The Manger Set

When my sisters and I were little, one of the highlights of Thanksgiving Day was getting our nativity sets down from Grammy's storage closet after Thanksgiving lunch. We would pester the heck out of her until she'd go get them, then we'd disappear behind chairs in the living room where we'd play with our sets for hours.
Following tradition, we got out Annalivia's set today. Her godmother and godfather gave this to her last year and we put it away at the end of Christmas. She was enthralled.

Here, she is singing "Away in a Manger" to the baby Jesus as she rocks him.

At the end of the day, I am so thankful for so many things, but what remains foremost is that these faces shape every moment of my life.

Sistahfriends

We ended up having a great sistah night. It was freekin' cold and sleeting, but we met at our customary Irish pub and sat in the cold section to avoid the cigarette smoke. (Aside: I'm so excited for Jan. 1 when this no-smoking ban will go into effect in Illinois public places!) I had brought my camera along so after trying to take a few unstaged photos, Marissa suggested that we try to convey the intensity and hilarity of these gatherings with helpful scenarios to get us Pulitzer-esque photos.

Umm, that didn't happen, but...

Here's Roo and I. The scenario she devised for this one was "April is explaining something deeply philosophic while I listen critically with interest." She nailed it.

In this one, Roo directed Lillia to be a reporter returning from correspondence during World War and Kalin was to be a bar prostitute.
Some scenarios are more helpful than others.

Here, Marissa shares her excitement about menu selections with Kalin.

Kalin considers the food delightedly.

This one was less staged -- note the straw wrapper Roo is applying to Kali's ear.

Only 34 hours til Sister Hang Out night!!!

I have a favorite thing about Thanksgiving and it's not the turkey, the stuffing, the mashed potatoes, or even, (and this is about to be almost heretical) the gravy.

Nope. My favorite thing about Thanksgiving is the night before when my sistahs and I get together and hang out. We don't usually have any particular plan to the hanging. The last few years we've ended up at a grocery store to get whatever it is that Roo is supposed to be bringing to Thanksgiving. This year, we're assured that we won't have to do that because Roo is making stuff, so we may just go and get coffee or food or something.

Point is, we'll be together. And we'll laugh a lot and harrass each other and Marissa will probably make us have some awkward conversation about what we truly appreciate about each other. And we'll laugh then, too. I'm so excited.

And then, I'll come home to my children and their copious amounts of snot that will prevent us from going to the family Thanksgiving this year.

But that's ok, because we'll still have Sister Night. And I'll be really thankful.

If only I had an anonymous blog

I could then tell you about the family for whom I am doing a funeral this weekend, the same family who has only been to church four times in the seven years I've been here because I "don't preach from the Bible", the same family who called today and said, "we have two scriptures in mind -- where is that one that talks about an evergreen being like the soul and the one about slipping the bonds of Earth to touch the face of God?" the family about whom it has suddenly become obvious that there might be a reason that they don't recognize that black book in front of me when I preach.
But I don't, so I won't.

Recipe: Breakfast pumpkin

It's that season again when getting up in the morning seems as though it should be optional. A chilly house is not a very inviting welcome-to-the-day. It's much nicer to snuggle with little ones under the down comforter.
Little ones, however, do not seem to appreciate the opportunity to loaf around and snuggle. So we are still getting up, just like every day. But to make these cold mornings a little more bearable, we are eating warm cereals, hot muffins and these wonderful pumpkin bars that pair perfectly with a nice cup of tea.

Breakfast Pumpkin Bars
4 eggs
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup oil
1/2 cup applesauce
1 Tbsp. vanilla
1 small can (3 1/2 cups) pumpkin
1 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1 tsp. soda
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 T. cinnamon

Mix eggs, sugar, oil, applesauce, and vanilla. Add pumpkin and mix well. Combine the dry ingredients and add to the pumpkin mixture. Bake on a greased jelly roll sheet at 350 degrees (or 325 in my oven) for about 20-25 minutes or until done.

Glaze with warmed icing shortly after removed from the oven. Cut into pieces and enjoy.

(The recipe has less sugar and oil than others and uses whole wheat flour and a very light icing glaze hence the "breakfast" label. But any favorite pumpkin bar recipe can be easily adapted. Also -- the pumpkin mixture and dry ingredients can be made up seperately (pumpkin refrigerated, of course) the night before and then it can be mixed together in the morning for a very quick yummy start to the day!)

Precious

Tonight as I was working on the computer, Annalivia climbed up and laid her cheek against my cheek. She kissed my face and then just let her lips rest lightly on my cheekbone.

I gave her a kiss and said, "It's almost time for you to go to bed, little one."

"Nooooo!" she said indignantly, "I want to love your face."

Well, if you must...

:) :) :)

Contrasts

Today we spent some time in the balmy backyard. Someone had a lot of fun.

On the other hand, someone else...
did not.

But all's well that ends well...
 

My cool brother in law takes on the political juggernaut

My cool brother in law, Geoff, is near the center of this storm in Iowa (or here or here), where he's an active part of the political landscape. He's a pastor. He's a good guy. He doesn't lie.

But they do.

New skin

Yesterday, I went to the doctor's office to get my cast off, or so I thought. It has been a whole two months since I got it put on. I thought perhaps it was time to let my arm see the sun again and go through its two-month-of-no-exfoliation molting routine.

Alas, no such luck.

I came home with a new, slightly longer, much tighter cast. Where before I've chosen subdued white and black for my casts, this one is bright red. I'll go back on Dec. 10 to, hopefully, get it removed. But if not, I've requested sparkly gold -- doesn't someone make a fiberglass shot through with lurex yet? I was thinking I could use it for the Christmas pageant at church and we wouldn't even have to get a star -- I'd just hold up my sparkly arm and awe the folks.

Anyway, I was slightly punky, but when I got home, I found that which my mom calls, "skin for your back." That term originated with my grandmother, Ga, who cared for my mother when she was a child and scraped her back. Ga would bring Mom little treats and call it "skin for your back."

The new skin awaiting me yesterday was a treat from us to us in the form of our new camera. We got a Nikon D40x. We are excited. Today, I spent a lot of time playing with the 50mm lens. I got very few good photos -- as you can see, most are out of focus and over or underexposed --but I am learning fun things.

And then Mom called and she's sending some fun skin to me sometime soon. It's something I've wanted, and needed, I think, for a long time. I'll have to post photos when it arrives.

So -- on one hand, the cast -- on the other, new skin. I'll admit, it certainly softens any blow from my red Santa cast.

Just messin'

Having some fun with the fonts and colors for a bit. It may be completely different in a few hours...

Wet blanket

EDITED TO ADD:

One can send cards for soldiers to organizations like A Million Thanks at: A Million Thanks; 17853 Santiago Blvd. #107-355; Villa Park, CA 92861

The blanket is not so wet now...

A congregant just sent me this email...

A Great Idea!!!

When you are making out your Christmas card
list this year, please include the following:

A Recovering American soldier
c/o Walter Reed Army Medical Center; 6900 Georgia Avenue, NW ; Washington,D.C. 20307-5001

If you approve of the idea, please pass it on to your email list.

I looked it up on Snopes and it wasn't there, so googled it and here is the info, available at this link.

Walter Reed Army Medical Center officials want to remind those individuals who want to show their appreciation through mail to include packages, letters, and holiday cards addressed to 'Any Wounded Soldier' or 'A Recovering American Soldier' that Walter Reed cannot accept these packages in support of the decision by then Deputy Undersecretary of Defense for Transportation Policy in 2001. This decision was made to ensure the safety and well being of patients and staff at medical centers throughout the Department of Defense.
In addition, the U.S. Postal Service is no longer accepting "Any Service Member" or "A Recovering American Soldier" letters or packages. Mail to "Any Service Member" that is deposited into a collection box will not be delivered. Instead of sending an “Any Wounded Soldier” letter or package to Walter Reed, please consider making a donation to one of the more than 300 nonprofit organizations dedicated to helping our troops and their families listed on the "America Supports You" website, http://www.americasupportsyou.mil/
Other organizations that offer means of showing your support for our troops or assist wounded servicemembers and their families include:
http://www.usocares.org/

http://www4.army.mil/ocpa/tooursoldiers

http://www.redcross.org/
For individuals without computer access, your local military installation, the local National Guard or military reserve unit in your area may offer the best alternative to show your support to our returning troops and their families. Walter Reed Army Medical Center will continue to receive process and deliver all mail that is addressed to a specific individual. As Walter Reed continues to enhance the medical care and processes for our returning service members, it must also must keep our patients and staff members safe while following Department of Defense policy. The outpouring of encouragement from the general public, corporate America and civic groups throughout the past year has been incredible. Our Warriors in Transition are amazed at the thanks and support they receive from their countrymen.

N-n-normal disfluency

Annalivia has started stuttering recently. Apparently this is something that happens in children between the ages 2 and 3 after they have begun to form together full sentences. It's called normal disfluency and usually is the result of a child rushing to speak before her mouth can catch up with her brain. Since Annalivia talks all the time, I can believe this explanation, I guess.

I'm not sure how noticeable it is to other people. Dennis didn't notice it until I pointed it out. She definitely does it most when she is tired and usually, so far, with words starting with D, and especially when she is asking a question about words starting with a D, i.e. "D-d-d-Daniel need diaper change?" or "D-d-d-daddy make that?" If I ask her to repeat herself, she will usually repeat the stutter, too, which seems a little odd to me. And, so far, I've not noticed it in any words except those at the beginning of the sentence.

Anyway, our job is to monitor it over the next few months, but also make sure she isn't aware of us noticing it. Apparently normal disfluency can become an actual speech impediment if children become aware of it and then struggle to combat it or feel that speaking is an unenjoyable or difficult experience. I'm pretty sure we're not in danger of her suddenly beng silent, but nevertheless, we want to be very careful/ So, family and friends -- if you notice it -- no imitating it within her earshot or administering impromptu speech therapy. And hopefully, she'll grow out of it on her own.

She may be a little related to me

Oh,my gracious, poor little Annalivia is 25 minutes into a crying fit because we are making her take 3 (THREE!!) bites of potato. Dinner is cleaned up. Daniel and Dennis have been playing on the floor. Still she sobs on.
Stubborn child.

I can't imagine who she gets that from.