Baking Bonanza

Holiday stress is a legitimate concern. We tend to pack a gallon of activity into a quart jar. For those of us who haven't realized it yet, it doesn't fit--never has and never will. Inevitibly something spills out, lost in the hustle and bustle of creating memories, keeping traditions and loving our neighbors. Then we feel guilt about what is lost. Yeah...because things didn't turn out the way we wanted--perfect. (Once again, not going to happen anytime soon....;)

I tend to, usually in creative situations, live by the motto, "Anything worth doing is worth overdoing." Yes, friends, this is a step up from, "Anything worth doing is worth doing well." This gets me into trouble. (Sometimes.) My innocent enough plans snowball and pretty soon I'm barreling around, wondering "who's driving this flying circus"?

Usually I curtail my plans when they are just that-plans. Before they turn into action and actual deeds. Those two are harder to rein in.

Case in Point: Christmas Goodies.

Every year, I have great plans of what delicious treats I will shower upon my friends and neighbors. Unfortunately, these plans rarely see fruition, and I've moved about enough that none of you are much the wiser.

Not this year.

The problem now, though, is I've spent my energy creating the goodies and I'm running out of steam to deliver them. What, you ask, are the culinary delicacies I have concocted? Well, I started with Holly Cornflake Wreaths (a childhood favorite), then spicy Gingerbread Snowflakes (disaster getting kids to help cut out, so I decorated them all--I'll reverse that next year), Grandma Rose's Five Minute Fudge (a taste of heaven--pure chocolate bliss), Biscotti drizzeled in white and dark chocolate, and carmel dipped pretzel rods, smothered in assorted toppings (again, not so great with little helpers). I haven't gotten around to the marshmallow log, peanut brittle, or double chocolate mint biscotti. (I think I made double batches of everything. For those of you who know me...this isn't a suprise.)

I've doubled the time I ment to spend, and I've got other things to get done. If they don't go out tonight, y'all are invited over for a dessert party--just bring a plate to take a load home with you!!

Oh, wonder what got dropped in the flour and sugar frenzy in the kitchen? The Christmas cards and family letter. Look for them around Valentines Day. Serious.

Next year will be simpler, I promise. (But don't hold your breath!!)

What the...?

Getting children to eat, especially while not in the comfort of our own snug bungalow, is always a challenge. This dilemma is increased at pot-luck functions, where adults love the food, and children would rather....well, you get the idea.

So. We're at the ward Christmas Luau party. Delicious sweet'n sour meatballs and marinated pork are the main entree. Mmmmm....

A looks at her plate, at the thin strip of delectable meat and says:

"It looks like dead hippo."

(I wonder what the heck they serve for school lunches in Oregon...)

ps. She did try it, and actually liked it. She needed a second piece. May your "hippo" adventures turn out as well.

I'm Not Dead Yet!

So. We were driving down the road when A and C had this conversation:

(background: we had just passed a cemetary)

A: That's where the dead people are. You get really ill and then die.

C: I'm not going to be ill.

A: Yes you are. You're too young now. I'm too young. Mommy and Daddy are almost there. They're halfway there.

C: (after pausing to reflect and think) You're just making this up.

A: No, I'm not. I know alot about stuff.

I don't know how S managed to miss this conversation. I nearly bust up laughing in the front seat. I take comfort in the fact that I'm not dead yet! =)

Common Denominator

So. Most of the new television shows are over until January. Due to my present pathetic state, I have acquired a new set of "shows" to follow. (Please understand, I never watched every episode of a show until Lost, and I don't have cable, so I only follow what's publicly available.) Usually I have limited myself to Numbers and Lost. Because Lost isn't starting until Jan, I filled in with others.

The shows I enjoy now are: Chuck, Pushing Daisies, Life, Numbers.

The Facts are These: Upon reflection of the shows I like, I found a common thread...some form of the name Charles. We have Charles "Chuck" Bartowski (aka Charles Carmichael), Charlotte "Chuck" Charles, Detective Charlie Crews, and Professor Charles "Charlie" Epps. (If we stretch, Lost even has a Charley, but I think he got knocked off last season...)

So. Just another crazy pattern, of the not so obvious type that I love to find. (Perhaps that's a topic for another blog...how I love to see things relate to each other...)

What mindless entertainment to you crave from the B-Tube?

Trim a Tree

My children are super excited for the holidays. I've been slow to drag out the boxes of Christmas decor, because we don't really have places to put all the stuff. (last year we had a super great mantle and table and ledges....) We finally brought out the little fir grove last week. This is the arrangement we used as a tree while in school, since we usually traveled to our parents houses during the holidays, and couldn't afford a live tree. We now live in the land where people get a tree permit and head to yon' hills to chop down their own token of Christmas spirit. (After reading Lindsay's commentary, I'm glad we went to the kmart lot!)

Anyway. We got the stuff out Saturday night, and the kids couldn't pull objects out of the tubs fast enough. (translation: mess and mom trying to remain calm). We corralled most of the stuff before bed and snuggled them down with promises of decorating the next day.

We awoke to excited giggles and trees decorated by A. She was so proud to have put all the ornaments she could find (plus the flower arrangement she pulled apart) on the trees. I asked C what he helped with. He informed me, "The mess." Referring, I assumed, to the havoc wrecked at the base of the trees, and throughout the room. He did a very good job.

Children do make the holidays exciting.

"Teeth" are the Times...

...when I realize my kids will not be small forever.

A is estatic.

She noticed a loose tooth a few days ago. Seriously beginning to loosen up. (She couldn't eat whatever was for dinner until it was minced into bite-size pieces, to be consumed daintily via fork.) I'm convinced that she's too young to be saying good-bye to her baby teeth. They don't fall out until age six, right? Five is much too early. Perhaps superglue will delay the process?

She already knows all about the Tooth Fairy. She explained the whole process to little bro, with stardust shining in her eyes. She is so excited about this first tooth, I'd better let her eat it up (not the tooth, just the experience) because the next 19 may not be so fun....

P.S. She confessed that she hid a bean under her pillow one night to see if the Tooth Fairy would take it and leave her a small treat. Didn't work. Dad told her that the Tooth Fairy is too smart to be tricked...he knows because he tried something similar when he, too, was an aspiring enamel venture capitalist.

Yahtzee Champ

So. S and I have passed many a moment (frequently when driving, er, traveling) transfixed by our electronic hand held yahtzee game. S is the hands down, consistent champion. He once had a game that scored 623. No kidding. If I hadn't witnessed the game, I wouldn't have believed it. The digital dots were spot on for him. I even made him a t-shirt to commemorate the occasion. You have to understand, I rarely get "yahtzee" (all five dice displaying the same number of dots, in three or less rolls, for those of y'all not up to speed). A good game scores around 250, sometimes I don't even break 200.

Everything changed last week.

I had the game of all games, and even woke Scott from his afternoon nap (recovering sickie) so he could groggily witness my triumph. (I was trying to engage in quiet activity whilst everyone slept.) I could go into detail, but it would only make sense if you already play the game. I scored yahtzee not once, but four times, my friends. Yes, FOUR times!! with a bonus of 100 per extra time....that adds up!

Final score: 648

I think I have to retire now...

...or at least make a new t-shirt.