O Little Town of Bethlehem

Last night we had plans to meet my sister and brother-in-law for dinner and afterwards go to one of those drive through Christmas light displays near their home. Originally it was going to be just the four of us, but then Daughter2 decided to join the party and my niece said she'd come too, which we were happy about because it's not often we all have dinner together, but it did mean we'd need two cars.

The drive-through light experience was not cheap. In fact it was the opposite of cheap, but it was one of those things I got in my head I wanted to do, and hubs didn't actually know how much it cost until we were already en route, so yeah. Christmas lights set to music. I needed to see them. 

We had dinner at a favorite little barbecue place, then climbed in the cars to drive about a mile down the road to the park entrance. Hubs and I didn't know where we were going, but my niece assured us it was 'just up the street on the left.' We said we'd follow them, but then were separated at a traffic light. We figured how hard can it be? I mean it's just up the street, right? 

So we carried on down the road and soon came to a ridiculously long line of traffic snaked around some cones. Hubs reluctantly joined the queue, but not without a lot of sighing first. We proceeded to wait and I texted my sister in her car to see how far ahead of us they were. She tells me they didn't get in that line because she didn't realize you could enter the park there. Hmmm... She thought the entrance was further up the road....hmmmm. She said they'd driven on and were now near another long line of traffic. Oh, and she said they could see Christmas lights. Lots of lights. 

We couldn't actually see any lights which should have been a clue, but I thought since they were making us pay maybe they were set up a good ways back from the road at our entrance. I suggested to hubs maybe we should go on down to where my sis was, but he said he wasn't getting out of line now. 

Let's just say he was not feeling the Christmas spirit.  

So we sat and sat some more and every now and then would inch forward. About 20 minutes into the inching forward we pulled up beside a small sign stuck in the grass that said 'Journey to Bethlehem' (Insert arrow here). Are we in the right line???

We inched forward a bit more and saw another sign pointing the way to Bethlehem, so I repeated my concern that we were possibly maybe not in line for a Christmas light show to which hubs replied, 'Whatever we're in line for is what we're gonna see because I'm not getting out of line now.'

Alrighty then.  

Another few feet, another sign, this one saying turn off your headlights as you enter. I can finally make out the outline of a building and realize we really are about to 'journey to Bethlehem'. The local Methodist church's portrayal of it anyway. We were entering a church's living nativity. Sure enough hubs rolled down the window and a woman clad in costume leaned a little too far into our car and said SHALOM! 

I know it's not supposed to be funny, but y'all it was funny. Hubs did not immediately see the humor, but I pointed out this was going to be one of those stories that we'll see as funny someday in the future. We'll say, 'hey remember that time we sat in line for 45 minutes to see a light show and it turned out to be a church's living nativity?' 

And you know what? Sometimes when you think you need to see a Christmas light display set to music, you discover what you really needed was a quiet car ride through Bethlehem. 

We eventually did make it to the light show. We sat in another ridiculously long line because why not? The light show was just okay. We found the humor because we always do, and hubs said everything about it was what Christmas isn't which might be overstating it, but he's right. It pales in comparison to Bethlehem. 

Most things do. 

Stories From The Hodgepodge

Welcome to the Wednesday Hodgepodge! So glad you took a break from the wrapping and the shopping and the decorating to join us here today. If you've answered the questions, add your link at the end of my post. Be sure to spread some holiday cheer by leaving a comment for the blogger who linked before you. Here we go-

1. Many families have a story they love to tell every year around a holiday. Does your family have one? Are you the star of that story, or does another family member take center stage. Share your story if you want.

Well it wouldn't be Christmas without someone mentioning how my mom used to shop early, hide the gift (in case someone broke in), then not be able to remember where she stashed it when it came time for wrapping.  We also love to remember my Dad on Christmas and the way he used a letter opener to unwrap his gifts so he could re-roll the wrapping paper to use again later. Or the year my little sister got a 'Larry the Lion' stuffed animal, the kind where you pulled a string and it talked, and when she saw it exclaimed, 'That's it! That's just what I wanted!' 

Not big stories, but little slices of family life and growing up that make us all smile. 

When it comes to my own girls, we pretty much tell the story every year of when Daughter2 was a tiny tot and convinced my sister to let her have THREE of my mom's homemade chocolate dipped buttercreams in a span of about five minutes (after bedtime, mind you!). In case you can't picture it imagine a two year old chugging fourteen energy drinks in thirty seconds. Yeah. It was kind of like that. Daughter2 spent the night jumping on the bed (literally) between hubs and I while we tried to sleep. When I asked my sister why in the world she let her have three she said, 'Because she asked.' Aunts. Bless 'em.

In my sister's defense, this one was awfully hard to resist.   

2. Are you afraid to speak your own opinion?

Well, yes and no. A lot depends on the audience and the setting. And I guess I'm not so much afraid as I am hesitant. 

3. Pantone has announced the color of the year for 2016, and for the first time have chosen two shades-rose quartz and serenity. Hmmm...did you know serenity was a color? You can read the thought behind their selection here, but essentially it's blending the warmth of rose quartz with the tranquility of a very soft shade of blue. So what do you think? Are these colors I'd find in your home or wardrobe? Will you add something in these shades to either place in the new year?

I don't think I'd add those colors to my wardrobe, unless it was maybe in the form of a scarf or accessory. I tend to prefer deeper tones with my complexion. I use richer tones in my home too, but do like the soft blue in a master bedroom or bath. 

And I like serenity. I'm a fan of serenity. 

4. If you could be in a Christmas carol, which one would you choose? Why?

A tough question, but I'm going with one of my favorites, O Come All Ye Faithful because this-

'Sing choir of angels, sing in exultation, oh sing all ye citizens of heaven above...' 

I'd surely love to hear that choir. 

5. December 9th is National Pastry Day. Will you celebrate? When did you last purchase something from a bakery? What's your favorite treat that falls under the heading of pastry? Do you make it yourself or buy from the professionals?

I don't think I'll be celebrating. I try to stay out of bakeries. The last treat I had from a bakery was a slice of my delicious birthday cake. Hubs always gets me a chocolate cake with raspberry filling, topped with a chocolate ganache. This year he ordered from the baker who made Daughter1's wedding cake and it was heavenly. 

My favorite pastry is apple strudel, preferably baked by the professionals and eaten in Germany or Austria, with snow capped mountains for a backdrop. 

6. When it comes to holiday decorating_____________________________.

I love to see the magazine worthy trees in photographs, but in my home I like to keep it simple and homemade. I prefer ornaments that have history and meaning, decorations that tell a story or remind me of a place I've lived or traveled. 

7. When did you last laugh so much it hurt? Explain.

That's an easy one....it was November 14th. How's that for specific? 

I know the date because hubs and I spent that weekend with three couples we know from college, and sitting around the dinner table Saturday evening we laughed until our sides hurt. One member of this crew is particularly quick witted and he had us all in stitches. 

8.  Insert your own random thought here.

Anybody else busy today? Wow, December kind of snuck up on me this year. Last year too come to think of it. I guess that's how December rolls in the 21st century. 

I'm sharing this beautiful Christmas song in the random today, one I have on repeat this time of year. Happy Wednesday everyone!

Hodgepodge Questions-Volume 247

Here are the questions to this week's Wednesday Hodgepodge. Answer on your own blog, then skate back here tomorrow and share answers with the universe. 

1.  Many families have a story they love to tell every year around a holiday. Does your family have one? Are you the star of that story, or does another family member take center stage? Share your story if you want.

2. Are you afraid to speak your own opinion?

3. Pantone has announced the color of the year for 2016, and for the first time have chosen two shades-rose quartz and serenity. Hmmm...did you know serenity was a color? You can read the thought behind their selection here, but essentially it's blending the warmth of rose quartz with the tranquility of a very soft shade of blue. So what do you think? Are these colors I'd find in your home or wardrobe? Will you add something in these shades to either place in the new year?

4. If you could be in a Christmas carol, which one would you choose? Why?

5. December 9th is National Pastry Day. Will you celebrate? When did you last purchase something from a bakery? What's your favorite treat that falls under the heading of pastry? Do you make it yourself or buy from the professionals?

6. When it comes to holiday decorating_____________________________.

7. When did you last laugh so much it hurt? Explain.

8.  Insert your own random thought here.

December Happenings

I'm always a little surprised to log into my blog and discover it's been a whole week since I wrote anything. Oh I've written plenty in my head...does that count? In my defense I'm distracted by a little homemade gift I'm putting together, one that requires many man hours, and by the time I pack it up so we can eat dinner I don't feel much like blogging.

I prefer to blog first thing in the morning, but we're on some kind of crazy schedule here lately where we're staying up too late, and then sleeping later than I'm used to, so my day starts later and I'm just off. I blame retirement.

So how about an update?

The house: Still not built-ha! But 'stuff' is happening and you can tell it will be an actual fully formed house eventually. I'm going to go ahead and tell you I'm not that interested in cement pouring-waterproofing-backfilling talk, other than to note it's all 'stuff' that's gotta happen before framing can occur. Hubs is all over the above mentioned 'stuff' and I'm glad, because I feel like someone needs to be, and if he weren't retired that someone would have to be me. Yay hubs!

He goes out to the lot several times a week and while he's out I set up my home made Christmas project on the dining/kitchen/everything table and spend those hours crafting. Win-win. Except I should have started this project earlier. ahem.

Christmas Decorating: I'm walking a fine line when it comes to decorating here. We sent all of our Christmas decorations to storage and don't really want to spend money buying a lot of new things, yet we need a little something to make it feel festive. Most of our Christmas decorations hold some sentimental meaning and I'm not really one to go out and buy something for the sake of buying something.

Except I had to buy something, because a bare tree is no good.

We bought an inexpensive tree, which meant it needed a little zhuzzing. I filled in the gaps with ribbon and settled on two boxes of pretty ornaments and a couple strands of red and gold beads. This was my first time trying the ribbon wrap, and I really like the way it turned out.

Hubs put a string of colored lights on our balcony railing and I think we can we all agree colored lights make the world a happier place. Also, the sky here puts on a light show of it's own, so there's that.

Somehow I ended up with my advent wreath here, but the candles didn't make it so I've ordered those online and they should be here this week. I bought a candle arrangement for the table too, because it needed something, and also a cute box to hold our Christmas cards since there's not an obvious place to hang them like I normally do.

The living space in our apartment isn't large, so I have to be careful not to overdo. It would be easy to make this place feel like a shop, but so far I'm exercising restraint, reminding myself we still have to get people in here.

My people: In an unexpected happy twist, the newlyweds get to come 'home' for Christmas. If you knew my son-in-law's work schedule you'd understand what a treat this is, and to say we're all just a little bit excited would be a huge understatement. I haven't seen my Daughter1 since May. MAY! I told hubs that just won't do. I would have made a trip out this fall but it's been such a crazy year, and with our two moves and getting the house underway, I just didn't feel like I could squeeze another trip into the calendar. That won't happen next year. I need face time and I'm not talking about the techie kind, although I'm certainly grateful for that.

Daughter2 is so happy knowing she'll have a whole week to hang out with her sister, to open Christmas Eve pj's sitting side by side like they've done every year since they could walk, to sip cocoa and eat candy canes and clementines and pose for a photo on the steps (yes girls...it might be the steps leading up to the apartment, but we will get that step picture!), and to just be together as a family. A family that's grown in the last year in a most wonderful way.

Advent: I absolutely love Ann Voskamp's Advent reading plan The Greatest Gift, and have followed that for the past two years. If you've never read it I highly recommend. She has a way of speaking right to the heart. This year we thought it might be nice to change it up a little, and Daughter2 suggested we read the Advent workbook put out by She Reads Truth. I find I have to do a little more digging on my own with this one, but I love that my girls and I are all in it together.

Well, separately but then we have a google talk conference thingamajig to discuss. We can see each other's faces and that's almost as good as being in the same room. Almost. Anyway the book is lovely and I like the way they're tying the Old Testament in with the New. The devotionals are online via their website (www.shereadstruth.com) if you're looking for a December reading plan. As a side note I am a huge fan of their phone wallpapers which you can download free on their app.

And as it turns out I have a few more things to say, but I feel like this is getting long so I'll save the rest for another time. Plus, there's still that project that won't complete itself, and now there's dinner to be made. There is always dinner to be made.

I hope your December is merry and bright!

Good Grief It's The Hodgepodge

Welcome to December and another edition of the weekly Wednesday Hodgepodge. So glad you've joined in here today! If you've answered the questions in this week's random add your link at the end of my post. And be sure to spread some Christmas cheer by leaving a comment for the blogger linking before you. Here we go-

1. Did you watch The Charlie Brown Christmas special Monday night? Who's your favorite Peanuts character and why?

"Most psychiatrists agree that sitting in a pumpkin patch is excellent therapy for a troubled mind."~Linus

Would you agree?

We did watch the special. Charles Schultz was such a talented man and his simple message at Christmas is timeless. I love that the gospel of Luke is read aloud in the middle of a Charlie Brown Christmas. My favorite character is Sally with Linus running a close second. 

Would I agree with the wisdom of Linus? Yes. When the mind is troubled or weighed down with worry  seeking out a quiet corner in nature is therapeutic. Sitting somewhere in the great outdoors helps me put life in perspective. 

2. Describe a sound from your childhood. What does this sound bring to mind?

Quite a few things came to mind when I wrote this question, but I'll go with the first thing that popped into my head. The sound of a lawn mower on a Saturday morning. When I wake up and hear a lawn mower on a Saturday morning I'm momentarily carried back to my childhood. 

My dad mowed the grass every Saturday morning. Eventually my brother took over the task, but the sound makes me think of my dad. I can see him still, in his work-outside-trousers and white t-shirt, pushing the mower at a precise angle across the grass. The sky is always blue in this scene, and the air warm, but not too warm. 

Mowing the grass is what everyone did on Saturday mornings way back when. There was a comfortable sameness to the routine of suburbia in 1960-something, and the sound of a mower on a Saturday morning can still wrap me up for a brief minute in that safe place called childhood. 

3. You've won a trip to a winter wonderland...would that excite you? Which one of the following would you most want to experience (or which one would you dislike the least)-see the Aurora Borealis in Norway, stay in Sweden's Ice Hotel, go dogsledding in Lapland Finland, take a winter wildlife safari in Yellowstone or celebrate Winter Carnival in Quebec.

I won a trip-whoohoo! Yes I'd be excited, and if you make me choose I'll say the Aurora Borealis in Norway. The Northern Lights are on my bucket list. Really they all sound like locations I'd enjoy, with the exception of the Ice Hotel. I do know people who've done the Ice Hotel and it gets mixed reviews. I think it might be one of those things you do just to say you did it, but I don't know if I'd actually enjoy that one. The others are all destinations I think would be fun. 

4. Who or what keeps you humble?

Isn't that why we get married? To stay humble? My hubs keeps me in check-ha!

5. What part of preparing for Christmas do you like the most? Explain.

I really enjoy choosing our card every year. I don't mind addressing them either, and I love checking the mailbox during the month of December. I'm glad everyone hasn't gone the email route. There's something special about 'real' mail, and I think Christmas is an occasion that calls for real mail. Are you sending cards this year? 

6. Gingerbread-yay or nay? Is making a gingerbread house part of your family holiday tradition?

It's okay. It's not my favorite holiday flavor, but if you set a plate of gingerbread cookies in front of me I won't turn up my nose. We made faux gingerbread houses when the girls were young. 

Technically they were graham cracker houses, but still fun and messy and everyone overdosed on too much sugar in the creating. Good times! 

c. 2009

We kept it going into their college years, and for the record... 

c. 2009

...my girls never outgrew the seriousness with which they approached construction. 

7. What's one thing you want to start, do, or complete before the calendar rolls into a new year?

I have a homemade Christmas gift I'm putting together and I do hope I don't drop the ball there. I quite often drop the ball when it comes to creative projects. It's not that I don't have good intentions, it's more like my crafty daydreams don't exactly match up with my crafty ability. ahem.  I'll keep you posted. 

8. Insert your own random thought here.

My daughter2 shared this recipe with me and it's a keeper. 

One Pan Autumn Chicken Dinner

Simple, healthy, pretty, and delicious. You're welcome.

Hodgepodge Questions-Volume 246

Can you believe it's December? It's also time for another round of Hodgepodging, Volume 246 to be exact. Answer the questions on your blog then hop back here tomorrow to share answers with all your friends and neighbors.

1. Did you watch The Charlie Brown Christmas special Monday night? Who's your favorite Peanuts character and why?

"Most psychiatrists agree that sitting in a pumpkin patch is excellent therapy for a troubled mind."~Linus  

Would you agree? 

2. Describe a sound from your childhood. What does this sound bring to mind? 

3. You've won a trip to a winter wonderland...would that excite you? Which one of the following would you most want to experience (or which one would you dislike the least)-see the Aurora Borealis in Norway, stay in Sweden's Ice Hotel, go dogsledding in Lapland Finland, take a winter wildlife safari in Yellowstone or celebrate Winter Carnival in Quebec? 

4. Who or what keeps you humble? 

5. What part of preparing for Christmas do you like the most? Explain. 

6. Gingerbread-yay or nay? Is making a gingerbread house part of your family holiday tradition?

7. What's one thing you want to start, do, or complete before the calendar rolls into a new year? 

8.  Insert your own random thought here. 

Thanksgiving

I know everyone is now in full on Christmas mode, but I'm still stuck on Thanksgiving. We did buy a tree for the apartment today, but haven't done any decorating. I've ordered cards but they're not in yet, and I've done very little shopping so Thanksgiving it is. 

I'm not one of those people who can skip the holidays just because we're living an in-between sort of season right now. I want twinkle lights and cinnamon candles and I don't want turkey dinner in a restaurant. I'm not knocking that if it's your tradition, and if I need to have dinner in a restaurant to accomodate someone's travel or family situation, then sure I will do it, happily I might add. But that's not our tradition and holidays are a time my heart longs for the memory of childhood and the little things that mark the holidays as our own. 

As you get older, or more specifically as your children get older, you have to adjust the picture you have in your head of how a holiday will actually look in real life. I get that, and I do keep my mind and heart focused on what's most important. That doesn't mean I won't try to have at least a smidgen of the traditions our families have enjoyed year after year as part of any new celebrations we embrace. It's going to require some creativity this Christmas, but I'm working on it. 

Today though it's November, and November is a month set aside for counting our blessings and giving thanks so let's talk turkey. 

Daughter2 and her boyfriend have been dating for some time now, but we've never met his family in person. We've never been in the same state at the same time (it's us remember), so this was the year we decided to be intentional in changing that. His parents invited us to spend Thanksgiving with their family in the Buckeye State, and we were happy to accept. 

We drove up on Wednesday and enjoyed a casual dinner in their lovely home, followed by a whole weekend of lovely moments spent chatting, eating, and refreshing our ping pong skills. I used to have ping pong skills, but haven't played in such a long time and I'd forgotten how much I loved it. 

I always think of my brother when I play ping pong. He used to play me a game most nights after dinner and he always beat me, even when he very sweetly played right handed (he's a lefty). Those games have a page in the scrapbook I keep in my head. 

Also, I will go ahead and say what everyone is thinking. Yes my youngest looks like me. Exactly. If you saw a picture of me at her age you would swear it was her. Except I wasn't as fair haired back then. ahem. 

Our Thanksgiving meal was delicious and very similar to what I would have prepared if we'd been at home. This made me happy because I don't like anyone to mess too much with the Thanksgiving menu. There was lots of football watching and a little Foosball playing and the weather was phenomenal so there was even a picture perfect evening spent beside an outdoor fire. I didn't take a lot of pictures because this was our first time in their home, and I try not to be obnoxious with my camera until you know me better. 

Friday morning hubs and I met for coffee with friends from our Maryland days. These friends moved to Ohio right before we moved to England, but we've stayed in touch and Daughter2 and their Daughter1 are still great pals. We saw the mom and daughter in January at Daughter1's wedding, but there's not a lot of time for lengthy conversation at a wedding, so a coffee catch up was nice. Her hubs came too and we hadn't seen him in years, so that felt extra special. 

Daughter2 and her boyfriend picked us up from our coffee date and drove us downtown to meet his family for lunch. We dined in a restaurant overlooking the river with a really pretty view of the city. After lunch we spent a few hours wandering through the Newport Aquarium on the Ky side of the river. 

In case you can't tell Daughter2 loves the Aquarium. 

She's something of a shark aficionado, not sure where that came from, but from the time she was very small she's had a keen interest in sharks. She's full of all kinds of knowledge and shark trivia which honestly is not a bad thing for a third grade teacher to have on tap.  

In the Newport Aquarium you can touch a shark if you dare. You can also walk across the shark infested waters via a net bridge, which of course we did. 

I'm pretty sure that's not as dangerous as I made it sound.
She was in her happy place here.

Before we went back to the house for dinner we made an ice cream stop at Graeters. I hear if you're in the Cincinnati area you must try Graeters and y'all know I'm a rule follower. People from Cincy always go on and on about the ice cream here, and I must say it lived up to its reputation. I had peppermint stick which was completely scrumptious and felt really festive too.

Friday evening we hung out at the house, had pizza, watched more football, and just generally made ourselves at home. We had such wonderful hosts and we thoroughly enjoyed our weekend in their home.

We drove back to SC on Saturday with a brief planned stop in TN to say hello to hubs parents. Daughter2 rode back with us since her boyfriend had a couple more days in Ohio, and it felt a little bit like the old days roadtripping with one of our girls curled up in the backseat. We don't have kids in the backseat too often anymore. Sniff.

Of course there was one more must-try dish before we left town-the iconic Skyline chili. It's hard to describe if you've never tasted it, but basically its a chili-ish dish served over spaghetti or atop a small hotdog called a coney, topped with lots of cheese and onions if you want, or just a whole lotta cheese.

Skyline doesn't taste exactly like traditional chili nor does it taste exactly like traditional spaghetti sauce. It's somewhere in between and it's good!

We had an uneventful drive home and I feel ready now to welcome the season of Advent. While it seems like so many people have had Christmas up and running in their homes for several weeks now, we're just getting started. That's how I like my holidays-one at a time.

I hope your Thanksgiving was full of blessings too!