I really need to write and dedicate a blog just for, and about my Momma! She is a true treasure... and I'm sure all of you feel the same about your own Mother's too... but for today, for this one moment in time... this is for you Mom!!! I will never begin to be able to tell you how much I love you, how proud of you I am, and how I strive everyday to be like you! MUAH and HUGS!!!!
Where to begin actually is my first challenge... and with keeping in mind of my own age and memory challenges... I'll work my way backwards. The reason I feel the need to honor my Mom with this blog is for the simple reason, that she is always, and will always be there for me no matter what the need.
Because of the many relocations we have had to make for Joe's job, I have been the stray sheep of my family since 1978 when I married. In the beginning we were able to make the long haul home for holidays... then we had babies, then Joe's job required him to work on Thanksgiving and we were no longer able to drive home to join any family for Thanksgiving, so we only had each other to celebrate with. That is when my Mom left her own Holiday tradition of being with her Mom, Sister/Family, my Brother/family to come be with me and my family so we would at least have some family with us to celebrate with. She has been joining us for Thanksgiving ever since... which is now 16 years of celebrations together! I'm VERY Thankful and Blessed!
Mom is involved in the serving needs of her church every single day. She bakes for fund raisers; she makes meals to serve to the grieving, and/or sick; she works with her community ministering to those in need who have lost their homes to fires, floods, or loss of job; she cooks for Wednesday evening church services to provide meals to families who are too stressed, have no time to prepare a meal prior to church due to working, or who want the fellowship with their fellow church members so that everyone can have a hot meal and be able to attend Wednesday evening church services. In other words... my Mom is VERY selfless, and is a VERY 'dedicated to helping others' kind of person. She never puts herself, or her needs first, and she never has. She would literally give the shirt off her back to anyone in need.
My Mom is all about her family... immediate and extended. She took such sweet tender care of my Grandma for the past several years (all of my extended family helped take care of Grandma, we all visited, we were all always there for her too... it's just that my Mom lived the closest and was able to be there the most often). My Mom, her sister (Aunt Edie), and my Grandma were all a threesome of really good friends over and beyond being Mother and Daughters. My Mom and Aunt continue to be the dearest of friends as well as the dearest of sisters. My Mom spent sooo much time with my Grandma over her whole life, but especially the past 5 years, and she really misses her most during the holidays.
My Mom has had to overcome many tragic events in her life... yet she did so each time with all the strength she possessed. These events have definitely left their scars, but she is still standing strong, and she is happier now than she has ever been, thanks to the wonderful love and kindness of her husband Caywood. My mom birthed 3 children... yet only 2 of us are still alive. My Mom married at the young age of 17... at the young age of 18, and 2 weeks before her first anniversary, she gave birth to my brother (Mike). At the young age of 20, and on her 3rd anniversary, she gave birth to me, and at the young age of 21, she gave birth to my sister (Paula). Mom had female problems during all 3 deliveries and about lost her life with all 3 of us due to hemorrhaging. Then horribly, when Mom was just 22 years old, my sister choked to death in my Father's arms, in our home from a kernel of popcorn, just 7 days before Christmas... Paula was only 22 months old. That definitely has been the hardest tragic event she has had to deal with, and to this day, the Christmas Season brings her as much heartache as it does joy. My Mom also had to deal with not one, but two divorces... but eventually, she did indeed find her Prince Charming. And she has lost both her parents whom she was very close with as well. But Mom is pretty resilient and keeps picking herself back up, finding more love and compassion for others along the way because of her own experiences. My Mom has a very real sense of what is truly important, and how precious life can be.
Even tho I have lived far from home since the day I married, my Mom has been there by my side for every major event/crisis in my life, whether it be joyous weddings and births, through many a scary health crisis, or to attend my daughters sporting events, award ceremonies, graduations, etc. She has come to stay with me, take care of me, and take care of my family when I was recouperating from surgeries and unable to do so for myself. She has come to spend Holidays with me when we were all alone and far from home... and just this very week she again, came to spend the Thanksgiving Holiday with Joe and I, knowing we were not able to be with our girls or our grandbabies.
That's my Mom.... there may be a million of women out there who are just like my Mom... I sure hope so... and I hope I am one of those million of women too! Our Mom's are dear to us for all our lives... I'm blessed beyond words to have one of those FABULOUSLY WONDERFUL Moms! To me she is the Best of the Best! I LOVE YOU BUNCHES MOM!!!! Thank you again for being with us for another Thanksgiving Holiday! HUGS and MUAH!
Saturday, November 26, 2011
Friday, November 25, 2011
Thanksgiving 2011
Tom Turkey has been cooked, admired, photographed, gobbled up, and stored in the fridge for another Thanksgiving Day Holiday! UMMM UMMMM UMMMMMM he sure was good!
Last Thanksgiving Joe and I had just recently moved to our new home in Kansas, and really hadn't quite unpacked and settled in completely yet before the holidays were upon us. My Mom and her husband Caywood (God Bless them both who have come to feast in my home, at my table for the past 16 years) drove the 14 hours from Kentucky to Kansas to continue the tradition of celebrating Thanksgiving with me, and we had a family of very dear friends (The DeLuca Family) who also came to celebrate at our table... and I must add here that the Mom of this family, Theresa DeLuca, was in the midst of chemo treatments for ovarian cancer... it was very important to Theresa that she come celebrate with us... even tho... she could barely walk from the car to the table, much less sit through a meal because she was so weak from the treatments... but... she did come, and she made it through the dinner and we were THRILLED the DeLuca family could join us. It was a frigid cold day, but we had a wonderful meal, we all had a great time, and my Mom's visit made this new house feel finally like home.
This year we had the same group of folks celebrating with us, also, joining us at our table, were a couple of newbies. My sweet, sweet friend Katie Girl joined us, and a co-worker (Christy), who just moved here from Tennessee last year and wasn't able to be with her family also joined us. Again... we had a wonderful meal, we had a wonderful time in fellowship, and it was a beautiful sunny day reaching a high of 68 degrees!!! But the biggest change this year was Theresa and her health... she completed her chemo treatments in February and has continued to heal and recover every day since. This year Theresa was beaming and radiating with good health and much Thanksgiving. Theresa continues to inspire me with her grace and beauty, and with her uber positive attitude... even in the very worst of times! Theresa... you are AWESOME!!!!
Our menu this year is pretty much the same as it is every year... but I did add a new dish (baked cranberry relish) that was tastier than I expected it to be and will share the recipe for it in this blog. I roasted my stuffed Tom Turkey, and Joe deep fried his cajun seasoned Tom Turkey... he LOVES the juicy spiciness of his fried turkey, and I like the traditional moistness of my roasted turkey, but especially the stuffing inside. We also had creamy mashed potatoes (run through a food mill... and definitely not figure friendly with all the real butter and heavy cream used) sweet potato casserole (made with coconut milk), dressing and stuffing, home canned green beans, corn, home made sweet rolls, gravy (my speciality), baked cranberry relish... then for desserts..... Derby pie, Pumpkin pie, Queen of Sheba cake.... nummy, nummy, nummy.... in my tummy for sure!!!! Proudly every single dish came out on time and completely perfect!!!! Let's just say that.... those who had to go home, literally waddled out the door with leftovers in hand!!!
Here are a few of the recipes from my menu... I hope you give them a try and enjoy as much as we did.
Baked Cranberry Relish
4 1/2 cups fresh cranberries
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 cup orange marmalade
2 Tbsp lemon juice
Toss cranberries with sugar, place in a lightly greased 2 qt. baking dish. Cover and bake @ 350 for 1 hour, stir in walnuts, marmalade, and lemon juice and refrigerate.
Derby Pie
1 stick butter (melted)
4 eggs (beaten)
1 cup corn syrup (light)
1 cup sugar
1 cup pecans (chopped)
1 cup chocolate chips
2 frozen pie shells (regular... NOT deep dish)
Stir melted butter , eggs, corn syrup, and sugar together. Sprinkle 1/4 cup of chocolate chips, and 1/4 cup pecans evenly in each pie shell, distribute butter mixture evenly in both pie shells over the chocolate chips and pecans. Bake @ 350 for 30-35 minutes... should be golden brown all over. Finished pie will have the same consistency as a pecan pie.
Sweet Potato Casserole with Coconut Milk
8 medium sweet potatoes
2 cups coconut milk (can usually be found in the Mexican Foods in your local grocery)
1 Tbsp light brown sugar
1 cinnamon stick
salt and pepper
Preheat oven to 425, place sweet potatoes in over and bake for 20 minutes, then pierce skins to avoid bursting, and bake for another 25 minutes. Let cool, peel and mash (just like mashed potatoes).
Place coconut milk, cinnamon stick and brown sugar in a small sauce pan and bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes.
Mix the potatoes and coconut mixture together until creamy. Marshmallows can be placed on top and browned in oven, or casserole can be served immediately or placed in fridge and warmed later.
Hope all had as wonderful a Thanksgiving Day as my family enjoyed... and I again highly encourage you to try these recipes!
Last Thanksgiving Joe and I had just recently moved to our new home in Kansas, and really hadn't quite unpacked and settled in completely yet before the holidays were upon us. My Mom and her husband Caywood (God Bless them both who have come to feast in my home, at my table for the past 16 years) drove the 14 hours from Kentucky to Kansas to continue the tradition of celebrating Thanksgiving with me, and we had a family of very dear friends (The DeLuca Family) who also came to celebrate at our table... and I must add here that the Mom of this family, Theresa DeLuca, was in the midst of chemo treatments for ovarian cancer... it was very important to Theresa that she come celebrate with us... even tho... she could barely walk from the car to the table, much less sit through a meal because she was so weak from the treatments... but... she did come, and she made it through the dinner and we were THRILLED the DeLuca family could join us. It was a frigid cold day, but we had a wonderful meal, we all had a great time, and my Mom's visit made this new house feel finally like home.
This year we had the same group of folks celebrating with us, also, joining us at our table, were a couple of newbies. My sweet, sweet friend Katie Girl joined us, and a co-worker (Christy), who just moved here from Tennessee last year and wasn't able to be with her family also joined us. Again... we had a wonderful meal, we had a wonderful time in fellowship, and it was a beautiful sunny day reaching a high of 68 degrees!!! But the biggest change this year was Theresa and her health... she completed her chemo treatments in February and has continued to heal and recover every day since. This year Theresa was beaming and radiating with good health and much Thanksgiving. Theresa continues to inspire me with her grace and beauty, and with her uber positive attitude... even in the very worst of times! Theresa... you are AWESOME!!!!
Our menu this year is pretty much the same as it is every year... but I did add a new dish (baked cranberry relish) that was tastier than I expected it to be and will share the recipe for it in this blog. I roasted my stuffed Tom Turkey, and Joe deep fried his cajun seasoned Tom Turkey... he LOVES the juicy spiciness of his fried turkey, and I like the traditional moistness of my roasted turkey, but especially the stuffing inside. We also had creamy mashed potatoes (run through a food mill... and definitely not figure friendly with all the real butter and heavy cream used) sweet potato casserole (made with coconut milk), dressing and stuffing, home canned green beans, corn, home made sweet rolls, gravy (my speciality), baked cranberry relish... then for desserts..... Derby pie, Pumpkin pie, Queen of Sheba cake.... nummy, nummy, nummy.... in my tummy for sure!!!! Proudly every single dish came out on time and completely perfect!!!! Let's just say that.... those who had to go home, literally waddled out the door with leftovers in hand!!!
Here are a few of the recipes from my menu... I hope you give them a try and enjoy as much as we did.
Baked Cranberry Relish
4 1/2 cups fresh cranberries
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 cup orange marmalade
2 Tbsp lemon juice
Toss cranberries with sugar, place in a lightly greased 2 qt. baking dish. Cover and bake @ 350 for 1 hour, stir in walnuts, marmalade, and lemon juice and refrigerate.
Derby Pie
1 stick butter (melted)
4 eggs (beaten)
1 cup corn syrup (light)
1 cup sugar
1 cup pecans (chopped)
1 cup chocolate chips
2 frozen pie shells (regular... NOT deep dish)
Stir melted butter , eggs, corn syrup, and sugar together. Sprinkle 1/4 cup of chocolate chips, and 1/4 cup pecans evenly in each pie shell, distribute butter mixture evenly in both pie shells over the chocolate chips and pecans. Bake @ 350 for 30-35 minutes... should be golden brown all over. Finished pie will have the same consistency as a pecan pie.
Sweet Potato Casserole with Coconut Milk
8 medium sweet potatoes
2 cups coconut milk (can usually be found in the Mexican Foods in your local grocery)
1 Tbsp light brown sugar
1 cinnamon stick
salt and pepper
Preheat oven to 425, place sweet potatoes in over and bake for 20 minutes, then pierce skins to avoid bursting, and bake for another 25 minutes. Let cool, peel and mash (just like mashed potatoes).
Place coconut milk, cinnamon stick and brown sugar in a small sauce pan and bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes.
Mix the potatoes and coconut mixture together until creamy. Marshmallows can be placed on top and browned in oven, or casserole can be served immediately or placed in fridge and warmed later.
Hope all had as wonderful a Thanksgiving Day as my family enjoyed... and I again highly encourage you to try these recipes!
Saturday, November 19, 2011
Tis Time To Decorate!
Yes folks... it tis that time of year again to yank out all those holiday decorations, put outside twinkle lights up and such to celebrate the upcoming Thanksgiving Holiday, as well as Christmas. I am already seeing Christmas lights up on many houses in our area (including our own) and it is just so beautiful to see when driving around town... especially since the days are so short now and darkness comes so early, the Christmas twinkle lights make the long hours of darkness sooo much better!
Joe works from Nov. 1st thru Dec. 23rd everyday... traveling most days... he leaves when it's dark outside, and when he gets home it's dark outside, then he is working every weekend til Christmas too... so because of his heavy work schedule during this season, we have our outdoor lights put up by our lawn fella. This little hometown lawn company keeps busy in the winter time by putting up and taking down all the lights, so it helps them too. Plus... honestly... I am 4' 11"... even on the tallest of ladders I can not reach the heights necessary to put the lights up on the house or on the outside trees... AND... I'm quite clumsy to begin with... so... I'm totally ok with avoiding ladder danger! This company orders your choice of lights, you decide what you want strung with lights and they do the rest. The first year is the most expensive because of the costs of the lights needed to purchase... the years following, these folks come out and put the lights up and you don't even know they have done so until you come home and see the lights on the house. After the holidays are over, they store each customers lights in a bucket with the customers name on it and it takes them less than an hour to string all the lights up in the years after the initial year. Sooooo cool!!! We chose the LED blue-ish looking lights and I just LOVE them!!!! We are the only house on our street, so when we pull onto our street and see our house all aglow at the end of the street... it is such a happy greeting to come home to!
Last year was our first Thanksgiving and Christmas in this house... we moved here in Oct. and we were not completely unpacked and settled by the time the Holidays came around... so... I stressed and fretted where to put my Holiday decorations from houses past and finally, pretty much just put stuff wherever there was an open spot just to 'git-r-done'. We weren't home for the actual Christmas holidays anyway, so it didn't matter that much.
This year we are entertaining a nice group for Thanksgiving, and the following weekend we are hosting a cocktail hour for some business folks, and I really needed my house to be decorated prior to Thanksgiving for both reasons. The only problem is.... I don't have the eye for decorating... I'm teachable, and I can do it once I see it done... but I just lack the vision to see it in the first place. However... I have a very dear, sweet, adorable friend who is very talented in this area... so with the promise of making her all her favorite dishes for lunch (which wasn't necessary... she would have done it for me anyway)... Katie Girl came over and worked for two days with me decorating my house. My house has NEVER looked this fabulous decorated before!!! I'm soooo happy with the Holiday Cheer that is now all over my house, that I am more excited for this Christmas than I ever have been before... and that's saying quite a bit since I'm always gaga for Christmas! But then.... perhaps these two new Grandbabies might have something to do with my Christmas spirit too??!! : )
I worked for two days bringing out all the Holiday decorations, unboxing them, and then arranging them in organized piles, so that when Katie got here she could literally 'shop' from all the decorations I have accumulated over the past 30+ years. I didn't have to go out and buy a single thing for her to transform my house into the festive jewel she is now! I have so many Holiday decorations, I had plenty of stuff left over that just needs to be packed away again and saved for when/if we move to a new home again.
Katie took all my 'Christmas stuff' and arranged it in with a lot of my 'everyday decorations' and blended them in together, so you get a feel of what the house normally looks like as well as how festive it looks with Holiday decorations. In the past 30+ years I have always completely disassembled my house, taking ALL the normal decorations down and putting up just Holiday decorations... I'm just completely amazed that having the decorations blended together makes such a difference... much more homier feeling! I'm in deep deep gratitude for Katie Girl's time, and talent she shared with me. I LOVE's ya bunches girl!!!
This is the first time I've ever had help with all the Holiday decorating... wish I had had it years before! My Grandma used to decorate anything and everything in sight that would hold an ornament, tinsel, bell hanger, or ribbon! EVERYTHING!!! Every inch of her house would be totally gussed up for the Holidays! All us Grandkids would go over and help her decorate as we were growing up, but she would do most of it. As we all got older, and she too got older and could no longer decorate her house the way she wanted it, my cousins would go in and decorate for her... just like she used to do. She makes lunch, they decorate, and I've heard it was always a special time for them all. My cousins still live in the same town my Grandma did, and I always lived at least one or more states away, so I was just never able to be there to lend a hand... sure wish I could have tho! My cousin Sherry was the main decorator, and my cousin Debbie was the main un-decorator. Debbie's job was to visit Grandma after the Holidays and take down all the decorations and pack them away for her until next year. It was a great system and the running joke between the two sisters was... Sherry would always say... "Ha Ha Debbie... I'm putting out every single thing, in every single box... so you have to put every single thing back away, in every single box"! They always enjoyed their roles in helping Grandma with her decorations.
This is our 2nd Christmas to celebrate without Grandma and we dearly dearly miss her! After Grandma passed away and her possessions had to be sorted out and dealt with... all us cousins gathered in her condo to pick and choose special possessions we wanted to keep of hers. I ended up with several of her Christmas decorations that I remembered ALWAYS seeing her put out each year. I also have several Christmas decorations from Grandma that she hand made for all of us over the years. When Katie was decorating, my only request was that those special decorations be used somewhere in my house. So Grandma... you are literally all over my house and I think of you each time I see anything you made for me, or that I inherited after you passed.... these things are still cherished, and loved, and always will be!!!
I have greenery swags that used to hang on our black wrought iron fence from our previous house... Katie took these swags and wire clippers and turned them into these amazing centerpieces and tucked bits of this greenery here, there, and everywhere and just those tiny little touches have made some of the biggest differences. There is NOTHING in my house this year that is in the same spot it was last year... yet... I feel all the pieces are exactly where they should be now. After all the Holiday hub-a-bubba is over... I have asked Katie if she would come help me re-decorate my house with just my everyday decorations. I know if she is in town, and IF she is able, she will once again come to my aid and lend her amazing talent and time. I will once again fix her all her favorite nibbles, and we will once again chat and giggle our way through the task. Again.... I'm soooo grateful for not only Katie's talent... but her awesome friendship too!
I still have to repack the unused items away, but because I had to do outside of the house running errands today, that task is on the agenda for tomorrow... but other than that, my house is all decorated and ready to host and entertain. HALLEUJAH!!!! To Katie!
Wishing you all a Merry Season of Twinkle Lights, Christmas Trees, Wreaths, Mistletoe, and/or whatever it is that brings you Holiday Joy! To those of other religions than Christian... may you have a Merry Season celebrating your faiths with your loved ones!
Joe works from Nov. 1st thru Dec. 23rd everyday... traveling most days... he leaves when it's dark outside, and when he gets home it's dark outside, then he is working every weekend til Christmas too... so because of his heavy work schedule during this season, we have our outdoor lights put up by our lawn fella. This little hometown lawn company keeps busy in the winter time by putting up and taking down all the lights, so it helps them too. Plus... honestly... I am 4' 11"... even on the tallest of ladders I can not reach the heights necessary to put the lights up on the house or on the outside trees... AND... I'm quite clumsy to begin with... so... I'm totally ok with avoiding ladder danger! This company orders your choice of lights, you decide what you want strung with lights and they do the rest. The first year is the most expensive because of the costs of the lights needed to purchase... the years following, these folks come out and put the lights up and you don't even know they have done so until you come home and see the lights on the house. After the holidays are over, they store each customers lights in a bucket with the customers name on it and it takes them less than an hour to string all the lights up in the years after the initial year. Sooooo cool!!! We chose the LED blue-ish looking lights and I just LOVE them!!!! We are the only house on our street, so when we pull onto our street and see our house all aglow at the end of the street... it is such a happy greeting to come home to!
Last year was our first Thanksgiving and Christmas in this house... we moved here in Oct. and we were not completely unpacked and settled by the time the Holidays came around... so... I stressed and fretted where to put my Holiday decorations from houses past and finally, pretty much just put stuff wherever there was an open spot just to 'git-r-done'. We weren't home for the actual Christmas holidays anyway, so it didn't matter that much.
This year we are entertaining a nice group for Thanksgiving, and the following weekend we are hosting a cocktail hour for some business folks, and I really needed my house to be decorated prior to Thanksgiving for both reasons. The only problem is.... I don't have the eye for decorating... I'm teachable, and I can do it once I see it done... but I just lack the vision to see it in the first place. However... I have a very dear, sweet, adorable friend who is very talented in this area... so with the promise of making her all her favorite dishes for lunch (which wasn't necessary... she would have done it for me anyway)... Katie Girl came over and worked for two days with me decorating my house. My house has NEVER looked this fabulous decorated before!!! I'm soooo happy with the Holiday Cheer that is now all over my house, that I am more excited for this Christmas than I ever have been before... and that's saying quite a bit since I'm always gaga for Christmas! But then.... perhaps these two new Grandbabies might have something to do with my Christmas spirit too??!! : )
I worked for two days bringing out all the Holiday decorations, unboxing them, and then arranging them in organized piles, so that when Katie got here she could literally 'shop' from all the decorations I have accumulated over the past 30+ years. I didn't have to go out and buy a single thing for her to transform my house into the festive jewel she is now! I have so many Holiday decorations, I had plenty of stuff left over that just needs to be packed away again and saved for when/if we move to a new home again.
Katie took all my 'Christmas stuff' and arranged it in with a lot of my 'everyday decorations' and blended them in together, so you get a feel of what the house normally looks like as well as how festive it looks with Holiday decorations. In the past 30+ years I have always completely disassembled my house, taking ALL the normal decorations down and putting up just Holiday decorations... I'm just completely amazed that having the decorations blended together makes such a difference... much more homier feeling! I'm in deep deep gratitude for Katie Girl's time, and talent she shared with me. I LOVE's ya bunches girl!!!
This is the first time I've ever had help with all the Holiday decorating... wish I had had it years before! My Grandma used to decorate anything and everything in sight that would hold an ornament, tinsel, bell hanger, or ribbon! EVERYTHING!!! Every inch of her house would be totally gussed up for the Holidays! All us Grandkids would go over and help her decorate as we were growing up, but she would do most of it. As we all got older, and she too got older and could no longer decorate her house the way she wanted it, my cousins would go in and decorate for her... just like she used to do. She makes lunch, they decorate, and I've heard it was always a special time for them all. My cousins still live in the same town my Grandma did, and I always lived at least one or more states away, so I was just never able to be there to lend a hand... sure wish I could have tho! My cousin Sherry was the main decorator, and my cousin Debbie was the main un-decorator. Debbie's job was to visit Grandma after the Holidays and take down all the decorations and pack them away for her until next year. It was a great system and the running joke between the two sisters was... Sherry would always say... "Ha Ha Debbie... I'm putting out every single thing, in every single box... so you have to put every single thing back away, in every single box"! They always enjoyed their roles in helping Grandma with her decorations.
This is our 2nd Christmas to celebrate without Grandma and we dearly dearly miss her! After Grandma passed away and her possessions had to be sorted out and dealt with... all us cousins gathered in her condo to pick and choose special possessions we wanted to keep of hers. I ended up with several of her Christmas decorations that I remembered ALWAYS seeing her put out each year. I also have several Christmas decorations from Grandma that she hand made for all of us over the years. When Katie was decorating, my only request was that those special decorations be used somewhere in my house. So Grandma... you are literally all over my house and I think of you each time I see anything you made for me, or that I inherited after you passed.... these things are still cherished, and loved, and always will be!!!
I have greenery swags that used to hang on our black wrought iron fence from our previous house... Katie took these swags and wire clippers and turned them into these amazing centerpieces and tucked bits of this greenery here, there, and everywhere and just those tiny little touches have made some of the biggest differences. There is NOTHING in my house this year that is in the same spot it was last year... yet... I feel all the pieces are exactly where they should be now. After all the Holiday hub-a-bubba is over... I have asked Katie if she would come help me re-decorate my house with just my everyday decorations. I know if she is in town, and IF she is able, she will once again come to my aid and lend her amazing talent and time. I will once again fix her all her favorite nibbles, and we will once again chat and giggle our way through the task. Again.... I'm soooo grateful for not only Katie's talent... but her awesome friendship too!
I still have to repack the unused items away, but because I had to do outside of the house running errands today, that task is on the agenda for tomorrow... but other than that, my house is all decorated and ready to host and entertain. HALLEUJAH!!!! To Katie!
Wishing you all a Merry Season of Twinkle Lights, Christmas Trees, Wreaths, Mistletoe, and/or whatever it is that brings you Holiday Joy! To those of other religions than Christian... may you have a Merry Season celebrating your faiths with your loved ones!
Monday, November 14, 2011
Pee Wee Punch - The Come Back
Up until I was a teenager my family owned a Volkswagen Beetle car, and therefore the Pee Wee Punch game was a big part of my childhood. There are a few other known names for this game, such as, Punch Buggy, Slug Bug, Beetle Bug Punch, etc., the actual name of this game depends on where you come from... but... no matter what you call it... the game is the same. Basically it is a game of observing your surroundings while traveling in a car... but in particular to spotting Volkswagen Beetle cars.
I would bet that most who are reading this blog (in the United States) know exactly what this game is and how to play it... but... as in many other traditional games, the rules may slightly vary from region to region and family to family... so..... at the beginning of playing this game, it is optimal for all players to agree on the same set of rules before engaging in the game.
The Rules (How to Play)
As stated above... there are many variations of rules to this game, and/or you can adapt your own rules as well... as long as everyone else playing agrees to them. Here are my own family adaption rules.
1. After spotting a Volkswagen Beetle car, you must be the first to shout out it's location and the color of the vehicle. For instance... if a red Volkswagen Beetle car has been spotted by a player(s), the first person to shout out "RED ONE" (while pointing in the direction of the vehicle so that it may be confirmed by other players).... or "PEE WEE PUNCH RED"... or "SLUG BUG RED", etc.
2. As the first player shouts out the spotting of a Volkswagen Beetle and the color, the spotting player then taps or lightly hits any other player in the game.
3. The player who first successfully, and correctly spots, shouts out, and taps another player is then awarded a point for that particular Volkswagen Beetle.
4. Hard slapping and fist hitting are not allowed in our version... and most times we play with just being the first to shout out the car color without any physical interaction. The object of the game is to be more observant and earn the most "PEE WEE PUNCH" points... not to out hit or hurt any other player.
5. A Volkswagen Beetle must actually be spotted before shouting out to count. If there is a particular spot in your town/neighborhood where you KNOW a Volkswagen Beetle is usually parked... the vehicle must be actually seen before it can be counted... this is one gray area where players try to cheat! LOL Of course I love it when it happens that a player pre-shouts before having sight on the vehicle and the vehicle ISN'T in it's usual spot!!!
This is a game to involve all passengers of any age, in any car to make a car trip a bit more fun, especially when driving long distances. My husband and I play this game every time we are in the car together, and it's such a silly thing, but we have lots of fun with it. All it takes is one person in the car to begin the game... don't be disappointed if others in your car proclaim they don't want to play... usually when I begin playing this game while traveling with anyone other than my husband, sometimes the other passengers don't know how to play or say they don't want to play... but... after I spot and shout out a couple of Volkswagen Beetles, the other passengers can't help themselves and become competitive and then it's "GAME ON"!!!! : )
Being a passenger in a car isn't the only time you can play this game... you can actually play it anytime where there happens to traffic or parking lots... you can just be walking outside to play. There have been many car traveling games Joe and I have played with our daughters through the years when they were little to keep them entertained and distracted while traveling. PEE WEE PUNCH is my all time favorite travel game because I am one of those who tend to get a bit queazy when trying to focus too hard while looking out the car window, but Volkswagen Beetles are large enough to spot easily without having to focus too hard. When our daughters were small we have played the license plate game, 20 questions, car bingo, counting the semi's, etc... but Pee Wee Punch is still my favorite.
For whatever reason Wichita Kansas has a lot of Volkswagen Beetles driving around, and each time Joe and I are in the Wichita area our Pee Wee Punch count easily reaches into the double digits... the only other time our count reaches that high is on a long distance cross country trip. We even played Pee Wee Punch when we traveled to Vancouver Canada and Amsterdam this summer. We didn't see many while on these trips... but it was still GAME ON all the same! And why is it that I see several Pee Wee Punches when I am driving around town alone and no one to play with??? I am even known to shout out Pee Wee Punches when I am driving around while talking on my cell phone (hands free of course... earbuds in ears) to whomever I happen to be talking to... now that is definitely competitive!!! Even when I spot Pee Wee Punches while I'm all alone... it still makes me smile knowing that if I was with anyone else it would be a race to score that Pee Wee Punch point.
So next time you are driving or are a passenger in a car, have some fun and just start playing the game... others in the car won't be able to help themselves... and it will then be GAME ON!!! PEE WEE PUNCH BLUE!!!!
I would bet that most who are reading this blog (in the United States) know exactly what this game is and how to play it... but... as in many other traditional games, the rules may slightly vary from region to region and family to family... so..... at the beginning of playing this game, it is optimal for all players to agree on the same set of rules before engaging in the game.
The Rules (How to Play)
As stated above... there are many variations of rules to this game, and/or you can adapt your own rules as well... as long as everyone else playing agrees to them. Here are my own family adaption rules.
1. After spotting a Volkswagen Beetle car, you must be the first to shout out it's location and the color of the vehicle. For instance... if a red Volkswagen Beetle car has been spotted by a player(s), the first person to shout out "RED ONE" (while pointing in the direction of the vehicle so that it may be confirmed by other players).... or "PEE WEE PUNCH RED"... or "SLUG BUG RED", etc.
2. As the first player shouts out the spotting of a Volkswagen Beetle and the color, the spotting player then taps or lightly hits any other player in the game.
3. The player who first successfully, and correctly spots, shouts out, and taps another player is then awarded a point for that particular Volkswagen Beetle.
4. Hard slapping and fist hitting are not allowed in our version... and most times we play with just being the first to shout out the car color without any physical interaction. The object of the game is to be more observant and earn the most "PEE WEE PUNCH" points... not to out hit or hurt any other player.
5. A Volkswagen Beetle must actually be spotted before shouting out to count. If there is a particular spot in your town/neighborhood where you KNOW a Volkswagen Beetle is usually parked... the vehicle must be actually seen before it can be counted... this is one gray area where players try to cheat! LOL Of course I love it when it happens that a player pre-shouts before having sight on the vehicle and the vehicle ISN'T in it's usual spot!!!
This is a game to involve all passengers of any age, in any car to make a car trip a bit more fun, especially when driving long distances. My husband and I play this game every time we are in the car together, and it's such a silly thing, but we have lots of fun with it. All it takes is one person in the car to begin the game... don't be disappointed if others in your car proclaim they don't want to play... usually when I begin playing this game while traveling with anyone other than my husband, sometimes the other passengers don't know how to play or say they don't want to play... but... after I spot and shout out a couple of Volkswagen Beetles, the other passengers can't help themselves and become competitive and then it's "GAME ON"!!!! : )
Being a passenger in a car isn't the only time you can play this game... you can actually play it anytime where there happens to traffic or parking lots... you can just be walking outside to play. There have been many car traveling games Joe and I have played with our daughters through the years when they were little to keep them entertained and distracted while traveling. PEE WEE PUNCH is my all time favorite travel game because I am one of those who tend to get a bit queazy when trying to focus too hard while looking out the car window, but Volkswagen Beetles are large enough to spot easily without having to focus too hard. When our daughters were small we have played the license plate game, 20 questions, car bingo, counting the semi's, etc... but Pee Wee Punch is still my favorite.
For whatever reason Wichita Kansas has a lot of Volkswagen Beetles driving around, and each time Joe and I are in the Wichita area our Pee Wee Punch count easily reaches into the double digits... the only other time our count reaches that high is on a long distance cross country trip. We even played Pee Wee Punch when we traveled to Vancouver Canada and Amsterdam this summer. We didn't see many while on these trips... but it was still GAME ON all the same! And why is it that I see several Pee Wee Punches when I am driving around town alone and no one to play with??? I am even known to shout out Pee Wee Punches when I am driving around while talking on my cell phone (hands free of course... earbuds in ears) to whomever I happen to be talking to... now that is definitely competitive!!! Even when I spot Pee Wee Punches while I'm all alone... it still makes me smile knowing that if I was with anyone else it would be a race to score that Pee Wee Punch point.
So next time you are driving or are a passenger in a car, have some fun and just start playing the game... others in the car won't be able to help themselves... and it will then be GAME ON!!! PEE WEE PUNCH BLUE!!!!
Tuesday, November 8, 2011
Tick Tock - Fall Back
Tis that time of year again when we reset our clocks back an hour... everyone loves that one night of getting an extra hour of sleep... but no one likes how dark it is in the morning before work/school, and how early it gets dark in the evening. The days are getting shorter everyday anyway, which doesn't help when the time changes... but on December 22nd the days start to get longer everyday up until June 21st when the days once again begin to get shorter... tis the cycle of life.
My husband leaves for work every morning no later than 6:30 am... rarely does he make it home from work before 6:30 pm... and on many nights he doesn't get home until 7:00 pm or after. These months of short days and early darkness make it hard for him to actually witness daylight during the week. My personal body clock begins to slow down in October... making me feel tired in the afternoon between 2:00 pm and 4:00 pm, and then I get my 2nd wind and am fine until bedtime. After all the holidays have passed, my body clock seems to readjust itself and I no longer feel the need for a nap in the afternoon. With the days being shorter and the days dark so early, Joe and I struggle to stay up until 9:00 pm. Most of our family members know Joe and I pretty much go to bed with the chickens as it is... but come Fall... we find ourselves ready for bed soon as it gets dark.
Arizona and Hawaii are the only two states who do not change their clocks for the seasons, and up until 2006 (when Indiana finally changed to Daylight Savings time State wide) only parts of Indiana changed. So depending on the county lines... you and your neighbor could have an hour difference for 6 months of the year... 6 months you are on the same time and 6 months you are an hour difference. How weird is that????
During our 33 year long marriage, my husband and I have had many oopsies over the time changes... arriving to church as the service is over because we forgot to change our clocks... arriving an hour early and wondering where everyone else was... changing all the clocks in the house but forgetting to change the clock in the car and having panic attacks thinking you are an hour late and where the heck did you lose the hour! To make things easier for us and to prevent these oopsies of the past from reoccurring... I purchased all new clocks for every bedroom in the house that change automatically. These clocks worked beautifully for several years.... until.... they changed the dates for the time changes... now our clocks change two weeks early and have to now be reset again... twice... once to correct the current time and again when the time actually does change. AYE YA YA!!!! Can't win for loosing on that one!
Benjamin Franklin is credited for being the inventor of the time change... the original idea (and still current argument as to why we observe Daylight Savings Time) is to maximize the use of daylight when Spring offers more daylight earlier in the day and later in the day during Fall... the idea is to save energy used for lighting. We all love it in the Fall when we set our clocks back... and we all grumble in the Spring when we reset our clocks forward and we lose an hour.
Tick Tock set your clocks back... and should you forget... tis always... Spring Forward, Fall Back!
My husband leaves for work every morning no later than 6:30 am... rarely does he make it home from work before 6:30 pm... and on many nights he doesn't get home until 7:00 pm or after. These months of short days and early darkness make it hard for him to actually witness daylight during the week. My personal body clock begins to slow down in October... making me feel tired in the afternoon between 2:00 pm and 4:00 pm, and then I get my 2nd wind and am fine until bedtime. After all the holidays have passed, my body clock seems to readjust itself and I no longer feel the need for a nap in the afternoon. With the days being shorter and the days dark so early, Joe and I struggle to stay up until 9:00 pm. Most of our family members know Joe and I pretty much go to bed with the chickens as it is... but come Fall... we find ourselves ready for bed soon as it gets dark.
Arizona and Hawaii are the only two states who do not change their clocks for the seasons, and up until 2006 (when Indiana finally changed to Daylight Savings time State wide) only parts of Indiana changed. So depending on the county lines... you and your neighbor could have an hour difference for 6 months of the year... 6 months you are on the same time and 6 months you are an hour difference. How weird is that????
During our 33 year long marriage, my husband and I have had many oopsies over the time changes... arriving to church as the service is over because we forgot to change our clocks... arriving an hour early and wondering where everyone else was... changing all the clocks in the house but forgetting to change the clock in the car and having panic attacks thinking you are an hour late and where the heck did you lose the hour! To make things easier for us and to prevent these oopsies of the past from reoccurring... I purchased all new clocks for every bedroom in the house that change automatically. These clocks worked beautifully for several years.... until.... they changed the dates for the time changes... now our clocks change two weeks early and have to now be reset again... twice... once to correct the current time and again when the time actually does change. AYE YA YA!!!! Can't win for loosing on that one!
Benjamin Franklin is credited for being the inventor of the time change... the original idea (and still current argument as to why we observe Daylight Savings Time) is to maximize the use of daylight when Spring offers more daylight earlier in the day and later in the day during Fall... the idea is to save energy used for lighting. We all love it in the Fall when we set our clocks back... and we all grumble in the Spring when we reset our clocks forward and we lose an hour.
Tick Tock set your clocks back... and should you forget... tis always... Spring Forward, Fall Back!
Sunday, November 6, 2011
High School Reunion
I just attended my 35th High School Reunion... as in... it's been 35 years since I Graduated... not the 35th time I have attended a High School Reunion. : ) I moved away from my home town right after I graduated, and other than visiting our parents and other family members, I haven't spent any time in that town since then... so it has been 35 years since I have seen any of my classmates. I just can't believe 35 years have flown by this quickly... and I'm sure the next 25 will fly by even quicker. Here are some observations from my experience of the 35th High School Reunion.
Jeffersontown High School Class of 1976 - Jeffersontown Kentucky
Thanks to Facebook, several of my high school classmates reconnected with me several months prior to the reunion date. I was so excited for the weekend of my reunion to arrive and when I would meet up again with my classmates. I wasn't sure exactly what to expect.... I figured it would go one of two ways... A) We would have such a great time we wouldn't get to bed until the wee hours of the morning because we just couldn't stop the conversation or break away from the party... or B) I would have the expectations of A) and would get a room full of the dullest people I ever would want to meet and not a single person I know or remember from high school... as in... the typical movie drama nightmare. Fortunately I did indeed get the A) experience.
Our plane didn't arrive in time for us to take the school tour, but Joe and I caught up with the "Class of 7 6" at the tent set up for us at the end of the football field. We never made it to the bleachers to watch any of the game... but I do know when I glanced up to see the score it was 32-0 in our favor. GO CHARGERS!!! After the game, the classmates and spouses/significant others met up at a pizza place and resumed our on field conversations. My husband Joe also attended this high school, but graduated in the class before us in 75'... so he new most of my classmates and/or their brothers or sisters... it was a small town and most families had several children. After the 'post game pizza party' we were invited to the 'after-after party' that was hosted in a classmates hotel room... it was a Ramada Inn Convention Center/Hotel and the pizza place was inside the Ramada Inn. So... off Joe and I go to the much much smaller... and rowdier 'after-after party'. I think that was when Joe and I had the most fun of the reunion weekend, was right there in that hotel room at the 'after-after party'. It was a much more intimate setting... everyone was relaxed and on the tipsy side... everyone was in full swing of catching up with everyone else... where do you live, what do you do, how many kids do you have, how old are they, are they married, do you have any grandchildren... etc.
At least 60% of the classmates still live in or near our home town. One classmate came all the way from Germany to attend the reunion, two came from California, we came from Kansas, and a few others came from several states away. The "Popular Jocks, Cheerleaders, Student Government/Council... The It Group" still clustered together at the reunion, yet it's funny how life and years will even the playing field between the geeks, freaks and the "It's". Most of the top 10% of successfulness came from the geek and freak group... most of the "It's" were just everyday normal folks... as in... married, grandparents or still raising teenagers, working hard, making a decent living, living a comfortable life. And by the way... in high school I was a 'geeky mainstreamer'... I was in ROTC... which screams GEEK!!!!... but... I was also a Chargette (the dance squad that wore cheerleader uniforms)... which screams COOL!!!... so that made me a tweener.
Saturday everyone primped, gussed, and dressed up for the Reunion Dinner/Dance. God Bless to whoever on the reunion committee who thought to put our high school photo's on our name tags! That was AWESOME!!!! AND.... the name tags hung from strings around our necks, not stuck or pinned onto our dresses/shirts. We had a good turnout for the reunion and it was lots of fun to catch up with people who I had not seen in 35 years. Some looked exactly the same... well... actually just a few... most looked somewhat close to their high school photo, but most had gone bald or gray, and most had put on several pounds. Joe and I were again invited to attend the 'after-after party' at the same hotel room, but declined because we had an early flight out the next morning. If we only knew then what we know now... we would have definitely stayed for the 'after-after party'. We did leave early the next morning on a flight to Atlanta, where we would make a connection for Wichita. The flight to Wichita got cancelled and we were unable to get another flight out on any plane to anywhere until the next morning... so we spent the rest of the afternoon and night in Atlanta... if we had attended the 'after-after party' and stayed up all night... we could have caught up on our rest in Atlanta. Ahhh well... the vision of hind sight! : )
I stressed for months over getting in shape and figuring out just what to wear to look perfect for this reunion. In the end I did not reach my goal weight and had to settle for something that was just hanging in my closet... but... I feel like I held my own at the reunion. I wasn't the heaviest, I wasn't the thinnest, I was just like in high school... I was a main stream tweener... which I think is the most comfortable spot on the social chart. I think everyone I talked to told me they also stressed out over getting in shape before the reunion! There were several classmates I was sooo looking forward to seeing who did not attend, but it was wonderful to see all those who did attend and catch up with the past 35 years of their lives. We all had such a fun time that another reunion is in the talks for 2016... I can't wait!!!!
"Still crazy after all these years" The Class of 76' 35th Reunion!!!
Jeffersontown High School Class of 1976 - Jeffersontown Kentucky
Thanks to Facebook, several of my high school classmates reconnected with me several months prior to the reunion date. I was so excited for the weekend of my reunion to arrive and when I would meet up again with my classmates. I wasn't sure exactly what to expect.... I figured it would go one of two ways... A) We would have such a great time we wouldn't get to bed until the wee hours of the morning because we just couldn't stop the conversation or break away from the party... or B) I would have the expectations of A) and would get a room full of the dullest people I ever would want to meet and not a single person I know or remember from high school... as in... the typical movie drama nightmare. Fortunately I did indeed get the A) experience.
Our plane didn't arrive in time for us to take the school tour, but Joe and I caught up with the "Class of 7 6" at the tent set up for us at the end of the football field. We never made it to the bleachers to watch any of the game... but I do know when I glanced up to see the score it was 32-0 in our favor. GO CHARGERS!!! After the game, the classmates and spouses/significant others met up at a pizza place and resumed our on field conversations. My husband Joe also attended this high school, but graduated in the class before us in 75'... so he new most of my classmates and/or their brothers or sisters... it was a small town and most families had several children. After the 'post game pizza party' we were invited to the 'after-after party' that was hosted in a classmates hotel room... it was a Ramada Inn Convention Center/Hotel and the pizza place was inside the Ramada Inn. So... off Joe and I go to the much much smaller... and rowdier 'after-after party'. I think that was when Joe and I had the most fun of the reunion weekend, was right there in that hotel room at the 'after-after party'. It was a much more intimate setting... everyone was relaxed and on the tipsy side... everyone was in full swing of catching up with everyone else... where do you live, what do you do, how many kids do you have, how old are they, are they married, do you have any grandchildren... etc.
At least 60% of the classmates still live in or near our home town. One classmate came all the way from Germany to attend the reunion, two came from California, we came from Kansas, and a few others came from several states away. The "Popular Jocks, Cheerleaders, Student Government/Council... The It Group" still clustered together at the reunion, yet it's funny how life and years will even the playing field between the geeks, freaks and the "It's". Most of the top 10% of successfulness came from the geek and freak group... most of the "It's" were just everyday normal folks... as in... married, grandparents or still raising teenagers, working hard, making a decent living, living a comfortable life. And by the way... in high school I was a 'geeky mainstreamer'... I was in ROTC... which screams GEEK!!!!... but... I was also a Chargette (the dance squad that wore cheerleader uniforms)... which screams COOL!!!... so that made me a tweener.
Saturday everyone primped, gussed, and dressed up for the Reunion Dinner/Dance. God Bless to whoever on the reunion committee who thought to put our high school photo's on our name tags! That was AWESOME!!!! AND.... the name tags hung from strings around our necks, not stuck or pinned onto our dresses/shirts. We had a good turnout for the reunion and it was lots of fun to catch up with people who I had not seen in 35 years. Some looked exactly the same... well... actually just a few... most looked somewhat close to their high school photo, but most had gone bald or gray, and most had put on several pounds. Joe and I were again invited to attend the 'after-after party' at the same hotel room, but declined because we had an early flight out the next morning. If we only knew then what we know now... we would have definitely stayed for the 'after-after party'. We did leave early the next morning on a flight to Atlanta, where we would make a connection for Wichita. The flight to Wichita got cancelled and we were unable to get another flight out on any plane to anywhere until the next morning... so we spent the rest of the afternoon and night in Atlanta... if we had attended the 'after-after party' and stayed up all night... we could have caught up on our rest in Atlanta. Ahhh well... the vision of hind sight! : )
I stressed for months over getting in shape and figuring out just what to wear to look perfect for this reunion. In the end I did not reach my goal weight and had to settle for something that was just hanging in my closet... but... I feel like I held my own at the reunion. I wasn't the heaviest, I wasn't the thinnest, I was just like in high school... I was a main stream tweener... which I think is the most comfortable spot on the social chart. I think everyone I talked to told me they also stressed out over getting in shape before the reunion! There were several classmates I was sooo looking forward to seeing who did not attend, but it was wonderful to see all those who did attend and catch up with the past 35 years of their lives. We all had such a fun time that another reunion is in the talks for 2016... I can't wait!!!!
"Still crazy after all these years" The Class of 76' 35th Reunion!!!
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)
About Me
- Vickie G
- I am a short little lady with a passion for cooking and pilates. I have been married for 31 years to my high school sweetheart (my soulmate and love of my life!!!) and we have 3 amazing daughters. I am 50 years old and love living life with as much zest as possible.