It took a year but our Holy Family has a home!:) A few weeks ago Jim built this stable for Mary, Joseph and baby Jesus and I would be remiss if I did not thank my handy hubby!:) This was on my wish list for a long time and he really brought it to life. At first I thought we would just buy an outdoor stable but it turns out they are very hard to find (at least for a decent price). It's too bad. I wonder if they were more readily available if more people would display yard nativities? I told Jim he should start selling them!:) Lol. Anyway, last year the poor Holy Family had to weather the elements so it's exciting to see the final piece finally in place. Jim even put hinges on it so he can take it apart and fold it up. Wow, go Jim the Tool Man Taylor! Haha.
Happy Thanksgiving! I hope you had a blessed weekend. My in-laws were up from Georgia and we had a fun, memorable holiday. After we ate (too much) we played "Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader" and the whole family got into it. It's good for all ages. Jim's mom came out victorious and won the paper trophy Grant made! That is definitely a good family game if you are looking for one.
It was so nice to catch up on sleep and get regular workouts in...and boy did I need that. Yikes, I totally fell off the wagon with my diet. I knew I would, they say you shouldn't start a diet during the holidays....go figure. Lol. Thankfully The Wave has been helped, I am glad I invested in that workout! Today is "re-set" day, I already had a good breakfast and packed some celery and peanut butter for snack time. I also want to start using this Prevention Health Tracker .
Before I head off to work, I also wanted to post this video to "Party in the USA" by Miley Cyrus. Grant really likes this song and I'm especially excited to show him. I wanted him (and all of the boys) to see someone really enjoying this song without actually being able to hear it. You see him moving to the beat and it makes me wonder what the hearing impaired viewers are imagining and if they can create the sound in their heads similar to the actual song? A while back I posted a vid from "D-Pan" (the same idea) and they were fascinated...and I am too!:) Really neat.
The freedom to worship! Oh my, that was just driven home. Today I just finished my 24-part lecture series about "Famous Romans" and of course it touches on the persecution of early Christians. There were signs and reminders all over the city when we visited earlier this year and I felt compelled to dig further. I found this website with some descriptions and although it's graphic and horryfying, I think it's necessary to know. It makes me never want to take my faith for granted, to be able to go to church and not hide it and even EARN A LIVING by praising God. Wow. It is because of the courage of the martrys and literally laying down their life for Christ that paved the way. An inspiration to us all!
I know it's early for Christmas cards but I am excited to report, we have one special delivery officially en route! The card and needed a little extra attention so we sat down and wrote it out today. You might remember a while back, Lisa Henedy posted information about how to receive a holy card from the Pope. We tried it last year and sure enough, it worked! It was neat to get it in the mail (a break from the monotony of bills)!:) The kids were excited too. Here is what we received from the official Vatican Secretariat of State:
I've kept it out ever since because it's so beautiful.
Just send a Christmas card to this address:
His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI Vatican City State Europe
No zip code needed, I like that. Lol.
And just for the sake of reminiscing....good times at the Vatican and amazing Rome earlier this year. I was wishing I could ride along with that letter for another trip! Oh the memories...
On another note, what do you think of this candle?! Over the weekend I popped in to one of my favorite stores with unique, primitive country items. It's called the "Pine Cone Gift Shoppe" and everything is so original and wonderful. The owner said they got a shipment of 1500 of these candles and they were wiped out within a week! This is a hole-in-the-wall store so that is pretty surprising in and of itself, and he said I was getting the last one (or so he claimed). Either way, the ploy worked and I snatched this baby up and took it home! I didn't even need to light it and our entire kitchen smelled like cozy Christmas cabin. I need to work on getting a nice stand or candle holder for it but that will do for now. If you are looking for a good gift idea, you can't go wrong with a candle like this! Here is the website (it does not nearly represent the actual store) it's definitely worth a visit in person.:)
One of the biggest things I hope to convey to my children is the importance of giving. Offering time, talent, and treasure to serve others and honor God. However I will admit, when it comes to volunteering we have fallen short. Life gets so busy and although we have good intentions, we have yet to participate in an ongoing, high-impact act of service. We give monetary donations to our church and we pick up litter but I know we could do far more. Which is why I was so excited to interview Nicole Bouchard Boles, author of "How to be an Everyday Philanthropist: 330 Ways to Make a Difference in Your Home, Community, and World-At No Cost". I highly recommend this book! It is loaded with practical ideas and fantastic websites where you can help every cause imaginable. Here are just a few that I bookmarked...
Foster Friend: Orphaned teenagers often slip through the cracks. Most have lived in several foster homes over the course of their short lives and have likely missed out on birthdays and other holiday celebrations. The Orphan Foundation of America has set up a program to make sure these kids get gifts on their birthdays and cards throughout the year. The cost? Just $50 a year (we can do that)!
I love this one but unfortunatley they don't have the program in our area. Best Buddies fosters one-on-one relationships between developmentally diabled kids and their nondisabled peers.
Little Brothers or Sisters ( is like Big Brothers/Sisters) except this concept connects the elderly with the young.
If you can knit or crochet; make a helmet liner for troops, make chemo caps or check out the Blankets for Recovery Program . This program aims to provide small kindess to wounded soldiers by providing them with warm blankets and quilts as they recover in military hospitals.
Those are just a few of the 330 ideas, and that doesn't even scratch the surface. Volunteer Match is also a good resource because it connects you with the best options for what you and your family have a passion for. I highly recommend the book, and what a perfect time of year for it!:)
My favorite band doing what they do best! I ran across an acoustic version of NeedtoBreathe's song "Stones Under Rushing Water" from the Outsiders album. I love them so much, I think I am officially a crazed fan. Lol. We announced a few weeks ago that they are coming to Alive Music Fest next year, I can't wait to see them live. Enjoy the talent of these amazing musicians.
Is it possible to be full even 24 hours after eating?! That is how I feel but I loved every minute of it! Jim and I had a memorable, fantastic time at the Fabulous Food Show in Cleveland this weekend.
We really debated...should we go to our first Opera and see Don Giovanni or go for the gut and do the food show? I am happy to report we didn't regret our decision for one sweet minute! This place was a glutton's dream. Lol. Hundreds of vendors with samples of food, discounts, unique products, local companies and imported exotic foods. Everything you could imagine just waiting for our taste buds and to top it off....chocolate galore! People like Bobby Flay, Tyler Florence, and Guy Fieri were also on hand for special demonstrations. Here are a few pictures from our fun food day!
Oh boy...there goes my diet! Oh so Heavenly....
Can you see my "crazy eyes"?! Lol. You would look that way too if you were up close and personal with this slice of paradise! Oh my goodness, one of the best desserts I have ever had. Inside the hard chocolate shell was cheescake and brownie. I think I just found my chocolate lasagna replacement! It's from White Flour Cake Shoppe in Beachwood (where I will be visiting soon!):)
Mushroom truffles imported from Italy. Not as good as the chocolate truffles of course, but not bad!:)
Tasting world champion white sharpe cheddar cheese with a fig and wine from Greece. I feel so ritzy! Haha.
No caption necessary.
Holy cannoli! Look at the size of this stuffed cannoli from Rito's Italian Bakery (they did our marriage validation cake a few years ago)!
I hope the Fabulous Food Show comes back again next year. It was totally worth the ticket price and even the 2 weeks it will take me to burn the calories off! :)
We had a fun project night tonight. Simple and with a message (and no loose glitter)...my kind of craft!:) Thanksgiving is less than two weeks away and things have been so busy that I know it will come and go and seem like a blur. I don't want that. I want to adequately prepare our hearts for the celebration and try to grasp just a fraction of the infinite blessings we've been given. In addition, we found out that Grammie and Poppa will be coming for the big day! Nothing is better than having a house full of family to feed and then filling the living room with napping bodies afterwards. Lol. So together we made "The Thanks Tank" (good job boys for creating the title)! Haha. The goal is to be thinking about our blessings over the next two weeks and write one down whenever we pass by the thanks tank. Thanksgiving Day we will break them out and read them, which should be interesting since Garrett already said "a cell phone". Nice. Here are some pictures of the finished product!
We're off to a good start. We may end up needing to jump to a bigger size...let's hope so!:)
I also ran across some great ideas on this Facebook page. I like the "step 3" suggestion where you pray for someone you are thankful for each day of your countdown. From family members, to church, neighbors, to health...she offers some great ideas!
Right now I am grateful for sleep. I better go take advantage of that blessing!:)
Tonight we have a date with PBS. At 9pm (according to our local listings) they will air the documentary "The Way We Get By". It is a perfect Veteran's Day tribute and a beautiful story of those who actively honor our military. Here is a description of the film: " Beginning as a seemingly idiosyncratic story about troop greeters - a group of senior citizens who gather daily at a small airport to thank American soldiers departing and returning from Iraq, the film quickly turns into a moving, unsettling and compassionate story about aging, loneliness, war and mortality.
When its three subjects aren't at the airport, they wrestle with their own problems: failing health, depression, mounting debt. Seeking out the telling detail rather than offering sweeping generalizations, the film carefully builds stories of heartbreak and redemption, reminding us how our culture casts our elders, and too often our soldiers, aside. More important, regardless of your politics, "The Way We Get By" celebrates three unsung heroes who share their love with strangers who need and deserve it."
I normally try not to make TV recommendations because usually when I do it comes back to bite me! LOL. Still, even though I haven't seen this yet, I think it's safe to say that this is a good pick. God bless our Service men and women and THANK YOU your courage; to willingly volunteer to sacrifice yourself to ensure our freedom.
Today is "UP" day! Thanks for the comment about the DVD: "Check out Walmart - appears to be $6 cheaper!" I swung by the store at 4:20 this morning; that is a nice perk of doing a morning show, no one is out at 4:00 if I need to hit the store.:) The Target ad included a "wilderness journal" as a bonus which Wal-Mart did not have. That one will be a bit more, but the basic DVD at Wal-Mart is $14.97.
On a totally different note, I just have to link up this video. The headline says: "Girl Gets Flu Shot and Now Can Only Walk Backwards". I thought it was a joke at first...what a bizarre headline. Then I started watching it and felt awful, what a sad story! I am sure the odds of this happening are one-in-a-million (or more) but I just have to post because it's so interesting. Click here for the video.
This is a good week for Pixar pics in our house. First, "Up" comes out on DVD tomorrow (Tuesday) and we are making a bee line to Target for the bonus bundle! We saw the movie twice at the dollar theater and it is one of my favorite's. Oh yeah...and the kids liked it too!:) I can't say enough about it. We laughed and cried...all in the first 15 minutes!:) It is such a fantastic film and once again proves that Pixar hits the mark. It's hard to choose their top film but for our family, it is probably Toy Story. Next June, Toy Story 3 will be released and I just ran across the trailer today. Check it out:
Hopefully Garrett won't outgrow his Woody costume by then, I have a feeling he'll want to go to the theater in character!:) LOL.
November is here and over the weekend I was excited to see the Christmas items up at Target! Oh happy day! This weekend Jim is going to do his daring roof-walk of danger and put the lights up before it gets too cold. We are also getting some wood to make a stable for our outdoor nativity scene. Gabe is so excited to hammer something and participate in a manly project!:) Lol. I know it's early but....early shmurly. Considering how fast time flies, I am more than happy to try and lengthen the season as much as possible. I think one of the best parts is the Christmas music. I have always loved Christmas music (who doesn't) but working at the Fish this time of year offers a unique opportunity to hear every imaginable arrangement as we cherry pick the best sounds of the season for airplay. I thought I would post a few personal and family favorites since I will be breaking them out SOON!:)
The Nativity Story: Sacred Songs. I love the depth of spirituality in these songs. If you are looking for a strictly traditional, familiar album this might not be for you. I do think this album is for someone who wants to truly meditate on that time. The songs are of a great, contemplative nature (I love Labor of Love for example). This is one to have on with a cup of hot chocolate and picture of the Holy Family on a quiet morning.:)
Faith Hill: Joy to the World. I raved about this last year and I CAN'T WAIT to break it out again right away! This has all of your traditional favorites and vocally, Faith has never sounded better. Our family loves the Little Drummer Boy arrangements and the old-fashioned feel of this entire CD.
Casting Crowns: Peace on Earth. This is good but I will admit, I do skip past a few of the songs. I had to post a recommendation though because of the song "While You Were Sleeping". It had such a big impact on me and I am sure I'll post the You Tube video of it again this year! Lol. Powerful.
There are so many wonderful Christmas albums out there and Target usually has a sale at the start of the season so be sure to snag them while you can!:) It's also nice to have iTunes, and because of that we also have a bunch of compilation cd's too (you can't beat Martina's Oh Holy Night and Celine Dion's powerhouse pipes!):) It really IS the most wonderful time of the year and I can't wait!:)
Sunday was the final day of "40 Days for Life". Hundreds of thousands of people all over the country praying for an end to abortion. I was able to participate a few weeks ago. A friend and I stood outside of our local Planned Parenthood and held signs and fielded numerous "thumb's up" and honks of support. I just logged on to do show prep and saw the headline: "Planned Parenthood Leader Resigns after Seeing Video of Abortion Procedure". Could this be the fruit of all the faithful prayer warriors? I believe so!! Keep it coming, millions of unborn babies are counting on YOU to be their voice!
Just wanted to give you an update about an earlier post regarding this book:
I ordered "Once a Month Cooking" with he intention of saving time and money on our family meals. I blogged about it a few weeks ago and it's supposed to be the "ultimate do-ahead dinnertime method". I am happy to report....we tried it! We opted for the two week cycle, which is 14 meals as opposed to the full 30-meal undertaking. Boy I am glad we did! I highly recommend starting slow if you do it. The good thing is, while we have 14 meals, I know they will last at least 3 weeks if not more. They feed between 6 and 8 (one of them feeds between 16-20)! Considering our boys don't consume that much (and it's usually under the threat of punishment) Lol, I think we will have meals for miles! I was grateful that Jim was excited to try it because there is no way you can do it all solo. We went shopping on Saturday together and Sunday put the meals together. Here are a few pics from the process:
The prep process. Jim cutting, chopping, slicing and dicing.
Our first meal is ready to freeze! A yummy Southwestern Egg Casserole!
It smells GOOD in the kitchen! I am forcing myself not to think about the amount of dishes we will have to wash! Yikes.
All done! 4.5 hours later, 13 meals loaded in the freezer!
I will say, it was a lot of work but and it might not be for everyone but I'm glad we did it. We had a great time along the way. We laughed, discovered new ingredients (like mango chutney) and it was a great feeling to have a team-effort in the meal department. The groceries were super expensive so prepare to spend the bulk of your monthly budget on that shopping trip, but again...the payoff is there when it comes to saving time and expense later on. We have meals if we want to have dinner guests, give one to someone who could use it, or if there is a food shortage or disaster of some sort. Not to mention how much time it will save me and that is a blessing when you work full-time!:) I am excited to break out our first meal tonight, we are having "upside-down fettuccine bake". Delish!:)
