Friday's Feast, December 28

BBQ picture thanks to ercwttmn on Flikr. It was just the perfect picture of Memphis BBQ with slaw on the sandwich! Mmmm . . . crinkle fries . . .

Appetizer
Name 2 things you would like to accomplish in 2008.
I really should get on those resolutions . . .

I am just not sure---I'm sure I'll post about resolutions during this next week.

Soup
With which cartoon character do you share personality traits?
I am like Rabbit on Winnie-the-Pooh a lot---I worry about stuff and then I'm cranky! I always hate that I am that way, so maybe I can work on that . . .

Salad
What time of day (or night) were you born?
I think I was born at 3:53 p.m.

Main Course
Tell us something special about your hometown.
I consider myself to have two hometowns.

My town of birth, Memphis, TN, is special because of all the music and connections to Elvis Presley. But also, I long for the delicious BBQ that is there. Recently I heard it was deemed (by who?) as the laziest town in the country. I don't know about that . . .

My other hometown is Granbury, TX, where I lived from when I was 10 until I graduated high school (basically). What's special about it? They do have a beautiful historic square, with a restored courthouse.

Dessert
If you could receive a letter from anyone in the world, who would you want to get one from?

That's a hard one. Do I want one that has a lot of money in it? Or something from a famous person I could sell? Or should I get a letter from someone who can right a wrong in this world or who will admit to me in a letter something I've been wondering about? Or from someone I just adore? I think I'd most like to get a letter form someone I really admire and who could encourage me to use my talents.

Christmas Eve and Christmas Day

This is our advent calendar from Lego that we finished up on Christmas Eve. We've gotten one of these for about 3 years now. I think it's fun to see what new little toy is in the window each day. The kids take turns opening them---J is an even age, and in an even grade (6th), so he opens the evens. B is in 3rd grade and is an odd age, so she opens up the odd numbered days. This year's final present was a little Lego Christmas tree.

We open up one present on Christmas Eve. This was J's present, a mini RoboPanda. B got it for him. B opened up a package from me and Lar---a bag for transporting yarn around while you're working on a project. Each end has a hole for the yarn to come out of. B had thought that was a cool thing when she and I were shopping earlier in the year.

The next one is B and me---she bought me a present at her school Christmas Store. it's a dolphin necklace in a little blue dolphin shaped box! I wore it later in the day. Of course, the only picture of me this day, and I'm in my p.j.s, glasses and no makeup. :-)

This next one is J with the cool shoes I got him. Unfortunately, they didn't seem to fit---off to exchange this week sometime.

This is Lar with the Fergie CD J got him. Lar was the only one who could tell us all the words to the chorus of her song, so we figured he would love it (haha). We did listen to it, though! I like it myself. J also attached a key chain he picked out.

Here is our American Girl. She's a doll!

This is J getting his Panda Express gift card. It's his new favorite restaurant. He also got a gift card to Old Navy for clothes. I hope he can find stuff he likes!

This is B's new American Girl doll, Julie. She's from 1974, and we already have the books about her. This is B's one and only AG doll, and she really is thrilled. This was THE big present I bought for her or anyone else!!

Julie went to the movies with us later that day. We went to see The Water Horse, but changed out minds when we got there and saw National Treasure instead. Movie review to come later!!

This is Lar with is new Kansas City Chiefs T-shirt (okay, my B-i-l Kirk got the exact same one!), and playing a Sudoku game that B picked out for him. B and he really like Sudoku!

This was our dinner, potato soup. This one was without a recipe, but kind of going off a recipe I had used before. A great Crock-Pot meal to simmer all day.

3-4 lbs potatoes, peeled and cubed

half a pound of baby carrots

diced ham
1 small onion, diced

3 tbs margarine

salt

4 cups of water

I let this cook on high for 5.5 hours, while we saw our movie. When I got home, I added a can of evaporated milk and some Velveeta. Once it warmed up again, we ate! It was delicious.

Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas time!

Christmas weekend

This is what we did on the weekend, with family. Pictures of Christmas day will come later!




This is a bowl I painted for my Mom for a gift. I had to get a picture before I gave it away! I tried to paint Lily of the Valley flowers on the inside.




This is B's school party. The kids did a little play about the book they were reading---Sarah Plain and Tall. B's group had toys form home as props and they had made paper dolls as other characters.



This is B and her teacher right before we left (after getting about 3 cups of Coke!).






This is J at my parents' house. He's wearing a shirt that a friend of mine gave him.







These are 3 of the 4 cousins, with Santa hats.













This is during the present-opening time. I did not get good pictures from where I was sitting!!















This is B and S, sharing some candy. They were really sweet with each other.




This is S. She said she liked this ball she got from her grandparents!! I am just thrilled she talked to us a lot. :-)















This is the goodbye from my niece and nephew and my parents. We spent a little more than a day there---very quick trip. Larry had to work on Monday and Wednesday, so our travel plans were really limited to the weekend.






We passed through Glen Rose. I love how they decorate their courthouse!











This is J and B at the Camp where we had another Christmas celebration---this time with L's side of the family. There was more then family there, Larry's sister's friends and their kids.

They both ended up getting a 20Q---very fun electronic 20 questions game.


Larry and our great nephew, A.











And this is B enjoying the nice weather outside.



This last one is of L and his sisters. And little A. He's quite a camera hog! Cute!!

Saturday Photo Scavenger Hunt, December 15th

This is my submission for small. This is a replica of the White House, and it is small. It's very detailed! B and I saw it last weekend at the Presidential Library for the Senior George Bush. This is a traveling exhibit, so if it comes to your area, go see it---even if you have to pay a small fee. It's really fascinating. We happened to see it all decked out for Christmas, with small trees and snow all around.


This is the small Oval Office. There are even small photographs on the table. This back side is opened up like a dollhouse.









This next part is a ballroom. While it's miniature, it was a large room compared to the others.


This next photo shows all three floors. I love that small Christmas tree!





This last picture is a view of the white house and the wing coming out towards the family's living quarters. Can you see that small ---I mean tiny----TV? It was really projecting some sort of image in there! I think that was a press room.

So there it is---small! Next week is light, and I took some tonight that I could use---of the front of my house all decked out with Christmas lights. Enjoy the rest of the Hunt by going over to TNChick. Join in!

Friday's Feast, December 14

These are the little gingerbread houses I pre-assembled for B's Girl Scout troop. They're graham crackers, but they got so soggy in our humid air, I had to bake them on low to take out the moisture and firm them up again!! But doesn't that little village look good?
Appetizer

Make up a word and give us its definition.
Well, in German, they put words together like crazy. You will see the longest words, where in English, it's all broken up into a noun and a bunch of adjectives.

Thinking about that, here's my word: Sausagecheeseshellnoodle-y This describes the best of the best of casseroles. And if you're in my family, you know exactly what I'm referring to. :-)

Soup

What is currently your favorite song?
For Christmas, right now, I like "All I want for Christmas is You" by Mariah Carey. Play the clip while you read the rest! ;-)

I found a few more versions that were interesting, including a Shania Twain version, and another one that was dedicated to wanting Johnny Depp for Christmas. :-) Christmas smiles!

Salad

What’s at the top of your Christmas wish list this year?

Well, I got my new phone already, so check off one for me! Really now I am just excited about getting the last few things on my list for my loved ones! That gets me excited. :-)

Main Course

Name a scent that reminds you of someone special in your life.

It has to be a food smell! Everytime I make sugar cookie, the roll-out kind, I think of my Mom, since we baked them at Christmastime.

Dessert

Who is someone on television that you feel probably shouldn’t be, and why?

I'd be so happy to not see Paris Hilton on TV or anybody else who is known best for their partying and spending money!

Saturday Photo Scavenger Hunt, December 8th

The Long and Winding Road . . . (did you think Beatles like I did?)

This is my entry for LONG. It's really not such a long drive to my parents' house, but it is 3 and a half hours long. This long stretch is near Meridian, TX. They claim to be "the top of the Hill Country" there. This big hill is always one of my favorite parts of the drive, coming around beside it. They just refurbished their courthouse.

They added the clock tower back on, as the building was originally, I think.

I always do this---I post a picture and then think of some more that would fit.

Here is B doing the Long Jump at the regional meet in July.
And here she is during the long race the same day---the mile! I'm so proud she finished it, even though she was hurting and tired.

That was a long day for everyone. She had 3 events, and it was raining on us some. Plus, Larry's Dad was in the hospital there in the same city.

Also, I have been amazed at how long J's legs are getting. This is the most recent picture I have that shows off his long legs.

I missed last week's post, so here it is this week---RED.

This is stuff from my kitchen, obviously! I LOVE my red stand mixer and my red crock pot.

Next week's theme is small.

Come back and see what I find in my photo files.

Friday's Feast, December 7th

Appetizer

What was the last game you purchased?
I bought Apples to Apples Junior last Christmas. I liked the grown-up game so much, I thought we needed the kid's version.

Soup

Name something in which you don’t believe.
This is harder than what I DO believe in! ;-)

I don't really believe anything said by either major party in our political system! I believe (oops! here's what I DO believe sneaking in!) there are so many spin masters for anyone in high ranking positions, that every word coming out of their mouths or in the press is very slanted one way. I think truth is somewhere in the middle.

Salad

If you could choose a celebrity to be your boss, who would you pick?
I think Tom Hanks. He seems like a cool guy with a stable life outside of his career. Plus, seeing as it's the holiday season, he would probably give a great work party. Or George Lucas----so I could get Jamie in on the movie-making career eventually.

Main Course

What was a lesson you had to learn the hard way?
That God will provide. No matter what my bank account is saying. I have to stop worrying---I guess I am still learning this the hard way!

Dessert

Describe your idea of the perfect relaxation room.

I feel like I have answered this one before? The colors are cool, blues, greens and purples. The couches are cushy, covered with soft, white fabric. There are many windows, looking out over the ocean. Tall ceilings, lots of light coming in. Soft music playing and a nice scented candle burning.

Life was hard this week---and expensive. Our car needed repairs worth more than the check Larry just got for working all the football games! :-( My classroom needed changes and we're having to have hard conversations. Just being without the car two days made those two days very hard on me---driving an hour and a half every morning, since our second car is the truck and can only hold 3 people! (The family is four.)

But that stuff is behind me, and I'm on to the weekend. I just need a nap! I think I can get some ordering done for Christmas! I also an excited to go buy one more pair of pants for myself. My check came this week, too, so it's going to happen! ;-)