BILLY RHYTHM'S OBLIGATORY NEW YEAR'S MI-5

1) Do you make New Year's resolutions? Why or why not? If yes, do you keep them? How long?

Oh, sure. I half-heartedly make the "lose weight" one, but usually don't make it past 10:00 AM on January 2. (And I don't count New Year's Day as the day to start---no way am I going to diet when Mom is making prime rib!)

2) "What are you doing New Year's, New Year's eve?"

Scrapbooking, or going to bed at 8:00 PM. Dwane is driving a taxi that night, so there will be nothing exciting going on here. Anyone wanna come scrapbook with me?

3) Would you rather be doing something else? What?

Maybe. Why not? Not sure what, though. I would like to go to dinner and dancing. I haven't done that in a long, long time. Someday, I'll do that. I always used to want to go to New Year's Portland, too. I don't think they even do that anymore.

4) Have you got some goal you'd like to see come to fruition in 2008? New house, or get married, or something?

I don't really think so. Lowering my debt load would be good. Perhaps more work-at-home hours in September, when Caleb goes to school.

5) Have you a fond New Year's memory you'd like to share?

The funniest one has got to be Dwane and Billy Rhythm going in my parents hot tub on New Year's Day, and then running around the house in the snow.

MERRY CHRISTMAS

Merry Christmas to all those I love!!!

VIEW MY PHOTOS

There is now a link you can click on at the right-side of my blog to see some pictures that I've taken. I haven't yet learned to rotate them, so I apologize for the ones that are sideways. I'm still learning!!

Many thanks to my awesome brother, Billy Rhythm, who put the link on there for me. I haven't figured out how to do that yet either. Not only is my brother the best drummer in the world (I don't care what he says--he's better than Sheila E), but he's a darn good website designer guy too. (I'm not sure of the official title for that.) Thanks, Bill! Love ya!

AMY'S A BRAND NEW YEAR MI-5

Amy says: "Since it is almost the new year (enough with the christmas stuff already!) I thought I would do something a little different. List five things you hope for, are looking forward to, or resolve for the upcoming new year. You can do a simple list or give reasons! That's it!"

1. I resolve to lose weight. Not too original, I know. While I am down 9 pounds from where I was last year at this time, I am a whopping 75 pounds heavier than what I was when I graduated from high school. That's absolutely ridiculous.

2. I'm looking forward to going back to Virginia. We haven't decided on a date yet, but it will most likely be when Busch Gardens is open (since we now have season tickets).

3. I'm hoping that everyone I love stays healthy.

4. I'm not looking forward to Caleb starting kindergarten in the fall.

5. I'm not too patiently waiting for the rapture.

EBEN SCORES A POINT!!!

I can't believe I forgot to post this earlier...

Eben scored a point at last Saturday's game against Thomaston! Go, Eben! At these basketball games for the 5th/6th graders, each player is allowed one foul shot during half-time. If they make the basket, they score a point for the team. And Eben scored!!! Unfortunately, Dwane had gone to the bathroom and missed it, but Mom, Ma, Aunt Ginny, Caleb, and I all got to see it. (We didn't realize that the boys could actually score a point--we thought it was just a type of warm-up thing.)

After the game, we asked Eben about the momentous occasion: "Well, the two guys in front of me both scored a point, so I was really feeling the pressure. The ball bounced off the edge of the rim, and went in. I felt really good!"

COFFEE FILTERS

I've been having a problem with coffee filters lately. Now remember--I've only been making coffee since like May, and when I taught to make sure that the folds of the filter really line up well with the basket that holds it, so I'm careful about that. Lately, though, my filter is folding in on itself and I'm getting grounds in my coffee. Yuck. What a mess. And it makes a huge mess in my sink too. Is it because I'm at the end of the filter package? (This is my first filter package, mind you.) I've noticed that they're much "flatter" at the bottom of the package. Could this be the problem? Give me some help, folks....please...

And, while we're on the subject of coffee, I'm looking for Millstone decafeinnated Chocolate Velvet coffee. So far, I've only found it at the Super Wal-Mart in Augusta. I picked up two packages then, but now I'm almost out again. Went to Super Wal-Mart in Brewer on Tuesday and hoped to pick some up there, but they didn't have it. Can't find it at Shaw's or Hannaford's in Rockland. If somemone finds it (or another decaf chocolate flavor), please let me know!!!

GINA'S MI-25

Gina says: Since we are in the full swing of the holiday season (yes, it’s almost time to start panicking if you haven’t started yet) I thought I would base my questions on traditions. But I’m also doing things a wee bit different. Instead of just five questions, I’m offering 25. You can do this anyway you’d like. If you have the time, it would be great to see all 25 questions answered. But if you’re seriously pressed for time, just pick five you would like to answer. And again, based on your time constraints, try to limit the one-word responses. For me, these Friday 5 questions offer an opportunity to get to know a little bit about you. Anyway, I’ll stop for now. Just do want you can do.

1. Do you usually use wrapping paper or gift bags?

Usually wrapping paper. I actually enjoy wrapping presents. They don't necessarily look very professional, but I enjoy it anyway. I used to help my grandmother wrap presents every year.

2. Is your tree a real tree or is it artificial?

It's artificial. While Dwane and I both prefer the fragrance of a real tree (and I enjoy the "hunt"), it's just more economical to have an artificial one. Last year, we bought one of those three-piece, pre-lit trees after Christmas. It went up really, really quick, and it actually looks quite nice.

3. If you do put a tree up, when do you usually do this?

Thanksgiving weekend, or as soon thereafter as possible.

4. When do you take your tree down? Any specific reason for this – tradition etc?

I like to get my tree down ASAP. Seeing an "empty" tree just depresses me--it means the hubbub is over for an entire year. It depresses me.

5. What about eggnog? Do you like it? Any special ingredients added?

I love my Aunt Ginny's/Uncle Adrian's eggnog, made from scratch on Christmas Eve. I'm quite the pig with it. Other than that, I could take it or leave it. I usually have one eggnog shake from McD's every year, just to see if I like it better. I don't. Dwane, on the other hand, loves eggnog.

6. Do you have a nativity scene? A menorah?

I don't have a menorah. I do have a very nice nativity scene, that is buried somewhere out in the shed of no return. I haven't put it out very often, because I'm afraid that it will be broken with a toddler around. Now, I'm just not sure where I'd put it. I anticipate that I will inherit an old nativity set one day, and if and when I do, it will need a VERY special place. I'll probably have Dwane build another room.

7. What was a special (or favorite) gift you received as a child?

As an older child, I received a teddy bear that played "Rock A Bye Baby". It made me cry. My Mom used to sign a lullaby to that tune, but with different words. It was something like "Jesus loves children, Jesus loves me, Jesus loves you, with love tenderly, for in the Bible it tells me, I know, that He will be with me wherever I go."

8. Who is your hardest person to buy for? Why?

Dwane is hard to buy for because he already has everything he wants. And for tools and what not, I have no idea what he has or what he needs. This year, I gave him a Home Depot flyer and told him to circle what he wanted. Eben is getting harder to buy for, too.

9. Who is your easiest person to buy for?

Caleb was easy this year. And anyone can be easy when you just walk through a store and see that "perfect" something. I love it when that happens. It used to happen all the time like that when I shopped for my brother, Michael. This is how that frog came to be at Mom's house.

10. Do you send Christmas (or holiday) cards? Email or snail mail?

I send photo Christmas cards. About 100 of them. Each year, I say I'm going to cut back, because I don't get close to that in return. I know it's not about "getting", but with the price of postage, it's close to $1.00 a card, and it adds up.

11. What was the worst Christmas present you ever received?

I can't think of one. I treasure everything. (As anyone can tell from looking at my house.)

12. What is your favorite holiday movie?

Oh, I used to love Dickens' The Christmas Carol. Didn't matter which version--I loved them all. I guess now my favorites are the Santa Claus ones with Tim Allen. I find I don't watch too many movies, though. I can't seem to sit still long enough to watch one.

13. When do you start your holiday shopping?

December 26

14. Have you ever recycled a present?

No. See #11.

15. What is your favorite thing to eat during the holidays?

Aunt Ginny's Candy Cane Cookies. Mom's Chex Mix. Mom's Christmas Dinner. McDonald's Custard Pies (still not out this year--I'm losing hope). I love it all.

16. What about the lights on your tree – colored, clear, mixed?

I prefer clear. If they are not going to be clear, it doesn't realy matter which color, as long as they are steady (not blinking), and all one color.

17. What is your favorite Christmas/holiday song?

The Partridge Family "Christmas Card".

18. Do you travel or stay home for the holidays?

Ma's on Christmas Eve (3 miles away), our house Christmas Morning, Mom's house Christmas afternoon (3 miles away).

19. Can you name all of Santa’s reindeer?

Let's say. Dasher. Dancer. Prancer. Vixen. Comet. Cupid. Donder. Blitzen. I guess I did it. Don't know if they are all spelled correctly, though. Cupid? Cupit? Donder? Donner?

20. What goes on the top of your tree? Angel, star, squirrel?

Angel.

21. Do you open presents on Christmas Eve, or Christmas morning?

Both. :) See #18.

22. What’s the most annoying thing about this time of year?

Not being able to walk through Wal-Mart.

23. Will you attend a religious service this Christmas season?

Our Sunday School Christmas Program is supposed to be this coming Sunday, but with the coming Nor'easter, I'm not sure it will happen. We're also planning to go Christmas Caroling on Tuesday, and we'll go to our Christmas Eve Service as well.

24. What would you really like to receive on Christmas this year?

Caleb's bedroom all cleaned out. I spent a week on Eben's (still working on it little by little). I pulled out 15 lawn and leaf bags of GARBAGE! And 5 loads of laundry! I'm hoping, hoping, hoping, that Dwane will do Caleb's for me as a Christmas gift.

25. And finally just to see if you’re paying attention, in A Charlie Brown Christmas, what does Lucy want for Christmas?

I have no clue. And I just watched that show with Caleb a week or so ago.

MY BIRTHDAY MONTH

I got this from Amy's blog...Supposedly, these are the traits of someone born in June. I have bold-faced the traits that I think relate to me:

JUNE: Thinks far with vision. Easily influenced by kindness. Polite and soft-spoken. Having ideas. Sensitive. Active mind. Hesitating, tends to delay. Choosy and always wants the best. Temperamental. Funny and humorous. Loves to joke. Good debating skills. Talkative. Daydreamer. Friendly. Knows how to make friends. Able to show character. Easily hurt. Prone to getting colds. Loves to dress up. Easily bored. Fussy. Seldom shows emotions. Takes time to recover when hurt. Brand conscious. Executive. Stubborn.

I HAVE TO BRAG FOR A MINUTE...

Please indulge me for a minute here...I need to brag...

Each year, the State of Maine publishes a calendar about recycling. They ask students in 5th-8th grades to submit drawings to be used as pictures for the calendar. There are 13 pictures selected--one for each month, and one for the cover. Out of over 1500 entries, Eben's picture was chosen as one of the 13!!! In fact, out of the 13 pictures chosen, three of them were from Eben's school. I'd say that's a pretty good showing for a small school. In the next several weeks, we will be able to order the calendars (for free) online. (I just googled "Maine Recycling Calendar" to get the link.) Eben's picture included a race car. (What else??!!) His art teacher felt it may have been this originality that really caught the judges' eyes.

In January, Eben will be going to the Blaine House to be "wined and dined" (for lack of a better term) by Maine's First Lady, and he will receive a plaque for his efforts.

Yea Eben!!

CALEB'S THEORY & MISCELLANEOUS RAMBLINGS

As we got ready to leave Bible Study last night, both of my boys decided they wanted to trudge through the deep snow to the car, instead of walking in the plowed parking lot. "How did I end up with two boys?" I asked. I was referring to the fact that if I had girls, they would probably be afraid of getting their pretty shoes wet, while the boys want to see how wet they can get. Eben said, "I don't know, Mom, how did you get pregnant?" I said, "I didn't ask how I got pregnant, I asked how come I had two boys." "I know, Mom", replied Eben, "but if you hadn't gotten pregnant, you wouldn't have had two boys. So, how did you get pregnant?" I wasn't ready for this conversation, so I took the easy way out. "God just said it was time for Mommy to get pregnant."

"I know, I know," Caleb said. "Daddy fluffed in the toilet, and Mommy got pregnant!"

Priceless.

Other thoughts this morning:

I thought of another couple of holiday treats I enjoy at Christmas time: Mom's Chex mix. She makes it special just for me---only rice/corn chex and peanuts/cashews. No pretzels. No wheat chex.) And also McDonald's Custard Pies. They came out with these the year of the first Toy Story movie. Some years they have them, some years they don't. Last year, Mom and I went to McDonald's almost every day because the cashiers would say, "Not yet, but they should be on today's truck." We never got one.

We very much enjoyed the Polar Express. In fact, my Christmas cards this year feature a picture of Eben and Caleb on the train. You can't really tell that where's they are, so I put an "On the Polar Express" in the signtaure line, hoping that people could figure it out. I ordered my pictures online this year. I was so proud of myself. I uploaded my pictures ALL BY MYSELF. I had so much fun doing that, I'm hoping that Billy Rhythm might agree to put a picture album type of thing on my blog, like he's got on his. That way, all of you lucky people can see all of my pictures too!

For our wedding anniversary, we had a snowstorm. We had hoped to go to Portland to do some Christmas shopping and get some lunch, but that was really out of the question. We decided to just go to our WalMart instead, and then go to Applebee's. (And lo and behold, a week or so ago Mom bought us an Applebee's gift card as our anniversary gift! So, thanks Mom!) I had my normal: Steak topped with parmesan cheese sauce and grilled shrimp. I didn't get the mashed potatoes this time though. They had introduced new sides--macaroni & cheese, and crunch onion rings. The onion rings were awesome, and the macaroni & cheese was pretty good, too. The only thing that could have made it better was a little more cheese sauce.

For our anniversary supper, I tried a new recipe. That's always scarey, but this sounded so good, that I couldn't resist. It was tilapia (a fish), topped with a can of Campbell's Cream of Shrimp soup. You then crush 24 Ritz crackers on top of that. Then add a cup of shredded cheddar cheese, and top with 1/2 cup milk. Bake, covered, at 400 degrees for one hour. This was awesome! And for those of you following a low-carb diet, you could probably just omit the Ritz. (But for me, the Ritz crackers are the best part!)

Caleb and I made bread in the bread machine yesterday. After we started, I realized that I was out of all-purpose flour. I had some self-rising flour, so I used that, figuring a 4-year-old wouldn't really care. I just omitted the salt from the recipe. Then, I only had half the amount of yeast that I needed. What a bust that was! Actually the bread was edible, but I wouldn't recommend it.

After the bread fiasco, I decided to try the self-rising flour in some cookies. We made reindeer cookies. They were peanut butter, with a red M&M for a center, chocolate chips for eyes, and broken pretzel twists for the antlers. For the first batch, I decorated them as instructed, which was to put on the stuff immediately upon coming out of the oven. Unfortunately, the cookies would start to harden up before I could get all the stuff on/in them. Plus, Caleb couldn't help, and that wasn't making him happy. So, we decided to put the decorations on first. Caleb spent 1/2 hour putting on the faces and antlers on one tray of cookies. He was absolutely meticulous. Then, he decided that all of the reindeer needed smiles, so we broke up pretzels and added mouths.