thursday's ten or so: the holiday edition

since i'm still kind of in a holiday coma (and more to come since we haven't celebrated with my family yet!) i thought it would be fun to share a few holiday memories from this year. please feel free to respond in the comments or write your own post with these memories and more!

most awkward moment
a toss up between playing a dirty santa game that half the room wasn't into and when we all had to be silent while an aunt read the weather report from...louisville?

most satisfying receipt of a gift (for me)
anthony's reaction when he realized that i had bought him the complete collection of calvin and hobbes. 

most satisfying receipt of a gift (for us)
we made anthony's mom cry. twice in a row :-) first for a cashmere scarf and second for a family photo from our wedding we had printed and framed for his parents

most surprising gift (for me)
anthony got me a new tv!

most surprising gift (for us)
anthony's aunt bought us the sound of music on bluray, which was on our list. only she got us a limited edition collector's set. it's pretty amazing...and TOTALLY above what we would have ever expected!

most gobbled part of the main meal?
we had prime rib and sides...not surprisingly the prime rib was number one on the "like" list (at least at our table). however, the twice baked garlic potatoes were pretty freaking awesome too!


most fun stocking surprise?
for me? pretty sure it was the OPI bondettes mini set anthony stuffed in there. for him? i think it's a toss-up between the ninja-bread cookie cutters and the om-nom (character from cut the rope) plush. he might tell you differently though ;-)

most pleasant surprise?
that instead of everyone ripping into their gifts at once there were several of us who watched for the reactions of everyone else...that made it last slightly longer, but certainly made it more fun.

most fun new tradition?
we added to an old tradition (that of everyone gathering to watch a christmas movie for 3 or 4 nights) but offering to bring dinner one of the nights. tomato basil soup and grilled cheese is now officially "the" meal for the viewing of white christmas :-)

so. how were your festivities?

Good Friday (2012)

to be honest
this is the first year in a long time that i haven't participated in Lent in a traditional way
and really
i thought i would miss it
but i haven't


and i don't know if that's being confessional because i "should" have
or if it's just another step along this journey of faith for me


(i think it's the second)


because i'm not dissatisfied in any way
i still reflect on the meaning of this period of time
and i am oh.so.grateful today on Good Friday
that we were worth all that not good at all stuff
that Jesus endured


maybe that's the theme of Lent this year for me
i'm worth it
we're worth it
and if we're worth it,
how can i not love the other worth-it people 
even when they don't look/act/think/behave like me?


that has been my Lenten sorrow
that Christians are no longer known for love
but instead for spreading hate, bitterness, and judgement


how did we get so far away from the message?


the very nature of Good Friday
is that God so loved


that is the central message of our faith
it's love
pure and simple


so on this Good Friday
in this Holy Week
on this Easter Sunday


i will continue to be grateful
(so grateful)
and i will continue to choose love.

about a wreath

i was typing an explanation of our wreath on a reply the other day and realized
i was talking about much more than a wreath.


you see, when we started talking about decorating our door for christmas
i wanted a simple berry wreath
you know, little red berries...nothing hugely fancy but something a little different
definitely non-traditional


it became apparent pretty early on that a berry wreath wasn't going to fly.
anthony only liked evergreen wreaths
"you know, the traditional kind"
uh-oh


i couldn't think of a way to make a traditional wreath look good
(to me)
until


i spotted fresh pine wreaths at trader joes
and not only did it smell amazing, i thought
"i can work with this"


and so
i went and bought my berry wreath at target
and tied the two together
and what happened 
was kind of amazing


both wreaths on their own were perfectly fine 
beautiful, in fact, in different ways
and many people would put them up just as they originally were
nothing wrong with that


but the two together made a wreath that
(to anthony and i at least)
is better than either original wreath
they belong together

it's kind of like us, really
anthony and i were fine on our own
but we're better together


and that's not where the similarity stops
see, we had to replace the original pine wreath
because it browned
because WE failed to water it properly
it needed attention
a bit of misting every day


just like us...we need to give our relationship
a bit of attention each day


when i think of it in terms like these
the simple wreath on our front door
means even more to me.

recipe of the week: those joe-joe truffles

let's face it.  everyone on the internet has the same recipe for oreo truffles.  i've seen it a million times and drool each and every time.


however.


i've always made peppermint bark at christmas.  and plan to this year (don't worry family!!).  but when coming up with the menu for our holiday open house, i realized that having two time consuming desserts to make (oreo truffles AND peppermint bark) was a little ridiculous.


so i decided to combine the two.


i used candy cane joe-joe's from trader joes.  they have flakes of candy cane in them.  pretty much they are amazing.


if you don't have a trader joe's near you OR you want to make this during the off season, i recommend using oreos and then putting some peppermint OIL (not extract) in the mix.  a very small amount will do.


here's the recipe, for those of you who don't know it by heart already :-)


1 box candy cane joe-joe's (or oreos)
1 block cream cheese
1 container of white chocolate bark/melting chocolate.  i used kroger's vanilla bark...same difference.

- place cookies in food processor and process until they are just crumbs

 - add cream cheese and process until mixed fully

- roll into balls and place on waxed paper on cookie sheet

- place in the freezer for minimum 10 minutes (i usually do more like 30)

- melt chocolate according to package instructions.  i prefer the oven methods normally.

- using a toothpick or whatever you have on hand (cough, skewer, cough) roll each ball in the melted chocolate.  place back on the wax paper and then into the fridge while they harden

- enjoy!!

 (somehow i never get pictures of the final product...they keep disappearing!)

today

thursday's ten will post tomorrow (it's a giveaway edition so get ready!)


today, reflect
remember
be grateful


for what little you have
for the abundance you have
for the relationships you cherish
for the ones you long for


life is not perfect for any of us
and we on our blogs often forget to show a balanced perspective


so if today isn't ideal for you
if family gatherings are painful or nonexistent, or you simply can't go for any number of reasons


know that 
i get it
(really, i do)


but there is always
ALWAYS
something to give thanks for.


and sometimes digging to find it means you find other treasures along the way


so today, be blessed
because you already are.

hey, it's ok (tuesday) 11.22

hey, it's ok


...to lick the spatula when making brownies
...to be ready to black friday shop.  i don't do it like anyone else i know...much more relaxed approach, and i still get good deals.  without killing anyone or getting up ridiculously early. (amazon's online deals help a lot, but i actually DO get out and go!)
...to skip meal planning this week, as far as the blog goes.  we have a "plan" but i'm not going to get stressed if we don't stick to it.  hello holiday week!
...to, however, be planning out our open house menu.  i'm including some gluten free, dairy free, and vegan options this year as well as the normal fare, so i want it to be balanced. (if you have favorite holiday finger foods i'd love to hear about it!)
...to love rachael ray, but to be really tired of the "smellavision" comment she makes all.the.time.
...to spend the entirety of baby g's naptime catching up on shows on demand so that i can delete them off the dvr when i get home :-)
...to have way too many photos stored on my computer.  currently in the process of backing them ALL up to disk.
...to be ridiculously geeking out and excited that there's now a container store in my city.  i'm planning on hitting it up on friday, actually!
...to be quite excited to put up our Christmas decor here in a few days.  this will be our first year decorating together, and we have 3 trees planned as well as other fun stuff :-)  we do need stockings though.  nice ones.  any suggestions?
...to be nearly ready to post the giveaway that' i've had for a little over a month and am just now prepared for.  in fairness, it came RIGHT before the wedding.  i've been a little busy.
...to have placed a clue about the giveaway in this list of things that are ok.  extra entry if you correctly guess the right one BEFORE i post about the giveaway :-) (seriously)


visit amber's blog. mostly because she's awesome, but also because she hosts this weekly fun!  join us!

thursday's ten: my favorite nashville holiday traditions

please share your favorite things to do in YOUR area of the world during this season!  i'd love to read them...and maybe plan a visit! :)

1.  the Christmas village.  every year that A and i have been dating we've gone, so it's become a fun little tradition.  basically it's a huge craft and foods fair where you can buy gifts for everyone on your list...or just wander around and admire.

2. opryland hotel.  after the may flooding, we weren't sure about this year's holiday season...so there was much rejoicing in town when we found out that the hotel was re-opening just in time for the holidays.  we always go to see the lights, but there's also a huge ICE display, the rockettes are in town for awhile, and there's tons of other festivities in the opryland hotel complex.

3.   local theater.  one of the standards is a tuna christmas at tpac, but there are shows going on EVERYWHERE that are both funny and heartwarming.  :)

4.  downtown Christmas trees.  nashville being the state capitol and all, we have both the state tree and the city tree downtown.  there's been a lot of push to plant a tree in the future (at least for the metro tree), and i kind of hope that goes through.  it'd be nice, not only from a eco-friendly aspect, but also to know that you're looking at the same tree year after year :)

5.  Christmas lights.  every year there's a county-wide contest, and every year the winners are announced in early to mid december.  the announcement includes addresses, so it's fun to see the winners year after year.  it DOES sometimes seem like we're going to the same houses over and over year after year, but it's totally worth it :)

6.  parades, naturally!  of course there are your normal street parades, but there's also a more creative approach.  not in nashville proper, but a bit north...when i lived on that lake i spoke about, i could watch the hendersonville lighted boat parade.  boats decked out for christmas.  it was way cool :)  one of these years i'll have to get up there again for it -- definitely a lot of fun!

7.  not to be outdone, south of nashville in little franklin...every year holds a street festival called "a dickens of a christmas".  unfortunately, we're going to be out of town this year...but i hope to get there next year!

8.  tons of amazing church concerts and the like.  my favorite every year is the Christ Church Choir one.  they're amazing!

9.  the live nativity -- actually the live walk through bethlehem -- at a church on hillsboro rd.  now, i've never actually MEANT to go to this, but just about every year i get stuck in traffic because of it.  and i smile...

10.  and some places just pull out all the stops.  cheekwood, for example, has a TON of stuff going on all season long.  cookie decorating, wreath making, and something called martinis and mistletoe that i think i need to investigate.

one that isn't really a tradition but i love is snow pictures...if we're lucky enough to get a snowfall.  i've lived in nashville for 11 winters now, and it's only happened a couple of times that i get GOOD snow to take pictures in.  so, because it's such a rare thing it makes it all the more special.

what about you?  what fun things do you and your family like to do to enjoy and savor the season?

I ♣ This (Irish for I ♥ This)

nashville has a controversial piece of art
it's called musica
it's a gorgeous bronze statue in the middle of a roundabout on Music Row
some folks around here apparently took issue to it when it was raised
and it has the nickname of "nudies" to most of us natives
(but I still think it's beautiful. don't you?)

musica (or the nudies) has the (un)fortunate position of being right.next.to an Irish pub
in fact, the pub that i spent a lot of time at before my friend opened his own
(and where i will still be going from time to time)

with all the irish and scottish pride rampant in nashville today
is it any wonder that the nudies were kilted?

today

i have no wise words today
no coherent thoughts to speak of
just sharing part of my heart

i'm aching for those who ache

i'm rejoicing for job opportunties in the near future -- i begin a nanny gig at the end of april
for a sweet baby boy who will be 11 weeks plus a month
(because he's 11 weeks now)
his parents are wonderful
easy-going and laid back
the kind of parents who take their cues from baby within a structured environment
striking that natural balance that benefits both child and parent
undoubtedly the sort of parent i will be
so we clicked
and i'm thrilled that this will be happening
although i'm still on pins and needles while i wait for something to happen for the next month point five
and i'm thankful through all of it that God is still God

if you are a prayer, a thinker, a person
please keep anthony's family in those prayers and thoughts
one grandparent is in hospice with stage 4 lung cancer
another admitted yesterday to the hospital with congestive heart failure
both sides of the family now keeping vigil by two hospital beds...thankfully in the same building

if you're one to light a candle
to cross yourself
to use prayer beads
i'm pretty sure any gesture would be appreciated right now

st patrick's day is tomorrow
if you are one of faith
celebrate

we will be

today i vow
to lose myself in music
because right now i have a gift
time
and while i could spend it cleaning my house
and truth be told, i need to spend more than a few minutes on that task
i also need to spend a portion of it
doing what makes me me
what the One who created me
well, created me to do
and so
i will play
and worship
and enjoy life on the piano bench
for just a bit

do something today
that you were created to do

and tell me about it
because i want to know

Valentine's Day 2010

This year was a low-key and wonderful one. Beginning with this amazing bouquet (I'm so glad he is willing to go off the beaten flower path--I've had some truly lovely flowers because of it!)

and then to a concert by the King Singers (a rare and special event indeed) where I re-discovered my wedding church!

I should explain--in college I was a member of a choir that was literally at a different church most Sundays when we were raising funds for our Europe tour. And...there was ONE church that when we walked into all the girls said "wedding church!" because it was just SO lovely and perfect...and I could never remember which one it was.
The concert was at that church yesterday...and the funny thing is, Anthony's grandparents were married there!
I seriously feel this...connect...with it, and went a little crazy yesterday when I realized it's my dream wedding place. Anthony was laughing at me. A lot. And reminding me that our own church is probably a lot cheaper...but it's also not a very pretty church...so it'll definitely be a place that I'll look into when the time comes. Anyway, back to V-day...

But first, just look at these pictures! Gorgeous, no?

We then went to Anthony's apartment where he made lasagna...played some video games...(Little Big Planet and Peggle)

And then we went to see Valentine's Day. Such a cliche, but so fun. And it was an adorable movie anyway. A's description was "it had it's parts..." which I believe is guy-speak for "typical chick-flick, but it wasn't as bad as I thought"
:D

It was fun to just kick back and spend an afternoon and evening together. I heart us. :)

It's a Great Day to Prepare for Tomorrow

(go here! join in!)

Preparing for Valentine's Day -- oh my!

So funny. A couple of years ago if you would have asked me if I would EVER look forward to this over-commercialized and sappy holiday I would have laughed and said 'no WAY' and pointed you to my best Valentine's Day ever, when my then-boyfriend and I went to Royal Thai and watched the Exorcism of Emily Rose...all the while saying "ugh, I hate this holiday."

And then enter A...

Yeah, my feelings have changed.

I've got his gift already (which I can't reveal here because, well, he's one of those followers on the side there) and he has told me that there's a 'possibility' that he's combining my Valentine's present with my birthday gift (next month is the birthday).

We'll spend most of the afternoon and evening together tomorrow, beginning with a concert and him cooking dinner for me at his place (!!) and then we're going to be that cheesy romantic comedy couple and go see Valentine's Day.

I'm quite excited, actually. This should be fun. Low-key, and focused on US which is what it should be.

And today? I'm babysitting and going to see my other boyfriend...Trader Joe. That's it. Ahhhhh.

Thursday's Ten: V-day gifts

So...I had this great idea of posting these great gift ideas for your honey for Valentine's Day.



Unfortunately I HAVE no great ideas.

So here's a list of other great ideas...
(please, if you have a list of great ideas yourself, link and post! You'll be helping me out!)

Valentine's Day Gifts

1. Mini Love Albums from a favorite blogger
2. Geeky Valentine Gifts
3. Frugal ideas
4. Homemade Gifts
5. Out of the Box ideas
6. Gifts for Men (since most of these sites are more for the guys buying for us...)
7.a bunch of creative ideas for couples OR kids
8. lots of fun ideas here
9. more ideas for your man
10. and for those of you with more money than I to throw around...

Please join in...especially if you have ideas of your own!

:)



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(grab the button and sign MckLinky please!)


Next week will be your favorite quotes, sayings, songs or experiences of "love" or romance. It should be a fun one--start collecting now!

Thursday's Ten: Gifts on the Cheap

Yep, holidays are on the brain, and I for one am thinking of inexpensive but meaningful gifts for the people on my list...without giving too much away since I know that some of those lovely people read this blog!



So I thought we could all help each other out! Here's ten relatively inexpensive ideas for you all this year!

1. baked goodies in a nice tin, box, or plate. I love making peppermint bark or some sort of holiday cookie.

2. a "themed" gift. One year I gave a girlfriend who loves to cook a really fun serving dish with a cookbook. I've also heard the suggestion of baking a favorite recipe in a new serving dish and giving it to the person, but I don't love that idea so much. Kind of takes the newness away, ya know?

3. something that represents something you love doing with the person/couple. A and I gave our friends 4 decks of cards, a personalized notepad, and a card tray for their engagement gift. It's because our favorite thing to do as the 4 of us is to play Hand and Foot, and now they have their own set to use when they host! On the same token, I've given gift cards to a pedicure place to a friend with whom I love to go get pedis with.

4. Etsy.com. Need I say more? I sell jewelry there, and I'm always finding cool things for gifts! Most of the people who sell there have more than reasonable prices and it's always great to give something that's not available everywhere you turn around

5. if you're crafty--make something! A lot of my friends get jewelry. They don't seem to mind! I have also received several scarves which I LOVE!

6. a picture of something special you've done with the person in a great frame. Hobby Lobby ALWAYS has their frames 1/2 off, so you can get some really good deals there. And who doesn't love pictures? Just make sure it's flattering of *both* of you!

7. a pampering basket (mostly for the females on your list). Lotions, nail polish in shades she loves, a couple of bath bombs...I shop sales year round and always have a few soaps or fragrances on hand. I also have found a great little local store that handmakes soaps and bath bombs--they're fairly inexpensive and quite unique.

8. ornaments. I love getting new ornaments, and I always enjoy receiving them as gifts. Every year as I put up my tree I think of the people who gave the ornament to me--it's like getting a new gift every year :)

9. books. Most of the kids in my life at some point get my favorite Christmas books at Christmas, and others on their birthdays. Board books (for babies and toddlers) will run about $5 apiece, and prices vary once you get into the older kids/bigger books. But they can be personalized and you're helping build up their little library! (I find great deals at local booksellers when they have clearance sales, or you can always check amazon.com)

10. finally, one FROM the kids. My friends did this a few years ago and I thought it was great! At a local craft store (Hobby Lobby or Michaels in our case), buy a cheap artist's canvas. Buy some (washable) paints, strip the kid down, put him in the bathtub and let him go to town! If you buy one each for the grandparents you've got a priceless piece of unique art that they will treasure forever!

Hope you got an idea or two...now I want yours! Creativity and cheapness are *good* things in my book, especially in my current underemployed state!

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(next week we'll talk about our favorite ornaments--please take pictures for us--and the following week will be Christmas traditions/memories. just trying to give a heads-up!)

Hmmm...

You know, I don't normally get all up in arms about separation of church and state (my views differ from most of my more conservative friends anyway) or forward on things that are religious or political in nature. It's just not my thing. I have strong opinions on the subjects, and I'll be more than happy to share them at any time--as I'm sure most of you know--but I just don't feel the need to blast out these things to everyone on my email list. Ya know?

However, I received an email the other day that made me pause a bit. I haven't been able to put my finger on why the "keep Christ in Christmas" campaign rubs me the wrong way...after all, it IS Christmas. I guess I've just chosen to go with the knowledge that I'll be honoring my traditions and faith in the way I celebrate, and that everyone has that choice. Furthermore, I feel that those who want to honor Christ (as I do) in their celebration of the holiday could do more for that "cause" in simply celebrating His love with their family and friends than organizing a big rally or campaign about keeping Christ in Christmas. Does that make sense at all?

SO...here's the email. I will be the first to state that it's a bit cheesy and that I don't wholeheartedly agree with every point it makes...but it does reflect more the "stance" I'm taking on this than anything else I've read.

Letter from Jesus about Christmas --

It has come to my attention that many of you are upset that folks are taking My name out of the season. Maybe you've forgotten that I wasn't actually born during this time of the year and that it was some of your predecessors who decided to celebrate My birthday on what was actually a
time of pagan festival. Although I do appreciate being remembered anytime.

How I personally feel about this celebration can probably be most easily understood by those of you who have been blessed with children of your own. I don't care what you call the day. If you want to celebrate My birth, just GET ALONG AND LOVE ONE ANOTHER.

Now, having said that let Me go on. If it bothers you that the town in which you live doesn't allow a scene depicting My birth, then just get ridof a couple of Santas and snowmen and put in a small Nativity scene on your own front lawn. If all My followers did that there wouldn't be any need for such a scene on the town square because there would be many of them all
around town.

Stop worrying about the fact that people are calling the tree a holiday tree, instead of a Christmas tree. It was I who made all trees. You can remember Me anytime you see any tree. Decorate a grape vine if you wish: I actually spoke of that one in a teaching, explaining who I am in relation to you and what each of our tasks were. If you have forgotten that one, look up
John 15: 1 - 8.

If you want to give Me a present in remembrance of My birth here is my wish list. Choose something from it:

1. Instead of writing protest letters objecting to the way My birthday is being celebrated, write letters of love and hope to soldiers away from home. They are terribly afraid and lonely this time of year. I know, they tell Me all the time.

2. Visit someone in a nursing home. You don't have to know them personally. They just need to know that someone cares about them.

3. Instead of writing the President complaining about the wording on the cards his staff sent out this year, why don't you write and tell him that you'll be praying for him and his family this year. Then follow up. It will be nice hearing from you again.

4. Instead of giving your children a lot of gifts you can't afford and they don't need, spend time with them. Tell them the story of My birth, and why I came to live with you down here. Hold them in your arms and remind them that I love them.

5 Pick someone that has hurt you in the past and forgive him or her.

6. Did you know that someone in your town will attempt to take their own life this season because they feel so alone and hopeless? Since you don't know who that person is, try giving everyone you meet a warm smile; it could make the difference.

7. Instead of nit picking about what the retailer in your town calls the holiday, be patient with the people who work there. Give them a warm smile and a kind word. Even if they aren't allowed to wish you a "Merry Christmas" that doesn't keep you from wishing them one. Then stop shopping there on Sunday. If the store didn't make so much money on that day they'd close and
let their employees spend the day at home with their families

8. If you really want to make a difference, support a missionary--especially one who takes My love and Good News to those who have never heard My name.

9. Here's a good one. There are individuals and whole families in your town who not only will have no "Christmas" tree, but neither will they have any presents to give or receive. If you don't know them, buy some food and a few gifts and give them to the Salvation Army or some other charity which believes in Me and they will make the delivery for you.

10. Finally, if you want to make a statement about your belief in and loyalty to Me, then behave like a Christian. Don't do things in secret that you wouldn't do in My presence. Let people know by your actions that you are one of mine.

Don't forget; I am God and can take care of Myself. Just love Me and do what I have told you to do. I'll take care of all the rest. Check out the list above and get to work; time is short. I'll help you, but the ball is now in your court. And do have a most blessed Christmas with all those whom you love and remember :

I LOVE YOU,
JESUS

Happy Halloween! And all that Weekend Stuff!

Stop by and see Shannon to create and link up your own wordle!

I'm doing my first 5K today!

Will be back with pictures. Of the whole day. I'm also doing a fantastic Halloween date with my honey starting this afternoon. Depending on weather, we're going to either go to a local winery OR see the movie "Paranormal Activity". Following that, we have tickets to the ghost tour in nearby Franklin, and following THAT is a drop in at my former voice teacher's house for a Halloween party! Busy busy busy and fun...my favorite kind of Saturday!

Happy Halloween All!