Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Sunshine!
Oh.... Sunshine, sunshine..... Where have you been all my life? I'm deliriously delirious at your delayed arrival today..... But glad you decided to show up at all. My heart is happy now. I don't care how cold it is out there..... Just as long as you are there to warm my heart and my Christmas spirit!!!!!
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Gloom and Doom....
Now I am not one to complain about rainy days. I love a rainy day. It's great for getting things done inside, or even relaxing under a blanket and reading a good book. However, enough is enough. I don't think I remember what it looks like outside with sunshine. It is starting to affect my mood. I'm losing my Christmas spirit and I am just so unmotivated to do ANYTHING productive. Furthermore, I'm about to need a boat and two paddles to make it out of my driveway when I go to pick Brennan up from school today. Can someone please bring me a little sunshine?
Saturday, December 12, 2009
The weekend
Just a few things about this weekend.
---- Chad and I went out to eat all by ourselves last night (well, actually we ran into some friends and ended up having dinner unexpectedly with them). And we discovered a great little restaurant a little off the beaten path, but very excellent.
-----Chad and I are finished with our Christmas shopping FOR REAL this time. Done. Don't ask me for anything else, because more than likely, if it's not on Santa's sleigh already, ya ain't gettin' it.
------I finished "New Moon" on such a lovely, perfect day like today to sit inside and curl up and finish a book. I am hooked on the "Twilight" series, and not just a little bit. I have a small piece of my heart that belongs to a fictional vampire. Sad, I know. But remember - - I have no life.
------I must attend a Christmas party at my church tonight for the children's ministry. I am not even remotely looking forward to it. Usually I get really excited about things like this, but today I am just not feeling the need to cater to 50 kids running wild and their parents. Oh, and neither do I feel like dragging them all to a nursing home to sing Christmas carols in the cold and rain. True story. Bah-humbug.
------If Ethan pulls one more ornament off the tree, I am going to scream.
---- Chad and I went out to eat all by ourselves last night (well, actually we ran into some friends and ended up having dinner unexpectedly with them). And we discovered a great little restaurant a little off the beaten path, but very excellent.
-----Chad and I are finished with our Christmas shopping FOR REAL this time. Done. Don't ask me for anything else, because more than likely, if it's not on Santa's sleigh already, ya ain't gettin' it.
------I finished "New Moon" on such a lovely, perfect day like today to sit inside and curl up and finish a book. I am hooked on the "Twilight" series, and not just a little bit. I have a small piece of my heart that belongs to a fictional vampire. Sad, I know. But remember - - I have no life.
------I must attend a Christmas party at my church tonight for the children's ministry. I am not even remotely looking forward to it. Usually I get really excited about things like this, but today I am just not feeling the need to cater to 50 kids running wild and their parents. Oh, and neither do I feel like dragging them all to a nursing home to sing Christmas carols in the cold and rain. True story. Bah-humbug.
------If Ethan pulls one more ornament off the tree, I am going to scream.
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Recipe 2
So, back at Thanksgiving, I said I would share a recipe or two and I never got around to it. Well, here is one that I cooked on Thanksgiving, and it was a hit! Plus, Chad and Brennan, and even Ethan could live off of this 7 days a week- they love it so much. It's just good, old-fashioned, southern comfort food.
Hashbrown casserole.
1 bag of frozen hashbrowns (30 or 32 oz)
1 can cream of chicken soup (I always use 2 cans!)
1 onion, chopped
2 cups shredded mild cheddar cheese (I always use a liiiiiitle more)
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese (Again.... I always use a liiiiiitle more)
1 16 oz. container sour cream
1 stick of butter, melted
cornflakes (not sure how much????)
Mix first 6 ingredients together. Bake at about 375 for 45 minutes to an hour. (Until bubbly and brown) Pour cornflakes on top, then drizzle melted butter over that and bake an additional 10 minutes.
Note: Chad does not like the cornflakes on top, but I think it adds a little texture.
Good stuff.
Hashbrown casserole.
1 bag of frozen hashbrowns (30 or 32 oz)
1 can cream of chicken soup (I always use 2 cans!)
1 onion, chopped
2 cups shredded mild cheddar cheese (I always use a liiiiiitle more)
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese (Again.... I always use a liiiiiitle more)
1 16 oz. container sour cream
1 stick of butter, melted
cornflakes (not sure how much????)
Mix first 6 ingredients together. Bake at about 375 for 45 minutes to an hour. (Until bubbly and brown) Pour cornflakes on top, then drizzle melted butter over that and bake an additional 10 minutes.
Note: Chad does not like the cornflakes on top, but I think it adds a little texture.
Good stuff.
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
New Moon
Now, it's on to "New Moon". I bought it Monday afternoon and I am already halfway through it. Nothing over-the-top suspenseful, but the way Bella describes her heartbreak makes me feel her pain. I want her to find Edward.... COME BACK, EDWARD!!!!!!
Well, that's how exciting my life has been around here the last few days. I was so glad to see some sunshine today after two days of cold, rainy weather. Although, it was a very good couple of days to curl up with my book.......
Well, that's how exciting my life has been around here the last few days. I was so glad to see some sunshine today after two days of cold, rainy weather. Although, it was a very good couple of days to curl up with my book.......
Friday, December 4, 2009
Twilight
Okay. I admit. I am a total sucker. So, I saw the book "Twilight" at Wal-Mart for five bucks a couple of weeks ago. I needed a new book to read. Of course, I've heard all the hype and everyone swooning over the main character, Edward Cullen. Grrrrr..... I was sucked in. Although, the book is not everything I expected it to be, the way the author describes Edward is....... well....... there are no words. Seductive? Intriguing? Just plain sexy? Wow. I'm not quite through with the book and I think I've fallen in love with a vampire myself.
http://www.metacafe.com/watch/1904290/twilight_the_movie_official_trailer/
http://www.metacafe.com/watch/1904290/twilight_the_movie_official_trailer/
Holiday blogging.... a little behind.
So, I guess my blog has been feeling a little neglected lately. Welcome, holidays and your never ending demand for attention. My van has been keeping the roads on fire this week along with wearing me down. And it's only the 4th day of December.
Along with the mass rush of the Christmas season came just a really bummer of a week. Maybe this dreary and cloudy weather hasn't helped matters, either. I think after what has been a tragic and heartbreaking year for so many, I am just counting down the weeks for a new year. I usually HATE New Year's (yes, I said HATE!), mainly because I just love Christmas so much and all the warm fuzzy memories brought back this time of the year from my childhood. And I love seeing Christmas in the eyes of my children now. It's so rewarding. But as the year comes to an end, I am a little relieved instead of disappointed, however, there is still a bit of apprehension as a new year approaches on our heels. Is it going to be equally tragic and heartbreaking? Will it be MORE tragic and heartbreaking?
Tuesday morning I was at my church preparing some things for the Byram Christmas Parade we are doing Saturday. As I was getting ready to leave, the church secretary stopped me and told me she had something to tell me, but wasn't sure how I would react. Thinking anything from someone had broken into my car, to Chad or Brennan being in some sort of accident, I had no idea what she was wanting to say. Finally, she spit out that she had just received a call from someone saying there was a house on fire in my neighborhood. I guess the person who called was just checking to see if it was my address and if anyone had heard from me. Well, my neighborhood is literally two streets long. There are probably 20 houses on those two streets. So the possibility that it was my house, was a very good one. Then, it clicked in my head that I had ironed my pants that morning. That may not mean anything to YOU, but the fact of the matter is, I DO NOT iron. If I cannot throw it in the dryer and throw it on, I just don't wear it. (That or I make Chad iron it when he is ironing his clothes.) But, on this particular morning, I had ironed. At that point I became convinced it was my house and I had left the iron plugged in.
Once the ironing registered with me, then panic set in. I started hyperventilating. My hands started tingling and eventually became numb. Tears started streaming down my face uncontrollably all the while I was thinking about my dog. I NEVER had one other thought other than my pictures being burned and my dog being hurt or killed in the fire. Those two thoughts continually raced through my head. I was trying to make the people in the church office understand that we needed to find out the address. I couldn't even make use of my hands to flip the pages of the phonebook and I think I even became a little incoherent at one point.
But, after what seemed like an eternity, we got the phone call to either confirm that it was my house, or not. As soon as Rhonda spit out the address I felt this massive, indescribable wave of relief rush through my body. I might have even fallen back in a chair, I'm not sure. It took me several minutes to get my breath back and for my heart to stop beating in my eardrums and head. It took even longer for the feeling to come back in both of my hands. I have never had a TRUE panic attack in the form of fear in my life. And I hope to never experience it again.
Even though I had a happy ending, I soon came to the realization that one of my neighbors had probably just lost everything they had. For the rest of the day all I could do was cry. I know that my panic had turned into relief, but that sting was still there from when I thought it was my home burning. They felt that same amount of panic and helplessness as I had, although theirs would still be there at the end of the day. It wasn't going away anytime soon.
The family lives one street over from me. She is actually a dental assistant for a pediatric dentist in Madison, and the husband is the head softball coach and assistant football coach at Florence High School. They have a 3 year old little boy. They lost their family dog in the fire. And they lost everything else. Even all of their Christmas presents. (They were through shopping for the holidays.) They have been overwhelmed with an outpouring of support and financial help and clothing donations from the community and surrounding areas.
As tragic and heartbreaking as the situation is, it also tends to brighten the Christmas spirit around the sadness of it all. People are coming out of the woodwork to offer help and bring clothes and buy Madden's Christmas toys and replace their Christmas gifts. People who don't have much to give are giving with a VERY joyful heart. It's been very encouraging and uplifting to see so much love and support pour out through the small city of Florence. So, through it all, I hope this family has the best Christmas they have EVER had despite the loss of something so great. Even though I know a beloved family pet can never be replaced, a home and most of it's things can. I know that they will see the good of it all after the dust settles.
Along with the mass rush of the Christmas season came just a really bummer of a week. Maybe this dreary and cloudy weather hasn't helped matters, either. I think after what has been a tragic and heartbreaking year for so many, I am just counting down the weeks for a new year. I usually HATE New Year's (yes, I said HATE!), mainly because I just love Christmas so much and all the warm fuzzy memories brought back this time of the year from my childhood. And I love seeing Christmas in the eyes of my children now. It's so rewarding. But as the year comes to an end, I am a little relieved instead of disappointed, however, there is still a bit of apprehension as a new year approaches on our heels. Is it going to be equally tragic and heartbreaking? Will it be MORE tragic and heartbreaking?
Tuesday morning I was at my church preparing some things for the Byram Christmas Parade we are doing Saturday. As I was getting ready to leave, the church secretary stopped me and told me she had something to tell me, but wasn't sure how I would react. Thinking anything from someone had broken into my car, to Chad or Brennan being in some sort of accident, I had no idea what she was wanting to say. Finally, she spit out that she had just received a call from someone saying there was a house on fire in my neighborhood. I guess the person who called was just checking to see if it was my address and if anyone had heard from me. Well, my neighborhood is literally two streets long. There are probably 20 houses on those two streets. So the possibility that it was my house, was a very good one. Then, it clicked in my head that I had ironed my pants that morning. That may not mean anything to YOU, but the fact of the matter is, I DO NOT iron. If I cannot throw it in the dryer and throw it on, I just don't wear it. (That or I make Chad iron it when he is ironing his clothes.) But, on this particular morning, I had ironed. At that point I became convinced it was my house and I had left the iron plugged in.
Once the ironing registered with me, then panic set in. I started hyperventilating. My hands started tingling and eventually became numb. Tears started streaming down my face uncontrollably all the while I was thinking about my dog. I NEVER had one other thought other than my pictures being burned and my dog being hurt or killed in the fire. Those two thoughts continually raced through my head. I was trying to make the people in the church office understand that we needed to find out the address. I couldn't even make use of my hands to flip the pages of the phonebook and I think I even became a little incoherent at one point.
But, after what seemed like an eternity, we got the phone call to either confirm that it was my house, or not. As soon as Rhonda spit out the address I felt this massive, indescribable wave of relief rush through my body. I might have even fallen back in a chair, I'm not sure. It took me several minutes to get my breath back and for my heart to stop beating in my eardrums and head. It took even longer for the feeling to come back in both of my hands. I have never had a TRUE panic attack in the form of fear in my life. And I hope to never experience it again.
Even though I had a happy ending, I soon came to the realization that one of my neighbors had probably just lost everything they had. For the rest of the day all I could do was cry. I know that my panic had turned into relief, but that sting was still there from when I thought it was my home burning. They felt that same amount of panic and helplessness as I had, although theirs would still be there at the end of the day. It wasn't going away anytime soon.
The family lives one street over from me. She is actually a dental assistant for a pediatric dentist in Madison, and the husband is the head softball coach and assistant football coach at Florence High School. They have a 3 year old little boy. They lost their family dog in the fire. And they lost everything else. Even all of their Christmas presents. (They were through shopping for the holidays.) They have been overwhelmed with an outpouring of support and financial help and clothing donations from the community and surrounding areas.
As tragic and heartbreaking as the situation is, it also tends to brighten the Christmas spirit around the sadness of it all. People are coming out of the woodwork to offer help and bring clothes and buy Madden's Christmas toys and replace their Christmas gifts. People who don't have much to give are giving with a VERY joyful heart. It's been very encouraging and uplifting to see so much love and support pour out through the small city of Florence. So, through it all, I hope this family has the best Christmas they have EVER had despite the loss of something so great. Even though I know a beloved family pet can never be replaced, a home and most of it's things can. I know that they will see the good of it all after the dust settles.
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