Party or Pajamas

I got up early because I had so many things I wanted to do today.

We did our Christmas cards, ran to the post office to mail a bunch to Denmark, hurried to the grocery store to stock up on supplies just in case we got a snow storm, which has been forecast but hasn't materialized - yet. Then I took a quick shower and got ready for the party and helped my husband get ready too ;-)


Then we went to my office Christmas Party. It was a beautiful setting and beautiful food.

Here's the Baked Alaska my husband had:



And boy-oh-boy was it amazing. I'd never had it before. And, I was only going to take a bite to taste it - until . . . I tasted it and fell in love.

I've always loved ice cream but this delectable dessert was covered in a sugary glazed goodness that I couldn't resist. I was supposed to eat my own beautiful Marionberry Torte


But . . . I ended up eating at least half of my husband's dessert. No wonder I'm so chubby. I know what my New Year's Resolution will be this year - again :(



We had a nice time but then after dinner, when the party went into full swing, I was ready to come home, put on my pajamas and do a little reading and writing.

My husband enjoys the partying but I guess I've always been more of a "homebody". I like to sit and look at my Christmas tree and know that my kids are here. I enjoy being home - always have.

How about you? Party or pajamas?

Gifts Galore - You Can Make These EZ Projects - I PROMISE

Here are a couple examples of the scarves I've made. One is red velvet and green satin, very simple. If you can sew a straight line, wah-lah you've got a gift you'll be proud to give.

And, if you can knit, there's nothing easier than a scarf. I'm always making scarves. I give the best ones away.

Here are a couple other crafts I've made.

I made my son this farm animal stocking when he was about five years old. He still likes it.


I also take old jeans that I've outgrown :( and use them as padding for hot pads and pot holders.




I also take soft cotton fabric and make kitchen towels, which I wrap Christmas presents in at the holidays.

Just a few EZ ideas.

ANSWER to Thought for Thursday - and EARTH FRIENDLY FRIDAY

ANSWER: According to Wikipedia: It is forbidden to make a Menorah like the one in the temple, due to the sanctity of the temple.

EARTH-FRIENDLY FRIDAY: Bella Sister's is a design line of clothing that uses recycled clothing. Visit this photographer's site, Five Petal Design, and see some of the pictures of the cool re-fashioned jackets and blazers made out of worn-out or damaged clothing. What a cool way to be green.

And, if you're looking for a home-remedy for cold and flu season, check out the cold sock treatment here.

THOUGHT FOR THURSDAY

QUESTION: The Menorah's center candle is used to light all the other candles but why is the Menorah eight armed for Hanakkah, as opposed to seven armed as the traditional style of the Menorah in the temple?

MARIO KART LOVE SONG - for Video Gamers

I love this guy's voice and his "Mario" mustache is hilarious.

Cool Sights to See in Portland, Oregon

Here are a few sights to see, if you're in Portland, during December:

This is the Pioneer Place Christmas Tree.
Here are some cool old buildings:

A church in downtown Portland.

This building on 39th and Hawthorne has actual flames shooting up out of the sconces on either side of the front door of Arista. Creepy but cool, in a hot way.

Everything seems prettier during the holiday season.

O Christmas Tree(s) - Sunday-Getting Ready for the Holidays

We spent the day visiting family: we went to my brother's house and then my uncle's house.


After that we decorated our trees and I baked a bunch of cookies to take to the neighbors.


It's Luke and Kara's finals week. Good Luck!!!

Meg, The Christmas Chicken

The holidays are busy.

I spent the day at a Christmas Cookie Exchange/Party. We met at Diane’s house, decorated her tree, enjoyed a potluck lunch, and sat by the fire for a chat. We all had our picture taken with Meg, the Christmas Chicken. (BTW: Meg is a pet, not going to be a meal - just thought I should clarify that point).

When the party was over, we all headed home with four dozen cookies. What a sweet party.

Diane has a cool library too, check out one wall of books, but there are three walls like this - all stuffed with great books to read.

I Had Christmas Down in Africa

Don't assume: you have to listen to the entire song:

ANSWER to Thought for Thursday - and EARTH FRIENDLY FRIDAY

ANSWER TO THOUGHT FOR THURSDAY: A Nisse is a little gnome-like creature. Read more about it here.

At Christmas, these elf-like creatures help Kris Kringle but in Norwegian folklore one actually became Santa Claus. God Jul is Merry Christmas.

AND NOW FOR EARTH-FRIENDLY FRIDAY:

Lights, Camera…Christmas!

Okay, I want to set a green holiday scene but this is the one time of the year I splurge a little – at least when it comes to lights. I can’t help it. I love the holidays – always have. The rest of the year I am so watt-wise. But don’t worry, there are other ways we can go green without looking like we’ve turned into the Grinch who Stole Christmas.

Here are a few tips that I’ve been using for years.

1) Collect flower seeds all summer and then dry them in the basement or another cool dry place, package them in pretty envelopes, and make hand-printed labels to give the Seeds of Friendship.

2) I use old fabrics and cut them down and sew them into dishtowels, then I wrap my gifts in this recycled fabric. It’s easy to add ribbons and/or other embellishments to make them picture perfect.

3) Mix up your favorite cookie dough or hot spiced drink and then package it in a clean, glass container to give to a hurried mom. You can add a nice cookie sheet or mug to make the present even more practical. It’s easy to have home-baked cookies when the batters already mixed up and waiting in the refrigerator. Or, how about a nice cup of spiced cocoa? Just add some peppermint shavings to create a peppermint cocoa mix.

4) I also save scrap fabrics and sew them into beautiful Christmas scarves. If you don’t have scrap material sitting around, buy a yard or two of pretty fabric and you can sew plenty of projects for co-workers, friends or family.

5) If you can’t sew, you can buy a nice fleece material and merely cut the edges to make it into a pretty scarf.

6) There are also plenty of free-patterns on-line. Print out an easy knitting project, buy a pair of knitting needles and a ball of yarn to give to a young lady on your list. Knitting is cool again, so is crocheting. These are inexpensive presents that will stretch your budget and keep packaging to a minimum. Plus the result will be something useful, like a scarf, sweater, or hat.

Hand-Writing Analysis

Okay, Kelly Polark has shared this fun link and I thought I would too. Of course there are some free writing analysis sites on the web, but who wouldn't want a more personalized approach? If you're interested in having your handwriting analyzed check out Shelby's blogsite here.

THOUGHT FOR THURSDAY

QUESTIONS: What is a Nisse?

Word for Wednesday

WORD FOR WEDNESDAY: YON.

We were singing Christmas Carols, and one line from Silent Night caught my attention: "Round yon virgin mother and child."

I remember wondering as a kid, what is YON?

Yon is an adjective or adverb meaning: Yonder

It can also be a pronoun, "that or those yonder."

A Very Jersey Christmas - Thanks to Jess

Danish Traditions for Christmas

One of the ways we celebrate any holiday is by beginning the morning with Ǽbleskiver. These are round-ball pancakes. We dip ours in jam and then powdered sugar. It is a special breakfast, we only eat a few times a year. You need these special Danish cast iron pans to make them correctly. If you want to see the recipe, click here.

Then on December 1st, we pull out the Advent Calendars. During the 24 days of Christmas there is a small present hanging on each day of the calendar. Here are our family calendars.


The Danes celebrate Christmas on Christmas Eve, December 24th rather than Christmas Day. This always worked out well for us because we celebrate Christmas with my husband’s family on Christmas Eve and we celebrate with my family on Christmas Day.

Do you have any special ways you celebrate the holidays?

Snowflakes

Here's a fun little craft you can do right on-line. Check it out here.

Hectic Holidays - I'm Thankful

We got our lights fixed – yippee!!!


Then we went up on the mountain to get our tree. It was cold, wet and a lot of fun. The kids would have enjoyed it more if it would have been snowy - oh well. It was easy driving.




Then it was MacKenzie's Birthday! Happy Birthday MacKenzie!!!



The holidays are always hectic - I'm thankful for long weekends so we can squeeze everything in.

Murphy's Law - The Christmas Chaos Has Already Begun

Murphy's Law says, "If anything can go wrong, it will." Notice the left-hand side of the lights.

“I try to take one day at a time - but sometimes several days attack me at once.” Jennifer Unlimited-

Wouldn’t you know it, my husband and I spent all day getting out the decorations, going through the lights, putting them up. We checked every strand before we started to string them, but . . . as you can see, a section is out. I keep telling myself – people aren’t perfect. Patience…patience…patience… I had a lot of practice at this art of patience, when the kids were little - but that was a long time ago.

“I have yet to hear a man ask for advice on how to combine marriage and a career.” Gloria Steinem-

Marriage and a career – that’s nothing, try adding kids into the equation – especially at the holidays.

We, Moms, want to pretend we’re perfect - at least for our kids - but Christmas is no time to pretend. . . at least when it comes to perfection. ‘Cause, come on, you might as well admit it right now, parents aren’t perfect. Heck, like I said, people aren’t perfect.

(So, tomorrow, we’ll redo the lights.)

And, here's my one helpful holiday site for you. I'm hoping this might help make your holidays a little happier and maybe even run a little smoother: if you're looking for a holiday recipe, just click here. Maybe, with the help of an EZ recipe, you'll be able to pretend you're perfect.

It's Officially Black Friday

Today is officially Black Friday. The Day after Thanksgiving is always the biggest shopping day of the year. And my daughter and I will be out in the throng. We will definitely be buying books and a few other things.

But yesterday was Thanksgiving! We have so much to be thankful for. I had all my kids home with me and we had a wonderful day.

First my husband and I got up early and took the dogs for a walk. Then we came home and did some meal prep. After that, Jake, Luke, Kara, MacKenzie, Lars and I all went to the movies. The Boys watched Quantum of Solace, which is the 22nd James Bond film. We, girls, went and watched Twilight. It was the second time for me. But I sure enjoyed it.

We came home and had a wonderful dinner together and my brother, Steve, stopped by for a bit. A very nice evening, a very nice holiday. So much to be thankful for. I hope you all had a wonderful holiday too.

ANSWER to Thought for Thursday

ANSWER: The Autumn of 1621. Read more about it and watch a slide show here.

THOUGHT FOR THURSDAY

QUESTION: WHEN WAS THE FIRST THANKSGIVING CELEBRATION?

(I'm going to post the answer this afternoon - at 3:00 p.m.)

Hope you have a Happy Turkey Day!!!

A Trip to the Library - Stocking Up on Books

My husband and I ran down to the library to stock up on books for the long holiday weekend. The Multnomah County Library has a Tree Growing in It!



The Beverly Cleary Children's Library has a brass tree sitting in the center of the room. It has all sorts of things carved into the tree and children come and rub the animals' faces. The more an animal is rubbed, the more he shines. It's a beautiful sight to see.


What a wonderful way to spend a holiday weekend: reading.

And, now on to more serious holiday subjects. It's time to talk turkey. If you need help calculating how long to cook your Thanksgiving bird, just click on the upcoming link and then scroll down the page to the "calculator" and this little helpful link will give you your exact Turkey Time.

Go Green this Holiday Scene - Sustainable Thanksgiving Ideas

This holiday have a Sustainable Thanksgiving.

• Decorate using items found in your yard. Make a centerpiece out of pinecones, popcorn, cranberries, leaves and branches.
• Buy local produce, meat and fruit – if possible.
• Go green when you clean. We all may be doing a little extra cleaning up around the house. Why not try a few organic cleansers. Check out these ideas here.
• Compost your leftovers, or even spread a little peanut butter on left over corn on the cob and roll it in bird seed or sunflower seeds and put it outside for the birds.
• Turn off your t.v. and take a hike, go to a local park, or ride your bike. You’ll save energy and burn a few extra calories before the big meal.

And Have a Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Twilight the movie - My own review

I've read all the books by Stephanie Meyer in the Twilight series. I loved them all - so maybe I'm a bit biased.

However, I did not expect to love the movie like the books. So when I went to see Twilight the movie with a girlfriend from my bookclub, it was with no preconceived expectations.

Actually, to be honest, I thought I wouldn't really enjoy it too much. Was I ever wrong.

From the trailers, I thought that Jacob would look about 12 years old, not much of an arch enemy for Edward. However, in the film, Jacob was much better than I'd expected.

The only thing I really didn't like was Dr. Cullen. He wasn't what I'd expected, he wasn't what I'd hoped for, he just wasn't...

And, the makeup was over the top and could have been thought of as campy - by someone - but not by me. The vampires from the Cullen family were more "white" than pale, which I thought was a mistake. However, I loved little perky Alice - she was perfect.

And Edward was much better than I'd expected. The movie was a lot better, all around, and a lot of fun for a girls' day out.

I might even see it again - with my daughter.

So what did you think of the movie?

Celine Dion and Josh Groban - The Prayer

A great song for a Sunday.

Laurelhurst Park in Portland Oregon

There are so many parks in Portland - it's unbelievable. Within walking distance of my home is Mt. Tabor Park, Laurelhurst Park, Normandale Park and probably a few others.

Last Saturday was such a beautiful day we decided to take the dogs to the park to play.

Here are a few photos from our walk.

EARTH FRIENDLY FRIDAY - AND ANSWER to Thought for Thursday

ANSWER TO THOUGHT FOR THURSDAY: R.S.V.P. comes from the French expression "répondez s'il vous plaît", meaning "please respond". And etiquette requires that you send your regrets, if you won't be attending. You are supposed to respond one way or another.

And now for EARTH-FRIENDLY FRIDAY:

Portland State University envisions city as its green lab. Read all about it here.

PSU plans to use a $25 million donation over ten years to become a leader in sustainability. How cool is it to get a $25 million donation and what an earth-friendly thing to do with the money.

THOUGHT FOR THURSDAY - A Question of Etiquette

QUESTION: What does R.S.V.P. mean? And, if it is written on an invitation, are you supposed to respond even if you aren't coming to the event?

I guess you got two questions - for the price of one - and FREE is a very good price.

NaNo WriMO- Portland Center Stage Offering a Reward

If you are involved in the Nano WriMo and coming to Portland, Oregon for the holidays, you should click on this link: here.

Who wouldn't want a family four-pack of tickets to Dickens A Christmas Carol?

I think it is wonderful of Portland Center Stage to reward writers for staying on task.

Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris

I sat down a few weeks ago to watch a show with my husband and daughter, which is a rare occurrence in my house. Usually, I’m reading a book or writing. Anyway, we were watching True Blood on HBO, when I got a little uncomfortable. I mean I turned to my 20 year-old daughter and said, “Can they do that on T.V.?”

She shook her head, like I must be an alien pod person, and said, “It’s HBO.”

I said, “Yeah, but can they do THAT on t.v.?”

She looked at me like I’ve been living in a cave or something and groaned, “Duh. They can do whatever they want.”

So anyway, I’ve been enjoying the series but a friend told me the books are even better. So I ran out to my local Borders and bought Dead Until Dark.

It’s a quick read at 292 pages. And I read the entire book on my airplane ride from North Caroline to Portland, Oregon.

So, you can grab this story and finish it in no time. And, to be honest, I liked the story better in the book than on t.v. Not that the actors aren’t all gorgeous on HBO but Sookie Stackhouse comes across as a smarter character in the book – at least to me. And, Bill Compton seems stronger in the novel than in Hollywood.

This isn’t a Twilight experience even though it has romance and is a vampire novel. It’s more complicated in some ways.

In Dead Until Dark the vampires have “Come Out of the Closet” and are living amongst the humans. They drink synthetic blood – or at least the ones who are “mainstreaming” and trying to live their lives without sucking off the humans around them. Plus, there are more characters with special abilities than were found in Stephanie Meyer’s books. Sam is a shapeshifter and Sookie is a clairvoyant and – I have a feeling – there’s more to it than that.

VB (Vampire Bill) and Sookie seem like star-crossed lovers. They both are unique and drawn to each other. But, VB isn’t all good. He’s got one wicked temper when pushed too far. And, with super human strength, a bad temper is a real BAD thing.

I just bought the second book in the series, Living Dead in Dallas, and I’ll update you all after I read that story.

But, if you like a quick story that keeps you turning the pages, Dead Until Dark is a fun book to pick up. And if you don’t have time for a quick story, you can always turn on the t.v. and watch the HBO show. But, remember, the books are better.

Wedding Photo Challenge

Rena
challenged writers to post their wedding picture on-line. Brenda posted her photo here. Kelly posted her picture here.

3 kids, 3 dogs, numerous pets and homes later, my husband, Lars, and I have been married for more than 25 years. It's hard to believe that the years have gone so fast.

Do you remember taffeta dresses? These are horrible!!! But at least they make me look thinner ;-) There's always a silver lining.

The wedding party is my sister Brook, my sister Tammy, Linda, Andrea and my niece Shawna. On the men's side is Skip (Dan), my husband's brothers and my nephew Michael.

We were married at Crystal Lake Church, which was also called the Little Church in the Woods. Our marriage has lasted longer than the church. The Little Church in the Woods isn't there any more.

It was a beautiful setting but no one told us there was going to be a parade the day of our wedding, which blocked off all the roads to the church. My aunt and uncle couldn't make it and some of our friends never got to the church. But, luckily, the reception was on-site so by the time the reception was over - so was the parade.

Maybe some people might have gotten upset - I didn't even notice. I was just so happy to finally be Mrs. Kasch.

In the Arms of the Angel - Sarah McLachlan and Josh Groban

One of my all-time favorite songs.

Craaa-zzz BizzzzEEE Day - TGIF

It was a busy day at work.

After work, I rushed off to celebrate a friend's birthday.

Then, I hurried from that celebration to The Lucky Labrador to catch up with Kidlitosphere blogging conference attendees. It was a quick reunion - my son Jake stopped on the way home from work with me.


I ran home picked up my daughter and drove to a friend's party in Vancouver, Washington.

It was a fun - but busy - night. How'd you spend the evening?