Saturday, December 18, 2010

Randomness


1.  I'm waiting for my kids to clean their rooms so we can decorate our Gingerbread House.

2.  I have Italian Polenta cookies in the oven - new recipe - they smell Amazing!

3.  I LOVE holiday baking!

4.  We made the dough for these Chocolate-Black Pepper cookies from Martha Stewart.  They'll be going in the oven soon!  Can't wait to try them!

5.  Obviously, I use the Martha Stewart Cookies book for my holiday baking.  I LOVE it.  I completely recommend this book!

6.  We are going to our neighbor's annual Christmas party this evening!  I can't wait!

7.  I am all done shopping...but the girls keep adding to their lists.

8.  Last night, I met some homeschool moms for a little holiday treat for ourselves - dinner at The Melting Pot - it was sooooo good and fun!  We got one of those round booth banquet tables, all tucked away...lots of fun and laughter!  I ate Waaaaaay too much, but I am so thankful for my new friends.  And, plus, moms deserve a little time away, time for themselves this time of year.

9.  Tomorrow the girls are singing in the choir for Lessons & Carols at our church.  Then we have the holiday potluck at church.  

10.  We wanted to go to the city to see the tree and windows and things, but we are so busy and it's soooo cold - unseasonably cold, like below freezing cold.  We live less than 40 minutes from Manhattan, so maybe we'll make a spur of the moment trip if there is a warm day in the next couple of weeks.  

11.  I spent a small fortune at lucy, after reading about it on The Frat Pack + Me.  It's a good thing too, because after the way I've been eating, I need to work out!!

12.  Did you know this?  So cool, right?  It's my new thing to do!  Email alerts when my favorite bloggers post!  How cool is that???  Now I need only check one place!  Instead of Reader and/or my blog and/or my Dashboard and I'll never miss a post because I got busy!


13. I discovered two new authors that I LOVE!  If you've been around, you know that I LOVE to read.  Lisa Unger and Maddie Dawson.  Excellent writers with great voices.

14.  I just finished One Hit Wonder by Charlie Carillo.  If you grew up in New York or New Jersey in the 1980s you seriously MUST read this book.  MUST.  It is about the people and the places, a way of life that I knew so well.  Loved this book.

15.  I think we are having a New Year's Eve party.  We invited our homeschooling neighbor.  They said great!  Then I was talking to a friend and asked what they were doing.  Now they are coming too.  Then I was talking to another friend who is considering homeschooling, so I asked them to come...I'm excited. I enjoy entertaining!!  I think all of these people will get along great and it will be fun!!

16.  I read this blog post Brave Girls Club: Seeing Past What It Seems.  I would like to encourage you all to read this.  It's about looking past what someone's life appears like on the outside.  It's about being there for each other, being patient with strangers, being kind and accepting, not judging.  
I've had people in my life whose lives were falling apart, but they could not or would not talk about it.  It was so frustrating, because I wanted to be there for them.  But they wouldn't let me.  Instead, they made their problems about others or completely ignored them or painted a picture of the perfect life.  
Let's all try to be honest about what is going on with our own lives.  There is no reason to hide.  We all have problems.  Maybe if we can tear down our own facade, not try to put on such a brave, contented, my- life- is- so- perfect face, if we can admit our problems and faults, then maybe we can all be there for each other.  And remember, next time we see someone or something that doesn't seem right, to look a little deeper, to be kind and patient and
 not judge.