HAPPY NEW YEAR, DUMPING, AND OTHER CRAP

OK... let me just start off with this:

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

Now that that is out of the way, I can continue. I have lots to say, I think. Don't know if I'll get it all out today, or not. We'll see. I have an entry "written" in my noggin, but I need to filter it lest I offend some. Some folk... I really don't give a rat's butt if I offend you, but there are some that I DO care about and would not intentionally offend.

One thing I would like to just vent about: JAPANESE SPAM! I guess. I have been getting comments - 2 or 3 a day - that are Asian. WTHck~ Whatever. It's just irritating.

Blogs - if you don't like what you read, I really don't care. I had a person leave an ugly comment on one of my posts the other day. Nope... don't go looking for it. I didn't let it through. If it makes me sad or mad, but makes me think, I'll post it and continue the conversation. If I feel it was just ugly (and I felt this one was) then I don't publish it. It was THAT that led to the post that I need to filter. It's about friends and words. No doubt, somebody will be offended. *sigh*

Coupons - I am SO behind. BUT, I'm going to start anew this weekend. I have a cyber-friend... she is a coupon goddess. She has informed me that there will be 5.... count 'em folks, FIVE coupon inserts on the 3rd. Gettin' me a double edition and gonna clip like there's no tomorrow.... on Monday. HA!

Blogs, again.... really? Do you really care what I read? Back in the day, when my track record for tickin' people off was REALLY good, I got someone interested in a blog that I read. (That is present tense... not past-tense.) Anyway, this woman is a bit, um, different. She, by all appearances, talks herself up a bit. Her religious views always seem to take a beating. I chose to read her blog because of some of her housekeeping/organizational stuff. Granted, there are other, more "Martha-esque" people that I could read, but the woman IS a Christian and I just like some of her writings. Well.... my friend discovered all sorts of stuff that she (the blogger) had seemingly kept secret. That is fine, to me. I mean, it is her blog. If she chooses to portray herself in a certain light, I don't really care. I then had some folks get upset with me for even reading her blog... and made comments saying such things. WHAT? It is totally your choice to click on the blogs I have listed on my sidebar. And, it is my choice to put them there in the first place. *Please note... this is all water under the bridge. I only bring this up because of what I am now seeing on other blogs.*

OK... backing up... don't want to post my other entry too soon. FILTER!!!

I thought about kind of reviewing the year. Is it "Year In Review?" Or "Year-End Review?" Either way, that is what I'm doing. THEN, I might post on some of my goals... because I only do that 3 or 4 times a year, huh?

I had wanted to read, I think, 32 books this year. I read 40. WOW! I will list my faves. (Please note that I will not list the books from the Twilight series or the Harry Potter series, since these were all rereads.) I enjoyed all of them, but I really liked the Tracie Perterson's books: "Summer of the Midnight Sun," "Under the Northern Lights" and "Whispers of Winter." I really enjoy period novels and Amish fiction... which brings me to my next favorites: "The Storekeeper's Daughter" by Wanda Brunstetter. I really LOVE Beverly Lewis, but didn't care for the "Courtship of Nellie Fisher" series. Don't get me wrong. It was good, but there are a few of her other series that I like much more.

For this year, I will set the goal at 40 books.

My grandfather died in February. It was really sad, but it was time. He was saved. I don't worry about where he went. Now, he is just waiting for the rest of his family to join him.

Church is great. JBQ is going really well. I know, I know... I STILL need to post on JBQ. It is such a cool program. I am constantly impressed with what these kids learn and already know. My oldest knows so much. And, my 2nd and 3rd? Right behind him. My oldest got his Master Seal this past October and will be going for his Impossible Award by the end of summer. I will get into details of how to get those later. My 2nd son has his 20 point Seal and will be going for his 30 point and Master Seals sometime in 2010. My youngest, who competes as a Pee Wee for this year, will probably go for his 10 point seal in the next 12 months.

Another goal.... I want to eventually get my Master Seal. I have my 10 point seal, but haven't studied because I coach a team and haven't taken the time to learn the next question set. (I had to know 288 questions for my first seal. I need to learn another 192 questions for the 20 point seal.) Eventually, I will know all 576 questions (like my oldest) and get my Master Seal. If it is important enough for me to push into my children, then I need to practice what I preach and learn it for myself. I do know a LOT of them, but don't have the quotes verbatim and there are still several that I need to brush up on.

I finally got on the list to sub at our school. And when I say "finally" it's because they got my application on September 21.... and didn't get me approved until the Thursday before Christmas Eve. Yep.... you read that right. I won't even get into my thoughts and feelings on that bit of news. It frustrates me beyond belief! My goal, for the rest of this school year, is to sub 5-10 days a month. That is easy enough, as long as DH is in town. I don't want to pay for daycare. The amount of money they pay for a sub.... let me clarify... for a sub who is a certified teacher... is horrible. $70 a day. That's it. That is roughly 1/3 a teacher's daily rate. I know I should get less than a full-day's worth, but to get what some regular Joe off the street gets? OK... I'll "babysit" for $70 a day. (Sadly, I pay my sitters much more than that for my 4 cherubs. We had a sitter last night while we went to the TSO concert.... From 5 until 11:30 cost us $80 and $30 worth of pizza.) BUT, I digress.

The HMNB. I like the idea of a Home Management Notebook. I really do. I suck at keeping up with it. I have a wonderful notebook full of dividers and ideas. I brush the dust off of it every now and then and move it from the bedroom to the table.... to the bar.... back to the bedroom. LOL! I determine to use it a bit more this year.

Cooking - it is no secret, my love for cooking. A lot of people say that I should write a cookbook. That is a dream. Maybe in a few years, but now? No.... not yet.

Been trying to sell bread. I do OK for just starting. I'm not sure how much my heart is into it. I have a few faithful ladies, whom I love to bake for. But, when I just baked, and showed up with it... well that was TONS of fun. Now that people order and expect "x y z" on such-and-such day? That feels..... different.

Housekeeping - surely you know, by now, that I am a HORRIBLE housekeeper. But I really want... no, I really NEED to change that. There is a chance that I may have to go back to work next year. I don't want to... not yet. I want at least one more year. (Note to Honey... I said, "at least." I might LOVE IT, having the kids in school and being able to be the Uber-volunteer/housekeeper.) Anyway, I want at least one more year because I want to be room-mom for my youngest. And I think/hope that if I can get my cr@p together, I might convince said-Honey to let me stay home.

I never wanted to work, anyway. Really. Don't get me wrong. I LOVE teaching. I truly, truly do. But, with all the cr@p going on in the world, and having all my kids out and about, I want to be able to be all up in their biz at any given moment of the day. I don't want a predictable schedule. I don't want to NOT want to cook because I just got off work, have no clean undies, and have papers to grade. I would rather cut back on my budget... WAY back. I would rather substitute teach full-time, just so I can say, "Nope... not today... I'm going on a field trip." I don't want to worry about getting a sub when one of the kids is sick. Just my feelings.

Myself - heh.... WHERE. DO I. BEGIN?! I'm fat. I'm frumpy. My house is out of control. I think that one of the only things I'm doing right is JBQ. "Train up a child in the way he should go. When he is grown, he will not depart from it." *sigh* At least I got that going on. Now, I know some of you are about to hit the comment button. Please... I'm not looking for the cyber-hug, build up that says "You are doing the best you can. You are busy with 4 boys. Your hubby is gone a lot. I don't know how you do it. I couldn't"

Well, No.... I'm NOT doing the best I can. I could and should do much better. I appreciate the hug. Go ahead... I'll take it ;) I AM busy with 4 boys. My hubby IS gone a lot. You don't know how I do it, because that is not your life. Some of you have 4 kids... you know what that is like. Some of you, your hubby is gone a lot.... you know what that is like. Some of you "couldn't" because you don't have to. It's amazing what necessity pulls from you. I am busy with what I choose to be busy with. My priorities are jacked-up.

I'm trying. I am improving... I think. Laundry is not the issue it used to be. There are a few theories. One is that the older 2 boys do their own laundry. Just that little bit has made a huge difference. I also think that I just don't see it like I used to. Now, I'm like "Whatever! It's clean."

I do better at keeping my bar and table cleaned off. Not that it is always cleaned off... I just take more afternoons to do that.

Ok.... I'm pooped. I'm sure there must be SOME way to end this a bit less abruptly, but I can't think of any. I think I'll turn the tube on "the ball" and at 11:00, when it drops in NYC, then I'll wish the 3 boys at home a Happy New Year and call it a night.

Blessings to all who have stuck with me and still read.

PS... If you would like to see Making a Happy Home Monday reappear (maybe once a month) please let me know. I'm debating, as this helped me to get some stuff done. If not, I won't be offended.... you will just be partially responsible for my having to go back to work because my hubby sees that I STILL suck at keeping house. LOL!!!!

HAPPY NEW YEAR, Y'ALL!

Luke 2

¹In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. ²(This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) ³And everyone went to his own town to register.

⁴So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. ⁵He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. ⁶While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, ⁷and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

⁸And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night.⁹An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. ¹⁰But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. ¹¹Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. ¹²This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."

¹³Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
¹⁴"Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests."

¹⁵When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about."

¹⁶So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger.¹⁷When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, ¹⁸and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. ¹⁹But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. ²⁰The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.

CHRISTMAS QUOTE OF THE DAY

Mr. Whittle: "Your weight! What happened?"

Scott Calvin: "Bee sting. Evidently I'm allergic. It almost killed me. But, the guy at the emergency room said that eventually the swelling will go down. I hope."

The Santa Clause

CHRISTMAS QUOTE OF THE DAY

"Don't think of it as dust. Think of it as maybe the soil of some great past civilization. Maybe the soil of ancient Babylon. It staggers the imagination. He may be carrying the soil that was trod upon by Solomon, or even Nebuchudnezzar."

Charlie Brown in A Charlie Brown Christmas

CHRISTMAS QUOTE OF THE DAY

"He's an *angry* elf."

Buddy from Elf

MELANCHOLY?

Well, not really. Just full of thoughts.

I know I've kind of discussed this before, but here it is again, hounding me.

This whole "New Year's" thing.

Don't tell me you haven't considered any New Year's resolutions. I know you have. I always swear not to do them, yet it pops up in the back of my head. WHY? Why do I think about it now - at the beginning of the year, instead of the beginning of the month, or even the week? It sure seems it would be a lot more productive... making a determination, as often as 12 times a year.

No, most people seem to do it.... let me correct that... they seem to advertise it once a year. They seem willing, on January 1st, to suddenly be held accountable for things that they want to change.

I don't know.

I think the reason I start thinking about this a lot is because I, at this time of the year, have time to think, assess and determine.

I guess I have that throughout the year. It's just that I seem to work in little bubbles of time. This last bubble was a big bubble with a lot of stuff crammed into it. Going to Disney World (which I will blog about soon) took 9 days out of my normal Christmas prep time.

Don't get me wrong. I'm SO glad we went. We all had a great time and I hope we get to go again. It was just hard. And, as my hubby so lovingly pointed out, I didn't adjust accordingly. I still did everything, but in a significantly shorter amount of time. I addressed cards on the road (despite motion sickness).

Then, when we got home, I immediately went to a party. And when I say "immediately," I mean just that. We got in, I took a shower, got dressed and was at a party within about 45 minutes... a party that was about 15 minutes away.

The very next day, we had church and 2 parties. However, we weren't completely done with the kids make-up work, AND we were all so tired. We didn't go to church or go to the first party. So I cooked for the 2nd party and hubby worked on homework and washed clothes.

We started the week with SO much to do. Hubby needed to go see his grandfather. I had baking to do... OH THE BAKING!!! AND, hubby flew out Friday, so he had to get stuff done. I had another party Thursday night and a party for my son Friday.

I did a my baking and candy making Wednesday and Thursday. I had to make my list and go shopping on Tuesday. I didn't go Monday because I had a church project that I have been working on for about 4 months. (Will be done in January, thankfully.)

Because I am me, I couldn't change my stuff to fit the shortened time. I just had to shorten my sleep. :( Not too good, really...... that is terribly hard for me to admit.

No, around precious sleep, 4 hours or so at worship team practice/service, and about 4-5 hours at another party, I made: 2 large loaves of cranberry bread, 2 large loaves of pumpkin bread, 6 cups of candied pecans, a huge load of millionaire (which I have to tend to for a solid hour), truffle pops, haystacks, 96 mini-cranberry muffins, 96 mini-pumpkin muffins, fruited white chocolate bark, wrap the teachers gifts, box up the candies to go to the teachers, AND bake 2 dozen shaped sugar cookies for the party the next day.

I don't want pats on the back. I'm tired... just tuckered out. I got into bed Thursday night and my hubby noted that in doing all I love to do, that I didn't enjoy it as much as normal. You see, I usually have the music cranked up and dance around the kitchen while I do this. I didn't enjoy it because it was all crammed together. That makes me sad. Here I sit in a messy house... embarrassingly messy, with a mere 6 days left of my season... my favorite time of the year... and I feel like it just started.

So, what do I do? Well, I try to slow down just a tad. I love being busy, but I don't love missing out on stuff. I miss sitting in front of the fire with my hubby. (Though I did make some homemade hot chocolate.... doesn't get better than chopped up semi-sweet and canned milk and a splash of cream... but it was a quick treat.) I have been squeezing things in... we did roast marshmallows the other night... and the whole time I was stressed: watching the clock and thinking about all that baking that I would be doing and getting the kids into bed.

ALL THIS in the mountains of laundry that litter my house. Yes... it's clean ~ the laundry, not the house. Nope. It's not folded. The table can't be used, because it is being used. The couch has clothes (and kids) on it. The bar has remnants of everything from Thursday night. (My dear hubby worked his tushie off wrapping dozens of millionaire squares and cleaning the kitchen before I attacked after my Thursday night party.)

My hubby comes home Monday night. (Here's hoping he treats me to some Chipotle... but I digress.) Wednesday, we need to go to Oklahoma to see my 102 year old grandmother. Then, we are in Christmas. My parents will come over on Christmas Eve. We will open gifts here. We will eat soups and sandwiches. My hubby and I are going to start a new tradition of reading the Nativity Story from Luke THEN watching "The Nativity Story."

What does this mean? I have today, part of tomorrow, part of Monday and Tuesday. That is all to finish up the candies for friends tomorrow (need to finish some truffle pops, candy some more pecans and make some more white chocolate bark and probably bake some bread), finish up last minute shopping (stockings), pick the soup and sandwich I want, clean the house for company, get the laundry DONE, and reflect on the blessing God has given me ~ think about the fact that God doesn't want me to go through life as fast as I can, with barely the time or energy to see people.

For this new year... this new decade... I resolve to pray more. To trust God more. To continue to learn from His Word.

I resolve to be aware of the changes and stages my children are going through. To remain aware, and become more aware, of the fact that they are growing up and away. To be sensitive to the whisperings of the Holy Spirit in dealing with my children... to make sure that they are armed and trained for the quickly approaching day in which they cannot wait for me to step in and fix the situation.

I resolve to get rid of junk.

"HI! I'm ~LL~ and I am a pack-rat."

"HI, ~LL~!!!"

I am tired of the clutter. Some things that I keep don't get put away... they are just out. I could be a talk show topic.... almost. OK. Not quite. But, still.

I resolve to take a break every now and then. Not long. Thirty minutes will do. Just something where I sit and NOT DO SOMETHING.

In short, I resolve to enjoy my life. My kids. My hubby. My house. My time. My friends.

Here is to enjoyment and to a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

May God bless you richly.

And please, remember that

JESUS IS THE REASON FOR THE SEASON!

CHRISTMAS QUOTE OF THE DAY

"Boys and girls and music. Why do they need gin?"

Annie from It's a Wonderful Life

CHRISTMAS QUOTE OF THE DAY

"I have since heard of people under extreme duress speaking in strange tongues. I became conscious that a steady torrent of obscenities and swearing of all kinds was pouring out of me as I screamed."

Ralphie from A Christmas Story

CHRISTMAS QUOTE OF THE DAY

"Fluctuate? You make it sound like I'm retaining water! I've gained 45 pounds in a week."

Scott Calvin from The Santa Clause

Christmas QUOTE OF THE DAY

"Please note the size and color of each item, and send as many as possible. If it seems too complicated, make it easy on yourself: just send money. How about tens and twenties?"

Sally from A Charlie Brown Christmas

CHRISTMAS QUOTE OF THE DAY

"First, we'll make snow angels for two hours, then we'll go ice skating, then we'll eat an entire roll of Toll House cookie dough as fast as we can, and then to finish, we'll snuggle!"

Buddy from Elf

AND WITH THAT, I'M OUTTA HERE!

The kids still don't know.

I have no idea how we kept it from them.

That's right. We have managed to keep them in the dark about our Disney trip.... that starts TOMORROW! ;)

Tomorrow, we will take the boys to school, as usual. We will pack and send their lunches, as usual. They will go through their morning, as usual.

THEN, at about 10:30, they will get a call from the office saying something like this: "Mrs. D.... please send DS #1 to the office. He is leaving for the week and going to Disney World."

HOW COOL WILL THAT BE?

We thought about not telling them until we were actually on the road. But, we want them to have that few seconds where all eyes are on them and every kid thinks about how lucky and cool they are. EVERY kid needs that at some point in his or her life, don't you think?

So, today, we are running around like crazy. Hubby is making sure the FTU is in good repair and cleaned out. We have snacks.... LOTS of snacks. We are doing laundry. We are packing. I am trying to get the rest of my cards out. :-s

I need to bake some bread that I'm selling. Clean out the fridge. Wipe down the bathrooms. Clean the kitchen. Gather all the trash. I do NOT want a stinky/smelly house. You never realize how stinky/smelly the house is until you leave it locked up for a few days... or in our case, a week.

I will not be doing my "Christmas Quote of the Day" until the 14th, probably. We get in on the 12th, but I have a party that night... don't even know if I will make it home before that. Then, the next day, I have church and 2 parties. THEN, we start to recover from our trip... actually, no. DH will help with kids and I will work on getting my candies made for my gifts and put the finishing touches on the Kindergarten Christmas party.

Please pray for us for travel mercies. DH is taking his computer, but for reservations and such. I am going to try to stay away from blog, Facebook and email. To my friends who may need me, you have my cell number. Call and leave a message and I'll get back with you.

AND WITH THAT, I'M OUTTA HERE!!!

CHRISTMAS QUOTE OF THE DAY

"It's just like Santa's Workshop! Except it smells like mushrooms... and everyone looks like they wanna hurt me... "

Buddy from Elf

CHRISTMAS QUOTE OF THE DAY

Patty: "Try to catch snowflakes on your tongue. It's fun."

Linus: "Mmmmm. Needs sugar."

Lucy: "It's too early. I never eat December snowflakes. I always wait until January."

Linus: "They sure look ripe to me."

A Charlie Brown Christmas

CHRISTMAS QUOTE OF THE DAY

"Some men are Baptists, others Catholics; my father was an Oldsmobile man."

Ralphie from A Christmas Story

CHRISTMAS QUOTE OF THE DAY

Gimbel's Manager: "6-inch ribbon curls, honey."

Jovie: "That's impossible."

Gimbel's Manager: "6 INCHES!"

ELF

CHRISTMAS QUOTE OF THE DAY

"Only one thing in the world could've dragged me away from the soft glow of electric sex gleaming in the window."

Ralphie from A Christmas Story

CHRISTMAS QUOTE OF THE DAY

Mr. Parker: "What is the name of the Lone Ranger's nephew's horse?"

Mother: "Ah... Victor. His name is Victor?"

Mr. Parker: "How the h*** did you know that?"

Mother: "Everybody knows that!"

A Christmas Story

CHRISTMAS QUOTE OF THE DAY

George: "Pop, you want a shock? I think you're a great guy."

(to Annie) "Oh, did you hear that, Annie?"

Annie: "I heard it. About time one of you lunkheads said it."

George Bailey and Annie (the housekeeper) from

It's a Wonderful Life

TODAY

HAPPY THANKSGIVING, Y'ALL!

CHRISTMAS QUOTE OF THE DAY

"Well, there are some things you should know. First off, you see gum on the street, leave it there. It isn't free candy."

Santa from Elf

CHRISTMAS QUOTE OF THE DAY

"Why am I such a misfit? I'm am not just a nit-wit. Just because my nose glows, seems I don't fit in."

Rudolph from Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer

CHRISTMAS QUOTE OF THE DAY

"What has Beethoven got to do with Christmas? Everyone talks about how "great" Beethoven was. Beethoven wasn't so great."

Lucy from A Charlie Brown Christmas

THE HORRIBLE THING IS

..... I've got NUTHIN'!

Absolutely nothing.

Seriously.

I miss blogging. I really do. But, I have hit a serious dry-spell. If you knew me in person, you would be surprised to find that I'm speechless. Totally. Speechless.

I've been busy, but I don't want to bore you with all of that. I mean, it seems like the last few blog posts I've made have only to do with all that I have going on. I know you are tired of reading it. And, frankly, I'm tired of it, myself. I'm not tired of the busyness. Nope, just tired of talking about it. I think y'all probably think I'm complaining.

Oh well.

By the way, why does the word "y'all" always show up as a misspelled word? It clears my blogger spellcheck, but when I type it, it underlines is as a misspelling. It is OFTEN used in my neck of the woods. It should be recognized as a word.... a legitimate word. Oh well.

So, are Y'ALL ready for the holidays? I am, and I'm not. It's coming MUCH TOO FAST! I need another week.

I have my meal planned, but I'm looking at 4 days until the big "Day o' Turkey" and I haven't gone to the store yet. Hide your shock. I DO have my turkey, just nothing else.

I've been working on a project in which I'm editing a lot of information. Frustration is the first word to come to mind. I won't say anything else about that.

We had a JBQ meet yesterday. And, the one kid who is the backbone of the team (my oldest) was feeling really bad.... so, we won.... NOTHING! Six rounds and the one "guaranteed" win beat us by 70 points or so. Oh well.... teaches me a lesson in humility. Now I need to rethink the rest of our year.

Last night, just before a night of some much needed (and wanted, I might add) "closeness" with my beloved, our youngest came barging in in what I would describe as a full-blown asthma attack.... except he doesn't have asthma. I think it's croup. Having a child crash in with blue-tinged lips, gasping for air and "barking" as he coughs will ruin a mood REALLY quick. :( We did 3 nebulizer treatments back-to-back. He is OK, now. Still coughing and feverish, but we have him breathing well. Needless to say, I didn't sleep well, and I, along with the oldest and the youngest, missed church.... I needed that, too. *sigh*

Have you seen New Moon? My hubby and I saw it for the midnight showing on opening night. That was fun, but tiring. Glad I went, though. It will be a great next few years of movies and it started last year. In Nov. 2008, we saw Twilight. Then in July of 2009, we saw Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. The other night, we saw New Moon. In July of 2010, Eclipse is supposed to be released. Then, the following November is Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. July 2011 should bring the second part of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. I anticipate the following November to bring Breaking Dawn. Yep.... good times at the movies.

What's going on for Christmas? Are you doing anything special? We are. We are going to Disney World. What makes it really cool? We are going to pull the kids and miss a whole week of school! We go back to school next Monday, the 30th and we will pull them early that Friday, the 4th. We will be back on the 12th. Don't tell, though.... they don't know. ;-)

I've been baking up a storm. Been doing OK in sales, I guess. I'm no Sara Lee (yet), but who knows? Y'all can say you knew me when I was a little person.

We got our tree up almost 2 weeks ago, because we wanted to. And you know? I will still celebrate Thanksgiving and love it. My hubby will put the lights on the house in the next day or 2. I'm excited. I feel very fortunate during these holidays in regard to hubby's schedule. He is off until Friday. And then for December, he is working for only 8 or 9 days. Not too bad. He will have almost the entire time off that the kids are out AND he gets to go the Trans Siberian Orchestra concert this year.... he's missed the last two and I've had to go with someone else. No offense to my alternate dates, but I would rather be with my hubby.

Well, I should go. I need to get some coupons pulled for tomorrow. I will be going to the chiropractor to get cracked, to the store, THEN to a dear friends house to make some fudge. Should be loads of fun. I guess before all of that, and immediately following this, I should do some more editing. :-/

With that, I bid you adieu. I leave you with one of my many.... MANY.... holiday faves.

CHRISTMAS QUOTE OF THE DAY

"Not too hot. Extra chocolate. Shaken, not stirred."

Judy the elf from The Santa Clause

CHRISTMAS QUOTE OF THE DAY

"We plunged into the cornucopia quivering with desire and the ecstasy of unbridled avarice."

Ralphie from A Christmas Story

"I been saving this money for a divorce, if ever I got a husband."

Annie from It's a Wonderful Life

"Strange, isn't it? Each man's life touches so many other lives. When he isn't around he leaves an awful hole, doesn't he?"

Clarence from It's a Wonderful Life

CHRISTMAS QUOTE OF THE DAY

Yukon Cornelius: "This fog's as thick as peanut butter."

Hermey: "You mean pea soup."

Yukon Cornelius: "You eat what you like. I'll eat what I like."

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer

Puffin: "Hey, Buddy. Wanna pick some snowberries?"

Buddy: "Not now, Arctic Puffin."

Elf

CHRISTMAS QUOTE OF THE DAY

"Rats. Nobody sent me a Christmas card today. I almost wish there weren't a holiday season. I know nobody likes me. Why do we have to have a holiday season to emphasize it?"

Charlie Brown in A Charlie Brown Christmas

CHRISTMAS QUOTE OF THE DAY

"A toy is never truly happy until it is loved by a child."

King Moonraiser from Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer

ONE DAY CLOSER

You can use that phrase for so many things huh?

One day closer to "New Moon," which I will be seeing the midnight showing... well, not MIDnight, but 12:02 a.m.

One day closer to our big trip. I will get into more detail later, but we leave on December 4th.

One day closer to Thanksgiving. Two weeks from YESTERDAY!!!!

One day closer to Christmas. You KNEW I would bring that up, huh?

One day closer to the Rapture. This should have some of you more alarmed than anything. Are you ready?

BUT, I'm not preaching (today).

No, I'm talking about the holidays. :)

A few days ago, I put my tree and Nativities up. YES I DID!!! And yes, I know it's not Thanksgiving yet. I really don't care. In the words of Buddy the Elf, we should "treat everyday like Christmas." I don't have the outside decorated yet... YET. DH didn't have time. However, he is about to have 8 days off. So, sometime between "New Moon," the Kindergarten Thanksgiving Feast, a JBQ meet and Thanksgiving itself, he will have the outside lights up!

I started thinking about that... treating everyday like Christmas, and you know what? We really should, religiously speaking, of course. I mean, the gift of Jesus is THE BEST GIFT EVER!!!! We should celebrate his birth, life, death and resurrection EVERY DAY! I know I try to.

BUT, as I said earlier, I'm not preaching (today). No, I wanted to show you some stuff I have been working on.

Some of my Nativities... I collect them.

This is a music box that plays "O, Little Town of Bethlehem."

One of my students from WAY back gave this to me.

From my in-laws. This was probably the 3rd Nativity.

Don't know if you can see on the bottom of the cloaks, but these are scriptures dealing with Jesus' birth.

This is a new Nativity/Advent Calendar that DH bought for me this year.

This was a Secret Santa gift from a coworker a few years ago. It's actually a pop-up book that you open up and tie. It looks like a star. See? And each "face" is a portion of the events of Jesus' birth.

This one is from my mother a few years ago. Really pretty.

Fontanini ornament with the Nativity.

Another ornament.

The mantle. The stockings have our names on them, so they have been edited out. Of course, I had to protect everyone's identity. So eager was I that I even edited out "Mom" and "Dad" before I realized you probably couldn't find us based on that info. LOL!

Another new Nativity scene for this year. Thank you, Honey!

My first of 3 new Nativities for this year. Isn't this gorgeous? I LOVE IT!

This is a Nativity snow globe from my in-laws. You can't tell, but the bottom rotates when the music box is wound. It's really neat!

Don't know where/when I got this. It is actually a fountain, but I don't activate that part of it.

This is a tiny Nativity, but I think it is SO cute!

Another Fontanini Nativity from my other in-laws.

I bought this a few years ago. It is really tall. I love the way the cloak has the scene.

The tree. You can't see the lights because of the flash. And I have to have the flash because I don't know how to stand still enough to keep the picture from being blurry.

Santa's little helpers. My oldest set up the timer on his camera and took this by himself. I don't even know how to do this.

One of my favorite CDs being played right now. This is a 2 CD set with the oldies. It is really fun.

Cards. (Forced smile, here.) The mess today is worse than when I took the picture. I'm facing insanity. I know! I know! I'm facing a whole 'nother level of insanity!

So, that's it for now. Hope you enjoyed!

Talk to you soon!!!

Want to share a "Christmas Joke." Brought to you by my four year old son.

"KNOCK KNOCK!"

"WHO'S THERE?"

"CHRISTMAS TREE!"

"CHRISTMAS TREE, WHO?"

"TEE-TEE AND POO-POO!"

Yes, folks. That is funny in this house!

CHRISTMAS QUOTE OF THE DAY

"Who gave you permission to tell Charlie there was no Santa Claus? I think if we're going to destroy our son's delusions, I should be a part of it."

Scott Calvin from The Santa Clause

CHRISTMAS QUOTE OF THE DAY

"My little brother had not eaten voluntarily in over three years."

Ralphie from A Christmas Story

CHRISTMAS QUOTE OF THE DAY

"That's somethin', ain't it? She falls in a well, eyes go crossed. She gets kicked by a mule they go back to normal. I don't knowl"

Eddie from National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation

CHRISTMAS QUOTE OF THE DAY

"In spite of my outward appearance, I shall try to run a neat inn."

Pig-Pen from A Charlie Brown Christmas

CHRISTMAS QUOTE OF THE DAY

"You taught me everything I know about exterior illumination."

Clark from National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation

NEVER

I NEVER would have considered myself OCD or Type-A or any of those harsh labels that imply a person being uptight and out of control.

Until this year.

I have decided that my stress is.... *sigh*... my own doing. SHHHHHH!!!! Don't let my hubby know that I have just admitted that.

Here's the thing. There are certain things I love. And I love the whole of it. For example, it's not enough that I can cook well. No. I want to sell baked goods, learn to decorate cookies (the fancy ones), and master the cheesecake that makes a person's eyes roll back into his head as he contemplates giving his wife a much needed break for the evening.

I buy cookbooks (about 6 per year). I have cookbooks given to me (about 6 per year). I stalk the baking/kitchen gadgets department of the "box" stores (about 6 times per month). I get monthly magazines (about 3-6 per month). I get emails (at least once a week). ALL these have wonderful creations and concoctions; tips and hints; questions and answers. I love it all.

"So what's the problem," you ask? The problem is that I have neither the time nor the money to do all I want.... no all I NEEEEEED to do.

And, it's not just with cooking. It is with everything.

Except housekeeping. I can't seem to be anal about that one. Hmmmmm... :-/

I am one of THE WORST procrastinators in the nation. Seriously. My Home Management Binder? My Holiday Notebook? Well, they have seen better days. I have read, though, that my "style" is that of a perfectionist. THIS is why I have trouble getting my stuff done. Because I want everything done correctly, NOW, I am somewhat incapacitated and unable to do any of it. Sad, huh? If I can't do it all perfectly, I will do none of it just as perfectly.

I started making my Christmas cards in the middle of September. I have done about 2 hours more work since. I am about 1/2 way done. Why? Because I need plan my "business," my holiday meal, my baking menu, my candy/baked goods gift, my holiday decorations, class parties and the Bon Jovi concert in April. (I know what you are thinking. You think I just pulled that out of thin air. No, my friends, THIS is how my brain works. My thoughts are everything INCLUDING the kitchen sink. And your kitchen sink. And her kitchen sink. And the poor kitchen sink that is sunk into some one's yard with the dead flowers drooping out of it.)

Thanksgiving is 3 weeks away! I haven't planned my menu yet. Because, for some reason, I feel the need to write down, look up, and plan THE SAME, TRADITIONAL MEAL WE HAVE YEAR AFTER YEAR!!!

UGH! WHY DO I DO THAT?

So the question becomes, "What do I do with it?" Well, if admitting I have a problem is the first step toward getting help, then I have a shot at recovery. I would then be able to learn to cut things out of my schedule that may, or may not be absolutely necessary

OR NOT!

CHRISTMAS QUOTE OF THE DAY

Clark: "Hey, kids. I heard on the news that an airline pilot spotted Santa's sled on its way in from New York."

Eddie: "You serious, Clark?"

National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation

VIDEO CLIP

There's a word. SO sorry..... but still. Laughing my rump off!!!

YOU THINK?

CHRISTMAS QUOTE OF THE DAY

"I'm sorry I ruined your lives and crammed 11 cookies into the VCR."

Buddy from ELF

CHRISTMAS QUOTE OF THE DAY

Bernard: "Excuse me. Are we on a coffee break?"

Kid Elf: "We don't drink coffee."

Bernard: "THEN I GUESS THE BREAK IS OVER! Back to work. Thanks."

The Santa Clause

HALLOWEEN

Yes, I know it's a "dark" day.

Yes, I know that some Christians have problems with it.

Yes, I know that the kids really shouldn't be running to strangers' door for candy.

Yes, I know I shouldn't steal borrow check take the kids' chocolate.

I know! I know! I KNOW!

So, let me share a bit of our party time.

We went to a party with some great friends. Lots of food, fun and laughter. Most of these people go to our church. We dressed up. My kids dressed up. My boys were: Megatron, Optimus Prime, Spiderman and Spiderman, from oldest to youngest, respectively.

The party started at 7:13. At about 7:45, we loaded up all the kids on a trailer with bales of hay. The host with the most towed the trailer with his truck. Most of the adults rode along (or walked behind) to make sure nobody fell off or got left at any particular house. AND, a few of us females rode behind on a golf cart. We didn't want to miss out on their fun, but we (me, in particular) would have had trouble walking all that way.

Well, let me just show you.

Can you see me?

Can you find my hubby?

Bzzzzzz!

Danika and Aunt Jemima (our hosts)

Gangstas

The Incredibles

ARGH!

THIS dude (LOL) flashed my oldest son with his fake boobage....I think my oldest may now need therapy.

WAAAA!

Coffee? Tea? Or Milk?

(That "blemish" on his shoulder is a name tag that I removed.)

Captain for Mile High Airlines. "I am here to get you there!"

Tuckered.

CHRISTMAS QUOTE OF THE DAY

Goggles: "I like the Wizard of Oz. I like the Tin Man."

Ralphie: "Yeah"

A Christmas Story

TEMPT MY TUMMY TUESDAY

My friend Lisa hosts a blog-carnival called Tempt My Tummy Tuesday. A BUNCH of ladies post and link up with their favorite recipes, tips and even questions. Give it a look-see and then join on in!!!

The below portion was posted last year around this time. I reposted it as it is very timely. VERY. TIMELY. Did you realize that Turkey Day is 3 weeks and 2 days away. That's 23 days. That's 552 minutes. That's..... oh, never mind. You get the idea.

I LOVE this time of year. The weather is superb. And here in Texas... MAN, OH MAN! We have had over 20 inches in my neck of the woods since the very end of September. My ground is still spongy. The last 3 days have been mild and clear as a bell. It will probably mean a very warm turkey day, but I'm TIRED OF THE RAIN! I'll take mild. Maybe.

SO, let's talk turkey! Have you gotten any of your stuff yet? I have been so behind. Various things have thrown me off this year. I am having to regroup. And, I have to do it in a hurry. I need to get an inventory of my pantry, fridge and freezer. I need to get the garage fridge cleaned out and plugged in. I need to plan my menu for the day. CAN YOU BELIEVE IT? I HAVEN'T PLANNED MY MENU! Granted, it usually stays the same with a few difference each year.

What are your plans for the Thanksgiving Day? What are some things that you will be thinking of including on your menu? Come on over and share with me. I have been a bit lackadaisical in my blogging. For the 2 of you who read, I'm sorry. I HOPE to be finding new "oomph."

Keep reading! Get ready! HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!!

Turkey is one of the easiest things to fix, but so many have never done it and are a bit overwhelmed.

First off, you want to allow roughly 2 pounds per person so if you have 10 adults, you need at least a 20 pound bird...I would allow 1 pound per child. This will feed everyone well and allow leftovers which are a MUST! Keep in mind that when you look at the tag with the weight, they are including bones...you are not getting 20 pounds of meat and an adult isn't going to eat 2 pounds of it.

When you buy your turkey, it needs to be bought with enough time to thaw or defrost. (I have a former friend who would say "dethaw." Huh?)

To thaw in the fridge you need to allow 1 day per 4 pounds. So, a 20 pound turkey will need 5 days....Thanksgiving is on Thursday. Your 20 pound bird should be bought and in the fridge by Saturday! There is another way to thaw...using a cold water bath, but this is a pain in the tush. You have to change out the water every 30 minutes. It's messy and you have a mushy, gross mess if there happens to be a hole in the wrap. Also, if the bird gets TOO warm, you do run the risk of bacteria in the meat. Just buy it a week early and keep it in the fridge.

Thursday morning you need to get up EARLY (if you want your feast at lunch) and work on prepping "Tom." If you buy that 20 pound turkey, you will need to bake it 3 1/2 to 4 hours. (Until a meat thermometer, stuck in the inner thigh (don't touch the bone) reads 180.) You really don't want a "self-basting" turkey, as that tends to mask the flavor of the turkey (IMHO). At the same time, if you buy a frozen bird, it doesn't get much better than Butterball....again, IMHO.

So, unwrap your turkey, rinse inside and out.

****VERY IMPORTANT**** Remove the bag with the giblets and neck.

Pat turkey dry with paper towels. Oil the skin. (here is where opinion comes into play) You can brush with vegetable oil, spray with cooking spray or rub with butter.

Personally, I like to take a handful of softened butter (quite literally) and rub it over the breast UNDER the skin AND on top of the skin. This will keep the bird moist and will brown the skin nicely.

Sprinkle both outside AND cavity with salt and pepper. Then fill the cavity with aromatics. (I personally don't do stuffing. The thought grosses me out (it also adds baking time) I do a pan of dressing.) I fill cavity with onion, celery, thyme, garlic, maybe lemon slices. You won't eat this, but it flavors the meat mildly.

Tuck the wings under the body to prevent them from browning too much. Tie the legs together. (You want to do this as the legs loosen from the body and the skin will break. You will end up with leg bones and meat just hanging off the body....broken skin and a lot of moisture lost) Some folks say to skewer the opening...I don't because I don't stuff with a side dish.

Put turkey, breast side up, (flat portion down), in a roasting pan. You NEED something heavy-duty. If you do buy a disposable roasting pan, it will need to be put on a cookie sheet or other heavy-duty baking pan. I have placed it flat on the pan, roasted it in a bag (in the pan) and put the turkey on a rack.) I have had success with all 3, so don't freak if you don't have a turkey-bag. I will say this, a bag helps with clean-up as the juices can really stick to the pan. Just be sure to cut a vent in the bag and allow enough room for the steam to "puff up" the bag. You don't want it to touch the top of the oven. My preference is to place it on a rack.

Put the turkey into a 325 degree oven and bake for at least 5 1/2 hours (for a 20 pound turkey). The last 30 minutes to an hour, you might need to tent some foil over the breast to keep it from getting too brown and too dry. You won't do this if you use a bag.

Before taking it out, check for doneness. One easy way is to grab a leg-bone and move it back and forth. If it moves easily, it should be done...or really close to being done. I like to check the temp. I stick a meat thermometer into the inner thigh (where it is thickest...NOT touching the bone) to see if it reads "180." If yes, I remove from oven.

Final step before carving....LET THE MEAT REST FOR AT LEAST 30 MINUTES. Keep it covered with foil to retain heat. Really, this step is very necessary. ANY meat that you roast should sit out for a bit. As the meat is roasting, the juice tends to head to the surface and evaporate. While the meat is resting, the juices redistribute leading to a moist meat. If you carve too soon, a lot of the juice will run out at the first cut.

Carve, either at the table or in the kitchen. (This is what I prefer. I carve it and arrange on a platter to put in the center of the table.)

Well, there you go. I hope this was helpful. Another great help is Butterball...the company. You can go to butterball.com and they can give you MANY turkey tips. They even have a hot linethat you can call on Thanksgiving Day to help will any "uh-ohs" or other concerns you may have. This site can tell you what sized bird to buy (depending on your needs) and has many helpful hints, blogs, coupons and more. Please go over and take a look.

If you know me personally, feel free to call me. Really. I have done this before. I love it.

Let me know how you like this idea. I'm kinda pumped, myself!