But I took this over the weekend, and, since I can’t send you cards in the mail, I want to share this year’s Christmas photo with you all.

Look at my babies.  And they’re both good, good people.

Yesterday evening we celebrated  the feast of St. Nicholas, known to much of the world as Santa Claus.  This custom goes back to the roots of our Congregation’s founding in Germany in 1850.  I am grateful that the special little traditions that are part of our “Notre Dame culture” endure to this day.  Apple turnovers, candy, nuts, little gifts, and special songs are part of this celebration to which we bring simple hearts that still have the ability to enjoy and celebrate this day.  As Francis Church wrote so many years ago, “Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus.  He exists as surely as love and generosity and devotion exist..Alas, how dreary would be the world if there were no Santa Claus! …There would be no childlike faith then, no poetry, no romance to make tolerable this existence.  The eternal light with which childhood fill the world would be extinguished.”

Ooooohhhh Monday Funday!

We started our day by counting our friends and figuring out who was missing today.

The kids figured out who was missing and how many were missing. Sophie and Sam were missing out of 23 kids. We wonder if Sam’s mommy had her baby and that is why he isn’t here!

We also started the day by learning about water color brushes and how to use them so they have ‘good hair days’! The kids are all making a surprise for the parentals so we gave them a few pointers on getting the desired look. I can’t tell you more or you’ll figure it out.

OUTSIDE TODAY WAS VERY VERY COLD!! So we came in a little early, and the kids are still very energetic. You may need to run them around a bit when you leave. Remember to bring in the warmest clothes for your child so we can enjoy outside time together! They need mittens, hats, warm layers, scarves, etc……

The kids also made many more dress ups for the dinosaurs adding tape to the costumes. They even made a dinosaur play ‘The 9 Dinosaur Group’, a stomping fun play on the risers.

We also painted Neva a card and crown for her last day party later in the week and talked about being friends with Neva. The sand became a play yard for animals. They got a hill to sit on and many kids measured sand, scooped it up and explored making high mounds with it. Many other kids drew in their journals and got their symbols put on them. The magnatiles and dinosaurs played together in the block area again today as well.

Stay Warm!!! Have a good one!!

A Kwanzaa celebration featuring dance, music, storytelling, and food will be held at 6 p.m., Wednesday, Dec. 9, in the Black Box Theatre on the third floor of the Iowa Memorial Union on the University of Iowa campus.

Folk artist Kunama Mtendaji and the Afi Ama Music and Dance Ensemble will perform at the celebration. Karamu (the feast) will include traditional soul food.

UI faculty, staff, and students are welcome to attend—please RSVP by Dec. 7 to dinette-myers@uiowa.edu.

Kwanzaa is a unique African American celebration with focus on the traditional African values of family, community responsibility, commerce, and self-improvement. Kwanzaa is neither political nor religious, and, despite some misconceptions, is not a substitute for Christmas.

prepared by University Relations

The Christmas season officially begins this week in the bessie.viola household, with my office party on Friday night and Jimmy’s extended family Christmas on Saturday. Shockingly, I’m… ready.

I’ve returned the office RSVP count to our venue, I’ve completed the menus and I’ve bought the candies for the tables (totally unnecessary, but something I like to do). The gifts for Saturday’s party have all been purchased and wrapped. I’ll have to go out and buy fruit later in the week to take to the party, and I may decide to make some of the strawberries chocolate-dipped on Saturday morning, but that’s it. I feel oddly relaxed.

This is an uncomfortable feeling, relaxed. It contrasts sharply with my memories of last Christmas, when I was wound so tightly and when I had nothing – nothing – prepared. I wrapped presents for parties the day-of, after running out and frantically trying to determine what to buy. I had no lists, I had no ideas, I had no patience, and I had no sense of peace about any of it. I didn’t even really make cookies; I only made those that my sister came over and baked along with me.

I had an appointment with my OB office on Friday and I’m sticking with what’s been working. We discussed whether I was ready to go off my prescription. I feel that maybe I could? That maybe, I’m okay?  But I’m not entirely sure if that’s the prescription or all the work I’ve been doing – the hard conversations I’ve been having, the questions I’ve been asking (both of myself and my husband). It’s working, in any case, and I’m not rocking the boat yet. Particularly not when it’s the beginning of the long, dark season that is winter in Michigan.

Beginning the celebration of Christmas this year, though… that’s really highlighted the distance from where I was to where I’m going. Last year Jimmy essentially put up the tree alone; I was there but I didn’t do much other than complain. It felt exhausting just to contemplate decorating, and the only thing I wanted to put up was the Nativity. This year I enjoyed decorating, felt real joy when the tree was brought into the house, and have been spending lots of time just relishing all the little moments. It’s been a little bit frightening to realize how little I really felt last year.

Madeline has helped too, no doubt about that; she is enamored of the tree and her stocking and of the little magnetic Nativity I bought for the refrigerator. She carries the little Baby Jesus around with her, crying “Baby JEEESUS! Hi, baby!” She thinks that every present she sees is for her, which means we have to keep very close to her when visiting friends (as we learned Friday night, when she made an attempt to unwrap each of my friend Jessica’s presents laid prettily beneath her tree). She loves the lights on our neighbor’s house, and taking her anywhere after dark is a major treat as all the houses are lit so brightly; she shouts in excitement and names every color, every shape she sees.

She is pure magic, and I see now what my mom means when she talks about the holidays being so much more fun with kids around. Everything is new and fresh and innocent.

I had a thought this weekend, and the thought itself seemed to be evidence that I’m doing okay: I can’t wait until there is snow for her to play in.

light plays on light

creating a unstoppable force

it has been and always will be

darkness has its own kind of force

dark and light dance together

yet darkness is even light to You

the One who powers the sun

never sleeps

{via}

we’ve had a fun and crazy first weekend of december to get the holiday party-going started (a really, really fun co-ed shower) but now, well now is the time to be still.

i’ve been slowly reading mitten strings for god: reflections for mothers in a hurry by katrina kenison. it’s one of those books that you just need to keep on the bedside table to remind you of what’s important. the essay that most touched me is on peace where she says, “In stillness, we find our peace. Knowing peace at home, we bring peace into the world.”

brooke from inchmark echoed the same idea with her idea to take the first week of december to stay in and talk about the real meaning of the season. since all our gifts are bought and wrapped this will be an easy one for us to do. hope you enjoy your week!

Geez, I’ve spent so much money over the last month, but still needed to buy a PSP 3 game that was on someone’s Christmas list, so just went over to GamePlay and bought this:

AND, whilst I was at it I went over to my Amazon account and ordered the digitally remastered COLOUR *woo hoo* version of the magical ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ which is an all time classic that everyone loves. I already have this DVD in Black & White but to have it in colour is going to be fabulous. I do love this movie…

I also bought a couple of other Christmas DVD’s. The first one I bought was because someone mentioned this movie to me earlier today and due to what they told me about it, I just had to see it.

And this movie, I chose just because I liked the sound of it and the reviews left by other Amazon customers who bought it are excellent. This sounds like a movie that has to be watched on Christmas Eve, curled up on the sofa with a big glass of hot mulled wine in front of the fire.

I do so love Christmas *smile*

The postman hasn’t been yet today, but I am expecting quite a few things to be delivered. The main thing I am waiting for is the Go Go Hamster for the cats. They are going to go mental hehe

My Playstation 3 has been downloading most of the last 24 hours! Last night when I switched it on, it informed me that a operating system update was required and as these are usually large downloads, I left it to do whilst I went off to watch a DVD on my iMac as the large TV was out of action. Then when it had finished, I scouted about in the new online store selling films which you can either buy or rent. The film ‘Stardust’ took my eye, so I got myself a Playstation Wallet and bought it, as I figured it would be a movie I wanted to keep, so chose to buy rather than rent.

Stardust, based on the graphic novel by Neil Gaiman and Charles Vess, takes audiences on an adventure in an imaginary world.

A young man named Tristan tries to win the heart of Victoria, the beautiful but cold object of his desire, by going on a quest to retrieve a fallen star. His journey takes him to a mysterious and forbidden land beyond the walls of his village. On his odyssey, Tristan finds the star, which has transformed into a striking girl named Yvaine. However, Tristan is not the only one seeking the star. A king’s four living sons – not to mention the ghosts of their three dead brothers – all need the star as they vie for the throne. Tristan must also overcome the evil witch, Lamia, who needs the star to make her young again. As Tristan battles to survive these threats, encountering a pirate named Captain Shakespeare and a shady trader named Ferdy the Fence along the way, his quest changes. He must now win the heart of the star for himself as he discovers the meaning of true love.

Iconic version of Nativity

People come.

People go.

They congratulate you.

They give you money and presents.

They receive little gift as well.

And at the end, everybody got tired.

HAPPENS A LOT AT WEDDINGS

Selamat Pengantin Baru Kak Id & Abg Irfan. Semoga berkekalan ke anak cucu. AMIN.

These snowmen cakes are rather fidely to make but they are so wonderful to see when they are finished and they taste super too, children love them at parties (and so do the adults too).

I’ve known for years that the Bishop of Myra, St. Nicholas, was the original Santa Claus – a real, live, generous man who helped the poor, and was said to appear to people even after his death, to warn them away from vice and trouble. But there is a lot more that I didn’t know. I was pleasantly surprised and very much charmed when I started researching St. Nick. I now have a stack of books I’d like to find, beg or borrow, so I can satisfy my curiosity about this fellow’s life and deeds.

If you, too, have a wondering about St. Nicholas and his holiday, this article is a good place to start. It explains the origins of the holida, a bit about the man, and a few of the tradtions that are kept by people who still believe in his spirit and goodness. As you can see by this paragraph, St. Nicholas has had plenty of competition over the years. I think I know why he won out. Do you?

In many European countries the gift giving aspect of St. Nicholas day was merged into the gift giving of Christmas and attempts were made to replace St. Nicholas with fictional secular characters such as Père Noel in France, Father Christmas in England, Father Frost in Russia, Kris Kringle in Germany, etc. All of these fictional secular characters shared the same saintly characteristics of Nicholas – love and care for children, [and] giving secretly at night without expectation of receiving anything in return…

To read the rest, click here.

Every year around this time I get questions about how to cook asparagus.  Don’t know why, just happens.

So to go on record for posterity and eternity, here are my thoughts on asparagus (and if you’re one of those people who turns up a nose, I ask you to think again).

Firstly and formostly (yes- spell check and I both know that’s not a word), forget right now that canned asparagus even exists.  Even if you’re having a dry spell on the fresh stuff, never, ever, ever turn to the can.  I think there are support groups available if you’re having trouble with this.

Buying

It’s true what they say about studying the tippy-tops of asparagus.  Look for tight, perky tops (and get your mind out of the gutter).  Wilted, gushy tops are the signal to step away.  You want tight and perky tops. Check?

Big ‘n Fat vs. Lean ‘n Mean

Big and fat usually = tough and fibrous.  But there is hope, and we’ll discuss that in a minute.  If they have perky tops and you’re asparagus ravenous, go ahead and purchase.  Details shortly.

Lean and mean = tender, crisp and easy to prepare (as long as they have – you guessed it – perky tops).

Prep

Fill a sink or a big bowl with fresh, cold water and dump in the asparagus.  Let it languorously soak for a good five minutes.  Drain and rinse.

For lean and mean stalks, simply snap off the tough bottom portion by holding stalk in one hand, grasping the bottom end between thumb and index finger, and bend until it pops off.  Asparagus is real smart.  It knows where to snap off at the tough part.  Amazing!

For big and fat stalks, you’re going to need to grab a sharp paring knife and pare down the stalk to the more tender park.  Then cut off the fibrous ends.

Roast or steam?

Big and fat = best for roasting

Lean and mean = best for steaming

So how?

Here are my favorite ingredients for cooking asparagus.  Funny thing – you can mix and match any of the below to make great asparagus.

• Diced red and yellow bell peppers
• Cavendar’s seasoning
• Kosher salt
• Fresh ground black pepper
• Balsamic vinegar
• Olive oil
• butter
• minced garlic
• minced red onion

Roasting ideas for big and fat

• Drizzle olive oil over the stalks and rub them around until entirely coated in a lite layer.  Place in a single layer in a Pyrex baking dish.  Sprinkle with Cavendars, roast 5-8 minutes at 350 degrees (please pre-heat the oven).  Test for fork tenderness.  Drizzle with lemon juice before serving.

• Pour some olive oil in a big plastic bag.  Add minced garlic (the kind in the jar is fine), a pinch or two of Kosher salt, and some melted butter (that’s right – butter).  Dump in the asparagus – shake wildly – remove, layer in pan and proceed as above.

Steaming ideas for lean and mean

Lay asparagus spears in single layer of pyrex baking dish.  A cool way to do this is half and half – place half of the asparagus, cut end to the outside of the pan, and then meet on the other side with another row of asparagus, cut end out.  Seems to protect the tender young ends.

In a bottle (or something handy), mix 8 tbsp. of water with 3 tbsp. olive oil, 2 tbsp. balsamic vinegar, pinch of kosher salt, and about 1/4 cup of minced red and yellow bell pepper.  When thoroughly mixed, pour over asparagus.  Seal dish with good quality plastic wrap.  Stick it in the microwave, and nuke for about 2.5 to 3 minutes on full power.  Allow to set for about 3 minutes, then carefully remove the wrap (there’s some mighty hot steam in there – don’t burn yourself).  Then serve either warm or at room temperature.

Leftovers?

Make a marinate of olive oil, cavendars, minced red onion and either some balsamic or red wine vinegar.  Marinate overnight and then chop up to use in a salad (yum!).

Celebrating Asparagus Aspirations today.

Please remember to Celebrate Something Everyday!

Hint/tip:  Looking for a neat-o and nifty dinner party favor?  Purchase some of these little cuties and mix about 1 tsp. Cavendars seasoning per favor into olive oil, fill and present – tasty and useful!

Kobe’s 3 at buzzer sends Lakers past Heat

Down by two with 3.2 seconds left, Kobe Bryant(notes) merely wanted to drive for a tying basket. His foot slipped when he got the ball, and Miami’s defense forced Bryant to throw up an off-balance 3-point shot that was well off target and far too long.

Yes, everything went wrong on the Los Angeles Lakers’ final possession.

Kobe somehow made it all right.

Bryant banked in his final shot over Dwyane Wade’s(notes) outstretched arm at the buzzer, ending the superstars’ sensational duel and sending the Lakers to their eighth straight victory, 108-107 over the Heat on Friday night.

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slug=ap-heat-lakers&prov=ap&type=lgns

 The smell of the beeswax candles I made rise through the air, lifting my spirits and exciting the children with the realization that Christmas is only a few weeks away.

just a little behind in posting … I’m almost caught up and then I’ll be sharing  our Christmas around the world lessons

Today is Bigzull and Wei’s first year wedding anniversary.  Guess what?  They are throwing a party at Zouk to share their happiness with their friends (yes, that include Al and me).  I seldom go party but for such lovely occassion, I am happy to be part of it.   Close to 12 midnight yesterday, Bigzull surprised Wei by giving her a  gift (orange color strap) she dearly wanted   And then there were hugs and kisses between them. 

Although Al does not express his love for me openly in the public, little things he does always makes me know that I am his dearest