simple Analogy

Only a Small Christmas Playlist

These are a few of my favorites this season, just in case you need a little inspiration while you finish wrapping presents! 

1.  Realizing the enormity of the gift that was given on that first Christmas and that my piddly little attempt at gift giving pales in comparison.

2.  Too-sweet daddy's lullaby.

3.  It was a strange way, but it worked.

4.  Just makes me wonder if the animals in the stable didn't break out into a version of this when He was born.

5.  Lump in my throat every single time.

Jammin' With Beethoven's Wig

Our family has enjoyed Beethoven's Wigfor several years. These CD's are a great way to introduce children to classical music.  Richard Perlmutter, the mastermind behind Beethoven's Wig and lead vocalist, takes classical pieces and writes imaginative lyrics to them, often including the name of the composer and/or the title of the song, leaving you with an unforgettable way to remember the song. 

Saturday my mom treated us to Beethoven's Wig- the concert.  To our surprise, Richard himself and the original singers performed accompanied by the Sam Houston State Orchestra.  We thought the CD's were good, but seeing it in person was awesome.  The orchestra was wonderfully talented.  The performers were so engaging.  It was very interactive and the kids in the audience were absolutely captivated, as were Mom, Joel, and I.  It's been a long time since we've been to a concert so entertaining and fun.

Landon's and my favorite:  Beep, Beep, Beep (Moonlight Sonata, Beethoven)

Noah's favorite song:  Midnight Snack (Habanera from Carmen, Bizet) 

Therapy

I went to therapy today.  My therapists - yes, I have more than one - did me a world of good.

Friend therapy - Megan started therapy off by letting me hold her oh-so-sweet new baby girl while we talked girl talk.  I've been wanting to spend time with Meg since the baby was born.  Sickness ruined my plans several times, but not today!  We laughed, vented our frustrations, and had a wonderful time parked on the couch.  She even burned a Christmas CD for me from Oprah's list.  Thanks!!!   My boys played with her little guy and enjoyed the funny ways of a three year old - also, the noises that sometimes escape from a baby.  

Mom therapy - Mom is always therapy to me no matter when or where we meet up.  She's one of my best friends.  It was wicked cold here in Houston, and when we arrived at her house she had the fire already going!  Love a good fire!

 

Food therapy - If you have a fire going, you gotta roast some marshmallows.  And  drink hot cocoa!  Yum!  I like my mallows lightly burned.  Noah likes his charred.  Landon likes the non-roasted variety right out of the bag.

   

 

Weather therapy - It snowed!  The microscopic crystals you see on my coat are proof.  This is only the third time in 18 years of living here that it has snowed.

 

My therapy was successful.  I feel much better and am even more in the Christmas mood!

Never Enough

My CD cabinet is LOADED with Christmas CD's!  I'm thinking over half of the ones I own are Christmas.  This year they are all packed away in storage, and it is kind of sad.  I miss hearing all my favorites:  Carpenter's Christmas Portrait, Boston Pop's Joy to the World, Point Of Grace's Christmas Story, Our Daily Bread's Majestic Christmas, Josh Groban's Noel (we borrowed that one from my mom).  I haven't invested in an iPod yet. 

Rachel saved the day when she gave me this new CD!  I love it!  Thank you!

 

Desire for Departure

I'll be listening to this new CD today while I snap green beans and prepare the cranberry sauce. 

Speaking of cranberry sauce, I am not able to get to my favorite recipe for this Thanksgiving staple.  It's buried deep in storage.  I got the recipe out of some little magazine a way long time ago and have been using it ever since.  My people aren't big on normal cranberry sauce, but everyone likes this one.  I know all the ingredients, but don't know how much of each to use.  I asked several people I knew I had given it to, but they couldn't lay their hands on it.

Fresh cranberries, ginger ale, raspberry jello, lemon juice, sugar...  I tried to find it online, but no success.  I did find one similar and am going to try to tweak it to be like the other.  Cross your fingers! 

And if you happen to have a recipe like this, leave it in the comments.  I'd be eternally grateful.

I am eternally greatful to Megan, who found THE RECIPE online for me!!!  You're an angel!

Inch By Inch

 

   

Inchworm, inchworm, measuring the marigolds

You and your arithmetic, you'll probably go far.

Inchworm, inchworm, measuring the marigolds

Seems to me you'd stop and see how beautiful they are.

Thank you, little inchworm, for reminding me about this song! 

Now You Know

1.  Fruit punch (or anything with that flavor) gives me a sore throat.

2.  My favorite color is  . . . too many to choose from.  I'm really into orange right now.

3.  I want "Untitled Hymn" by Chris Rice sung at my funeral.  It's my favorite song.

4.  If I could be anything, I might want to be an archaeologist.  Ok, maybe that's going a little too far, but I think it'd be awesome to discover King Tut's tomb.  How about an interior decorator!

5.  I love Chinese food.  The rest of my family loathes it.

6.  I used to be the goalie of my soccer team in 4th grade.  We never won a game.  Why hurt myself over a dumb ball?

7.  I absolutely love having a houseful of boys - husband included.  They're loud, very active, have broken my decorations, and put dents in the walls . . . but I wouldn't trade 'em for anything. 

8. My middle name is Leah. 

9. My favorite thing to do to unwind before bed is either read a good book or do some Sudoku.  I'm hooked.

10. I love to chew gum! 

Sympathy

Many of us grew up with the music of Steven Curtis Chapman.  This one was played at my wedding.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pEwzUZET-RQ]

My heartfelt sympathy goes out to his family in the death of their youngest daughter, Maria.  One of three adopted daughters from China, she died Wednesday in a tragic accident.  I can't imagine losing a child, and I know that the Chapman family will need lots of prayers.

Mr. Mom

I do not listen to country music, but we were eating at Spring Creek Barbecue the other day, and the funniest song came on.  When I am out to eat or shopping, I hear the music, but I don't listen to it.  Does that sound like an oxymoron?  You know what I mean though . . . you know that there is music in the background, but don't really pay attention to it.  That is what I was doing as we ate lunch.  But then I caught "sweet potatoes in my lazy chair".  I thought, "That's weird for a country song!"

In my mind, country music is all about the girl that left the guy and now he's cryin' in his beer.  Ok, that's very stereotypical, but that's what I think of.  I started wondering what sweet potatoes have to do with country music.  So I started listening.  F-U-N-N-Y!  That's all I can say!

As a mom, I can totally relate to all the things he talks about in this song.  And then trying to picture a dad doing all this stuff just made me laugh even more.  So, listen and laugh!

'Cause, Pampers melt in a Maytag dryer

Crayons go up one drawer higher

Rewind Barney for the eighteenth time

Breakfast - six, naps at nine

There's bubble gum in the baby's hair

Sweet potatoes in my lazy chair

Been crazy all day long

And it's only Monday, Mr. Mom

P.S.  Please forgive me if this is a really old song to some of you, but it's new to me.

Easter

He is risen!

You Are Loved  (music and lyrics by Hope's Call)

You are loved beyond your failures
You are loved beyond your past
The hope that you’ve imagined
Is now reality at last
You are loved with no conditions
You are loved with no remorse
The scars of your forgiveness
Are engraved upon the Lord
You are loved

Happy Easter!