The Nativity

It's been three years since our family did a nativity program for our own family party.  I am amazed at how much they have all changed in that time.  I don't know why, because children will (of course) change greatly in three years, but when I see them every few days I don't always appreciate how much change there is in such a short period of time until I see the photos.  I have blogged this before, but just as you put up your own nativities each year, I have to do this one again as I love the memories and the photos so much.  It was one of those times when everything worked out perfectly.  The children were excited to do their parts, the baby never cried, and the true spirit of Christmas shone through.

Nick and Isabelle were Joseph and Mary

Little Emerson was baby Jesus and smiled almost the whole time he was in the manger.

Millie, an actress and a true angel, portrayed the angel who came to announce Christ's birth.

My grand nephews were the  wise men

 

My little McLeod cousins played the shepherds.

 

May the spiritual aspects of Christmas permeate your home this year.

This TIme of Year

It's busy this time of year but I love it.  It took me a week to decorate again this year but my house feels like a Christmas village and it makes me happy.  It will be a sad day when I can't climb a step ladder and hang my decorations one day in the future.  I have added two new decorations this year but I will either have to get rid of some or never buy more because my horizontal spaces are depleted. I always put up garland, lights, etc. and save my nativity for last.  It's the favorite of all my decorations (and I have a lot of favorites).  It is quite large and covers the whole top of my piano.  It really helps me remember the love of our Savior and also helps me relive the joy the world must have felt at the time Christ was born as they had been waiting for their king. Angels actually came down and sang and there was renewed hope for mankind. If I had been there at that time, I am sure I would have found one of the choirs to sing with, just to be a part of it all.

Really!

I didn't find these tidbits in time for Halloween, but you can tell your kids these things now and they will think you are cool.

When threatened, the hairy frog, or 'horror frog,' intention-
ally breaks its own bones to produce claws that protrude from
its toe pads.

                                         AND

If cornered, some horned lizards species can shoot their
potently foul blood from their eye sockets up to six feet.

Popcorn

Who doesn't love popcorn?  OK, there is nothing that smells better in the kitchen than bread baking, but popcorn is a close second.  We used to always make popcorn in our air or handle turning poppers.  It was really good and was fun to watch as it popped. At other times I would just use a heavy pan with oil in the bottom and it turned out even better.  Along came the microwave and the poppers were relegated to the basement and the pan is now used for just veggies.   Microwave popcorn is also good but really not as good as the poppers or pan method because sometimes there is a residual chemical taste.  I was reading my Food Channel magazine this week and found a recipe for making my own microwave popcorn.  It is Ellie Kreiger's recipe and I am going to try it.  You don't always know what ingredients you are getting in microwave corn and she says this is her favorite. This way you can monitor the oil and chemical content.

Toss 1/4 cup popcorn kernels in a small bowl with 1/2 teaspoon peanut oil and 1/4 teaspoon salt.  Pout it all in a paper lunch bag with the top folded over a few times.  Microwave about 2 minutes or until the popping almost stops.  She says it comes out perfectly and with 1/3 less calories than regular microwave popcorn and no additives.  Try it and let me know what you think.

If the truth be known, I love theatre popcorn with all the artificial stuff and real butter at home.  Good thing I don't have it very often.

Really?

I love Christmas and have about every decoration a person can get.  I have lots of Santa figurines, nativities, bells, ornaments, reindeer, etc. but as I was thumbing through the   paper this weekend, I found this ad from K-Mart.  What???  Really???

I can't in any way associate a pig in a Santa suit or a lighted hippo to Christmas. I have heard of Christmas geese.  I was in the play the "Christmas Goose" when I was little, and I have heard of Christmas mice and spiders coming out at night to see the Christ Child but please tell me what a pig and hippo have to do with Christmas ???  I won't be adding these to my decorations any time soon.

Maybe I am not enough of a redneck. I think I can see these sitting beside a Jeff Foxworthy mobile home.

Barnes & Noble.com - Image Viewer: There's No Place like -a Mobile- Home for t