New Years Eve

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!  May everyone have a FUN and SAFE evening of celebration tonight!

As one year ends and another begins most of us can't help but to reflect back on the year and remember all the fun times, sad times, changes, and accomplishments... then we find ourselves looking forward to the new year and all the things we would like to change, improve on, and/or begin.

New Year's resolutions are a common subject in conversations this time of the year.  The top of the list are always things like.... I'm going to lose weight/get in shape... I'm going to quit smoking.... I'm going to be a better Mom/Dad/Daughter/Son/Sister/Brother/Friend.... I'm going to make more efforts to stay in touch with friends/family... I'm going to........  yada yada yada.  Now I don't know the actual statistics of what the odds are of 'sticking to' all these plans to improve ourselves.... but I LOVE the fact that many of us want to improve ourselves and have the hope that on this one day we really have the power to do it.

New Year's Day is a fresh start.... you can smell the freshness of it... like fresh smelling laundry.... take a big whiff...... uuummmmm..... The key word is FRESH!!!  Anyone can set a new goal for themselves, and have the hope of believing improvements can and will be made.  It's a clean slate with fresh chalk.  Some of us take only a day to go back to our 'old ways'.... some of us keep to it for a couple of weeks before returning to the norm.... but some of us actually try all year long to continue on our quest of reaching our goals.  Whatever your resolutions are for this year... you should always make them... just so you can start off a new year with a new plan, a new smile, a new hope, and a new sense of accomplishment when you reach your goal... even if it is just one day.

I have a few goals I hope to accomplish this year and while I may not finish them all.... I love the challenges they will give me this year and something good to look forward to.

1) I would like to learn to speak french.... I have the Rosetta Stone program and have begun working with it already... this year I would like to really learn it.

2) I would like to begin taking flying lessons and working on getting my pilots license... in fact Joe and I both would like to do this together.

3) I have met several ladies in our new community who like to play and putz around with golf... some quite serious golfers, some just hit and giggle like me... I would like to get involved in a hit and giggle group of lady golfers and just maybe actually improve my golf game... but if not... I would just like to enjoy golfing with these ladies on a regular basis.

4) I currently exercise regularly and eat fairly healthy on a daily basis.... this year I would like to continue with my fitness and good health practices... I exercise regularly 3 days a week now... I would like to up it to a consistent 5 times a week.

5) I would like to continue exploring in my cookbooks and finding new recipes to make... making a resolution to cook at least one new recipe a week... but.... our schedules get really crazy so while I would like to make this a firm New Year's resolution... this is one that has to be tweaked to fit our schedules.

So as you can see, I have several new resolutions and/or  current resolutions to continue working on for 2011... not a bad start!  These are a few of the things I would like to work on to improve myself and to make life better for those around me... but... I also know (especially after the last 6 months) that life changes on a whim, and you can be set on a firm path plodding along doing your thing when it all suddenly changes and you need to find a new path and begin again.  Don't let life discourage you from reaching your goals... reaching goals is about keeping your eye on it, but also keeping your peripheral vision in focus too.  If a life event prevents you from moving forward with a particular goal, think about how you can change the focus on your goal and keep moving toward it, while dealing with the wild cards life throws us all.

Always striding for a goal is what keeps us improving ourselves... some goals can't be reached in one short year and may take several years to finally accomplish... some goals are a lifetime of work in progress... and some goals require the help of others... but no matter what kind of goal or how high the goal needing to be reached... have one in mind to focus and work on... then when reached... begin a new goal to reach for.  Having goals makes us stronger, always gives us hope, and the best sense of self empowerment when we reach them.

Wishing you all much success in 2011 as you aim for, focus on, and attempt to reach your New Year's resolutions.  Don't give up.... start over when necessary.... tweak the goal when needed.... but keep striving!  GOOD LUCK to all!!!

HAPPY NEW YEAR

The Reason For The Season

As we decorate the tree, have fond memories over the ornaments placed on the tree, bake cookies, hang our twinkle lights, go Christmas shopping, wrap our gifts, and gather with our family and friends... let us not forget the real reason for the season, which is the celebration of the birth of Jesus.

I have enjoyed every single Sunday attending services in my new church this advent season... and today was especially poignant as the pastor spoke about Mary and Joseph's shame as they awaited the birth of Christ Jesus... and the shame that Jesus carried with him all through his life and even to the event of his death.  It wasn't until after Jesus's death that christians really understood the whole story... Mary DID NOT commit adultry, she WAS visited by the Holy Ghost... Joseph did love Mary and honored GOD by marrying her even though the town felt they had 'lain together' prior to their wedding vows....  and GOD did send his only begotten son to earth to forgive us for our sins.

I love singing all the Christmas hymns and carols each Christmas season... making it hard to find a favorite.  Is it O Come O Come Emmanuel... Ave Maria... Hark The Herald Angels Sing... Away In The Manger... It Came Upon A Midnight Clear... O Come All Ye Faithful... The First Noel... We Three Kings???  Each time I hear and/or sing any of these carols I think..... OOOOHHH That's my favorite.... that is... until I hear and/or sing the next carol.  Even though I can't carry a tune with a bucket AND a lid.... I sing my heart out ever so joyously anyway!!!  Today in church we sang Joy To The World.... and if this is, or is not my favorite, it's hard to say.... but I feel that this song hit a true chord today with it's lyrics... this carols lyrics kind of say it all in one song!  Just in case you don't know the lyrics to this song.... here they are.... enjoy... sing proud and loud and remember as you sing... Tis the season to rejoice and celebrate the birth of our LORD Jesus Christ!

Joy to the world, the Lord is come!
Let earth receive her King;
Let every heart prepare Him room,
And Heaven and nature sing,
And Heaven and nature sing,
And Heaven, and Heaven, and nature sing.

Joy to the world, the Savior reigns!
Let men their songs employ;
While fields and floods, rocks, hills and plains
Repeat the sounding joy,
Repeat the sounding joy,
Repeat, repeat, the sounding joy.

No more let sins and sorrows grow,
Nor thorns infest the ground;
He comes to make His blessings flow
Far as the curse is found,
Far as the curse is found,
Far as, far as, the curse is found.

He rules the world with truth and grace,
And makes the nations prove
The glories of His righteousness,
And wonders of His love,
And wonders of His love,
And wonders, wonders, of His love.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!

Classic Christmas Traditions

I'm sure everyone has their own version of "Classic Christmas Traditions"... I know I do... and whether I want to or not... I just can't help myself... these precious traditions MUST be kept up each and every year. Here are a few of what my family and I consider to be our "Classic Christmas Traditions".

Wrapping gifts while watching old classic christmas movies... but adding new classics when new movies are deemed worthy.  The movies my girls and I HAVE to watch every year are.... "It's a Wonderful Life"  (DUH on that one!... in both black and white and color)... "A Christmas Story"... "White Christmas"... "Miracle on 34th Street" (both the old and new version)... "Home Alone" (usually 2 and 3 as well)...  and last but not least ..."Christmas Vacation".  The movies recently added to the MUST watch list over the past few years are... "Love Actually"... "The Holiday", and "The Family Man".  Have you not watched any or all of these movies... try putting one on and watching as you wrap.  Somehow wrapping gifts while the classics are on just gives the task a more Christmasy feel.  Since I have watched these movies so many times... now I basically wrap while I listen, but I can see each scene clearly in my head.... but... sometimes I must admit I do get distracted and get caught up in the movie while one gift sits in front of me for... umm... up to an hour or so!  :  )  But... that's just part of the tradition too.

Christmas cookie baking...  I make the same sugar cookie dough recipe each year... after the dough has rested in the refrigerator for a bit... I divide up the dough amongst the girls and we each cut out our own shapes and decorate "our batch" anyway we choose.  We don't icing our cookies, we just use colored sugar to decorate our tasty treats with.  And of course making sugar cookies is always a messy affair... but sooooo worth it!  Since my husband and I recently moved several states away, and have to travel to be with our girls for our Christmas gathering, I will be making my sugar cookies solo and taking them to our family gathering.  I will miss the comradery of us girls doing them together... but in the end... they will still taste the same and we will all remember the years of when we did  them together.  And of course we always made the standard famous chocolate chip cookies... Christmas just isn't Christmas without several batches of chocolate chip cookies!  I just use the basic/standard tollhouse recipe on the package of chocolate chip morsels... it's just one of those 'classic' recipes that can be tweaked if you want... but it is so good as is, and can stand alone on it's own without a single tweak.  Over the years the girls and I did experiment with, and bake various other cookie recipes... but these two are the 'traditional' ones!

Chex mix... again... Christmas isn't Christmas without several batches of homemade chex mix.  A very simple munchy crunchy treat to make... yet again... it can be a bit messy.  I start off by using the standard/classic recipe I found on a chex cereal box years ago.... but I have tweaked it into my own version.  I use crispex cereal that is a mix of corn and rice cereal, wheat chex, cheerio's, pretzel sticks (broken into bits), gold fish and pecans... then I add a tad more butter and worchestire sauce and top it off with a good dash or two of tabasco sauce.  The tabasco sauce adds just a hint of a back note to the palate, the cereals I use make it easier to nibble and get a good mix of the different flavors, I use gold fish instead of cheez-it's because they are easier to eat mixed in with the other ingredients, and I use pecans instead of peanuts because I like the buttery soft texture of pecans over the stronger peanut flavor.  My husband HATES, HATES, HATES chex mix because of how crunchy it sounds when people eat it and the smell of their breath afterwards... but us girls never cared... we make it, we eat it, and enjoy it all the same.  It's one of those times when he was outnumbered and had no control over the issue... and we took full advantage of that power!  Sorry honey.... it's not personal... we just LOVE chex mix!  My favorite part is when you get to the bottom of the bowl, and all the salty seasoned crumbs await to be scooped up and eaten!  YUM!!!

Christmas Eve Candle Light Service/Christmas Light Tour... this has been a tradition in our family that started before the girls were born... but it has recently had to be put aside due to the fact that the girls have grown up and have responsible jobs that require them to work Christmas Eve and/or Christmas Day and/or have families to visit from their significant others side.  For the past couple of years our family has had to have our gathering on Christmas Eve because of someone or several having to be up and out early on Christmas morning to work or to be at the in-laws.  I must admit I have missed this tradition dearly... but I understand that for us all to be together, and juggle all the schedules, some things must be sacrificed... and that in time it will come back again.  I have found the most amazing church in our new community and am quite bummed I will miss their candle light service... but Joe and I will be the ones who will be traveling this year and won't be able to attend... so I just enjoy the advent season all the sundays before candle light service.  For me, the candle light service truly is what gives me the Christmas spirit the most... although during these years of change and compromise, I have many, many, many years of candle light services from my past to keep the Christmas spirit alive in my heart.  And I still look forward to when this tradition can be resumed again.

Christmas day jammies!... Each year I buy all of us girls a set of matching jammies (the ONLY time EVER that we are allowed to dress alike!)... we wear them to bed Christmas eve and then spend the entire day on Christmas lounging in them.  First rule is.... they have to be COMFY!... second rule is... they have to be somewhat stylish so that they can be worn and enjoyed for years to come during the winter months.  I don't know about the girls... but I have quite a collection in my drawer and I DO wear them all winter long.  Any one is invited to join us on Christmas Day... but we stay home all day long... hunkered in as we watch movies, play games, enjoy wine, and nibble on food the whole day and night.  Since Joe and I recently moved, this will be the first time our family will all be together since September... I'm really looking forward to our Christmas Day lounge fest!

As Joe and I become Grandparents this coming year... I'm sure we will add many more new traditions to the long standing ones we have now... and we will be passing on all the old traditions to the new members of the family for years to come.  There is nothing like traditions, and the memories of them to keep you warm at heart through this holiday season!

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL!

O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree...

The other night I was watching a program on Christmas traditions and how they began.  I especially enjoyed the story behind how the Christmas Tree became a tradition, and thought I would share it with you.

It all began before Christianity, when Ancient Romans, Greeks and Egyptians brought evergreens into their homes during the winter... observing some kind of celebration in the darkness of winter.  In 1605 a traveler in Germany brought home for his family a small evergreen to sit on the table... and for the next 200 years these small table top Christmas Trees were seldom seen outside of Germany.

In the 1840's a Prince brought his tradition of his German homeland to the Royal Family.  Prince Albert was a German who married Queen Victoria.  In England in 1847, Prince Albert gave his wife a small Christmas Tree, and invited the London Illustrated News to sketch his family enjoying this new custom.  The picture was published in 1848 and by the next Christmas, trees were popping up all over English parlors.

Two years later in America, a magazine editor, named Sarah Josepha Hale published the same picture... but first she removed the Royal couple's jewels and medals, and presented the picture as a 'typical American family' enjoying their Christmas Tree.  After the magazines publication in 1850, nearly everyone in the country wanted one.  Each December after saw Americans visiting Christmas Tree lots, or jogging out to the forests to chop down their own.  It wasn't until forty years later a new option became available with the first artificial trees.  Advertisements for artificial Christmas Trees cropped up in magazines in the 1890's.

The first "Family Christmas Tree" to appear in the White House (which were real evergreens... not artificial) was during Franklin Pierce's presidency in the 1850's.  This new tradition was interrupted in 1901 during Teddy Roosevelt's administration, due to an outcry against waste of pine trees for consumption at Christmas time.  Roosevelt decided that was the end of Christmas Trees, and he would have no Christmas Tree at the White House... but... he didn't expect the reaction from his own children.  His own young son managed to sneak 10 cents out of the White House and buy himself a little bitty Christmas Tree and set it up in a closet.  Roosevelt had a change of heart when he found out about his son's tree, and he learned about a conservation option... "Tree Farming".  Tree Farming meant not cutting down virgin forests to create domestic size Christmas Trees.  Throughout the 20th century, Christmas Tree farming grew into a major industry... today it employees over 100,000 people.  Today Christmas Trees have become bigger... some even going floor to ceiling... than the small table top version from the 1800's.

Which brings us to the decorations of the Christmas Tree.  The first ornaments were cookies and candies that were hung on the tree during 16th century Germany.  For 200 years a decorated tree was a child's delight, because most of the ornaments were edible... these evergreens were known as "Sugar Trees"... and were joyfully shaken down for their so called fruit.  In the 19th century, when industrialization catches on... the tree began to have small toys and gifts (such as small musical instruments for boys and needle books for girls) added to it's branches... making the gifts themselves the ornaments.  By the 2nd half of the 19th century, gifts became too large to hang on the tree, and instead were laid under the tree.  New ornaments needed to be created to decorate the tree... this is when the first glass ornaments were made and used for decorations.  Woolworth's was the first American company to import, and sell the glass ornaments... these ornaments actually were responsible for making Woolworth stores the most profit.

And what about the twinkle lights on the Christmas Tree (which I've already said in a previous blog, are my FAVORITE!)... how did they get started?  Before electric lights, small wax candles were lit and placed on the Christmas tree... but... because the risk of fire was so great... buckets of water were concealed behind the tree, or behind the drapes to be ready in a moments notice to douse the tree in case of a fire.  In 1879, Thomas Edison produced the invention that would light up, and change the world... the electric light bulb.  One of the first uses of his new electric light bulbs were to be used on Christmas Trees.  The electric light bulb was only 3 years old in 1882, when the Vice President of Edison's Electric Company (Edward Johnson) had 80 red, white, and blue lights wired to a revolving Christmas Tree in his parlor... but it wasn't until the 1920's that Christmas Tree lights became popular, when electricity in homes became common place in America... which was a much safer way to illuminate the Christmas Tree than wax candles.

Now you too know the story and history of the Christmas Tree we enjoy today!  I found the history quite fascinating, especially how a simple small evergreen tree became the huge decorated Christmas Trees we now have in our homes all through the Christmas Season present day.

O Christmas Tree... O Christmas Tree... how lovely are thy branches!

Twinkle Lights

I absolutely LOVE, LOVE, LOVE Christmas twinkle lights!!  I especially appreciate those neighbors who put their lights up Thanksgiving weekend... since we ourselves are never quite that ambiguous... in fact... while my husband also enjoys twinkle lights... he just isn't too keen on putting them up... but I eventually am able to sweet talk him in to the task... but... only if it isn't miserably cold outside.  This year tho... I'm cheating and having our lights put up by professionals, because bless his heart... he doesn't have the time, even if he was keen on putting them up.

I love all twinkle lights... whether they are clear, multi-colored, or all one color... they make me smile whenever I see them.  The good thing about the days getting shorter and shorter up until Dec. 21st is that the twinkle lights come on sooner and are visible earlier in the day/evening.  Whenever our family is out and about after dark during the Christmas season... we just have to drive around the neighborhood admiring all the twinkle lights.

Since I'm quite short, it is my husband's job to string the lights and garland around our Christmas tree.  Then when it comes to placing all the ornaments on the tree he is the ornament passer outer... which he would rather do than actually hang the ornaments on the tree.  He first switches the tv to a sports channel (aka... a football game), then he sits with his box of wire hangers and the boxes of ornaments all around him and inspects each ornament, checking to be sure they each have a hanger before handing them off to the girls and I to hang on the tree.  Big ones go on first... little ones go on last... and ALL of the handmade and childhood ornaments get hung.... room MUST be made for every single one!

The best part about hanging the ornaments on the tree is how each ornament has it's own history and story, and these stories are told and retold every single year as each one gets hung on the tree.  We have ornaments that my husband and I have had since childhood, ornaments that our children have had since their birth, ornaments that our children have made in school, ornaments that family have made for us, ornaments from places we have traveled to, and ornaments we have inherited from those who have passed on.  As you can imagine... over the years of gathering ornaments, our Christmas tree isn't able to hold them all... so it was a good thing when our children grew up and took their ornaments with them to their new homes to continue the memories and stories each year.  And of course... the ornaments look much better out of their packing boxes and hung on the tree with the twinkle lights shining behind them to add to their sparkle.

Another of our many family Christmas traditions is the "Tour of Lights" we would take the girls on each Christmas Eve after the candlelight service at church.  We would drive around several neighborhoods oohhhing and ahhing at all the twinkle lights before it was time to finally drive home, put out the cookies and milk for Santa, and carrots for his reindeer, and then shooing the girls off to bed, so that Santa could come and do his work uninterrupted.

As soon as the Christmas tree goes up with all it's twinkle lights aglow... the tree stays lit all day and all night so that whenever you go to bed, and whenever you get up... the first thing you see is the Christmas twinkle lights!

These little lights of mine... I'm gonna let them shine... let them shine, let them shine, let them shine!  So string up those twinkle lights, plug them in and let them shine, let them shine, let them shine!

Jingle Bells

Jingle Bells have a very special meaning and many wonderful memories for our family.  It all started the year my oldest daughter Amber turned 7 and wasn't sure if there really was a Santa Clause... that is the year that my Uncle (my VERY FAVORITE Uncle) started the jingle bell Santa calls.  It wasn't until Amber turned 17, that she finally figured out who was making those calls... and then it was only because we had moved to Michigan... she had gotten used to the northern Michigan accent... and it was my Uncle's southern accent that finally gave him away.

Because I just didn't want the magical fun of believing in Santa to end for her yet... and she was soooo upset to not be sure if he did, or if he did not exist, that the plan for the Santa calls began.  She was told by a friend that Santa Clause wasn't real... that it was her parents who were actually Santa Claus... she was devastated and not wanting to believe her friend's tale.

Our family has many Christmas traditions that we hold dear... and Santa Clause tales are among our favorites.  As a parent you always fear the time when your child arrives at these kind of questions... where do babies come from... is Santa Clause real... is the Easter Bunny real... etc... and that they will share their new found knowledge to their younger siblings.  So..... what is a parent to do???  Well of course the first thing I did was to call my own Mother with this dilemma and asked her... "What do I do??"  She then repeated my conversation with my Aunt... who in turn told my Uncle... who in turn came up with the Santa call plan.

My Uncle has this set of large jingle bells on a leather strap... and he decided to call my girls on Christmas Eve... he would talk in his Santa voice, and as soon as they would answer he would begin with a big HO HO HO chuckle... jingle his jingle bells... ask for each daughter by name, and tell them things he knew about them and what they had done good and bad during the year... he would tell them to improve on the bad things and praise them for the good things... always ending by telling them to mind their parents and do good in school.  What a great plan this was... and they actually believed it, and looked forward to this call for many years... even when they old enough to know the truth about Christmas tales, they still went along with the tradition of these calls... and enjoyed them every single year.

Here is how the plan worked...

I would call my Mom a week or two before Christmas Eve and give her a list of things about them that know one else could possibly know, so that my Uncle was always well prepared in advance on how to make his calls very specific and personal to each of my daughters.  The funny thing is... by the time Christmas Eve came around we were usually preparing to head out to the church candlelight service and were typically in a rush so that we would arrive in time to get a good seat in church... so the Santa phone call would always catch them by complete surprise.  Knowing that when the phone rang it would be Santa... I always made an excuse of why one of the girls would need to answer the phone.  I have the sweetest memory photo of their faces when they answered the phone and believed it to be Santa!  Their faces would truly light up, and each of them would wiggle and squirm wanting whichever sister was on the phone to HURRY UP... so they could get their chance to talk to Santa before we had to leave for church.  Hilarious!!!!

Of course my girls would share these stories with their friends... who would be totally envious that they didn't receive such a call to talk to Santa before he loaded his sleigh up and begin his trek around the world.  The reason this plan worked so well for so long is because of the personal information my Uncle would relate back to them... they were always amazed that he would know these special things about them.  Those calls are such precious and priceless memories that I and my girls will cherish forever.

My Uncle saved Christmas for Amber that year and kept her believing in the magic of Christmas for a couple years more... and then, when she was too old to believe in such childish things, she still looked forward to the tradition of his calls... always playing along so that her sisters would continue to believe as long as possible.  THANK YOU Uncle Hobert... I'll always be grateful for the extra years of believing you gave my girls!

And.... you really and truly are, and always have been my FAVORITE Uncle!!!  HUGS!!!! Vickie Lynn

Elves Home Ornaments

This one is for you Daddy!

From the earliest memory I have as a little girl, my Dad told me and my brother the 'Elves Home' story as our family would decorate our Christmas tree.  Each day after that... all the way up until Christmas day... I would sit in a rocking chair listening to Gene Autry's Children's Christmas album over and over and over, and chat to the elves that lived in their special ornaments.  When I grew up and discovered the trueness of all Christmas legends and tales... I actually thought the 'Elves Home' story was as well known as Frosty the Snowman, Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer, The Night Before Christmas, etc.  It wasn't until I was 18, with an apartment of my very own, and went to purchase my own 'Elves Home' ornaments for my first tree that I discovered that my Dad had actually made that story up!  No one can tell a story quite like my Dad... we would listen to him with our jaws hung open... absolutely mesmerized!

Here is his story...

The ornaments that my Dad called the Elves homes are those ornaments that are round or oblong and have indentions in the middle of them.  He would tell us that the elves lived in these ornaments all year long, and when they were packed away after Christmas, the elves would come out and play at night and keep watch over us as we slept... but in the day time they would watch over us and report to Santa all our good deeds and bad deeds throughout the year... so that when Christmas season came, and it was time to decorate the Christmas tree, Santa already knew if we had been naughty or nice during the year.  But... during the time those ornaments hung on the tree we had a chance to redeem ourselves for any of our naughtiness during the year by being extra good as they kept watch over us until Christmas Eve when Santa arrived... then... when Santa arrived the elves helped him stuff our stockings and unload his sack of goodies that were placed under the tree.

I would sit in that rocker and sing along with Gene Autry as I chatted to the elves hoping they would see just how good I was... and also to see if I could ever catch one coming out of the ornaments.  I truly thought if I sat there long enough I would really get to see a real life elf... which of course I never did... but I never gave up believing I would see one.

I remember the day I went in search of my own Elves Home ornaments.  I was in the local Woolworth five and dime store browsing along the Christmas decorations aisle... when I couldn't find any of those ornaments I went in search of a sales clerk to assist me in my search.  I actually asked her if they carried 'Elves Home' ornaments... I will never forget the puzzled look the sales lady gave me... and then the "WHAT ornaments" reply!  I then not only described what the ornaments looked like in great detail... but also said... "you know... the ornaments that the elves live in"!!!  I was a bit perplexed that this woman had no clue what I was talking about... so when I got home, I called my Mom and Dad to tell them how dumb this sales lady was that she didn't know what Elves Home ornaments were.  It was then that my Dad confessed he had made that story up years ago.  Since he had told that story to my cousins as well... I really thought it was a well known Christmas story!

Thanks Dad for the many years of memories of waiting and watching for those elves... those are priceless memories indeed!  I made sure I told this same story to my own children every year, and I will be passing this story on to my Grandchildren as well.  And Dad... I wish you would turn this story into a book with your own illustrations included...  how cool would that be???  I love you bunches!!  You made Christmas soooo special!

HUGS!!!  Victoria

Christmas Countdown Advent Calendars

One of my very favorite activities to prepare for the coming of Christmas Day is my advent calendar countdowns.  When my girls were small my Grandmother gave them each a cardboard advent calendar, and each day the girls opened a door to reveal a piece of chocolate behind it.  These advent calendar countdowns begin on Dec. 1st and end either on Dec. 24th or Dec. 25th... depending on the individual calendar.  Ever since that first year I made sure the girls each had an advent calendar to countdown the days until Christmas Day.

Over the years I have collected several advent calendars... some that are wooden structures to which ornaments get removed from the structure each day... some are puzzles and each day after retrieving the treat it becomes a puzzle piece that slowly becomes a picture after all the drawers have been turned around...  my Mother-in-law made one that is a quilted wall hanging in which a little bear is looking for Christmas, and each day the bear looks in a different place on the quilt until he discovers Christmas under the Christmas Tree... each place on the quilt has a little piece of velcro attached and the bear has a piece of velcro so that he can move around the quilt each day... this particular advent calendar my girls had to take turns moving him around the quilt, and it is still their favorite.  I have a couple advent calendars that are wire trees with a hidden drawers underneath and each day an ornament gets added to the tree... one year I even made my own by taking a card making stamping class in which we stamped and embossed a tree onto a magnet, then stamped and embossed ornaments, after which we laminated the ornaments and attached magnets to the back so that each day an magnet ornament was attached to the tree.

I feel like such a kid myself each Christmas as I unpack my many advent calendars and look forward to each morning that I get to add an ornament or retrieve a treat.  My daughters have since grown up and moved out on their own... taking their advent calendars with them... but... we all remember the many memories of the joys we each had each morning with our advent calendars... and well.... we still enjoy.

My family has diagnosed me as being a bit obsessive and compulsive (OK... I do tend to get carried away when I find things I really like or enjoy)... but... these calendars are such fun I look for new and different ones each year.  I have them in every room and can not start my day until I have placed an ornament on, or opened and turned all the drawers around each morning.  I'm as giddy as any child counting down the days until Christmas.  If you have not had the pleasure of the joys of participating with an advent calendar... the next time you see a cheap cardboard advent calendar... pick it up and begin a new tradition yourself.

Today the advent season has officially begun and I have one piece of the puzzle in place and one ornament on the trees... it will be all too soon when they are completed and Christmas Day has come and gone, and it's once again time to pack these precious memories away for the next year.

Small Town Living

You know you are living in a small town when....

1.  You live in the country.... but main street is just 5 miles down the road

2.  The post office is down on main street... and ALL the postal workers treat you like family every time you go in

3.  If you happen to be on main street at 12:00 noon all the churches chime their bells... and during the holidays the bells ring out christmas hymns

4.  People actually pull their cars over to listen to the church bells at noon

5.  One end of town to the other is only a 10 minute drive... with 30 MPH speed limit

6.  No one drives the speed limit.... they drive 5 - 10 miles under the speed limit

7.  No one is in a hurry.... so don't think about rushing them

8.  Any place of business you visit twice... they not only remember you... but they remember past purchases and food orders

9.  People pull over to the side of the road the instant they see a funeral procession and wait until the final car has passed

10.  Everyone waves and smiles at everyone... no matter if you are walking or driving

11.  When walking down any street, everyone looks you in the eye and greets you as you pass by

12.  Everyone starts up a conversation with you whenever you are waiting in any line

13.  People not only ask you how you or your family are doing... but they actually listen to the answer and respond

14.  Handshakes and hugs are a common occurrence

15.  Men tip their hats and hold doors for women

16.  People are referred to as 'folks'

17.  Parents are referred to as 'my Momma' and/or 'my Daddy'... no matter how old the child... including 70 year olds speaking about their parents

18.  There are more pick up trucks per square capita than any other vehicle..... with tractors coming in a close second

19.  Crime rate??!! What is that!!??

20.  Everyone in town turns out for the local high school football games.... even if you don't have, or never have had a child who attends/attended the school

21.  All businesses (other than fast food places) shut down after 9:00pm on Saturday, and are closed on Sunday's and Monday's

As George Bailey said.... "It's A Wonderful Life"!

Breakfast Memories With Grandma

Breakfast literally means.... to break the fast.... as in.... when you sleep you are fasting... when you wake up, you need to refuel the body to break the fast and start your metabolism going.  Even tho I myself am not a 'breakfast person'....I have woken up to the wonderful smells of breakfast my whole life.

As a child, and all the years of growing up, I would spend the night with my Grandma or my cousins as many times as my Mom would allow.... and it is hard for me to remember a single weekend that I didn't spend the night with my Grandma or at my cousins or my cousin Debbie spending the night at my house.  My Mom, my Aunt, and my Grandma all made breakfast every single morning.... my Aunt even made a HUGE breakfast on Sunday mornings before church, AND would stick something in the oven to be ready for Sunday Supper after church!  But it's the breakfasts at my Grandma's house I remember the most... she just made the absolute perfect fried eggs!!!  It is very rare that I ever eat a fried egg and when I do... it has to be hard fried for an egg sandwich... but my Grandma made the most beautiful fried eggs that even I wanted to eat them.

When I spent the night at Grandma's house... the smell of fresh coffee and frying sausage would chase all the dreams out of my head and I just had to get up so that I wouldn't miss watching her cook breakfast.  She was like a ballerina dancing through breakfast preparations... it was just a wonderful sight to behold!  I can still hear the sizzle of the sausage as it fried.... slowly... nothing could be rushed... the sausage was NEVER burnt or overcooked, but had the perfect searing on the outside and juiciness on the inside... it HAD to be "Old Folks" sausage... she never used anything else!  If I woke up early enough... I would actually get to watch her slice the sausage into patties from the roll that was wrapped up in cloth casing.... it too had such a distinct sound as she would slice through it.

When the sausage was near perfection... but not quite done... she would then begin frying the eggs and making the toast.  She used a small teflon skillet... on low heat... and when the eggs were done... flipped over once... they were the prettiest eggs I have ever seen!!!  The whites of her fried eggs were pristine white... never ever any brown or rough edges, and when the yellows were cut with a fork, they would ooze and flow over the whites like syrup over pancakes.... the toast of course was used for sopping every bite of those eggs off the plate!  Watching her make breakfast is like being at Waffle House and watching the cook do his dance... except Grandma did everything in slow motion.  She would serve breakfast on white corelle dishes... and the sounds of the knife and fork being used made it's own song!

There was a sweet rhythm to breakfast at Grandma's.  Grandpa would be in his white tank tee-shirt and dress pants (skinny belt) and would be sipping his coffee and reading the newspaper,  Grandma would be wearing one of her many pretty house robes with matching slippers... Grandpa would be totally silent, absorbed in the newspaper... while Grandma would chatter away to me as she cooked... explaining in great detail the how's and why's of her cooking (because I would be asking a thousand questions and was always under foot mesmorized by her cooking dance)... she always made a pot of lipton tea that she would share with me... adding lots of sugar to my cup...  the tea would be served from a dainty tea pot, poured into the white tissue thin corelle cups... which I personally think added to the poshness of it all... and once she had everyone served... including herself... she would then sit down and daintily place her napkin over her lap before she ate and savored her own breakfast and read the paper... cover to cover!

That was a typical everyday breakfast for her and Grandpa... which they HAD to have a real breakfast to start their day off... never just grabbing a muffin or danish... it HAD to be a hot breakfast.  On weekends when our entire clan would jaunt down to "The Cabin"at Rough River... then she would bring out the whole shabang breakfast that would include homemade biscuits, gravy, sliced tomatoes, grits/cream of wheat, and bacon to the eggs and sausage.... it was a break-FEAST!!!!

Whether it was the typical everyday breakfast or the weekend breakfeast.... no meals were ever hurried affairs... they were sit down gatherings with lots of conversation and enjoyment of the food prepared.  I'm soooo grateful for these memories and all those meals shared with my family.  I recently inherited one of my Grandma's small teflon frying pans, and I have made it a personal quest to make her "perfect" fried eggs and sausage.  I'm determined to follow in her footsteps and be the BEST Grandma ever... just like she was to us.  I think she would be proud of my beautiful eggs I have finally mastered in her teflon pan!  MISS YOU SOOOOOO MUCH GRANDMA!!!

Making Your Lists and Checking Them Twice

OMGOODNESS!!!!  By all the commercials that have been running non-stop daily... AND... all the store displays... along with all the non-stop music in the air.... you would actually think this is the week of Christmas and not the week of Thanksgiving!  NOT... that I have a problem with the spirit of Christmas... NOR am I opposed to seeing and enjoying all the Christmas lights, decorations, and the sounds of Christmas.... it's just that.... my brain is trying to get ready for Thanksgiving and my check list is of all the ingredients I need to make the perfect Thanksgiving meal.... not a checklist of who has been naughty and nice.

December first is when I start getting geared up and thinking about Christmas.  One of my favorite things about December 1st is putting out all my advent calendars.  I have several advent calendars.... two that require opening a drawer to retrieve a piece of chocolate, and then turning the drawer around and it becomes a piece of a puzzle and the complete picture is revealed after the last drawer is open... two that require opening a door and finding a chocolate behind the door... one that requires adding an ornament to a tree... one that requires moving a stuffed teddy bear around a quilted wall hanging as it looks for Christmas... one that requires I take off a stocking/glove/light bulb from a wooden structure (OK.... those last 3 are my daughters... but up until this year I did participate in the wooden snowman with the stockings)... my point is.... I still look for advent calenders each year to add to my collection... you just can't have enough of those to play with.... heck.... you can't help but to wake up smiling as you wait to discover what prize or treat awaits you behind those doors and drawers or what ornament gets to be hung on the tree.  I find it amazing too how quickly the days fly by and all the treats have been discovered and the ornaments are all on the tree and Christmas Day has arrived.

I know that "Black Friday" is the day that many head out at the crack of dawn with their naught and nice list in hand and wait in line to get the best "Door Buster" deals, and prices on the hottest and trendiest gifts for their loved ones on their check list... and I must admit I have participated in the madness of Black Friday myself... but now.... I avoid the crowds and the traffic and do much of my shopping on-line.  I get deals as good or better and I don't purchase anything unless it includes free shipping.  There is definitely a certain thrill out of participating in the shopping spree of Black Friday and if you are a true shopper... it's the most fun shopping day of the year... however... I have been there, done that, got the tee shirt, and it still fits... so sleeping in, lazing around, and eating leftovers all day on Black Friday suits me much better these days.  But to those brave souls who dare to put themselves out there.... GOOD LUCK... and may you find everything on your list and may you get the best of deals!!  

I shop for Christmas all year long.... only because I am a GREAT secret keeper and can keep things hidden for months... and I actually not only remember what I bought, but also where I put it!  In fact... I have always had a "Gift Box" where I keep extra gifts on hand for those "OH POOH" moments when you need a last minute gift because someone shows up unexpectedly and you don't want them to feel left out... or when someone unexpectedly gives you a gift and you want to return the gesture.  I actually started the "Gift Box" (originally called the "Birthday Box") when the girls were young and were invited to several birthday parties a year, and it never failed that they would tell me about the party invite the night before or the afternoon in which the gift was needed.  And because money was tight and there was never much to spare, I would stock up on toys I would get on clearance after Christmas, when they were perfectly good toys and I could afford to stock the gift box.  I must say that the gift box has saved me several times from embarrassing moments both for Birthday and Christmas gifts.  I take the opportunity to buy such gifts now when the Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, and school children come around selling things for fundraisers for their schools... items such as candles, note cards, and such... things that I myself would enjoy but also make the perfect quick gift.  

I also buy stocking stuffers all year long.  I absolutely LOVE, LOVE, LOVE stuffing stockings and you would be amazed at the cool stuff you can find all year long that is perfect for stocking stuffers.  I try to find items that are unusual, unique, or just plain silly and fun.  You just never know what to expect to find in one of my stuffed stockings.  My Aunt and Cousins actually wrap each individual item that they put in stockings.... now that is putting true effort and time into stuffing stockings.  I thought this year I would turn this privilege over to my daughters who have all flown the nest and are making their own families.... but.... it was unanimously voted that I remain the "Stuffer of the Stockings"!!

So even tho I too am vigorously making my naughty and nice list and checking it twice... I am looking for the best deals on my gift list... I hope to do most of my shopping on-line...  only venturing out to the mall during the week, in the middle of the day while children are still in school and most folks are at work.

Let the shopping begin!!!!

Blessings and Thankfulness

Tis the season to openly share what you are Thankful for.... even though we are all thankful all year long for all our blessings... this is the time of year to share them with everyone else.  I have more blessings to be thankful about this year than usual.... so here is my Thankful list.

I'm Thankful For....
1.  The blessing of being born, raised and living in the strongest country in the world... and being able to worship in my faith openly because the freedom of religion is what that United States of America was founded on.
2.  My ancestry roots that made it possible for me to exist.
3.  Having the most AWESOME Grandmother in the world to teach me and guide me and spoil me rotten 52 years of my life.... having said that... I miss her dearly and wish she were still with us "IF" she was still in good health.... but all of us have an expiration date on the shelf life of our lives and hers expired this summer... we were thankful and grateful in the end that she fell asleep and went to the Lord in peace.
4.  Loving Parents who raised me with the perfect mix of love, discipline, and expectation for me to always do the best I can do so that I can be the best that I can be.
5.  My Husband who is not only the love of my life, but also my true soul mate.  He continues to inspire and to encourage me to do my best and be my best while living life as positively as possible... he is truly the best man (person) I've ever met!
6.  My 3 beautiful and smart Daughters who have made us proud of who they were from the moment they were born, and continue to do so as wonderful young adult women leading responsible, independent lives and spreading their love and joy to others every single day!
7.  The wonderful men who have joined our family to love and cherish our daughters, as they begin a new branch of our family tree.
8.  My two yet unborn Grandson's that will join our family late winter and early spring.  I can only imagine the joys they will bring to our family through the coming years.
9.  All my extended family members... both blood related and marriage related... who are always there with love, support, understanding, and comfort for my family whenever we need.
10.  Having the opportunity to live in a wonderful place, in a nice home with warm beds, plenty of food and enough to share with others.
11.  All those who believe in and fight to keep our country free.... I keep all you and your families in my heart, thoughts and prayers and give thanks for all you do!
12. Finding the PERFECT church and church family where I can go every week to get renewed spiritual strength so that I may witness to others every chance I get.
13. The many friends I have met along my life's journey, who have added so much flavor and character to my life.
14.  For the enormous love and goodwill that is in my heart, and for the positive thoughts that allow me to see the 'other' side of life and make things more pleasant for others every chance I get.

These are but just a few of the many many things I'm thankful for everyday... not just for the Thanksgiving Holiday.  My life has been one huge blessing and continues to be so.  I've been taught and touched by so many people in my life, and I want to 'pay it forward' any time I have an opportunity to do so.  I've been loved, inspired, and encouraged, I've been made accountable for my actions, I've learned many things through school, books, people and life itself.

But most of all..... I'm THANKFUL for having the LORD in my life... all things start with him.

Wishing everyone a Happy, Safe, and Blessed Thanksgiving Holiday... and may the coming year bring you more Blessings to be Thankful for each day!

Tis the Season..... for BOOTS!

Even tho boots can be worn all year long..... especially in LA where celebrities think UGGS go with everything and everywhere..... boots typically tend to be worn more in the fall and winter months.  There are ankle boots, knee boots, over the knee boots, snow boots, riding boots, dressy boots, suede boots, leather boots, rain boots.... boots, boots, boots.... ultra comfy, very stylish, and very utilitarian as well.

Just like in the summer time with my sandals, I have several pairs of boots in the same style but in different colors.  Most of my boots are of the VERY inexpensive (aka CHEAP) kind, and come from the Children's department of Payless Shoes or Target... although I do have 2 pair of expensive boots I ordered online because I needed/wanted stylish dressy boots and I'm just unable to find "Big Girl" boots in my teeny foot size in stores.  My girls love to tease me about finding an item I like... whether it be clothing or shoes... and buying several items of the same style in different colors.... but hey!..... if it fits, looks nice and feels good, I want to have options for any outfit!

My current favorite boots are a pair of riding boots I bought from Payless Shoes a couple months ago.  Every time I wear these boots I get stopped by total strangers telling me they love my boots and they always ask me... "where did you get them"?.  I then enjoy seeing the total shock that crosses their faces when I say Payless Shoes... and then... they always say... "REALLY"!!! ???  Cracks me up every time!  In fact this happened to me twice yesterday in the mall!  I have a similar pair that I purchased last year from Target and wore them all fall/winter long to the point they were looking rather shabby and worn out... which made me go in search of another pair for this year because they are soooo comfy, and soooo cute I needed a new pair.  I always got the same reaction when I wore those boots last year too.

One night this past August when I was home alone and bored, I went online and started my quest for replacing my old riding boots from last year... I ended up ordering several pairs of boots (but in my defense it was "Buy one, get one 1/2 price").... I bought 5 pair to be exact.... brown, black, over the knee, riding boots, rain boots... and of course they arrived the one weekend when my husband was home!.... GO FIGURE!!...isn't that always the way it goes!!!  His immediate response was.... "Vickie WHY do you need all these boots?"... and I replied... "Because I do"!  LOL  He of course knew they were all inexpensive, cheap trendy boots, so it wasn't that I had actually spent much money on them, he just didn't think I would really need or wear all these boots... but now that we have been out several times together when I am wearing these various boots, and he too has seen the reaction and heard the comments of other women of how much they love my boots.... he just shakes his head and smiles!  How is that for winning an argument and getting in the last word!?

I personally find it quite rewarding to dress trendy and stylishly inexpensive .... as in bargin shopped items!.  Case in point.... my husband's boss held a "Farewell Dinner" for us before we relocated here to Kansas... and she is the ULTIMATE stylish lady... she dresses VERY EXPENSIVELY and LOVES it... while I dress stylishly as well.... just on a way way wayyyyyy lower budget!  At this dinner... while I was with several muckity muck corporate wives standing around chatting... his boss notices my new boots and comments on them and asked me where I got them.... so..... I told her  Payless Shoes (I don't lie well.... nor can I think that quickly).... I honestly don't think she has ever been to a Payless Shoe store in her life.... but... the look on her face was priceless.... as was the look on the other wives... but it made me feel like a million bucks because, cheap as my Payless boots are.... they looked very stylish and expensive!  And.... honestly.... they may be cheap, but they are soooo much more comfy than the two pair of expensive boots I have!

It's not that I never shop for pricier clothes.... I do.... but.... only when I am need of something for an event or when I have a gift certificate (birthday, christmas... etc)... and once I'm in a pricier store... I can easily get into trouble quickly because I find more than I need... but when things look sooo good and feel sooo good I just can't help myself... however, the items I buy in pricier stores are the items that I keep in my closet for a long time, and wear often because they stay in style for many years.  Having said that tho.... I more often shop in stores like Old Navy, Payless, Target, and such because I can find more seasonal trendy items much cheaper and then when they go out of style I don't feel badly because I didn't spend much on them anyway.  It is the way you accessorize your outfits with shoes, boots, jewelry and such that make you look expensive and stylish... clothing/shoes don't have to be expensive to look expensive... this is what I have learned from my youngest daughter who went to a Fashion Design school in LA and has taught me to 'step out of my comfort zone', and how to put the whole look together.  She is the queen of clearance rack shopping!  I have learned a lot from her these past few years and see "Style" with a whole new eye!  THANK YOU Lauren!

So ladies.... it's time to put your boots on!!  After all.... "These boots are made for walking... and that's just what I'm gonna do"!  In case of any youngsters reading this blog have no clue what that means.... these are lyric's from a 1960's song by Nancy Sinatra (Frank Sinatra's daughter).

Kansas

Kansas is known for many things.... Tornado's, The Wizard of Oz, Dorothy and Toto, The Yellowbrick Road, Munchins (my peeps), Wheat, the big rivalry of Kansas State and Kansas University, The Kansas City Chiefs, Prairie Dogs.... just to mention a few.... but... did you know they are famous for their salt mines, or that they have the largest grain elevator in the United States (2nd in the world in size.... Russia having the largest)... or that they have a Cosmosphere/Space Center with the 2nd largest collection of space memorabilia in the world (again... Russia having the largest).  All of these interesting sites are not only in Kansas.... but.... in Hutchinson where we now live.  And who said.... what the heck is in Hutchinson Kansas???  I must also add that the folks of "Hutch" are quite proud of all they have to offer to locals and visitors alike.  I have not yet had the opportunity to visit either the Salt Museum or the Cosmosphere... but they are both on my list of "to see and do" the first chance I get.  Anyone who plans on visiting us here in Hutch has many things to look forward to as they learn about this little town in the middle of the United States of America.


These exerpts are from the site I googled about the Cosmosphere and the Underground Salt Museum....


The Kansas Cosmosphere and Space Center in Hutchinson has the 2nd largest collection of US space memorabilia anywhere and the largest collection of Russian space memorabilia outside the former Soviet Union.  Spacecraft and aircraft on exhibit at the Kansas Cosmosphere include Apollo 13, a Blackbird SR-71 spy plane, a flown Vostok spacecraft, a Sputnik, space suits & tools, items that have been on the moon. The Cosmosphere is the permanent home of Liberty Bell, the Mercury 7 capsule that was recovered from the bottom of the ocean and restored here at the Kansas Cosmosphere.

Kansas Underground Salt Museum in Hutchinson, Kansas is unique in the western hemisphere. Although there are some similar salt mine museums in Europe, there are none in the Americas. And there are just 15 active salt mines in the United States.To take a tour of the underground museum you have to take the two level lift and ride down 650 feet in the dark - "because that is the way the miners do it."  The salt mine is still in operation and the mine is a bit of a time capsule, near the end of the tour, there is a stop where everyone is allowed to get off the tram, sort through a pile of rock from the active salt mine and select a rock to take home as a souvenir of their visit to the Underground Salt Museum.

Not only do we have those two cool tourist sites to encourage visitors but here are the things that I see daily and enjoy watching.... little wind gusts that pick up a leaf or piece of prairie brush.... these wind gusts are like teeny weeny mini tornado's that seem as if they are actually playing with whatever item is being swirled and twirled... the wind gusts actually look like they are performing a dance for you... you just can't help but to be mesmerized by the dance.  On any given day my husband and I watch deer (bucks, does and babies) wander around our yard.... and we also see the flock of wild turkeys that roam around our yard all day long.  Because our house is truly nestled in the woods and we have windows all around the house, we can actually stand in the middle of our living room and see out of our windows in the front, back and sides of the house without taking a single step, so we get to watch these wild animals on all sides of the house as they go about their grazing and roaming.... which I have to admit is really cool!  

Joe and I look forward to having visitors to share in these tourist sites and experiences with us.  Our Welcome mat is always out!  And.... if none of these things entice you to come visit.... Chef V is always in the kitchen cooking up something yummy for your tummy!  


PS... don't know why the print size of this blog keeps changing... must be because I had to copy and paste the info from google.

Happy Mail = Smiles! BIG ONES!!!

For the past several months I have been dealing with contradicting emotions on a daily basis... one minute I feel complete happiness from news I have heard and/or shared with family and friends.... the next minute I'm at the opposite end of the spectrum feeling sadness, concern, and/or frustration with other news from family and friends.  This constant swing of emotions can be quite exhausting.... but.... it is the "Out of the Blue" smiles I receive that stay in my memory the longest.

Yesterday I thought I was having a pretty good day..... then.... I received two very unexpected letters in the mail that made me realize I was actually having a GREAT day!!!  I'm still smiling!  Receiving these letters has made me realize and appreciate the simple pleasure of getting "Happy Mail".  I've always enjoyed sending my own "Out of the Blue" happy mail... usually to the younger members of my family and friends... but heck.... us adults need happy mail surprises too!  So.... my quest begins today to send happy mail once a week to various unexpecting recipients!  I'm excited to see how many lives I can touch with a simple little 'thinking of you' note.

Back in the days before computers and the internet was a part of our daily lives, and long distance phone calls were for "Emergencies ONLY" and quite expensive.... I used to write many many letters almost on a daily basis.  It was the only way to really stay connected to friends and family that I moved away from after I was married at the tender young age of 19..... and who even thinks about getting married at 19 these days??? It is rare... and I have a nephew who actually was married this summer and he is only 19.... but again.... it is a rare thing anymore.  Some of those letters still exist here and there.... but most were probably tossed out after the recipient responded/replied.  I myself have very few letters I saved that were sent to me because of the many moves we have made and the purging we have had to do with each move.

Maybe it is because I feel like I'm now living in Norman Rockwell/Mayberry RFD land.... and nostalgia of those long ago letters still brings a smile to my face.... or maybe it is because I'm currently reading the book of Julia Child's and Avis DeVoto's correspondence... or maybe because in this world of technology that most of us live in today has done away with the real written word... but whatever the reason... I want to bring those feelings back to my dear loved ones that only happy mail can bring.  I just remember being excited to check the mail box everyday in hopes that a letter had arrived for me... and now.... going to the mailbox each day is just another chore that needs to be done, to collect the bills that need to be paid and sort through all the junk mail that needs to be tossed.  Having recently experienced how a letter can change your day in an instant and bring a smile to your face is just such a priceless feeling I want to share with others.  With our email and FB mailboxes we delete messages as soon as we respond.... but a letter or a card is something you can hold in your hand to read and re-read as often as you want and get the same warm feelings from over and over.  Sometimes you can actually smell the scent of the person who sent you the happy mail and that makes it all the better too because it makes you feel like the person is actually with you and not miles and miles away!  And I also like seeing the different handwritting  of each person who sends me mail... I like to see how they sign their name... if they add any doodles at the end... such as.... a happy face, a drawing of a flower, a heart, or even a post script of a last minute thought after they have ended their letter.

I remember in grade school when we would actually get assigned a pen pal.... and what fun it was to exchange mail with other kids who we were most likely never going to meet, but felt like you knew them all the same.  Some pen pals actually have met after many years of corresponding.... like Julia Child and Avis DeVoto and remained life long friends whether they met in person or not.  And sometimes writing down your thoughts and feelings to share with someone else is as healing to ourselves as it is to read them from others.

I hope that this plan of mine will spread sunshine to many.... I hope that who ever I may target each week for happy mail, that when the mail arrives it is just the pick up they needed on that day, or that it makes a good day they were already having a better day!

Sincerely, Regards, Always, Love..... or as I like to sign off.... HUGS!!!  V

Julia is here again!

I have a habit of browsing amazon.com in search of new books and/or new music when I'm bored and there is nothing I'm interested in watching on tv.  I buy all my books and music from this website because it is easy, my purchases usually arrive in a day or two at the most... with free shipping I might add.... plus you get to read all the reviews from other buyers.  So.... the other day when I was bored and wasting time browsing for some music... randomly I got this message "Vickie's special selections" about a new Julia Child book.... "As Always, Julia... The Letters of Julia Child and Avis Devoto".... WELL... you can only imagine my pure delight at this revelation since I SERIOUSLY and LITERALLY have read every single word of every single book... AND... have watched every single DVD about this hero of mine.  It took me less than 2 seconds to push "add to cart"... and "check out now"!  This happened on Sunday night and boom... ding dong goes my door bell this afternoon (Tuesday... a day before it was supposed to arrive), and I run to the door thinking..... who could be ringing my doorbell... and there it was... sitting pretty as can be on my doorstep like a Christmas package to be opened.... my amazon package with Julia inside!!!!  WOOT WOOT!!!  I really did do a jig the moment I laid eyes on that package!

I've only had time to caress the front of the book and read the teasing snipits on the back cover... but Julia has arrived and I am eager to begin voraciously reading her letters and the giggling to begin.  Avis DeVoto was her best friend and pen pal for more than 40 years, and the content of these letters are about culinary discussions, personal confidences, political opinions, and sexuality..... basically... it's about Food, Friendship, and the Making of a Masterpiece..... better than a Harlequin Romance novel any day!!!!  From everything I have read thus far in my Julia obsession.... she was a hoot and a holler without a brain to mouth filter.... she was delightful, charming, mischievous, honest, and just a true 'character'!  I will definitely do an update about my thoughts of this book after I finish reading it.  Now I just have to find some very selfish time to sit and read, read, read!

I am beyond giddy with excitement to discover more words.... her own in fact.... about this truly delightful woman!  I have 399 pages of letters to read about her and Avis.... I feel like I'm getting a look at her personal diary.... which.... if that ever comes to print.... I guarantee you I will click "add to cart" and "check out now" in less than a second!  In fact I would love to discover a book of Paul's letters to his twin brother Charles... those too would be fun to read.  I can only hope to discover some unprinted recipes in this book as I read my way through it too.... but even if I don't discover any recipe treasures.... I'm going to enjoy every single word of yet another book about my girl Julia!

Hate to be hasty.... but Julia awaits!!!

Postive Thoughts For A New Month

Today is the first day of a new month..... this past September I heard Ann Curry (of the Today Show) say on the air that if you begin a new month saying good luck/positive words out loud it will bring you good luck for the month.  So ever since I heard that, I begin the first day of each month saying things like...... lucky penny, rainbow, shooting star, ladybugs, humming birds, dragon flies, etc.  Who is to say if this really works... but.... starting a new month off with a positive attitude certainly can't hurt and it sure makes me smile just thinking, hoping, and wishing this will be true.  And.... it is such fun to share this tidbit of hope with as many people as I can.  Just think.... you have 12 chances a year to start a new month off being and feeling positive.  I support anything and everything that is positive.  It's also fun trying to think of all the things that are happy and/or good luck signs.   How many can you think of as you read this?  If nothing else, sharing and saying positive things to others always makes them smile.... I mean.... who doesn't want to hope it is true?

Speaking of things that bring you good luck.... I find myself trying to turn bad luck things into good luck... even if I have to make up my own rules!  LOL  For instance.... how often do you see the time 11:11?  I always say a prayer and/or make a wish whenever I see that time.... which is typically a daily occurrence for me.... and you do have two chances a day to see that time.... however.... some people think it is a bad omen to see the time 11:11.... but not me..... I think it is a GREAT sign!  I took making a wish/saying a prayer at 11:11 one step further (an example of me making up my own good luck rules!) by saying a prayer and/or making a wish anytime I see a triple digit time... such as 1:11, 2:22, 3:33 (my ultimate favorite since 3 is my favorite and lucky number), 4:44 and 5:55.  However.... my own personal steadfast rule about praying/wishing on 11:11 and triple digit time is that..... it doesn't count if you watch the clock or set an alarm to be sure to see the time.... it only counts if you just happen to look up and see that time.  And again.... it is almost eerie how many times I just happen to look up and see 11:11 or triple digit times.  I just think looking up and seeing all the same numbers on a clock is really special.... it's probably the "Pollyanna" in me.... but I find it such a comfort to randomly look up and see that.

Once you are made aware of noticing the time like that, you will be amazed at how often you now randomly look up and notice it.... and how happy it makes you feel to get a free wish or think of someone who is in need of a prayer.  Just think.... it is possible to get 12 wishes and say 12 prayers everyday!  Although I usually notice the time and get to make a wish/say a prayer at least once a day.... I'm thrilled to pieces when I get two wishes/prayers in the same day and think it is a super duper good day to get 3 or more!!.... and it has happened several times that I get 3 wishes/prayers a day!

Wishing all my readers lots of good luck this month!!!  Spread the smiles.... it feels GREAT!!

BOO!!!!! Happy Halloween

Happy Halloween to all you Spookers, Monsters, Heros, Action Figures, Princesses, Beauty Queens, Bugs, Hobos, Rock Stars, and Celebrities!!!!  And those are only the costumes I can remember!  May your bags, buckets and pillow cases be overflowing with yummy treats at the end of the night!  And to all you Moms and Dads who sneak their treats from the bags, buckets and pillow cases after the younguns have retired their costumes and succumbed to sweet sleep... hide the evidence of the candy wrappers deep down in the trash cans and just know...... the kids count their candy and pretty much know what you took anyway!  :  )

I'm really going to miss seeing trick or treaters and handing out candy this year.... but we are new residents and live in a remote area, so I'll just have to keep the Halloween traditions that I can, which is making a big ole pot of chili and watching scary movies.

Back in the day when my girls were little... we had some close friends and neighbors that we would gather with at one of our houses... eat chili, dress the kids, take tons of pictures.... which to this day are still quite hilarious!.... and then us Moms took the younguns trick or treating while the Dads stayed at home passing out candy and enjoying their 'special' beverages.... aka beer!  Afterwards when all the kids were tired and starting to whine.... we would gather back at he house hosting the chili (we would change up houses year to year)... all the kids would dump their treasures into a pile and the sorting began.... of course.... there was a lot of gobbling of goodies in between the sorting!  Their eyes would sparkle each time they came across their favorite candy and treats.... especially the full size candy bars which was considered the MECA score!  And then.... there was the pile of .....eeewww ick.... I don't like this or that and us parents would descend and scarf the unwanted treats up, thinking we had scored good as well.  Ahhhhh those were the days..... and they passed way too quickly!

One year when I was 7 months pregnant with my youngest... my middle daughter had strep throat with a fever and wasn't allowed to go trick or treating.... so.... I took her bag in hand with my oldest daughter to gather her goodies for her.... but somehow.... no one quite believed I was gathering for a sick child.... one look at my belly and the .... uh huhs and 'those looks' came from each candy giver... yet.... they did indeed drop a goody into her bag.  I happened to be following a father and child most of the way around the neighborhood and he made several comments along the way about how shameless I was to be collecting goodies for my pregnancy.... and then..... we came upon my house, and as we approached the house.... there was my daughter...nosed pressed to the glass... drool dripping from her lip as she watched everyone scampering around in their costumes and collecting candy.... I walked inside, grabbed the candy bucket and dropped candy into his child's bucket and gave him the biggest grin I could manage and watched him drop his head and actually deliver an apology to me!  Gotta say..... priceless!!!!  Thus.... note to candy givers.... don't assume, just drop candy into every bag, bucket or pillow case that is thrust before you with a glad heart!

Then there is the debate about teenagers who go around trying to gather candy and goodies too... some dressed up, some not.... but definitely containers in hand with which they hope to score some goods.  My thoughts are this.... who doesn't like candy... especially chocolate???.... and they usually start their rounds later in the evening when most of the younger children have come, gathered and gone home.... they are quite brave to go trick or treating knowing that some of their peers may have reason to tease them unmercifully the next day at school.... but their quest for treats is stronger than their concern of being ridiculed.... so I say.... give them treats!!!  They usually have quite creative costumes and they always make me laugh.... I'm impressed with their bravery and I myself ravaged all of my girls stash in my own quest for treats.... they are harmless and just want chocolate.... no harm no foul!  They will appreciate and enjoy your gifts and they are basically trying to have harmless fun.  Some of us either take much longer to grow up or we never grow up.  Halloween may be a "children's holiday".... but support the child in all of us... give to the teenagers!  Plus.... you are less likely to get your house "TPed" and/or egged!

I gotta tell about my favorite group of teenagers who descended on my house for treats.... it was the swim team from the highschool.... and they came dressed in nothing but (meaning... barefoot and barechested) in their itty bitty teeny weeny speedo's with goggles on their heads!!!!  Have you ever seen a highschool swim team in their speedo's????  They were all ripped with 6-12 pack abs.... cute as can be and a little overwhelming for a 50 year old Mom!  Talk about bravery!!!!  Let's just say..... they got extra handfuls of candy as I tried hard NOT to stare and look like a perve!  Did I mention it was about 45 degrees that night???  Bless their hearts.... I still can't believe they were that desperate for candy... but I betcha they went home with more than anyone else that night!

And my favorite Halloween of all time is the year I smeared vapor rub (I didn't have any vaseline available and vapor rub was just as good, just smellier!) on the car door handles of a very over confident highschool kid!!!  I still can't believe I was that mischievous....  but..... it WAS really really funny!  I was actually at a neighbor's house across the street.... the neighbor is and always has been quite the 'funny man'... when this kid pulled up and parked his car on the side of my yard.... my neighbor and his buddy started messing with this kid and asking him if he knew whose house he had just parked in front of and if they were him.... they would move his car!  My neighbor and his buddy were just trying to stir it up.... and actually succeeded in scaring the kid enough he ran off to move his car.... of course.... we were laughing soooo hard we were about to pee our pants.... but the story got better.... the dingdong moved his car to the other side of our yard and went off with two young ladies clad in short short short daisy dukes... he was a cowboy and trying to act quite the Dude with these two young blonde bimbo's.... so my neighbor decides that someone wearing all black (me of course!) should go grease up his car door handles.... and so.... I did!  LOL  But... having no vaseline, I had to use vapor rub.... have you ever tried scrubbing vapor rub off your hands??? The more you scrub the worse the smell!  Ahhhh that was really too funny..... to us old folks of course... not to the kid because it made him look bad to his blonde daisy dukes!  But isn't it a night of 'trick or treat'???  That was the only trick I ever did for Halloween.... I never toilet papered anyone, threw eggs or did anything other than hand out candy.... that one trick has been enough to keep me giggling for years to come.

May you all have a happy, safe, and fun Halloween.... enjoy the treats, but beware of the 'tricks' too!

Changes

Hello blogger friends!  I'M BACK!!!!!!  I see by my latest post it has been over 3 months since I last blogged..... my deepest apologies for the long lull.... it has been a very long and wild ride these past 3 months.... but I'm ready to get back in the groove again.... soooo.... here we go!!!!

There have been some changes in my life these past several months.... the BIGGIE of course is our move/relocation.  We are now in Hutchinson KS (or Hutch as the local yocals like to call it) and we just love it!  I can't decide if I feel like I'm living in Norman Rockwell Land or Mayberry RFD!!!  Either way... our new home is nestled in the woods... on a cul-de-sac street that we are the only house on our street.  We have deer wandering around our back yard every morning and afternoon grazing on the prairie grass... we have wild turkey that roam around our yard all day and night.  In fact one day last week when I was putting together one of the basement bedrooms.... I walked into the room and immediately saw this HUGE face pressed up against the window staring at me!!!  You can only imagine the volume of my piercing scream.... until I realized it was one of the wild turkeys staring at itself in the window!!!  We have two big ole owls who sit in the dead tree at the end of the street hoot hooting!  We have squirrels the size of small dogs scampering all around.... and those are the only animals I have seen.... I have heard many more at night that I can't identify and have absolutely no gumption to go check out!

The 2nd biggest change is the marriage of our youngest daughter in September.  The wedding was "Vintage Hollywood" and absolutely gorgeous... the reception was a total blast!  I didn't see a single wall flower or pouting face all night.... I mostly saw smiling (if not giggling) faces, lots of dancing.... or what I am sure was supposed to be dancing but was really flailing bodies on the dance floor... but again... everyone was having such unabashed fun... you couldn't help but join in with the flailing activity!  Heck.... even my Dad, who loves to 'slow dance' joined the flailing group on the dance floor and attracted several ladies who surrounded him and flailed right along with him!!!  That was one of my favorite memories of the reception!  Needless to say.... a good time was had by all!

I truly had the best of intentions of keeping up with my blog during all this time of change... but life got away from me to the point that my exhaustion is totally exhausted!  After my Grandma's funeral, I had to get right into the final stages of 'wedding planning'... and house listing/showing... then the wedding was upon us before we could blink, then the movers arrived the week after the wedding, then we were on our way to Hutch, and from the time the movers arrived until last week... we had no TV, Telephone or Internet.  I was beyond thrilled the day I found and unpacked my laptop... so much so... I immediately scooped it up and headed to the first Starbucks I could find so I could get plugged in and caught up with my email.

Now..... the first floor is unpacked and looking like home.  I'm just sooo happy to have my kitchen put together and back to cooking after 3 long months of surviving on Chilpotle and McDonald's sweet tea!  Like it or not I have to start lugging and unpacking the numerous boxes in the basement.... which I just now have all my paper cuts healed from the unboxing of the upstairs.  I have found a pilates studio and started back with classes.... (note to my Pilates Connexion friends.... I'm soooo thrilled to have found a studio, yet.... I dearly miss all of you and my hand to my heart promise... I enjoyed Pilates Connexion MUCH MUCH MUCH better!)  I took a mosaic tile class and actually finished my 9" X 11" mirror project.... hoping to do more!  I have found a wonderful family doctor (and have already had a physical, booby squish, and bone density scan..... I've been declared fit and healthy and my cholesterol numbers are EXCELLENT and my BMI is 20!!  WOOT WOOT!!!!), I've found the PERFECT church, I have found a nail salon and go to my new hair dresser on Wed..... so..... basically.....I'm HOME!!!!!!!  And as they say.... "There is no place like Home.... heel click, heel click.... There is no place like home.... heel click, heel click"!!!  The yellow brick road leads straight to our house, our door is always open, and our welcome mat is out.... so hop on the next twister and come visit me and my peeps "the munchkins"!!!

Hugs from Dorothy and Toto!!

Appologies to My Blogging Friends

Dear Blogging Friends and Followers..... Life has been a bit...... well..... actually it's been super uber busy..... lots of changes going on.... some happy, some unexpected, some sad, some major changes are a coming!  But.... those close to my family have been such dears, and have instantly stepped up to support my family through all the busy-ness, emotional stress, and acceptance of all the changes that are going on with our family.

The first emotional stress started 6 months ago when my dear sweet Grandma began having congestive heart failure..... that incident led to other organs going wacky.... and one thing leading to another.... and after a lengthy hospital stay of getting all her health issues under control, she went to a rehabilitation center to learn how to take care of herself and build up her strength.... but she had some falls, that required her to live with my Mom... soon after Hosparus was called in, she was bedridden... and then... too quickly she was gone from us.... she passed on Mon, July 5th, but we (her family) want to give a HUGE THANK YOU to all my family and all our friends and neighbors who came to honor my Grandma at her Visitation and Funeral, and who continue to support us via messages and cards.... we deeply appreciate it!  Grandma is at peace... she will be missed, but will be in our thoughts always.

Then I found out I'm going to be a Grandma myself...twice!!!!..... by two different daughters!!!!  THRILLED doesn't begin to describe how I feel.  I already feel neck nuggets all squirmed up in my arm pits to kiss their cheeks!!!  The girls are exactly 4 weeks apart..... one due in Feb.... one due in Mar...... You truly can't wipe the smile off my face!

Then we found out about our move and relocation to Hutchinson Kansas (45 minutes from Wichita).  I look forward to house hunting this Thur - Sat.  Sooooo much going on with the relocation.... but everyone knows what they are doing and things run smoothly.  It is a wonderful opportunity for my husband, who has earned and deserved it, and we are both very excited about our new adventure.  Sadly we leave behind all our families we have been able to see often with living so close to them.  And we sadly will miss our dear friends we have made here... all our date night buddies!  I promise we will keep in touch!

My blog will most likely be sporatic for a couple of months as I am in the midst of this relocation.... but I promise to try and get on when I have an opportunity and keep you updated as much as I can.  I look forward to my first visit to Hutchinson this week and getting to go in the houses I have been viewing on line.  Please have patience with my lapse in between postings..... It's not that my mind won't have any ideas.... it's that I am usually beyond physically exhausted to type my thoughts at the end of the day.  So.... hang in there for me..... I'll be back..... normal will eventually return.... until then I wish you all well and hope your summer is, has been, and continues to be wonderful!  I'll post again soon....

Sandal Season

Sandals have to be my absolute FAVORITE summer wear item.... next best thing to being bare foot!  Sandals can be worn with swimsuits, shorts, skirts and/or slacks, and look great with all attire.  While I like flip flops too.... sandals are my favorite.

I must have 20 pair of sandals.... and I wear them all, all summer long.  Some are old, some are new, but ALL of them were inexpensive... as in cheap and I LOVE it.  I buy most of my sandals at Payless because I have this uber tiny foot and Payless is the only place where I can find shoes to fit my teeny foot.  But I also find great new season choices of sandals at Target too.

My foot is short, wide and thick..... like Fred Flintstones!  LOL  I usually buy children's shoes because they truly fit my foot the best.... but when I need big girls shoes for a fancy dress or event, I have to search the internet that has high heels in small sizes.  I don't have many high heel shoes and those that I do have, I try to wear as infrequently as I can!

I am known to buy the same shoe in several different colors if I like it and the shoe fits well.... so many of my sandals are the same shoe in different colors.  Just yesterday while I was visiting a friend in the hospital a nurse complimented me on my sandals..... the pair I was wearing have a strip down the front of the foot that have some baubles, fake gem stones on them.... and the nurse was thinking they were expensive.... her face lit up like a full moon when I told her they were from Payless.... she said she was going to stop by on her way home to look for a pair.

The reason this blog is on sandals today is because I have actually been stopped several times this week from ladies making comments about my shoes.... which were all sandals.... all were different days with different sandals and it started me thinking about how much fun I have wearing my sandals and how much more fun it is that they are just cheap cheap cheap shoes!  And I can say I do literally wear them out.... I wear them til the straps break or the soles split or the fake gems fall off.... and then when they finally disintegrate, I very sadly, but very gently and kindly place them in the death bin of the trash can.  I miss those that had to be tossed out the rest of the summer season, but by next season I will have already moved on to a new favorite pair and start the 'wear them, toss them' ritual all over again.

Toenails trimmed and painted definitely help the look of sandal wearing, but totally is not necessary.  Plain toes (if they are cleaned and trimmed of course) look just as cute peeking out of sandals as do gussied up painted toenails.  I do enjoy and get pedicures whenever I can..... but I'm not set to a schedule by having my toes done every couple of weeks.  Actually I forget about my toenails needing grooming until the actual toenail starts getting too long and pressing into my shoe.... then I look down and see that most of the polish has grown out and I actually have a toenail half painted and have plain.  Then I think..... geez.... guess it's time to get a pedicure.... which happens to be about once every other month.

I love pedicures, I love having my feet soaked, my skin smoothed, my legs rubbed, and then leaving with bright shiny polished toenails..... but unless I am enjoying this procedure with a friend or one of my daughters I hate sitting still the length of time it takes to get a pedicure.  I typically like going to a local 'walk in' nail salon... again.... like buying shoes at Payless.... I like the cheap places that do them quickly, cheaply, and you are in and out and on your way in less than an hour.  Only at special occasions (weddings, summer vacation trips, etc.) do I step up and get the 'full/special' pedicure treatment.

I am jaunting out to Louisville again today and I will be wearing another pair of sandals..... so I am off to select the 'perfect pair' for today!

The Ice Cream Truck

Who doesn't remember the ice cream truck!!!????  I bet any kid and/or adult anywhere in the USA at any moment could hear the "tinkle, tinkle" music coming from an ice cream truck and not only know exactly what that sound is.... but will start to drool and want an ice cream too!

I was driving through the neighborhood the other day and heard that distinct tinkle, tinkle music and instantly starting craning my neck to see where the ice cream truck was!  Then.... on another day I was sitting poolside reading when I heard the ice cream truck music and seriously thought about running into the house, grabbing some change and waiting curbside for a malted milkshake cup!  I'm sure before summer is over I will have added... waited curbside for the ice cream truck...  to my list of 'things I did this summer'!

When I was growing up, nothing made you smile quicker or set your heart racing faster than hearing that special ice cream truck music!  Me, my brother, and my cousins would instantly dash off to find the nearest and closest adult to beg quarters or dollars from so we could all get an ice cream.  We would sometimes even separate from the pack trying to find more than one adult to contribute to our quest.... and sometimes we would just bombard a single adult and not give in until they had to relent a dollar or two.  We were fortunate to get these special treats often enough to feel like any typical neighborhood child, yet infrequent enough to appreciate what a special treat it was.  And the funny thing is.... we could have had the exact same popsicles in our freezer... but they just taste different coming from the ice cream truck!

When my girls were growing up, I remembered my childhood days of treats from the ice cream truck and tried to always have some spare change on hand during the summer so that they too could experience the pure joy of the ice cream truck.  I couldn't always say yes.... and often I KNEW I was going to say yes, but wanted to let them also enjoy the ritual of having to beg please, please, PAH-LEASE!!!! before digging up the change they needed.  And.... can a child grab ice cream truck change quick enough before they literally go "poof" in front of your eyes as they dash out to the curbside and all is left is a cloud of smoke because they ran so fast out the door like in cartoons!?!?

And of course I always had to give them extra change so they could 'get one for Momma too'!  Me, the girls, and the neighborhood kids would all sit around the 10 minutes it took us to devour our treats.... slurping, licking, yumming.... until the last bits were gobbled up and gone.  Then.... like a tornado that hits and then is gone, off run the younguns back to whatever they were previously playing before they heard that tinkle tinkle ice cream truck music.

I hope I never stop hearing that special tinkle tinkle music of the ice cream truck... and I hope I ALWAYS buy an ice cream from the truck at least once each summer.... if for no other reason than to remember it only comes in the summertime and everything in the summertime is special!