Christmas Cookies and Candy

I wish that was my book because I'm making cookies and candies today. I'm not going to be super fancy this year. We've got sugar cookies and gingerbread boys on the menu. As for candy... I'm not sure yet. I did make some popcorn balls. Maybe I'll make marshmallows too. Don't you think it should be spelled marshmellows? Like, they're mellow marshmellows. Just me? OK. :)

What do you like to bake for Christmas?


I would also like to say thank you to everybody that left such sweet and kind comments on my Blue Christmas post. I wasn't expecting them, but they were just what I needed I think. I feel a whole lot better, still not very Christmasy, but I feel happier.

Blue Christmas

I'm having a really hard time with Christmas this year. I feel like I'm just going through the motions. I just don't feel any Christmas spirit and it really bothers me. It could be the middle of March and I don't think I could tell the difference. I realize why, Jeff's not here.

He's gone in the Tri-Cities all week long and comes home on the weekends. I just feel half gone all week. The weekends a far too short too.

I'm trying to fill my days with all of the things I'm supposed to do. I'm also trying to do a few extra things that would be very Christmas like, but to no avail. I've watched all of the movies and specials, holiday baking, holiday parties, service, shopping, music, and gone to church. It just feels like it shouldn't be Christmastime yet I guess. Hard as I've tried, I just don't feel it.

My mom told me she's felt this way about the holiday for years. I can't be more clear when I say that scares the crap out of me. I don't want to feel like this! Last year I couldn't wait to start celebrating Christmas. I'm missing the important piece I guess, Jeff.

I wish our house would sell. I wish Jeff never lost his job. I wish things would just go back to the way they were. I don't want to be refined.

Sorry if this post isn't upbeat and happy. I'm looking forward for this week to be over. We will be spending next week with Jeff and I'm sure my blue Christmas will take a turn for the better.

What to do with a pound of hamburger?

Last night I was really exhausted. Thinking of dinner didn't help my condition either. The only meat that wasn't frozen solid was a little boring pound of hamburger. I know that it is really quite a versatile meat, shouldn't be too hard, right?

You must understand that my brain was almost at critical shut down. So I was stumped and unmotivated. Meatloaf? No. I'd have to get out the mixer and I think we're out of ketchup...no I don't mix my meatloaf by hand. Stroganoff? Nope. No mushrooms and I wouldn't have enough milk the next morning. Goulash maybe? That takes a whole lot more work than I'm willing to put in right now and I'm running out of time, Lindsay has ballet at 6. So what was left....tacos.

Tacos, great! Abbey and Lindsay love tacos. I open the fridge, believing that I have everything necessary for them. I know I have the meat. I had a bit of shredded cheese, sour cream, and some taco sauce. I didn't have any good lettuce or tomato, but the girls don't care for those items and I could do fine without them. I was just searching for the last ingredient, tortillas. No tortillas. Nada. Not even crunchy corn, or soft corn for that matter. Dang it!

Not to worry, not to worry. I turn to the modern day housewife companion, the internet. I look up a flour tortilla recipe, I have everything, let's get started.Lindsay offered to help by cooking the hamburger. She really did a great job. I'm very proud of her and thankful to her. I need to let my kids do more in the kitchen.They were delicious and easy. The girls loved them and thought they were fun and very impressive. Needless to say, I was praised the entire time for the miraculous culinary achievement. Not bad.I'm now looking forward to breakfast. Breakfast burritos. YES!

A wise list from a wise lady

I received this in the good old email today. I'm sure it's probably making it's rounds , but I'm going to share it anyways.

Written By Regina Brett, 90 years old, columnist for The Plain Dealer, Cleveland, Ohio .

"To celebrate growing older, I once wrote the 45 lessons life taught me. It is the most-requested column I've ever written. My odometer rolled over to 90 in August, so here is the column once more:"

1. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.
2. When in doubt, just take the next small step.
3. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.
4. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends and parents will. Stay in touch.
5. Pay off your credit cards every month.
6. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.
7. Cry with someone. It's more healing than crying alone.
8. It's OK to get angry with God. He can take it.
9. Save for retirement starting with your first paycheck.
10. When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.
11. Make peace with your past so it won't screw up the present.
12. It's OK to let your children see you cry.
13. Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
14. If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn't be in it.
15. Everything can change in the blink of an eye. But don't worry; God never blinks.
16. Take a deep breath. It calms the mind.
17. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.
18. Whatever doesn't kill you really does make you stronger.
19. It's never too late to have a happy childhood. But the second one is up to you and no one else.
20. When it comes to going after what you love in life, don't take no for an answer.
21. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie. Don't save it for a special occasion. Today is special.
22. Over prepare, then go with the flow.
23. Be eccentric now. Don't wait for old age to wear purple.
24. No one is in charge of your happiness but you.
25. Frame every so-called disaster with these words ''In five years, will this matter?".
26. Always choose life.
27. Forgive everyone everything.
28. What other people think of you is none of your business.
29. Time heals almost everything. Give time, time.
30. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.
31. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
32. Believe in miracles.
33. God loves you because of who God is, not because of anything you did or didn't do.
34. Don't audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.
35. Growing old beats the alternative -- dying young.
36. Your children get only one childhood.
37. All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.
38. Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere.
39. If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else's, we'd grab ours back.
40. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.
41. The best is yet to come.
42. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.
43. Yield.
44. Life isn't tied with a bow, but it's still a gift.

Friends are the family that we choose for ourselves. Thank you for being my friend

Treat plate or not to treat plate?

I'm making some Christmas goodies today. I don't know if I'm going to hand out a cookie plate, marshmallow bag, or ice cream toppings...or nothing. Do you hand out goody plates? I love to get them, but I'm not very good at handing them out. I'll figure it out I guess.

So, I remember doing a give away a few months ago. The winners will get something homemade from me and I have a year to do it. Well, I'm ready to send those things out and somehow my post was deleted. I need everyone who remembers winning to speak up. I remember most of the people, I'm just missing a couple.

Giving Tree

Do you participate in a giving tree? If not, you should. It's a great family activity, especially for the kids. Nothing can make you feel better during the holidays than to give to others.

Lindsay picked a 15 year old girl this year. I think it's because on the tag, the first thing you notice is the sentence " Likes Tinker Bell". This girl would like a shirt and a pair of jeans.

Abbey picked a 12 year old girl. She was drawn to the fact that this girl wants slipper socks, just like Abbey. She also wants shampoo and conditioner, hair stuff, and a pop/rock CD.

I hope you will consider getting one of these tags yourselves this holiday season. You can find them at just about any grocery store. These kids really don't ask for very much, but what it gives back to you is immeasurable.

Can you guess what I made?

On Saturday we made the trek to our corner tree lot and picked out our Christmas tree. It was so cold. The whole time I was thinking about how soon I could get my hands on some coco.

And yet, I was left thinking about something else. Something that was made for coco, among other things. So, I made some...

Did you guess marshmallows?

They were actually pretty easy to make. They tasted better than any marshmallow I've ever eaten. You can find the recipe for the coco here, but I suggest using all milk chocolate chips. That is, unless you really like the semi-sweet taste. The marshmallow recipe is here. You could add any flavor you want in the end. I think peppermint or coconut would be yummy.