Christmas Music

Do you remember growing up that Christmas music wasn't played until the week of Christmas? Now some radio stations start playing it before Thanksgiving!

I love Christmas music. It's pretty much my mainstay for 5 weeks. However, I'm very picky about my Christmas music. For me, Christmas music takes me back to childhood when my parents were still married and happy, or so I thought.

Christmas music stirs up memories of making Christmas cookies, decorating the tree, watching Christmas specials on TV and seeing commercials for Time-Life's collection of Christmas classics.

It's the classic songs that I want.

Mariah Carey is not Christmas. Justin Timberlake is not Christmas.










THIS.

Is Christmas to me. Music from Bing, Dean, Frank, Robert Shaw, Perry Como, Ray Conniff, John Rutter and the Cambridge Singers, The Mormon Tabernacle Choir. I could listen to the warmth of Bing and Dean's voices quite a bit.

And full choirs, especially the hymns and traditional Christian songs of worship are so moving and stirring for me. You can feel the power in their collective voices stressing the importance of Christmas and to keep its meaning; the birth of our Lord and Savior.

And that's something else about the classic voices; they recorded at a time where the technology wasn't there to digitize their voices and clean things up. What you heard was what you got. I think that's the reason why I like Patsy Cline. It's her voice with no outside help.

Quintessential. Classic. Christmas.

In fact, I've created a station on Pandora called "Robert Shaw" that plays classic chorale and choir Christmas music, and I've added Mannheim Steamroller, Bing, Frank, Dean, and the like. I give a "thumbs down" to any new contemporary artist that pops up thus preventing any other similar-sounding music from being played.

Coupled with the vocal classics are my favorite instrumental classics like

and

Probably my all-time favorite songs include "It's The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year" by Andy Williams and pretty much any rendition of "Do You Hear What I Hear?"

What are some of your favorite Christmas songs and artists?

Take Notes!

Weekend Wrap-up!

So the Christmas season is officially upon us?

Thursday mom took Jenna and they cooked Thanksgiving dinner. Mom warned us that it was going to be very non-traditional and something a soon-to-be-five-year-old could muster. How about a mostaccioli bake? And a pudding pie? Very non-traditional, but very good.

Wednesday night into Friday morning I was busy getting Christmas set up in the house. Here are some examples:

I found this lovely specimen of a reindeer at my favorite place for Christmas; Pier 1. Buying this prompted a return trip to Target across the street so I could buy a plain wreath and two boxes of multi-colored glass ornaments to make a centerpiece.In the corner of the dining room is Santa and Tammy Faye Reindeer. Though it's hard to see she has REALLY LONG eyelashes, hence her name. She's been in the family for about 20 years and the joke is still good.In the dining room looking towards the kitchen are two wreaths I made last year; same plain wreaths with 28 glass ornaments each from Target. Each cost me about $10 to make. I hot-glued the balls into the wreath and used door bell thingies that had the bow and bells already made.

You'll see in the next couple of photos that I have a real problem with glass ornaments....See? And this doesn't even show the ones on the tree or the ones on the table next to the tree, though if you look at the metal reindeer picture you'll see a little display tree with more balls on it. I'm very picky about my glass ornaments; they have to come from Eastern Bloc countries. Period. None of this "Made in China" crap. Part of my family comes from Bohemia. Some remind me of family and things I grew up with. One dates back to 1967; right before my parents were married and is part of their original set.I also have a problem with snowmen though I haven't added to either collection in a couple of years. The second grouping of snowmen is from Sandy Gore Evans, an artist out of Kansas and these are her Frosty Follies. She died of breast cancer, I believe, and therefore, there are no more Frosty Follies. I found a good chunk on eBay but they go quickly.And here's the tree all decked out. It's a 7' tree that Kmart had two years ago; the Retro. Pre-lit in C7 bulbs. Growing up I remember taking walks around the neighborhood looking at lights and remembering all the big bulbed trees in the windows. That, and the mini lights with the plastic star bursts around them. Remember those? The Village is up under the tree, complete with the joke from 1986 when mom started painting the village; one of the houses is lit with a red bulb and there is a Madame standing out front. Of course, this house of ill refute is in close proximetry of the church!

Saturday we drove down to Overland Park to hang with my sister and gorge on deep-fried turkey again. Prior to the turkey we experimented with other deep-fried delights like Twinkies, Snickers, marshmallows, and Oreos. It was non-stop eating from when we stepped thorugh the door.

Driving back I gassed up in St. Joe, MO for $1.39!!! I also had only a half-gallon left or roughly 10 miles before I was completely empty! However, I filled up for $18!!!

Welcome, Christmas!!

Join the Conspiracy!

Weekend Wrap-up!!

Caption Contest Winner! This week goes back to Nadine with, "He shots! He Scores!! Goooooaaalll!!" Gina, was yours a euphamism??
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Weight Watchers Update: At the close of Week 24 I am happy to announce dropping another pound and getting me to 40# down and am at 218. I am approaching my wedding weight, however, after two kids, I'm pretty sure my wedding dress won't fit like it used to! I averaged 1.6#/week.

With the holidays coming up I have decided I'm not going to berate myself should I gain. I will still try to keep it in check but if I waffle, I'm ok with that. I don't plan on completely letting myself go in the next five weeks but I do plan on enjoying the holidays. ;-)
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Busy weekend to report, though a good one. Steve, Mal, and Mom went out Saturday morning to get the Angel Food I orderd last month. Some good food in the boxes and some that will probably get donated to the food bank. If it can help supplement our grocery bill and help us spend less then I'm all for it!

So while they were off doing that, Jenna and I took part in the Open Door Mission's "Drumstick on Wheels." Over 3,000 families signed up for food assistance for Thanksgiving. In fact the ODM had to close registration early because so many families had signed up.

The ODM visited several churches to talk of this mission and was looking for volunteers. About a mile or so from the Mission our lane of traffic was at a complete standstill. I drove off and took a different street with a shorter line to get through the intersection. In three directions there was nothing but cars; hundreds of cars all coming to help the ODM deliver these 3,000+ boxes of turkey-n-fixins to needy families.

I was planning on taking three boxes worth but instead took seven boxes. It took the better part of an hour just to get to the loading area. I moved the car seats around so I could fold down the back seat and get the boxes in. And off we went!

I was able to deliver five of seven boxes; one wasn't home and one I flat-out couldn't find! The part of town I was in was right around Creighton University where I work and reminded me of my days working home care. It was interesting listening to Jenna's take on the whole experience. One house we stopped at had plastic stapled over the windows; either the glass wasn't there or it was for drafts. I saw a run-down house, of which it was.

Jenna? "Oooo, Mommy! Look at the pretty windows!" Oblivious to what was right in front of her. Oh, to have that child-like innocence and acceptance again.

"People were also bringing babies to Jesus to have him touch them. When the disciples saw this, they rebuked them. But Jesus called the children to him and said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it." Luke 18:15-17

Yesterday the weather was great for the end of November. Fair and in the 50s so I got some last-minute yard work done. I raked a couple of cans and dumped some on the garden and tilled that in to help "feed" it for next year's season. Jenna is already planning what she wants to grow next year and carrots are high on her list! I told her she can have her own little spot on the garden to grow what ever she wants.

Jenna helped me clean up from raking and I have all the outdoor Christmas lights plugged in and ready to go. All I have to do now is plug in the timer and we're set!

Mal and I walked down to the mall to get a few more little Christmas presents from Bath & Body Works then went to Target that's in the mall. I was planning on walking to Lowe's to look at counter top samples but got sidetracked by Pier 1 and had to go back to Target to finish a Christmas project that Pier 1 started. We were gone for over an hour. It was getting a bit dark on our way home so I kicked it in high-gear.

All-in-all a good weekend. Looking forward to the short week/long weekend this week. I'll probably start digging out all the Christmas stuff this week.

Caption Contest!!

Boy, TGIF!!! Have a busy morning planned tomorrow between Angel Food and Drumstick on Wheels. But it should all work out.

So here is this week's enstallment for the contest. Have a great weekend and I'll see you on Monday!!

Am I The Only One?

...that is completely SICK of this woman??

How much more ego-centric can one person be? Yes, she's gorgeous, is the most powerful Black woman in the entertainment industry, is a fabulous philanthropist (she turned me on to Heifer International) has her own talk show, production company, and magazine.

I understand the magazine is named for her, but REALLY!! Does she have to be on EVERY. STINKIN'. COVER????

WE GET IT!! You have more money than you know what to do with and because you had a crummy and hard life growing up and were denied lots of things you are going to flaunt your now wildly successful career and win the hearts of American women. But sometimes things aren't as rosy as they appear.

I can just imagine the conversations at the weekly staff meetings at O Magazine:

"So who's the cover shoot for this month? Oh. riiiiiiiight. My bad."

I'm sure it makes the shoots go much faster as there's no outside person to schedule, but don'cha think they're getting tired of shooting Oprah in various outfits and settings and encouraging her to give her best cheesy, "I do love you, but I love seeing myself plastered all over my magazine even more so EAT YOUR HEART OUT, AMERICA!"

Is it just me?