29 November - 6 December, 2009

"Cherish all your happy moments: they make a fine cushion for old age."
Booth Tarkington

I am late blogging this week because I spent too much time yesterday looking for a blog reference. UGH!



#1 I love Christmas crafts and advent calenders. (I think I only have 7 advents up so far this year, but I have a few more ideas.) Anyway, while bloghopping I found an easy and inexpensive advent. I found the numbered scrapbook paper at Heartfelt Creations scrapbook store. The numbered paper is made by Adornit. I used magnets to put it up on the fridge (see 1 1/2), took a picture, BUT CANNOT FIND THE BLOG I SAW IT ON. I spent a couple of hours yesterday checking all my favourites-with no luck. If you find it, please let me know where so I can give them credit. This is a copied idea. But cute:)
#1 1/2 My fridge makes me happy. (And all magnet boards). They are like my own personal billboards.


#2 Words make me happy. (Two of my favourite words are concierge and renegade. My favourite name to say is Mariska Hargitay. Weird, I know.) Another of my favourite words is JOY. I always hve it displayed somewhere in our home. It reminds me to try and remember that joy comes when I think first of Jesus, then Others and then Yourself. But, the thing that made me decide to write about words, is that for about the last month I have savoured the word, "Abundance". It is such a full and powerful word. It is so closely related to gratitude. It is in my heart this year especially.

#3 Lists make me happy. (Lists, clocks, calenders... Detail orientented?) I was (am) happy that I have an Amazing Thanksgiving Master List. Grocery lists, menus and recipes, Christmas prep... Thanksgiving is my favourite holiday. It opens the gratitude doors for the Holy Christmas season.


#4 AFB makes me happy, week after week. This was my very best week, yet! (I might even write an AFB booklet.) I used a white chocolate pudding (small box) and then divided my batch in half. Why? I love fruitcake, and no one else does. In my 1/2 I put about 2 cups of the glazed/candied fruit (from bulk area @ Winco) and some walnuts. It was SO good. My very favourite, so far. I loved it so much that I decided to post a picture. (I know, the colouring looks weird.)

In the other 1/2 of the batter I put 1 cup of pumpkin (Remember to really stir your pumpkin well before using it.) and a cup of dark chocolate chips. I put in 1/8 tea. pumpkin pie seasoning and 1/8 tea. cinnamon. Huge hit. Doug and Mark both think it is their favourite. (Atleast until next week;) Alas, because of all the holiday stuff going on, I let 1 of my starts go. Just not enough time to make it every 5 days.

#5 I think that I have created the soup recipe I have been working on. Mark even called me while I was Christmas shopping to tell me how good it was. I really did not have time to sit and have a bowl, but I think this is it. (I have been trying to create a chicken pot pie/creamy herb chicken soup similar to what Sweet Tomatoes serves in November and December.)

#6 Book Club makes me happy. It makes me stop everything-and relax. It is a treat to me. And I so enjoy the women in the book club. They are good examples to me.
"There is more treasure in books, than in all the pirate's loot on Treasure Island." Walt Disney :-D (Happy Birthday, Walt.)

#7 I am always happy to hear "Silver Bells". (For that matter, "Little Drummer Boy, too. Those are "my" songs, and I get a point each time I hear 1 of them.) "Silver Bells" is THE Christmas song of my childhood. From Kindergarten to 3rd grade I lived in Antigo, Wisconsin. Christmas time was cold. (So cold that often cars would not start. And extra cold with the windchill factor.) Although I did not walk 5 miles to school, up hill both ways, there were no carpools in those days. I would walk to school (probably about 2-4 blocks) singing this song at the top of my lungs. Why? (Well for one thing I am always singing.) Because I lived on main street in a small town in the mid 60s. We had lights strung across the streets and lamp posts decorated. The whole small town look. It was the scene of all the old (and wonderful ) Christmas movies. It was wonderful. The stuff of great memories. I still sing out when "Silver Bells" starts. And I go back.


(Journal memory- I often walked to school with Mick, the mailman-just to the corner when I would turn. He must have really been a kind man to listen to the chatter of a 5 year old. In those days we could not wear pants to school, so in the winter we wore stretch pants under our dresses and took them off in the coat room. One cold winter day I walked thru the very deep snow in the front yards on my way home. About 3 houses from home, the snow sucked off my boot. I looked for a bit, but it was too cold. So I walked home-shoeless and bootless. We found them in the spring. Too late. It is funny how clearly I can see my house and school and town (Mr. Winter's Market, Red Owl Supermarket and my beloved library) , but when I tried to google earth it, it looked so different. Except for the library which is now the county building.

#8 I am a bit sad that I will be released from the nursery soon. But, it will be nice to not have all the stuff in our closet. I am getting somethings ready to be passed on, and somethings back in the correct file. I am happy to get my closet back.

#9 I am happy (read very thankful) that some of my neighbors have snow blowers-and do my shoveling sometimes. Snow. So pretty, but stressful when people are out driving.

#10 I loved the Tabernacle Choir music during the LDS First Presidency Christmas Devotional on Sunday. It made me really happy that we have tickets to the Tabernacle Choir Christmas Concert. I love Christmas music. I love Christmas.
















As soon as I have 1o followers I will have a drawing for this "K & C Company Paper Ornaments " book. It is illustrated by Brenda Walton and hass 88 ornaments. At least that is what the cover says. I am makeing a set for my family room tree and have finished about 15 so far. They can also be gift toopers. (Don't worry. Even though my kidults are followers, they are not eligable to win :*)