Wednesday's Faves and Flops--a day late!

Sorry I'm late with this. I'll explain in the next post.


Wednesday's Fave: How the Grinch Stole Christmas
My girls and I got to watch it on Monday night, I think it was. I love it--the original Dr. Suess TV adaptation. Great stuff. Catch it if you can.

Wednesday's Flop: Santa Baby
I'm getting this review from another source, since I actually didn't view it. I didn't really want to, either. I usually like Christmas movies, but this one just didn't appeal to me from the previews. According to my friend Maggie, it was a disappointment and included lots of taking the Lord's name in vain. I think the story itself was a cute idea. Santa is sick and his estranged daughter is called in to take over. But his estranged daughter is ex-Playboy model Jenny McCarthy. Not really sending me warm family vibes here. But I'm not going to add any more opinions since I didn't watch it and can't give it a fair enough review. If you've seen it, let me know what you thought. The movie premiered on ABC Family Channel.

Sidebar stuff

I recently updated my links to add a few blogs I've been perusing. Nice folks--you should check them out.

Tuesday's Terrific Food

I'm a little grumpy today--and rambly, so be aware of upcoming wierdness. I think I'm starting another cold after over a month without one. I was spoiled. Oh, well. I have Claritin, a multi-vitamin, zinc, and ibuprofin in me so maybe I'll drug my way through it.

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On a much cuter note, Zoe has taken to calling me "Mom-mom". Her daddy is "Dad". I'm not sure if she's part British or what, but when she says it, I'm convinced she's the cutest, sweetest little babe in the world--don't dare argue with me :)

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I'm trying to motivate myself to get into more Christmas spirit by doing more Christmas-y things like wrapping and finishing my decorations. I have a cute little ceramic village with lights that I put up on my entertainment center with fake snow and everything, and it's still in the box by our Charlie Brown tree. I think I may bypass other chores like dishes and exercise to tackle this. And it might cheer up my cold-dreading self.

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Oh, wait, I forgot the food. Sunday night while I was picking up Megan from her preschool choir practice, my dear husband got supper preparations underway. He had it so nicely presented that I had to take a pic. And I thought I would share the recipe I made too.

Red Beans and Rice

1 big smoked sausage link, sliced thin

1 green pepper, chopped

1/2 onion, chopped

1 can red beans, drained and rinsed

1 cup instant brown rice

1 cup chicken broth

Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)

Worcestershire sauce

Tabasco sauce

Salt and pepper

Heat about a tablespoon of olive oil in Dutch oven over medium heat. Add sausage and brown a bit on both sides. Remove sausage from pot and set aside. Add pepper and onion and saute in pot until tender. Add beans, rice and chicken broth. Add salt and pepper to taste. Bring to slight boil and cover. Simmer over low heat for 7-9 minutes or until most of liquid is absorbed. Stir the sausage back in and add a few drops of Worcestershire sauce and tabasco. Serve and enjoy!

Monday--Misty's Challenge

Avoiding Perfectionism

We hear it said all the time that the "hustle and bustle" of the holiday season tends to kill our spirit. Does it really? I think more specifically that our perfectionism tends to kill our Christmas spirit more than anything else. Being busy going to parties, shopping, etc, is supposed to be fun, but we turn it into anything BUT fun when we allow our perfectionism to take over. Here are some of my thoughts on it:

• Most of you have probably already decorated, but if not or if you're in the process, do you really need 5 trees in your house? Do you even need lights outside? Simplify to one tree, one wreath, some candles in the windows perhaps? Decorating should be fun and meaningful, not a way to impress or outshine the neighbors.


• 
  
  Wrapping gifts--do it simply. Do you have to make handmade bows/ribbons? What if you just leave the bows off altogether? We end up traveling with many gifts and the bows just get squished in the trunk, so why bother? I have slowly come to terms with this over the years, and am going bow-free this year.


• 
  
  Gift giving--don't over-do it! The kids don't really need 50 little things. What's wrong with 2 or 3 nice gifts and some stocking stuffers. If they have grandparetns or other family/friends, they'll get plenty of stuff.


• 
  
  Handmade gifts are great, but does EVERYONE have to have one? If you've decided to crochet scarfs or ornaments for everyone on your list, you will be pulling your hair out trying to get them done unless you started in January. Pick a person or two to be creative with and buy the other folks something at Wal-Mart.


• 
  
  Christmas cards--have you even seen great-Aunt Pat in 10 years? Or Larry, the third-cousin once removed? Send em out to close friends/relatives, and send a family pic to the other folks later.


• 
  
  Christmas cooking/baking--don't over-do it. If you can't give it away very soon, it'll sit on your counter getting stale or sit on your hips making you fat. Pick a few recipes and know where/to whom you'll be taking it and stick with that. Save a few pieces for the family each time of course :) If you're like me and love to try new recipes, you may want to try them early so you'll know if they're worth making again.

I hope I've given you some food for thought about not letting perfectionism take over this Christmas season. It's really hard to let go of our own or family's expectations sometimes, but when we struggle to over-achieve and make everything Norman Rockwell perfect, we'll be frazzled and stressed and that will not bless our family at all. Better off to have a little Charlie Brown Christmas tree and spend a little extra time with the kids than to sacrifice our precious time for perfectionism.

Friday's Quotes to Ponder

After the faith discussions this week (see Wednesday's post), I decided to share some quotes about faith that I found so we could ponder them.

"I always admired atheists. I think it takes a lot of faith."
Diane Frolov and Andrew Schneider, Northern Exposure, Seoul Mates, 1991

This one is true for me too, not that I admire atheism. I have always thought it must take some strong faith to believe in NOTHING, no higher power or intelligence at all behind creation. I'm talking here about hard-core athiests, not anostics or people who just don't think about it. I can't imagine NOT believing in something bigger than my own consciousness.

You can do very little with faith, but you can do nothing without it.

-Samuel Butler

True dat :) You have to believe you'll be successful when trying something or you're bound to fail or at least be miserable (ever seen "Debbie Downer" on SNL?).

Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we can't see.

-Hebrews 11:1

I've always liked this one. Great definition of what faith really is--not just blind belief, but strong conviction.

Faith is believing in something when common sense tells you not to.

-From the movie, "Miracle On 34th Street"

AMC has been showing the original version of this movie all week. It was the best!

Treat the other man's faith gently; it is all he has to believe with.

-Henry S. Haskins

This one reflects the post from Wednesday when I discussed being respectful of other people's faith. Even when we disagree, we can respect other's beliefs and love them for the people they are.

Thursday's Terrific Food?

Ok, so I know it's supposed to be Laugh Out Loud today, but I'm having trouble coming up with funny stuff, so I'm going to indulge you with another new cookie recipe. These cookies are heaven. You will need a moment alone with these cookies. I even took the pic above of my finished product. The recipe was featured in Better Homes and Gardens "Christmas Cookies" 2006 magazine and it came from a bakery called Doughmonkey in Dallas, TX. I have even e-mailed those folks to ask a couple questions and to compliment them on their recipe. Mr. Michael Lima was so kind to respond so quickly and nicely. The only thing I might do differently is grind the beans myself (at the grocery since I have no grinder) so I can get a finer grind. The pre-ground espresso I bought left gritty pieces stuck in my teeth a bit. Or you could even leave the coffee out if you wanted. However, the taste was so decadent!! It's fudgy and gooey and scrumptious. Check out Doughmonkey's website where you can order some of these along with other delicious-looking stuff or try this recipe:

Espresso and Chocolate Chip Cookies
8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
5 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
½ cup butter
1 ¾ cup sugar
4 eggs
2 tbsp finely ground espresso beans
1/3 cup sifted cake flour or all-purpose flour
¼ tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp salt
1 ½ cups semisweet chocolate pieces or chips

1. In a medium saucepan, combine bittersweet chocolate, unsweetened chocolate, and butter; heat and stir over low heat until mixture is melted and smooth. Remove from heat. Cool for 10 minutes.
2. In a large bowl, combine sugar, eggs, and ground espresso beans; beat with electric mixer on medium to high speed for 2-3 minutes or until well mixed and color lightens slightly. Add cooled melted chocolate, beating until combined. In a small bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, and salt. Add to chocolate mixture; beat until combined. Stir in chocolate pieces. (The dough will look like brownie batter.)
3. Cover surface of dough with wax paper. Let stand at room temperature for 20 minutes (dough thickens as it stands).
4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper or foil. Using a 3-ounce scoop (or big heaping spoon), scoop dough in mounds 2 inches apart on prepared cookie sheets.
5. Bake in preheated oven about 13 minutes or just until tops are set and the cracks on top do not appear moist. Let stand on cookie sheet on a wire rack for 1 minute. Transfer cookies to a wire rack; cool. Makes about 24.

Wednesday's Faves and Flops

Today's faves and flops comes from a discussion on another blog that I have been perusing and participating in. I'll keep it short and sweet today.

Wednesday's Fave: Called to Fish post from 12/3/06

Diana is a very sweet young woman in India who accepted Christ about a year ago. She is a person of superb faith and wisdom for one so young. She began this intersting discussion the other day and many people have responded of different faiths and it has remained polite and thoughtful. I'm happy to have joined in a conversation about faith that does not hurt or offend. Take a gander at it.

Wednesday's Flop: People who fight about religion

Why do it? What's the point? There is so much fighting between people of different faiths, and too much between people of the SAME faith. I would grant there are no two people on the earth that believe the EXACT same things. And guess what? I don't think God will be concerned with religion in Heaven! No denominations there, no doctrine, no legalism. My own faith and beliefs tell me that those who believe in Jesus as God's son and accept him as Savior will be there, not just Baptists or Catholics or Pentecostals.

And you know something else? Some people don't believe in God. Or believe in OTHER gods. Of course I wish they would believe in Jesus, but judging them, bashing them, or hashing out your differences with them is not the way to go. You have to accept people the way they are. LIVE out your faith as an example. Don't yell it out. Jesus was the most accepting person in the Bible. He didn't condone sin, but corrected with love. He invited people to follow him gently and with open arms. Let's learn from His example and stand firm behind our beliefs but accept and treat with respect those who think differently. It can be interesting to learn from other cultures and religions. Look on the bright side and remember my mantra: "Don't fight about politics, religion, or love!"

Tuesday's Terrific Food

My first Christmas cookie of the season. An all new recipe I got in a Better Homes and Gardens "Christmas Cookies" cookbook. I even took a pic for you. Sorry this is so late in the day, but I didn't get them done until about 4:30. I didn't want to share the recipe until I tried them. I really loved the flavor, but let me warn you--if the dough is too dry, they won't roll up well, so I added a little water. Also, rolling the "ropes" between my hands instead of the counter worked better--AND rolling faster seemed to keep the dough together better too. I made mine too big this time around (they look more like breadsticks, ha ha!) and they took 10 minutes to bake. I'll go smaller next time. There's my tips for the day.

Peppermint Twists

2/3 cup butter (or butter flavored shortening), softened

1 cup sugar

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1 egg

1 tsp peppermint extract

2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour

Red paste food coloring (I have a gel)

Sugar

1. In large bowl, beat butter on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add the 1 cup sugar, the baking powder, and salt. Beat until combined, scraping side of bowl occasionally. Beat in egg and peppermint extract. Beat in as much of the flour as you can with the mixer. Stir in any remaining flour. Divide dough in half. Knead enough red paste food coloring into half of the dough to reach desired color (I used about 1/8 tsp). Wrap each dough portion in plastic wrap; chill for 1 hour.

2. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper (I cannot stress this one enough--use it!). Set aside.

3. Shape plain cookie dough and red cookie dough into 1 inch balls. Roll each ball into a rope about 6 inches long. Place one plain and one red rope side by side; twist together. Roll slightly to press doughs together. Roll twist in additional sugar. Place 2 inches apart on prepared cookie sheets. If desired, bend one end of twist to resemble a candy cane. Repeat with remaining dough. Cover and chill for 30 minutes.

4. Preheat oven to 375. Bake in preheated oven about 8 minutes or until surfaces are set. Cool completely on cookie sheets. Carefully remove cookies from sheets. Makes about 30.

Our Christmas banquet

At our church, last night. Great food, even greater music. A praise team called, "Praise-appela" performed these wonderful praise and worship songs and Christmas songs too, and had to be the best acapella I've ever heard (not that I've heard that much). Here's a couple pics:

Meg's semi-world famous "cheese!"

The big pretty tree on stage--makes mine look pitiful. But I still like it.

Monday--Misty's Challenge

What Can I Do?

As we draw closer to Christmas, we get busier and more stressed. We often lose focus on what Christmas is all about. And we HEAR that every year! "Yeah, yeah, yeah, I'm too busy, I know, and I know Christmas is about Jesus. So???"

In addition to thinking about the birth of Jesus and his job as Savior (don't get me wrong--very important), let's try to think about His legacy. What He did while he lived here on earth. He came to be a servant, to humble himself and show love and mercy to others. Let's see what we can do to be His hands and feet this season. I'll bet your church or community has some good outreach ministries going on that you can contribute to. I donated some canned green beans and corn and Little Debbie cakes for our food drive at church yesterday. I made up a shoebox gift for Samaritan's Purse a few weeks ago, to be sent to a child in a developing country who may not get a gift otherwise this year. It doesn't sound like much, but to the people who receive these gifts, it could mean the world to them. Until Jesus comes back, it's our job to pick up here where He left off--let's be Jesus to somebody this Christmas.

What are some ministries you are involved in right now? Let me know.

On the first day of Christmas....

I found a Christmas funny for you all, straight from the Bible. I have heard it before, but forgot until I was reading the Christmas story this morning in Luke. I'm still cracking up! Remember Zechariah? Father of John the Baptist. He couldn't believe he could be a father at his age. Here's the first verse about it:

18Zechariah asked the angel, "How can I be sure of this? I am an old man and my wife is well along in years."
19The angel answered, "I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to tell you this good news. 20And now you will be silent and not able to speak until the day this happens, because you did not believe my words, which will come true at their proper time." Luke 1:18-20

And nine months later, little John the Baptist was born, and Zechariah was still mute, until...

62Then they made signs to his father, to find out what he would like to name the child. 63He asked for a writing tablet, and to everyone's astonishment he wrote, "His name is John." 64Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue was loosed, and he began to speak, praising God. Luke 1:62-64

The people these verses are refering to had come to circumcise baby John. But, why in the world were they signing to Zechariah? The Bible says he was made silent, not deaf! I bet the people were all making wierd gestures, and yelling, "What do you want to name your son?!!!" I can imagine, that before writing, "His name is John," Zechariah must have written, "I'm not deaf, you idiots!" The Bible can even be funny sometimes! I bet God has the best sense of humor and I bet Jesus was a hoot at parties!

On to other Christmas happenings, we put up our tiny Charlie Brown fiber optic Christmas tree last night. I took some pics of the great event!

The girls helping daddy set it up. I opted for this tree last year when Zoe was starting to walk, and now, she's into EVERYTHING, so it has no breakable ornaments and no light bulbs, and can't hurt her if she turns it over. And she thought it was GREAT anyway. Hearing her try to say Christmas tree is a treat unto itself.

Megan put on a lot of decorations this year. She is almost 5 now, so she's getting into the Christmas spirit. We had a lot of ornaments with special meaning, like some my mom had made for me, some I had made when I was a little girl, our first ornament as a married couple, and some that Meg has made. Not the greatest tree ever, but the meaning is what counts--and playing Christmas music in the background helped too :)

Bryan's job is to put the tree topper on--this year, a beatiful crocheted angel that my mom made me years ago. I'll spend the rest of this week putting up a few more decorations and I'll post more pics for you. Here's to a simple, but heartfelt Christmas!

Friday's Quote to Ponder

"The parent who gets down on the floor to play with a child on Christmas Day is usually doing a most remarkable thing -- something seldom repeated during the rest of the year. These are, after all, busy parents committed to their work or their success in the larger society, and they do not have much left-over time in which to play with their children."

~Brian Sutton-Smith

I like this quote, but it really strikes home. How often do we really play with our kids? I don't do it nearly enough. Even being a stay-at-home mom, I stay busy with "mommy work"--dishes, laundry, cooking, cleaning, basic childcare, and often don't sit down to just play. A couple nights ago, Megan and I began a new bedtime game, "The Ticklebugs". We usually just tickle with our tickle bugs, but now, they have personalities :) Meg's little hand, and my bigger one, we're the tickle bugs, and we do regular tickle-bug daily routines. They play, and take baths, and brush their teeth, etc. She got such a kick out of it. I can see how much she loves it when I just take a little time to play with her. And, truth be known, I like it too! This summer, I made it a mission to play outside with them more--actually playing ball, running, etc. And it gave me some exercise too! This Christmas, let's play with our kids new toys and games with them, and continue to do so as often as we can throughout the year. Might make a good New Year's Resolution.

Thursday's Laugh Out Loud!

I found this funny Mr. Bean video this morning. The only thing I didn't like about it is that it cuts off a little short. And I don't know WHERE you'd get a turkey this big! Hope you enjoy!


Mr Bean-Christmas - video powered by Metacafe

Gift card thieves!

Here's the e-mail, allegedly from the Shepherdsville, KY police department:

"CRIME ALERT!!!!

Stolen Gift Card Balances

Well, the crooks have found a way to rob you of your gift card balance.
If you buy Gift Cards from a display rack that has various store cards you may become a victim of theft. Crooks are now jotting down the card numbers in the store and then wait a few days and call to see how much of a balance THEY have on the card. Once they find the card is "activated", they go online and start shopping. You may want to
purchase your card from a customer service person, where they do not have the Gift Cards viewable to the public. Please share this with all your family and friends.

Michaela Frank
Shepherdsville Police Department
(502) 921-1000"

This one happens to be true, but originated in Oregon. Snopes has a really good article that gives real scenarios and good tips to help prevent theft. Check it out:

http://www.snopes.com/fraud/sales/giftcard.asp

Online Shopping Rundown

If any of you have taken up my torch and began to shop online, I compiled a list of some places I shopped this year and posted a link on Maggie's site. Anywho, I thought it was so good, I'd post it here too :) And I'll even be nice and link each one for your convenience. I'm in the Christmas spirit, huh? Don't forget--print out an order receipt for each order and check your bank statements to make sure you're charged correctly.

Amazon.com–$25 orders on most items gives you free super saver shipping (doesn’t apply to some toys and electronics–through Toys R Us-ha!)

MindWare.com–Great selection of really unique “thinking” toys. Shipping not that cheap, but have had good service with them and they don’t hide costs or order status. Also no tax.

Swiss Colony–I get the little Incredible Spreadables cheese spreads each Thanksgiving and love em. However, didn’t have a good online experience there this year. Order numbers didn’t match the catlog numbers and couldn’t get the shipping date to work for some reason. However, the customer service reps are always available and breezed me through my order. AND, you get FREE 24-count delicious truffles with ANY order. How sweet is that?

Lakeside Collection–Just like LTD, but don’t have to ship to a business. Cheap stuff, GREAT selection. Decent items. Shipping depends on amount spent. But, have never had a problem getting my items–all in ONE big box unless something comes later. Great place for getting lots of small things.

Toys to Grow On–Just found this one this year, but I got everything I ordered really quickly. Very cute toys, many educational. Not super cheap, but seems like good quality stuff.

Collections Etc–Pretty good stuff. Everything is advertised for nothing over $14.99. And they offer discounts too, though some of their e-mails were confusing. A couple of items were backordered, but had estimated shipping dates, and I now have it all. Good for buying for name-drawing at granny’s house or work, etc.

Everything Coffee and Tea–I found some cheap Ghiardelli hot cocoa mix there. Might have actually been in Wal-Mart or elsewhere, but I didn’t look. Anyway, I got a PERSONAL e-mail from “Bob” who thanked me for my order and let me know my items were shipped. Nice folks.

Personal Creations–I ordered Bryan’s granny a Great Granny sweatshirt with all 8 great-grandkids names. They have many different items that can be personalized almost anyway you want. Some items cost more to personalize, and others are free. Got my shirt in a jif and it looks just right!

Wednesday's Faves and Flops

I have managed two days of exercise so far this week, and am keeping up with my chores well, pacing myself, taking some me time here and there too. I struggled to get all my chores done early last night so I could settle in with Bryan and the girls and watch "A Charlie Brown Christmas". I was doing good with the cleanup until Zoe had a poop from you know where. It required an immediate bath, so thanks to the technology of our wonderful DVR, we didn't miss any of the Charlie Brown special. It's such a simple little show, but so cute and timeless.

Now, on to my fave and flop of the week.

Wednesday's Fave: The Santa Clause III:The Escape Clause

We had a chance to see this new installment of The Santa Clause series on Friday last week. Date night and a movie--great combo! Anyway, I was afraid it wouldn't be pulled off well, but they really managed to get a good story out of this one. This movie has Santa (Tim Allen) and his Mrs. Claus getting ready to have a baby. Of course, she's due right at Christmastime, Santa's busiest time of year (poor planning on their part, I'd say). The movie's strongest character, and most intruiging storyline came from Martin Short's portrayal of "Jack Frost". He tries to sabatoge Santa and take his job, by finding out that Santa can reverse his "Becoming of Santa" by using a magic snow globe and saying "I wish I'd never become Santa". So, of course, things get hairy, but with the help of some of the other "legendary figures", like Mother Nature, the Tooth Fairy, and the Sandman, things are put right again. Good story, good for kids and adults too, and surprisingly intersting for a third sequel. See it if you get a chance.

Wednesday's Flop: The way Fox threatens to drive a good series into the ground.

It happened with Boston Public. Series was going well, then the plot got TOO twisted and TOO wierd to recover and off it goes. Now, it is looking bad for the dramatic series House as well. It started out as a great show, a medical series where Dr. House has to solve really wierd medical cases, and there's always a surprise in the end. The characters were interesting, all had their own vices and backgrounds, and House himself--recovering from a severe leg injury that left him partially crippled and hooked on pain meds. He's a total jerk, but a brilliant diagnostician, and you see a sense of caring deep down under the snide, witty remarks. But now, they've delved deep into the drug addiction plot. A cop is on House's tail about forging prescriptions and being hooked on these narcotics, and he's put the pressure on every other staff member as well. It's looking REALLY bad for House, and in reality, he would be fired and put in the can for what he's done, so I'm really NOT sure how they're going to pull out of this plot. If House goes to prison, where's the show going to lead--now he's a prison doctor? I just have real doubts that this series will pull itself out of the mire. So sad that Fox starts a good dramatic series that both my husband and I actually sit down and get into, and then let it head south with plots that can't be unraveled. There's still hope, but I'm not holding my breath.

Tuesday's Terrific Food

Here is a recipe that will warm those cold winter nights coming up. My husband absolutely loves this soup, and it was a Weight Watchers recipe too. Easy to adjust ingredients to lower fat versions. Try it out and tell me if you like it:

Baked Potato Soup

4 medium baked potatoes

2 slices bacon

1/2 cup celery, chopped (I usually don't use it)

1/2 cup green onions, thinly chopped

1 can chicken broth (14 1/2 oz)

1-1/2 cups milk

1 garlic clove, pressed

1/2 tsp salt (or to taste)

1/4 tsp black pepper (or to taste)

Shredded cheddar cheese

1 cup light sour cream

Remove skins from potatoes (let them cool a while first!) and mash up with a fork or just crumble with your hands. Cook bacon over medium heat until crisp, then remove to paper towel to drain, crumble, and set aside. Discard all but 1/2 tsp of the drippings in the pan. Meanwhile, chop celery and slice green onions. Add chicken broth, milk, mashed potatoes, celery, onions, garlic, salt, and pepper to pan drippings. Bring to boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Stir in sour cream and reserved bacon. Ladle soup into bowls and sprinkle with shredded cheese. Then enjoy!

Hanging of the greens

We had our hanging of the greens service last night at our church. Lots of Christmas songs and commentary of the meaning behind each decoration. My Meg and her preschool choir sang "The First Noel." I was proud of her--she was the only one we could hear--of course, she interrupted the song by saying loudly, "THAT'S MY MAMA AND DADDY OVER THERE!" At least I got to try out my Christmas gift from hubby. A new Canon Powershot SD 630 digital camera. Here's some pics:

Had to turn the flash off and the iso up, so it's a little fuzzy unless you hold it perfectly still from this distance. And I had Zoe in my lap, so I wasn't perfectly still, as you might guess :) But Meg's right in the front there, little mouth open wide, navy blue dress.

We celebrated Meg's triumph at Long John Silver's--here's Zoe the pirate. She would not leave the hat on long enough, so daddy got behind her and put in on so I could be ready for the pic.

And Meg--what a big, cheesy smile! I love that kid.

Monday--Misty's Challenge

I hope you all had a great Thanksgiving weekend. Mine started out crummy. My hubby had a problem at work (a power plant) that had to be resolved on Thanksgiving day, so the girls and I had to travel alone on the 2 hour drive to my in-laws house. Hubby had to work all day and much of the night, then he popped in and surprised me just after the meal at my dad's house on Friday. We were able to go to a movie that night and go shopping all day Saturday while his parents watched the girls. The best news--we completed all of our Christmas shopping!! Before December!! This is a record.

I have really felt today's challenge. I am so unmotivated to get back into the routine after the busy, but fun weekend. So, the challenge to me and to you all--pace yourself! If you're like me, you spent about 4 days going here and there, eating too much, and thoroughly enjoying it, but then you're back home, back at work, back to the old grind, and it's a little overwhelming. Take a breath, think and even jot down some things that have to be done soon, and start tackling them one by one. Do a bit today, a bit tomorrow, etc, and let this week flow with a couple major tasks each day until you feel more caught up and relaxed. In between chores, find a good stopping place and relax! Take 10-15 minutes at least and just be still, just watch a little TV, take a walk, or do something fun to take the drudgery out of the day.

Before the week is out, I am hoping to be motivated to wrap all those Christmas presents and prepare to get supplies for Christmas goodies and candies. But first, a nap...

Friday's Quote to Ponder

"The excellence of a gift lies in its appropriateness rather than in its value."

~Charles Dudley Warner, 'Eleventh Study,' Backlog Studies, 1873

Today, hoardes of people will be heading out to malls and shopping centers in the wee hours of the morning, to take advantage of the "Day After Thanksgiving" shopping bonanza. Everyone but me, ha ha. The quote above reflects my attitude about Christmas shopping, and I would love, as the years pass, to more appropriately reflect it. Seeking and finding gifts that are unique and appropriate to the receiver is a challenge, but makes you feel better about giving them. Some people are hard to shop for, and finding that appropriate gift may involve some creativity. I'm getting a bit more creative this year, especially for one person's gift (who shall remain unnamed for holiday security reasons *wink*). Let's see what creativity we can put into our giving this year--more so than the money. It will take some investigation, some thought and planning, but we can do it! Send me some of your creative gift-giving ideas. Happy giving!

Thursday's Laugh Out Loud

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!!
I'm posting this early because I'll probably forget tomorrow. Love you all!

And last, but not least, a funny turkey video for you:

Be Thankful You're Not a Turkey

Wednesday's Faves and Flops

For my fave today, I've decided to list some things I'm thankful that I've learned as a mom. And my flop--another movie review. Here goes:

Wednesday's Fave--Things I'm thankful fo have learned as a mom

1. Kids don't need baths every day, especially babies. This will change as they get older and do things that get them dirtier, like football, mud-fighting, etc.


2. Toddlers, babies, and doors don't mix!


3. Rocking a freshly-bathed baby is one of the best experiences in the world, especially if you don't bathe them every day (see #1).


4. Screaming children, especially little girls, can reach decibels that can rattle the teeth in your head.


5. It will take a proportionately longer time to get ready to go anywhere depending on the number of children you have.


6. You will usually be at least a little late everywhere you go when kids are small, unless you don't sleep.


7. You will not sleep as soundly as you once did--every cough, sigh, burp, or other utterance will be heard, even through closed bedroom doors.


8. It is often not worth the argument to get kids to eat something they don't want.


9. Any food that is "new" is a food kids don't want.


10. Unless that food is candy.


11. Or cookies (but NOT oatmeal raisin, as my Meg reminded me 50 times in Kroger today)


12. A baby's giggle is one of the sweetest sounds you'll ever hear.


13. Hearing your baby say "I wuv oo" for the first time--also one of the sweetest sounds.


14. Hearing your child say their bedtime prayers, thanking God for mom and dad, nana and papa, siblings, toys, all the animals, all the grass, the sun, food, all the houses, and anything else they can think of.......priceless.

Wednesday's Flop--The Break-Up

This movie started out pretty good, kinda funny, then got really dramatic. I was hoping for the happy ending, for the twist, but did not get it. Real disappointment. It was too real. If I wanted to see that, I'd just eaves drop on some couples we know. If you're into drama and don't mind a movie without a happy ending, then go for it. If you'd like to escape reality for a couple hours, choose anything else. There's my 2 cents. Enjoy your Thanksgiving!!

Tuesday's Terrific Food

Looks like we're going to be short a couple of posts this week. We'll be out of town for Thanksgiving so I'll either skip Thurs and Fri or do them ahead. We'll see. I'm doing pretty good with keeping on track of things and planning ahead. One thing I'm planning to make is my mama's cranberry salad. Since Mama's been celebrating in Heaven for the last 3 years, I'm carrying on by making Thanksgiving dinner for my dad and brother and the grandkids. This recipe was always one of my favorites. Super easy and a good alternative to the old can of cranberry sauce. Give it a try!

Mama's Cranberry Salad

2 boxes cranberry Jello

1 can whole cranberry sauce

1 can mandarin oranges, drained (you can use a big or little can, whichever you prefer)
~half bag miniature colored marshmallows

Prepare Jello according to directions. Chill in refrigerator until almost set. Stir in cranberry sauce, drained oranges and marshmallows. Chill until ready to serve. Enjoy!!

Monday--Misty's Challenge

Not much feedback around here, but I'm still hanging in there and I have a good holiday challenge for all of us. We all hear, "Let's focus on the real meaning of the holidays, and let go of the material." Let's face it--we're not going to stop Christmas shopping, preparing food for Thanksgiving feasts, going here and there for this party or that meal. Let's have a better goal in mind. PLANNING AHEAD!!

"Ack! I don't have time to plan!" you might say. "Oh, but you DO have time to run around like a chicken with your head cut off?" Let's remember one word: settle. Settle down and start making lists. List everything you need to make for Thanksgiving and where it's going. Make a shopping list for all of it. Make a Christmas list for every person you plan on buying for--even little things, even neighbors. List ideas and items as you buy them. If you're on a budget, write down how much you're spending for whom. If you get organized with this, you won't end up forgetting someone on Christmas Eve and have to rush out to the gas station to buy an oil funnel and a Hershey bar.

The challenge lies in planning far enough in advance to where you know where you're going, what you're doing, and what you're cooking/buying before the last minute. Try simplifying by only choosing a few dishes or recipes to prepare for each get-together--especially if you're NOT hosting--just one will usually do. Christmas shopping can be simplified by buying online (my favorite way to shop). Or, you can get several people the same kind of gift or go with gift certificates/gift cards. One of the most important tools for planning ahead--a calendar!! Write down each party, each get-together and important tasks to do (like baking pies) and check the calendar each day. Plan ahead for childcare for Christmas parties a few weeks early and you hopefully won't be left hanging on to the youngins (my big hope!).

I'm hoping that by planning ahead and organizing well, we can save ourselves lots of stress and anxiety and then really ENJOY and appreciate the REAL meaning of the holiday season--thankful for what God has blessed us with, and using it for His glory and to love our families and friends.

Friday's Quote to Ponder

Well, two quotes actually:

"Men are generally more careful of the breed of their horses and dogs than of their children. "
William Penn

"Parentage is a very important profession, but no test of fitness for it is ever imposed in the interest of the children."
George Bernard Shaw, Everybody's Political What's What? (1944) ch. 9. Irish dramatist & socialist (1856 - 1950)

We need a license to drive, a diploma to graduate school, permits to hunt and fish, passports to leave the country, and in some places, even licenses for our dogs! There is no pre-requisite for having children, however. I've always said some people should not be allowed to breed. These quotes say it more eloquently. What do you think about our rights to have children? When China passed the one-child law, bad things happened. Infanticide, abandoned female children, people leaving the country. I wonder if, though, people in this country should at least be required to attend child-rearing courses before having a child. As human beings, God gave us the blessing to "be fruitful and multiply", but does that give us the right to bring children into the world when we're not prepared? I'd love to hear some imput on this issue. Have a great weekend!

WOOHOO!!! 1000 visitors!!!

Let's celebrate by seeing how many of you can LEAVE A COMMENT!! Just a hi, woopee, whatever! Thanks for visiting me!

~Misty

A Gruesome Warning

An e-mail from "Maggie" this morning:

"prepare for a downer, but a good precaution I suppose!

http://www.snopes.com/horrors/gruesome/leafpile.asp"

This one is true according to Snopes, unfortunately. So, be careful around your leaf piles this fall!

Thursday's Laugh Out Loud

Here's linky to a cute greeting card video about Thanksgiving. Sorry so late in the day. Busy day! Hope you enjoy it!

The Great Escape

Wednesday's Faves and Flops

I like rainy days. Except that I just want to curl up and sleep all day and can't but other than that, I get mundane stuff done fairly well. I have managed to complete nearly all my Christmas shopping ONLINE (woohoo!) This doesn't seem like that big of an accomplishment, but if you knew how much I hate shopping then, yes, it is! And, being the clever little computer chick that I am, I have also made up a nice Christmas list on Excel, on which I have listed all the people I'm buying for, what I have bought them (and would like to buy), and how much I've spent, with a summed up total on the bottom of that column as well. I have also color coded the list and when I finish up shopping for someone, their name is in GREEN, and gifts I have yet to buy (or ideas) I have in RED. I have printed out all of the receipts as well so that I can keep up with what I have bought and when they are shipped. I feel like the holiday season is going to be more controlled this year. I love feeling organized. It doesn't happen often enough. On to this week's faves and flops:

Wednesday's Fave: Click

Hubby and I had not rented a movie in such a long time until a couple weeks ago, when we watched Saw II (really gross, but really twisty plot). We decided to rent Click and watched it night before last. We loved it! It's about a man who is a workaholic and decides to buy a universal remote control to "make life easier". Well, he ends up in a Bed, Bath, and Beyond, where "Beyond" is staffed by a mad scientist looking fellow by the name of Morty (Christopher Walken). He gives him the remote, which Mike (Adam Sandler) finds out can actually control real life like a Tivo. The movie begins like the other slapstick, raw humor of previous Adam Sandler movies, but this time, ends with a really serious story and hubby and I were both teary eyed. The point of the movie is that all of life has a purpose--the good and the bad and that you really don't want to miss any of it, or you'll regret it. If you want a good date movie and don't mind a few curse words and sexual innuendos (put the kids to bed!), pop some corn and snuggle up to watch this. It REALLY is good!

Wednesday's Flop: Retailers who don't offer online products/pricing or don't take debit cards

It's time to get out of the Stone Ages, people. Debit/credit cards are fast and convenient and most consumers in the developed world are using them. Many, many consumers now also have online access and at least offering a catalog/pricing of items in a store is a good way for people to do research. Even little mom/pop shops could offer a website with at least an e-mail link for questions. Technology is not scary. It's useful.

As for the debit/credit cards, checks are for little old ladies in Wal-Mart who take 10 minutes to fill them out only AFTER all is rang up, then mess it up and start over. You can still keep up with what you spend. No one will steal your soul. It's not the mark of the beast. I think a lot of people are afraid of identity theft/robbery with credit cards, which is a concern. But, you can take precautions here. Make sure only to buy from websites that are secure, do not share your PIN with anyone, and find out about the credit company's policies on theft. Most of them will not hold you responsible if a card is stolen and charged. I know. I had it happen to me--on my last day of work before I left to be a stay-at-home mom. I had $600 charged to the Discover and I was not responsible for a penny of it. You can easily call their 800 numbers too and often can get the card cancelled before they can even charge anything. As for checks and money, if those are stolen, well, the money is gone, and you may be responsible for stolen funds from your banking account. Now, who's going to call their bank?

Tuesday's Terrific Food

I've recovered from the wallet-losing fiasco, so now I'm continuing with life as normal. I have to pat myself on the back this morning. I managed to do a load of laundry a load of dishes, ran on the treadmill for 20 minutes, did push-ups and 8 minute abs. Now for my blogging. Here is a recipe I made year before last. Great turkey recipe if you're looking to spruce up that old bird. It takes some extra time for the brining, but you can easily do that the night before. It's from Alton Brown, who hosts "Good Eats" on Food Network. Here's the link and I'll copy it here too: http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,1977,FOOD_9936_8389,00.html

Good Eats Roast Turkey

1 (14 to 16 pound) frozen young turkey
For the brine:
1 cup kosher salt
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1 gallon vegetable stock
1 tablespoon black peppercorns
1/2 tablespoon allspice berries
1/2 tablespoon candied ginger
1 gallon iced water
For the aromatics(this is the stuff you put inside the turkey):
1 red apple,
sliced 1/2 onion,
sliced 1 cinnamon stick
1 cup water
4 sprigs rosemary
6 leaves sage
Canola oil

Combine all brine ingredients, except ice water, in a stockpot, and bring to a boil. Stir to dissolve solids, then remove from heat, cool to room temperature, and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled.

Early on the day of cooking, (or late the night before) combine the brine and ice water in a clean 5-gallon bucket. Place thawed turkey breast side down in brine, cover, and refrigerate or set in cool area (like a basement) for 6 hours. Turn turkey over once, half way through brining.

A few minutes before roasting, heat oven to 500 degrees. Combine the apple, onion, cinnamon stick, and cup of water in a microwave safe dish and microwave on high for 5 minutes.
Remove bird from brine and rinse inside and out with cold water. Discard brine.
Place bird on roasting rack inside wide, low pan and pat dry with paper towels. Add steeped aromatics to cavity along with rosemary and sage. Tuck back wings and coat whole bird liberally with canola (or other neutral) oil. (A probe thermometer is very useful here--one that has a metal probe attached to a wire that you can leave sticking out of the oven door. The actual thermometer sits on the counter top and you can get ones that have alarms that tell you when the turkey has reached the right temp. Insert the probe into the thigh, not touching bone.)

Roast on lowest level of the oven at 500 degrees F. for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and cover breast with double layer of aluminum foil, insert probe thermometer into thickest part of the breast and return to oven, reducing temperature to 350 degrees F. Set thermometer alarm (if available) to 161 degrees. A 14 to 16 pound bird should require a total of 2 to 2 1/2 hours of roasting. Let turkey rest, loosely covered for 15 minutes before carving.

Monday--Misty's Challenge

*Edit--I just happened to find it (1:50 PM CST)--where I have looked several times already, only this time with hubby's GOOD flashlight...under my oldest daughter's bed. I believe my youngest was responsible, but nonetheless I am soooo relieved!! Oh, and biggest lesson learned--never leave my wallet or anything I really need in my toddler's reach :)

Lessons in Frustration

On Saturday afternoon, I lost my wallet. "Uh, oh," you think. If I had left it at a restaurant or store, I would just immediately check there, then cancel all my cards, get replacements, etc if I couldn't find it. Trouble is, I was here ALL day Saturday and I had it here that morning. I was doing my favorite kind of Christmas shopping--catalog shopping online! I sat down for my afternoon shopping session with my laptop on the couch and when I was ready to check out, no wallet to be found. I have combed this house, even going as far as digging through the garbage I had taken out that afternoon. Yesterday, I even moved the couch and searched beneath and inside it--which is not an easy feat since it's a sectional and my back is not thanking me today.

My dear husband, being the sympathetic man he is ;) says, "I don't know why you're so upset about it. You know it's here somewhere." That's precisely why I'm upset! I had it one moment, and the next it's gone. I either put it somewhere really wierd, or Zoe carried it off and hid it or flushed it, or it's gone to the Land of Lost Wallets (probably near the Island of Lost Toys and the Realm of Lost Socks).

I'm learning some lessons in this frustration, though I have not taken it well at all until today. Saturday I was angry and yesterday I was depressed, and today, I'm starting to see some lessons in finding lots of other things I had fogotten about during the searching. I found our electric bill, 9 days late, and managed to call in a phone payment (with hubby's debit card). I found three play phones for the kids, which they enjoyed like they were new again. I found a Veggie Tales movie under the entertainment center that the kids had never watched and some more movies that had been lost for a while. And I was able to vacuum behind and under the couch and retrieve all the toys and "items" that had fallen behind there.

The challenge for today, I guess, is how well do you handle frustrations? Can you eventually see some lessons in it or light at the end of the tunnel? Or does it consume you in unrest? I've started out totally consumed in frustration, and I'm moving toward acceptance and thinking of what to do next. Annoying as most situations like this are, they're really not the end of the world and we have to trust that God can use even this little craziness to teach us and reach us.

The Worst Computer Virus EVER!

The e-mail:

"WARNING
You should be alert during the next days: Do not open any message with an attached filed called "Invitation" regardless of who sent it. It is a virus that opens an Olympic Torch which "burns" the whole hard disc C of your computer. This virus will be received from someone who has your e-mail address in his/her contact list, that is why you should send this e-mail to all your contacts. It is better to receive this message 25 times than to receive the virus and open it. If you receive a mail called "invitation", though sent by a friend, do not open it and shut down your computer immediately.
This is the worst virus announced by CNN, it has been classified by Microsoft as the most destructive virus ever. This virus was discovered by McAfee yesterday, and there is no repair yet for this kind of virus. This virus simply destroys the Zero Sector of the Hard Disc, where the vital information is kept.
SEND THIS E-MAIL TO EVERYONE YOU KNOW, COPY THIS E-MAIL AND SEND IT TO YOUR FRIENDS AND REMEMBER: IF YOU SEND IT TO THEM, YOU WILL BENEFIT ALL OF US "

Oh, my! It sounds awful--it can erase your whole hard drive.....or CAN IT???

See what I Snopes-ed out: http://www.snopes.com/computer/virus/invitation.asp

Friday's Quote to Ponder

"Mid pleasures and palaces though we may roam, Be it ever so humble, there's no place like home. "

~John Howard Payne (1791-1852)

I'm a homebody. Since I'm a stay-at-home mom, I guess that's a good thing, since I'm home quite a lot. I know that will change when the kids get into elementary school and beyond, but for now, I'm at home most of the time. And I love it. Most of us do, don't we? We travel here and there and go on wonderful vacations to great little cabins and hotels and beaches. But it just feels good to get home. We are comfortable there. Home is where we can kick off our shoes, let our hair down and really relax. We don't have to pretend to be somebody we're not when we're home. There is a sense of belonging there, a sense of purpose, a sense of pride, even, that we feel no where else. Our home is what we make of it. It's not about how big it is, how much stuff is crammed into it, how well-manicured and maintained it is. It's a place where US is born. Our homes are a blessing from God. They give us shelter and peace, a place of memory-making. We can all remember our childhood home(s). I remember how the crickets and tree frogs sang outside my bedroom window at night in the summer time. I remember waking up to the smell of sausage frying when my mom would cook breakfast, and how she would smile and say, "Good morning!" as I came around the refrigerator in that small kitchen. Your home will be a big part of your childrens' memories. They won't cherish the memories of the stuff in there--it will be the memories of the love that was there. I pray now that our homes will always be a place where our children remember that they were LOVED, where they had a place to find refuge and peace from life's storms, and where some of life's storms were overcome by God's grace. For truly, thanks to Him, there IS no place like home!

Cancer in your Inbox

There are many variations of this e-mail. They usually seem to be written by a sick kid or caregiver of a sick kid and claim that every time you forward an e-mail, money will be donated to a certain charity or to the sick kid. If you think about it logically, the charities have NO way to track e-mails like this. Instead of passing it on unquestioningly, just visit the charity's website and donate if you feel led. Much more productive! Here's the e-mail I received and the Snopes link:

"Subject: 7 year old with cancer

Hi, my name is Amy Bruce. I am 7 years old, and I have a large tumor on my brain and severe lung cancer. The doctors say I will die soon if this isn't fixed, and my family can't pay the bills. "The Make A Wish Foundation" has agreed to donate 7 cents for every time this message is sent on. For those of you who send this along, I thank you so much. But for those who don't send it, I will still pray for you. Please, if you are a kind person, have a heart. Please,please,PLEASE HIT THE FORWARD BUTTON.

Amy Bruce
Wake Forest Outpatient Dialysis"

Read the Snopes article here: http://www.snopes.com/inboxer/medical/amybruce.asp

*Note: I am in NO way trying to make people feel bad for sending me things or for believing phony e-mails. I've believed a lot of them too. I just want to increase awareness of all the prankster e-mails floating along out there so we can discern what is real and what's not. If you get something fishy, check it out on Snopes for yourself--they usually will tell you what's what, or check out the website in question. Also, send them along to me so I can post them here. Everyone who reads about it will be informed.

Thursday's Laugh Out Loud :-D

Today's Laugh Out Loud is more like a "Wow!" Out Loud. Check out the video below. This took much time and effort for these guys. The video is about 3 minutes long, but well worth it just for the "Wow!" effect. I don't know the chemistry behind this yet, but I'm curious enough to start researching. Hope you enjoy!!

*Edit--Ok, ok, I just went and researched it--there is, in fact, no CHEMICAL reaction at all. It is purely a physical one. The surface tension of the soda (other sodas will work as well) is reduced by dropping the Mentos in, which allows the CO2 in the soda to more easily become gaseous, and the Mentos have little "nucleation" pocket on their surface, where many CO2 bubbles can form, and thus the CO2 can become gaseous and escape VERY fast as a geyser effect. Still, a very cool and creative video--and safe experiment too :) See this link for more info:

http://www.stevespanglerscience.com/experiment/00000109

Extreme Diet Coke & Mentos Experiments II - The Domino Effect

Wednesday's Faves and Flops

It was so quiet yesterday. No preschool, no babysitting, and the girls were very mellow. I liked yesterday. I want more yesterdays. Today is back to the usual chaos, with someone in trouble every 5 minutes. Keeps me on my toes I guess. I had to delve deep into the cobwebby recesses of my mind to seek out my faves and flops today. Here's what I came up with:

Wednesday's Fave: Activia Yogurt from Dannon
It really seems to work like it says it does. I've tried it every day for two weeks like the "challenge" says to do, starting right at the tail of that flu I had. My tummy was all bloated up and crampy and not well, and after a couple days eating this, it really got things going :) And I felt better. I haven't been bloated, and things have been normal in the digestive tract. It tastes good too, which is a big plus. Also makes really good fruit smoothies--take 2 containers of the vanilla, mix with half a carton of chopped strawberries (or two bananas is great too), a little milk and about a tablespoon of honey, and voila! It's become one of my girls favorite treats.

Wednesday's Flop: POLITICS!
Sick, sick, sick of hearing it and I'm glad election day is over and I don't really care who won what seat. I've heard so much mudslinging going on that it has sickened me and I really don't think any politicians have the public's interests at heart. Perhaps some of them start out that way, but many just end up in corruption or uneffectiveness. I realize they're just people and not superheroes, but I don't like people making promises they don't keep and especially pointing fingers at everyone else. It's ugly, and I'm tired of it. I've got enough to worry about.

Did you like my faves and flops today? Don't let the tumbleweeds blow by on here--post a comment if you drop by, if only "Yo, wuz up?" I can see people are coming by the stat counter, but not many are leaving a message.

Tuesday's Terrific Food

In the spirit of the upcoming Thanksgiving Holiday, I am sharing some of my favorite Thanksgiving recipes the rest of this month. Here is a Double Layer Pumpkin Pie that I have made every year since I was a teenager. It's lighter in consistency than your regular pumpkin pie, so a good alternative to the classic recipes. And it's really easy and tasty too--no baking! Here's the recipe:

Double Layer Pumpkin Pie

INGREDIENTS
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 tablespoon milk
1 tablespoon white sugar
1 1/2 cups frozen whipped topping, thawed
1 (9 inch) prepared graham cracker crust
1 cup cold milk
2 (3.5 ounce) packages instant vanilla pudding mix
1 (15 ounce) can solid pack pumpkin puree
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
DIRECTIONS
In a large bowl, whisk together cream cheese, 1 tablespoon of milk, and sugar until smooth. Gently stir in whipped topping. Spread into bottom of crust.
Pour 1 cup of milk into large bowl, and thoroughly mix in pudding mix, pumpkin, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves. When thickened, spread over cream cheese layer.
Refrigerate 4 hours, or until set.

Do you like it?

The new layout, that is...I have switched to the new Blogger Beta version, which now allows for labeling of posts. So, now just look in my sidebar and you can find all the "Tuesday's Terrific Food" posts, etc. It also allows much easier template changes, where I can drag and drop page elements and pick and choose fonts for all parts of the blog. I've also changed my description and my picture and added a cute quote above. I hope you like it--because I can't switch back. It's all or nothing here, baby. :)

Monday--Misty's Challenge

Contentment vs. Complacency:

contentment-
1. the state of being contented; satisfaction; ease of mind.
2. Archaic. the act of making contentedly satisfied.

complacency-
1. a feeling of quiet pleasure or security, often while unaware of some potential danger, defect, or the like; self-satisfaction or smug satisfaction with an existing situation, condition, etc.
2. Archaic. a. friendly civility; inclination to please; complaisance.
b. a civil act.

I want to be content, not complacent. I think we fall into complacency very easily when we are just too tired, too afraid, too whatever to address issues that need improvement in our lives. We become "unaware of some potential danger, defect, or the like". Are we really unaware or just unwilling to see the problems? And how do we rest contentedly in our life--we'll always have problems. So, my question is this: How do we, like the apostle Paul, learn to be "content whatever the circumstances"(Philippians 4:11)? We are to trust in Jesus to work on our issues, to work on US and give us the strength to work on our problems.

Is your marriage getting stale? Is the job getting too stressful? Are the bill collectors knocking on the door? Are the kids driving you crazy? Up to a point, you have to accept where you are in your situation, realize that things will NOT change overnight, and seek out the goodness and hope within it. However, we must not let ourselves get complacent about the situation--we need to be aware that it exists, and that it needs improvement. We should not only pray and trust in Jesus to help us, but also meet him halfway and take ACTIVE steps to rise above and have victory. Stale marriage--spice it up with a couple retreat, good dates, etc. Job stressful--look for another position, talk to your boss, get more education, etc. Financial stress--look for ways to save money, drop unnecessary stuff, get credit counseling. Kids driving you crazy--look at life through their eyes, lighten up a bit and play with them, get "me" time whenever you can. We CAN move toward contentment and away from complacency if we work at it.

*Note--I believe "Maggie" had a post on this a while back, and if so, she is welcome to post the link here. Young moms must think on this issue often! :)

"Paypal" phishing scam--beware!!

I dont' know how many of these I've gotten over the past couple months, but it's a lot. If you have a Paypal account, you should be aware of this. I was almost duped the first time I got it--it looks really believable, with the Paypal logo, and transaction ID's, etc, but when you scroll over the links on the page, you can see on the info bar at the bottom of your browser that they don't match up. You can also log into your Paypal account and see if there are any suspicious transactions on there, like the e-mail claims. If you do get one of these, send it to spoof@paypal.com. Here is what the e-mail generally consists of, so be on the lookout:

Dear PayPal member,
As part of our security measures, we regularly screen activity in the PayPal system.We recently noticed the following issue on your account:
We have reason to believe that your account was accessed by a third party.We discover unauthorized money transfer:
Amount: 22.47 $
Transaction ID: #13Y17222818UY182281
PayPal e-mail address: This address will vary with each phishing attempt, and they want you to think that this "person" has taken money from your account.
Transaction Date: October - 23 - 2006
Because protecting the security of your account is our primary concern, we have limited access to sensitive PayPal account features. We understandthat this may be an inconvenience but please understand that this temporarylimitation is for your protection.
Case ID Number: PP-163-413-717
For your protection, we have limited access to your account until additional security measures can be completed. We apologize for anyinconvenience this may cause.
To restore your PayPal account and refund the 22.47 $ back to your bank account or PayPal balance click the LogIn button bellow orthe SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) Log In :

Here they list a couple links that they want you to click on. One is named www.paypal.com, but when you move your cursor over it, you'll see the actual web address on the bottom of your browser is actually different. The other link is a "secure sockets layer", and this link is also false.

If, after reviewing your account information and refund the money, you seekfurther clarification regarding your account access, please contact PayPalby visiting the Help Center and clicking "Contact Us".We thank you for your prompt attention to this matter. Please understandthat this is a security measure intended to help protect you and youraccount. We apologize for any inconvenience.
Sincerely,PayPal Account Review DepartmentPayPal Email ID PP122

Credit card scam?

My Aunt Lu sent this one the other day:
"This one is pretty slick since they provide YOU with all information, except the one piece they want.Note, the callers do not ask for your card number; they already have it. By understanding how this Credit Card scam works, you'll be better prepared to protect yourself.The scam works like this: Person calling says, " I'm calling from the Security and Fraud Department at VISA. My Badge number is 12460. Your card has been flagged for an unusual purchase pattern, and I'm calling to verify. This would be on your VISA card which was issued by (name of bank). Did you purchase an Anti-Telemarketing Device for $497.99 from a Marketing company based in Arizona?"

Did I "Snopes" it out? Of course! See the results here:
http://www.snopes.com/crime/warnings/creditcard.asp

Friday's Quote to Ponder

"We do not remember days, we remember moments." ~Cesare Pavese

I'm feeling so tired and defeated today. The enemy is having a heyday in my life and those around me. By the grace of God, I will pick up myself and move on--and remember the good moments. How I crave them. How I love spending time with my husband--quality, wonderful, uninterrupted couple time. I love to laugh with him, to snuggle, to walk, to do fun things--just the two of us. It's just so hard to come by at this stage in our marriage. So hard to end a long day with quality time when I'm so worn out and spent. Making the transition from frazzled mom to loving wife is so challenging. But I will remember each moment, each happy time. A year from now, I won't remember the date of our couple retreat, but I'll remember the fun, the fellowship, the walk by the lake, the cozy cabin room. That's how life is, isn't it? You probably don't remember which Christmas was the first white one, which day your child first said "I wuv you", but you remember the moments. Enjoy them while they last.

Thursday's Laugh Out Loud

Remember how I've been fighting off this cold/flu thing? How could you not? It's all I've talked about for two weeks straight. Well, I've found the solution. I'm going to be a ninja. Watch this video to see how ninjas fight colds :D


Ninja Colds

Wednesday's Faves and Flops

Are you ready? Put down those Sweet Tarts and Snickers you pilfered from the kids' treat sacks--or just snack on them as you read :)

Wednesday's Fave: Zoo Tycoon!!
As most of you know, I'm a computer game junkie. I currently switch back and forth from The Elder Scrolls: Oblivion to Zoo Tycoon 2. I just got the most recent expansion pack yesterday--Marine Mania 2. I haven't had the time to play much yet, but going through the tutorials was even fun! You can build marine exhibits, and add show animals and train them. This game lets you get into first person (zookeeper) mode and walk around like you're really there, really caring for the animals, along with overhead modes for building, etc. If your kids (or you) are into gaming, and you want a good game that is free of violence and explicit material, this is the game for you. Zoo Tycoon 1 is good too, except it doesn't have zookeeper modes, but can be played on older systems.

Wednesday's Flop: Afrin 12-hour Nasal Spray
More like 6 hours with severe congestion, and the lousy thing is--it says you cannot use it for more than 3 days. I NEVER have congestion for less than 3 days. Apparently if you use decongestants too much, you can make congestion WORSE!!?? I really can't understand that. How about designing some that you can use the whole time you have a cold and they actually work to clear the congestion and don't have wierd effects? Anyone know of any? I'm using plain saline spray now to break it up and keep things flowing, and that is helping some, but when a cold actually hits, I need something to clear it out fast and get going again. So, it's more of a rant than a review, really. I hate being sick *whine*.

Halloween fun pics!

We had a fun Halloween, despite the lingering sicknesses. Have a look at our pics:

http://desperatehousewifepics.blogspot.com/