My Thoughts

My Grown Up Christmas List Have you heard the song? As the song plays in my mind, I think of all the things I would tell the person I love completely.  I want to believe in something bigger than myself...............the true magic of the holiday season. Faith can sometimes be the hardest thing.....believing in something unseen.  As the cool, crisp air envelopes our area and the light drizzles make all lights truly glisten, I want to lay under my tree and just imagine a magical world the way I once did. This year I had an opportunity to see my future in some weird haze..........my daughters grown up and on their own, and me, alone.  My loneliness consumes me during what used to be my favorite holiday.  So, my grown up Christmas list is this:  for the world to accept each other where and when we are; for hunger, famine, fear, sadness, illness........to be removed from the human condition; I wish that the economy improves and no one suffers due to pollutants...

~Lil Discoveries~ In my lifetime, I have discovered that not everyone dreamed of being Indiana Jones, of searching through multiple obstacles to make one small discovery. Maybe it was watching the original movie when I was still impressionable, or maybe it was my love of reading and discovery from an even earlier age, but I have always been drawn to finding the little things. I used to love spending time at the HPU library reading through very old books and very old periodicals. How truly fascinating to read a magazine article from the 1920s when the world in which I lived was so very different. I still cannot imagine anyone not loving the rush of making a discovery. As I was searching through videos with "Auld Lang Syne" I found a clip from Waterloo Bridge , a movie I have never seen nor heard about.  I am adding it to my list of movies I want to see...........it's Vivien Leigh and Robert Taylor after all. Luckily, the movie is available at Blockbuster, so it i...

~Cutest Cookie in a Jar Idea~ I completely stole this from t he Bakerella blog and have included the link back to the source.  I think this is a very cute idea. Mix things up! Yeehaaa… yum yum… it’s Cowboy Cookies. Or, in this case, Cowgirl Cookies. A friend introduced these to me and I love them. Especially the name. Cowboy Cookies. Cowboy Cookies. Cowboy Cookies. Rolls off the tongue doesn’t it? Well, I took the traditional oats, chocolate chips and pecans this cookie is known for and added some pink m&m’s to make them, well, more girly. But why stop there. I also made a few cookie mixes to try out as a test run for a gift idea. You see, I missed said friend’s birthday (sorry friend) and I wanted to make up for it. So, I took her basic recipe and made a few adjustments so I could fit all the ingredients into these jars. They’re smooth Ball jars made especially for crafts. Smooooooth. No embossed logos in the glass. Nice. And with a little fabric, la...

**Tinsel Trees** The catchphrase in Austin is "Keep Austin Weird", and many take offs utilize the same construction:  Keep Austin Reading, Keep Austin Growing, ect.  Weirdness is common here in the capitol.  A couple years ago I first noticed the Tinsel Trees on Loop 360 (Capitol of Texas Highway).  Cedar trees along the right of way miracously burst into holiday festivity draped with holiday decorations.  Many of the trees sport glittering garland.  I drive this stretch of roadway home from work most days and enjoy the panoramic views of the hill country.  For some reason, this year I decided to do some research into this bizarre annual tradition .  A coworker stated the tradition of decorating a tree on the right of way started as a way to share the holiday with those who may not have the means of affording a tree.  I think its a sweet idea.  My biggest concern with these trees is the litter .  So much of what is on t...

~Eggnog French Toast Casserole~ Update:  this has been a very busy post, viewed almost daily and consistently since it's original publication.  I would love to hear about anyone's attempts at making this Eggnog French Toast. copied from Women of Faith daily newsletter This recipe sounds so amazing.  I wondered if this was the casserole that Jessica and Rachel ended up rolling around in on the floor in The Family Stone .  A little digging revealed that instead, it is actually Breakfast Strata which sounds equally appealling.  I did not like the movie, The Family Stone.  Maybe it was too realistic.  Maybe I was hoping for something more whimsical and hopeful.  I have tried a couple times since my initial viewing to watch it, but I cannot bring myself to sit through it. Eggnog French Toast Casserole A make-ahead breakfast perfect for Christmas morning! 1 loaf French Bread 8 oz. Cream Cheese 10 Eggs 2 cups Eggnog ¼ teaspoon Nutmeg ...

"Dee, we are headed out now. You coming?" one of her co-workers blurted as the end of day bustle meandered down the hall. Still on a telephone call and gazing intently as figures on her laptop, Deandra did a quick thumbs up gesture and returned to the task at hand. She was finalizing her first assignment where she was project lead since her arrival in Philadelphia six months earlier and she wanted to make a good impression. "Actually, we came in under projected costs which allowed us to apply our project surplus to a secondary project in that neighborhood. I feel very strongly that by contributing to the park re-modeling with the money and the volunteer hours by several of our staff members the community is beginning to trust our motives in rebuilding," she said. Glancing at her watch, she was calculating her walk time to city hall for the ceremony. "Mr. Henderson, I hate to rush off, but I need to take this other call. If you have any furt...

It is such a wonderful Christmas season........the air is cool and crisp, all the girls are home and in rare pockets of amazing spontaneity, we get to truly chill together. Derrick was driving through town, so we met at Saltgrass for dinner. On the way home, jamming to the radio, for one small window of time, all three girls were singing this song together. Just sitting back and watching this rare moment, my mind flashed back across the last few years when we all were closer, when the girls were not separated by interests and age, when I was not so busy with work and building a career..............my precious daughters are almost all grown. 3 amazing and beautiful young women.....each with different perspectives and talents. I really wish I could roll back the time and slow it down. I imagine many parents feel the same way. I want to live in that one rare moment until the world ends. I want to return to the young innocent Britney time.... that was a time when my girls were still...