They say the best things come in small packages.
Today, I received two small packages: white paper lunch bags decorated with green-stamped trees and gingerbread cookies and filled with red paper. Sis made me sit on the couch with my eyes closed while she unwrapped the insides for me and held them up. Bud stood by helpfully.
"Open your eyes!"
And there were two homemade, glitter-filled, painted, wooden wreath ornaments with Sis and Bud's pictures inside. Sis jumped up and down with the ornaments swinging in the air so that I could hardly see the cute pictures, clearly taken on election day when they had their "I voted today" stickers on (that's a good day to commemorate). Sis is staring thoughtfully at the camera in her picture, Bud is laughing and looking away in his, which is pretty typical for both of them. We hung the ornaments on their little fabric trees, that is until Mama came home and was presented with them both all over again.
Good things really do come in small packages.
And in paper bags too.
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
Monday, December 15, 2008
For All the Cookie Monsters
(from a recent email)
Christmas Cookie Rules
1. If you eat a Christmas cookie fresh out of the oven, it has no calories because everyone knows that the first cookie is the test and thus calorie free.
2. If you drink a diet soda after eating your second cookie, it also has no calories because the diet soda cancels out the cookie calories.
3. If a friend comes over while you are making your Christmas cookies and needs to sample, you must sample with your friend. Because your friend's first cookie is calories free - rule #1 applies to your friend. It would be rude to let your friend sample alone, and being the friend that you are makes your cookie calorie free.
4. Any cookie calories consumed while walking around will fall to your feet and eventually fall off as you move. This is due to gravity and the density of the caloric mass.
5. Any calories consumed during the frosting of the Christmas cookies will be used up because it takes many calories to lick excess frosting from a knife without cutting your tongue.
6. Cookies colored red or green have very few calories. Red ones have 3 and green ones have 5 - one calorie for each letter. Make more red ones!
7. Cookies eaten while watching Miracle on 34th Street have no calories because they are part of the entertainment package and not part of one's personal fuel.
8. As always, cookie pieces contain no calories because the process of breaking causes calorie leakage.
9. Any cookies consumed from someone else's plate has no calories since the calories rightfully belong to the other person and will cling to their plate. We all know how calories like to CLING!And finally...
10. Any cookies consumed while feeling stressed have no calories because cookies used for medicinal purposes NEVER have calories!
Christmas Cookie Rules
1. If you eat a Christmas cookie fresh out of the oven, it has no calories because everyone knows that the first cookie is the test and thus calorie free.
2. If you drink a diet soda after eating your second cookie, it also has no calories because the diet soda cancels out the cookie calories.
3. If a friend comes over while you are making your Christmas cookies and needs to sample, you must sample with your friend. Because your friend's first cookie is calories free - rule #1 applies to your friend. It would be rude to let your friend sample alone, and being the friend that you are makes your cookie calorie free.
4. Any cookie calories consumed while walking around will fall to your feet and eventually fall off as you move. This is due to gravity and the density of the caloric mass.
5. Any calories consumed during the frosting of the Christmas cookies will be used up because it takes many calories to lick excess frosting from a knife without cutting your tongue.
6. Cookies colored red or green have very few calories. Red ones have 3 and green ones have 5 - one calorie for each letter. Make more red ones!
7. Cookies eaten while watching Miracle on 34th Street have no calories because they are part of the entertainment package and not part of one's personal fuel.
8. As always, cookie pieces contain no calories because the process of breaking causes calorie leakage.
9. Any cookies consumed from someone else's plate has no calories since the calories rightfully belong to the other person and will cling to their plate. We all know how calories like to CLING!And finally...
10. Any cookies consumed while feeling stressed have no calories because cookies used for medicinal purposes NEVER have calories!
Advent: The Best Christmas Pageant Ever
Maya, Mary, and Ching-Tsae.
Elephants, angels, and dragons.
Angels, musicians, sages, immortals, shepherds, wisemen, counselors, unicorns.
Buddha, Jesus, and Confucius.
And the friendly beasts, including a hippo and a penquin.
Yep, we were in our first Christmas pageant today. And we didn't even know we were going to be.
Focusing on the miraculous births of these three great teachers, the pageant used volunteers from the congregation instead of rehearsed actors. Sis and Bud sat mesmerized for the first half of the show, watching the costume changes behind us in the back of the sanctuary (we always sit in the last row, which was taken up by props today) and by all the people we know acting silly. And Bud liked the hymns. When they called for volunteers to be the musicians, I asked Sis and Bud if they wanted to participate. A big no.
But when they asked for "friendly beasts" towards the end, they were ready to go. They didn't need the stuffed beasts they offered. No. They had their own. So we marched up the center aisle with Bud carrying his new penguin "Pengin" and Sis carrying her new hippo "Hippo," both adopted from FAO Schwartz yesterday and introduced to everyone we met this morning (they are so proud and excited). And they marched them up the aisle and held them tightly as we all sang "Friendly Beasts" (which, for coincidence's sake, was the song I sang a solo in for 5th grade choir. I was the dove)--Bud was busy watching his RE teacher play an instrument and sing while Sis was absorbed by the entire congregation in front of her. By the end of the play, when we sang "This Little Light of Mine," they had relaxed some and Sis even swayed some to the music. It really was the best pageant ever.
And when it was all over, like probably every young pageant participant in the history of Christmas plays, they rushed the food table.
Elephants, angels, and dragons.
Angels, musicians, sages, immortals, shepherds, wisemen, counselors, unicorns.
Buddha, Jesus, and Confucius.
And the friendly beasts, including a hippo and a penquin.
Yep, we were in our first Christmas pageant today. And we didn't even know we were going to be.
Focusing on the miraculous births of these three great teachers, the pageant used volunteers from the congregation instead of rehearsed actors. Sis and Bud sat mesmerized for the first half of the show, watching the costume changes behind us in the back of the sanctuary (we always sit in the last row, which was taken up by props today) and by all the people we know acting silly. And Bud liked the hymns. When they called for volunteers to be the musicians, I asked Sis and Bud if they wanted to participate. A big no.
But when they asked for "friendly beasts" towards the end, they were ready to go. They didn't need the stuffed beasts they offered. No. They had their own. So we marched up the center aisle with Bud carrying his new penguin "Pengin" and Sis carrying her new hippo "Hippo," both adopted from FAO Schwartz yesterday and introduced to everyone we met this morning (they are so proud and excited). And they marched them up the aisle and held them tightly as we all sang "Friendly Beasts" (which, for coincidence's sake, was the song I sang a solo in for 5th grade choir. I was the dove)--Bud was busy watching his RE teacher play an instrument and sing while Sis was absorbed by the entire congregation in front of her. By the end of the play, when we sang "This Little Light of Mine," they had relaxed some and Sis even swayed some to the music. It really was the best pageant ever.
And when it was all over, like probably every young pageant participant in the history of Christmas plays, they rushed the food table.
Sunday, December 14, 2008
Advent: Trimming the Tree
What fun the kiddos had at church today decorating the tree! Bud and Sis must have put up 50 ornaments each--all on the lowest branches of the tree! At least there were adults who could then decorate the upper branches. Even when all the ornaments were gone, Bud kept looking for things to hang on the tree. Poor boy. He just ran out of decorations. Sis really enjoyed handing ornaments to the adults on chairs, as well as hanging them up herself.
We were hoping that by decorating the church tree, we could avoid makng a big deal out of our tree. See, the cats, while 1 1/2 years old, are still quite kittenish and will eat the tree, the lighting wires, and any ornaments. We'd talked about covering the tree with sheets or moving it to the porch at night when we can't watch the cats. But none of it was satisfactory. We finally decided, after talking to the kids, that we would put up the tree close to Christmas Eve and let Santa decorate it that night, at least for this year. The kids were excited about this idea so that was our plan. So, we were excited to give them the chance to decorate the church tree at least. The kids loved decorating so much, however, that now we are revisiting the best way to have a tree.
My mom always installed? set up? the tree while we were at school, getting it in its place (it was always a plastic tree when I was a little girl, then mostly a real tree once we moved when I was in high school), getting all the boxes of decorations out of the attic, and stringing the (always colored) lights. Sometimes we would help with the ornaments; during the college years, I think she did them. There were always some . . . disagreements . . . between my sister and me over the felt-and-sequins ornmanents my great-grandma M had made, mainly whose were whose. Sometimes that made group decorating a little stressful. I'm not sure it's ever been resolved; it seems to matter less now. But then, we haven't shared a Christmas tree since, what, 1999? I don't remember when my last holiday in Houston was (it was after Mama and I got together by at least a few years).
There were always ornaments that I thought of as special (read "mine"): the glass nativity my "aunt" D gave me years ago; the painted wooden angel that Mom made me when I was little, as well as the painted wooden heart with my name on it; those great-grandma ornaments (I will not detail which sets here so as not to reopen that). I'm sure there are others I'm forgetting. And then there was always the porcelain angel from Bammie (Gommie's mother) that sat on the mantle that she had given me before she died (when I was 4). It's beautiful and plays lovely music.
I also had my own little tree, usually kept in my bedroom, from my great-grandma M, complete with little tree skirt and homemade puffy fabric hearts ornaments. I love those puffy hearts. Except I haven't seen them in awhile and don't know if they are in Houston or are here. We need to find those. We got the kids their own little Hallmark trees made of fabric with big buttons that have sets of puffy animal ornaments. They've discontinued selling the trees and ornaments, but you can use almost any fabric ornament with a bit loop.
Maybe I need to look for those puffy hearts again . . . Not that we're going to hang them up--the cats would love all the lace!
We were hoping that by decorating the church tree, we could avoid makng a big deal out of our tree. See, the cats, while 1 1/2 years old, are still quite kittenish and will eat the tree, the lighting wires, and any ornaments. We'd talked about covering the tree with sheets or moving it to the porch at night when we can't watch the cats. But none of it was satisfactory. We finally decided, after talking to the kids, that we would put up the tree close to Christmas Eve and let Santa decorate it that night, at least for this year. The kids were excited about this idea so that was our plan. So, we were excited to give them the chance to decorate the church tree at least. The kids loved decorating so much, however, that now we are revisiting the best way to have a tree.
My mom always installed? set up? the tree while we were at school, getting it in its place (it was always a plastic tree when I was a little girl, then mostly a real tree once we moved when I was in high school), getting all the boxes of decorations out of the attic, and stringing the (always colored) lights. Sometimes we would help with the ornaments; during the college years, I think she did them. There were always some . . . disagreements . . . between my sister and me over the felt-and-sequins ornmanents my great-grandma M had made, mainly whose were whose. Sometimes that made group decorating a little stressful. I'm not sure it's ever been resolved; it seems to matter less now. But then, we haven't shared a Christmas tree since, what, 1999? I don't remember when my last holiday in Houston was (it was after Mama and I got together by at least a few years).
There were always ornaments that I thought of as special (read "mine"): the glass nativity my "aunt" D gave me years ago; the painted wooden angel that Mom made me when I was little, as well as the painted wooden heart with my name on it; those great-grandma ornaments (I will not detail which sets here so as not to reopen that). I'm sure there are others I'm forgetting. And then there was always the porcelain angel from Bammie (Gommie's mother) that sat on the mantle that she had given me before she died (when I was 4). It's beautiful and plays lovely music.
I also had my own little tree, usually kept in my bedroom, from my great-grandma M, complete with little tree skirt and homemade puffy fabric hearts ornaments. I love those puffy hearts. Except I haven't seen them in awhile and don't know if they are in Houston or are here. We need to find those. We got the kids their own little Hallmark trees made of fabric with big buttons that have sets of puffy animal ornaments. They've discontinued selling the trees and ornaments, but you can use almost any fabric ornament with a bit loop.
Maybe I need to look for those puffy hearts again . . . Not that we're going to hang them up--the cats would love all the lace!
Saturday, December 13, 2008
Advent: Christmas in the City
. . . was today. But we're exhausted. I'll post later on:
And a get well soon to Mama Teacher.
- this year's tree at Rockefeller Center
- the Zamboni
- Teuscher chocolates
- Salvation Army tuba player
- Metropolitan Museum of Art bookstore
- St. Patrick's Cathedral nativity and pipe organ
- Train at Citigroup Cener--its final year
- "Mippy" statues
- the bus
- FAO Schwartz--bears, hippos, and penguins. Oh, my!
- 5th Avenue--parade of Santas??
- lunch at Virgil's
- Times Square, my old neighborhood
- Crumbs cupcakes
- NYPL--Beedle the Bard, the original manuscript
- taxi cabs
- horse-drawn carriages in Central Park
- the BIGGEST moon ever
- my birthday playgroup, pinatas, and purple frosting
- kids' party at Mama's office and Frosty's sneakers
- decorating the church for the holidays
And a get well soon to Mama Teacher.
Friday, December 12, 2008
Hooked on Mama
My whole family knows I'm terrible about waiting til my birthday to open presents (which is why I'm guessing Gommie has hidden my package amid all the ones we've received for the kids' Christmas! Come on, I've only opened Pop's card, Aunt P's package, and Mama Teacher's gift card!!). But Mama is worse than I am: she made me open my birthday present this evening; she was so excited she couldn't wait any longer (mainly because she had warned me this wasn't a gift I could open in front of the kids).
Stop your dirty mind.
She gave me a beautiful handmade oak case with 5 hand-turned, nineteenth-century inspired crochet hooks in different woods. Gorgeous. And easily broken by enthusiastic three-year olds. I can't wait to use them.
Thank you, Mama. I love them. And you.
Stop your dirty mind.
She gave me a beautiful handmade oak case with 5 hand-turned, nineteenth-century inspired crochet hooks in different woods. Gorgeous. And easily broken by enthusiastic three-year olds. I can't wait to use them.
Thank you, Mama. I love them. And you.
Advent: Holiday Birthdays
Don't feel sorry for those of us with December birthdays. I've always been convinced that more people remember because they have something tangible to connect it to. It might not be the exact date they recall, but they know it's around here somewhere. And oftentimes, at least when I was a kid, I think that meant I got more birthday presents from people who might not otherwise remember. Now, it just means that my gifts all come to me in one month and by, say, May or June, I'm tempted to buy things for myself because it'll be six months until I get another present (though, now there's Mother's Day, which means I'm covered!) It's not really about presents for me anymore; I just like to celebrate. Which is why I'm hosting my own birthday party with the kids. And making chocolate cake with purple frosting!!! And Sis has requested games . . . it'll be great. "It's my birthday and I'll party if I want to!"
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Planning a Wedding in One Day
7:00 a.m. While brushing teeth, decide with Mama that we will play "Lover's Waltz" by Jay Ungar (which we have on CD) during the ceremony.
9:00 a.m. Stop by bakery, order cake: two-tier (with Grecian columns!), all white, except a few deep purple roses with dark green leaves (purple for me; dark green for Mama). Chocolate cake for Sis, with strawberry jam filling for Bud--having kids changes how you plan a wedding. This takes about 10 minutes. Note to self: buy a cake topper. Remember my Vera Wang cake service set, one of our only civil union gifts--take that to church. Or not.
9:15 a.m. Stop by florist and discuss nosegay for Sis to carry.
10:30 a.m. Confirm pastoral visit with minister to discuss final plans. Mainly, that the ceremony will be sometime in the afternoon of Christmas Eve, before Vespers, but using the existing decorations which will be up by then (candles, flowers, lit tree). Just us, pretty much. Maybe someone from church to take pictures. With two 3 year olds as ring bearer/flower girl/attendants, the ceremony won't take long at all and will be very casual. Then Vespers, then potluck supper with congregation--the wedding cake is our potluck contribution. And then we have to do Christmas lights with the kids, finish off Christmas Eve, and get ready for Christmas. The honeymoon is over.
[parenting takes place the rest of the day]
7:00 p.m. Go wedding dress shopping with Mama Teacher (thanks a whole bunch!!), surprise staff with a). decision to wear a color, i.e. a bridesmaid's dress, and not white b). date of wedding in 13 days and c). wearing flats, specifically my tennis shoes--it's my wedding and I'll wear what I want to (we didn't even get to "there are two brides" but that would've surprised them too.). Choose the first dress I try on, though I tried on a few more, including a white merengue one. It's perfect, and since I'm not superstitious and have told Mama already, it's purple with a fitted bodice and a train!! (Bud will be disappointed when he realizes that word has two meanings, but he's wearing trains on his sweater that night.) And it was on super sale!!! Alterations cost more than the dress did. (Gommie it was even faster than buying my bridesmaid's dress this summer!! And cheaper.)
8:00 p.m. Head to craft store: buy ring bearer pillow and cake topper (two entwined silver hearts). Spot a few baskets for Sis's flowers. Will let Mama decide between nosegay or basket.
10:00 p.m. Get home. Talk with Mama. We need to find readings or vows. Or not. I realize I should've bought a wedding cake stamp to make a few invitations/annoucements. I did buy a wedding cake cookie cutter, in case the mood strikes me to make some cookies for the evening. Or the reception. Not sure about a reception yet, but that would be later in the spring anyway. Maybe a big picnic in May?? Something extremely casual, family-oriented, outside with things for the kiddos to do, even potluck??!! Who knows. As for registering, I'm just not sure that's us (though we laughed and said that we could register at the bookstore and be more than happy!).
11:45 p.m. In bed blogging about it all. Pretty much done. Good night.
9:00 a.m. Stop by bakery, order cake: two-tier (with Grecian columns!), all white, except a few deep purple roses with dark green leaves (purple for me; dark green for Mama). Chocolate cake for Sis, with strawberry jam filling for Bud--having kids changes how you plan a wedding. This takes about 10 minutes. Note to self: buy a cake topper. Remember my Vera Wang cake service set, one of our only civil union gifts--take that to church. Or not.
9:15 a.m. Stop by florist and discuss nosegay for Sis to carry.
10:30 a.m. Confirm pastoral visit with minister to discuss final plans. Mainly, that the ceremony will be sometime in the afternoon of Christmas Eve, before Vespers, but using the existing decorations which will be up by then (candles, flowers, lit tree). Just us, pretty much. Maybe someone from church to take pictures. With two 3 year olds as ring bearer/flower girl/attendants, the ceremony won't take long at all and will be very casual. Then Vespers, then potluck supper with congregation--the wedding cake is our potluck contribution. And then we have to do Christmas lights with the kids, finish off Christmas Eve, and get ready for Christmas. The honeymoon is over.
[parenting takes place the rest of the day]
7:00 p.m. Go wedding dress shopping with Mama Teacher (thanks a whole bunch!!), surprise staff with a). decision to wear a color, i.e. a bridesmaid's dress, and not white b). date of wedding in 13 days and c). wearing flats, specifically my tennis shoes--it's my wedding and I'll wear what I want to (we didn't even get to "there are two brides" but that would've surprised them too.). Choose the first dress I try on, though I tried on a few more, including a white merengue one. It's perfect, and since I'm not superstitious and have told Mama already, it's purple with a fitted bodice and a train!! (Bud will be disappointed when he realizes that word has two meanings, but he's wearing trains on his sweater that night.) And it was on super sale!!! Alterations cost more than the dress did. (Gommie it was even faster than buying my bridesmaid's dress this summer!! And cheaper.)
8:00 p.m. Head to craft store: buy ring bearer pillow and cake topper (two entwined silver hearts). Spot a few baskets for Sis's flowers. Will let Mama decide between nosegay or basket.
10:00 p.m. Get home. Talk with Mama. We need to find readings or vows. Or not. I realize I should've bought a wedding cake stamp to make a few invitations/annoucements. I did buy a wedding cake cookie cutter, in case the mood strikes me to make some cookies for the evening. Or the reception. Not sure about a reception yet, but that would be later in the spring anyway. Maybe a big picnic in May?? Something extremely casual, family-oriented, outside with things for the kiddos to do, even potluck??!! Who knows. As for registering, I'm just not sure that's us (though we laughed and said that we could register at the bookstore and be more than happy!).
11:45 p.m. In bed blogging about it all. Pretty much done. Good night.
Like Mommy, Like Daughter
We went to the store this afternoon to buy supplies for my birthday party. And we ended up on the birthday aisle with the pinatas. Sis and Bud have seen a couple of pinatas in action and were excited about my having one. So, we chose a rainbow horse/donkey.
Oh, if only I had remembered my own childhood faster, I would never have bought it.
See, I had a Raggedy Ann pinata as a little girl. I think we bought it in San Antonio because I have this strange memory of it in my aunt's house. But it got back to Houston and remained unused. For years. In my closet. Safe.
Well, Sis doesn't want us to use her horsey, now. We can put the candy we bought in a bowl to pass out at the party, she said. I really should've seen this coming. Only, Sis doesn't have a closet. The horse is on the piano. No doubt it will have a name soon.
Sigh.
Oh, if only I had remembered my own childhood faster, I would never have bought it.
See, I had a Raggedy Ann pinata as a little girl. I think we bought it in San Antonio because I have this strange memory of it in my aunt's house. But it got back to Houston and remained unused. For years. In my closet. Safe.
Well, Sis doesn't want us to use her horsey, now. We can put the candy we bought in a bowl to pass out at the party, she said. I really should've seen this coming. Only, Sis doesn't have a closet. The horse is on the piano. No doubt it will have a name soon.
Sigh.
Advent: Christmas Songs
"There was one, there were two, there were three little angels in a band. Oh wasn't that a Tuesday morning?"
This has been the refrain at our house since preschool on Tuesday, where they sang this song about angels in a band on Tuesday morning. I'd never heard it before and it sounded like quite an odd song, but I just googled it and found out it's a real, traditional Christmas song:
TEN LITTLE ANGELS(Traditional / Arr. Hap Palmer)
One glorious Christmas morning
Ten angels did appear
And each one held an instrument
Carefully made by hand
First they counted off to ten
Playing one by one
Then they played together
In a joyful Angel Band
There was one, there were two,
There were three little angels
There were four, there were five,
There were six little angels
There were seven, there were eight,
There were nine little angels
Ten little angels in the band.
Oh, wasn't that a band, Christmas morning
Christmas morning, Christmas morning,
Wasn't that a band, Christmas morning
Ten little angels in the band
I shouldn't have doubted. There are a bajillion Christmas songs. I've even heard about two new ones this year, "Christmas in East Haven" and one called the "Twelve Days of Christmas" about all that can go wrong. Sure, these are comic songs, not traditional ones, more in the vein of "Grandma Got Run Over By a Reindeer" or even Adam Sandler's hilarious "Hanukkah Song." But every now and then that's great. For me, it beats the thousandth rendition of (one of my favorite carols) "O Holy Night" by this year's diva.
Which is to say, I don't usually listen to the Christmas marathons on the radio. I can only hear my favorites "Last Christmas" and "Do They Know It's Christmas?" so many times in one day. Back when those songs came out, they were about the only Christmas tunes that got play on Top 40 radio (why was it 40?), which didn't switch formats for a month back then. I think I like the olden days.
But I love Christmas music. "O Holy Night," "Here We go a Wassailing," "Good King Wenceslas" (the first song I could play on the piano), "Winter Wonderland," "Greensleeves," "Holly and the Ivy," and "Carol of the Bells." My favorite artist is Johnny Mathis, whose album my folks frequently played. Then there were the popular renditions of Christmas standards from their youth and young adulthood--"White Christmas," "Jingle Bell Rock," "Frosty the Snowman,"--you know, the songs that Time-Life puts together on one CD. Those are the "right" versions for me. At the time, radio would go all-Christmas just for Christmas Eve and Christmas day, and we'd listen to it as we drove around looking at lights, with Dad or Mom changing the station if a song we didn't know and couldn't sing to came along.
Because that's the point with Christmas songs: singing along together. It's pretty much the only time of year that we still encourage amateur singing in groups, besides birthdays. No one cares if you aren't a virtuoso when you're singing "Rudolph;" it's all about how well you know the cutesy add-ons (you know, reindeer playing Monopoly or Christopher Columbus and all that). It's about passion, enthusiasm, fearlessness, joy. Which is why the most popular part of my family's annual big Christmas gathering (which happened last weekend, though we missed it for the umpeenth time) is the singalong that my mom started years ago with photocopied songsheets. The favorite carol? "Twelve Days of Christmas" and how well you can cheerfully sing the "5 golden rings" part. If memory serves, each family or grouping gets a number and sings it as their turn comes up. My parents are both great singers in that they love to sing, can carry a tune (not, you know, in a professional way but they aren't tone deaf either; sometimes they've been known to try harmony), sing out, and remember (most of) the words. As I've said, I'm a great Girl Scout singer for the same reasons--indifferent voice but with lots of happiness and a memory for a wide range of songs (Mama is much more shy but sings very well, not that I think you'll ever get to hear her, unless you catch her singing with the kids. And if she were to sing, it would be "Do You Hear What I Hear?" with the little lamb).
And so, we're trying to do a lot of singing around here this year. Yesterday, "Frosty" came on the radio (I guess those Christmas marathons are coming in handy this year) and I pulled out our book and we followed along. Sis and Bud were mesmerized. I'm not sure they thought that other people sang our "Frosty" book song. It was fun, even the second and third times. And Vespers at our church is all carols that pretty much everyone knows. So we'll have a good time singing there.
I hope it carries over into the new year. I just bought a book, Rise Up Singing, that has the words (but not the music) to 1500 popular songs (Gommie, I'll bet you know a lot of them). I'm hoping it will help me remember to encourage group singing. And give me the words to lead by. Until then, I'm safe with most Christmas songs. And I'll be practicing this little angel band one.
This has been the refrain at our house since preschool on Tuesday, where they sang this song about angels in a band on Tuesday morning. I'd never heard it before and it sounded like quite an odd song, but I just googled it and found out it's a real, traditional Christmas song:
TEN LITTLE ANGELS(Traditional / Arr. Hap Palmer)
One glorious Christmas morning
Ten angels did appear
And each one held an instrument
Carefully made by hand
First they counted off to ten
Playing one by one
Then they played together
In a joyful Angel Band
There was one, there were two,
There were three little angels
There were four, there were five,
There were six little angels
There were seven, there were eight,
There were nine little angels
Ten little angels in the band.
Oh, wasn't that a band, Christmas morning
Christmas morning, Christmas morning,
Wasn't that a band, Christmas morning
Ten little angels in the band
I shouldn't have doubted. There are a bajillion Christmas songs. I've even heard about two new ones this year, "Christmas in East Haven" and one called the "Twelve Days of Christmas" about all that can go wrong. Sure, these are comic songs, not traditional ones, more in the vein of "Grandma Got Run Over By a Reindeer" or even Adam Sandler's hilarious "Hanukkah Song." But every now and then that's great. For me, it beats the thousandth rendition of (one of my favorite carols) "O Holy Night" by this year's diva.
Which is to say, I don't usually listen to the Christmas marathons on the radio. I can only hear my favorites "Last Christmas" and "Do They Know It's Christmas?" so many times in one day. Back when those songs came out, they were about the only Christmas tunes that got play on Top 40 radio (why was it 40?), which didn't switch formats for a month back then. I think I like the olden days.
But I love Christmas music. "O Holy Night," "Here We go a Wassailing," "Good King Wenceslas" (the first song I could play on the piano), "Winter Wonderland," "Greensleeves," "Holly and the Ivy," and "Carol of the Bells." My favorite artist is Johnny Mathis, whose album my folks frequently played. Then there were the popular renditions of Christmas standards from their youth and young adulthood--"White Christmas," "Jingle Bell Rock," "Frosty the Snowman,"--you know, the songs that Time-Life puts together on one CD. Those are the "right" versions for me. At the time, radio would go all-Christmas just for Christmas Eve and Christmas day, and we'd listen to it as we drove around looking at lights, with Dad or Mom changing the station if a song we didn't know and couldn't sing to came along.
Because that's the point with Christmas songs: singing along together. It's pretty much the only time of year that we still encourage amateur singing in groups, besides birthdays. No one cares if you aren't a virtuoso when you're singing "Rudolph;" it's all about how well you know the cutesy add-ons (you know, reindeer playing Monopoly or Christopher Columbus and all that). It's about passion, enthusiasm, fearlessness, joy. Which is why the most popular part of my family's annual big Christmas gathering (which happened last weekend, though we missed it for the umpeenth time) is the singalong that my mom started years ago with photocopied songsheets. The favorite carol? "Twelve Days of Christmas" and how well you can cheerfully sing the "5 golden rings" part. If memory serves, each family or grouping gets a number and sings it as their turn comes up. My parents are both great singers in that they love to sing, can carry a tune (not, you know, in a professional way but they aren't tone deaf either; sometimes they've been known to try harmony), sing out, and remember (most of) the words. As I've said, I'm a great Girl Scout singer for the same reasons--indifferent voice but with lots of happiness and a memory for a wide range of songs (Mama is much more shy but sings very well, not that I think you'll ever get to hear her, unless you catch her singing with the kids. And if she were to sing, it would be "Do You Hear What I Hear?" with the little lamb).
And so, we're trying to do a lot of singing around here this year. Yesterday, "Frosty" came on the radio (I guess those Christmas marathons are coming in handy this year) and I pulled out our book and we followed along. Sis and Bud were mesmerized. I'm not sure they thought that other people sang our "Frosty" book song. It was fun, even the second and third times. And Vespers at our church is all carols that pretty much everyone knows. So we'll have a good time singing there.
I hope it carries over into the new year. I just bought a book, Rise Up Singing, that has the words (but not the music) to 1500 popular songs (Gommie, I'll bet you know a lot of them). I'm hoping it will help me remember to encourage group singing. And give me the words to lead by. Until then, I'm safe with most Christmas songs. And I'll be practicing this little angel band one.
Another Miracle?
Several years ago, it snowed in South Texas on Christmas. They dubbed it the "Christmas Miracle."
Well, folks, it snowed in Houston last night!
Well, folks, it snowed in Houston last night!
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Advent: Decorations
I grew up in a house that decorated in a minimalist way for Christmas: lights on a few bushes using Pop's famous castnet approach, maybe a wreath on the door, only later a cute wooden cutout snowman (after the painted newspaper angels from my grandmother that used to sit in a window had deteriorated). Inside, we had a tree, later a nativity, some candles, a little greenery, a Santa Christmas card holder. Spare, tasteful, effective.
But nearby, there was a neighborhood renowned for its lights extravaganza. I understand you were required to agree to decorating when you moved in, something about the homeowner's association. It was fantastic . . . to visit, though we always wondered how the neighborhood coped with traffic from dusk til late, to the point that emergency vehicles would never be able to get in. But as a kid, I didn't care: there streets featuring the Night Before Christmas, Twelve Days of Christmas, Snoopy and the Peanuts gang, Christmas around the world, stuff like that--10-12 houses on a block all with matching cut-outs and a progressive narrative. One house, though I don't remember it being a whole block, even had carousel horses. It was beautiful. Fantastic. Spirited. And every year, even if we didn't often visit that crazy neighborhood, we would drive around singing carols and drinking eggnog, appreciating the decorating enthusiasm of our neighbors.
But we don't decorate like that. First, because we don't have an external plug for any decorations in front (or a doorbell), unless we run it from the back porch. Secondly, there aren't many decorations we like. I like those wooden cutouts over any inflatable or lit, moving wire critter now popular, but you can't really seem to find them up here. I wonder if it's a Texas thing? Maybe because snow would rot wood pretty quickly?? Thirdly, we never seem to get organized in time. This year, I just erased the ghosts and spiders off the front windows today. But we did spend the morning painting on a tree, a mantle with stockings and presents below, a snowfriend, and Santa (which Sis promptly decided I should remove, after she had lobbied heavily for it). We remembered to hang out our snowman twirly-whirly flag yesterday. But our wreath is still on the front porch, waiting for Mama to affix to the house. And since Albus tried to eat that wreath when he got out on the porch, I imagine it will be awhile til our tree goes up.
While I miss the wooden cutouts of my youth (which don't "die" in the mornings--our whole town looks like some kind of Christmas massacre until dusk--or blow over when it's windy), I do love the look of those 18th-century houses with the single candle in each window and perhaps a wreath on the door, especially if there is snow on the ground. Really, snow is the most beautiful decoration there is, though there is rarely a white Christmas. And, since we don't have a colonial, we'll keep painting the windows with bright illustrations and maybe string some lights if we can work out the wiring. I'll leave the inflatables to my neighbor across the way, who now has seven. And his isn't the most in town.
It's great by me . . . as long as traffic doesn't increase!
But nearby, there was a neighborhood renowned for its lights extravaganza. I understand you were required to agree to decorating when you moved in, something about the homeowner's association. It was fantastic . . . to visit, though we always wondered how the neighborhood coped with traffic from dusk til late, to the point that emergency vehicles would never be able to get in. But as a kid, I didn't care: there streets featuring the Night Before Christmas, Twelve Days of Christmas, Snoopy and the Peanuts gang, Christmas around the world, stuff like that--10-12 houses on a block all with matching cut-outs and a progressive narrative. One house, though I don't remember it being a whole block, even had carousel horses. It was beautiful. Fantastic. Spirited. And every year, even if we didn't often visit that crazy neighborhood, we would drive around singing carols and drinking eggnog, appreciating the decorating enthusiasm of our neighbors.
But we don't decorate like that. First, because we don't have an external plug for any decorations in front (or a doorbell), unless we run it from the back porch. Secondly, there aren't many decorations we like. I like those wooden cutouts over any inflatable or lit, moving wire critter now popular, but you can't really seem to find them up here. I wonder if it's a Texas thing? Maybe because snow would rot wood pretty quickly?? Thirdly, we never seem to get organized in time. This year, I just erased the ghosts and spiders off the front windows today. But we did spend the morning painting on a tree, a mantle with stockings and presents below, a snowfriend, and Santa (which Sis promptly decided I should remove, after she had lobbied heavily for it). We remembered to hang out our snowman twirly-whirly flag yesterday. But our wreath is still on the front porch, waiting for Mama to affix to the house. And since Albus tried to eat that wreath when he got out on the porch, I imagine it will be awhile til our tree goes up.
While I miss the wooden cutouts of my youth (which don't "die" in the mornings--our whole town looks like some kind of Christmas massacre until dusk--or blow over when it's windy), I do love the look of those 18th-century houses with the single candle in each window and perhaps a wreath on the door, especially if there is snow on the ground. Really, snow is the most beautiful decoration there is, though there is rarely a white Christmas. And, since we don't have a colonial, we'll keep painting the windows with bright illustrations and maybe string some lights if we can work out the wiring. I'll leave the inflatables to my neighbor across the way, who now has seven. And his isn't the most in town.
It's great by me . . . as long as traffic doesn't increase!
Three's a Curse
1. I came down this morning and noticed that the fridge door was ajar. The light wasn't on, but it was open. Hopefully, I called Mama, who had already left for work, to see if she had opened the fridge this morning. Nope. (It has a lock, so only an adult could have opened it.)
The fridge thermometer read 54F.
Ugh.
Searches on the web told me that everything but the jams and jellies and eggs and hard cheeses should go. So much food from a recent trip to the wholesale wharehouse: 2 cartons of milk, 4 cartons of eggbeaters, yogurt, ricotta, deli meat, and other things. Oh, the food. Oh, the money. And we'll be lucky if we didn't burn out the motor of the fridge.
But each time I put something in the trash I felt it. Too warm. Even the stuff in the back of the fridge, like that spare carton of milk, weren't all that cold as I poured them out. The butter is the room temperature that you bake with. I guess we'll be making sugar cookies later today, as long as they don't need milk. I haven't tossed the American cheese yet--it's not really food. We'll see if it smells in a day or two. I've turned down the temp and closed the door with hopes that the temperature drops soon.
Extra-frustrating? We haven't had breakfast yet, so no yogurt, no milk with cereal, no coffee with milk.
2. So, I was maneuvering to take the two bags of garbage down the basement stairs and out the door (into the rain) and Albus got into the basement. Never a good place for the cat, or for the person trying to catch him. It's got great hiding places and stuff everywhere like an obstacle course.
But I eventually caught him and got him back upstairs. And got the garbage out the door.
3. Only to lock myself out of the house. In my rush to catch the cat and get the garbage out, I closed the side door, which locks automatically. The kids were inside. I had no key, no open door, no unlocked window, no cell phone.
I went around front and luckily the porch door was unlocked. I went inside and knocked on the window. What a fun game, the kids thought. I asked Bud, who knows how to open the front door if it's unbolted, to open the front door. It was bolted. He came back to the window and I asked him to try to swing the very stiff latch.
Thankfully, with two hands, Bud could unlock the window. And I managed to crawl through.
At least there was applause.
The fridge thermometer read 54F.
Ugh.
Searches on the web told me that everything but the jams and jellies and eggs and hard cheeses should go. So much food from a recent trip to the wholesale wharehouse: 2 cartons of milk, 4 cartons of eggbeaters, yogurt, ricotta, deli meat, and other things. Oh, the food. Oh, the money. And we'll be lucky if we didn't burn out the motor of the fridge.
But each time I put something in the trash I felt it. Too warm. Even the stuff in the back of the fridge, like that spare carton of milk, weren't all that cold as I poured them out. The butter is the room temperature that you bake with. I guess we'll be making sugar cookies later today, as long as they don't need milk. I haven't tossed the American cheese yet--it's not really food. We'll see if it smells in a day or two. I've turned down the temp and closed the door with hopes that the temperature drops soon.
Extra-frustrating? We haven't had breakfast yet, so no yogurt, no milk with cereal, no coffee with milk.
2. So, I was maneuvering to take the two bags of garbage down the basement stairs and out the door (into the rain) and Albus got into the basement. Never a good place for the cat, or for the person trying to catch him. It's got great hiding places and stuff everywhere like an obstacle course.
But I eventually caught him and got him back upstairs. And got the garbage out the door.
3. Only to lock myself out of the house. In my rush to catch the cat and get the garbage out, I closed the side door, which locks automatically. The kids were inside. I had no key, no open door, no unlocked window, no cell phone.
I went around front and luckily the porch door was unlocked. I went inside and knocked on the window. What a fun game, the kids thought. I asked Bud, who knows how to open the front door if it's unbolted, to open the front door. It was bolted. He came back to the window and I asked him to try to swing the very stiff latch.
Thankfully, with two hands, Bud could unlock the window. And I managed to crawl through.
At least there was applause.
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
Art on My Mind: Marie Spartali Stillman's Love's Messenger
Weeks ago I added a new gadget to my blog, with a painting I've been thinking about. I mean to update this regularly, but figured I should first tell you why I have been thinking about Marie Spartali Stillman and Love's Messenger. Stillman was a nineteenth-century painter influenced and inspired by the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood in England who created canvases featuring lone woman in medieval or Renaissance settings (much like Dante Gabriel Rossetti). A beautiful member of London's Greek community, she also frequently posed for other artists. I almost wrote my dissertation on her at that Ivy League school, but didn't (and that's a long story). Anyway, with thoughts of teaching again and discussions of grad school with Gorgon, I got to thinking about Stillman again. Hence, the painting on my blog's sidebar. The Delaware Art Museum has quite a collection of her works, though I can't recall if I've actually seen this one in person. I've never researched it (the diss was squashed in the early stages), and so can't provide any real illumination of the generalized romantic subject or particular symbols, beyond that the cupid/Eros/angel on which she is stitching is strongly reminiscent of the figures of Edward Burne-Jones.
Advent: Teacher Presents
(SPOILER ALERT: Okay, those of you among my readers who teach my children at preschool, read at your own peril).
Mama Teacher, I hope you approve of my teacher gift idea (and since you don't teach my kids, formally anyway, you can read ahead). Maybe you should blog about teacher gifts for us newbie parents searching the aisles for ideas. I'll need a new one next year!
-=-=-=-
My goodness, I bought teacher presents today. We were told we didn't have to, we were told we shouldn't, but everyone will and I did. As a child, I loved giving teachers their holiday (well, it was Christmas back then) presents. Because my dad owned a print shop, we would often give personalized notepads to the teachers, something that they could actually use. Dad's in Texas, so it isn't as convenient an idea anymore--notepads are heavy to mail, and, besides, I only just thought of it and there isn't enough time (though, it's still a great idea, and he still owns that print shop; maybe I can figure something out next year. Don't retire, Pop!). So, today I found myself at the store buying teacher gifts.
Teacher gifts. My kids have teachers.
Anyway, we're donating to the collection at school and I got them little Scholastic free book certificates but that's not quite enough of a thank you. But I didn't want it to be just some random thing I purchased at the store without the kids' help--candles, soap, candy, a mug, anything with an apple on it. I realized as I was wandering the aisles that the teacher gifts should come from my kids, whose teachers they are. And since we just had some great success making Christmas pretzels, perhaps we should make food. Now, I realize that teachers do not really need any more sweets during the holidays because every third students is buying candy or baking cookies. But it's the one thing we know how to make (pizza, the other thing we know how to make just isn't practical, though I considered a gift certificate for delivery for them). I could have made cookies or quick breads, but I want the kids to really feel ownership of the gift we're giving (and not just the homemade card!) and do more than watch me make it. So, we'll make candy: rocky road (with marshmallows and cherries), peppermint bark, and Christmas pretzels (maybe one more thing, though fudge and toffee involve boiling sugar which isn't kid-friendly. Butter mints? Too much peppermint? I can change the bark . . . ). With this new revelation, I headed to the container aisle of the store and bought out their selection of non-religious snowflake tins. For the preschool teachers, the Sunday school teachers, even the pediatrician (our minister can't have gluten so we'll probably do something else for her). Everyone who teaches and helps us.
And as I was standing in the line to check out, a mom beside me looked in my basket. "Teacher gifts?" she said. I nodded. "Mercy, I'm glad I'm passed all that."
Bah, humbug. I think it's lots of fun. I hope the kids and the teachers do too.
-=-=-=-=-
Easy Rocky Road
A standard and reliable candy. I have recently seen an alternate that adds 8 chopped candied cherries—might be good.
2 cups (12 oz. package) chocolate chips
¼ cup butter or margarine
2 tablespoons shortening
3 cups miniature marshmallows
½ cup coarsely chopped nuts (we will omit these)
Butter 8 inch square pan. In large microwave-safe bowl place chocolate chips, butter, and shortening; microwave at medium for 5 to 7 minutes or until chips are melted and mixture is smooth when stirred. Add marshmallows and nuts; blend well. spread evenly into prepared pan. Cover; cill until firm. Cut into 2 inch squares. 16 squares.
-=-=-=-=-
Peppermint Bark
Makes about 32 pieces
12 oz. white baking chips
½ cup crushed peppermint candies or candy cane
Microwave white baking chips 1 minute and then in additional increments of 20 seconds, stirring after each, until almost melted. Stir until completely melted.
Add crushed peppermint candies, stirring until mixed. Spread mixture thinly onto aluminum foil-lined cookie sheet.
Refrigerate 1 hour or until firm. Break into pieces.
-=-=-=-=-
Butter Mints
1 pound confectioners sugar
1 stick butter plus 2 tablespoons
20 drops oil of peppermint (get at pharmacy)
Cream together sugar and butter. Add peppermint oil. Mix together with hands. When together, knead for 5 minutes. Add a few drops of food coloring if desired to any portion of mixture. Snip off size of mint desire (I like the size of a marble). Place on a cookie sheet or flat surface and press down with a fork. These will keep for weeks in the refrigerator, or they may be frozen.
Mama Teacher, I hope you approve of my teacher gift idea (and since you don't teach my kids, formally anyway, you can read ahead). Maybe you should blog about teacher gifts for us newbie parents searching the aisles for ideas. I'll need a new one next year!
-=-=-=-
My goodness, I bought teacher presents today. We were told we didn't have to, we were told we shouldn't, but everyone will and I did. As a child, I loved giving teachers their holiday (well, it was Christmas back then) presents. Because my dad owned a print shop, we would often give personalized notepads to the teachers, something that they could actually use. Dad's in Texas, so it isn't as convenient an idea anymore--notepads are heavy to mail, and, besides, I only just thought of it and there isn't enough time (though, it's still a great idea, and he still owns that print shop; maybe I can figure something out next year. Don't retire, Pop!). So, today I found myself at the store buying teacher gifts.
Teacher gifts. My kids have teachers.
Anyway, we're donating to the collection at school and I got them little Scholastic free book certificates but that's not quite enough of a thank you. But I didn't want it to be just some random thing I purchased at the store without the kids' help--candles, soap, candy, a mug, anything with an apple on it. I realized as I was wandering the aisles that the teacher gifts should come from my kids, whose teachers they are. And since we just had some great success making Christmas pretzels, perhaps we should make food. Now, I realize that teachers do not really need any more sweets during the holidays because every third students is buying candy or baking cookies. But it's the one thing we know how to make (pizza, the other thing we know how to make just isn't practical, though I considered a gift certificate for delivery for them). I could have made cookies or quick breads, but I want the kids to really feel ownership of the gift we're giving (and not just the homemade card!) and do more than watch me make it. So, we'll make candy: rocky road (with marshmallows and cherries), peppermint bark, and Christmas pretzels (maybe one more thing, though fudge and toffee involve boiling sugar which isn't kid-friendly. Butter mints? Too much peppermint? I can change the bark . . . ). With this new revelation, I headed to the container aisle of the store and bought out their selection of non-religious snowflake tins. For the preschool teachers, the Sunday school teachers, even the pediatrician (our minister can't have gluten so we'll probably do something else for her). Everyone who teaches and helps us.
And as I was standing in the line to check out, a mom beside me looked in my basket. "Teacher gifts?" she said. I nodded. "Mercy, I'm glad I'm passed all that."
Bah, humbug. I think it's lots of fun. I hope the kids and the teachers do too.
-=-=-=-=-
Easy Rocky Road
A standard and reliable candy. I have recently seen an alternate that adds 8 chopped candied cherries—might be good.
2 cups (12 oz. package) chocolate chips
¼ cup butter or margarine
2 tablespoons shortening
3 cups miniature marshmallows
½ cup coarsely chopped nuts (we will omit these)
Butter 8 inch square pan. In large microwave-safe bowl place chocolate chips, butter, and shortening; microwave at medium for 5 to 7 minutes or until chips are melted and mixture is smooth when stirred. Add marshmallows and nuts; blend well. spread evenly into prepared pan. Cover; cill until firm. Cut into 2 inch squares. 16 squares.
-=-=-=-=-
Peppermint Bark
Makes about 32 pieces
12 oz. white baking chips
½ cup crushed peppermint candies or candy cane
Microwave white baking chips 1 minute and then in additional increments of 20 seconds, stirring after each, until almost melted. Stir until completely melted.
Add crushed peppermint candies, stirring until mixed. Spread mixture thinly onto aluminum foil-lined cookie sheet.
Refrigerate 1 hour or until firm. Break into pieces.
-=-=-=-=-
Butter Mints
1 pound confectioners sugar
1 stick butter plus 2 tablespoons
20 drops oil of peppermint (get at pharmacy)
Cream together sugar and butter. Add peppermint oil. Mix together with hands. When together, knead for 5 minutes. Add a few drops of food coloring if desired to any portion of mixture. Snip off size of mint desire (I like the size of a marble). Place on a cookie sheet or flat surface and press down with a fork. These will keep for weeks in the refrigerator, or they may be frozen.
Monday, December 8, 2008
Advent: 'Twas (Not Yet) the Night Before Christmas
"'Twas the night before Christmas
when all through the house . . . "
I imagine you can finish the rest of the stanza, if not several more. I memorized it for extra credit in my 8th grade English class, practicing by singing most of the beginning to "Chopsticks," the piano ditty.
We have two or three illustrated versions of this iconic poem at home right now (plus the Cajun version!). And I've read each of them several times, sometimes several times a day, during the last week. Today, they dramatized the poem in their own way, asking me to fall asleep while Santa Sis (she might be scared of him in person because he is a "big guy" and hairy, but she knows who the power player is) and her helper elf Bud pretended to eat the cookies I had left, to stuff my stocking, and to leave presents, and then to wake me up with "Merry Christmas" to start the celebration. I would ooh and ahh over my gifts and eat the candy in my stocking, to much acclaim and exclamation, then be told to go back to sleep to start all over again, ending with a "Happy Christmas to all and to all a good night!" Later versions of the game, played also with our babysitter, and then with me and the babysitter, and later even still with Mama and me, had Santa wearing a kleenex taped to her nose to form a mustache and beard (babysitter's cute touch), Santa and the elf making the hoofbeat sounds of the reindeer on the roof, Santa presenting the helper elf with presents such as an elf hat and a drum, and Santa and the elf taking us on rides on the sleigh to visit their house in the North Pole. For fun, I would throw in quotes from the poem (as I'd fall asleep, I'd note the "visions of sugarplums", then I would hear the "prancing and pawing of each little hoof," and when we woke up there would always be "new-fallen snow."), which would make them laugh.
Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good night. . . .
when all through the house . . . "
I imagine you can finish the rest of the stanza, if not several more. I memorized it for extra credit in my 8th grade English class, practicing by singing most of the beginning to "Chopsticks," the piano ditty.
We have two or three illustrated versions of this iconic poem at home right now (plus the Cajun version!). And I've read each of them several times, sometimes several times a day, during the last week. Today, they dramatized the poem in their own way, asking me to fall asleep while Santa Sis (she might be scared of him in person because he is a "big guy" and hairy, but she knows who the power player is) and her helper elf Bud pretended to eat the cookies I had left, to stuff my stocking, and to leave presents, and then to wake me up with "Merry Christmas" to start the celebration. I would ooh and ahh over my gifts and eat the candy in my stocking, to much acclaim and exclamation, then be told to go back to sleep to start all over again, ending with a "Happy Christmas to all and to all a good night!" Later versions of the game, played also with our babysitter, and then with me and the babysitter, and later even still with Mama and me, had Santa wearing a kleenex taped to her nose to form a mustache and beard (babysitter's cute touch), Santa and the elf making the hoofbeat sounds of the reindeer on the roof, Santa presenting the helper elf with presents such as an elf hat and a drum, and Santa and the elf taking us on rides on the sleigh to visit their house in the North Pole. For fun, I would throw in quotes from the poem (as I'd fall asleep, I'd note the "visions of sugarplums", then I would hear the "prancing and pawing of each little hoof," and when we woke up there would always be "new-fallen snow."), which would make them laugh.
Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good night. . . .
Sunday, December 7, 2008
Advent: Let It Snow
"Mama, Mommy, come quick. It's snowing!! Is it Christmas?"
White, fluffy, powdery snow. Beautiful as it sticks to trees and wires and cars. Not the right kind of snow, but fun for making snowfriends that look more like cats and become "snow kitties" with grape eyes, pine cone ears and paws, and carrot nose. And then for snow angels. When you slide down the slide in snow pants, the snow flies up everywhere. And as the wind blows, the trees make it snow again. Later, with lots of packing, the snow becomes snowballs for a backyard, "tummies-only" snowball fight.
Christmas cookies for breakfast, with hot chocolate.
Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow.
White, fluffy, powdery snow. Beautiful as it sticks to trees and wires and cars. Not the right kind of snow, but fun for making snowfriends that look more like cats and become "snow kitties" with grape eyes, pine cone ears and paws, and carrot nose. And then for snow angels. When you slide down the slide in snow pants, the snow flies up everywhere. And as the wind blows, the trees make it snow again. Later, with lots of packing, the snow becomes snowballs for a backyard, "tummies-only" snowball fight.
Christmas cookies for breakfast, with hot chocolate.
Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow.
In a Nutshell
Our weekend has been jammed packed, and so, instead of a very long narrative about all the fun things we've done, I'm breaking it down . . .
. . . by the food we've eaten!
Office Party Extravaganza, where Mama and I actually danced:
. . . by the food we've eaten!
Office Party Extravaganza, where Mama and I actually danced:
- tons of sushi
- mushroom profiteroles
- polenta squares
- dried pears with Stilton mousse and a red wine reduction
- white pizza with truffles
- gnocchi with pumpkin-sage cream sauce
- mushroom mac-n-cheese (with lobster)
- asparagus crepes with hollandaise sauce
- fried pb & j
- cheesecake lollipop
- chocolate truffles
- mini-banana split
Cookiepalooza--so many cookies, so little time (Bud and Sis each filled their own tins):
- molasses cookies (Sis's favorite)
- mini M&M cookies (Sis's 2nd favorite; Bud's favorite)
- jam thumbprints (Bud's 2nd favorite)
- eggnog cookies
- apricot-coconut macaroons
- Welsh teacakes
- Hermits
- coconut bobbers
- raisin spice cookies
- almond brown sugar cookies
- chocolate shortbread stars
Birthday Party #1, featuring Abby Cadabby:
- carrots and hummus with olives
- cheese and crackers
- grapes
- pizza with sundried tomatoes and spinach
- vanilla cake with frosting
- chocolate Amish Friendship Bread
- animal cookies
- our Christmas Pretzels
- pizza
- cake
Saturday, December 6, 2008
Advent: Busy, Busy, Busy
Tis the season to be extra-busy, trying to do "everything." No wonder the holiday season now stretches from Halloween to New Year's Day! Just this weekend, we have an office party, two birthday parties, a church bake sale, church, and, if we have time (ha, ha, ha), a winter festival at the nature center.
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