Nov 14, 2011 |
It’s ten days til Thanksgiving.
Ten days til we wake up early and head to the kitchen for a marathon cooking day.
Ten days til we stuff ourselves like no tomorrow, pack up some leftovers and sleep it off in the recliner.
And somewhere in the midst of all that, we’ll turn on the TV for the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.
For the past few years, the parade has been less and less of the quality and holiday that it used to be. Who can forget three years ago when the abundance of music was loud rock and rap? Or last year when NBC’s cameras so often caught a shot of the scanty Victoria’s Secret billboard… yeah, Santa. That’s really what I want for Christmas. To keep seeing some other woman’s perky boobs laced in red during Family Time. Thanks.
Now before you go calling me a prude, I will be the first to admit that in three days I’ll be standing for hours in line to catch the midnight showing of Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 1. And it has nothing to do with Bella.
But that doesn’t mean I want vampires and werewolves around on Thanksgiving. There’s a time and a place for everything. And I just don’t think Macy’s is the place for, well, what it’s been the place for the past few years.
Last year, I had the grand idea to start a letter writing campaign: to let Macy’s, NBC, and New York City know that it’s okay to get back to the fundamentals of the season. To not promote celebrity for the sake of celebrity; but to honor talented individuals and groups. To hear them sing Christmas songs. To not be inundated with extravagant costumes and sales and bling; but to appreciate the gathering of people, the holiday cheer and good will.
How did it turn out, you ask? Well, I’ll tell you… it didn’t. It was one of those ideas that I didn’t write down, mention to anyone, or think I should even approach. So I let it go.
And now, here it is, almost time for the next Parade. And I’m holding my breath. Will Andrea Bocelli or Harry Connick, Jr. serenade us with holiday ballads? What Broadway shows will be featured? Will there be honors given to local heros? How high will the Rockettes kick this year?
While I know the opening and closing of the parade will be spectacular, and the High School Bands will be impressive, it’s the in-between stuff that has me wondering if I should even bother to watch. I’m certain to be disappointed, and possibly disgusted.
And the anticipation of that disappointment has me wondering… what would the perfect Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade be like?
If you were the planner/director person, how would you put on the parade? Would it have a particular holiday theme? What holiday elements would you like to see? Who would your performers be?
Leave your comments here. If this year’s Parade doesn’t hold up to standards, maybe I’ll forward this to Macy’s Social Department and see if our voices matter. (I think they do!)
Nov 13, 2011 |
[For the original article, click here.]
I’ve never been to New York, but someday I’ll get there.
It’s been a dream of mine; growing stronger every day.
Especially whenever I watch the holiday programming.
A few months ago, I decided to voice that longing in detail.
And give myself a little inspirational kick.
The economy being what it is, I may not vacation to NYC anytime soon…
but at least I can dream.
Nov 12, 2011 |
Every year on this date, I always say the same thing. “X-amount of years ago, I was thiiiis big….” and my hands extend my imaginary belly. Then I go on to tell the story that embarrasses my Dot. I think it’s every mom’s duty to share the story of childbirth with their children. Loudly. In front of their friends.
But this year, I won’t. This year, I will say only that I was once “thiiiis big”. And maybe throughout the day remind her of the pain she kept me in for six and half hours. I won’t say a word about how the day before, during a stress test, my mom who was visiting me at the hospital saw the monitor tape and we joked about the seismic activity, and then I started laughing, hard, which caused the alarms to go off… we figure it was around a 7.4.
There will be no mention about when I went home and had a cup of tea, I didn’t need a tray. I just set it on my belly. And she decided to wake up and make my tea jump like the puddle from Jurassic Park. Or how she kicked her little heel up and I would have to slam the palm of my hand into it about three times before she moved and I could breathe easy again.
Not one word to her about how, in the middle of the night, I was praising God because I slept through my first contraction and woke up only to realize something really bad just happened. And how, when I called the hospital, the conversation went something like this:
Me: I just had a contraction.
Them: How long did it last?
Me: I don’t know.
Them: You don’t know?
Me: I slept through it.
Them: You slept through it?
Me: Yes.
Them: Did you have another one?
Me: Yes.
Them: How far apart?
Me: About six minutes.
Them: Then you’re okay. You don’t have to leave for about another hour and a half.
Me: Okay, but my water just broke.
Them: You better leave now.
This is my Daughter’s birthday. And today she is 17. I can’t believe I’ve known her almost two decades.
She’s everything to me. For the past 17+ years, my life has been full of teaching and learning and loving and shouting and fixing and hugging and cooking and crying and laughing and watching and playing and holding and letting go and…. being a mom.
I’m not always the best Mom. But I’m the best Mom for her. God gave her to me. When I didn’t deserve His blessings, when I was at a crossroads and could have walked away from Him. But I didn’t. It was, in fact, being responsible for someone else, that brought me to my senses. It was being responsible for her.
No more was this world just about poor little me. Now I had to worry about Baby.
I have always been a single mom. Her dad and I just didn’t work out. It is what it is. And there’s been plenty of heartache all around that subject. But she and I… we’re doing just fine.
It’s pretty awesome to see her learn, and grow, and mature. It’s pretty sad to think my years as her Mommy are coming to a close.
This beautiful child that I have treasured, that I would die for, that I want to share with (and protect from) the world.
She is my everything.
Happy Birthday, Hannah. I luff ewe muchly.
Stunning
Nov 11, 2011 |
He said, “Follow me.” I said no.
He waited anyway.
He said, “Stay on this path.” I strayed.
He led me back.
He said, “I love you.” I pushed him away.
He loved me anyway.
He said, “I want to adopt you.” I refused.
He called me His own anyway.
He said, “I want to save you.” I laughed.
He sent His True Son to die in my place.
He said, “Let me bless you.” I ignored his gifts.
He blessed me anyway.
He said, “I will provide.” I wanted it all.
He withheld, but gave me more than I could ever need.
He said, “You are perfect.” I called Him a liar.
He never pointed out my faults.
He said, “Please be careful.” I was careless.
He was tender with me anyway.
He said, “Don’t touch that.” I broke things.
He put the pieces back together.
He said, “I forgive you.” I said, “Who asked you to?!”
He forgave me anyway.
He said, “I still love you.” I told Him to shut up.
He kept loving me anyway.
He said, “I’ll protect you.” I ran into the world.
He protected me from myself.
He said, “Look at me.” And I saw the scars.
He bled for me.
He cried for me.
He cried out to me.
And I stopped turning my back.
He asked me to follow Him.
I said yes.
And He led me.
And He forgave me.
He is so unfair.
Nov 10, 2011 |
I was at a loss what to cook for a quick, cheap, and healthy dinner. For the same reason as everyone else, I don’t typically like the heavier fat-laden fried foods, but last night’s chill in the air begged for something warm and delicious.
I heated up some of my Infused Olive Oil in a skilled, added four pieces of boneless, skinless chicken breasts and let them cook, covered, while I prepared the other foods.
After four minutes, I turned the chicken, sprinkled with a small mix of freshly chopped herbs from my garden (sage, chives, basil, oregano, and parsley), and cooked, covered, for another five minutes.
Because I like my meat well done and seasoned, I turned the burner off, turned the chicken once more, and let it finish for another five minutes as I finished the potatoes and vegetables.
It was quick, easy, nutritious, delicious, and warm.
But the best part? When my daughter came home today and said she told all her friends at school she couldn’t wait to eat the left-overs.
*This recipe has been submitted to the 2011 Holiday Recipe Exchange. “Come join the fun at the My Baking Addiction and GoodLife Eats Holiday Recipe Swap sponsored by Shenandoah Growers Organic Fresh Herbs.”
