First Sunday in Advent

I appreciate the church calendar. It keeps me focused on what's important in the grand scheme of things and I need to remember what's really worth thinking about. Today's readings in the little Advent devotional book are about Christ's First and Second Comings. My thoughts are so scattered (constantly) and I'm thankful for Fr. Pat Harrington's suggestions for prayer and meditation in this book. Reading God's Word in the morning has been neglected for the past 10 years since I started working full time. Prior to that, I was more faithful to do it because I did not have to work. Hopefully, I'll be more faithful during this Advent Season. Thank you for your ultimate sacrifice and your gift of Redemption, Lord Jesus.

Notes re Thanksgiving Dinner

Let it be written that there were TOO many desserts in this house for Thanksgiving. The guests were too "stuffed" to partake in the sweets after the meal(s) Thursday and Friday and, consequently, the delectable desserts are on the breezeway; Greg & I are slowly eating our way through them. NOT a good idea. Note to self: in 2010, do not make four different desserts. Each dessert is competing for attention and then none of them are truly appreciated. So sad.

Friday, November 27, 2009

I'm thankful for another Thanksgiving Day spent with our darling family: Big Greg, my Greg, Nancy, Isaac, Elizabeth, Mark, Wren, and Jon. Diane and George were here in spirit; George came over earlier with two Frisch's pumpkin pies, Reddi Whip, and a dozen baked-on-the-grill sweet potatoes. Unfortunately, he could not stay and returned home to be with Diane who was home with a virus. Hopefully, they can visit us on Sunday, which is Diane's birthday.

We celebrated with the consummate 16-pounder fresh turkey from Humbert's, thanks to Nancy. Isaac and Elizabeth brought their delish homemade whole-berry cranberry sauce; Wren and Mark brought Macy, their one-year-old Labrador/Doberman rescue puppy with the meltingly sweet brown eyes; Jon brought stories to tell everyone.

The menu starred Greg's Turkey (Rachael Ray's recipe), Mashed Potato Casserole (Cooks' Illustrated recipe), Green Bean Casserole, EV's Cranberry Sauce, Stovetop Stuffing (Yay!), Graeter's Butter Bits (thanks to Isaac), Baked Sweet Potatoes, Greg's Awesome Gravy, Frisch's Pumpkin Pie, Betty Crocker's Apple Crisp, and Chocolate Chip Cookies with semi-sweet chips and white chocolate chips. Also, we enjoyed Henke Vidal Blanc (white), Fetzer Pinot Grigio, and Red Guitar Navarra (red) wine.

On Thanksgiving Day (yesterday), Isaac & Elizabeth were able to come over briefly to share Rosemary Flatbread, Pecheline olives, goat cheese, Pesto Palmiers and Henke Seyval wine. They were not able to stay for dinner, though. But Wren, Mark, Jon, Big Greg, my Greg and I enjoyed Honey Baked Ham, Cheesy Potato Casserole, and Sauteed Zucchini with Yellow Squash for dinner and Key Lime Pie for dessert.

Pearls Before Swine is one of Jon's favorite comics and it was nice to read them together on the Internet. Another fun activity was a trip to the Gap Outlet Store in Hebron, KY. We found alot of great bargains.

I'm very impressed with the wines from Henke Winery. It's a local winery that we recently discovered. The restaurant/winery is located in Cheviot and their wines are very smooth and drinkable. Tabor Hill is becoming a distant memory.

Following a friend's blog and reading about her toddler's battle with cancer is sobering this week. They are bravely writing about their son's final days and I am in awe of their dignity and grace during this difficult time.

The December calendar squares have a few entries. Greg & I are looking forward to the annual Malson Christmas Party, an Open House with Dan & Diane Aseere, 3dB Labs' Company Dinner at Vincenzo's, the Schulte Drive Christmas Party, and Tamara Trimbach's wedding in Indianapolis.

Tomorrow we're driving to Waynesville to pickup a grass-fed side of beef processed at Davidson's Meats. An Amish farmer we met at Findlay Market sells grass-fed beef and we bought it from him.