Serving up Sunday

[Nancy]

Blessed thanks for sharing I've been down in the dumps b/c I failed to do enough planning and prep. and getting ill this season did not help learning bil will be here for Christmas kids want to come over snow in the forecast I still need to do a store run a quiet Christmas is out of the q. for us. Dsis send us a gift card to a eatery and the closest one is 3 hrs. away. So I'm trying to decide if I should let her know or just pass it on. H. thinks I should ask/talk to her about it. Last night I felt bad for dil b/c she does not eat pork dd had spiral ham, so I told dil that the little smokies I brought were beef & cheese. The im. crab dip they brought I don't eat b/c of the high carb count I had dd check the carbs in the BBQ sauce she was going to dump on the little smokies it was too much so she used a-1 instead.

The one loud roo is bothering me today as I've not had enough sleep. H. is sleeping right through it! Having a what was I thinking moment! LOL!

I need to get stocking stuff things in bags for kids.
Wondering if I can pull off a sugar free Christmas brunch. Bil is type 2 diabetic dson & I are both type one dil is trying to cut back on lbs. and dgd needs to not eat it for a bit. Menu to follow.
cheese ball
pb & cream cheese filled celery
deviled eggs filled with
crab dip & crackers
little smokies
olives & relish plate

Tude warning!
H. said that he was supposed to bring ch. chip cookies to work the other day it was his day they requested the ones I make. I'm thinking they might get some thing healthier as I'm in no mood to be baking cookies! I might need an attitude adjustment ya think.

At least the sun is shining.

[Harriet]

Nancy, does it help to hear from someone who almost never has a request for foods she makes? Think of them kindly - they may want to compliment you as much as they actually want you to do any work.

OKay, love them to pieces, but tell them whatever truths they need to hear for their situations. I told a teen yesterday, as she was obsessing over her older boyfriend, that there was a way to tell the future, to know which young man was the one she'd someday have sex with. She was fascinated when I said you could tell by looking at his knees of his pantlegs. One of them will be dirty, I told her, because he's the one who knelt, with a ring in his hand. Now, this came from Dear Old Aunt Harriet, and may be discounted if she thinks I'm from ancient days, but I hope if she gets enough good advice from sources who care enough to tell truths, it will "take".

scattered, my knowledge is a hodge-podge. It is like a crocheted scarf - extensive but with plenty of gaps. I come here sometimes and am amazed at others' grasp of things I don't get at all. But RLS combines a couple interests of mine, Scottish heritage, my mom's love of poetry, and the tough reading dd14 had to do for school recently to reach her computerized reading goals (Strange Case).

I am planning for the few little things that still need to be bought and the wrapping that still needs to be done. Dd thinks we should go out this afternoon. Hmmm.... .. I lean more toward a Monday rather than weekend outing, even if it is the Eve.

Hi to sherinjoy!

[Ivy]

Good Morning, Villagers!

Today, DH has to phone around to see who is open Christmas Eve for take-out. The pizza place we/grsons like is closed. DH seems to think KFC will be open. I tried to tell DH why doesn't he run to Safeway and get a bunch of sandwich foods and we'll serve sandwiches instead. He said, "Oh, I don't know about that." and his voice trails off. It's in his hands, he's the cook, and I just thought sandwiches would work.

To Do:
I'm still groggy even after my coffee. My right hip hurts, we'll clean house today, and I'll crochet a few more yellow items for the baby, to give dson/ddil when they come tomorrow.

Harriet, What a cute story about the pants leg, 1 will be dirty, etc... from your old Dear Aunt Harriet. Cute and true, too.

Nancy, Sorry about your 1 loud rooster.

Blessed, Your goals for the day are good ones, too.

Lynlee, The opener was a good one.

Kathryn, I hope your DH will get well soon and that you'll stay healthy, too.

OKay, We have a lot of sweets here for the family when they come, too.

Scattered, I hope you get the blanket sewn and everything together today.

[scattered]

Ivy - I know many fast food places around here close at 6pm on Christmas Eve. At least that is what H ardee's is doing per DS20 who works there.

Harriet - I grew up with a love of poetry also but mine tended to be more in the realms of Jack London (he is very big in Alaska)

Nancy - I have a recipe for oatmeal, raisin, c chip cookies that is lower in sugar... and yet a huge hit.

Blessed - what a great goal for the day (sending you extra smiles)

I ended up finding a small throw blanket that is thin and kind of a funky green, so I cut the fleece to the same size and then found some scraps of brown flannel that I am going to piece together as the trim, which will also make it a little bigger. I have everything cut out but now need to pin it together and start sewing.

ToDo/TaDa's
d2s
coffee
clear of DR table
find sheet for backing
measure and piece together
sew blanket
cut out DP's slippers
put together and sew slippers
cut out DP's DstepS's slippers
put together and sew slippers
Dinner

BBL

[Cowinkie]

Morning Y'all...
Yesterday I did my baking. Also did 3 lol. Needed to get a few things from the grocery and came home with a turkey. We are eating out Xmas day so I'll cook it wed. We can eat it for the rest of the week. We had a party to attend and had a nice time. We have another one this afternoon with sweetie's friends. He has known them for so long that their grown children still call him Uncle Sweetie. This is the same family who's dgd is fighting leukemia.

For years my mom would scramble around trying to insure a perfect Xmas. Growing up mine were very very formal and not much fun. We weren't allowed out of our rooms untily parents were up. Then they would throw a towel over our heads so we couldn't see the tree and lead us to the kitchen for breakfast. Then we had to wait till everyone was finish before we were lead to the tree. Even opening the presents were very systematic. We had to dress up for Xmas dinner, my brother on one side of the table and me one the other... As Adults my brother and I always have noisy fun filled days.

Last time I was home my mom and I got into a discussion about Xmas. I asked her why our Xmas' were like that and she said because that's the way it was done when she was growing up. So I'm in a no fuss no muss state of mind for Xmas. When I get to share it with family I want laughter, choas and conversation all around me. That's my present from everyone

[blessedw2]

It's okay dnancy, I think that's what I learned from my experience.

Christmas is not meant to give us stress even though the expectations of ourselves and other's expectations for us and the day can make us feel overwhelmed and depressed. But the realities of life make the expectations unrealistic and it's very much OKAY. Cut things out today, declutter your view, what is the least you can do and still get the feeling of Christmas for your family.

At this point I wouldn't bake the cookies or put more hardships on myself. You can always make a batch another time for them. Ask for help.. ask your dh to pick something up for his co workers as you are very busy and that you will be happy to make some next week or the week after when it's less crazy. You are so wonderful and that's enough!!!

[blessedw2]

right now my dgirls are listening to music and even a little sister dancing (even a french remix that was so funny!) We took a beautiful drive in the country (horse farms by us - thoroughbreds) it was lovely. Came by a herd of deer in a field(snow and all).

d scattered thank you for the extra smiles sending you some too!

heading over to the grocery store.

[lucylee]

I'm baking cookies. Don't get too impressed -- it's just P*llsbury Slice/Bake w/my own pecans added... but if they don't really love them, my family certainly does try hard to compliment me by demanding that I bring them to all gatherings.

Also wrapping presents in bits & pieces as I wait on cookies.

Waiting for heat/ac man to come by to get his payment for yesterday. House is warm again!

Went to church this morning, saw some dear friends who go to church w/my parents, read the paper, ate lunch, started in on these last minute chores.
Funeral visitation tonight; then maybe dh & I will go see This is 40. I told him I would definitely need a laugh by tonight.
DH needs a laugh NOW. He is driving me crazy. He is so depressed & irritated about "everything" that is going wrong that he can't see all that is going RIGHT in our lives right now... and it is really hard to be the only cheerful person in the house.

Good advice to Nancy, blessed...

Cowinkie, our Christmas is definitely loud & chaotic. And I love it, too.

Christmas Eve dinner is @ dmil's... followed by opening presents here w/ds, ddil, dgs... Christmas morning, breakfast @ my dparents', followed by finger foods @ dstepgm's.

I want to learn more about Robert Louis Stevenson now... thanks for the wonderful quote, Lynlee!

LOVE your story for dniece, Harriet!!!

(((HUGS))) for Kathryn & dh

[OKay]

I want laughter, choas and conversation all around me.

Sounds perfect to me!

Home from church and eating. Our lunch was once again paid for without our knowledge. Sometimes we know who does it and sometimes they keep it a secret.

My plans of chilling out this afternoon have been replaced with an emotional trip. At DParents request, my siblings and I will take them to visit DBro's gravesite. This will be the first time DParents have been there since his funeral almost a year ago (died on Dec 24, 2011). This is highly dangerous trip for DDad in his physical condition, however DParents have chosen to do it. Hopefully it will go okay.

BBL

[Kathryn-in-Canada]

I'm off for a nap soon. No point trying to soldier through today, I'm just giving up and napping.

Church was exhausting. I got the Sunday School set up and then went up and did the lighting in the sanctuary. By then it was time for things to start. Good turnout today but there were 13 kids (14 if you count a baby) and so I was very busy in the Sunday School. The minister's husband helped so that went well.

After was a practice for tomorrow night's children service, "Christmas Around the World." I had some crackers and cheese, tea and coffee cake then headed upstairs to see how the men had cleared everything so there'd be room for all the children as a choir.

Every fire exit was blocked.

I went back downstairs and got the men to come back up and move things around. It is now safe. There will be between 60 & 120 candles in the congregation tomorrow night, so every fire exit has to be open. I need another extension cord still to unblock one of the two sets of stairs to the choir loft.

All this has to be reversed in the minutes (about 20) we have between services tomorrow night, the pulpit, communion table, etc. etc. returned to their spots.

I also realized we need extra hymn books from the other church so more added to my to-do list.

I set up the basement for the 'birthday party' between services and then waited for an errant parent to come pick up her kids (she went shopping instead of staying at the practice and got caught in the crowds.)

I walked in the door at 2 and dh is well enough to make me french toast so he did. Now that I've eaten, I'll head to bed for an hour and then think about grocery planning.

It snowed 2" while I was at church. So much for a sunny day today. The driving is awful (the plows aren't out because this is unexpected.) Even the highway is a mess so I don't really want to go out shopping today but I hesitate to wait until tomorrow in case there's a problem.