Christmas 2012

It was a different kind of Christmas this year but a great one, nonetheless.  We planned on being in our new house and well...plans changed.  We ran out of days before Christmas and decided to drop back, make the best of an unusual situation, and enjoy the holidays.  It was a Christmas we won't ever forget, and seeing the colored lights, decorations, Santa Claus, and festivities from our little boy's eyes made it perfect.

Wills helped Gammy and Mommy with lots of holiday baking.

We enjoyed a Christmas Eve candlelit service with my family.

We decided to spend Christmas Eve night at my sister and Tony's house.  They graciously opened up their home to us and our traditions.  We read The Christmas Story from Luke, Twas the Night Before Christmas, and The Polar Express.  We all opened up new Christmas Eve pajamas from my parents.  We set out cookies and milk for Santa Claus, and then it was bedtime.

Later on, Santa showed up, emptied his sack for Wills, and was on his way!

We read a lot of directions.

Christmas Morning came.  Wills was excited to see what Santa brought.  

He was especially excited about his awesome train table from Aunt Sissy and Uncle Tone.  

We had both families over for Christmas breakfast casserole.

Wills gave a lot of kisses. :)

We spent the rest of the day (without our camera...sad)  moving from place to place.  We opened presents at Dot's, ate lunch with William's family, and headed back to dinner with mine.  It was a busy day, overflowing with family, friends, and a lot of love.  We are so thankful for everyone being flexible with us this holiday season.  

But, what Christmas is complete without a little annual family wood picking and splitting.  This one's for you, Dad.

Merry Christmas!

Giver

My students are finishing up their study of one of my favorite books, The Giver, in class.

And, although Jonas has to bear the painful memories of the world for his entire community, he is awakened to the beauty and the best of the world, as well.

As an activity, we created murals, with each student bringing in images of the best and worst memories of the world, either personal or historical.

The outcome was amazing and reminds me of all the little things we should acknowledge and be grateful for this season.

They brought in memories of Christmas, a delicious breakfast, traveling, an unspoiled landscape, having puppies, cherishing family, winning a championship, falling in love….some of which we all take for granted.

Seeing the world through Jonas’ eyes, without even the gift of colors, having feelings, or the freedom to make choices, reminded all of us to count our blessings.

"Grinch" Monster

About three weeks ago I started a personal challenge/awareness of five daily fruits and veggies. I try to eat healthy 80% of the time and splurge the remaining time, but lately I’ve been lacking in the produce department. I did really well for five days or so…adding a fruit to my breakfast, snacking on sweet peppers and hummus, having tomato or broccoli soup for lunch or a salad, adding tons of veggies to my sandwiches, another fruit for an afternoon snack, and fitting in as many as possible for dinner. I kept count of them in my journal. For a week, I felt great!

Then life happened, nightly painting began, frozen pizza took over, and well…the fruits and veggies lessened.

But not for this little one.  Although my daily intake isn't spot on, I make sure Wills gets the fruits and veggies he needs...with ketchup, of course.  :)

Plus, Wills and I have both been a little under the weather, and I know that's when healthy foods, loaded with vitamins and minerals, become crucial.  What better way to get back on it, pack in as many as possible in one refreshing punch, and start to feel better, than with a Green Monster.

In this beauty, went a ton of spinach, Greek yogurt, fresh grapefruit juice, a banana, frozen raspberries,  rolled oats, and 1/3 of an avocado. It was perfect.

And even better in a wine glass.  Now, off to watch the Grinch.  Suits him, don't you think?  

Keep Writing

I was on a roll...a writing roll (if you can count a few posts in a row being on a roll...but hey, progress, right?)

And then it got quiet.  How do you write about Christmas movies, wrapping presents, and new recipes, when others are canceling Christmas, burying their children, and in so much pain?  As a teacher, I was devastated and scared.  As a mom, I was broken and numb.  I can not imagine.  I couldn't write...not about those petty things.

And then today, in church, we sang "Joy to the World."  One of our pastors, Adam, said that despite the pain in the world, Christmas is coming, and we should be joyful.  At a time like this, that's exactly why we should be joyful...only because of the promise of Jesus, born in a manger, on Christmas Day, to take away the pain and save all of us.

And then I heard that teachers read books to their students, to keep them calm during the massacre.  Books!  I knew they were wonderful, and one of my all-time favorite things, but they helped save so many lives! Words written down, shared by those who love to write, helped those children.

So I will write.

And I will pray.  And love on my son.  And my students.  All while giving thanks for another day of life, with a joyful heart, I will write.

Here are those cookies I promised.

"Baby, it's cold outside"

Rainy, foggy, frigid days used to mean class was “canceled.” In Athens, if it rained, Caroline and I decided that we were sure our professors had canceled class for the day. So, we stayed home. Besides who stands on Milledge Avenue, waiting for the UGA bus, in the freezing rain? Not us.

On those rainy days we were quite busy. We watched movies, picked up take-out while disguising our shower-less faces in big sunglasses, turned the heat to temperature cozy, stayed in our pajamas, and chatted about cute boys. Wine may or may not have been involved.

Today, when I woke up, walked outside, and realized the dreary, cold conditions, I reminisced about my Athens days. If only I could “cancel” class, snuggle up to my little peanut, put on Cupcake Wars re-runs, and call Caroline, all in my pajamas. I’m sure my sixth graders didn’t want to catch their buses in the rain, either.

Needless to say, I forged onward, brewed a strong pot of coffee and headed out in the wet weather.

Something about the cold, snowy weather makes me feel like I’m supposed to bake (Let me say, I rarely follow through with this feeling). I don’t know what it is. I imagine the snow piling up around the doors, a fire crackling, warm socks on our feet, being stuck inside, with a delectable, home-made smell coming from the oven. I think it makes a house a home and reminds me of being young, minus the snow piling up.

This afternoon I went against my tired eyes and the dread of having to wash the mixer when it was all over, and went for it. Besides, I had my annual Christmas party to attend and I’m sure my girlfriends could use a little sweet in their lives, and green bean casserole (which I’m signed up to bring) is just not that exciting.

Bring on the Peppermint Mocha Cookies that scream, “Santa is coming, Santa is coming! Hooray!”

I adapted this recipe from Jenna at Eatliverun.

Here’s what I used.

I creamed together the butter, eggs, sugar and peppermint extract.

Then added the flour, cocoa, baking powder, and a dash of salt to the wet ingredients.

That's when things got a little messy.  This cookie batter is super fudgy and sticky!

But, don't quit yet, the outcome is worth every muscle you work to mix this baby and fold in the dark chocolate chips.

I baked them on 350 degrees for about 14 minutes.

The outcome, on this dreary day, was delicious.  I will post a few pictures tomorrow of the final platter...complete with a white chocolate drizzle.

You should make these. They are super easy, and would be perfect in a little cellophane bag, tied with red and green raffia ribbon and an ornament for an easy, heart-felt, tasty gift. Take one to your neighbor, your child’s teacher, or your boss. Share. Give. Enjoy.

The True Meaning

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas…

A different Christmas this year,

I'm learning that my favorite holiday is not about the hand-picked Fraser fir decorated with ornaments my mom has given me over the years; it’s about the excitement on my little boy’s face when he runs to her whimsical tree every morning, pointing for us to turn on the lights.

Or about a fully decorated new home. Our dull brown bricks are finally painted white. Does that count?

And although, cooking Christmas Eve crab bisque in front of a cozy fire with my hubby sounds wonderful, so does pizza. Delivered.

I't not about our annual hosting of both of our families for a traditional Christmas morning breakfast casserole, fine china included. This year pastries from Fresh Market served on red and green plastics will do. As long as we’re all together.

And sleeping in a bed on Christmas Eve may not happen. We will spend the night in our new home, but depending on the timing and unloading of storage pods, we may be reading “the children were nestled all snug on their air mattress, while visions of sugar plums danced in their heads.”

This year, it’s more about the awe in Wills’ eyes as he stared into Santa’s at Beaufort’s annual Night on the Town. It’s about telling him the story of Jesus, born in a manger. It’s about love. 

  

          Whenever I get gloomy with the state of the world, I think about the arrivals gate at   Heathrow Airport. General opinions starting to make out that we live in a world of hatred and greed, but I don't see that. It seems to me that love is everywhere. Often it's not particularly dignified or newsworthy, but it's always there - fathers and sons, mothers and daughters, husbands and wives, boyfriends, girlfriends, old friends. When the planes hit the Twin Towers, as far as I know none of the phone calls from the people on board were messages of hate or revenge - they were all messages of love. If you look for it, I've got a sneaky feeling you'll find that love actually is all around. 

                       –"Love Actually" (If I don’t get to see this at least once this Christmas, I may seriously dive    into the pod head first in search of this single DVD. Not kidding; it’s my favorite.)

This Christmas season, more than ever, I will remember what it’s really about. And I will celebrate the true meaning.

Being Present

***I should have posted this when I wrote it in August. Bear with me.

I took my first studio yoga class on Sunday. To say I loved it is an understatement. I’ve had an on and off yoga practice (I really shouldn’t even call it a practice, because it has been so inconsistent) for the past couple of years. I’ve taken a few yoga classes while we were members at various gyms, but I’ve always been on the lookout for a studio in this area and a desire to commit to a regular practice. I was envious of my friends in Atlanta, Chicago and Seattle who had a studio on every corner and could pop in after work for a little mind and body awareness, work-out and relaxation. However, the closest studio has always been across the river and a good 30 minute drive away. Not anymore!!! While we’re living with my sister, I could probably walk to the new studio. And our new house is only a few miles around the corner.

I took a power basics class on Sunday that wasn’t very basic. I was familiar with most of the poses; it was basic because it was just a slower pace. We started with sun salutations, moved into downward dog, warrior one and two, chair pose, triangle pose, forward folds and half lifts, and many more.

My favorite part of the class was in pigeon pose, a hip opener. Annalisa said that stress and anxiety are often stored in our hips and this pose will release that tension. She asked us to be present - To let the worries from last week leave. “They’re not here,” she said. Forget about the demands of next week. “They, too, are not here.” She asked for it to be just us and the mat, right now, in this moment. It was powerful for me to focus on my breath, and just be. I left feeling better and more energized than when I arrived.


**** Fast forward five months

Today, five months into a regular yoga practice, I am stronger inside and out than I’ve ever been before. Since the beginning of August, I have become an ambassador at my studio, taken a full day workshop, and am considering 200 hour teacher training. I love coming to my mat, setting my intention, becoming aware of my breath, acknowledging my fears and my worries, and leaving them all right there on the mat, walking away a better, lighter person. God is in my yoga practice. He meets me there. He speaks through each and every teacher. In the quiet and stillness of Shavasana I am learning to listen, to have gratitude for myself, and to embrace change in order to experience growth.

I am looking forward to writing more about this topic and just wanted to give an update.

By the way, this was the morning view from my mat this weekend. Amazing.