Day 25 & 26 - Taking a picture, dessert, mums!

Well I didn't make it to posting yesterday. I have to tell you, it has been difficult to get back into the groove after everyone has been sick here. Thinking of something to post about has been last on my To Do list the past few days as I'm sure you can understand. I have four days left of NaBloPoMo though and I'm looking forward to it. Today's post will be long to cover both of my days! :)

We tried to get a picture of the kids for our Christmas Card this year. I have to laugh because although it may seem like a pretty painless thing to do, especially in your own home, it is very far from it. First, choosing what the kids should wear. I want it to be casual, yet have a touch of holiday colors. So we went with a red sweater for Carter and I had a cute santa-ish top for Olivia. Ok, one down. Next, the decision is where to pose. Shall we sit in front of the tree? Fireplace? Couch? Next to each other? Holding hands? On ones lap? Let's just take all of the above and pray we capture some sane moments.

So we started out in front of the tree. Get the kids nestled into an antique rocking chair that once belonged to my Mom and her brothers as children. Christmas tree is glowing perfectly, kids look cute in their clothes, everyone's happy right? Wrong. Let's see, should I start describing how Olivia was more interested in squirming herself around backwards to look at the lights and ornaments that she could get her hands on, or tell you about her constant slipping off of Carter's lap because she's arching her back in frustration? How about once we settled into this pose I can tell you about the annoying amounts of times we had to keep saying, "Olivia look over here! Olivia! Coochie (freakin') coo! Carter, stop looking at the football game! Carter just look at the camera and smile while we get Olivia to look at us. No, not that kind of hard cheesy smile, a regular smile!" Ok, do you get the scene set-up here?

Meanwhile, Tom's hovering behind me with a stuffed animal and feeling the need to reitterate how much this isn't working. Men are so helpful sometimes. So, we graduate from the rocker in front of the tree, to sitting on the floor in front of the fireplace. Olivia can't grab the tree. She can't squirm and fall onto the floor because we're already on the floor. Good start right? Wrong. There may not be a tree close by now, but there's a poinsettia plant that looks just as attractive to a 10 month old! After trying all the tricks mentioned above that were performed in front of the tree, we snap a few more pictures and pray to all that's Holy for ONE to come out!

So this season, when you get a photo of family or friends in a Christmas card, think of all the tricks they may have had to try just to get you that one picture. Or better yet, find yourself a couple of constantly moving objects and try to pose them at just the right moment. You'll see. You'd rather stick pins in your eyes!

Don't you love digital pictures - you can delete and review instantly. I won't post a picture of the final cut, but here are a couple of out takes from our adventures. These did not make the cut!

Remember: You can click the photos to enlarge your view!

Olivia! Look over here!

Crap! Forgot the flash - and they were both looking! Argh!

OLIVIA - look HERE!

And these are just cute individual ones!


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I made my Grammy's Surprise dessert this weekend, along with my turkey and stuffing that I didn't get to do last week becuase The Sickbay was full.

I felt my Nana with me as I made each layer. For some reason, I especially felt close to her while cutting the cherries - she used to let me do that growing up - and we'd cut one, and eat one, cut one and eat one! Always hoping there'd be enough left in the jar to cover the dessert.

Here is a picture, and the recipe!

Grammy's (Banana Split) Surprise
1 box Nilla wafer cookies
1 stick butter, melted
1 15 oz can crushed pineapple, drained
2 bananas
1 lg. (3 oz) package of chocolate Instant jello pudding
1 12-oz carton of Cool Whip
1 jar marachino cherries
nuts, optional

Crush cookies in food processor until crumbs. Pour in melted butter and mix well. Press into a 9 x 13 dish. Make pudding according to box directions. Pour it over crumbs. Slice bananas over pudding, then add crushed pineapple, then spread cool whip over top. Slice cherries and arrange over cool whip. Sprinkle with nuts. Enjoy!


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I had to take a picture of my fall Mums yesterday that were still bursting with color and appear to be smuggling steroids somewhere in the soil! Take note of how lush and green it is here in Indiana still. It looks like I could have leprachauns playing in the yard and you'd never find them!


And they didn't make it much longer after a good frost and harsh rain overnight... so sad.

Day 18 - Tree lighting, Thanksgiving chat & pictures

Last night, we had our our town's annual Tree Lighting ceremony. It was so Norman Rockwell - we loved it! The cherry on top would have been a sprinkling of snowflakes - but we were pretty close to perfect last night without them. In the center of town, there is a tree that gets donated and decorated right in the middle of the intersection. Zionsville's quaint brick streets and boutiques line the Main Street, and some shops stayed open late for the festivities. The town crier said a few words after Mrs. Claus arrived on a local fire truck, and we all gathered around the tree and counted backward from 10 to light the tree. After the children give their letters to Mrs. Claus to bring back to Santa, we participated in the organized scavenger hunt. There is a sheet of clues, and the answers are posted on the doors and windows of the shops along Main Street. So we take our time to walk up and down, gathering our answers and then turn in our paper at The Brick Street Inn. That's where they held a drawing for a special toy and announce the winner after Mrs. Claus has read the children a story. The Inn was collecting canned goods as well, and the children got an extra ticket for the drawing if they brought something in. We brought soup.

It was a lot of fun, and a tradition we are keeping as a family. It's so nice to run into friends and neighbors in the middle of it all. Each of us sharing a night with our families, creating memories. Doesn't it just make you all warm and fuzzy?

Ok, snap out of it. Now it's the countdown - Thanksgiving is in a mere few days. Carter has school only Monday and Tuesday of this week. Boy Scout popcorn just arrived, so we have to pick that up Tuesday night and figure out when to deliver it (probably attempt this weekend). Can you believe Carter sold $495 worth of popcorn? He was such a doll selling it too. Wednesday evening I'll go to Mom's house and we'll make our family recipe stuffing and a batch of Grammy's Surprise to share. Even though we'll be a guest at our cousins Mary Jane & John's home for Thanksgiving dinner, we always make our own 10 pound turkey to enjoy sandwiches etc. over the extended weekend. Mom brought back Bell's Stuffing and Seasoning from her last trip to Boston, so that we could enjoy our New England tastes so nostalgic to us, now that we're here in Indy. Last year I think we had to order it online because our grocer did not carry it. The Grammy's Surprise is a holiday dessert tradition we've had as far back as I can recall, and it hails from my great grandmother. She always brought it to our dinners, then my Nana would make it, and now the rest of us down the tree branches always have to make it. My mouth is already watering!

Ok, I'll leave you with a couple of pictures from last night.... enjoy!