to follow this "law". It is so amazingly obvious to me that for every time in my life, I’ve reached out or seen another reach out, life brings back to them rich blessings tenfold.

It’s the Christmas season. This is the time of the year that we tend to reach a little deeper into our pockets, to give a little more. In July, I always wish that we could have that great Holiday Spirit around all year long!

It’s not about gifts and giving the material things though. It’s things like letting someone in front of you in line because they only have three items and you have a cart full. It’s about holding doors open and checking behind you before letting them slam in someone’s face. It’s about not flipping off the person who just cut you off and saying I’m sorry when you pulled out in front of someone accidentally. We don’t all have opportunities in life to give away four cars in a day. We aren’t Oprah. We can’t give our favorite things to an audience of 300. We can say, "Can I help you with that?" when we see a young mother with her hands full trying to get into a heavy door. We can leave an extra dollar or two above what we normally tip. We can tell the cranky teller at the bank that her hair sure looks nice today or that we like her sweater. It won’t hurt us.

One of my most favorite "good things"... I paid for the meal of the person behind me in a drive-up window at Wendy’s. I was long gone before they got up to the window. I have no idea what they said or how they reacted. I only know how I have grinned and giggled about it to myself for years as I imagined their reaction. For all I know, they could have had far more money than I did. But, it had to have brightened their day. This wasn’t my original idea. I don’t think that I’m that kind or original. I did it because someone did it for me once. I remember how I felt!

Give generously. It’s only going to bring you blessings. Don’t give just to receive. Give to make someone else’s load a little lighter. There’s only one outcome from such behavior and that is.... a brighter day for yourself. You may not win the million dollars as a result of it. But, you can feel good in knowing that today, you brought a smile to someone’s face.  Bottom line: Whenever possible, GIVE THE CAR!

Holiday Scrapbooking

I appreciate all of the kind comments about our Christmas traditions and have loved reading so many others'!  I received several emails with questions regarding the article about the holiday scrapbook  that I mentioned.  The magazine mentioned was Scrapbook Trends.  This was the last of my work for the magazine, where I've spent six and a half years working as a designer, writer and Contributing Editor.  Since I was asked, I'll share the article about the scrapbook  on my blog today.   (I didn't even have to think about what to write today!  Bonus!  Thanks again! )

Remember that this was an article in a magazine and it is LONNNNNNG! sorry!

The holidays are upon us! As the song goes, "It’s the most wonderful time of the year!". On Christmas Day in 1976, I boarded an plane at the Miami International Airport with a one way ticket to come to Utah and meet my husband’s family before we married. One huge surprise was immediately obvious - the way our families celebrated the holidays were world’s apart! I was stunned to find that they didn’t know the words to "I saw Mommy kissing Santa Claus" and they couldn’t believe that I’d never tasted a pine nut. And those were just the beginnings of many, many differences! One thing is for certain, every family has it’s own holiday happenings and events and to that family, those happenings are considered "THE" way to celebrate! How does your family celebrate the holidays?

This year, I decided to put my own scrapbooking talents to work creating a gift for myself and my family, to begin a new holiday tradition - displaying our own "Tis the Season at the Corbridge’s" Album. This album offers an opportunity to revisit old Holidays, to recognize traditions that are significant to our family and to share those special holiday happenings with those who enter our home during the season! It will become a part of our holiday decor, open for all who enter to enjoy!

I opted to use a 12" x 12" album, just to allow myself the room for sharing more stories and details and to be able to add to it in the years to come. The next step was to decide what I wanted to include in this album. I decided to create a layout for each day of Christmas... sort of an advent scrapbook! You may want to add or change a few to suit your own needs, but these are the topics scrapped in my own holiday album.

• Traditions
- What are the unique traditions of your holiday seasons... the things that, if they didn’t happen, would not feel like the holidays? One of the non-traditional things, at the Corbridge home, each Christmas Day is a hike up the canyon after brunch. Does your family have any "out of the ordinary" traditions? How did they come to be?  (Doug and Dale have done this several times and have started taking the babes.  Notice that I didn't mention it yesterday in my traditions... that's because I'm usually taking a nap or playing games with Liza!  I completely spaced that little tradition yesterday!  So, correction:  We stay in our PJs, except for those that go on this short winter hike to burn off a few calories!)
• People - Who are the people that make your holidays special? Are there people that you see each year during the holidays but at no other time of the year? Are there people in your life that have always been a special part of your holidays? Why? Do you receive holiday greeting cards from old friends? A layout sharing those photos could be included in your album, wish some feelings about the old friends or the relationship.
• Santa - We love our annual visit to the mall to see Santa because he has been a good friend for decades. Our big kids knew that Gary was Santa but the younger ones don’t. They are fascinated that Santa knows everything on their lists before they even get a chance to tell him! Could that possibly be because Santa and Mommy have a very detailed phone call the night before we visit the mall!? Are your children frightened by Santa? Excited? Do you take your own photos or pay the cute little elf at the mall to do her job?
• Thanksgiving - the "official starting line" for the holidays. Thanksgiving is one of those days that can easily be forgotten because we are so busy in the kitchen, preparing meals or traveling over the river and through the woods to Grandmother’s house. What are the things that make your Thanksgiving special year after year? Who cooks the turkey? Stuffing inside or outside the turkey? Giblets or not? Pumpkin pies from scratch or the bakery?
• Holiday decorating - We’ve always decorated as a family activity on Thanksgiving afternoon. Last year, our daughter, Liza had moved into her own apartment. I decided to surprise everyone completing the holiday decorating myself, a few days early so that we’d be free to do relax together on Thanksgiving afternoon. When Liza arrived at our already festive home, she burst into tears because she’d not been a part of the traditional decorating. Until then, I had not realized how much it had meant to her! I do now! What are the decorating traditions in your family? Do you have certain ornaments that have their own special spot on the tree? Do you have more than one theme tree? Are there special dishes or china that are only used for the holidays? What are the stories behind them? Is there a routine to your decorating?
• Activities - From mid-November until New Years’ Day, there are events that occur only at this, the busiest time of the year! Recitals, performances, concerts... whether those of your children or your favorite performers. Do these events complete your holidays? Even favorite TV shows that air during the holidays? Must do activities that can’t be missed? Scrap them! Shopping - Are you a Black Friday shopper? Do you shop all year long? Do you buy and wrap? Buy and hide? Ever found a gift after Christmas? Do you have stories that are told year after year about the gift "that got away"?
• Charities and Sharing the Spirit - Do you create fun neighbor gifts or purchase them? Do you look forward to being Secret Santa to a family in need or donate time or energy at a local soup kitchen or charitable organization. These feel good activities of the holiday teach valuable lessons and have significant meaning to your family. Don’t let these opportunities to teach the true meaning of Christmas pass without remembering them in your scrapbooks.
• Childhood memories - Memories of Christmas past should not be forgotten. Your Holiday album can keep those memories alive. They may include recent Holiday memories or capture the experiences that have made your present holidays what they are today!
• Calendars - Though history often repeats itself during this busy season, year after year, scrap last year’s calendar, so that you can look back and revisit events and activities of the past!
• Menus & Recipes - In our home, more important than the turkey at Thanksgiving dinner, is the Cranberry Salad and Mom’s Raw Apple Cake. On Christmas and New Years Eve, the dinner menu may change but it always includes Pretzel Salad. Those are our three holiday favorites. We may prepare these dishes at other times of the year but the holiday meals wouldn’t be complete without them. What are the tastes of your season?
• Welcoming in the holidays - Are there traditional things that "set off your holidays"? For us, bringing out the big plastic bins labeled "Snowmen, Nativities, Upstairs tree, Kids tree, Downstairs tree, Holiday Kitchen..." means the beginning of the season. Advent Calendars are another "welcome mat" for the holidays. What are the tell-tale signs of the holidays at your home? Photograph these symbols of the season and share why they are so special.
• Do you hear what I hear? There is a moment at our home that says "Christmas is OFFICIAL!" That moment is the sound of Mannheim Steamroller trumpets on the Fresh Aire Christmas CD after Thanksgiving dinner. We are dashing through the season from that moment on! What are the sounds of your season?
• Holiday Scents - Do you think of the holidays and just smell the Wassail warming on the stove filling the air with cinnamon and citrus? Does the mention of pumpkin pie have you smelling the cinnamon? Imagine your grandchildren turning the pages of your holiday album, years from now, as those same scents fill the air of their holiday homes! What are the scents that you associate with the holidays? Don’t leave out such an important part of the holidays!
• Gifts to remember -A great pocket page idea! Interview your family about their all-time favorite gifts? You may be surprised to hear their answers. These answers may change over the years. Date each list and add it to the pocket year after year.
• Differences - As I mentioned earlier, when two families join to become one, you are bound to find different expectations of what the holidays should offer. Noting these differences and accounting for the resolve between the two is what makes your own family traditions unique. These differences can bring humor, as well as history to your holidays!
• Places - One of the highlights of the holidays for us is the lights on Temple Square in Salt Lake City. No matter how cold or wet we get, the hundreds of thousands of lights, candles and luminaries never cease to fascinate us. Over the years, we’ve also created a travel route to see certain homes decorated to the nines! These sights are a must! Do you go to Grandma’s for Thanksgiving? Do you alternate families or locations for the holidays. Make a point of noting the details. How did these rituals begin?
• Books - When I was a child, we read "The night before Christmas." Period. Today, bookstores are filled with books for every holiday, especially Thanksgiving and Christmas. What are your favorites? Do you display them in your home or keep them on the shelf? Who reads them? Do you read aloud each night or leave them out for everyone’s enjoyment.
• Movies - I remember watching Miracle on 34^th Street and a few others, as a child. Today, our choices for holiday movies are endless. What are your favorites? Another great chance to journal some facts! Interview everyone. Create pockets for each family member’s favorites and why!
• Cards and Brag letters - Another great pocket page layout or you could collectively create an album all of it’s own, including your own holiday cards, handmade or from the cardshop, along with your annual family newsletter, if you send one. Include a postage stamp and the envelope to commemorate a little more holiday "history".
• Parties and gatherings - Whether your holidays include office parties, family and friend gatherings, these celebrations often bring moments to be remembered. Cookie exchanges, card exchanges, neighborhood gatherings all fill of our holidays. Share the details, your favorites and least favorites and why!
• Games - Each year at our extended family holiday party, we play the popular gift exchange game where gifts are opened then "stolen" up to three times before it becomes "out of play". Which games or activities are unique to your holidays? The "Gratitude Game" is a must to play on Thanksgiving day! Make note of the rules of these games, how your family plays them. Take some pictures, if you haven’t already and include these in your album!
• New Years - By December 31, many people put the cameras away. Not a scrapper! Don’t exclude two of the most celebrated days of the year. Do you celebrate quietly at home or with friends and family? Is it a dressy affair or do you celebrate in jammies? Big meals or leftovers? We traditionally go to a movie on New Years Day. Others take down their holiday decorations. Some just want to sleep! No matter how you enjoy it, it’s worth recording!
• Family portraits - A lot of families have portraits taken for the holidays to include in their cards,  to give as gifts or simply because of convenience that family is gathered. Scrapping your family portraits is a wonderful addition to this album. Add additional portraits in the future. It will be a great place to see the changes in family members, to note additions to the family, as well as losses. What better place to celebrate the family!

This is an album to be displayed in our home over the holidays for years to come. The intent is to continue to update the album each year with more photos and layouts and to make this album a tradition of it’s own. It’s sure to hold a special place in your own holidays! HAPPY SCRAPPING and MERRY MEMORIES!

Corbridge Christmas Traditions

Last fall, I created a scrapbook all about our family’s holiday traditions. It’s placed in the living room near the tree, just waiting to be opened! This album is filled with photos and tons of detailed journaling! (Imagine that!) My intent was to have looking through this holiday album become a tradition in itself! My last article in the magazine was all about this album and I couldn’t have been more pleased to end on this note. I look forward to adding to the album in years to come. I have to admit that I anticipate our holiday traditions more than the babes do the opening of the presents! Here’s some details of our Corbridge Christmas traditions:

• December mornings begin with moving the advent calendars, filled with candy and treats before breakfast... how could you not love that as a babe? Keeping up is simple because the babes won’t let me forget it!
• Each evening, we spend time by one of the trees playing games, reading stories or both. The lights and Christmas music in playing in the background makes the room warm and cozy. It’s not the same with the regular lights on!
• Twenty years ago, I made a special candle holder that has 12 candle cups on a circular base. Each year, I place12 white tapered candles in the cups. On the 12^th of December, we light one candle at dinner and eat by the candlelight. (It’s not very bright!) On the 13^th, we light two. Each night, we light one more candle. By Christmas Eve, with the light of 12 candles, the room is plenty bright (and warm). Each night, we discuss the star that would shine so bright that the entire world could see it, the shepherds could follow it to the baby Jesus, the significance of the light of Christ in our lives. Each night, a different topic regarding light and Christ. By the last night, the first candle lit is usually only an inch or two tall and the rest step up to the newly lit candle. This spiraling circle of light is a favorite tradition for our big kids. We retired this tradition a few years ago when Liza, the only child still at home, worked nights. The babes were too young to participate. This year, we bring out the candles again as the babes are old enough to understand and join in the discussions! I hope that it’s as meaningful as it was the first time around.
• Each year, we select a family to do something special for and never reveal ourselves as the givers. Over the years, we’ve left live trees decorated in ribbons and bows, meals in a basket, treats of all sorts, family night baskets complete with a movie, treats, popcorn and pop. The biggest thrill of it all is the actual ring the doorbell and run or call from the van from around the corner to say, "Open your front door! Merry Christmas!"
• We usually open one gift on Christmas Eve morning - a game or new movie, just to help occupy antsy children throughout the day!
• On Christmas Eve, after our candlelight dinner, we gather in the living room for Doug to share the story of the birth of the Savior, usually lasting about 3-5 minutes and then, each year we rotate, someone places the baby Jesus into our first Nativity. It’s been a tradition since the year that Dale had just turned 1 and Doug’s mother gave us our first Nativity. (We call it the Chocolate Nativity because many people have asked if it is!) After the Nativity, we open one gift, which is always new Jammies. Santa’s bells are usually heard outside about that time, meaning, "HURRY to sleep so he doesn’t have to come back!"
• We leave cookies and milk for Santa and he usually leaves a little behind.
• On Christmas morning, the first person awake, no matter how early it is, starts calling out loud, "Merry Christmas!" until everyone is up. Hair is brushed and then everyone waits at the bottom of the stairs together while I turn on Mannheim Steamroller, the Christmas lights and get the cameras ready. Everyone walks up the stairs together with the camera flashing every step of the way.
• We all open our stockings at the same time.   (Stockings are a whole other blog entry!)
• Presents are opened one at a time, taking turns from the youngest to the oldest. Everyone has the same number of gifts (or is supposed to).  I do not use gift tags on most gifts. Each gift is numbered on the tape on the back seam of each gift. I keep the numbered list in my planner. Doug removes them from under the tree,one at a time, as I check who it belongs to. (Every year, at least one gift gets opened by the wrong person because I wrote down the wrong number. I’ve already listed one gift twice this year, so something is not recorded!)  Until Christmas morning, everyone leaves the gifts under the tree alone because no one knows who’s is who’s. Up until Christmas morning, they guess and pick which gifts are theirs.  Everyone is always certain that the biggest belongs to them! On Christmas morning, it’s fun to see and hear the expressions of "I knew this one was mine!"
• Santa only brings one or two items (usually the impossible to wrap) and fills the stockings. The most wanted and best gift is always the last gift that gets opened. A couple of reasons.... 1) selfishly, Doug and I get to be the hero instead of the bearded man in the red suit... 2) It’s much more fun to keep the anticipation and excitement up until the very end! 3) Opened at the end, they can take as long as they want to examine and play and discover every detail because no one else is waiting for their turn.
• We stay in our jammies all day long, have our tradition brunch and watch movies, nap and play the rest of the day. The meal is prepared  and the table is set with the fun Christmas dishes the night before, so that we only heat and serve in the morning.)
• Leftovers, relish trays, cheese balls, partyfood from the Christmas Eve feast are ready for snacking and munching all day long.  Moms shouldn’t have to spend Christmas day in the kitchen!

That’s our holiday traditions. My own quote:  "Traditions are the magic of Christmas!" 

The Good, the Bad and the U-G-L-Y!

This day brought far more than I had planned on!  Here's a rundown: 

• The GOOD: Six inches of fresh snow. Beautiful!
• The BAD: Gracie woke up and got into bed with us at 5AM, barking and coughing up a storm. Doug called from work after an hour to ask me to schedule an appointment with the doctor. We’re all sick. I sound like Kathleen Turner with croup. My skin hurts. UCK.
• The UGLY: Warning: This dog is THE ugliest dog in the world. Liza called and said, "Look up this link."   I did. I was seriously scared.
• The GOOD: Was barely up to setting the table for dinner. Ordered Pizza Hut delivery. The doorbell rings during dinner. A friend bringing soup and rolls for tomorrow night. Tender mercy, for sure.
• The BAD: Took Quayd to the dentist today in the snowstorm. On our way home, a guy comes flying down the hill in his SUV, running the stop sign completely (he didn’t even slow down) and whips out in front of us and comes to a complete stop in front of me. I’m tapping the brakes, sliding, tapping, sliding, tapping, screaming, babes screaming as we are getting closer, sliding, screaming "Move! MOVE! MOVE!" , S-L-A-M. The air bag did not go off, thankfully. (Later, I wondered why because it was definitely a jolting hit.) The man starts to drive away and I get out of the van, raising my arms in the air, like "Dude??? What are you thinking??" He gets out and says, "I COULDN’T STOP!" I say, "I see, but why didn’t you keep moving??" He looks at the van and literally says, "Everything looks okay." , gets into his SUV and takes off. I get his license number and drive, shaking in my boots (literally), two blocks to the police station to report the accident. We’re okay. The van is okay. But, it scared the bejeebers out of all of us. Quayd said, "Mom, we should say a prayer. I’m thankful we didn’t get hurt." So, we pulled of the road and he did just that!
• The UGLY: I’m going to have nightmares, as it is, from that dog.
• The GOOD: The horses across the road were playing, kicking, jumping and just having a  ball in the snow today. When I pulled out the camera, they stopped to eat. I love these horses.
• The BAD: It’s getting COLD! As in high of 15̊ and low of MINUS 3̊. Please pass more snow. Please pass above zero temps!
• The UGLY:You'd really trust me for another ugly?
• The GOOD: We have heat! And blankets! And hot cocoa! And bread.for toast! A yummy discovery shared by a friend two years ago, Buttered Toast dipped in Hot Cocoa! Try it, you’ll like it!

A Quick and Easy for the holidays...

Hawaiian Haystacks

There’s not much to it. It’s a no brainer and it doesn’t get much easier! Here’s what you need: 

• Cooked Chicken or Turkey, chopped ( I use about 2 cups)
• Large Can of Cream of Chicken Soup, diluted with half to 3/4 can of milk
• Curry powder, add to taste. (We add about 3 tablespoons. If you aren’t a curry lover, don’t use it, but we LOVE it! )
• Cooked Rice (about 1 cup per person)
• Chopped celery
• Chopped fresh tomatoes
• Crunchy chow mein noodles
• Shredded Cheese
• Raisins
• Drained Pineapple Tidbits
• Shredded Coconut
• Sliced Water Chestnuts
• Chopped Green Onions
• Sliced Almonds

Mix the chicken, curry powder, soup and milk.  Heat to serve.   Pour over hot rice, then let everyone add the toppings of choice for a tasty meal!  Serve with fresh rolls!  It's a favorite in our home!

That’s it for today. Definitely not the day  that I had anticipated, but, we are all safe and sound, warm and happy. Colds and flus pass, vans can be replaced.   We are all safe and All is well. That’s all that really matters!

Quote for the day:   "Instead of saying that man is the creature of circumstance, it would be nearer the mark to say that man is the architect of circumstance."

Bridges to my Life

This is so not what I’d planned on writing about today. Nothing festive or holiday about this entry at all, other than the photo which I share. I’ve even debated started over and saving this for my own personal journal. But, I’m certain that everyone who reads this blog entry will also have these "Bridges" that I speak of today.

I only caught the beginning of Oprah today as she introduced the women that have been a "bridge" to her life. Oprah hosted Dr. Maya Angelou, Diana Ross, Cicely Tyson and her distinguished list went on. All afternoon, I’ve been thinking about those women that have been a "bridge" in my own life. My list is not of those famous and renowned, but of those who are accomplished. This entry may not be meaningful to some, but for me, these are the women who have had a part in molding me into who I am today.

• Mildred.

To me, she was Sister Gay, mother of six great kids, who adopted me into her home by default, as I dated three of her four sons. Her husband’s biggest nightmare was that I would end up marrying one of them. I always knew that he was teasing me when he expressed those concerns (quite openly, I might add) but Sister Gay always made me feel that she would love having me as a daughter-in-law. She was positive and encouraging and supported me, no matter what, as a somewhat wild and young convert to the LDS church. Sister Gay brightened the room when she walked in. She was strong in faith, strong in body, strong in spirit. Were it not for her wonderful example, I’m not sure that I would be where I am today.

Susan. Susan is ten years older than I. She is the epitome of "propriety". She lives a very "letter of the law" life, but she lives life and loves it. Over the years, we maintained a beautiful friendship and decided that we truly were kindred spirits. It was Susan that taught me about manners, hostess gifts, proper thank yous, etiquette and the likes, all learned from her mother, who was a "Martha Stewart" back when Martha was still playing dolls. 25 years later, we pick up the phone after months of not talking and just pick right up where we left off. We’ve grown apart in recent years because of proximity and time, but, for more than two decades, our gift of friendship was and still is unique and wonderful.

Sarah. Sarah and I met at that time in my first round at parenting when all was "perfect", or so I thought. She was widowed during the pregnancy of her fifth child and years later married her high school sweetheart. Sarah was the queen of domesticity. She was frugal, she was wise, she has a heart of gold. She, too, was older than myself but I followed her around like a puppy dog, lapping up and thirsting for any knowledge that she would dangle my way. We still see each other and play catchup every couple of years, but she will always be one of the bridges to who I am today.

Toni. Tears fill my eyes as I type her name. Toni and I met at the lowest point in my life and became instant friends. She was an example of perfection as a mother, as a wife, as a friend to me. Toni had six children and a live-in mother, who took care of all of the cooking and cleaning, so that Toni could focus on her children’s lives. She was their best friend. We were as opposite as day and night. She was reserved, focused and dedicated. I was outgoing, struggling to find myself and always ready to play. Her mother said that we were good for each other. She tamed my sanguine spirit and I taught her how to loosen up a bit. But, most of all, Toni did what was right because she wanted to. Being faithful and obedient came naturally to Toni. We lived back east for just over 2 years and to this day, I’ll never doubt that she was the angel sent to carry me through that t the most difficult time of my life. We laughed, we cried, we played, we worked together. I honestly can say that I never saw one single flaw in her character. Three months after we moved home to Utah, Toni and her mother were killed, instantly, in a horrific car accident. This was one of the hardest days of my life. When I spoke with her husband that next morning, his words to me were, "Be of good cheer, my friend. If we believe what we profess to believe, we have no cause to mourn." And that is how Toni would have had it. It’s been twelve years since her death. I miss her today, as much as I did that cold March morning when I received the news of her death. Today, even still, Toni lives in my mind and close to my heart, and by her example, she guides me still, like a guardian angel.

Aunt Charlene. Doug has been blessed with THE most remarkable women I’ve ever known, as his aunts. They are all truly my heroes. But, I had a unique relationship with Aunt Charlene. When we were first married, I lived on the ranch and spent time getting to know Aunt Charlene in a way that I will be eternally grateful. Aunt Charlene taught me about being a farmer/rancher’s wife. She was elegant and feminine, poised and charming. She was such a lady. And yet she knew how to work and work hard... and to not complain. She was a delight to follow. Her testimony was strong. She taught the adult Sunday School for years and her knowledge was immense. Such an example. Someone who I definitely aspire to follow.

My grandmother. I’ve written of her many times and won’t go into details in this entry, but suffice it to say that I feel that my love of the south and much of my creativity was a direct inheritance from my Grannie.

My mother. Also, I’ve written much about my mother. Her personality is stronger than mine, but I know that I get much of my own from her. Her strength and determination, having been orphaned at 12 years old, were almost natural and I hope to always continue to develop those attributes. Her lifestyle may not be similar in many ways to mine  today, but she is truly an example to me.

There are many others. Friends, relatives, those who possibly will never know how they have touched my life. These are the women who have been bridges throughout my life, influencing me, molding me, shaping me into who I am today. I hope to carry a part of each of them with me wherever I go and hope that others would recognize their handiwork in me.

Wendy’s "About Yourself " challenge

This past week has been insanely busy. I’ve neglected my manners in responding to comments, in visiting the blogs that I usually pop by each day and in thanking everyone for the sweet comments on my blog, as well as, responding to email!  It’s not because intentional. Life just dished out quite a bit this past few days!  Please forgive my poor manners!

Details about me:

Sophia
Nicknames: "Soph" to those closest to me, "Babe" to Doug, "Ofee" to my brother and my daughter, Liza, "Mommy" to the babes, "Sister C." to the youth in the church.
Age: 47 and counting!
Born: Baltimore, MD, but was raised as a Southern Girl in North Carolina and teen in Florida
I now live: north of Logan Utah
Children: Dale - 27, Kelly - 25, Liza - 22: and then three that I didn't have to deliver but do get to raise: Quayd - 8, Gracie - almost 7 and ZJ - 4
Favorite Holiday tradition: Our Christmas Eve candlelight dinner with family and friends, on occasion. The menu always includes Pretzel Salad and Homemade Rolls, Apple Cake and Cheese Cake. The entree changes from Pork Roast to Chicken Enchiladas... just depends on my mood and who’s coming for dinner. But, no matter what we eat, the table is set with Grannie’s china, candlelight and some fun new table decorations.
Started scrapping: 1983 and then safely in 1990-91
I have been published: I’ve not added it up in over a year, but at this point, about 1000 times published (considering about 20 pages, cards, tags, and articles in almost each issue and then idea books too, for six and a half years) with 98% of them in Scrapbook Trends and Ivy Cottage Creations, the rest in PaperKuts and a few miscellaneous product line idea books.
Favorite food: Anything with Cream Cheese. Hawaiian Haystacks, Sweet Pork Burritos
Favorite snack: Movie Popcorn and Reeses Peanut-butter cups

Other tidbits about myself

: Journaling is my passion. I want to skydive one day. I parasailed over the Pacific Ocean. I love Public Speaking and teaching. I’m almost 5'3" tall. I cry at the drop of a hat. My favorite TV show is Survivor. I dream about MMM-MMM-Matthew McConaughey. I am baking right now - my body, that is, not my oven. Speaking of which, I had a hysterectomy at age 28. I love my handwriting. I hate going to the Post Office. I have OCD about germs, especially touching things like doorknobs! I have an awful singing voice but love to sing along with any music. My family turns off the radio when I do. I’m sleepy.

Three pix of me:    My birthday, Liza's wedding, ZJ and me up the canyon

Quayd’s baptism.

What a wonderful day. Joined by family and friends, Quayd was one happy boy! He impressed us all with his appreciation and gratitude for those that came. When I’d tried to "prime" him for today, he stopped me and said, "Wait. Mom. I. Know." And then he went on to explain to me that he would say "Hi. Thank you for coming to my baptism." And that he did. He made his way around the room, like a politician, giving hugs, shaking hands and thanking everyone for coming. He wasn’t at all nervous about any of it! His self-confidence pleases me. He is a very young eight and with Quayd, you never know what to expect!

He surprised us all when he volunteered to lead the music  for the closing hymn. (The music leader had left earlier.) Everyone chuckled. Someone asked, "Does he know how?" I said, "He’s watched and does it during our Family Home Evening." But, in a public meeting, it’s usually an adult with musical experience! Quayd jumped up in front of a room full of adults, aunts, uncles, grandparents and cousins and led the music. At the end of each verse of "I am a Child of God", he did this animated wind up with both hands, just like he was the maestro at Carnegie Hall, which brought laughs from everyone! It was hysterical, but, I was most pleased that he has the self-confidence to not even give it a second thought!

Brunch. Oh my. Every home that we have ever owned has had a large family room and my only regret with this home is that it was not built for entertaining large groups The thought of kids eating all over the house has meant high stress event for this obsessive-compulsive soul! I determined yesterday that the kids would spill and, as Doug teases, I’d still be alive. So, with that in mind, we rolled out the welcome mat. All throughout the house, we visited, we ate, we laughed and we loved. I love this day!

The menu worked out just right. Scrambled Eggs with Sausage or Ham, both smothered in cheese. ( We prepared at the last minute in the dutch ovens and everything else was ready and warm in the oven or crockpot.) Country Gravy with Sausage to go over the Hash Browns, Pumpkin Muffins, Danish Pastries, Fresh Fruit Salad tossed in Strawberry Yogurt, Apple and Orange Juice. Simple. Filling. Tasty. And there was even enough to send some home with others. Martha would have been proud!

Quayd received some very special gifts, including some Boy Scout items, some cash, a journal and from Doug and I, a set of his very own scriptures, which he hardly put down the rest of the day. He really does have a sweet little spirit, this boy. He’s so excited and enthusiastic about doing what’s right. It’s part of what makes him so lovable!

The company was gone and we were off immediately to the church for the Cub Scout Pack Meeting for a horse-driven hayride, caroling to some of the elderly in our neighborhood. About two stops into our journey, the snow started to fall and it came down in sheets! I don’t think that anyone noticed at all because we were having so much fun!

The rest of the day was spent enjoying the fact that Doug was home with the family, napping and just taking it easy. The highlight of the day came as we were winding down to put the babes to bed. Quayd and I had our nightly little ritual o f playing Mancala under the lights of the Christmas tree. Doug read a Christmas story to the girls. Finally, Quayd pulled out his new scriptures and chose what he would share tomorrow in his Primary Sharing Time. (Sunday School for the LDS children.) I suggested something that I knew he would be familiar with. He said, "No, I want to read about when Jesus was baptized." This touched my heart.

I’ve walked around on a cloud all day. This day could not have been any more perfect. It was absolutely flawless! As the day came to a close, I had this impression...While this day was a celebration of a little boy who’s making good choices in his life, who’s growing and who is just as precious as can be, it was far more. This was day given to serving each other. From those who sacrificed their early Saturday morning at this busy time of the year to show support to a little boy on his special day... to families who didn’t let a blizzard stop them from spreading some sunshine...to my own much needed reminder that "People are more important than things" brought about by preparing the festivities of the day for family and friends. Even our quiet time tonight reminded me that something as simple as reading to a child is a service. I love knowing that the small acts of service bring us the greatest pleasures and joy in life!  Enough said.

"Great opportunities to help others seldom come, but small ones surround us daily.

"

the Scoop

Today’s entry was going to be short and sweet!

I am probably a fool to admit this but it’s just such a classic example of what I’m talking about when I say that I’m only organized because if I weren’t I’d be lost! Today.... I locked the keys in the van. TWICE. Carol, ZJ and I met for lunch and a bit of shopping. Then, we parted and ZJ and I walked over to Sam’s Club. When I got the shopping cart to the edge of Sam’s parking lot, which is adjacent to the Book Store parking lot, I walked up the hill, opened to van and got ZJ inside so that she wasn’t wandering in the parking lot, not to mention leaning on salty snowed on dirty cars. I made a few trips up and down the little hill (about fifteen feet), loading the van and trying not to let ZJ notice what I’d bought. She’d tell it all, for sure!) After getting everything situated, I helped her back out of the van and closed the side door, only to notice my planner, my wallet and my keys lying on the front seat, where I’d put them down while I unloaded.

Now, this isn’t the first time I’ve done this. We have emergency road service on our insurance for a reason AND Doug keeps a lock box under the van for me to try before calling the locksmith, who literally knows my voice on the phone. Let’s just say that it’s happened before. So, in the slushy wet salty parking lot, I, daintily, knelt down and to try reaching under for the key to no avail. I did, however, manage to get my hands very dirty! (Remember, I have the clean hand OCD! Eeewwwww!) A very nice looking man in his fifties walks by in jeans and a sweatshirt (construction guy, I’d bet) and I asked if he was in a hurry. He lays down in the muck and crawls right under the van, grabs the key and is just as pleasant (and wet) as could be! I thanked him and we both went our merry ways.

I’ll spare the details of the second time later in the afternoon while Doug was with me! This time, Doug ran into a neighbor who was just leaving the store who offered him a ride home. Doug drove back in his car to bring me my keys. Like I say, this isn’t the first time. I do love that I’m married to this most patient man! The best thing was that we didn’t have to call the locksmith either time!   Enough said.

A few random thoughts....

• Forty-two. That would be forty-two people coming for brunch tomorrow morning after Quayd’s baptism. LDS baptize their children at the age of 8. He is SOOOOOO excited! Will share more about that tomorrow, I’m sure. But, in the meantime, I’ve spent the day preparing the house, the food, the babes for all of this company and excitement!
• I found a new grey hair today. That makes six. I’ve not named it yet for certain but I’m leaning towards "MB". I have my reasons and it’s definitely appropriate. Will continue to ponder this serious matter for a few days before committing this hair to that name for life. My mother’s hair is still it’s natural blue-black and my Grannie’s never did go totally grey either. I may be able to keep naming them for, at least, another ten years.
• Why in the world didn't they just make a box set of all six Star Wars DVDs?  grrrrr.

Here’s what I’d thought about blogging all day long. Short and sweet because I still have food to prepare, one bathroom remaining to clean and I have to relocate Christmas Central from my scrapbook room to the storage room before my house is filled with bodies, including curious little cousins.

My thoughts today were of my holiday reads! I’m sure that everyone has their own personal list of favorite books that they must read for the holidays. As a child, I remember Mom reading to us, every year, and then helping me memorize, "The Night before Christmas."  Our personal favorite today is "The littlest Angel." I love this book!  I still cry every time I read it!  I thought I’d just share a list of our favorites and would love to hear other’s lists too, since you can never read too many good books!

Our personal favorite Christmas books:

• The Littlest Angel by Tazewell Micich
• The Mitten by Jan Brett
• The Gift of the Magi
• You are Special by Max Lucado
• The Forgotten Carols by Michael McLean
• The Christmas Box by Richard Evans
• The Trouble with Trolls by Jan Brett
• Mr. Finnegan’s Giving Chest by Dan Farr
• and the talked about book that I can’t wait to read this year....  Christmas Jars by Jason Wright

I l ove this quote I found today...."It’s Christmas in the heart that puts Christmas in the air."

Five things that made me smile this week...

Tawnya tagged me and I discovered her tag right as I was about to start my own entry for the day, so she’s given me something fun to think about! Blog tag is just the perfect Rx for blog fog!

1.  We call it our "Snowmometer".  Here’s what we woke up to this morning.   Well, actually, it was the sound of snowplow, but either way, this beautiful white stuff is what said "Happy December!" I love it! Never can I get enough of it! And it’s a good thing because the forecast is for the next five days MORE snow!! Gracie did a happy dance as she came up the stairs to discover our winter wonderland. ZJ and I shoveled the walks and driveway together this afternoon just for the fun of it. I think I’ve held a snow shovel three other times in my life. We spent over an hour out in the snow just having fun. And then Doug was pleasantly surprised to not have to come home to the task. Bring on the white stuff!!

2.  It’s December 1. Well, actually, by the time I post this,  it’s December 2, but this is one of the most exciting days of the holidays for the babes because we begin using our advent calendars! From our little magnetic advent to the large felt mitten advent, that has a treat inside each morning, the count-down begins and the anticipation grows with each day!  Christmas is coming!  Crank up the music a little louder please!

3.  These sweet Kisses have become my new most favorite candies in the entire world!  Cherry Cordial in the middle without the mess!  Peanutbutter that's as light as can be. And here’s a huge reason that I love them so much. They make me accountable. If I were just reaching in and popping them like M&Ms, I’d have no clue of how many I’d eaten until I reached in to an empty bag before noticing that they were gone. With these, I have to "earn" each one by unwrapping it and then making a tinfoil ball with the wrapper. And each time I eat another one in the same sitting, I wrap that wrapper around the last 12. So, when my ball is getting to be about the size of a tennis ball, I am usually thinking that it’s time to stop. The way I see it, all the unwrapping and forming of the tinfoil ball burns off any calories accumulated while eating them. Thank you Hershey for figuring it all out so well!

4.  This photo, which I know that I’ve already shared but I loved it so much that I keep opening my blog to look at it again and again. Now, I won’t have to scroll down to look at it today! It’s not the presents under the tree, it’s the presence under the tree!!

5.  This family! I’ve been so blessed with six beautiful children and the sweetest man I’ve ever met! My happiest thought of this week came tonight at the dinner table. I was telling Doug what a good girl ZJ had been today. (She is my test because she is so curious about everything that it often places her in predicaments that a less "driven" child would never find themselves in.) I pointed out that she’d helped me shovel, she’d played right there by me when I dozed off in my rocker for a few minutes this morning and asked "Mommy, was I very quiet so you could take a nap?" She was such a good girl while we were out shopping. As I praised her loudly, I noticed Gracie, who teases ZJ far more that this mama cares for. Gracie was grinning from ear to ear and giving ZJ a big thumbs up! I LOVE when Love is Spoken Here!

A thought for the day: The one thing greater than being happy is helping another be happy too!

Thanks for the tag, Tawnya! I’ll enjoy sleeping on these thoughts!  And who to tag?  Hmmmm.

Sherry and Lisa , you are it!

A few latenight ramblings...

I’m exhausted from a long day of chasing and running. This is one of those weeks where our calendar is filled with happenings of major proportion every single day! Tonight was no exception. Tonight, we attended a beautiful performance called "The Forgotten Carols". We laughed, we cried, our hearts were touched deeply with this beautiful story that, if compared, would be the tale of nurse, reminiscent of Ebenezer Scrooge, complete with music that is unforgettable. (No pun intended.) This book and CD make an incredibly touching gift for anyone during the holidays. The story is filled with emotion and the music... well, it’s priceless. Loved the story. Love Michael McLean and his amazing performance. Love the feeling that I had as I walked away. This was the third year that I’ve seen it and it just gets better with age. A wonderful experience and the perfect way to get my mind into the "reason for the season". I highly recommend this CD to anyone who loves Christmas music!

This morning, when I got the babes off on the bus, I sat back down to no DSL connection. I spent 1 hour and forty minutes online to tech support this morning to MSN only to be told that my Modem had died, that I needed a new one or no DSL for me. When I heard shipping "by Friday or Monday", I opted to go to Best Buy and reinstall it myself this afternoon. Brought it home, took it out of the packaging and BAM! My mail started popping up, my blogsite opened. I was up and running. And I STILL had the new one in the plastic. Called Tech Support again to ask if this was it’s last leg or what had happened. He said, "Well, the lines were down in your area this morning." A trip to town in the freeeeeeeeezing cold, an unnecessary $70 brand new modem and my old one is just fine!? The guy said that our area had had an outage all morning. I suggested that he might want to tell the gal that I spent my morning with over their phones.

The bright side of this little mishap was that I discovered this cute little guy for my snowman tree at Pier One! That made my race to town well worth the trip! I’ll be returning the new modem tomorrow. Gee, I wonder what good thing I can discover then!?

I did have one thought that I wanted to visit on my blog today. In discussing the holidays with several women tonight before the show, the topic of holiday shopping came up. There were comments made about how expensive it is, of comparing what their kids get to their brothers’ or sister’s kids. There was talk of feeling obligated to buy for certain people. And then, we sat in on this remarkable performance that spoke of the woman who held the baby Jesus so that Mary could rest. Perhaps there was one. Of Joseph, who was humbly placed in this position as the mortal father of our Savior and accepted it willingly. Of homeless men on the streets who’s lives compared to that of Christ. The contrast was huge.

It truly was a reminder to me that there is no one keeping tabs on how many toys, games, movies, whatever to our children. And, more importantly, that we need to reinforce this thought to our children: Expectations may be high, but what really matters is that we focus on the proper things over the holidays and that we teach them that the giving part is every bit as wonderful as the receiving. I hope that I can do express this in a way that impacts them to this understanding.   I am going to give some serious pondering over this next few days and ask myself, "Could I could give more, do more, be more for others?"  More than dropping it in the bucket at the front of the store. It won't hurt us.  We won't miss a thing by seeking out  others in need and finding a way to help them, more than by adding a dollar or two in a bucket. If it's nothing more than a smile to a stranger, the Spirit of Christmas is about giving and serving and caring. Anyone in search of a real Christmas gift need not look any further than themselves.    Enough said.

My quote for  the day:  Never worry about the size of your Christmas tree. In the eyes of children, they are all 30 feet tall. ~Larry Wilde, The Merry Book of Christmas