Merry Christmas To All...and to Alll

Famous line huh?  During this joyous time of year each family has a set of "traditions" they fulfill during the time preceding Christmas and New Years Day.  Those traditions vary from family to family.  Some are as simple as always making sure to watch "It's A Wonderful Life" which by the way was voted on FB to be the number one favorite Christmas movie for most people.  My hubby loves "A Christmas Story."  I think he identifies with the little boy who wanted the BB gun!

I would encourage you, particularly if you are a "new" family to begin building traditions for your family.  Thinking back over the years, there are certain things which we had as family traditions that the children looked forward to.  I remember things which were a part of our stocking stuffers - a tangerine, ribbon candy, hard candies and nuts in the shell were always a part of my own childhood,  and for many years I carried that tradition into my own children's lives. 

This year we are enjoying some new "traditions."  Our move to Utah has guaranteed us our First White Christmas!  The children are thrilled.  They are sledding and tomorrow they are going for their first ski lessons!  How exciting.  I am sure this will become a part of their family traditions from now on.

Today we made Christmas cookies.  That is something I have done with all my children and grandchildren every year.  We usually make a gingerbread house too, but somehow the time has gotten away from us this year.   The Christmas tree is up the day after Thanksgiving, as usual,  and decorated with many lights and a star on top.  During the move we managed to lose some ornaments, but some did survive.  I noticed on my daughters tree that there were several ornaments from years gone by.

I used to take the children every year to see Santa and have their pictures made.  When I attended a Christmas Party at the Clubhouse here a few nights ago, I watched as the little children told Santa their Christmas wishes.  It seems like yesterday my children were sitting on Santa's lap.  Where has the time gone?  Grab those moments, make those memories and hold on to them. 

I used to let the children each choose an ornament of their own every year to place on the tree.  Some of those are still around!  I made sure each of them got theirs to keep when they started their own families. 

I took my two young granddaughters to the store the other day and let them pick an ornament of their choosing.  Ashlyn chose a very overdressed little Yorkie and Alivia chose a brightly colored Peacock!  I had already purchased each of them an angel to hang on their tree.

Their mommy gave me a lovely ornament with their pictures on it...so sweet.

 I always purchase a gift for my "fur puppy."  He is part of the family too!

Buster the Wonder Dog used to know which present under the tree was his,  and he would check on it now and then, but he never once opened it until we told him he could!  It was amazing how he loved getting his own present. 

My little Buddy will get his present this year too, he himself is such a gift.  He gives us many giggles and much love. 

We will gather together as we have for many years now, at my home for Christmas Eve where we will have some wonderful treats and the kids will get to open a present from Granma and Granpa.

 This year we will be adding to the tradition by traveling up to Snowbasin to see a torchlight parade of skiiers down the mountainside.  There is plenty of snow, and it should be amazing! 

A White Christmas is a plus in a lot of ways.  It does seem even more magical.

Although this is a wonderful and exciting time of year for many, there are some for whom this time of year is lonely and difficult.  Many have lost loved ones this year, and it will be their first Christmas without that special person.  It is always difficult to lose a loved one, but particularly if it is during what should be a joyous season.  If you are blessed enough to be close to the love of your life, hold them tightly.  If you are blessed enough to have children and grandchildren, then hold them tightly also.  Make memories with them, for even if your are not near them in the future, the memories will ALWAYS be there. 

Build traditions, share love and spread it around during this Season of Magic. 

May you all have a very Blessed Christmas and a Prosperous New Year.

PEACE, LOVE & JOY

Linda

Okaloosa Tomorrow

We are leaving for Okaloosa Island at eight tomorrow morning.  I am anxious to see the beautiful sugar sand and the emerald water.  We are leaving Lucy here with a sitter, as things with her have deteriorated.  At first I felt quite guilty about leaving her behind, but I have discovered that when you are a full time caregiver, you do need to take a break once in a while, and this is mine.

I am so excited because Melanie, Aaron and Liv and Ashlyn will be joining us.  The children are excited about going too.  We plan to have lots of fun while we are there.  The girls would like to see Arthur's Christmas, so we will be taking one afternoon to do that.  I love to hear them giggle, and all too soon they will be grown and those little giggles will be gone.

We are planning a very alternative Thanksgiving again this year.  This will be the third year we have not celebrated Thanksgiving in the "traditional" sense of the word.  We are returning to Okaloosa for the second time and we will be having a Low Country Boil using some of that fantastic, fresh Gulf shrimp.
Oh, I bought a turkey but I won't be having it until December. 

We are taking my little Buddy with us this year as we finally located a "pet friendly" condo where we can feel comfortable having him.  The girls are excited about him coming along, they just love him and he is such fun!  One of the things that I am thankful for is the time I have to spend with my wonderful grandchildren.  I have been blessed with wonderful children and grandchildren and I am so thankful that everyone is healthy and that we have jobs.  There are so many people in this country right now who are suffering from the woes of the sad economy. 

We all need to say thank you for all the blessings we have had in this Country, and now we need to all pray to work together and return this Country to the greatness it once knew.  We must learn to SHARE with others.  Not just money, but time.  We have become selfish and self-centered.  We have forgotten the days of "barn raising" and helping your neighbor.  Let's all pray that this season will restore some of the kindness and generosity in the hearts of the American people.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Friends and Family

I have been blessed in life with a wonderful family of four great children. All of them have grown into wonderful adults who are raising wonderful children. Oh, I made a lot of mistakes I am sure in raising them, but I always tried to let them know they were loved by me and by God.

I have felt sad this week as I have cared for Lucy and wondered more than one time how lonely my life would have been without my children. I am not saying there were not difficult times....for sure, there were! But for every rough spot,for every difficult time, there have been an abundant amount of joyous times! Laughter, smiles, pride and giggles have been a part of my life for more than 40 years now!
I can't imagine being Lucy and never having had any children. I would have missed so much!

I have also been so blessed to have had many special friends throughout my life. Just when I felt most alone and needy, God always provided someone to be there for me. My greatest pleasure in life has been being there for someone else who needs a friend. Sharing joys, sorrows and highs and lows with others is what life is really all about.

Do you have friends who have shared special times with you...good or bad? When is the last time you told them how much they mean/meant to you? Do it today. Write a note to someone and let them know what their friendship has meant to you. Time passes so quickly and life can change in an instant. Don't miss an opportunity to tell those you love that you love them. Don't miss an opportunity to say thank you to someone who has been important in your life.

Spread joy. You won't regret it!

On a health note, take care of your EYES! When was the last time you had your eyes checked? This week's laser treatment of my eye was extremely painful, but I am seeing better with each day that passes.

I am enjoying the pumpkins out there already! Fall seems to be upon us, and it is my favorite time of year. I came across this pie recipe this week and thought I would share it with all of you. Fall seems like Pie Time to me! LOL


FALL RECIPE OF THE DAY!!!

Salted Caramel Apple Pie

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp sugar
12 tbsp cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1/4 cup chilled shortening
1 tbsp white vinegar
1/2 cup very cold water

1. In food processor pulse together flour, salt and sugar. Add butter and shortening. Pulse 8 to ten times or until mixture resembles coarse crumbs and some of the butter is pea sized.
2. Combine vinegar with cold water. While pulsing crumb mixture in processor, drizzle in just enough water mixture to form dough, 1/3 to 1/2 cup..Dough will hold together when you pinch it. Halve dough, wrap in plastic wrap and press into disks...chill for 1 hour or until ready to use. May be frozen for up to 2 months.
Makes TWO SINGLE CRUSTS.

(ONE RECIPE PIE CRUST AS ABOVE)
3 pounds baking apples such as Gala or Golden Delicious, peeled and cored
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 tsp ground cinnamon
Pinch of ground nutmeg
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/2 cup Salted Caramel Sauce (recipe follows)
Egg Wash
Crystal Sugar

Line a 9 inch pie pan with 1 rolled out crust; trim edges, leaving a 1/4 inch overhang. Place in freezer until ready to fill, or at least 20 minutes.
Preheat Oven to 425 with rack in the bottom third. Cut apples into 1/4 inch thick slices and toss in a large bowl with lemon juice, cinnamon, nutmeg and cornstarch. Add 1/2 cup Salted Caramel Sauce and toss to combine. Pour apples into chilled pie shell and return to freezer.
ROLL remaining crust to a 13 inch circle. Use a paring knife to cut slits or small designs on the top. Brush rim of bottom crust with egg wash and cover with second crust, sealing the edges. Trim edges as necessary and crimp. Brush entire pie with extra egg wash and sprinkle with crystal sugar, freeze pie again until crust is COLD, about 20 min.
BAKE pie on a foil lined baking sheet until crust begins to brown....about 20 minutes...REDUCE HEAT to 375 and bake until crust is golden and juices bubble...50-60 minutes more. (If crust browns too quickly, tent pie with foil). Cool pie and serve slices with Salted Caramel Sauce. Serves 8

SALTED CARAMEL SAUCE
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 tsp sea salt
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 tbsp butter
1/4 tsp vanilla extract

COMBINE 1/2 cup water, sugar and salt in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir until sugar is dissolved, then remove spoon.
BRUSH inside edges of pan with water to dissolve any sugar crystals. Reduce heat to medium, then allow mixture to boil, gently swirling pan occasionally. Cook to a light amber color, 20-25 min. Remove from heat and stir in cream and butter with a clean spoon ( mixture will bubble, then settle). Stir in vanilla and set aside to cool. Sauce can be refrigerated for up to a month! Makes 1 1/3 cups.

Remembering and Appreciating

We were up at 4:30 AM today and at the Park by 5:30!
Mom, Dad and their little triathlete went to the "transition area" and set up the bicycle for the ride to come.

The temperature in Alpharetta this morning was only 53 degrees when the kids had to jump feet first into the pool for the first laps before they rode their bicycles. That took guts.

The kids were all amazing. From the littlest to the oldest, they swam, bicycled and ran to the finish line...they really were IRON KIDS! It was also fun to watch the parents, and grandparents (including me) RUN from one venue to another! Whew, we all got our exercise.

And none of us there, in spite of the excitement of the day, forgot the date and it's significance.

I stood and watched as the children and their parents and thought about how blessed we all were to be standing there alive today. It was painful to think about how many people are remembering ten years ago and grieving the loss of their loved ones. None of us will ever be the same after that day. As we drove out of Atlanta, I remembered driving through Atlanta the day after the attacks and there was not a plane in the sky! It was such an eerie thing, as when you drive up Interstate 75 through Atlanta the skies are usually lined up with planes waiting to land.

We all need to pray that nothing like that ever happens in this country again. We need to learn to love each other and become ONE NATION, keeping that feeling of being one Nation instead of a divided Nation in our hearts every day.

I shed tears today as I saw my little athlete mount her bicycle, and then again when she was running toward me as she ran for the Finish Line...

I have had a close brush with death on three occasions, and yet I am still here. I have been blessed with healthy children and grandchildren. I get so much joy from watching them grow up and become caring, loving and intelligent beings. I am especially thankful today..."but for the grace of God" I or one of my family members could have been on one of those planes or in one of those buildings. Thank God if you can hug your family members today. Don't ever leave the house without telling them how much you love them. Give love and praise frequently. Share Joy!

Congratulations Miss Ashlyn on your wonderful performance today. We were all so very proud of you as usual. You are a special girl, and you did your best today.
Fantastic Job! Go-Girl-Go!

After the run....think she might be tired?

Sisters

Nothing lasts as long or is as important as the bonds we form as siblings.

Some parents realize this fact and do everything they can to foster these relationships and make them grow. Do you have sisters, brothers? Do you have special memories with them? Oh sure, there were times when they drove you totally crazy..they still may sometimes. But, really now, what are the fondest memories in your life and who were you with.

I was thinking the other day about my sister Dale and how we learned to roller skate at at outdoor rink at a Maryland beach. It was a great rink, right on the river, and they played music to skate by. The particular day I remember was one where we were both brand new to skating, and spent more time with our butts on the floor than our skates. There was a very chubby lady sitting on one of the benches that day as we struggled to stay on our feet. Every time we fell she would laugh hysterically, her whole body shaking like jello, and we would push ourselves up off the floor and try again. I am not sure who had more fun that day...the chubby lady or us. I know we had more bruises for sure!

So, today, when I heard about the earthquake in Maryland/Virginia, where my sister still lives I called immediately to find out if she was all right. She was, and there was no damage to their home. She was concerned about her husband coming home on the Metro tonight because of the possibility of structural damage to the tracks though. I promised to pray he would be fine...and we will talk again later.

Two years ago I took my granddaughter Ashlyn, then 7, to Washington and we stayed with my sister and her husband for a few days as I showed her Washington. We had such fun together and it made me regret that we live so many miles away.

My children are spread out in age, with the older two being in their 40's and the younger two in their 30's. Because of the spread in age, it has been harder for them to maintain a close sibling relationship. The older two are fairly close and the younger two are, but getting the olders and the youngers together is sometimes problematic. Oh, they all love one another, they just don't have a lot in common.

We are a little geographically scattered these days with two in Florida, one in North Florida and one in South Florida, and the other two close to me here in Georgia. It has been several years since we have all been together at one time.

Encourage your children to enjoy their siblings. I have seen some parents who actually drive wedges between their children as they are growing up and keep them from becoming close. I am not sure why any parent would do this, but it is very destructive. Love your children, love them for their differences and their successes and love them through their failures and disappointments. And, never never forget to teach them to love each other...because those relationships will last long after you are gone.

God Bless!

Missing You

As Autumn approaches, I am reminded how quickly all the family Holidays will be upon us. As I think about those shared times and memories, I can't help but think of all those who have lost loved ones this past year. Some, many in fact, are the wives, husbands, children and mothers and fathers whose loved one has paid the ultimate sacrifice in service to our Country. My heart aches for all of them.

I remember a Christmas as a young wife of a serviceman. I had a two month old baby girl and a sixteen month old baby boy. I sat under the Christmas tree that year with my two babies, not knowing whether or not my husband of less than three years would return home safely. It was a very lonely feeling. I was one of the lucky ones, however, and my husband did come home. While I felt relief for us, my heart ached for all of those who were not so fortunate.

Many years later, as my son was serving in Saudi, I was horrified when I heard about the bombing of a new barracks in the location where he was stationed. I was frantic with worry for his safety until he contacted me and told me he was safe. Again, I felt that wonderful relief that he was alive and well, immediately followed by tears of sadness for all of those who did not receive that same comforting news that night.


As the holiday approach, we all need to be thankful for the health and well being of our loved ones. We all need to pray for those who have lost loved ones this year, whether in war, accident or illness. Time passes ever so quickly, and we really don't know what tomorrow will bring...pray for Peace. Peace in the hearts of those who are alone, Peace in the World, in our Country and in our neighborhoods.

Craving Blue Crabs!

I grew up in Southern Maryland right up the hill from the Potomac River, backwater creeks and estuaries. When the weather got hot the craving for Steamed Crabs was strong. It was part of a family tradition to get a line, some chicken necks or smoked eel, cut them up small and attach them to a trout line. The trout line had bouys attached to each end...and an anchor to hold it in place. We would get in the boat with our line, bait, dip nets and a bushel basket.

We would usually head out early in the morning and place the line to attract the crabs. Then we would go ashore to come back a little later to fish the line.
It was an exciting time as you crept back up to the line and began to pull it bait piece by bait piece. If you were lucky, the entire string would have a crab on each little piece of bait. We used to fill a bushel basket in one morning.

Then, we would hurry home with our "catch", place them in a large stainless steel drum with just the right amount of water in the bottom to cover the rack and lots and lots of cayenne, Old Bay and Salt! About 30 minutes later out came the most beautiful, tasty creatures you ever ate. Believe me, by the time we were four, we knew how to pick out our own crabs. This is an art that people in Southern Maryland learn at a very young age, and never, never forget.

You don't have to have a boat to catch crabs however, or even a trout line with smoked eel. This Summer, while we were at Okaloosa Island, I took my granddaughters crabbing for the first time. We went to the bait store and picked up some collapsible basket traps ( about $3.00 each ) and then to Publix for a package of about a dozen chicken necks ( about another $3.00 ). As you can see, crabbing isn't expensive. It does however, require GREAT patience.

After purchasing our supplies, we headed for a local public dock to hunt the watery treasure. The girls were beside themselves with excitement about the possibility of catching crabs. After tying the chicken necks to the bottom of the traps, we placed our little baskets into the shallow water off the end of the dock and waited.

It wasn't too long before we pulled up our first tiny (just a little over 3" point to point) crab! You would have thought it was a 200 pound Marlin for all the excitement it generated. The girls were ecstatic, and I was thrilled at the memories we would share about this day. We only caught eight crabs that afternoon, but taking them home and preparing them for the girls was part of a tradition I wished to pass to yet another generation of our family.

I spent a little time showing them how to pick out their own meat, also part of the tradition, and they thoroughly enjoyed it.

We shared lots of time, talk and just plain fun that day on the dock. We even had a large Blue Heron who sat at the end of the dock and kept company with us ALL day! We knew what he was waiting for, and when we got ready to leave, he got his reward.
What a happy bird he was. Didn't know Herons ate chicken necks, sounded kinda cannibalistic to me, but he gobbled it right down.

Making memories and carrying on traditions with your children and grandchildren is such an important part of life. These special little moments are the ones they will remember more than the trips to expensive amusement parks. Hopefully they will carry these joyful moments with them and share them with their own children someday.

Oh, by the way, here is a family recipe for the best Crab Cakes you will ever eat.
Just in case you are like my hubby, who was born in Pennsylvania, and refuses to learn to pick out crabs!

MARYLAND STYLE CRAB CAKES

Ingredients

1 Pound Crabmeat...you can use your favorite...I prefer lump, but claw is
equally tasty
1/2 cup melted butter..yes BUTTER
1/2 cup fine bread crumbs
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup finely chopped, sauteed onions
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1 teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning (there is NO substitute for this)
1 teaspoon lemon juice
Salt and pepper to taste

combine above ingredients until well mixed, adding crabmeat LAST...gently fold crabmeat into the mixture. Scoop (I use and ice cream scoop) mixture and place gently in lightly oiled frying pan and flatten slightly. Brown lightly on both sides.

Serve immediately....these can be made ahead and warmed in the oven before serving if you can keep your family from gobbling them up as they come out of the pan!
I make "mini" crabcakes as an appetizer during the holidays. The kids just love 'em!

Surviving Preschool

Liv started "big school" Preschool at the school her older sister attends this week. There are twenty-two four-year-old children in her class. Kudos to a teacher, and one para-pro who are willing to take on this monumental task.

The reason I say it is a monumental task is because I have taught 2-4 year old children before. My group was much smaller, only 13 most of the time, and I only had them for two hours one day a week. I can't even begin to imagine five days a week for eight hours. I was exhausted every time I left there.

The first day at Liv's preschool was quite an adventure. One child began screaming as soon as her parents left the room. She was inconsolable. They tried sending her to one of the office for comfort, but there was not comforting this child. Finally, the parents were called back and sat with her in the classroom until she calmed down. After a period of time, the parents slipped out the door and out of the building. For a few moments everything was fine. But, suddenly the child realized the parents were gone. She jumped up and ran from the classroom screaming all the way. One of the parents, who was assisting that day, stayed in the classroom while the teacher and para-pro went running after the child. Fortunately, they caught up with her before she could get out of the building. They returned to the classroom with the screaming child. There was no consoling her, so they contacted one of the special teachers and had her take the child out of the room to try and calm her. She did eventually calm down, but I haven't heard how she has made out yet.

Another little boy, was so nervous and quiet that the teacher and others were worried about whether he was okay. In a little while the poor little one threw up! No one was sure whether he was sick or just nervous at first. But, later after eating some lunch, he threw up again, and was sent to the nurse, and then home. Poor baby, and poor teacher...two down, twenty still hanging in there.

One little fellow had been sent to school with pants which were too large in the waist. He didn't have a belt and kept having to hold them up when he walked around. The really big problem occurred when he had to go to lunch. He had to carry his own tray to the table, and that meant he couldn't hold up his pants. Well, you guessed it, as he walked along with his tray his pants fell to his ankles. There he stood, mortified, in his little boy superman underwear...poor baby. The para-pro and teacher were so tickled that they nearly dropped their own trays trying not to laugh. Finally, they walked over and pulled up his pants and took his tray as he held them up.

What a first day! I know they will have many an adventure and laugh over the school year, and those little people will learn so much. Their experienced and gentle teacher will guide them along, and they will start Kindergarden next year much more prepared and ready to face each day.

The Bucket List

If you haven't seen the movie "The Bucket List" you need to add it to your list of movies to view! It is funny, poignant, sweet and to the point! Sometimes we go through the day to day motions of life, and forget to take time to stop and do important, crazy, fun and enlightening things. Sometimes we are too busy raising families, don't have enough money or just plain don't make "living" a priority.

I recently had an opportunity to fulfill one of my own "Bucket List" dreams. I have always wanted to ride a horse down a beautiful beach. Earlier this month, I got the chance to do just that!

As it turned out, this little adventure not only fulfilled my dream of riding, but proved to be one of the most interesting, hysterical and just plain fun times of my entire life. Thanks to Elizabeth and her wonderful Paso Fino horses on the island of Vieques my family had a wonderful two hour adventure.

I don't know how much you know about Paso Fino horses, but they are lovely animals and although quite strong, they are also SMALL! The island of Vieques, Puerto Rico has hundreds of them living in the wild, and believe me, they own the roads! You have to drive quite carefully to avoid hitting them. I had read about Elizabeth and her horses on line when exploring what to do in Vieques. We made our reservations for a two hour tour after arriving on the Island and checking in at the W Resort and Spa.

The day of the ride, five of us arrived at Elizabeth's and filled out releases, and shared how much or little experience we had riding. I used to ride quite frequently as a child, but it had been about 30 years since my last ride. My daughter has ridden quite a bit lately. One of the young men said he had had riding lessons as a young boy, but from the events that followed, I decided he must have slept through a lot of them. I don't think the other two young men had ever ridden before. Elizabeth took us all out to the stable, and after saddling up the horses, gave each of us one to ride according to our experience and the temperament of the horse. My daughter and I decided to wear helmets, just in case.

Upon mounting my horse, I turned to watch my son mount a SMALL, and I mean really small, Pinto. My son is 6'3" and muscular, and the vision of him on that tiny horse still makes me giggle! We all mounted up, and with a guide at the front and one at the back, proceeded to make our way through the tiny town of Vieques toward the beach. Mind you, there were cars on that road, and we had to be careful to move to the right every time one passed. I chose to ride at the back of the group, and so I got a view of everything going on ahead of me. Well, not only was my son's horse small, he was unruly! He would just take off and go left or right to the side of the road to munch on any vegetation he found appealing. My son would pull the reins and fuss at him, but this was a stubborn beast! The carrying on and the language were hysterical. I actually laughed so much that my rib cage was sore the next day!

After about fifteen minutes of riding through the town, we finally arrived at the beach. It was astoundingly beautiful. The somewhat rocky beach with the aquamarine water spread in front of us was everything I had ever dreamed of and more. We proceeded down the beach with the guides at either end of the group, stopping several times for pictures. The young men actually galloped several times along the beach. I opted to make it a more leisurely adventure, however, knowing the helmet would only protect my head, and there are a lot more breakable parts on my body!

The ride was incredible and I wouldn't trade all those great memories with family and friends for anything. Another thing has been crossed of my bucket list, and I intend to keep choosing new adventures and traveling to new places as long as I am able.

Join me, you won't regret it.