Christmas Gift Idea - Local Cookies!

Still undecided about that holiday gift (or more likely - haven't given it a thought)? Too cool for Cat Humor (see below)?

Well - what about a sweet and local treat?! Best thing, you don't even have to leave your computer. Drop in on my friends at Big Boss Baking and tour their spread of cookies, whoppie pies and granola. I've tasted. I'm hooked.

These goodies are made right here in the Triad and literally are HOME Made (they make them at their home...yes really!)

This stuff should come with a warning label! YUM!

Christmas Wish and New Year's Request

While I was contemplating what to post next, I ran across Brandy's blog. Brandy has a blog, and is having one of those life moments that we all dread - someone she loves is very sick. She is asking for one thing from the blogsphere: positive thoughts and prayers. I offer to her both and share with you the opportunity to do the same.

My name is brandy. And I have a blog.

And a plea.

I use my blog to showcase the crazy I meet everyday, share the stories of the kids I teach and document my love for tequila, dairy products and the abdominal muscles of Ryan Reynolds. Rarely do I talk about personal issues on my blog- as personal as the dude that I adore (who I actually met through my blog- single ladies, let that be a very good reason to blog, the possibility of meeting someone as wonderful as my man), but I need your help. And it involves my dude.

He’s a guy who made math comics for my class, so they would love learning about addition. He’s the kinda guy who sends my friends gift cards when they are having hard times, who remembers every story I ever told him, who was the first person I celebrated with when I got a teaching job. He’s the guy who sent flowers to me at school- dozens of my favourite pink roses just because he loves me. He’s a guy who has spent a year patiently explaining (and re-explaining) everything there is to know about football during the important games when silence is preferred. He’s made me word puzzles and comics and stayed up late playing Scrabble with me (even though I beat him almost every time). He’s listened to me cry about school and family and jobs. He is everything I never knew I needed and everything I always knew I wanted.

The holidays have hit us hard. He’s recently been told he may have something called multiple myeloma- an incurable cancer, that gives a person an average of five years of continued life. Though this news has came as a shock, he continues to be exactly who has always been- spending his time worrying about me, rather than worrying about himself. He’s the most selfless individual I know- (he stayed late on Christmas Eve to work, so his co-workers could leave early) and a post like this would never be something that he would promote or encourage but when I’m overwhelmed and feeling helpless, the blogging community has always given me tremendous support and comfort, two things I desperately need at this time.

As I write this, the future is uncertain and we aren't sure what’s happening. He’ll need to see an oncologist soon, to verify what’s going on in his body. My hope is that everyone who reads this think positive thoughts and if you are a person who prays, could you add him to your list? (You can refer to him as ‘brandy’s hot awesome dude’). If you don’t pray, please keep him in your heart. This cancer is only a possibilityand I believe that the prayers and positive thoughts of people can make sure it never becomes a reality.

I want to give a big thank you to the blog owner who scraped their original blog plans and graciously put this up. My goal is to get as many people as possible to see and read this post. If you are reading this and want to help, copy and paste my plea into your blog or send a link through twitter, so more people can keep him in their thoughts. I would be so very grateful (even more grateful than I am to my friend who first showed me the picture of Ryan Reynolds on the cover of Entertainment Weekly. If you haven’t seen it, google it. You. Are. Welcome).

I realize this all sounds dramatic, a Lifetime movie in the making- but this is life. Right now. And I’m throwing away any hint of ego and am humbly asking for you to pray or think kind thoughts. If you are able to pass this on, thank you and if you know anything regarding MM- please email me (my email is on my blog). This isn't a call for sympathy or a plea for pity. It's just one girl hoping you can think positive thoughts for the person she adores. If my current heartache provides you with anything, let it be with the reminder that life is short, love is unbending and no one knows what could happen next. Maybe it is silly, but I really do believe that positive thoughts can make a huge difference. Thank you for reading this and if you haven’t already? Please tell someone you love them today.

I did.

5 Potential Blogging Topics

Christmas has barely gone, but with its exit it has taken my daily posts on Top Holiday Memories. I do hope you have enjoyed all 25 episodes.

Now I am faced with the decision of the topic for the next few post. I have several ideas, but I would like to give a moment or two here to listen to anything you might suggest. I will tell you a few things that have been on my mind, but don’t feel limited to pick one – suggest your own…

1. Family Memories – I have a very interesting (read dysfunctional) family and the way I often remember and tell my version of the truth does make people laugh – if in disbelief.

2. Original Stories – I use to create stories to use as both child’s time and for sermon illustrations years ago when I was a pastor (if that surprises you, you haven’t been to my bio page – oh the horror!)

3. Spiritual Observations Reflections – I often find spiritual lessons in simple daily events/objects and sometimes write those down (you know “Life is like a box of chocolates – and all that.”)

4. Poetry – I write poetry – kind of. I feel certain emotions through words and often jot those down. They make sense to me, but I wouldn’t expect them to ‘stand up’ to real poetic analysis. They also tend to be more dark and brooding – like music in a minor key.

5. Yoga – I’m taking my first Yoga class starting January 21^st. I know I will learn much and have many thoughts about this experience. It might be fun to share those, but I don’t want this to become a Yoga blog… (you know, like when those runners start blogging about their running time and marathons, and gear and such – Hi Dena!!)

That’s about it. You thoughts are most welcome…

Top 15 Southern Holiday Gathering Truths

1. That favorite dish your mom makes is still as good as you remember.

2. Somebody in the family is in trouble with the law again this year.

3. You are probably the only one driving a Honda.

4. Smoking is still expected inside at all times.

5. There is NOT, no matter how much we talk about it, an annual family tradition.

6. You will be expected to participate in the annual family tradition.

7. You are expected at Christmas if you didn’t visit for Thanksgiving.

8. Football will be explained with hunting analogies.

9. Hunting will be explained with football analogies.

10. There will be no raw, steamed, green or leafy vegetables at the holiday table.

11. There is always something that needs to be fetched from the store.

12. You will talk for hours and never really say anything.

13. No matter how hard you try not to, you will spend hours trying to figure out what everyone is really saying.

14. You are related to everyone there and you won’t know several people.

15. Everyone there loves each other as best they know how.

And, You will either leave this holiday gathering thinking your family is a dysfunctional tragedy or the funniest assortment of people you could ever imagine – it totally depends on you.

Peace To You

Christmas Hunting

I have a theory. Women Christmas shop. Men Christmas hunt. That is the way it should be.

This past Saturday, I took my list and went hunting for those items. My goal- kill something and bring it home.

The way I see it, I'm programed to hunt. If I need meat - I go out and look for meat. If it is made out of meat, I kill it and bring it home. Done. Same goes for Christmas hunting. I needed several specific gifts and if it doesn't smell, look, act, and taste like one of those gifts - it doesn't matter.

The end result is that it took only a few hours to complete my hunting. No browsing. No scoping out the potential additional gifts. Killed. Dead. Done. I did stop for another moment at the 42" plasma TVs. Sigh.

Then came the wrapping. Need I even expound on the wonder of pre-printed gift bags? Drop, tug, done.

I love Christmas.