1 Corinthians 13 for Christmas

If I decorate my house perfectly with plaid bows, strands of twinkling lights and shiny glass balls, but do not show love to my family, I'm just another decorator.

If I slave away in the kitchen, baking dozens of Christmas cookies, preparing gourmet meals and arranging a beautifully adorned table at mealtime, but do not show love to my family, I'm just another cook.

If I work at the soup kitchen, carol in a nursing home and give all that I have to charity, but do not show love to my family, it profits me nothing.

If I trim the spruce with shimmering angels and crocheted snowflakes, attend a myriad of holiday parties and sing the choir's cantata, but do not focus on Christ, I have missed the point.

Love stops cooking to hug a child.

Love sets aside the decorating to kiss the husband.

Love is kind, though harried and tired.

Love doesn't envy another's home that has coordinated Christmas china and table linens.

Love doesn't yell at the kids to get out of the way.

Love doesn't give only to those who are able to give in return, but rejoices in giving to those who can't.

Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

Love never fails.  Video games will break, pearl necklaces will be lost and golf clubs will rust. 

But giving the gift of love endures.

(author unknown)

A Very Merry Christmas Party

Today was the Firm's Children's Christmas party.  It was the same format as last year and still just as much fun! 

The extra large buffet table was filled with a breakfast especially designed for children....doughnuts, sweet rolls, decorated cookies, fruit, Chick-fil-A chick-n-minis, candy, hot chocolate, orange juice, apple juice, and coffee(!). Sprinkled around the table were candy canes and those gold chocolate coins; Will is into collecting coins now, so he filled his little pockets with lots of gold coins! 

The very patient man and his guitar were back this year and Jack and Will couldn't wait to have a turn at the mic.  This year Will chose "Old MacDonald Had a Farm" as his musical selection.  I wouldn't be one bit surprised if the guitar man remembered Will from last year and steered him away from "Jingle Bells". 

Will did a great job of singing and was even able to chose which animals were on Old MacDonald's farm.  The hands in the pockets cracks me up! 

Here is a picture of Will and his backup dancers.  These little boys were having the best time dancing!

Jack sang "Santa Claus is Coming to Town" again this year, a nod to his honor last year of singing Santa into the party.

After singing, we stood in line for a balloon creation.  This balloon man is absolutely fantastic;  his creations aren't your basic animal figures.  It was fascinating to watch him work.   

The balloon man with his Cat in the Hat hat.

Jack with his reindeer

Will's airplane taking flight

We hit the cupcake decorating station on our way to visit with Santa. 

Not the best picture of Jack and Will, but Santa looks great again this year!  Jack asked for a surprise from Santa and Will asked for a dinosaur, a space ship, and an alien.

After the Christmas party, we went to get our Christmas tree.  Jack kept asking why we weren't going into the woods to cut our own tree.  Well, because I am not Ma Ingalls and conveniently, pre-cut trees are being sold down the street.  (Lest you think I am cold-hearted, I only thought this and refrained from saying it out loud to my sweet boy.)  Brent and the boys picked out a tree, which now that it is set up, Brent declares is the skinniest tree we have ever had.  I keep reminding him of the amount of time we will save in stringing the lights.  Because 7 years ago, we got a tree so big and fat that it took us 3 days just to string the lights!  And then we still had to hang the ornaments.  A skinny tree is looking mighty niiiiice!

We spent the rest of the afternoon and evening watching football.  This fall, our tradition has been that game day dinner is a selection of bar food and dips.  Today, we had queso and salsa with chips, wings, loaded potato skins, and a wonderful Hot Bacon and Swiss Dip.  It was so good.

Hot Bacon and Swiss Dip

• 1 8 oz block of cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 c mayonnaise
• 1 c grated swiss cheese
• 2 Tbsp green onions, chopped
• 8 slices of bacon, cooked and crumbled
• 1/2 c Ritz crackers, crushed

In mixing bowl, mix cream cheese, mayo, swiss cheese, and onions together well.  Transfer to baking dish.  Top with bacon and crackers.  Bake at 350 for 15-20 mins or until bubbly.  Serve with crackers.  Yum!

Favorite Christmas Carols

Yay!  Christmas carols are on the radio!  Jack and I have loved listening to all of the Christmas music as we ride around.  Will not so much...he'd rather watch the TV.  {rolling my eyes}  But we'll make a carol convert out of him yet.

One afternoon this week as we were riding around doing errands, Jack and I started talking about our favorite Christmas songs.


Me:  Jack, what's your favorite Christmas carol?

Jack:  Hmmm....Jingle Bells and Deck the Halls.  {pause} Oh, and Feliz Navidad!

Me:  That's interesting.  Last year, your favorite Christmas carol was Little Drummer Boy.

Jack:  pa rum pa pum pum.

Me:  Will, what's your favorite Christmas song?  (I was expecting him to say Jingle Bells.)

Will:  I like Santa Brings Presents.

Ahh, yes!  The ole Christmas classic Santa Brings Presents.

He was outraged that I laughed.

The Pumpkin Patch

One of our favorite fall traditions is the Pumpkin Patch.  We go to the same pumpkin patch each year, do all of our favorite activities, and just enjoy being together as a family on a crisp, beautiful fall day.

Each year, the boys look forward to the ropes course; Brent and I enjoy watching how their strength, balance and dexterity improve.

Jack and Will on the ropes.  Each one did the course without help and they went through side by side.  It was so sweet to hear them encourage and congratulate each other.

Jack and Will on the zip line.  This was Will's first year to do the zip line and he LOVED it!  And I love the look on Jack's face...pure joy!

 
From the ropes course, we headed to where the inflatable obstacle course was last year.  It wasn't there! In it's place were different "fair" games.

Jack created his own pumpkin person.

While Will played bean bag toss.

They both enjoyed success at the fishing pond.

It's all in how you hold your tongue.

And then we headed over to the craft area.  This year, a table was set up with different art supplies to make a fabulous mini pumpkin creation.

It's hard to see in the picture, but Will covered his little pumpkin with glitter and lots & lots of googly eyes to make a "Googly-Eyed Monster" while Jack used googly eyes and pipe cleaners to make a pumpkin spider.  Both were so cute and so creative!

 We enjoyed a picnic lunch on the lawn and the boys were amazed to see the snow machine making snow in October for Snow Mountain.  We will definitely have to go back to tube and play in the snow!

One of Will's favorite things to do is ride the train.  Right next to the train station is a putt putt golf course, so while we were waiting for the train to load and depart, we started watching the golfers.  There was one lady who putted and putted and putted before she finally got the ball in the cup.  And when she did, our little family of four cheered and clapped for her.  She was such a good sport that she bowed for us.  Well, then we just had to cheer for the next golfer...and the next golfer, and the next.  And by then, the other passengers in our train car caught on and started cheering, too.  It was really a fun, spontaneous thing!  But I am sure the golfers were happy to see our train pull away from the station so they could putt in peace!

Another fall afternoon of memories!

It's a Soup Kind of Day

The weather here is turning cold.  And that has put me in the mood for soup!  I love to have a bowl of hot soup for dinner on a cold, blustery day.  Here is a really good recipe for Italian Sausage Tortellini Soup, although chopping up all of the vegetables nearly killed me!

Italian Sausage Tortellini Soup

• 1lb Italian sausage, casings removed
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 green pepper, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 46 oz beef stock
• 1/2 c red wine
• 28 oz can peeled tomatoes, chopped
• 4 carrots, chopped
• 1/2 tsp dried basil
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 8 oz can tomato sauce
• 3 zucchini, chopped
• 19 oz bag of frozen cheese tortellini
• 1 Tbsp dried parsley

Brown sausage in large pot.  Drain all grease except for 1 Tbsp, then add onion, green pepper & garlic and saute for 5 minutes.  Add sausage back to pot.  Add beef stock, wine, tomatoes, carrots, basil, oregano & tomato sauce.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 30 minutes.  Add zucchini, tortellini, and parsley.  Simmer until tortellini is cooked (8-10 min). Can serve topped with parmesan cheese. 

Enjoy!

Thanksgiving Favorites (food & people)

For us, Thanksgiving began on Tuesday this year.  Jack and the other first graders at his school led the Thanksgiving Mass.  And it was one of the most beautiful masses I have ever attended.  Jack was the first speaker as he read a part of  "Thanksgiving Is..." to open the Mass.  All of the readings were done by the first graders, the music was wonderful, and the Archbishop gave a meaningful homily.  Brent and I said over and over that the Mass really set the tone for Thanksgiving.  The first graders were dressed as Pilgrims and the kindergarteners were dressed as the Indians, and after Mass they welcomed the Archbishop in joining them in the annual Thanksgiving feast. 

On Wednesday, we went to my parent's home to celebrate with Gramma, Granddaddy, Mimi, Aunt Karen & Uncle Matt, and Cal & Brady.  This year was dubbed "What is your favorite Thanksgiving dish?" and Mom made sure that it was on the table.  Jack's favorite is the fried turkey and mashed potatoes & gravy.  Will's favorite is the dessert (shocker!).  Mom asked Cal what was his favorite thing to eat for Thanksgiving and he replied "Turkey and Cheese!"  The boy loves him some cheese....he would have been perfectly happy if Mom had set a block of cheese before him as his meal!

Brent's favorite Thanksgiving dish is his grandmother's Pork Stuffing, so he got the recipe from his mom and made it for us for the first time this year.  It was delicious, and we'll probably expect him to make it every year now!

Grandmother and I were Brent's sous chefs, and here is Grandmother (aka Mimi) prepping the celery for the stuffing.

I was chopping onion and celery too, but I was still in my glasses and pajamas and refused to let anyone take my picture.  You're welcome.

And what were the little rugrats doing?

Granddaddy and Will were playing Webkinz.  Poor Granddaddy!

And Jack was enjoying the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.  He watched the entire parade; Jack loves him a parade!

Thanksgiving dinner was fried turkey, cornbread dressing, pork stuffing, mashed potatoes & gravy, sweet potato casserole, cranberry fig relish, green bean bundles, bread pudding, and pumpkin cheesecake. Yum, yum, and yum!

And then a wee bit of activity to burn off the carbs...

A wonderful day of being with family and reflecting on all our many blessings!

And All the Angels Will Sing....

There is nothing that stirs the Spirit in my soul like the Hallelujah Chorus; I always feel like I am getting a little glimpse of what it will be like in Heaven with all of us singing our praises to the Lord together.  And I hope and pray that I will be redeemed with a bea-u-ti-ful voice, because I plan to sing LOUD.  You might not want to stand next to me!

Check out this video of a Flash Mob singing the Hallelujah Chorus.  What a blessing!