Christmas Randoms

Lots of things zinging through my brain as Christmas rapidly approaches.

Randomly:

1.  Someone dear to me has told me many times this week to be at peace this Christmas.  To not rush and worry and work, but to slow down, be patient, and aim for a peaceful existence.  I cannot tell you how many times her words have barrelled through my brain.  She knows what it's like to be busy, she's a hard worker, has kids, works, etc.  But she is also going through a trial right now, the kind of trial that reminds you to not rush and worry and work, to slow down, be patient and aim for a peaceful existence.  Her words have been God's words to me this year and I am thankful for her.  Thanks JH-B!

2.  Next year, I beg you, if you even hear me hint at the words "I should make everyone a _____________ for Christmas" - STOP ME PLEASE!!!!!  If I say "we should just __________" remind me that no, we shouldn't just ___________".  And extra shifts the week before Christmas?  Bad idea.  Bad, bad idea.  I was asleep Friday night at 8:30.  Seems I am not as young and agile as I used to be.  Ahem.

3.  On the way to work one day, "Dominick The Donkey" was playing on the holiday channel.  In case you haven't heard the song, give it a quick listen here:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ok5rOO2v2dU

Good grief.  At 6:45 IN THE MORNING my car is blasting with a Christmas donkey hee-hawing, over and over and over again.  When I got to work, that song wouldn't leave my brain.  And my work place is a noisy place - "NURSE, NURSE"....."buzzzzzzz"  go the buzzers....."ring ring ring ring ring" goes the phone...."LA-DY, LAAAA-DDDDYYYY, LAAA-dy", "nurse can I have my pills NOW"?  HEE HAW, HEE HAW, HEE HAW goes Dominick the Donkey....."    Can you imagine?  It was wild!  Dominick the Donkey indeed.  Dominick the Donkey should be shot.   Silenced.

4.  On the other end of the spectrum, Silent Night is moving me this year.  I think perhaps that is because I have this "be at peace" thing on the brain in the midst of my craziness.  It's a cry from deep in my soul - for silence. 

5.  The sound of childrens' voices is also moving me.  My boys are growing up.  Children are innocent and sweet and, well, they try hard and live eagerly.  Good life lesson.

6.  I never get everything done at Christmas.  Each year, I get some things done, but I never get everything done.  Some years, I don't decorate much but get all my cards out.  Other years, I am so on target with my cards, but hardly decorate.  I ALWAYS bake, but I never get all of my baking list done.  At some point I have to stop myself or I will fall over in a heart attack.  Truly.  I am terribly ambitious at Christmas.  Nauseatingly so.

7.  No Christmas cards were mailed this year.  Not one.  However, if you want to see a Dynna slide show, click here:
https://picasaweb.google.com/104099245676850185736/ChristmasEmail2011?authkey=Gv1sRgCPPzpdq15pCPgAE#


8.  Sometimes I get Christmas cards from the most surprising people.  I particularly get a tear in my eye out of cards from little old ladies at church.  You think that they don't much notice or care much about me, but along comes a gracious card with lovely words and I am indeed touched and blessed to be on their Christmas card list.  Maybe next year I should make them something.


....stop me now......I asked, right?  ;)

9.  Christmas traditions - I've worked so hard in my house to create at least some traditions that the boys could look back on and say "it isn't Christmas until....."  Turns out they can't really answer that question with specific things/events very well other than opening gifts.  I've pulled a few things out of boxes this year, expecting them to say "hey, I remember that!" and they really haven't remembered those things at all!  That's partly because, well, some years I decorate more than others, etc., etc. and some of these treasures haven't seen the light of day for a couple of years. Time is fleeting.  The one tradition that I do insist on, however, is putting up BOTH Christmas trees, as labor intensive as that both sounds and is.  The upstairs is pretty and we all love it.  The downstairs tree is full of sentimental decorations.  We try to add something to it every year, something that represents something that we did or something that occurred during the past year.  It was fun adding decorations from the Maritimes to our tree this year.  Last year, we added a carpenter in honor of our renovation, the year before we added two birds in honor of Dean's bird-loving grandparents that had both passed away.  That tree means a lot to us and we all decorate it and chat a lot while we do it.  Must.  Not.  Stop.  That.  Tradition.  Ever.

10.  The one baking recipe that ALWAYS gets made every year is Whipped Shortbread Cookies.  I like to try new recipes, I like to make things for each member of the family according to their food tastes.  And I think the reason that I always make Whipped Shortbread Cookies is because it's MY favorite!

Well, no recipes to share with you today. 

I really want to thank you for reading my silly little thoughts here.  This blog has been both fun and challenging for me, something "new" to me in 2011!  As long as my brain is connected to this, I'll strive to continue to write.

Merriest of Christmases to each of you beautiful souls.  And, live in peace, live peacefully, stay cool, and be at peace this year.

Love ya!
Maureen

One more thing...

Very thankful that you asked for the RECIPE and not actual COOKIES....

Whipped Shortbread

1 cup butter, soft
1/4 cup corn starch
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup icing sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla

Combine all your ingredients in a Kitchen Aid stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Turn it on.  Walk away.  Come back when it is the consistency of whipped cream, don't worry, it will get there with enough time if your butter is lovely and soft. 

If you don't have a Kitchen Aid stand mixer, you should ask for one for Christmas  put everything in a bowl, combine with a spoon, then beat with a hand held mixer until it is the consistency of whipped cream.  Endurance pays off!  Don't walk away.  Stand there.  When it looks like small peas, keep standing there, mixing with your little mixer.  By the next day, it should be good enough and although your feet may be sore, your cookie dough should be just about perfect.

;)   (Get a stand mixer!)


Drop by tsps on a greased sheet and flatten slightly.  I like to put colored sugar or sprinkles on top just to make it look pretty.  Bake for 15 min. at 325 F.

There!  Happy?  ;)