PENSIEVE

There's so much more to a new year than "happy"

"Never be afraid to trust an unknown future to a known God."

~ Corrie Ten Boom

I've indulged myself with some time away from my blog (and yours...) and, oh, how I hope it refreshes me and infuses a new zeal in writing as we begin a new year. 

If you're reading these words, I'm praying for your year to be FULL of ~

... Hope

... Joy

... Peace

... Contentment

... Simplicity (contradiction to "full"?  I think not :) )

...Family~~related by blood or love

... Delights and surprises

... Learning new things

... Seeing and meeting the needs of others with your time, talents and resources

Much love to you all...'cause everyone is going through "something"...& everyone needs a little love & kindness.

I'm thankful for you.

xo,

~ Robin :)

Because sometimes "nothings" and "pretend" make me smile

Festivus is my favorite fake holiday of them all.  Its insanity makes me smile during the frenzy of the most won-der-ful time of the year...:)

Airing of grievances?  Feats of strength?  How can you not love it?

Wanna know more?  All you wanted to know and then some, right here :)

Get your own Festivus Pole here.

You can order Festivus Wine here.

Ah, yes, capitalism at its best--only in America can you celebrate a non-existent holiday and make buckets of money off a show about nothing!

Plus, it's got a motto, you just gotta love a fake holiday with a motto--It's a Festivus for the rest of us!

Fun and games over, I'm off to wrestle traffic as I pay for Christmas shopping procrastination in more ways than one!

I'm dreaming of a {red &} white Christmas...!

{Scroll down for Christmas Tour of Homes pictures.}

Two Christmases ago, we had just completed a home renovation that included~

• knocking out the wall separating our kitchen and dining room
• moving our dining room into our to-that-point unused living room
• making the previous dining room a "keeping" room.

I have no idea why it's called a keeping room, we simply picked up the name from a friend who had the same layout--a living space adjacent to the kitchen.  (Is it a Southern thing?  Anybody??)

That year, because the keeping room was fairly empty (and still is...), at Christmas, we bought a second tree and I divided the ornaments I had between the two; neither tree seemed completely dressed.  During after-Christmas 75% off sales, I stocked up on new ornaments for the next year (if you're razor sharp, you already understand would've been last year).  I didn't realize it at the point of purchase, but many of the new ornaments were red and white, and I thought it would be FUN to have a tree primarily decorated in those colors.  I couldn't wait til the next Christmas.

Which was last year.

Thing is, when it came time to purchase a tree, money was tight; but more than that, I was under a conviction to give more away to people in need so I decided to give up Starbucks for the month.  I asked my husband if he wanted to join me in my "sacrifice", and he said, "That's 20 bucks...why don't you give up something that's really going to hurt...like that second tree in the keeping room?"

It was one of those times I wanted to really hurt him...u n t i l  I thought about it, and decided it was excess, and we didn't need it...so I gave up both--my beloved caramel macchiatos and the second tree.  When it came time to decorate, I had no use for all those new ornaments.  Still nested in their boxes, I wistfully looked at them through their cellophane windows, trying to focus on that little bit of money I had "sacrificed" going to someone who might've had a need met instead of my "wants" satisfied.

This year, as I've intentionally minimized in other ways, to initiate ChristmasChange in our home, we decided to get that second tree for the keeping room.  A tree decorated in red and white.  It's a mixture of the new and old--I was happily surprised at how many old ornaments we had that fit the simple color theme.  And...it's a poignant reminder of sacrifice to me--I remember what I gave up last year, so it means more to me.  I know that sounds silly...I didn't do without a thing I needed when we gave up that tree, but somehow it has become symbolic of thinking of others.

If you're visiting from The Nester's Christmas Tour of Homes or didn't see it last year, I'd love for you to see my previous years' Christmas decor favorites.  Instead of taking many of the same photos for this post , I'd love to share my Red & White tree...colors which in a sense reflect Christ better than any others.  Red, representing His blood and life sacrifice, and white, His purity and holiness and cleansing of my sin (which didn't even occur to me until I put this in writing...hmmm).

These snowmen lights are one of my favorite parts of the tree; they glass snowman can actually clip on any light, allowing me to place them throughout the tree.

I've had this angel for 15 years; first year she tops a tree, though :).

    Homemade by my middle son; I think his part of "helping" was to sprinkle glitter.

I love these white squiggly dangles...which I'm pretty sure is NOT the official name of these icicle-y ornaments! 

It's nearby landmark and a hat tip to our hometown...:)

Thanks for taking time to visit ~ if you haven't yet, would you like to make my day and subscribe via email or in a reader?  Or stalk follow me on Twitter?  Let me know so I can return the favor! 

Are you a believer in "it's the thought that counts"...?

 

One of my favorite gifts ever received was a box of Kleenex.

It was winter and I had a cold, in college and broke, and while the dorm bathroom toilet paper might have been two-ply, to my red and raw nose it more closely resembled sandpaper than pillowy softness.  But it was free and endless, and being a beggar I was no chooser, so I did the best with what I had.  

One afternoon in the midst of my sniffling and sneezing misery, I walked into our room to find a new, unopened box of tissue perched atop my laminated dresser.  Cradled in the comfort of student uniform--sweats!--Cassie looked up from her I'm-sure-compelling textbook and smiled.  

"I got you a surcie," her voice and eyes twinkled.  

I looked at the cube and it clearly said "Kleenex" and in my mind I attempted to re-hear what she had just said, trying to figure out how "tissue" or "Kleenex" could sound like a completely different word.  All I could muster was, "What did you just call it?"

Juggling knives & very.mean.cats at work AND hosting our second party for the second Friday in a row (yes, I'm posting THIS in the midst of a cleaning and cooking frenzy--can I get a witness from anyone who knows me in real life???), I a l m o s t forgot this post published just after midnight at (in)courage.  Nothing would make me smile bigger if you continue reading over there :)!  While you're there, stay a while...you'll leave feeling greatly encouraged!

Hope, full

{I'm joining a special holiday Blog Carnival hosted on Blog Nosh Magazine.  Our theme is "hope".  Thanks to our sponsor, Tide Loads of Hope program, which is putting its money where its mouth is when it comes to helping others; in essence, offering hope to those in need!}

I'm sure it all started with visions of sugar plums, dancing 'round my head like Coyote's stars after Road Runner smacks him in the head with a cast iron skillet.

At some point in Christmas Past, these are my illusions of grandeur: 

Children (freshly scrubbed, neatly dressed and mannerly) joining my husband (dressed in a crew neck Christmas sweater and slacks) (yes, slacks, that's kind of important) and me (pearls and a June Cleaver dress, bosoms unnaturally pointed and waist the size of Scarlet O'Hara's--let's be realistic--after giving birth to Bonnie Blue) decorating tree and home.  Efficient and precise, my husband, would string the lights as the children tenderly unwrapped each ornament, taking time to recall memories or giver attached to each.  Aussie, head resting on crossed paws in front of a fire's roar, would gaze sleepily upon our merriment.  I'd stop long enough to serve hot chocolate with mounds of whipped cream and offer home made cookies, each a Martha Stewart masterpiece.  I'd hesitate with intention to capture the moment, wanting to catalog the scene in my heart and mind, not daring to interrupt the feng shui with camera and flash.  There'd be much laughter and story telling, and one of us would eventually find our way to the piano, where we'd all join in a hearty performance of the "12 Days of Christmas".  They'd always let me sing "Fiiiive...goooolden....riiiiings!" because they know it's my favorite.

Well, buckets of rain on my delusional Rockwell-esque Christmas parade; the Road Runner must've smacked ME upside the head with a skillet!   When all is said and done, I'm pretty much the one who does it all. 

This year, dripping martyrdom and attitude, I found myself wondering "Is it worth it?"  They'd notice, of course, but would anyone care if I didn't decorate our home?  

I toyed with it. 

I dared myself.

I thought "if this isn't radical Christmas change, I don't know what is!"

Somewhere between evergreening our mantle and stringing garland on entryway stairs, it occurred to me why I would invest so much time and energy into a holiday tradition.  It's not tangled in the wrappings of gifts given or received.  And while I so delight in spending time with family and friends...and inhaling the scents and tastes of the Season...I realized my true motive--why I care about serving my family in this menial, thankless, beautiful way--it's a simple expression to honor a King. 

The tradition of Christmas is rooted in the hope
offered by a King who Himself embodies hope...
who not only offers hope, but IS hope.

Last night, I caught the end of "A Charlie Brown Christmas," in particular Linus' recitation of Luke 2:8-14, his response to Charlie Brown's meltdown over questioning the meaning of Christmas.  It ends, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men."

The holidays are filled with unending hope
because of their genesis. 

Believers and non-believers alike are moved during the holidays, perhaps more than any other time on the calendar, to consider and act on the behalf of those in need.  They--no, WE--become vessels of hope because of our investment in other people's lives. 

We manifest hope by ringing bells and dropping coins in red kettles...

...by packing shoe boxes full of gifts...

...by sponsoring a child and releasing them from material and spiritual poverty...

...by praying for our friends, those IRL and those online...

...by being generous...always...

and sometimes by washing clothes for someone else.

~~~~~~~~~~~

So...I decorate our home.  A simple offering for my family.  Delusional ideals of what "Christmas" is supposed to look like have been replaced with remembering.  Refocusing.  "Giving" in the best sense.  These decorations are symbols of hope to me, constant reminders to be hope to those who need it most.

I really should thank my family sometime :).

~~~~~~~~~~

Loads of Hope for the Holidays

Please join us at Blog Nosh Magazine as we share stories of hope this holiday season in support of the Tide Loads of Hope program, a mobile laundromat offering laundry services to families affected by disasters. 

Share your own stories of hope, along with Blog Nosh Magazine, Velveteen Mind, and a gathering of inspiring bloggers, and enter your own post link in the blog carnival below.  Visit Blog Nosh Magazine to explore featured bloggers as well as three featured posts selected from carnival participants listed in the linky (that could be you!). Lend your voices now, then participate live during a two day event in New Orleans, Sunday and Monday, December 13 and 14, as we tweet stories of resilience from laundry recipients and volunteers on the ground.  Follow along on twitter via #loadsofhope and be sure to follow @TideLoadsofHope.  Learn more about how you can extend hope to families affected by disasters by visiting http://tideloadsofhope.com Blog carnival hosted by Blog Nosh Magazine, sponsored by Tide Loads of Hope.

How do the holidays fill you with loads of hope?  Do share!

The grass is always greener, even when it's white

When we moved to the Tennessee Valley from South Carolina six years ago, I couldn't have been more excited about living in an area that had snowy winters.

That was the year our hometown had a 100-year record snowfall of 18 inches; during the 14 years we lived there, it had maybe snowed 5-6 inches twice.  During this same "snow event" that showered our South Carolina friends, we received--if I'm not mistaken--124 snowflakes; a heavy frost produces more sparkle and shine.

Saturday morning I woke up to the whispers of my 12 year old--"Look at that, Mom!"

Through sandy eyes I looked at him and blinked, confused. 

"No...look at THAT!" he demanded, finger pointing in the opposite direction...my window.

A surprise snowfall had blanketed our yard in cotton and white, and snow chunks were still falling. 

I grabbed my camera, braved the elements, and started shooting--a kid in the candy store--

 

 

By lunchtime, 40 degrees erased the evidence.  The snow might've been gone, but thanks to my BFF Ms. Nikon, it was hardly forgotten :).

Your turn:  Do you have a favorite capture from the above series?  Would you mind sharing in comments which one and why?  Feel free to link posts with snowy pictures of your own, too!

Discovery

Leathered and lined, his face hints a story of life knocked hard.  I think "those incredible blue eyes of his are almost a waste," and immediately I'm ashamed of the thought.  They're perfectly matched pools of turquoise.

Of course, I know he's homeless, and he knows I know, and at first I speak to him out of pity or some pious sense of obligation.  I have a hard time not noticing his teeth--has he ever seen a dentist or has it just been a matter of years?--but his shirt is clean and tucked, and I can tell he spent time getting ready.  I wonder where he showered.

He was always one of the earliest arrivals to our class; I suppose that's the real reason I struck up a conversation with him.  Had my girlfriends been there small talk would over flow with kids and commitments and sincere-but-seldom carried out promises of "getting together s-oo-n".  Instead, I learned Rick's wife had died weeks after their wedding day, decades ago, and he had never remarried, never had children.  I learned he served in the military.  I learned he was a short order cook but kids didn't like to work with him because "I make 'em work too hard."

One week Rick told me he wrote poetry and that he was an artist.

The next week he showed me.

He says, "You know how I told you I like to draw?"  He pulled a double folded piece of paper from his shirt pocket.  "Well, here's something I drew."

  

The casual observer probably wouldn't see what I see.  I know Rick stays near the mountains and this is likely what he sees every day.

He wasn't done.  "I wrote a poem, too."  Out comes another folded piece of paper, chicken scratch on an old church notepad.

Or was it much more than that...a simple reminder to open the books whose covers I judge?  A lesson learned every day in childhood, but sometimes forgotten as years obscure our view.

Rick had no idea what he was teaching me.

  

Two of the BEST all-time television moments

After writing about Stephen's comical-but-unintended double entendre, I scoured the YouTube vault for two of the FUNNIEST moments in television history.  If I say Art Linkletter's "House Party" (the precursor to "Kids Say the Darndest Things") and Schweddy Balls, you'll know exactly what I'm talkin' about.

The first one is sweeter than sugar and will leave you giggling for days, a throwback to simpler times when cheap tricks weren't necessary to force a laugh.  The second one?  Well, it's salty and maybe even unsavory and gives just about any James Bond movie a run for its money, but the first time I saw it?  I had a new-found appreciation for NPR and a craving for "...popcorn balls, cheese balls, rum balls". 

Enjoy 12 minutes of comic genius ~

{If you haven't seen this SNL skit, it reminded me of Stephen's tongue tangle about two minutes into the clip....}

Stinky feet and smelly balls

It is a dreaded moment when my son steamrolls into my car after soccer practice because of what happens next:  he takes off his cleats.

The carpet of my van is a lint brush for his grass-covered socks--bad enough on its own--b u t, the noxious vapor that escapes his shoes is almost visible.  I don't even have to see what he's doing to know when they're off, my nose threatens mutiny from my body!  If his foot odor could be bottled and sold, it would strip paint, kill weeds and disintegrate the funk in kitchen drains across America.  We'd be rich.

A friend of his told him about a product that would at least help the lingering smell in his shoes, Sneaker Balls.  We found them at a local shoe store, and for only a few bucks, I figured it was worth a try.  Stephen thought they were really cool, so I knew I wouldn't have to remind him to use them, he'd remember on his own.

A few days later, our Sneaker Ball purchase far from my mind, Stephen said something that dropped my jaw and almost landed him on restriction til high school.  It's important to know Stephen is an "innocent", at 12 still more boy than teenager.

"Hey, Mom...wanna smell my balls?"  

With military precision I snapped around to face him, ready to jerk three knots in his head.  Dancing eyes and eager, he extended an open hand with a pair of sneaker balls nestled in his palm. 

Continuing, "Careful, they're really strong!"

Backing down from my stance and sniffing one of the balls, I wondered if he knew what I had initially "heard".

I couldn't decide if he mastered a perfect poker face or simply was clueless.

If it's possible for both, I think he nailed it...;)

$150 Spa Day Giveaway Winner!

Unbelievable, people.... FOUR people whose number came up on Random Integer Generator DID NOT INCLUDE CONTACT INFORMATION for me to let them know they won the $150 Spa Gift Certificate, a wonderfully generous giveaway compliments of Pepperidge Farm.  Fortunately, it didn't take long to find someone who did give me a way to let 'em know.

Congratulations, @PetRescueBarbie.  And Merry Christmas :).

Random Integer Generator

Here are your random numbers:

13	

Timestamp: 2009-12-07 22:19:51 UTC

The BEST $5.00 Christmas gifts on the planet (turns into a rabbit trail a mile long!)

Amazon is offering $5 magazine subscriptions if you order through December 1. 

There are six more choices, so check out their complete listing with ordering information. 

Durn...while I was there clicking around, I took a look at the rest of Amazon's CRAZYINSANE deals--looks like to me they've seen Black Friday's deals and upped them substantially:

• 1/2 price on a Garmin nüvi 260W 4.3-Inch Widescreen Portable GPS Navigator 
• a big ol' honkin' flat screen TV (a killer bargain at over half off...& what I'd surprise my husband with if money was no object)
• My boys would croak if they saw "game of the year" Call of Duty 4 for $30 (they paid $20 more)
• Umm, a Nikon D5000 that is such a GREAT price it's a secret (huh?) (but I checked & it IS a great price)
• an Kodak EX-811 Easyshare 8-inch Digital Picture Frame, in my opinion, a FANTASTIC gift for out-of-town grandparents
• Toshiba Satellite TruBrite 13.3-Inch Ultrathin Black Laptop - 9 Hours 22 Minutes of Battery Life (NINE HOURS OF BATTERY LIFE?? AND IT'S $150 OFF?  If I were shopping for a PC today, I'd take a hard look at it for those two features alone)

I got lost scrolling through page after page of Cyber Monday bargains, but geez...they really are great deals if you're in the market for any of this stuff.

Me?  I'm in a ChristmasChange kind of mindset these days, so let's just say I'm conflicted:  My inner bargain shopper is at war with the Compassion blogger who went to India.  If you, however, would like killer deals, feel free to click through to Amazon from any of the links in this post.  If you purchase anything, it might just buy me half a cup of coffee through their affiliate program...and I'd be eternally grateful for that!  {No worries on your end, I have no way of tracking click-throughs...but Amazon does :) }.

Read Velveteen Mind's account on why clicking through your favorite bloggers' Amazon links is a Very Nice thing for you to do :).

It might not cure acne but it's so cute, who cares?

As a mom to two teens and a tween, oh, how I feel their pain when unsightly blemishes pop up.  When it's worse than a pimple or two, I'd be willing to take 'em on the chin (and cheeks and nose and forehead and...) if it meant my kids wouldn't have to face the world as a polka dotted, three-eyed cyclops AND-I-KNOW-THAT-DOESN'T-MAKE-SENSE-BUT-WORK-WITH-ME-HERE!

Without further ado, meet stinkin' adorable Charlie; who proves that a charming personality and quirky-mad music skills cover a multitude of zits.

HT:   Schmutzie

"I always wondered where the flavor came from." {My Thanksgiving gift to you}

If you haven't seen this "Everybody Loves Raymond" turkey preparation clip, you're missing out on one of the funniest scenes in television history.  While I don't care for how it begins, the ending?  Absolutely delicious!  The one minute mark is funny but the last line?  Classic and perfectly timed.  Enjoy ~

It's kind of like the baking equivalent of sushi, right?

One of my happiest childhood memories is licking the bowl.  Didn't matter whether it was a batch of cookies or batter for a cake, there was something deliciously forbidden about swirling my index finger around the rim of the bowl and savoring the sticky sweetness of sugar and flour and butter--oooh my! 

Susie's mom was the best--she actually left extra in the bowl so there really was enough to savor.  In our home, the bowl was nearly scraped clean; threading tongue through stainless beaters usually yielded a better reward.  Had the beaters been razor sharp, I'd probably be mute by now.

I've never lived in fear of salmonella poisoning from eating raw eggs.  If I think about that too long, it kind of wigs me out, but I've never gotten sick from eating batter or dough and I've never known anyone else to, either.

My husband is a raw dough and batter boy; my children are raw dough and batter kids.  We feel sorry for those who deny themselves the simple pleasure.

The other night my daughter decided to make chocolate chip cookies.  I don't know this for a fact, but I'd wager a quarter of the dough never made it to the pan.  When she finished the last batch, she began "pre-cleaning" the bowl. 

It's important to know she likes chocolate chips in the finished cookie, but her preference is to eat the dough plain.  With no one else around, she accomplished this by scraping dough from the bowl's sides and spooning it in her mouth...but the chips went back into the bowl.

With cookies in the oven for 12-15 minutes, Rachel went up to her room; shortly after, my husband came in from work.  He saw the bowl of dough sitting on the counter, grabbed a spoon and started scraping....

...never questioning why there might be a disproportionate amount of chips.

They aren't making eye contact and still aren't speaking.

Photo credit:  Strychnine on Flickr

Gettington Smart!

Note:  Before I tell you about about a fantastic new site that will give you GREAT reason to avoid Black Friday mayhem (which will only lead to cries of "serenity now" anyways...!) it's kinda cool to know the background of my acquaintance with it. ~~~

My whirlwind trip in March to SXSW had been unexpectedly educational, my brain overflowing with ideas and dozens of new names and faces.  But after a looong weekend, I was ready to get home and see my babies, not continuing to network when I boarded the plane.

So much for best laid plains--I had a crush on her the second I saw her black and white zebra-striped shoes; their red trim sealed it.  My mama taught me better than to judge a book by its cover, but I sure liked the sass I was hearing from those feet. 

She spoke first, my seatmate on the flight from Austin to Dallas, and as our conversation became real, my first impression became a lasting one.  I liked Paula Drum.  I hoped we'd stay in touch.  In a world filled with tweets and status updates and invisible strands of cyber connections, it seemed reasonable. 

And so we have in bytes and pieces since March.

Following her on Twitter, I knew she was making a job change, leaving behind "the world of taxes" and stepping into the role of General Manager for a new e-tailer, Gettington.com.  In just a few minutes of skimming her blog posts related to Gettington, you'll see her passion, her professionalism, her commitment to excellence in crafting a business to succeed.  Her enthusiasm, palpable, makes you want to join in Gettington.com's success.  Paula is a sharp and savvy businesswoman, and the care and concern for the people in her life carries over into her work.

But this post isn't about Paula...it's about introducing Gettington.com to all of you who don't yet know about it (I can't help it!  I'm always interested first in the story behind the story!! :) ).  Thanks to the folks at Gettington for sending me on a mini-shopping spree and asking me to tell you what I discovered.  The "pluses" are many.

You'll love:

• The Goodie Bag!  Every time you log into your account, you have a goodie bag waiting on you with secret deals and sometimes freebies inside.  Right now (I don't know how long it will last), receive a free Gettington shopping bag with your purchase.  What's so special about that?  Plenty:  it's a Free Set shopping bag made by women in India (near and dear to my heart), rescued from forced prostitution.  I love my bag because it's got that cute Gettington logo, it's bigger than most similar bags...but mostly because it represents a greater good.
• Multiple payment options.  Pay immediately with your credit card, divide your purchase over four months, or extend it for up to 24 months.  You'll receive longer grace periods, NO default APR, a lower-than-typical interest rate and more.  Gettington wants your business and has constructed payment options that allow you greater flexibility.
• VIP~Very Important Perspective.  Gettington wants to hear from YOU.  The site is new, they're customer driven, and this is an opportunity for you to help SHAPE your shopping experience.  They're listening...and it comes with reward.
• Exceptional customer service.  I'll be honest with you--I haven't yet received my order; there was a problem with the gift card sent to me.  I called Gettington's customer service line yesterday after work to explain my issue, and I spoke with the most engaged customer service rep in the history of customer service departments!  He's working to resolve my problem--it's more about the newness of the site than anything else--and will get back with me today.  And the thing is, I KNOW he will, I could just tell!  (Plus, I'll let you know if he doesn't!)

Soooo, I'll be sure to update with pictures of my uber-secret purchase when it arrives, and in the meantime?  PLEASE get to know Gettington AND Paula Drum!  You'll WANT to shop there because you'll like the way they do business!  They'll have MAJOR Black Friday deals, and as added incentive PENSIEVE readers can get 15% off their purchases by entering GT273 (through December 30th!).