Hope you got what you wanted for Christmas!!

I got an a really great unexpected gift, a brand new laptop!!!! Love it, I am learning to use it, which is going to take a lot of effort since I can technology stupid. Hopefully, now I can do more photos on this blog. I hope to post a current photo of my kitchen so I can get input on the renovation.

The other thing I got that I could have done without, is a big fat sprained ankle. I was headed to my Mom's house on Saturday, motivated to really get some work done cleaning out, and fell off my front porch step and twisted my left ankle really bad. At first I thought it was broken, but since I can move it, it's probably just a really bad sprain. However, Saturday and Sunday were useless days for me, couldn't walk. How stupid can I get???????????

Sometimes it doesn't pay to get out of bed.

Hope you had a wonderful Christmas weekend!!!


Melinda

Good news!!!!

My mom's house is under contract!!! Thanks to the horrible real estate market, we got less than we wanted but figured the market would only get worse before it got better, so we took what we could get. Just an inspection and appraisal stands between me and this big monkey being off my back.

Next up? Well, if the house sells, I am going to do a major kitchen renovation on a small budget. For $10,000 I'm hoping to remove the wall between the kitchen and family room, get new appliances, including a gas cook top and double ovens, new flooring and a island. As you can tell, this is going to be a challenge. I will be soliciting help from you guys, so don't be shy. I'll post the before photos soon, and you'll see for yourselves that it's desperately past due.

Hope you had a great Christmas and a will have a fabulous New Year!


Melinda

Gold, Incense, and Myrrh

by: Marybeth Whalen

"On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh."
Matthew 2:11 (NIV)

Whether you grew up in church or not, you've probably heard the story of the three wise men placing gifts before the baby Jesus, throwing their own little royal baby shower. Christmas carols tell of it and many a Christmas pageant has featured children with crowns askew, tottering in with their royal gifts.

Yet far from soft blue blankets and a selection of baby toys, these three kings brought seemingly odd gifts for the tiny Savior. They placed at His feet gold, frankincense and myrrh. The Bible doesn't tell us what Mary and Joseph did with Jesus' gifts, but I have to wonder. Unless she understood what they meant, I can almost picture Mary saying, "Wow, umm, thanks. I know just where I'll put these!"

I recently learned that each of these gifts has a symbolic meaning. When we study these meanings, the wise men's gifts take on much greater significance, a significance that is at once sobering and amazing.

Gold has always been a symbol of royalty. This gift signaled the wise men's understanding of who this child was, and how we should receive Him. Because of this child, we are transformed from lowly paupers to royalty seated with Christ (Ephesians 2:6). He had to leave the perfection and grandeur of heaven in order to walk among us, trading His royalty for a time, but never losing His deity.

Incense was a symbol of His purity. Because He was born sinless and lived a perfect life, Jesus was that perfect lamb, without blemish, offered up for our sins. Incense was used as a fragrant offering to God. But the beauty of the scent couldn't be released without being touched by fire. Jesus' life became a fragrant offering through the flames of affliction. And in His death, we receive His purity.

Myrrh symbolized death, as it was used for embalming in those times. Nothing says "congratulations on the birth of your baby" like a little symbolic death! As these men laid this odd collection of gifts at the feet of this child, a little shiver had to have run down His mother's spine when that last one was placed before Him. Already Lord? She had to be thinking. Do I have to start letting Him go already? But I suspect Mary knew that to accomplish His purposes on earth, Jesus' life had to end. And now as we seek to follow Him, our lives have to end as He asks us to die to self and to take up our cross and follow Him.

Have you ever asked yourself why the wise men chose those gifts? While we will never know for sure this side of heaven, I think it's because they listened to God. He directed them to bring these gifts as an outward statement of Jesus' ultimate purpose. Each one points to suffering and death that ultimately leads to transformation. Jesus didn't come to earth to be born, He came to earth to die so we could be reborn.

This Christmas I pray we keep our hearts focused on the meaning in the wise men's gifts -- and give our lives to Him, just as He gave His life to us.

This is from a website,http://www.crosswalk.com/ , that I receive a daily devotion from. It's a great site, check it out.

Melinda

Meet Bear!

He's only a year old and belongs to my daughter, who goes to the University of Alabama, she did not name him Bear, he came already named that. (coincidence? I think not, it was meant to be) She found him on Craig's list, his next move was to the pound and she couldn't stand that, so he went to live with her in Tuscaloosa, where every dog is named "Bear". (wonder why?)

Since it's Christmas break, Bear now calls my house "home", he's 85 pounds of lap dog. He thinks he's meant to be in your lap, you can't persuade him otherwise. The fact that just the front end of him fits, is just enough to make him happy. It's like having a 85 lb, 1 year old in the house. I have two older dogs, Bandit, a 15 year old Shitzu, who hates Bear's guts, and snaps at him anytime he's within 5 feet of him, the other one, Buddy, a 12 year old peek a poo, wants to be Bears' friend, but can't quite do it because Bear wants to wrestle all the time with him. Buddy and Bear wrestling is like Hulk Hogan vs Tiny Tim, not a fair fight. Buddy quickly becomes intimidated, and ends up in a growling snapping fit. We are constantly sending them back to their corners.

Oh and I forgot to mention, Ally (the cat). I think you can figure that out for yourself. Not a pretty picture, is it?

Our house is now clearly a three ring circus, cat kept in living room, Bear kept in den, Buddy and Bandit locked out of den.

I'm beginning to miss the peace and quiet of the empty nest syndrome.

Oh, and my husband is not an animal lover, so he's stays in his man cave in the basement.

But Bear clearly LOVES us, and we love him. Boy did he get lucky when Lindsay found him!

Melinda

I always knew I was a White Trash kind of girl!

Hey, get your mind out of the gutter.

I'm talking about the "gourmet" christmas snackie (is that a word) mix that you have to keep on hand at Christmas!

The cast:

2 cups of corn chex cereal
2 cups of rice chex cereal
2 cups of cheerios
2 cups of mini pretzels
2 cups of salted peanuts
1 bag of dried cranberries
1 large bag of m & ms
(and anything else you'd like to include)
1 package of white candy bark

Mix all dry ingredients together in large (I mean big, folks), this has to have room to spread out and get coated with chocolate.

Put candy bark in bowl and melt in microwave until creamy. Pour over cereal mixture to coat well. Gently press into a cake sheet pan until chocolate hardens. Then break up and store into an air tight container.

This is really good stuff! Impress your family!

Melinda

Come on baby, let's do it just one time!

It's a romantic full moon, when Pedro said, "Hey, mamacita, let's do Weeweechu."Oh no, not now, let's look at the moon!" said Rosita.

Oh, c'mon baby, let's you and I do Weeweechu. I love you and it's the perfect time," Pedro begged.

"But I wanna just hold your hand and watch the moon." replied Rosita.Please, corazoncito, just once, do Weeweechu with me."Rosita looked at Pedro and said, "OK, one time, we'll do Weeweechu."

Pedro grabbed his guitar and they both sang.....

"Weeweechu a Merry Christmas, Weeweechu a Merry Christmas, Weeweechu a Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year.

"MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!

Melinda

Appreciation is a wonderful thing. It makes what is excellent in others belong to us as well.

--Anonymous

Time for a Cookie Swap!!!

PEANUT BUTTER MICE

Source: www.littleshamrocks.com/.

Yield: 4 dozen.

1 Cup creamy peanut butter

1/2 Cup butter, softened

1/2 Cup sugar

1/2 Cup packed brown sugar

1 Egg

1 Teaspoon vanilla extract

1 1/2 Cups all-purpose flour

1/2 Teaspoon baking soda

1/2 Cup peanut halves

2 Tablespoons green and red miniature M&M’s

4 Teaspoon miniature semi-sweet chocolate chips

48 Pieces red shoestring licorice cut 2 inches long.•

In a large mixing bowl, cream peanut butter, butter, sugar and brown sugar. Beat in egg and vanilla. Combine the flour and baking soda; gradually add to the creamed mixture. Refrigerate for 1 hour or until easy to handle.• Roll into 1 inch balls. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets. Pinch each ball at one end to taper. Insert 2 peanut halves in center of each ball for the ears. Add one M&M for the nose and 2 chocolate chips for the eyes.• Bake at 350 for 10 minutes or until set. Gently insert one licorice piece into each warm cookie for the tail. Let cool in pan for 4 minutes, then remove to wire racks to cool completely.

OR make it easy on yourself and buy the redi-made peanut butter cookies to use instead of making cookies from scratch, save yourself some time!!!!

Let your kids help make the mice!!!

Melinda

WHITE CHOCOLATE SNACK MIX

This is the best snack mix I've ever had. You can adjust the colors of the M & Ms to suite your season!

Here's the recipe:


Melt one package of white almond bark,.

Mix two cups each: Wheat Chex, Corn Chex, cheerios,mini pretzels, M&Ms. (You can substitute other Chex or add peanuts, raisins, dried cranberries or other ingredients if you like.)

Pour melted bark over the mixture.

Spread on a cookie sheet lined with wax paper.

Allow to cool, break into chunks.

Store in airtight container for weeks!

Sooooooo goooood!

Melinda


PS: I made this yesterday and added peanuts and dried cranberries to mine and it is delicious.

I want to believe this, I do!

When one door of happiness closes, another opens;
but often we look so long at the closed door
that we do not see the one which has opened for us.-

Helen Keller

Time for some Christmas Crafts!!!

Ok, for those of you who have nothing to do, here are a few crafts I love.

I will add them to my to do list, or save for my future to do list. (which is only a mile long)

First up, Disco Ball ornaments from http://www.oneprettything.com/ and http://www.ehow.com/.

How to Make a CD Disco Ball Ornament

By eHow Hobbies, Games & Toys Editor
Rate: (51 Ratings)

Make your own disco ball using old CDs. This eHow was contributed by one groovy, anonymous person.

InstructionsDifficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

Large Styrofoam Balls With Hanger

Colored Light Bulbs

Flood Lighting

Glue Guns Hot Glue Sticks

Cutting Boards Scissors Scissors

X-Acto Knives

Straightedges Ruler thin

strong ropes

Step1: Cut up old CDs into 1/2-inch or 1-centimeter squares.

Step 2: Glue them to the outside of some kind of ball or spherical object.

Step 3: Cut a string and push through the spherical object and hang it from the rafters.

Step 4: Shine lights (ideally multicolored) onto the ball.

Step 5: Bingo! Disco ball.

and go visit http://mysweetsavannah.blogspot.com/ to make this fabulous faux snowballs.

Have fun!

Melinda

On to Christmas!

Well, Thanksgiving was good, quieter than normal, but we had a lovely dinner with my MIL and BIL. I cooked way too much food, didn't quite scale down enough for a small group. Put away the Thanksgiving stuff, and

NOW ON TO CHRISTMAS! The gathering at my house on Christmas will be considerably larger, say around 20 to 25 people. I was asked to host my neighborhoods ornament swap on December 6th, but I finally managed to say NO, which is not a word I use too often. I am actually proud of myself for adding that word to my vocabulary.

This year's color scheme at my house is going to be a little different, lime green and purple! My daughters choice. The outside wreaths and mailbox are now sporting lovely lime green bows, the lighted reindeer will also be sporting these bright colors. Our inside tree has a beautiful sparkly purple bow and streamers to go with the very brightly colored lights on our tree and so does the fireplace. The packages under the tree are also wrapped in the various shades of the new green, and purple. It actually looks very festive.

Still have lots of work to do on the decorating, hopefully, we get some photos posted here. I still haven't learned to upload photos from my digital camera, need DDs help.

Melinda