Tag Archives: friends

Christmas Cookies and a Christmas Message

Cookie monster heaven

Cookie monster heaven

Every year (almost) for the past 11(?) years, my former roommate, her mother-in-law and 2 sisters-in-law host a cookie exchange at Christmas.  Although we only live about 30 minutes-ish from each other, this is our ONE time of year we get to visit and catch up.  Ah, this busy life.  Anyway, this cookie exchange is THE cookie exchange of cookie exchanges.

My roomie and I.  We glow.

My roomie and I. We glow.

These ladies start in the summer with preparations, menus, taste testing and I believe—-even some cooking and freezing.   Come December, they each invite scores of lady friends across the social circles of high school, church, work, neighbors and so on.  It’s a FULL HOUSE and often many reunions are taking place.

Holy COW!!

Holy COW!!

Aside from the cookie swapping, there is a massive spread of various hors d’oeuvres, tea, water and coffee and prior to the number calling and cookie picking they do a little something as a reminder of the reason we celebrate Christmas:  Jesus Christ.  One year, there was a Worship dancer from Hawaii (a high school friend of one of the gals) who did a traditional Hawaiian dance to a wonderful contemporary Christian song, other years have been stories and small skits.  Among this large and varied group, the message is clear:  this get-together is a fellowship ministry for women sharing life with Christ as the centerpiece of this gathering.

The tale of the Three Trees.  A must have for Advent and Christmas reading!!

The tale of the Three Trees. A must have for Advent and Christmas reading!!

Every year the family looks forward to the various cookies and recipes I bring home and I look forward to the time with my friend and her family and running into new and old friends.  Next year, they’ll take a year off, however, my friend and I have already pencilled it in the calendar for dinner the first week of December 2014!!

WIWS and other weekend craziness

Full shot

Full shot

I’ve not linked up with the fashionably forward ladies at FLAP in a while, but to be fair, I haven’t been blogging a ton lately.  Life is fully back into school and activities mode and there are only so many hours in the day.  You KNOW this, I know.  That’s the truth and I’m just getting it in when I can.

Aaaaaaaand, our oldest girl and I went thrifting yesterday and I simply HAD to share my outfit.  Thrift winning!

 

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IMG_5632This is me showing you:  my fave necklace, shirt detailing and MY HAIR.  I actually did my hair.  Looks the same right?  Yep.  That’s why I don’t really do my hair.  It always looks the same to me.  Whatever.

Outfit Details:

Pants…just love the pinstriping (?) is that what it is…khaki and brown.  Can’t go wrong there. $1

Shirt….Love.  This.  Shirt.  All of my colors and super sassy.  $2

Shoes….Aerosoles, BROWN, slides and $2.  yes, thank you.

Jewelry:  not thrifted, but some pieces my beloved Lia Sophia collection.  Call me sucker.

For other weekend news:

Friday night after work and kid pickup/dropoff/pickup/pickup, Hubby and I went to a 50th birthday dinner.  The couple goes to our church and he wanted to do his signature BBQ ribs to celebrate.  In.  Had me at BBQ and me not cooking.   We also met a few other folks from church there (although I only remember about 2 names…I do poorly in large groups) and our associate priest was there as well.  It was a really nice time, great food, good conversation and just so nice to FINALLY be socializing with people from church OUTSIDE church.  It only took 10 years.  Whatever, that’s a whole other post simmering….

Saturday was thrifting and cleaning.  Productive AND fun.

Today I helped our 6th grader do her Science Experiment for her Science project due next week.  I was the photographer.  At Mass  our 8th grader was recognized for his accomplishment in making All State Orchestra for his French Horn.  It’s been a big weekend.

Now swing by the FLAP girls and check out the rest of the ladies!

Happy Veteran’s Day and have a great week!

Blessings!!

Road Trippin’ for a Friend Fix

There lies the season where I miss my friends.    It’s a crazy thing, getting older.  Not as simple to make friends any more.  Everyone is busy.  Everyone has baggage.  And so I remember the plaque that hung in my grandmother’s kitchen from a hundred years ago….(or 40):

Make new friends, but keep the old;

The new are silver and the old are gold.

These friendships have weathered life’s storms:  Cancer, infertility, marriage struggles, divorce, faith struggles, death of a child, children with emergency surgery, financial drain, suicide, depression, alcoholism, prison, poor health, aging parents, death of parents, miscarriage, many children, few children, job changes, bullying, education challenges, children growing up and moving away, children with faith crises, deployment, moving, starting over, making new friends and the list goes…..it is life.  Distance may separate us, however, these life cords forever bind us.

So worth the road trip with my girls to visit these dear friends.  We didn’t get to make ALL the rounds due to end-of-summer craziness and that only makes the argument for another visit and for visitors here.  Life’s too short, make the effort, you won’t regret it.

Rollin' with my homies.

Rollin’ with my homies.

7 super quickety quick takes

Joining Jen and gangster bloggers for the 7QTS this week!!  Woop Woop!

And so in my usual bon-bon fashion….I am leaving myself with 6 whopping minutes to post this before I need to get ready for work.  Fortunately, I’ve showered, eaten and my lunch is mostly ready.  Ready set GO:

1.  This week I flipped back to old school style planner.  Paper.  Pens.  Pencils.  Still love my iPhone calendar, but I’m a tactile person and I need paper.  My anxiety is decreasing already….this will do until I find something super purty…feel free to leave your suggestions in the combox!

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2.  This past weekend (Sunday) counts as the week start correct?  We did a huge ole bed swap…our bunk beds to the neighbors (below right) and my girlfriend’s daughters trundle to our girls (below left) and my girlfriend’s daughter moved a futon into her room for hang/sleep/teen stuff (not posted)….can you say WINX3?!?!?PicMonkey Collage

3.  Back to school is right around the corner…..Our sophomore had orientation and our 6th grader as well.  2 down and 2 to go.  Sweet structure is almost here.  orient4.  I’ve been walking all week while our youngest has cheer practice for about 45 minutes each night (in addition to my morning classes) and am down 3 pounds.  BooYA.  Meh, the weekend is coming, all subject to change!

5.  I’m taking one last road trip before school starts with my girls.  We leave in the a.m. for a fun and packed weekend of friend visiting….hence the 3 pounds are subject to change.  You feel me?

6.  Oh no…..3 minutes over my time.

7.  Have a great weekend!!!

Buh bye Facebook. For now anyway…

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For the last couple of Lent seasons I have given up Facebook and it is a glorious 37 days.  (it takes a few days to shake the habit and then I’m good).  This year, when I signed back on Facebook was different.  Not so much the layout but the content.  People are posting videos, news reports, Pinterest recipes, ecards and there are Advertisements and countless game requests.  I’m not saying all that is bad, however, where are the pictures, my people?!?!??!  I’m in it for the updates.  Tell me you are drowning in back to school supply lists, basking at the beach, meeting friends for a run and post pictures….THAT is what I want.  I have YouTube for videos, Pinterest to feed my inner Martha Stewart, CNN, National Catholic Register and The Weather Channel for my news feed, and WordsWithFriends to satisfy my gamer needs—Candy Crush and all that nonsense just infuriates me.    It’s overload.  I come away more often than not, anxious and frustrated; I mean, when I start “hiding” family members due to ridiculous ranting….it’s a problem.   All I really want is to see my family and friends enjoying life, pics of their growing-way-too-fast kids and some silliness.  So, I’m deleting my account and removing it from my phone.  I might reactivate it now and then, however, something tells me once I’m over the first few days it will be more less than often….

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In the meantime, I plan on picking up the pace with phone calls, emails, texts, heck…even snail mail and IN REAL LIFE conversations to keep up with friends and family.  Crazy, right?  Probably.  So, if you’ve got my number, call me.  Maybe.