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Remember THIS story?

Well, it's happened again.  But this time to me.

I had donated some of my nativities to our church's nativity exhibit.  I went to pick them up and I was driving slowly home because I hadn't re-packaged the nativities all the way and had a poinsettia and a painting in my truck. 

A 17-year old girl pretended to stop at a stop sign, but kept on going and slammed right into me. 

Thankfully, everyone is ok – including Mary, Joseph and the baby. :)  All my nativities and my painting are intact. 

My BIG hunk of steel won against her small sedan…her front bumper had fallen off and wires were hanging down.  Mine appears to not have anything structurally wrong.  I've always felt very safe in the Suburban, which is nice.

Once again…I can relate to these poor teenage girls who get in accidents.  I had a few in my day.  She was very sad about it and very sweet.  By the time we got the police report she and her mom were hugging me and thanking me for being so "compassionate".  They were a good family…and I'm glad neither of us were hurt.  And I'm also thankful that none of my boys were in the car with me.

So…a little tense and sore.  But overall, all is well.

 

A BIG happy birthday to my sweet S-I-L Olivia today.  I could not have hand-picked a better person for my brother to marry, or a better aunt for my kiddos who adore her.  We love you, Liv!

 

With Samuel, Six Flags, summer '08

 

With Caleb, Sept '08

  

With Caleb, Disney Cruise, Dec '05

  

With Samuel, Savannah GA, Summer '07, waiting in line at Paula Deen's restaurant

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas all around the Smith home.

I don't go all out (i.e. I don't do banisters), but I do enjoy decorating for Christmas and making the house feel festive.

My favorite decorations are all of the nativities I've collected (pics next week).

And this is my new favorite – a cake stand with a glass dome (Southern Living) that I put seasonal things in (pumpkins for Halloween, ornaments for Christmas):

p.s. the pictures of the pretty tree all lit up were taken before the cord started melting and all of the fuses blew.  we're working on it…but already we've gone 5 days without lights, very sad. 😦

We lounged in our pajamas playing UNO by the fire. 

We sipped on Cherry 7-up and Egg Nog (not at the same time).

Then I stuck them all into a tub full of bubbles.

 

   

 

But lest anyone think we're all sugarplums and fairies over here, I'll have you know the bath session ended promptly when Jacob called Caleb an "idiot" (where do they get this stuff?!) and Samuel dumped Q-tips into the water!

Well…it was fun while it lasted!

 

This is Sam watching Derek and the boys saddle up before riding bikes to school this morning.

 

This is his reaction when he watched them ride away without him.  Poor baby.

Despite the fact that…

1.  My fully-decorated Christmas tree's cord has melted and now doesn't light-up.

2.  Both of the bathtub faucets upstairs are broken.

3.  I have chigger bites on my feet/ankles from the farm.

4.  I have a 9-year old and 6-year old that looked like death when I picked them up from school today, and started running fevers as soon as we got home.

and

5.  Our broken fire alarms in the house are chirping at me…

I've had a great day!

Here's why…

1.  I got a work-out in this morning.

2.  At Samuel's ENT appointment we discovered that his ears, nose and throat are perfect.  This means he's hearing just fine and so we continue with speech therapy just as it is.  It was important to rule the hearing issue out and we did, and we're thrilled!

3.  Because of the location of our apptmt, we made a stop to see our friend, Laura (Lulu) who is a middle school principal.  It was so fun to see her and watch her interact with those middle school kids.

4.  Because of the location of the apptmt, I got to have an impromptu lunch with Mike and Liv. 

5.  I got to go to the Container Store.  Heaven will look similar, I'm convinced.  I stocked up on this year's wrapping paper (red and white polk-a-dots!).

6.  The poor big boys were so tired and miserable they went to bed at 6.  So I spent a delightful and uninteruppted hour playing with Samuel.  He's so charming!

7.  My house is quiet and messy and I am at peace.

Hope your day was this good…

I saw this commercial tonight and laughed out loud.  They're not kidding, people – they are really selling those!  This is my next Christmas wish…

Our family farm is one of my favorite places on earth.  Purchased by my grandfather in 1971 (or possibly '70).  He used to show horses.  It has a small white house with a white picket fence and two barns.  One was used for horses.  The other was used to store hay.  The land is leased off and on for cattle.  It was two "tanks" – sometimes full of fish as you saw from the previous post.  It was once owned by the family of Stephen F. Austin. 

The barn that was used to store hay is now just holding its own weight.  It is old.  Real old.  In fact, it was built around an old log cabin.  As we were exploring last week, I was amazed at the beauty of these old logs.  Stored in there were old doors and windows that were once on the farm house.  There was a loft built above the log cabin.  We even found a piece of an old cabinet door that was red…probably in the kitchen of the house before my grandfather had them re-done.

I wonder how old these things were.  Who used them?  What memories were made in that place?  This old piece of history is delightful to me.  I've realized over the years that I LOVE OLD STUFF.  I love chipped paint and a little bit of rust.  I love to feel old wood and sit in old furniture.  I love it.

The oldest barn…

 

Here's what's on the inside…

  (the roof)

   

 

And a view of the house, from the barn…

Fishing at the Farm – a huge success! 

These guys caught 20+ fish.  The question is was it the same 5 fish over and over again?  Or was it really 20+ fish?  Either way, they were thrilled with the success!

This little guy turned 23 months yesterday.  In one more month he will be 2.  TWO?!  How can that be?!

This is the last month that I can count him by months.  When people ask me how old he is, I usually say "almost two".  But not this month.  I'm going to enjoy the last "count them by months" month.  I'm going to say "he's 23 months". 

After he turns two nobody cares about what month he is!  I'll just have to say 2…for a whole year. 

So for one more month I will enjoy that he is not quite 2…he is only 23 months.

 

My lovely and friendly neighbor, Donna, who also happens to be my Gourmet Club partner, is an excellent cook.  When we moved in three years ago, we did not know how many wonderful and delicious treats would grace our doorsteps from across the street.  During the holidays she is known for her pumpkin bars, blueberry bars and cranberry bars.  I DREAM about her cranberry bars.  They are so good.  The first year I said, "Donna, I would love to have this recipe – these are so good".  She replied, "Oh, I don't give out my recipes."  HUH?  Have you ever met anyone who doesn't give out her recipes?!?  Ok – I thought – maybe that will change as we get to be friends.  That was in 2005. 

(Inserted note – try not to judge too harshly, she's actually quite kind and generous in other areas of her life.)

2006 -Donna delivers cranberry bars (who am I kidding, she never actually delivers anything – she sends Scott or Christopher).  Meredith asks for cranberry bar recipe.  She is denied.

2007 – Same thing.  Same story, but with a twist.  Donna says, "Oh, alright already".  But never actually delivers on her word.  This time I have to go to her house to actually get my yearly allotment of cranberry bars – they are not delivered.

2008 – Meredith gives Donna an ultimatum.  "Donna," I say, "give me the recipe or else".  "Or else what?" Donna sarcastically replies.  "Just bring the recipe to church tomorow", I answer.

NO RECIPE WAS BROUGHT.

So Meredith takes things in to her own hands.  (*Insert evil witch laugh*).  Two can play at this game.  I go to the place where all recipe-denied persons go.  I go…to the Internet.  And I search.  And search.  After three years of consuming these bars, I have gotten pretty good at knowing what's in them.   And then – I find them, or at least something close. 

And then I make them.  And then I call Donna.

"Donna - I have some treats for you.  Do you want them?"  "Sure!  Come on over!"

I giggle all the way over with my foil covered plate.

She rolls her eyes, takes a bite and says,

"I think your crust is too thick."

And then she calls later to tell me (with a laugh) that she thinks they were a little BITTER. 

So today – just to make Donna fume – I am publishing this recipe for all the world to see!  Enjoy!  They really are that good.

p.s. Love you Donna!

 

Meredith's Cranberry Bars

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups rolled oats
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
• 1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 (16 ounce) can whole berry cranberry sauce