Archive - November, 2005

All I want for Christmas. . .

By on November 29, 2005 in Home, kiddos 22

All I Want for Christmas
Is My Two Front Teeth

Everybody stops
and stares at me
These two teeth are
gone as you can see

I don’t know just who
to blame for this catastrophe!
But my one wish on Christmas Eve
is as plain as it can be!

All I want for Christmas
is my two front teeth,
my two front teeth,
see my two front teeth!

Gee, if I could only
have my two front teeth,
then I could with you
“Merry Chrithmath.”

It seems so long since I could say,
“Sister Susie sitting on a thistle!”
Gosh oh gee, how happy I’d be,
if I could only whistle (thhhh)

All I want for Christmas
is my two front teeth,
my two front teeth,
see my two front teeth.

Gee, if I could only
have my two front teeth,
then I could with you
“Merry Chrithmath.”

Don Gardner

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Douglas Fir

By on November 27, 2005 in Home, kiddos 32

Today was a big day for our six year old daughter Jessica! For three years she has been scared to death of my singing Christmas tree named, Douglas Fir. I was really proud of my tacky find at a local grocery store three years ago. He looks like a regular little christmas tree, but he has a sensor, and when you walk past him, branches go up, revealing glowing green eyes, and his hidden mouth opens saying, “Guess what time it is. . .IT’S CHRISTMAS TIME!!!” He then bursts forth in Christmas carols. Now at the time, Jessica was three and Lydia was four. Lydia LOVES surprises and nothing seems to scare her, but at Jessica’s young age, I was still somewhat ignorant about her developing personality. I thought it would be great fun to surprise them with this glorious new toy of mine! So, after they went to bed for the night, I set it on the end table in the living room. I couldn’t wait for them to curiously walk up to it the next morning! Lydia loved it!!! She chattered away and giggled over the silly thing. Poor Jessica ran to her room full of fear and wouldn’t get off her bed for quite some time. She was very traumatized!!! I felt really horrible and we had to take it to the attic. NOW we realize that Jessica DOES NOT like things that have eyes that glow and she doesn’t like surprises. She has not let us get that tree out of the attic since that traumatizing day. In the past, when James goes to the attic, she runs crying and hides. Last Christmas she talked big about letting us get it out, then when James started to crawl into the attic, she ran away, crying and locked herself in the bathroom!! Poor kid! This year she said she wanted us to get it down, but we didn’t believe her! Well, this was the year that Douglas Fir’s banishment would be lifted and he emerged from his dark attic hide-a-way!


Bless James’ heart, he’s such a good sport!

Jessica bravely watched as we took him out of the box and turned it on! She started crying at one point and we thought Douglas would be going back to the attic! She worked through her fear and let me take a picture of her with it, but I had to be between them!

By the end of the evening, Jessica had totally overcome her fear and was even joking about it!!!! It’s been a big year for her! She has stopped sucking her thumb, decided on her own to give up her special blanket (at this point it looks more like a rag) and now she has faced her fear of Douglas and discovered that it’s just a silly, tacky, weird, talking tree!!!

“He who fears something gives it power over him.”

Thanksgiving

By on November 24, 2005 in Celebrations, Faith 33

Happy Thanksgiving!! May you all have a blessed holiday!!! I found a lovely quote that I would like to dedicate to all the wonderful women preparing delicious food today!!! My apologies to the men that will be cooking. The quote is very gender biased, but your awesome, too!

“There is no spectacle on earth more appealing than that of a beautiful woman in the act of cooking dinner for someone she loves.”
Thomas Wolfe

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Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good.
His love endures forever.
Give thanks to the God of gods.
His love endures forever.
Give thanks to the Lord of lords:
His love endures forever.
to Him who alone does great wonders,
His love endures forever.
who by His understanding made the heavens,
His love endures forever.
who spread out the earth upon the waters,
His love endures forever.
who made the great lights–
His love endures forever.
the sun to govern the day,
His love endures forever.
the moon and stars to govern the night;
His love endures forever.

to the One who remembered us in our low estate
His love endures forever.
and freed us from our enemies,
His love endures forever.
and who gives food to every creature.
His love endures forever.
Give thanks to the God of heaven.
His love endures forever.

Psalm 136:1-9, 23-26

gotta have this!!!

By on November 22, 2005 in Celebrations, Home, homemaking 28

Those of you who have been to my home during the Christmas season have an understanding of my LOVE for Christmas decorations. I CAN NOT WAIT to start getting them out on Saturday. I have waited all year long for that day! My decorations aren’t elegant. They are FUN or as most have described them–TACKY!!! My house looks a bit like a toy store, once it’s all out. I feel like I’ve only just begun. I collect new pieces each year and one day I hope to have a house full! Has everyone seen Elf? If not, you MUST rent it this Christmas!

We’ve never put up lights on the outside of the house or collected pieces for the yard. We’ve decided this year to begin decorating the outside, as well. I think I want to start with something like this!!!! Keep watching. It gets better and better!! The finale is quite a spectacle!

“I wouldn’t say I invented tacky, but I definitely brought it to its present high popularity.” Bette Midler

Happy Birthday Carl – by James

By on November 21, 2005 in Celebrations, friendship, Home 19

Now it’s time for ‘This Day In History’ brought to you by Carl who is celebrating his birthday today!

1946 Harry Truman becomes 1st US President to travel in a submerged sub
1945 Goldie Hawn was born
1963 Nicollette Sheridan was born (Desperate Housewife)
1959 Max Baer US, heavyweight boxing champ (1934), dies at 49

A part of the family!

This was the only picture I could find of Carl but it sums up his family’s relationship with our family. Simply put, they are a part of our family. They are like any aunt, uncle and cousin.

When we sit around the house and warn our kids about talking to strangers we, of course, talk about the people who are safe to walk up to. Carl, Mary and Tori are at the top of the list. That’s quite a big deal, in my opinion. When it comes right down to it we all have a short list of people we would trust our kids too. They have provided Julie and I with a lot of opportunities to go out on dates over the years by giving up a lot of evenings at home to watch our kids. You guys have been a source of rest in a busy world!

Carl, today we celebrate you. We celebrate your love of friendship. We celebrate your love of gift giving. We celebrate you being an important part of our lives.

I invite everyone to join me in wishing Carl a Happy Birthday!

“Carl is really cool.” -James D

I finally got it!

By on November 20, 2005 in Home, homemaking 11

My multi-task computer desk!

Just think of all the things I will be able to get done now!

movie night out

By on November 19, 2005 in Home 30

As you know, if you read the last post, Mom, Mary and I went out tonight to see Walk The Line. Mom has not been to the theatre for 13 years! She seemed pretty shocked at the size of our AMC 20 and she loved the stadium seating. We had a great time munching popcorn. I accidentally dropped my coke updside down on her shoe, during the show! The movie was really enjoyable. Joaquin Phoenix and Reese Witherspoon did a great job singing and acting the part of Johnny and June. They were very believable. It ended right after they married and I would have loved to have seen much more. I wasn’t ready for it to be over. Johnny’s life and their relationship, before they were married, was very tumultuous. I wanted to see their life after the really rocky times, too. It was a great night at the movies!

Mom said that one of the last times she went to see a movie, she was with my dad (they are divorced now). My dad was with a friend and they both brought whiskey bottles with them and were pouring it into their cokes!! Dad dropped his and it slid under the seats in front of him. I thought that was kind of a funny story. My dad is not what I would consider a heavy drinker or anything, but he is a rebel, although over the years he’s become much softer and tamer.

“Life is the movie you see through your own eyes. It makes little difference what’s happening out there. It’s how you take it that counts.” Denis Waitley

the beauty shop

By on November 18, 2005 in Home 16


Beauty has it’s price!

Beauty overwhelmes us, enchants us, fascinates us, and calls us. ~Fr. Andrew Greeley

I have to be beautiful, of course, since I’m going out with Mom and Mary tonight to see Walk The Line! Wendy made my lighter highlights lighter and added darker low lights, so there is more contrast now. Between my new shades and the fact that I bought a few Christmas gifts this week, I am starting to feel the the holiday spirit! I can’t wait to get out all my wonderful decorations and start wearing my antlers!

James and I have decided, in preparation for Thanksgiving, to stop complaining about our house and to be thankful. (We have run out of room. I am not complaining, just stating a fact!) I know we shouldn’t complain and we should always be thankful, but at least we are making an effort. Right? I am so thankful that I have a home. I love my living room. It’s fully furnished from wall to wall now. I recently added a buffet for my girls’ china sets and special pieces. It’s a warm and cozy feeling room.

Thanksgiving is the language of heaven” – A.J. Gossip

Weekend ramble

By on November 13, 2005 in Home 41

Lydia and Jessica are members of the Missionettes program at our church. It’s a program for girls that teaches bible stories, biblical principles and scripture memory. They earn badges for each unit they complete. For example, Lydia just earned her Women of the Bible badge. Crafts and parties are among some of the other highlights of the program. Lydia is in Prims and Jessica is a Daisy.

Saturday Morning, the Missionettes had a Hawaiian party. The girls learned about the Hawaiian language and ate Hawaiian food. They brought home a sheet of interesting facts about the language:

The 5 vowels a, e, i, o and u as well as the 7 consonants h, k, l, m, n, p and w make up the entire Hawaiian alphabet.

In Hawaiian Language, a consonant is always followed by a vowel. Names and words are more easily pronounced when they are broken down into single syllable chunks. For example, Hawaii’s state fish, humuhumunukunukuapua’a, is pronounced hu-mu-hu-mu-nu-ku-nu-ku-a-pu-a-a.

Sunday- Lapule (lay-poo-lay)
Monday- Po’akahi (poh-ah-kah-hee)
Tuesday- Po’aula (poh-ah-ko-loo)
Wednesday- Po’ alolu (poh-ah-ha)
Thursday- Poaha (poh-ah-ha)
Friday- Po’ alima (poh-ah-lee-mah)

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Late Saturday afternoon, we spent some time in the backyard playing and raking leaves.


The girls loved burying James!

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I am very excited about the Johnny Cash movie, Walk The Line, that opens this coming weekend! I grew up listening to Cash’s music, as my parents were both big fans. I appreciate it much more now than I did then. We are taking Mom and Larry to see it with us on Friday!!

Sarah posted this video of one of Johnny’s last works. It’s a very touching video of his song, Hurt.

“Fallen leaves lying on the grass in the November sun bring more happiness than the daffodils” Cyril Connolly

Slow cooker pork chops

By on November 10, 2005 in Comfort Food 20

Karen shared a great crock pot recipe with me. I love meals I can throw in the crock in the morning, and by dinner I have a yummy meal AND a clean kitchen!

INGREDIENTS:

4 boneless pork chops (I use more for my big family! I’ve even used boneless rib meat. Basically, whatever meat I can get that’s price reduced! Especially, anything with a thick cut.)
1 egg
flour
1 lg. onion
2 cans cream of mushroom soup
2 cups milk

DIRECTIONS:

Dip chops in egg and flour.
Brown in skillet and season to taste. (I like seasoning salt.)
Place in crock pot.
Arrange onion over meat.
Pour soup and milk over meat.
Cover and cook on high–4 to 5 hours or low–8 to 10 hours.

I am looking forward to dinner tonight! These are yummy with mashed potatoes.

“All great change in America begins at the dinner table.” ~ Ronald Reagan

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