Yes, It’s That Time Already: Some Great New (And Not-So-New) Christmas Music

28 October 2011 by

I really do start listening to Christmas music full-force on November 1st.

Why, you ask?

BECAUSE I ADORE IT, THAT’S WHY.

And since this week marked the debut of several great new Christmas albums, I thought I’d mention a few of them. I also thought I’d mention a few of my not-so-new favorites because I’m pushy like that.

Snow Globe – Matt Wertz – Valerie mentioned this one in the comments of Tuesday’s post, and I kicked myself for not remembering it. This is such a fun Christmas CD – with a version of “Tennessee Christmas” will no doubt make Amy Grant beam with pride.

Christmas – Michael Buble’ – This CD reminds me of when I was little and my parents would play Christmas records (real-live records – on a real-live record player) that featured Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis, Jr., Eddie Fisher, etc. It’s a throwback to a different era, which means that it’s probably destined to be a new classic.

Ring The Bells – Travis Cottrell – We call this CD “RANG YAW BELL” in our house. I have no idea why. But for our little man it’s what Amy Grant’s very first Christmas CD was for me: the hands-down Christmas-time favorite. We love it so much.

Joy – An Irish Christmas – Keith & Kristyn Getty – We sing lots of the Gettys’ music in our church, so I was tickled to see that they have a new Christmas CD. I’m a fan of the Irish flava (and I’m sure the Gettys are all about the flava), and I love that every single song is focused on the birth of Christ. Great mix of old and new.

A Neighborly Christmas – Drew Holcomb & The Neighbors – This Christmas CD has a funky, bluesy, folksy feel, and that’s precisely why I adore it. It’s soulful and simple and good. It’s also a great CD to play in the background during a Christmas party, mainly because it has such a unique sound. Good stuff.

On The Incarnation – Daniel Renstrom – I’ve been saying this for two years now: this is the best Christmas CD you’ve never heard. I love it so much and really do listen to it year-round. It’s haunting and brilliant and wonderful.

Very Merry Christmas – Dave Barnes – This CD came out last year (sort of late in the season, if memory serves), and we WORE IT OUT in our house. It’s right up there with the James Taylor Christmas CD in my book, and that, THAT IS SOME HIGH PRAISE.

So there you have it. A few of my favorites.

Have a great weekend, y’all!

Filed Under: Rambling

Well, Y’all Are Just A Wonder

27 October 2011 by

Seriously.

WHO KNEW that y’all were such a fount of frozen food info?

I’m pretty sure that I’ll keep your comments on that last post bookmarked for the rest of my earthly days. Yesterday afternoon I sat down and read through every single one of them, then figured out what my people would enjoy eating the most (and also what would be easiest for Mama), and I’ll have you know that within an hour or so, I’d figured out a menu plan for the week and made a grocery list for the marathon cooking session I plan to have this Saturday.

On top of that, I typed out (I LIKES TO TYPE, I DO) a plan for Mama, and I’m gonna put this on the refrigerator so that she has a nice little plan of what’s in store every day.

Y’all have no idea how much you’ve helped. The prospect of getting food stuff organized and ready to go was starting to make me feel twitchy and overwhelmed (especially since I have no skillz in the area of freezing stuff ahead of time), and being able to check that off of my list feel like a huge relief. Especially now that I know to put a towel on top of my freezer shelves so that meat in a Ziploc won’t freeze around them and HOW DO YOU PEOPLE KNOW SO MUCH STUFF?

My goodness. Y’all need a TV show.

So anyway. Thank you so much. I can’t get over how you took something that would’ve totally stressed me out and made it fun and informative and oh my goodness I LEARNED SOME THINGS.

Happy Thursday, everybody!

Filed Under: Cooking

Gaining Wisdom In The Area Of Food Storage

26 October 2011 by

Well, I had my wisdom tooth removed Monday afternoon. FINGERS CROSSED that it was the final item on the not-very-long-but-nonetheless-annoying list of Strange Ailments that have been hanging around lately. The wisdom tooth thing went surprisingly well, though, and as worried as I was about the whole being-put-to-sleep factor, I have to say that it was a delightful option. My mouth is still a little sore, and the stitches still have to, you know, dissolve (EWWWW), but other than that I’m trying to mind the doctor’s orders (no straws! no carbonated drinks!) and take my medicine and eat soft-ish foods. More than anything, I just feel relieved that it’s done and will have time to heal before I leave for Ecuador. That is a very good thing indeed.

And speaking of Ecuador.

(TRANSITIONS!)

(THEY ARE HELPFUL!)

Mama and Daddy are going to be here to stay with my fellas while I’m gone, mainly to help with getting the little man to and from school – and to be around in the afternoons when he and his friends on our street (OH MY WORD I love the kids on our street) wield light sabers and chase each other and scream loudly just because they can. I told Mama last night that my plan is to have some meals frozen for them so that she doesn’t have to worry about cooking and so that D doesn’t have to pick up something every night on his way home from work, and she seemed to be decidedly in favor of that idea.

But here’s what I realized when I hung up the phone.

I don’t typically, you know, freeze things.

It’s not that I’m opposed to it. It’s just that I don’t have a deep freeze, and I don’t really make a lot of stuff in big quantities, and, um, I don’t really know what freezes well.

The whole not-knowing-what-freezes-well dilemma is problematic, as you might imagine.

My plan is to go to the store in a couple of days and get some freezer bags (is that what you use?) and then make some stuff and then put the stuff in the freezer bags and then put the freezer bags in the freezer. Or maybe I need some sort of sassy plastic containers. You may be picking up on the fact that this is all a little new to me.

Anyway, early this morning I was trying to work out the Freezing The Food plans in my head, and it dawned on me that there are probably some of y’all who are experts in this area. I love to cook and am so happy to make the food ahead of time for my people, but I want to make sure that 1) I make stuff that will actually be good after it’s been frozen and 2) I freeze everything the right way.

Do any of y’all have suggestions? Keep in mind that my daddy and my husband do not necessarily think of soup as a meal, so I need to make sure that HEARTY is the order of the day. And I don’t necessarily need one-dish meals, either; Mama won’t mind heating up peas or rolls or anything like that. I’d just like to, as much as I can, take care of the biggest part of the meal for her.

I’m totally making my grocery list based on your comments, by the way. So if you feel like you’re being too thorough or giving me too much information, YOU’RE NOT.

Thanks in advance, bloggy people!

Filed Under: Cooking

Los Linkos

25 October 2011 by

– Annie’s post on Queen Esther’s courage is so fun, and it struck me as something that could be such a great devotion to read to (or read with) kids.

– About a year ago the little man did sort of a paper maiche’ / watercolor portrait of Africa (obviously he did this at church, under the supervision of grown-ups who don’t twitch at the sight of crafts). I loved it so much, and my mama actually surprised me over the summer by having it framed. I hung it in our half bath and love it – and have thought about creating a little “wall of nations” around the painting that A. did.

The other day my friend Kate sent me a link to some art by a precious 6 year-old girl who has a heart for oprhans and is helping raise money to bring her baby sister home from Africa.

I was so touched that I’m adding Emma’s art to our little powder room collection. I thought some of y’all might want to do the same.

– I have a new post up over at Ree’s blog about movies that (in my opinion) should never, ever be re-made. BACK OFF, HOLLYWOOD.

– Per sweet reader ANDREA’s suggestion (ANDREA always types in all caps because her kids spilled water on her computer and now ALL CAPS is her only option – it cracks me up whenever I see a comment or email from her), Michael Buble’s new Christmas album is definitely worth our attention. I’m about to download it in just a little bit. I like to have all my Christmas albums lined up and ready to go by the day after Halloween, thank you very much.

– I cracked up this morning when I saw a poll question from Steinmart on Facebook:

I wished with everything in me that they had the option of clicking “MARTHA HAS!”

It’s never too early for a jacket! For a three-quarter sleeve jacket! It’s just never too early!

– Finally, remember that from now until October 31st, you can get 10% off of your entire Nations Outfitters order if you use the coupon code BOO MAMA (two words) at check-out. FANCY.

Filed Under: Daily Awesome

The Joys Of A New TV Adventure

24 October 2011 by

This past Friday I was supposed to have my wisdom tooth removed, but since I didn’t realize that the person driving me home (which was, you know, my husband) had to be there for the whole procedure (what with the sedation and all), we had a little scheduling mix-up and had to bump my appointment to Monday. Since I’d sort of planned the weekend around a rigorous regimen of painkillers and sleeping, the whole re-scheduling thing meant that I suddenly found myself with a wide-open stretch-o-weekend and a horribly neglected DVR.

I haven’t intentionally neglected the DVR, mind you. I’ve wanted to have some quality DVR time, in fact. But I’ve been working on a little sideline project at night that has basically triggered my obsessive gene to SOARING NEW HEIGHTS OF OBSESSIVENESS, and as a result I’ve gotten way behind on all my normal shows.

(Except for Project Runway and Survivor. I always seem to make time for those. Along with Food Network and Bravo as the occasional background noise.)

Anyway, after I read your comments in the last post, I’ll have you know that I accomplished three significant TV-related achievements over the weekend: 1) I caught up on The Office (I am loving Andy as the boss and wanted to hug him after that garden party with his parents) 2) I caught up on Modern Family and 3) based on your recommendations, I totally caved and watched Revenge.

Listen. I have some thoughts about that third thing. So many, many thoughts about that third thing.

I had no idea what the show was about, so I was surprised to see a cross between Dallas (did anyone else think Southfork Inn was a wink at the Ewings? am I overthinking it?) and Dynasty combined with a hefty dose of Veronica Mars. I was also surprised to see that Revenge marks a television series return to the land of people who store their alcohol in crystal decanters (oh, Sue Ellen Ewing – you have been missed). Sweet mercy. I DO NOT MIND IT.

And Madeline Stowe as Victoria Grayson? SOLID GOLD. Plus, Victoria’s collection of stylish dresses would make Krystle Carrington and Alexis Morrell Carrington Colby Dexter Rowan so proud. Though Krystle would probably be puzzled by the fact that Victoria isn’t wearing more shoulder pads. Krystle is still trapped in the 80s, bless her heart.

My favorite part so far was in the last episode, when Conrad and Lydia were arguing at her sassy loft / penthouse / big city apartment. After he tossed the picture frame, she picked it up – then grabbed a magnifying glass off the desk so that she could examine the photo more closely. A MAGNIFYING GLASS. Because, you know, she just happened to have a magnifying glass sitting around. AS WE ALL DO.

What up, Mrs. Columbo?

All that to say: I think I’m hooked. I don’t want to be hooked, but I’m pretty sure I’m hooked. And I also think that maybe Emily and Nolan are brother and sister but don’t know it yet. Their hair is the same color and their clothes always (sort of) match – almost like we’re supposed to associate them with one another.

Clearly I need to take a step back from this situation and maybe REACQUAINT MYSELF WITH REALITY.

Odds are that the whole wisdom tooth removal will probably be the perfect antidote to the Graysons and Emily and the fact that David Clarke was framed. HE WAS FRAMED.

So see? It all works out.

Have a great Monday, everybody!

Filed Under: Rambling, TV Is My Friend

An Assortment Of Thoughts About An Assortment Of Things

19 October 2011 by

1. I’m surprised by how much I’m enjoying this season of Survivor. I wasn’t planning to like it because, well, Phillip Sheppard is no longer a contestant. I miss Phillip. I miss how he wanted to play a game and make some bold moves.

2. There is not a single new show on the fall TV schedule that has managed to hold my attention for more than one episode.

3. Needless to say, I am concerned about the state of my television goals.

4. Yesterday I worked the Hoop It Up booth at the fall festival. For the record, I do not feel that the Lord has gifted me in the area of working the Hoop It Up booth.

5. I’ll take Hoop It Up over the face painting booth, though. I worked the face painting booth two years ago, and it took me approximately seven and a half months to recover from the stress of it all.

6. I still occasionally experience face painting flashbacks.

7. Does anybody still get together with friends and play cards? We used to play cards with friends all the time, and I miss it.

8. I’m the most passive-aggressive spades player you’ve ever seen, by the way.

9. Seriously. I’ll grin and make lighthearted conversation, and I’ll be plotting how to TAKE YOU DOWN the entire time.

10. I also enjoy canasta.

11. I think it would be nice to see a resurgence of card-playing in the 21st century family. Let’s get on that, people.

12. I would appreciate your insight and commentary on these matters.

13. I like what you’re doing with your hair. It looks really good.

Filed Under: Rambling
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