Memories

Kevin and Jeff ** 2004

Recently I was encouraged by a dear friend to start journaling memories of my son so that I could bind them all up and have them to give to his son, Kevin when he is older. I thot it a great thing for Kevin since he was only six when his daddy died. This morning I wrote the first one and I'd like to share it with you.

***

People love to hear my Jeff stories, of which there are many! Because you lost your father early in your sweet life I want to share some of his life with you, Kevin. I love you, Mimi

SUPERMAN

I think the funniest one is when he was about three years old. We all lived in our first home in Phoenix, Arizona. He had his own small bedroom…probably 9x9. It had two twin beds in it with a window in between with drapes…by the time you read this they probably will have stopped making these types of hardware for drapes, but they were these very sharp pointy deals about three to four inches long that fit into a pleat in the drape, spaced every few inches.

Your father was good about playing in his room by himself so it went unnoticed by me that it had been quite some time since I had seen or heard him while I was busy cleaning the house. At some point I decided to look in on him.

Upon opening the door I was faced with a room that was totally in chaos and undone, and I mean totally. The drapes were off the rod, the bedspreads, sheets and pillows on the floor and the mattresses askew! I literally backed out and closed the door to regain my composure. Having taken a deep breath I reopened the door and indignantly inquired of your father, “Just who do you think you are, turning this room upside down like this?” The proud answer: “Superman!” What could I do but laugh?!

I said, "Well I’m going to put the room back together, drapes and all and then I would like you, Superman, to show me how you managed to take the drapes off the window, if you don’t mind!"

Eventually (and it took a while) the room was back in place and I said, “Begin!” Needing no further encouragement, he got up onto one of the twin beds and started jumping, jumping, jumping…with each jump managing to get a bit higher in the air…at some point he flew across to the other bed but in the process, grabbed one of those pleats on the drapes and lifted it hardware and all!

He continued going back and forth until each and every piece of hardware was out of its slot and the drapes all on the floor. Quite satisfied with himself he said: “That’s how, Mommy!!!” with great enthusiasm for a task well performed.

All I could think is what I had thought so many times before…what child is this whose mind is so imaginative? and then, oh brother am I in for it!!!

-oOo-

Move outside

Move outside your present circumstances if this Christmas season is a melancholy one for you.

It is a difficult time of year for people who have lost loved ones or find themselves alone.

Try to concentrate on the blessings you do have like

shelter, food, a pet, an old friend or make a new one

by serving at the local rescue mission to those less fortunate.

You don't have to wait til Christmas Eve or Christmas Day

to extend yourself to people...

to bring a smile, a loving touch, a listening ear

or a secret santa gift.

Spend time with God in the Word.

Ask the Holy Spirit to minister unto you as you dwell together.
Peace will come.

Sing!

"A meaningful life will not be found in the next job or the nextcar.

The way you get meaning in your life is to devote yourself

to helping others and creating something that gives you purpose."

Morrie Schwartz in Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom

"In everything I showed you that by working hard in this manner

you must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus,

that He Himself said, 'It is more blessed to give than to receive."

Acts 20-35

Be blessed ** Be a blessing

Come on In!

WELCOME!

THE PORCH IS DONE AND DECORATIONS INSIDE TOO!

IT'S ALL SIMPLE!

MELISSA AT The Inspired Room

HAS EVERYONE POSTING THEIR DECORATIONS

DROP ON BY AND SEE HOW CREATIVE THEY ALL ARE!

A bit of potpourri. The apple-cinnamon smells so good. I put it in a low vase and plopped it into an old candy dish of my Mother's.










Amazing what a bit of free greenery from Home Depot can do!
Smells good too!







The Santas take the best seats!
















Joseph must have wandered off.....








This is my most favorite of all time decoration. This handblown glass set was a gift from my friend Patti. She brought it to me from Norway over eleven years ago.

EMMANUEL!

Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son,

and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.

Matthew 1:23

Noel, Noel

For some reason this photograph of my Christmas stocking would not load into my blog yesterday. I just wanted you all to see how darling it is! I should have stuffed it full of gifts for myself so it was all puffed out and easily readable...but you get the idea. Each time I see it I can't believe I hadn't ever lost it in 65 years. If you knew me well, you'd know I have misplaced or lost forever things of significance.

Noel, Noel

Noel, Noel

Born is the King of Israel

OK I DID IT!

I can't believe it! I actually took down my fall harvest decorations and put up Christmas. Now nicely packed away for the move are all the orange, browns and bronze colors and out comes the red, green and white making way for a shinier and brighter motif bringing forth the LIGHT of the World.

My favorite thing to unpack and hang is my Christmas Stocking. Its a knitted stocking in red, white and green stripes with my name knitted in there. It was a gift from my Godmother for my first Christmas ever! I am astounded that I haven't misplaced that all these long 65 years! Then a nativity set that was my mothers...Joseph got lost though.

I'm keeping it simple this year...no tree, no elaborate lights and just using what I have kept over the years (and I got rid of a ton of that while packing...off to Goodwill it went). I just saved some of my favorite things -- I think no more than 10. I did dress up the geese on the porch though..so cute.

I am learning simple. I am beginning to appreciate it so much. It's a much easier and peaceful way to live. As I've sorted though everything and I mean everything in the past couple of months, discarding the unnecssary, keeping only what I cherish or need, shredding til I'm shredding in my sleep all the papers of years gone by of my life and Jeff's, eating on a schedule, going to bed early and sleeping all night, becoming organized in all areas of my life I feel as though the weight of the world has been lifted off my shoulders.(And 40 lbs off my body) :)

Sure, the 'situations' still exist that cannot be reconciled quite yet, the lack of money, the tribulations of the world in just being alive in 2008 are extraordinary and yet I feel peace and joy, deep within. Thank you Christ Jesus. You came into the world in the most simple way. Let me learn from that.

"Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." (John 14:27 KJV)

But to His disciples He said, "My peace, I leave that with you; that is My legacy. My joy, I give that to you."

Black Friday

Nothing can get me out of bed at 4 am and certainly not to stand in line with a zillion other people looking for the bargains! ONCE I went to a sale at a furniture store..it was a great store, good merchandise, so I got there about 30 minutes before the store opened and waited in line. I was pretty close to the head of the line. The doors opened and people pushed from the back rushing you into the store. They were like madwomen rushing around. I tried to just walk over to the bedroom stuff because I had seen the ad for a nice headboard that was all curliecue and white wicker == just perfect for my young daughter. I touched it first, I really did...and a nanosecond after me another woman touched it...we just looked at each other...no one let go...I finally said in a nice quiet calm voice, "I believe I got here first." She said, "You did not!" Her LARGE HUGE HUSBAND said, "It's hers!" I said, "As you wish, I dont fight over a $13 headboard" and strolled off. As I left the store I decided that was my last rush for any deal at any store. Things have only gotten worse with this Black Friday situation. Stores opening earlier and earlier...why don't they just stay open all night?

I do like shopping on line = no lines, no rude employees, no pushy people and often free shipping! Today I found a wonderful 'deal' at Fitz and Floyd... fitzandfloyd.com ... 100 items on sale under $20. I found a perfect $30 canape plate for $5.99 and another for $6! If i had an extra $12 I would have bought them both! I also understand many online deals are better than what the stores are offering.

Tragically, today someone who worked at Wal-Mart in Long Island was trampled to death as 200 shoppers rushed in...four were injured....and people continued to push ahead and shop before that store was closed. Shameful. Sometimes it's best to just stroll away, you know?! Or just be like me and stay away. Makes for a better Friday.

Do any of you remember the 'good ole days' when the day after Thanksgiving seemed just an extention of the day before? More turkey, more everything and games with the family, tossing a football back and forth or playing in the leaves? Of course way back then,(pre-60s) stores weren't even open on SUNDAY let alone offering deals on Friday.

And to think for some, these are the 'good ole days'...

A Fast Cookin' Recipe for that Big Turkey

Next week is Thanksgiving and I just wanted to share with you my tips for a fine turkey dinner made in no time at all! My goal in life is to one day have my own cooking show on FOOD TV...watch for me there!

Prepare your turkey as you normally would but do not stuff it. Make your stuffing and use a different container to do the baking. Place a tinfoil tent over turkey and place in the oven. Place on CLEAN and as soon as you smell the turkey wafting throughout your home, rush and take off the tinfoil....continue on CLEAN for another 10 minutes and bam! It's done!

This is one of the funnier happenings in all my years of cooking. While I've set fires, forgotten to turn the oven ON, forgotten ingredients, added fresh pineapple to JELLO (a big no-no), as well as other assorted accidents and problems, this one took the cake (or should I say turkey)?

I am not sure HOW the oven was set to CLEAN because I never pulled that safety lever over to ensure no one opened the oven..but while the wings were a nice black and burned to a crisp..the ten extra minutes without the tinfoil tent allowed us to actually EAT (yes EAT) the breast and let me tell you, it was super moist and yet cooked just fine! Fortunately I had made an extra pan of stuffing because what was inside this turkey was wet and soggy! Sometimes you just have to laugh when you have experiences like this!

I think the products to the left are great ideas to give as gifts for Christmas!