RANDOMNESS #1 - Mikie has been in Washington, D.C. this week. He usually travels two or three times a year, but the first week in December is new to us.
I don't care for it.
I don't care for it at all.
However, he has eaten well... rested well... seen the White House decorated for Christmas.
I'm very happy for him.
However, I'll be happier still when his plane lands in Birmingham at 5:30 this afternoon.
Happy, happy, happy.
RANDOMNESS #2 - Basketball season is in high gear around here.
We played in Cullman Tuesday night, and while we lost, I got some sweet pictures of the Chicks.
Roxie after making a three-pointer.
Kelci's game face.
Roxie.
Cam. I'm going to take a "smiling" Cam pic tonight. She has the most beautiful smile. It lights up her face.
Alyssa.
Roxie and Meagan.
Sometimes I just like to take action shots the entire game.
Sometimes I just take "falling on the floor" shots.
Tuesday night, I wanted to take face shots.
Unless something changes, I'm kind of in a "face shot" mood again today.
We'll see.
RANDOMNESS #3 - Sparkle came home Tuesday. She was in Intensive Care for two of the five days she was at the vet's office. She is still improving (we think), but we'll know for certain after she comes off some of her meds next week.
She cannot go up and down stairs, so she is living quite comfortably in the basement.
I go downstairs every three hours and let her out and she slowly wanders for about half an hour... and then she is worn out and comes in for a long nap.
Copper discovered she had returned home on the second day.
He went nuts.
She cannot go inside the fence to play because when Copper is excited he jumps up and down, up and down on the person or dog nearest him at that particular moment.
He's not a heavy dog, but in her delicate condition, Sparkle couldn't take a pounding from Copper at this particular time in her life.
So, every three hours when I let Sparkle out to wander, Copper comes to the fence and barks/yells at me for not letting her play.
I've tried to explain it to him, but the beagle will not listen.
It has made for a very long week, and we're all hoping for a good report when we visit the vet next week.
And we're hoping for a sedative or two for Copper.
Yes.
That is on top of our "hope" list!
RANDOMNESS #4 - Austin/Josh Update (2/3 of an Empty Nest) - This past week was our first glimpse of daily life without Austin AND Josh.
And I didn't care for it.
At all.
It probably didn't help that Mikie was out of town and Roxie, Sparkle and I had the house to ourselves.
Don't get me wrong. I thoroughly enjoyed the time I spent with Roxie...
And the lack of laundry this past week has been AMAZING...
But I'm beginning to think the Empty Nest thing might not be for me.
In the mature, practical part of my brain (which is a very, very small part), I know as a Christian Mother, my main job objective is to send Godly men and women into the world to let others see Christ through their lives.
I am supposed to teach them to seek God's will in all they do and say.
I am to support them with prayer and guidance (if they ask), and strive to be a living, breathing example of what Christ can do in a person's life if we step back and let Him work.
However, if truth be told...
In the immature, I-want-my-way, I'm-their-Mother-for-goodness-sakes part of my brain (which apparently is a very, very BIG part), I want them to be ten, seven and three years of age, making messes, being loud and sitting around my dinner table every night asking, "Can we have pizza tomorrow night?"
I want to be doing Polar Express crafts with a classroom of kids dressed in their pajamas anxiously awaiting 1:00 p.m. because that's when they'll have hot chocolate and sit side-by-side together in a dark room to watch that wonderful movie.
I want to sit in the den before bedtime and read The Best Christmas Pageant Ever... out loud... one more time. I want to laugh at all the funny parts in the book, and barely hold it together at the end when Gladys really, really gets the true meaning of Christmas.
Heavy, heavy sigh.
Other than insisting at least one of them come home, I think I'm going to listen to that wee, small mature and practical part of my brain.
And I'm going to make the 2/3 of an Empty Nest "season of life" one of the very best seasons I've ever had.
Be honest.
Did that sound the least bit sincere?
I didn't think so!
Pinterest Stuff
I pinned this game from Pinterest (www.bargainomics.com), and while I may not use the game this year, I'm planning on putting it to good use next year at one of our big family gatherings.
Christmas Photo Game
1. Ask each person you invite to a party to submit a COPY of a Christmas photo of himself or herself as a child... the younger the better.
2. Post all of the pictures on one wall or table and number each photo.
3. Give each person a pencil and a sheet of paper, plus a name tag to wear.
4. Set a time limit (depending on the size of the group), and have everyone write down each photo number and the name of the person he thinks it is.
5. Give a small prize to the person who gets the most correct answers.
It sounds fun, and even the oldest guest at your party can participate!
Cream Cheese Icing
I made pumpkin cookies this week by adding a stick of butter and an egg to a pre-made mix.
And then, although the cookies were very good, I made homemade icing to go on top... and now I feel much better about myself in the Christmas Baking Department.
You will need the following:
4 ounces butter, softened
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
2 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1. In a large bowl, beat together the butter and cream cheese with an electric mixer.
2. With the mixer on low speed, add the powdered sugar a cup at a time until smooth and creamy.
3. Beat in the vanilla extract.
Good, good icing.
Weekend Happenings
1. Roxie, Mike and I will be attending her Pinson game this evening.
Josh and Austin will still be in Hanceville and Jacksonville, respectively.
2. Mike has two SEC Championship tickets, and since The Boy/The Man wasn't able to take advantage of the Iron Bowl tickets last week, he and Mike are headed to Atlanta Saturday to watch another historic football game.
3. Josh is coming home to watch the game with me, and Roxie is going out with friends.
4. Sunday, Mike, Roxie, Josh and I are going to cut down our den Christmas tree. There hasn't been a time for all five of us to do it together, so we're going to work with what we have... and be incredibly thankful for it!
5. Mike is going to Christmas-in-the-Pines at his office.
6. I am going on a Christmas Home Tour with Melia and her Mom, Lisa.
7. Austin will be going to church in Jacksonville and producing a basketball game that evening.
8. Josh hasn't been informed yet, but after we get the tree Sunday, I want him to put the lights on it and then flock it with a bunch of white stuff. He did this when he worked at the Christmas Tree Farm in the past, and I want an easy, breezy (but cute) Snowman Tree in the den this year.
Hopefully, I'll be able to share a picture or two with you Monday.
Keep your fingers crossed.
Have yourself a very merry weekend. I'll be back Monday with basketball, a Christmas Happenings update, SEC Championship news (good, I hope) and maybe, just maybe, a beautiful white Snowman Tree.
Take care, and I'll talk to you next week.
Sincerely,
The Enchanting Belinda (a/k/a Nipper Sugar-Socks)
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