Talking in Parenthesis
Ramblings and angst from a mostly stay at home mom
Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, 'Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented and fabulous?' Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It is not just in some of us. It is in everyone. And as we let our light shine, we give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others. -Nelson Mandela
Thursday, December 28, 2006
Three Things Thursday
Okay I am now officially tired of snow. It is snowing again, we are in for another 12 to 18 inches. I love snow just not all at once. So in that vein TTT will be the most annoying things about all the snow we have had.
1. No trash pick up. We had trash day cancelled last week and it is not looking good for tomorrow. And I have Christmas trash.
2. The store is out of a lot of things. Important things, milk, bread, eggs, that type of stuff.
3. And while the storms bring out the best in most people, the people that it brings out the worst seem to stand out more than usual. The people that purposely splash you at the bus stop, the one that snatches the milk out of your hand or knocks over your 4 year old.
Okay now that I have ranted some I will try and have a more positive attitude.
1. No trash pick up. We had trash day cancelled last week and it is not looking good for tomorrow. And I have Christmas trash.
2. The store is out of a lot of things. Important things, milk, bread, eggs, that type of stuff.
3. And while the storms bring out the best in most people, the people that it brings out the worst seem to stand out more than usual. The people that purposely splash you at the bus stop, the one that snatches the milk out of your hand or knocks over your 4 year old.
Okay now that I have ranted some I will try and have a more positive attitude.
Thursday, December 21, 2006
Storm Pictures
This is my back deck, you can see how deep the snow is, it is half way up the fence. Sorry the picture is a little blurry , it was still snowing pretty hard when I took this.
This it from my front door, looking out on to the parking lot. The tracks are my dogs when he went out for his walk, jump, swim, whatever...
Three Things Thursday
As you may have hear on the news Denver got a lot of snow. I think the official total is 26 inches. In the undrifted areas we got 28 inches. So I thought I would do a TTT on some of the things we do on snow days.
1. We always walk to the grocery store. Not for milk and bread for good junk food, hot chocolate. My brother and I did it and I have continued it with our kids. Of course it takes forever because you have have snowball fights, make snow angels on the way.
2. Play board games. Loud laughing, you know the snorting kind of laughter.
3. And this sounds kind of strange but we usually end up taking a house wide nap. Everybody wakes up, we eat dinner and play boards games again.
1. We always walk to the grocery store. Not for milk and bread for good junk food, hot chocolate. My brother and I did it and I have continued it with our kids. Of course it takes forever because you have have snowball fights, make snow angels on the way.
2. Play board games. Loud laughing, you know the snorting kind of laughter.
3. And this sounds kind of strange but we usually end up taking a house wide nap. Everybody wakes up, we eat dinner and play boards games again.
Thursday, December 14, 2006
Christmas Get-to-Know You!
I saw this on Andy's blog and decided to use it instead of my usual Three Things Thursday
1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate? Hmmm that really depends on my mood, if it is Christmas I would probably reach for the egg nog because that is the only time of year you can get it.
2. Does "Santa" wrap presents or just sit them under the tree? Most of the time Santa leaves them unwrapped next to the fireplace. But a couple of times they have been wrapped.
3. Colored lights on tree/house or white? Both. Outside I have white lights on the railing and colored on the bush. On the tree I have white ones, multi, blue, green and red. I love a tree with a lot of lights!
4. Do you hang mistletoe? I had some once upon a time but not now. I have birds and I am not big on having anything that looks like plants that is poison.
5. When do you put your decorations up? My youngest son's birthday is the 28th of Nov so nothing goes up before then. Usually it is that next weekend.
6. What is your favorite holiday dish (excluding dessert)? Not really sure, depends on my mood. I guess stuffing, if you are talking the big dinner type of dish.
7. Favorite Holiday memory as a child? I have so many good memories. I guess the year we went back to my grandparent's in Ohio. Don't remember the gifts but I remember all the people the good food and the feelings.
8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa? The truth? What truth?
9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve? We open a family gift, usually a board game.
10. How do you decorate your Christmas Tree? It is a prelit tree white white lights, then I add my colored lights, red beads, garland and then the tons of ornaments . I add at least one new family one every year and I have ornaments that are a 100 years old, from my grandma, some from my mom's childhood, mine and new.
11. Snow! Love it or Dread it? Usually love it.
12. Can you ice skate? Yes, in fact I grew up skating at Scotty Hamilton's home ice rink here in Denver.
13. Do you remember your favorite gift? My kitchen set when I was three. There has been others but this was the greatest.
14. What's the most exciting thing about the Holidays for you? Seeing everything through my kids eyes.
15. What is your favorite Holiday Dessert? FUDGE!!!!!
16. What is your favorite holiday tradition? My favorite one now is the family dinner on Christmas. Instead of the traditional Christmas dinner we pick a dinner as a family that is sort of a build it yourself thing. Tacos, Burgers, Mini-pizzas, something fun. That way I spend the day with the kids and not in the kitchen.
17. What tops your tree? An angel
18. Which do you prefer: give or receive? Give.
19. What is your favorite Christmas Song? Ohh so many, The First Noel, Away in a Manger, Sleigh Ride, Winter Wonderland...
20. Candy Canes? Love them but only peppermint, none of these new fangled flavors for me.
1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate? Hmmm that really depends on my mood, if it is Christmas I would probably reach for the egg nog because that is the only time of year you can get it.
2. Does "Santa" wrap presents or just sit them under the tree? Most of the time Santa leaves them unwrapped next to the fireplace. But a couple of times they have been wrapped.
3. Colored lights on tree/house or white? Both. Outside I have white lights on the railing and colored on the bush. On the tree I have white ones, multi, blue, green and red. I love a tree with a lot of lights!
4. Do you hang mistletoe? I had some once upon a time but not now. I have birds and I am not big on having anything that looks like plants that is poison.
5. When do you put your decorations up? My youngest son's birthday is the 28th of Nov so nothing goes up before then. Usually it is that next weekend.
6. What is your favorite holiday dish (excluding dessert)? Not really sure, depends on my mood. I guess stuffing, if you are talking the big dinner type of dish.
7. Favorite Holiday memory as a child? I have so many good memories. I guess the year we went back to my grandparent's in Ohio. Don't remember the gifts but I remember all the people the good food and the feelings.
8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa? The truth? What truth?
9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve? We open a family gift, usually a board game.
10. How do you decorate your Christmas Tree? It is a prelit tree white white lights, then I add my colored lights, red beads, garland and then the tons of ornaments . I add at least one new family one every year and I have ornaments that are a 100 years old, from my grandma, some from my mom's childhood, mine and new.
11. Snow! Love it or Dread it? Usually love it.
12. Can you ice skate? Yes, in fact I grew up skating at Scotty Hamilton's home ice rink here in Denver.
13. Do you remember your favorite gift? My kitchen set when I was three. There has been others but this was the greatest.
14. What's the most exciting thing about the Holidays for you? Seeing everything through my kids eyes.
15. What is your favorite Holiday Dessert? FUDGE!!!!!
16. What is your favorite holiday tradition? My favorite one now is the family dinner on Christmas. Instead of the traditional Christmas dinner we pick a dinner as a family that is sort of a build it yourself thing. Tacos, Burgers, Mini-pizzas, something fun. That way I spend the day with the kids and not in the kitchen.
17. What tops your tree? An angel
18. Which do you prefer: give or receive? Give.
19. What is your favorite Christmas Song? Ohh so many, The First Noel, Away in a Manger, Sleigh Ride, Winter Wonderland...
20. Candy Canes? Love them but only peppermint, none of these new fangled flavors for me.
Friday, December 08, 2006
Christmas Cookies
Okay after looking through my cookbooks, I have made my list of cookies to make for Christmas. Although I am still somewhat handicapped by the fact that my very best cookie cookbook was borrowed and never returned by a friend 2 years ago. Okay here is the list.
Elfin Shortbread Bites
Coconut Cashew Bars
Sugar Cookies (decorated)
Gingerbread Cutouts (decorated)
Coconut Macaroons
Toffee Bars
Chocolate Crackle Tops
Melting Moments
Toll House Cookies
Oatmeal Scotchies
Peanut Butter Blossoms
Ranger Cookies
Fudgy Cappuccino Crinkles
Sweetheart Cookies
oh and of course fudge
I am aware that this is a lot of cookies, but bear in mind, not only do I have 6 kids but these are the gifts for teachers and friends this year. Also the best way to keep me from eating cookies is to bake lots and lots of them. By the time I am done I am soooo sick of cookies I don't eat any of them. Of course I can't say that about the fudge.
Elfin Shortbread Bites
Coconut Cashew Bars
Sugar Cookies (decorated)
Gingerbread Cutouts (decorated)
Coconut Macaroons
Toffee Bars
Chocolate Crackle Tops
Melting Moments
Toll House Cookies
Oatmeal Scotchies
Peanut Butter Blossoms
Ranger Cookies
Fudgy Cappuccino Crinkles
Sweetheart Cookies
oh and of course fudge
I am aware that this is a lot of cookies, but bear in mind, not only do I have 6 kids but these are the gifts for teachers and friends this year. Also the best way to keep me from eating cookies is to bake lots and lots of them. By the time I am done I am soooo sick of cookies I don't eat any of them. Of course I can't say that about the fudge.
Thursday, December 07, 2006
Three Things Thursday
Look at me, a TTT post on an actual Thursday, aren't I cool?
Thought I would do my post on three family traditions in and around Christmas time.
1. We never ever put any decorations out until at least the first weekend of Dec. Nate's birthday is Nov 28 and I don't want his birthday to get lost in the madness.
2. I don't cook a traditional Christmas dinner. Instead we pick a favorite interactive dinner every year. We have done taco bar, mini pizzas, cheeseburgers (on the grill too, the weather in Denver is nutty this time of year). The point is to pick something we all love and that we get to assemble together. We jhave had soooo much fun since Ron and I have started this.
3. Before the kids go to bed on Christmas eve Ron first reads Twas The Night Before Christmas and then the Christmas story from the Bible. We started that for Brit's first Christmas.
Thought I would do my post on three family traditions in and around Christmas time.
1. We never ever put any decorations out until at least the first weekend of Dec. Nate's birthday is Nov 28 and I don't want his birthday to get lost in the madness.
2. I don't cook a traditional Christmas dinner. Instead we pick a favorite interactive dinner every year. We have done taco bar, mini pizzas, cheeseburgers (on the grill too, the weather in Denver is nutty this time of year). The point is to pick something we all love and that we get to assemble together. We jhave had soooo much fun since Ron and I have started this.
3. Before the kids go to bed on Christmas eve Ron first reads Twas The Night Before Christmas and then the Christmas story from the Bible. We started that for Brit's first Christmas.
Tuesday, December 05, 2006
What Mythological Creature Are You?
I have posted one of these in a long time but I really liked this one. Maybe it is my love of mythology...
| You Are a Centaur |
 In general, you are a very cautious and reserved person. However, you are also warm hearted, and you enjoy helping others in practical ways. You are a great teacher, and you are really good at helping people get their lives in order. You are very intuitive, and you go with your gut. You make good decisions easily. |
Friday, December 01, 2006
Three Things Thursday and other stuff
I have been so bad about getting on here to update. Been busy at work, we have had major construction issues. There was a leak, mold, etc. Not good and stressful. Hopefully we are almost done with that.
Thanksgiving was very nice. My parents came up and I cooked dinner, the first time I have cooked Thanksgiving for them. Everything turned out great. After dinner Ron's parents, pooh and his brother and his girlfriend came for pie. House full of loud happy laughter. I couldn't have asked for more.
We are decorating the tree on Sunday night and we will start the annual push to Christmas. So far 3 concerts to go to, 2 on the same night at the same time, bummer.
Okay back to our regularly scheduled TTT
I have been thinking about what I am going to do for Christmas gifts for the elementary teachers, there are three this year. So I thought I would list three of the best teacher gifts from years past. (in no real order)
1. Homemade cinnamon raisin bread with beaded key chains the kids made.
2. Hand painted glass plates filled with cookies. (the cookies were store bought, pepperidge farms though)
3. Cross stitched wall hangings personalized for each teacher.
I think this year I am going to fill tins with homemade cookies.
Thanksgiving was very nice. My parents came up and I cooked dinner, the first time I have cooked Thanksgiving for them. Everything turned out great. After dinner Ron's parents, pooh and his brother and his girlfriend came for pie. House full of loud happy laughter. I couldn't have asked for more.
We are decorating the tree on Sunday night and we will start the annual push to Christmas. So far 3 concerts to go to, 2 on the same night at the same time, bummer.
Okay back to our regularly scheduled TTT
I have been thinking about what I am going to do for Christmas gifts for the elementary teachers, there are three this year. So I thought I would list three of the best teacher gifts from years past. (in no real order)
1. Homemade cinnamon raisin bread with beaded key chains the kids made.
2. Hand painted glass plates filled with cookies. (the cookies were store bought, pepperidge farms though)
3. Cross stitched wall hangings personalized for each teacher.
I think this year I am going to fill tins with homemade cookies.