If I decorate my house perfectly with plaid bows, strands of twinkling lights and shiny balls, but do not show love to my family, I'm just another decorator.
If I slave away in the kitchen, baking dozens of Christmas cookies, preparing gourmet meals and arranging a beautifully adorned table at mealtime, but do not show love to my family, I'm just another cook.
If I work at the soup kitchen, carol in the nursing home, and give all that I have to charity, but do not show love to my family, it profits me nothing.
If I trim the spruce with shimmering angels and crocheted snowflakes, attend a myriad of holiday parties and sing in the choir's cantata but do not focus on those I love most, I have missed the point.
Love stops the cooking to hug the child.
Love sets aside the decorating to kiss the husband.
Love is kind, though hurried and tired.
Love doesn't envy another's house that has coordinated Christmas china and table linens.
Love doesn't yell at the kids to get out of the way, but is thankful they are there to be in the way.
Love doesn't give only to those who are able to give in return but rejoices in giving to those who can't.
Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
Love never fails. Video games will break, pearl necklaces will be lost, golf clubs will rust.
But giving the gift of love will endure.
Merry Christmas!
A church friend sent this message to me and it is so true. Yeah, sometimes your family can get under your skin, but I don't know what I would do without them. I LOVE YOU!
Oreo Cookie Ball Recipe
1 pkg. oreo cookies
1 block cream cheese.
I just used my food processor and put the cookies in and crushed them and then cut up cream cheese and added to cookie crumbs. Then I blended them till all together. Dump into bowl and finish mixing till all blended together. Roll into walnut size balls and put in ref. for 1 hour. Then you melt 1 pkg. almond bark and take a toothpick and dip the oreo balls in and put on wax paper till they cool. Then if you want melt a little chocolate bark and put in to ziploc bag and clip a small corner. Then you drizzle over the cooled oreo balls to decorate. Thats it.
A guy that Doug works with brought these to work today. Doug brought home some samples along with the recipe and I have to say, they are delicious! That is if you like Oreo cookies.
Katie and I went to Wal-Mart and spent every cent we had in our name for food. We got paper products, plastic ware, air fresheners (a needed item), ingredients to make a Christmas Breakfast Casserole and Christmas cookies. Our buggy was bulging with all the stuff. I had coupons for most everything I had in our buggy. Would you believe the cashier forgot to put the coupons in time? She apologized as she was handing me my coupons back. Ugh! All that time and effort clipping coupons and the lady forget to put them towards my bill. She told me, I could take my receipt and coupons back to Customer Service for a refund. I told her it was alright and it wasn't worth it. As I was walking half a mile to the car, I realized that I should do it. This same situation happens to me all the time, I've even reminded the cashiers about the coupons and they still forget or didn't see them. I've practically stopped using coupons because what's the since in having them when the cashier forgets to add a $.40 valued coupon towards your bill just for you to turn around and have to go to the Customer Service to get your money back. It can be frustrating. Plus, the manufacturers make it so hard on people to even bother with them. For instance, you have to buy 2 of one item just to save $.50. Anyway, by the time I unloaded the cart, I decided to go get my money. Katie and I went straight to the Customer Service and I expected to wait forever, but it wasn't that bad. My stack of coupons gave me $7.85 back, but of course that didn't touch my purchase of well over $100. It's the principal of the thing.
I stopped by "Peppers" and grabbed some lunch for Aunt Sherry, Mom, Katie and myself. Aunt Sherry had their Potato Soup in a bread bowl and Garden Salad with Ranch dressing. Mom and I got their Chicken Salad Sandwich and fruit bowl. Katie ate a few bites of hot dog because she's ate nothing but junk food today. I've never had their Potato Soup, but Sherry said it was very good. Dad was so sweet to give Katie a half a pound of chocolate kisses before we left. I thought I was going to loose my mind when we got home. She was so whiny and yet so full of energy. I figured the whininess was from only taking a 15 minute nap (in the car) and the energy was from the sugar high. THANKS DAD! LOVE YA!
I have to say, Mom seems to be doing great. She was up and down while I was there and Sherry really encouraged her to last a little longer with the walking. It was music to my ears. Mom looked good as well. She actually dressed herself, no PJs, and put on some makeup. The only thing, I believe Mom regrets is that she didn't take her pain medicine at noon, like she was suppose to. She said, she didn't think she would need it, but by 3:00 she was beginning to have a little pain. Of course, by the time she got her meds in her, she was really feeling the pain. I don't think she'll do that again.
Tomorrow is going to be our Christmas Cookie day. I plan on making some Chocolate Chip Cookies and Sugar Cookies with Royal Icing and sugar sprinkles. Yummy! Hopefully, I've got enough ingredients for both Doug's work and our annual Christmas Eve party. I'm nervous, but excited about the party. We are expecting 24 people. So far the weather looks like it will be beautiful that day with temperatures around 56 degrees. I've been praying and I know God will take care of us.
Have you checked out the new Gymboree line, "Holland Days"? Now, I like it! I hope they will hurry up and do the jingle deals on this line. I think the red sailor dress is adorable. You'll have to check it out: http://www.gymboree.com/shop/dept_category.jsp?FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=2534374306235429&bmUID=1198033546522 .
Don't forget "Elmo's Christmas Countdown" movie is coming on this Sunday on the ABC Family channel, I think around 5:00 - 6:00. You'll have to check out your local listings. I'm so excited! I've got it TiVoed so Katie won't miss it. Everytime she sees the commerical, she thinks it's coming on next. Do you know how hard it is to explain to a two year old that it's just a commerical?
Take care!
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