Weekend Wrap-Up, Cherry Berry Crack Cake, Pinterest Stuff (Seven Challenges to Make Your Kids Thankful AND Stocking Ideas for Your Spouse), Way Back When... (Thankful Post-It Notes AND A Christmas Card Story)

Good Wednesday evening!

RANDOMNESS #1 - Roxie and friends decided they wanted to cook Saturday night. It sounded really good to me, so as soon as they gave me the grocery list, I did my thing, sat back and watched them go.


Hannah, Alyssa and Roxie.


They had already dug into the chicken casserole before I had time to take a picture.


It was the same with the strawberry dump cake, but I just took the picture of the half they had not touched yet.


Needless to say, there were a couple more dishes they had planned to cook before their attention was drawn elsewhere...

But I was very happy with the two they completed.

RANDOMNESS #2 - We're on a winning streak, I tell you. The Lady Rockets won 61-51 (I think) Tuesday night, and they are headed to Walker for Thursday night's game.

Again, all of the girls did a really great job, and I have high expectations for this season.


Roxie.


Alissa.


A little dance move to throw off the other team.


Sometimes a chick just needs to sit down and rest a spell.

I'm really looking forward to tomorrow night.

RANDOMNESS #3 - I told you I'd be talking about some different things our family will be trying over the holiday season.

Today, I will talk about one of the new Thanksgiving ideas.

If the weather looks like it is going to be agreeable (and that is WAY up in the air right now), we're going to have horseshoes, a basketball and a football ready for the pre-dinner activities.

We're going the old-fashioned/timeless route.

I'll be sharing some other changes as time draws near!

Cherry Berry Crack Cake

Okay. So I took the Crack Cake recipe and instead of yellow cake, I used strawberry...

And instead of vanilla pudding, I used cherry.

You will need the following:

1 box Duncan Hines strawberry cake mix
1/2 cup sugar
1 box cherry-flavored Jello
4 eggs
3/4 cup water
3/4 cup oil

Mix and bake according to box instructions.

NOTE - It is very moist, but if you want icing or glaze, I would suggest a milk/powdered sugar glaze.

Surprisingly, it's a pretty good little cake. Very tasty and very pink.

If it had light blue icing, it would look like something from a Dr. Seuss book.

In fact, if you are thinking of throwing any kind of Dr. Seuss birthday party, I would highly recommend this cake.

And if you're not throwing such a party, it would be great for Christmas OR Valentine's Day with just regular white icing.

Pinterest Stuff

I found these challenges, and I liked them a lot.

Seven Challenges to Make Your Kids Thankful

Night #1 - Thanks for family... mothers, fathers, brothers and sisters.

Don’t just say, “Be thankful for Mom!” Start digging for specifics by asking, “What are some of the things Mom does for you?"

Often kids give general answers, such as “Mom cooks my food.” They can develop bigger attitudes of gratitude by asking, “What does Mom cook that’s your favorite?” When they say, “Mom makes the best macaroni and cheese,” their hearts will light up more.

If kids like the way Mom cleans the house, ask, “What do you like best? Clean sheets? Clean clothes? The vacuum lines in all the carpets after she vacuums?” Mention enough specifics, and kids will catch on and think of some of their own. Praise the really creative ones and the very specific ones. Do the same with fathers, brothers, sisters and grandparents.

Night #2 - Thanks for shelter.

Children love their homes, and many who have modest homes consider them a palace. By asking what they love most about their homes you can lead them to a variety of fun answers.

Discuss each room in your house and what kids like most about it. It can be anything from the softness of the toilet roll in the bathroom to the candle on the dining room table. The details will stick, and they may think of the gratitude they discussed whenever they see that object for a while.

Night #3 - Thanks for food.

Obviously you will hear a lot about pizza, hoagies and McDonalds, but bringing up the details in a normal night’s food can encourage gratitude. Hold up a carrot and say, “Look how shiny it is. How did God get carrots to be so orange! He is a very special artist.” Swirl your fork in mashed potatoes and note how creamy they look. Notice the perfectly straight and orderly rows of seeds in a cucumber. Ask kids what smells best on their plate. Ask them what’s best about their favorite dish and note God’s creative hand in it with questions like, “How did God get pizza cheese so chewy?”

Night #4 - Thanks for our country.

Most children know the Star Spangled Banner and will know that we are the land of the free and home of the brave. In many cases the words are meaningless unless they are explained in detail. The older children may be helpful in making the younger ones understand about freedom because they have had some knowledge of countries where people were not free to worship, seek education and earn a living as they please. Again, being specific about what freedom does for us will help kids feel thankful.

Night #5 - Thanks for our bodies.

Kids are often besieged with negative information about their bodies. In school, kids get teased for being too thin, too heavy, too short or too tall, and if they wear something too old, too tight or too colorful, it can bring on the comments as well! Developing thanks can put a more positive spin on things when kids look at the details. Have them examine their fingers, then try to eat four bites of dinner with their fingers balled into fists. Ask why God gave them thumbs. Have them shut their eyes and hold their noses and try to guess which food item from your plate you’re holding in front of them. Point out how you can’t taste gravy when you’re holding your nose. Show your awe in how God designed smells and noses and freckles on noses.

Night #6 - Thanks for nature.

God’s artistry and his own love of detail can be seen in nature. Kids almost know instinctively to appreciate the sky, clouds, seashore, fields and mountains. It gets really fun when gratitude is encouraged for more specific things like “how our kitty cat’s tail curls and uncurls when she walks” or “the stripes on a zebra” or “fish lips and how they blow when our goldfish swims along.” Bring in a pine cone or a fall flower from outside and ask kids to notice as many cool details about it as possible. Thank God for each detail.

Night #7 - Thanks for God and Jesus.

We teach kids to thank God and Jesus, but we also need to remind them to be thankful for our Heavenly Father and his Loving Son. We may find that kids are more challenged over feeling grateful for the Creator than for his creation! That’s because they can’t see or hear God. The details of God can make children far more thankful. Mention attributes such as God never sleeps. Remind them of Luke 12:7 which says “the very hairs on your head are numbered,” and tell them God knows every little thing about them. Remind them Jesus came and arose from the dead so that we can go to Heaven with Him someday.

Stocking Ideas for Your Spouse

I love these ideas because I really like "theme" stockings. The older I get, a "theme" seems to make things much, much easier.

The Date Night Stocking - These gifts need to be something that can be used for date nights throughout the year: movie tickets, sports tickets, favorite treats, popcorn, etc. We are doing this theme this year, and I am getting a lot of great ideas from Amazon Local and other deal sites. Get really creative and then make memories all year-long as you use the items in your stocking.

The Memory Stocking - For your spouse’s stocking stuffers, find funny and memorable items that represent memories you have shared throughout the year. Enjoy your stockings on Christmas Eve after the kids have gone to bed and reminisce the year prior with your spouse. This can end up being really meaningful, or super funny…or a mixture of both!

The Sweet Tooth Stocking - Fill each other’s stockings with favorite snacks and treats and each night afterward, enjoy a treat and talk about each other’s day after the kid’s have gone to bed.

The Service Stocking - Get creative with this one and fill your spouse’s stocking with items of service to one another. This could be coupons for kind acts, homemade gifts, a written song or poem or notes of affection.

The Gag Gift Stocking - See who can come up with the most comical stocking stuffers. Try to keep a straight face while opening your stocking. First one to laugh loses.

The Christ-Themed stocking - Have what you put in your stocking represent something you did or became that year. Maybe it's an item that represents a trial you went through that really caused you to ask for Christ’s enabling power, or maybe it was an attribute that you developed. The entire stocking doesn’t have to take on this theme, but making a point to include at least one item could make for a meaningful Christmas. You could even mix the idea up a bit and include something Christ-like that you observed in your spouse that year.

Another direction you could take is to include something that represents a gift you are going to give to Christ in the upcoming year. Perhaps you want to be a better wife or mom, or you want to work on being more patient or you want to volunteer in a soup kitchen. Whatever it is, share it with your spouse and love and support each other as you accomplish your goals.

The Cheapster Stocking - Set a budget and fill each other’s stocking based on that budget. See who can come up with the coolest stocking.

The Creative Stocking - You can take this theme a variety of ways. One idea might be to say that everything in the stocking must be homemade, or another idea might be to theme your stocking around your spouse’s interests. Try to include something that represents your spouse in every way possible and see who comes the closest. This could include something that represents your spouse’s favorite color, favorite team, favorite animal, favorite music, favorite memory, favorite car, favorite stores, etc. Have lots of fun and become “Detectives” trying to learn new things about each other throughout the year so that you can create the most creative stocking.

I've said it before, but isn't Pinterest great?

So many ideas...

So little time!

Way Back When...

The following two articles were first posted in November of 2009.

Thankful Post-It Notes

I got this idea from reading Lisa's Blog under My Blog List. Her family is a "note" family. They leave all kinds of notes for each other around the house all the time... reminder notes, "I love you" notes, etc. It made me think of the upcoming holiday and maybe, just maybe, starting a new tradition.

I bought some colorful post-it notes and beginning Monday, I plan on leaving notes all over the house for Mikie, Austin, Josh and Roxie. The notes will not be necessarily about them, but will have things written on them for which I am thankful.

I'm planning on putting the notes up Sunday night after everyone goes to sleep. Austin will wake up to take his shower before heading back to JSU for a couple of days to find one on his mirror... "I'm thankful you get to come home Tuesday night and stay for five whole days." Anything and everything I can think of, I'm going to be writing and sticking all over the house.

And all the notes do not have to be serious in nature. I'm planning on putting one on top of our toilet that says, "I'm thankful for indoor plumbing!" Anyone who has ever gone camping truly understands the joys of indoor plumbing.

As everyone discovers the notes, I'm going to tell them where the pens and post-its are, and I'm just going to wait and see if they are "note" people, too. If not, that's okay. It's just a little experiment.

I'll let you know in a couple of weeks if this tradition is a Faulkner Family "keeper," but it's definitely easy, meaningful and worth trying.

A Christmas Card Story... Sorta

I talked to a friend in the grocery store this week. She said she was thinking of sending a "real" Christmas card letter with her cards this year. I'm not sure I'm brave enough to do that, but wouldn't it be fun to be that free.

Here's a little example... NORMAL CHRISTMAS CARD LETTER - "It has been a fantastic year, and even with all the wonderful and amazing events which took place over the last 12 months, I haven't changed a bit and can still wear my 14 year-old daughter's skinny jeans comfortably. People are constantly coming up to us and asking if we are sisters. I hope you and yours are aging as well as The Faulkner Five. Merry, Merry Christmas!"

REAL CHRISTMAS CARD LETTER - "I've gone up a size in the jean department, and that's why the only part of me showing in the Christmas card picture is my face from my nose up. Perfect placement of the three giant kids and the two beagles is key! Menopause and gravity are taking their toll, and I'm trying daily not to kill Mikie and the kids as my mood swings are not yet controlled by the massive medication my idiot doctor said should help. Oh, well. Hope you and yours have a VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS!"

Like I said... I'm not sure I'm brave enough, but it is a very intriguing idea, isn't it?

Have a great rest of the week. I'll be back sometime Friday with a lot of Thanksgiving/Christmas "stuff," pics and more.

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

Sincerely,

The Enchanting Belinda

P.S. I may or may not have already posted some of these pics. And I'm in too much of a hurry to go back and check.

If you're like me, you cannot get enough of Austin and Melia's wedding.

If you're not like me, feel free to not go any further!


Tim (Melia's Dad) and Melia.


Lisa (Melia's Mom) and Melia.


The Wedding Dress... without Melia.


Austin, Roxie and Josh.


Just Austin.

(I knew you'd go ahead and look. I just knew it!)

Weekend Wrap-Up, Pinterest Stuff (Thanksgiving Scavenger Hunt AND Some Different December Activities for Kids), Way Back When... (A Tooth Story)

Good Tuesday evening!

I know I've been MIA the last few weeks, but I have reasons/excuses aplenty... none of them very original.

RANDOMNESS #1 - A few days ago, I mopped the kitchen floor. While I was waiting for the floor to dry, I put a banana pudding together in the dining room... which means I cut up six bananas into a tray.

Not thinking about the wet floor, I carried the six peelings and banana residue toward the trash can in the kitchen...

Did the semi-splits...

Contorted my body in order to stop the semi-splits from becoming REAL splits...

Fell on one knee...

And then slipped again while trying to get up...

Which resulted in falling on my opposite hip.

It made quite the racket.

Roxie was watching television in the den when it happened, and she yelled out the obligatory, "Are you okay?"

"No. Not so much," I responded.

She got off the couch and walked into the kitchen to find me sitting in the middle of the floor rubbing my knee AND hip.

To make matters worse, there were banana peels in front of me, behind me and on me.

I looked quite pitiful.

I waited for her to offer a hand, but instead I heard the now-familiar click, click, click of the telephone camera.

"Do NOT put that picture on Instagram," I instructed.

"Oh, I'm not," She answered.

Okay. Instagram was safe.

"Also, do not Tweet or Facebook that picture."

"Gotcha."

Okay. I was missing something.

Twitter, Facebook, Instagram...

What was the other one?

What was the other one?

SNAPCHAT! It was SNAPCHAT!

"DON'T PUT THAT PICTURE ON... ," I began.

"Too late!" Roxie responded.

And I'll just say in closing this little story...

Two can play at that game!

RANDOMNESS #2 - Austin planned a Birthday Brunch for Melia Saturday morning at Another Broken Egg, and I'm happy to report she turned 23 very gracefully.


See. I told you.

After our car left Another Broken Egg, we veered off to the right (instead of the left) and went to a little trail I know for just a couple of Fall pics.


Courtney and Josh...

Very autumnal.


Me and Mikie.

I know what you're thinking.

Patterns and stripes! Patterns and stripes!

When I saw what Mike and I were wearing, I thought to myself, "Enchanting Self... You don't need to have your picture made today with Mikie."

And I really, really meant to NOT have my picture taken next to Mikie's stripes while I was wearing my patterns...

But I was having a good hair day, you see.

Pinterest Stuff

Thanksgiving Day Scavenger Hunt

Have half of your family go in one direction, and the other half go in the other direction, and take a leisurely walk around the neighborhood after your Thanksgiving meal.

Each team gets a point for each item they spot. AND if they spot more than one of any item (raked pile of leaves, Thanksgiving yard decorations, etc.), they get an additional point!

Meet back at the house in the 30 minutes to compare lists.

The members on the winning team each get a candy bar!

Look for the following:

A family playing football.

Another family on a walk.

A Thanksgiving-themed yard decoration.

Six or more cars parked in front of one house.

A raked pile of leaves.

Something with a Pilgrim on it.

Something with an Indian on it.

An ear of dried corn.

A pumpkin or squash.

A pet waiting to be let into the house.

Smoke rising from a chimney.

A black bird.

A pot of mums.

An acorn or pine cone.

A yard with early Christmas decorations.

Some Different December Activities for Kids

Make and eat a red and green dinner.

Make a holiday jello treat.

Read a Christmas book under the Christmas tree by flashlight.

Shop for red and green foods to take to the local Food Bank.

Make and decorate gingerbread pancakes.

Have picnic lunches beside the Christmas tree.

Hand out chocolate Advent calendars. (It would be fun for little ones to give these to their grandparents at Thanksgiving.)

Way Back When...

This was first posted in November of 2009.

Thursday afternoon around 4:45, I broke my tooth eating an Arby's sandwich. I was in immediate pain (not severe, but worrisome). I have never had a toothache before, and I was going for a record. The "No toothache until I'm 80 or dead... whichever comes first" record. I immediately called my dentist who said he would see me first thing Friday morning.

I showed up 10 minutes before opening time Friday morning, and he took me back right away. I was lucky. I didn't need a root canal, but I did need a crown (an earthly crown).

But wait, there's more! This wasn't your ordinary broken tooth/get a crown scenario. Oh, no. Something was wrong with the bone under the tooth, so I have to go to a periodontist and have my bone scraped BEFORE they can fix the tooth and give me the permanent crown.

You know that verse, "I am fearfully and wonderfully made." Sometimes, I think my life verse should read, "I am freakishly and wonderfully made." I just don't fit the norm.

"How long will that bone shaving thing last," I asked.

"Not long. About an hour," the dentist replied.

Now I'm new to all this, but bone shaving for an hour sounds like a long time. PLUS, it sounded painful, too, so I asked another question. "Will I be put to sleep during this procedure?"

"Well, we have a lot of drugs like Novocaine which we usually use, but I guess I could request that for you."

"Yeah. I'm going to need you to put in that request RIGHT AWAY. Very important. Mark it URGENT."

What I haven't told you is when he was giving me Novocaine shots before he drilled near the nerve, he kept asking if I could feel anything... and until I felt my left eye close, I kept saying, "Yes." The numbness finally left me completely today. But bone shaving? That just screams "Put me to sleep."

I left his office with a temporary crown and the promise of not one, but two, very miserable dental visits this week.

Is there anything "glass half full" to this story? He must have felt sorry for me because he gave me 16 Loritabs. Good dentist. Good, good dentist. (Now I've only used 2 1/2, but just knowing I have them gives me some peace of mind.)

I'll be back Friday with the rest of the above story and more Thanksgiving-type things!

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

Sincerely,

The Enchanting Belinda

P.S.

Here are a couple more wedding photos. We still haven't received the disc with everything on it, so these extra pics at the bottom of the page could go on for quite awhile.





As requested, I'll have my Mother of the Groom story for you Friday!

Weekend Wrap-Up, Chicken Salad Recipe, Way Back When... (Grateful Notes and Letters AND A Christmas Card Story)

Good Tuesday afternoon!

RANDOMNESS #1 - My niece, Katie, had her Bridal Tea this past Saturday, and it was fun.

Bev, my sister AND Mother of the Bride, is really doing a good job of acting like she's not going crazy with two of her kids getting married so close together (September and January). However, as Mother of the Groom to one child, I know she is hanging on by just a teeny, tiny thread.

As her sister, it will be my job to make sure the thread doesn't snap before the big day in January.

This could quite possibly be the biggest and most important job of all during the upcoming wedding festivities, and I am not taking it lightly.

No, sir.

Not at all.


The Bride-to-be.


The "Recipe for a Good Marriage" and "Recipe for a Date" table.




Katie and my sister, Bev.


Monica and Katie.


Katie and T. J.


Nothing says happy like a big ol' cart of gifts!


T. J. and Tommy loading up the trunk.

Good, good day!

RANDOMNESS #2 - Roxie, Mike and I went to Auburn this past Sunday night so we could be well-rested and refreshed and ready to participate in War Eagle Days.

It was quite the day.

Everything was very well-organized and flowed very smoothly.

The Campus Tour included a walk-through of two separate dorm rooms. (I don't know who the chicks were who opened their home-away-from-home up to us, but I applaud their courage. The idea of 200 or so strangers walking through my house while I am not at home would totally undo me. But then again, I am not a 20-something college co-ed who probably doesn't care what 200 or so strangers think about her home.)

Big, big difference.

I will also say the four girls who let us traipse through their cozy digs were all very, very neat and clean chicks.

And before you ask...

I did NOT take pictures of their rooms.

Even I knew better than to try that one.

Plus, Mikie took my camera away from me during the tour.

Heavy, heavy sigh.




Mikie and his maps.


The new Fitness Center on campus.

By the way, I could absolutely live in this facility.


Look at that "play" pool!

Look at it, I say.


Then you have the Olympic-size swimming pool AND the Tiger Paw-shaped hot tub...

Which seats 44!

That was not a typo.

It really seats 44!


The rock climbing wall.



And a little Toomer's Lemonade to finish off the day.

Is Roxie going to Auburn?

That is the Million Dollar Question around our house.

We simply do not know yet, and we are all still praying and trying to figure out what to do...

What to do...

Feel free to join in and pray with us at any time!

Chicken Salad

There is no doubt in my mind that almost all of you have your very own Chicken Salad Recipe.

I, however, did not have one until this past weekend.

Like it or not, I am going to share.

You will need the following:

1/2 cup light or regular mayonnaise
1/2 cup light or regular sour cream
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 pounds skinned and boned chicken breasts, cooked and chopped
3 cups red and white seedless grapes, halved
1 cup chopped pecans, toasted

1. Stir together 1/2 cup mayonnaise and next 4 ingredients in a large bowl.

2. Add chopped chicken and grapes, tossing gently to coat.

3. Cover and chill at least 1 hour.

4. Stir in pecans just before serving.

Good stuff.

Way Back When...

The following tidbits were first posted in November of 2009.

Grateful Notes and Letters

I read on a blog today where a woman was writing 50 letters in 50 days to people who meant something special to her. She wasn't waiting until next month or even next week. She was doing it TODAY. She had already received responses from some of her letters. Isn't that amazing? The written word can be so powerful.

Now, I know what you are thinking. "I am NOT going to have time to write 50 letters in 50 days during the holiday season." I totally understand. But what if you made this idea your own? What if you took this basic concept and made it fit your lifestyle at this particular season in your life?

For example, the number 50 is mind boggling unless you are TOTALLY committed to the idea. I will readily admit that. However, could you write FIVE letters in the month of November telling five different people the impact they have had on your life, or why you are grateful for them?

Okay. If we have a workable number, we can decide how we want to write the letter. Do you panic at the thought of sitting down and handwriting a letter, addressing it, buying a stamp and mailing it? If so, could you type it and e-mail it to the people? Would that make it more workable for you?

Now that you have decided how you're going to physically write the letter, does it have to be two or three pages in length?

No. If you are a "to the point" kind of person, it is fine for your letter to be "to the point," too.

This has now become a very doable November tradition. In fact, you could start today. You will never know what your words of encouragement or love or gratitude or thankfulness may mean to another person... unless you actually write the letter!

That's your challenge for this month. (Mine, too!) Let's make a difference in some people's lives this month. Let's make this November 2009 count!

A Christmas Card Story

Today, we're talking about Christmas Cards. The single most stress-inducing Christmas activity known to man. The clothes, the hair, the perfect smiles, the setting... it's enough to give you a migraine!

I remember a time when Josh had just turned two, Austin was almost five and Roxie hadn't even arrived yet. I was just working with two little guys. I had used at least 20 rolls of film (NO exaggeration) and the Wal-Mart Christmas Card deadline was coming up at midnight. (There is no deadline now. You can pick up your cards one hour after you pick them out on the "machine." But 13 years ago, believe me... there was a deadline.)

We had just finished eating spaghetti, and the boys were in a good mood. Spaghetti will do that for little fellows. They were giggly and huggy. Josh had a Christmas turtleneck on with red pants, but he had a big spaghetti stain on the front. Austin was wearing a red turtleneck with black jeans. This was my chance.

I whispered to Mike, "Run get Austin's Christmas vest out of his closet. Don't let him see you. Don't make any sudden movements. Go. Go. Go!"

I lured the boys into the living room to play in front of the Christmas tree. Mike came quietly down the stairs and was standing behind the door. I motioned for him to move in. Before Austin knew it, he was wearing a vest, his hair was combed and Mike had expertly positioned him in front of the tree. In the three seconds it took to accomplish this feat, I had whipped Josh's turtleneck off and put it back on backwards to hide the stain... and set his little bottom in a wooden rocking chair sitting nearby.

For a moment, both boys looked stunned, and then they started laughing. I had my camera hidden under my shirt (where it lived most days) and started clicking away. I had four exposures left on the roll. There wasn't time to change the film. The moment had passed. I weakly handed the film to Mikie and asked him to run it to Wal-Mart for one-hour developing. We had four hours until the deadline. I put the boys in the tub.

When Mike came home, I heard him running up the stairs. Either he was being chased, or he had something good he wanted to show me. It was the latter. A really good Christmas Card picture... with Josh's shirt on backwards. Laughing boys, eyes open, fingers not in their noses, hair combed... beautiful Christmas Card pictures. What a relief!

Because of digital cameras, those days are long gone. Yes, it can still be difficult to take the perfect Christmas Card picture depending on the age of the kids, but you can see immediately if you have something to work with or not.

Last year, as a gift to my family, we did a collage picture Christmas Card. We used four pictures we took at our Thanksgiving dinner and put them on one card... digitally. It turned out great. A week or so before Christmas, one of the kids asked when we were going to take the dreaded Christmas Card picture, and I was able to pull it out and show it to them. It was my little gift to them.

If you have trouble in this department, I highly recommend the collage card to get the best shots of everyone in your family.

As far as other tips go to make Christmas Cards an easier task, I address five or six a day.

Just like wrapping gifts, I very seldom have several hours to sit down and address all of them at once, but I always have 10 or 15 minutes a day to address a few. Within a week to ten days, you are finished and you can mail them.

I also have a friend who loved sending picture Christmas Cards, but it was just too much for her to do during the Christmas season. Sometimes she even had the perfect picture, but no time to address and mail them. She solved her problem by sending the cards the week after Christmas and calling them New Year's Day cards. They were still festive. They were still seasonal. They were still well-received.

I also know people who were in the habit of sending a Christmas letter with their cards. If they had a year where it was hard to not only take a Christmas Card picture, address and mail all the cards, BUT also write a letter, they just put it off until it was too late.

If you want to do the letter thing, write a brief, but descriptive note which will fit on the back of the Christmas Card. Having the size of the note diminished will make it much more easier to write than a one- or two-page letter.

Have a terrific Tuesday. I'll be back Friday with some more pictures (of something), Thanksgiving stuff, Blog Linkage, etc.

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

Sincerely,

The Enchanting Belinda

P.S. Here is another wedding pic. My hope is to just keep adding them as I get them over the next month or so.


This is a pic of me in all of my Mother of the Groom GLORY... and some of my friends who helped me celebrate the wedding of Austin and Melia.

Paula, Dawn, Tonya, ME, LeAnna, Dee and Jenny.

Weekend Happenings, Chicken Stew, Way Back When...

Good Friday evening!

As promised, here are some wedding photos from last week...


Roxie had a friend take this with her camera, and it turned out really cute.


I love this one of Matthew and Roxie.

I am not a good taker of the "selfie."

Roxie is...

But I most definitely am not.

AND...

Since I didn't use my camera AT ALL during the Wedding and Reception, you can go to the following website and see some really, really beautiful photos taken by Karen Waters, Wedding Photographer Extraordinaire:

www.watersphotography.blogspot.com.

As you will see when you return from heYr website, there was no need for me to have my camera with me during the Wedding and Reception.

No need at all.

She did a fantastic job.

Chicken Stew

I've shared this recipe before, but I made it the other night, and it was definitely worth sharing again.

This dish is adapted from my friend's mom's recipe, Shelby Dutton. As with many family recipes, Melaney can make it in her sleep. She knows just how many potatoes to add, etc., etc. But I had to play with it (just a little) last night after Melaney, daughter of Shelby, sent it to me, and I made it my own. EXCELLENT, Melaney! Excellent.

You will need the following:

1 rotisserie chicken
(Melaney cooks her own and takes it off the bone in long strips.)
2 1/2 cups chicken broth
(Melaney uses the broth left over from cooking the chicken.)
8 medium potatoes (cut into chunks)
(This will be enough to feed a family of five with a little leftover.)
1 whole yellow onion
(Melaney chops her onions, but my family just likes the flavor, so I put a whole peeled onion in the bottom of the stock pot.)
1 medium can of tomato sauce
2 cans shoepeg corn

1. Bring the broth, onion and potatoes to a boil. (Add salt and pepper for taste.)

2. Once the potatoes are fork tender, add tomato sauce, corn and chicken.

3. Cover and simmer.

Guys... This is good stuff. It's a perfect fall meal. Thank you, Melaney!

Way Back When...

This was first posted in October of 2010.

IF I HAD MY LIFE TO LIVE OVER by Erma Bombeck

This was written after she found out she was dying from cancer.

I would have gone to bed when I was sick instead of pretending the earth would go into a holding pattern if I weren't there for the day.

I would have burned the pink candle sculpted like a rose before it melted in storage.

I would have talked less and listened more.

I would have invited friends over to dinner even if the carpet was stained, or the sofa faded.

I would have eaten the popcorn in the "good" living room and worried much less about the dirt when someone wanted to light a fire in the fireplace.

I would have taken the time to listen to my grandfather ramble about his youth.

I would have shared more of the responsibility carried by my husband.

I would never have insisted the car windows be rolled up on a summer day because my hair had just been teased and sprayed.

I would have sat on the lawn with my grass stains.

I would have cried and laughed less while watching television and more while watching life. (I LOVE this one!)

I would never have bought anything just because it was practical, wouldn't show soil or was guaranteed to last a lifetime.

Instead of wishing away nine months of pregnancy, I'd have cherished every moment and realized that the wonderment growing inside me was the only chance in life to assist God in a miracle.

When my kids kissed me impetuously, I would never have said, "Later. Now go get washed up for dinner."

I would have said "I love you" more.

I would have said "I'm sorry" more.

But mostly, given another shot at life, I would seize every minute. Look at it and really see it. Live it and never give it back. STOP SWEATING THE SMALL STUFF!!!

Don't worry about who doesn't like you, who has more, or who's doing what.

Instead, cherish the relationships we have with those who do love us.

She was a wise woman... and these are words to live by TODAY!

Weekend Happenings

1. Tonight I will be making a huge amount of chicken salad for a Wedding Tea I'm helping with tomorrow. If all goes well, I will post the chicken salad recipe Tuesday.

If things do not go well, we'll pretend I didn't mention it here on the blog.

2. On Saturday, Josh will be doing the football thing. He's worked some long hours this week, so his plan to sit on the couch and eat during a multitude of football games sounds good to me... for him... not for me.

3. Roxie and I will be attending a Wedding Tea for Katie, my niece. The wedding stuff never ends in our family, or so it would seem.


Katie and T. J. will be getting married January 17.

At this point in the game, Bev and I are professionals at being Mothers of the Groom.

Can being the Mother of the Bride be any more difficult?

Please.

Do not answer that question.

4. On Sunday, I'm cooking Sunday dinner for any interested takers, and then Roxie, Mike and I are going to pack up and head to Auburn late Sunday afternoon.

We have to be up bright and early Monday morning for War Eagle Day on The Plains.

Mike is so excited, he can hardly contain himself. He has a big ol' smile on his face every time I mention it, and I'm beginning to wonder if he is going to enroll as an OLD incoming Freshman this Fall along with Roxie.


My empty nest may be emptier than first anticipated if that happens.

I hope y'all have the best Halloween/First of November weekend ever. I'll be back Tuesday with pics from Katie's Tea, pics from War Eagle Days, Way Back When... and much, much more.

Take care, and I'll talk to you next week.

Sincerely,

The Enchanting Belinda

P.S. This is a picture of Sparkle in the leaves from last year...


Just because.

Weekend Wrap-Up, Wedding News. Blog Linkage, Way Back When... (A Zumba Story)

Good Tuesday morning!

RANDOMNESS #1 - The Rehearsal Dinner was held Friday night at the Gardendale Civic Center. Because of distance, we decided to have the dinner in town and rehearsal was held on a makeshift aisle in the back of the suite...

And it worked out pretty well, I think.

Now it is confession time.

I love tablescapes, but I am not very good at creating tablescapes.

I can copy tablescapes if someone gives me a very large picture of it as a go-by...

And someone else goes to Hobby Lobby and buys EVERYTHING needed to recreate the tablescape...

And someone else provides the table linens...

And someone else remembers to bring the matches to light the candles.

Or, I could just ask Debbie Lindsey, a talented friend of mine who has posted a few pics on Facebook of her beautiful tablescapes.

When she said, "Yes. Yes, I can," I was giddy with relief.

Giddy, I tell you.

She did a beautiful, beautiful job.






What did I tell you?

Elegant, tasteful and a feast for the eyes.

I did good asking Debbie to help me, didn't I?


And then there was a little matter of a party favor.

My friend, Cam, and her husband, Jeff, made these Bride and Groom Pretzel Rods for each and every place setting...

And they were a huge hit.

A better party favor has yet to be given at a Rehearsal Dinner, I am sure.

You are probably wondering what I, The Enchanting Belinda, did to contribute to the Rehearsal Dinner.

And that is a good thing to wonder, I guess.

Since we had decided to have Jim 'N Nicks cater the event months earlier, I had to think really hard to come up with something to put my mark on the party.

And then it hit me.

A Family Dessert Bar.

The women of the two families made homemade desserts and filled a table with very tasty treats.

The Pioneer Woman's Chocolate Sheet Cake made an appearance (thanks to Melia's Mom, Lisa), as did cobblers, pies, cookies and other cakes.

It was a very good thing.


Melia.


Roxie and Josh.


Roxie checking out her official Wedding Day flip flops!


Zac, Katie, Stephanie, Brad and Zac Smith.


Tommy and Bev.


Brad, Austin and Zac Smith... just a couple of the groomsmen.


Melia, Austin, Brad and Stephanie.


Melia, Austin, Zac and Katie.


Grandpa, Grandma, Austin, Melia, Jared, Lauren, Brandi, Aunt Becky, and Uncle Guy... and Matthew down front.


Lauren and Brandi.

Lauren was our Flower Girl...

And just so you know, she didn't come to the party in her pajamas, but she certainly left that way.


Melia, Austin, Roxie and Hunter.


Kayla, Melia and Cassie.

Kayla and Cassie are Melia's friends from WAY BACK.

Since birth, I think.

They were two of the lovely bridesmaids.


Austin and Josh.

I don't know if Austin, Josh and Roxie discussed it, but gray was obviously the color of choice for the Faulkner siblings Friday night.


Sara, Melia, Kaitlyn and Tabitha.

A few more of the bridesmaids!


Melia, Austin, Mike and ME!


Melia's fam... Tim, Melia, Austin, Lisa and Payton.


Tim, Melia's Dad, made a wonderful DVD of pics of Melia and Austin from birth until NOW. We had it set up in the corner so people could come and go and watch.

I LOVE this DVD.

RANDOMNESS #2 - The following pictures are of some of the "details" of the wedding day... mainly the flowers at the Chapel.

I know I'm just a tad bit biased, but the flowers were out of this world beautiful.


We left the house in two separate cars, and Roxie had to tell Austin "see ya later" one more time before we headed to Columbiana.



Keep in mind, pumpkins, hay and a bunch of mums had not been set up when I took these pics...

And I thought it was perfect when I saw it.

Can you even imagine how pretty it was when Melia walked down the aisle.

Hopefully, Friday I'll have some pictures of the finished product and you won't have to imagine!


This cross was my favorite part of the Chapel decorations.

It just made me happy all over.


Lisa, Melia's Mom, made this wreath for the wedding and for their home.

Lisa is one of those chicks who can probably create unbelievable tablescapes.

It's good to have her in the family!


The flowers.

Oh... my... goodness...

The flowers.


This was Austin's...


And this was Melia's.


This is Melia with wedding hair...

Minus the wedding dress...

And holding the wedding flowers.

And then...

RANDOMNESS #3 - Wedding News - In the grand order of things, this is where I would now display the pictures of everyone in their fine wedding garb...

However, I did something unprecedented Saturday, October 25, 2014.

I put my camera down in the Bridesmaid Room when everyone started getting dressed...

And I didn't pick it up again until we were getting ready to leave for home.

I took a deep breath and left the picture takin' to the professional... Karen Waters.

Fun fact for you... Karen was Austin's 4th Grade Teacher at Snow Rogers a few years back. She was an excellent teacher.

And guess what... She is an excellent wedding photographer.

She was funny, sweet and she just made the picture takin' part of the day very, very easy. Most of the time, we didn't even know she was in the room.

So now, I am waiting to see all the photos she took that day, and hopefully, I'll be able to post a few on Friday's blog.

Something to look forward to, Folks!

RANDOMNESS #4 - More Wedding News - Austin and Melia arrived back in town last night. They took a short "mini-moon" to Gatlinburg and are taking the actual honeymoon during Spring Break.

They were happy, refreshed and eager to start their new lives as husband and wife.

And I was happy, refreshed and eager to see them starting this new chapter.

Blog Linkage - Go to www.kellehampton.com to see her pics from the wedding she attended in North Carolina a few days ago.

Beautiful, beautiful.

Way Back When...

This post was first written in October of 2010.

A Zumba Story

I had every intention of attending the Thursday afternoon Zumba class. Unfortunately, I had also set up a doctor's appointment for 2:00 p.m. downtown. I was headed to a new doctor at a different doctor's office. However, after ten years working downtown, I had no qualms about finding the office. I had the address. I was familiar with the area, etc., etc. I had plenty of time to go to the doctor AND make it back for the Zumba class at 4:30. Uh... WRONG!

As I made my way to the address, I couldn't find the name of the doctor's office on any sign. However, UAB Hospital was sitting where the doctor's office should have been. I made the perfectly practical assumption the office must be INSIDE UAB Hospital. I made my way to the 6th Avenue South Parking Deck.

Fun fact for you... The Big Gold Van is not an easy vehicle to park unless you happen to be a licensed bus driver (which I am not). It doesn't bother me. I park one to two miles away from any and every event and walk. (My walking regimen is one of the reasons I am so adept at picking up Zumba and other complicated dance/aerobic exercise classes! Just saying.)

Parking decks are not my friend. Especially old, downtown parking decks. They are extremely narrow, dark and even if I find a parking spot, I cannot fit into it... EVER!

On the fifth floor of this parking deck, I started calling the doctor's office to see exactly where they were located in the Hospital. Guess what? They were not located in the Hospital. They were not located downtown. They were not located anywhere within a 30-mile radius of where The Big Gold Van was driving in very tight quarters.

They were located off I-459.

Let me break it down for you. I had to get OUT of the crazy, narrow parking deck (preferably without hitting a doctor's Lexus), make my way across the downtown area, and jump on Red Mountain Expressway. I then had to go across the big curvy bridge and get on U.S. 280. That's right! I said U.S. 280.

Once I made it to the junction of U.S. 280 and I-459, I had to go to the Acton Road Exit. The doctor's office was located behind McDonald's.

I knew exactly where the office was now because they had given me THE one landmark with which I was 100 percent familiar. I know where EVERY McDonald's within 100 miles of my home is located. No. I'm not brilliant. But when I need a Caramel Frappe', I NEED a Caramel Frappe'. Thus, I have dedicated all McDonald's locations to memory... and it has served me well.

By the time I left the deck, I was 32 minutes late for the doctor's appointment. But they were gracious. They told me if I could be there by 3:00, they would still let me keep the appointment.

Surprisingly, I did make it by 3:00. As is the universal doctor's office custom, I waited the minimal time of 33 minutes in the waiting room and 17 minutes in the office itself. I then met with the doctor for 13 minutes. If you're keeping up, it was now 4:03.

Ignoring the many, many "NO CELL PHONES ALLOWED OR THE BUILDING WILL EXPLODE" signs plastered on the walls, I made a sneak call to Joan, my Zumba buddy.

"I'm about to leave the doctor's office off of U.S. 280. I'll try to make it to the class. Find my orange sarong and have it ready for me."

She laughed... a lot. "Unless you're Mario Andretti, you aren't going to make it to class in 27 minutes."

"I don't have to be Mario Andretti. Have you forgotten I'm driving The Big Gold Van?"

She laughed some more and said good-bye... in a way that made me think she didn't plan on seeing me in 27 minutes.

And she was right. I pulled into our lovely little city at 5:17. And I missed Zumba. And I was sad.

But there's always Saturday morning... and I do NOT have a doctor's appointment Saturday morning off of U.S. 280. I should be able to make the 1.2 mile drive from my driveway to class with no interruptions!

NOTE - In case you don't remember, Zumba is no longer my friend, AND I no longer attend the classes.

Zumba and I parted amicably.

Have a tremendous Tuesday. I'll be back Friday with more pics from the past weekend, Weekend Happenings and much, much more.

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

Sincerely,

The Enchanting Belinda (a/k/a Mother-in-Law Extraordinaire)