A Quiet Christmas

This was my first Christmas away from home, family and my dearest friends.  It was different.  I've never had a quiet Christmas before.  Mav has but I've always been the "off to grandmother's house we go" kind of girl.  Yeah, I was totally singing that song...

About 75% of me was excited to stay home.  I didn't have to worry about outrageous plane fares.  I didn't have to weigh my luggage a million times to make sure it was under 50 pounds.  No plane rides with a two year old!!  We didn't have to ask someone to drive us to the airport or to grab our mail.  I didn't have to try to fit everyone and everything into the short two week stay.  We didn't have to drag our two-year-old from one grandma's house to another in addition to two great grandmothers' houses.  Can you see why I was kind of excited to stay put this holiday season?  Stress free! 

Now.  What about the other 25% of me?  It misses home.  It misses our families.  It missed going to my grandma's house.  It missed feeding my horses their extra special treats on Christmas morning.  It missed the eggs and cheese casserole my dad makes every year.  It misses playing cards with my brothers.  It misses our friends.  It missed the snow.

I'm very appreciative of our quiet Christmas though.  I learned something from it.  During the quiet day, Mav and I both commented on how much we missed our families.  Oh.  How we missed them.  Christmas isn't about the gifts under the tree but rather it's about those who are around the tree with you.

In the Spirit of Christmas

My Christmas Treat to You

Hello friends! 

If you were my neighbor, this is what I would give you for a Christmas treat: Peppermint Popcorn. 
I assure you it is a yummy treat.  If you're not a fan of peppermint, don't let the name throw you off.  It really is a good treat and it's just the right combination peppermint, popcorn and white chocolate. 

Since I'm not your neighbor, I'm sharing my recipe treat with you.  Give it a try.

2 bags of popcorn, popped.  Try not to use a buttered up popcorn, it doesn't look as pretty with the bright yellow.  Slightly buttered is okay.  But whatever you have will work fine too. 
1 lbs Vanilla Almond Bark, melted.  Follow the directions on the package to melt it. 
6 oz package of candy canes, crushed.  Bob's are the best!! 

Pop the popcorn and put it in a big bowl.  Melt the chocolate and pour it over the popcorn.  Dump the candy canes on the chocolate and popcorn.  Mix it up.  When it's mixed good, put it on a cookie sheet to cool.  You can melt some chocolate and drizzle it over it to make it look real pretty.  Tadah!  Wonderful, beautiful, tasty and festive treat. 

Merry Christmas, y'all!!

A Good Break

I'm done!  Insert a huge sigh of relief here.  Awww....

Another semester of school is under my belt. 

Wait!  Didn't you know I was enrolled in classes?  Probably not.  But it's true.  Not only am I a busy wife and mamma, I'm a student too.  We do a lot of homework around our house.  Squeaks included.  While Mav and I are reading, Squeaks will find her own book to study.  Education is pretty darn important in our home.

I'm a sophomore.  I'm working on my generals.  This time next year I'll have my associates.  Finally!!  While Mav was working on his undergrad work, I worked.  Someone had to pay the bills.  I took classes here and there.  Once I had Squeaks, I decided it was time to go back to school.  My goal is to get my associates for now.  One day, I want to get my degree in agricultural communications.  I might have to settle on just a communications degree depending on where we settle down though. 

So, what my plans for the next four weeks?  I'm going to do whatever I want!!  Squeaks and I are going to play, a lot.  I hate to admit it but she's been watching an average of two movies a day for the past couple weeks.  But we're going to play!  I'm going to plan a girls night and watch White Christmas, maybe do some fondu.  I'm going to get my hair cut.  Mav is going to take me on a date, sometime.  I'm going to go shopping.  My house will be spotless picked up. 

I'll tell you one thing I will do, savor this special time off over the most wonderful time of the year.  It's going to be a good break.  

A Good Crowd

We had an awesome Thanksgiving.  I hosted.  I'm amazed at how good my turkey tasted.  I'd never done a turkey until this year.  We had a total of 10 adults, 6 kids and 3 newborns at our house for dinner.  For dessert, we had two more adults, three more kids and another newborn join us.  Our house was full!  I love a good crowd. 

To me, that's what holidays are all about; having a good crowd around me.  It doesn't matter if it's family, friends or strangers.  My dad taught me this, everyone should have somewhere to go for the holidays.  Everyone.  He told me the story of my Uncle Byron.  He came to Thanksgiving dinner with a friend named John.  No one had met John before.  Someone asked Uncle Byron where John was from and how he knew him.  Uncle Byron looked up from his plate, "I don't know him from Adam.  I picked him up from the side of the road.  I just thought he'd like a good meal."

I've heard this saying time and time again, "Strangers are just friends waiting to happen."  I'm not sure if Uncle Byron and John are friends today.  But for a moment John's belly was full and I'm sure Uncle Byron made an impact on John's life. 

I'm at the perfect stage in my life to meet some strangers and turn them into great friends.  And this Thanksgiving season, I'm so grateful for the opportunity to do so.