Monday, December 24, 2012

Seriously.

 I mean it.




Have a very, merry Christmas!!

Thursday, December 20, 2012

Twas a Month Before Christmas

Except it isn't.

We are looking at T minus 5 days.

Let's look at my list and not check it twice:

All gifts bought? Nope.

Cards made? Nope.

Packages mailed? Nope.

Goodies baked? Nope.

House decorated? Yes!!

House clean? Nope.

Blog template changed? Yes!! 

Weight lost that I wanted to lose before Christmas? Nope.

Stressed? Nope.

Perspective gained? Yes!!

Christmas is one day.  If this past week, in light of such horrific events that I can't even write about them without falling apart, has taught me anything, it's that the hustle and bustle of trying to make everything perfect, is such a waste of time.

The things that really matter will take a lifetime to perfect. Not a month, not a week, not a day.
And I don't want to waste my time trying to make things perfect for one day, out of a lifetime.

Some of the things on my list will get crossed off, perhaps at the last minute. Definitely later than I would prefer. Some won't get crossed off at all. And, I'm fine with that.

School is out for Winter Break. We have Netflix and plenty of microwave popcorn, blankies and slippers. That's all I need right now. Life can change in less than a wink.  I don't want to look back and wish I'd slowed down and enjoyed it. 

Wednesday, December 12, 2012

The One With The Fudge

To me, there is no greater compliment you can give a woman than asking for her recipes.

Most of the time, I give out my recipes freely.  There are,however, a few I'd rather keep to myself. Or, to be more specific, my husband wants me to keep to myself.

A few years ago, around Christmas time, I made some orange fudge and gave it to my husband to share at work. It received rave reviews and was requested again the following  year. For some odd reason, my husband was very proud to be the one to bring "that awesome orange stuff" and even more proud that HIS wife was the ONLY one that knew how to make it. Everyone was happy happy.

Except one person. The store's bookkeeper. This lady was something else. She was super nice to your face then the first one to trash talk you when you turned your back. She was a liar. Truly. I don't make a habit of calling people names, but if the shoe fits....

She wanted my recipe. Badly. She asked Judd for it numerous times, but he did not want her making HIS fudge and passing it off as hers.  He would tell her he'd ask me for it then conveniently "forget" to bring it.
My husband had told me that he did not want her having this recipe and I was in agreement. Like I said, there are some recipes you want to "keep".

One day, she called me, at home, while my husband was at work, at the same place she worked, and asked me for the recipe. I told her she would have to ask my husband.
"Oh, he said you could give it to me." (Lie)
"Well, I will write it down and he can give it to you tomorrow."

It was no surprise when my husband confirmed that he indeed had NOT said he'd bring it to her.

It went back and forth like this the entire Christmas season.
The whole issue was silly but yet it became important to her to get the recipe and more important for us to NOT give it to her.  So silly what people do, huh?  (referring to myself here)

This lady  killed my desire to make the fudge again. I knew if Judd brought it to work, it would start all over again, her wanting the recipe, us not wanting her to have it.

I haven't made the fudge in 3 years. 

When my husband was set to transfer stores, last December, she once more brought up the recipe and her desire to have it. My husband, seeing as how he was going to be "rid" of this nasty woman once he moved stores, and in the spirit of Christmas, told her she could have the recipe. IF she promised, under no circumstances, to ever give it to anyone else. "Yes, yes!" she agreed.

5 minutes later, Judd's assistant manager (a good family friend), told Judd that this woman told him, "I finally got Judd to agree to giving me that recipe. I will make copies and give you one!".

Seriously??

Needless to say, she didn't get the recipe.  (And, for the record, we gladly gave it to the assistant manager because we love him and his family and his wife is a recipe respecter.)

I dug out the recipe today and made a batch. Judd will take it to his new store and share it.

Is it sick of me to hope word gets out,to Judd's old store, that his new store is enjoying some orange fudge?

I don't care. I'm a recipe snob.

The "funny" thing is, you could probably Go*gle "orange fudge" and find the recipe.  

 


Thursday, December 6, 2012

Off Script

I don't claim to be the sharpest tool in the shed, but I'm no dunce either.

But, my daughter made quite the fool out of me yesterday.

I have teacher's manuals that go with my kids' books in school.  One of them being Josie's spelling.

Now, I'm sure you can all remember having a spelling test. The teacher says the word, says a sentence using the word, then repeats the word. 

Well, all that is included in the teacher's manual, the word, and sentence. It's like a script.

But, if you've read here long enough, you know we aren't the "follow the script" type of people.

Nope.

I like to make up my own sentences. And, if I'm honest, most of the time they are song lyrics. And, if I being ever more honest, I sing the sentence.

House.
Our house, is a very, very, very fine house. With 2 cats in the yard.
House.

Fire.
Come on baby, light my fire. Set the night on FIRE!!
Fire.

Kentucky.
Kentucky bluebird. I heard your song today.
Kentucky.


Most of the time, despite my foolishness, Josie gets the words correct.

One word she was guaranteed to get correct was: respect.

Can you see where this is going?

Respect.
R-E-S-P-E-C-T. Find out what it means to me. R-E-S-P-E-C-T.
Respect.

Wait, mom, can you say that again? I didn't get it.

And I repeat it!! Again and again because my daughter "didn't understand" what I was saying.

That's what I get for going off script,I guess.