Mindless Monday, Blog Linkage, Quotable Quotes, Pinterest Stuff (Find and Fill Nativity for Preschoolers)

Good Monday morning!

My house stinks.

How's that for a Monday morning beginning?

I was baking a pound cake Saturday night for our Palisades Family Christmas Party Sunday night. Everything was going swimmingly until the cake batter decided to leave the fluted tube pan.

I am not a "professional" anything, but I have made more than my fair share of pound cakes... and I have never had a pound cake batter fire in my oven.

Until Saturday night.

At 10:00 p.m.

I have left out some pertinent facts about the fire which should paint a better picture.

1. I had a ton of batter and a smallish fluted tube pan.

2. After 40 minutes, with smoke pouring out of the oven, I checked to find the bottom of the oven AND the racks covered in lumpy, blackened pound cake batter.

3. I removed the cake, AND WITHOUT THINKING, I immediately flipped on the automatic oven cleaner.

4. I did NOT wipe any of the batter out of the oven before I turned on the automatic oven cleaner.

5. I admit it was a STUPID, STUPID thing to do.

6. Thirty minutes later, more smoke began pouring out of my oven. Mikie and I had to open all the windows and doors at 10:45 p.m. Saturday night... and breathe through wet dish towels... and fan, fan, fan.

You get the picture.

7. My oven locks when you turn on the automatic oven cleaner, so Mikie had to do some fancy maneuvering to get it to open before the cleaning time was officially finished.

NOTE - This means, "I think he broke my oven door."

8. Everything, and I mean EVERYTHING, in my house smells of smoke. Clothes, furniture, carpet, etc.

9. Thankfully, some of the gifts wrapped under my Snowman Tree contained candles. The candles are now burning ALL OVER MY HOUSE.

NOTE - I don't think the candles do much except confuse your sense of smell when you walk into the house. Is that BURNT Vanilla Sugar Bean? Is that BURNT Chocolate Chip Mint? Is that BURNT Peppermint Swirl?

Yes. Yes, it is.

"Well, did you make another pound cake for Sunday night?" you ask.

Yes. And it was beautiful to behold. But it was very, very dry.

Like "Sahara Desert" dry.

Like next year, I'll probably be in charge of drinks or napkins or tablescapes.

Or candles!

I could definitely do candles!

RANDOMNESS #1 - We looked marvelous. Unfortunately, looks aren't everything.

We lost our game Friday night.

Just barely.

But it was still a loss.

Heavy, heavy sigh.


I love when Roxie goes one way and her ponytail goes another.


No one even had to tell them to get in a straight and orderly line. They just knew.


Kaylen, the thinker.


I call this "Roxie's Elf Jump."


"I'm Open" Kelci.


"You Can't Keep a Good Chick Down" Joy.


And Miss Meagan.

We'll get 'em tonight!

Or we'll look good tryin'.

RANDOMNESS #2 - Every year, we go to Palisades Park. The Park is located high atop a mountain in Oneonta, and our extended family rents a "lodge" for the evening.

We bring soups, sandwiches, desserts, hot beverages, gifts for the kiddos, etc.

It's one of the Christmas things we look forward to all year long.

Also, Palisades Park has a million lights, and you can ride (or walk) around the small park and soak in all the glowy, twinkly goodness.

Here are a few pics from our time together last night.


My niece, Katie, and Dixie. Monica got a new beagle pup the Sunday after Black Friday, and she was our special guest this year. So sweet.


Katie and Josh.


Austin and Melia. This will be their last Christmas together BEFORE they become husband and wife in October.


Monica and Roxie.


This is Tyler. He belongs to my cousin Roy, and he is the youngest of MamMa's nine great-grandchildren.


MamMa sitting in her favorite spot next to the fireplace.


Josh stacking cups during the Palisades Christmas Games portion of the evening.


Austin and Mike were getting ready to knock down Powerade bottles... using only their heads, stockings and oranges.


Brad was very good at getting a pom-pom to stay on the tip of his Vaseline-covered nose.


Austin turned out to be an expert snowman maker... and Katie turned out to be an expert snowman.


Abbie (Roy's oldest) blowing pom-poms into a cup.


Roxie and Mike.


Photo Bombing Austin.


Roxie, Monica, Katie and Abbie... The Black Friday Chicks.


Abbie, Roy and Tyler.


Adam, Amy and Roy... my cousins.


Brad and Stephanie. They, too, are celebrating their last Christmas as boyfriend/girlfriend before getting married in September.

RANDOMNESS #3 - Having a Christmas Painting Table instead of a Christmas Puzzle Table has been a positive in our household. Roxie decided early on painting relaxes her, and we're all for anything that relaxes The Chick.




Quotable Quotes

"Simplify Christmas. Celebrate Christ." Anonymous

Amen!

Blog Linkage

1. Go to "the anderson crew" under My Blog List and read today's post entitled "present over perfect." Words to live by!

2. Go to The Dating Divas under My Blog List and read the post entitled "Win It In A Minute: Christmas Edition." There are some great Christmas game ideas in this post.

3. Go to Nesting Place under My Blog List and enjoy the Christmas Home Tour which begins today. Beautiful pictures of beautiful homes decorated for the season.

Pinterest Stuff

I found this activity on Pinterest this week, and although I have no toddlers and/or preschoolers hidden around the house to play with, I thought some of you or yours might be interested in a fun way to teach the Christmas Story.

It was pinned, but originated on a website at www.notimeforflashcards.com.

Find and Fill Nativity... Christmas Story Lesson and Game

1. Gather your materials. You will need paper, pen, a basket, a nativity scene with figurines and a book about the Christmas story.

2. Write out clues for each figure. Mine were super simple. "I am the Son of God. I was born in a manger. Who am I? Find me in the dining room." Adjust the info about each person based on your child’s age and knowledge.

3. Read the story first. Let them identify the figures in the scene, too.

4. Next, send the kids away and hide the figures around the house.

5. Put the basket of clues in the manger. Have your children tell you who is missing. Read the first clue.

6. Find the missing pieces. Ask your kids who they are and why they are important.

7. Place them back in the manger and pull the next clue.

8. Keep going until the nativity scene is complete.

Have a holly, jolly week. I'll be back Friday morning with basketball updates, Randomness, Blog Linkage, Seasonal Traditions and more.

Take care, and I'll talk to you the end of the week.

Sincerely,

The Enchanting Belinda