Feed My Starving Children

Okay, here is my unashamed plug for an outstanding organization.  Feed My Starving Children is a non-profit which began here in Minnesota, to provide food for starving children throughout the world.  If you live in MN or IL, I strongly encourage you to go and volunteer at their sites, helping to pack food to be sent  to children in need.  Not only is it a wonderful program that is saving lives worldwide, volunteering there is an absolute blast!  I don't know where else you can have so much fun doing something so good!

If you don't live in MN or IL, consider donating money to the organization.  Just 19 cents will provide a meal for a child suffering from starvation.  Only 6% of the money donated goes towards administration costs, so you can be assured that most of your monetary gift will, indeed, be helping to feed children.  Also, the organization does not with through governments, so the food truly does reach the kids it is intended to help.

Enough said, now for some pictures....

This year, Marcus & Raelea were tall enough to scoop food.  Chicken, veggies, soy, rice.  Chicken, veggies, soy, rice.

Nina & Molly enjoyed working with their cousin Maggie.

Deb had the weighing job.

And so did Ian.

Mom looks like she's supervising :-)

Chicken, veggies, soy, rice.
 Even Zoe could help this year!  Last year she was on my back to whole time.  SHe did a GREAT job packing the boxes with Auntie Joy.

Dad had to be farmed out to another family's table.  Every group there was a family this time.  That's pretty cool!

So there you have it.  First you had Fun With Hairnets, now you have Fun In Hairnets!

Fun With Hairnets

Just when you thought nothing could be more dull than hairnets, along comes this blog to show you that hairnets are actually a great source of entertainment!

Yes, Peter, if you have a head you need a hairnet, even if that head has no hair :-)

Only the young and beautiful can pull off the hairnet fashionably.

Dad demonstrating the "Over-the-hat" style of hairnet fashion.

 Chris, Marcus & Zoe demonstrating the "Over-the-face" style.
 Dad - when you have hair on many parts of your head you need to net it, right?

 Marcus shows us how to attach the net to the very back of your head.

So, now you know, that hairnets are no longer the boring accessory of food service anymore.

The Saga Continues

Just when I thought the "perfect" stocking stuffer for Evan was on its way...I got an e-mail from Amazon.com saying "Your order with _____ has been cancelled."  No explanation, just that it had been cancelled.

Okay, at least the TWO cancellations I got from Half.com came with an explanation of WHY the order was cancelled (and apologies).  This one gave virtually NO explanation at all (and no apology), just told me that they weren't going to send the item that they claimed they had and that I purchased.

Okay, so here's the question:  How can it be that THREE sellers, ALL posted an item for sale that they really did not have for sale?  It should be noted that all THREE of these sellers had great satisfaction ratings.  Hmm, how do you get a great satisfaction rating when you list items for sale that you don't really have?  Something is amiss, methinks.

Could it be that if you post a negative comment about a seller, they just may retaliate and post a negative comment on you?  Who knows, but I am a bit miffed....

Not to give up too easily though, I have again ordered the item from yet another seller.  Who knows, maybe the fourth time is a charm.

Stay Tuned

Don't worry, I haven't fallen off the face of the earth.  Believe it or not, our holiday festivities and activities are still in full swing over here :-)  I will have a wonderful post (with pictures)...soon.

Oh, Come On!

So, you know that nice little post I wrote on Tuesday about being thankful for expedited shipping?  Well, I'm not so thankful today.  Here is my tale of woe...

On Tuesday morning I ordered a "perfect" stocking stuffer for Evan from Half.com.  Seeing as Christmas was just a few days hence, I requested expedited shipping (by clicking the little button on the page).  On Wednesday (late afternoon) I get an email from from the seller that (OOPS!) they can't do expedited shipping on this item, so they canceled the order.  Now, when I went back out to Half.com, this seller no longer had this item listed, for expedited shipping or otherwise.  Strange.

Anyway, I found another seller on Half.com selling the same item for slightly more money.  I resigned myself that the item would NOT arrive by Christmas, so I just ordered it with regular shipping (expedited wasn't even offered).  Lo and behold, a few hours later I got an email from this new seller stating that (OOPS!) they really didn't have that item anymore.  Not quite sure how that happened, but oh well, we'll refund your money.

So, now I'm really unhappy!  What's a girl to do?  Well, I totally abandoned Half.com.  I've had enough of that sort of...stuff.  I found the item on Amazon for slightly more than the second one I tried to purchase (this is starting to be an expensive stocking stuffer).  I haven't gotten an emails telling me that this latest purchase has somehow gone wrong (like the horse ate it, or something), so I am ever so slightly hopeful that, some day, Evan will indeed get his stocking stuffer.

Zoe Quotes

Zo-Zo was quite a character today.  She started the day with this quote - "One muffin is sufficient for me."

Sufficient?  From a four year-old?  Okay then.

Then this evening after I called her Baby (my nickname for all my little ones), she informs me, "I am not a Baby, I'm a Sweetie!"

And so she is :-)

Merry Christmas Eve Eve

We believe in beginning the celebration early, so let me wish you a Merry Christmas Eve Eve!

Since not all my blog buddies and Facebook friends are on my Christmas list, I've decided to post our Christmas letter here.  For those of you who are waiting for your letter in the mail...IT'S COMING :-)  We mailed the bulk of them out today, so they should be in your mailbox tomorrow (for those that are local) or Monday (for everyone else).



Enjoy, just one more edition of this Crazy Mom's Christmas creativity...





Christmas Update

The following document is a TOP SECRET summary of the J*Family’s activities over the past 12 months.  Information found herein was released to Wikileaks by an unnamed source, although there are strong indications the J* family’s dog, Snickers, is responsible.  It reveals potentially humbling and embarrassing information about the J* Family.


**** CHRISTOPHER **** Mr. J* began the year as an independent consultant, but in April went back to his previous employer, the Federal Reserve Bank.  Mr. J* continues to maintain his persona of household maintenance dude, kids’ sport fan, devoted follower of Jesus, and all-around family man.
**** BARBARA **** Started an unlicensed chauffer business out of her home, frequently seen shuttling children here, there, and everywhere.  She was absent from her abode for two brief stints over the course of the year.  During her absence she was spotted first in the Boundary Waters and a few weeks later in Scotland. 
**** EVAN **** Continues his disguise as an up-and-coming bagpiper/college student.  It’s a disguise that allows him to blend in quite easily with his surroundings.  He was frequently sighted at Scottish highland games throughout the Midwest and then in Scotland.  He no longer requires the chauffer services offered by Barbara, in fact, it appears that he is in the process of stealing some of her business.
**** NINA **** Appears to be pursuing some sort of future in electronics through the near continual use of devices such as the telephone, iPod, computer, etc.  She was extracted only briefly from her electronics tether for a get-away-from-it-all trip to the BWCA.  Friends, music and nail polish all occupy her time as well, and do not interfere with her technological learning.
**** MOLLY **** Judging by the amount of metal in Molly’s mouth, it appears that she has some sort of secret communication device planted in there.  She takes monthly visits to have the wiring tweaked.  She may have been trying to make transmissions from “Church Camp” in June and the Boundary Waters in August.
**** AIDAN JOHNSON **** Appears to be the “muscle” in the family.  Under the auspices of playing football, basketball, soccer, baseball, etc., he is really in training for dangerous missions.  In fact, our source has witnessed Aidan undertake many dangerous missions over the course of the year.

**** EMILY **** Has left a very lengthy paper trail.  Wikileaks has obtained hundreds of documents produced by Emily.  Most of them involve pictures of very large families or stories about animals that can talk. Emily is known to have secret rendezvous with her friends while playing indoor soccer or attending church.

**** MARCUS **** Provides much of the manual labor in the J* home.  We might conclude that he is being used as some sort of slave if our source did not witness him continually volunteering for a variety of work assignments.  He also appears to be in training for just about every sport in existence.

**** RAELEA **** Apparently is participating in some sort of espionage involving a great deal of cardboard and the filling out of many forms.  We have reason to believe that she is constructing a spy satellite completely out of cardboard.

**** ZOE **** Is the public relations person for the J* family.  She puts everyone at ease by her cheerful smile and goofy countenance so that no one will really suspect what she is up to.  It seems her primary concern is sneaking candy from the cupboard without the knowledge of her parents.

And the greatest secret of all to be revealed:
But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.               Titus 3:4-7


In summary, Wikileaks has determined the J* family members are really agents on a mission from God.  New leaks are posted weekly at http://barbandchriszoo.blogspot.com/

Merry Christmas!  Stay informed!

Thank You!

This is a thank you to all the retailers who are staying open extra late for people like me who shop extra late.  Another thank you to those retailers who offer discounted expedited shipping for shoppers like me who wait until the last minute to get the perfect gift.  If it weren't for expedited shipping, I would have had to settle for a less than perfect gift, which just would not do.

I am happy.  I am done.

Book Recommendation

Never before have I recommended a book before finishing it, but there's a first time for everything.  So without further adieu, I recommend to you The Count of Monte Cristo, the classic by Alexandre Dumas.  I''m not very far into it yet, but already I can't put it down.  Chris & Evan both assured me that it was one of the best books EVER.  I think they were right.

It's not a short book, but it's not terribly difficult either.  So, if you're looking for a good book to curl up with on the cold winter nights, this would be it.

Speaking of Traditions

After my post about Christmas traditions, I began to think of some of the traditions my family had while I was growing up.  The one that I find the most amusing is this...

Whether we were at home for Christmas or at my grandparents' house, we always left a little treat out for Santa on Christmas Eve.  We were told that he would surely be hungry when he stopped to deliver our presents, so we left out a plate of Christmas cookies and a beer.  In the morning there was usually a cookie left with a bite taken out of it, but the beer was all gone :-)

It wasn't until I was an adult that I realized that most people leave cookies and MILK for Santa!  Who knew?

Happy Birthday, Most Wonderful Husband!

Yes, today is the official end of birthday season at our house - Chris' birthday!  He has so patiently waited through nine other birthdays to finally arrive at his.  What a trouper!  He hardly ever whined or complained, "When is it going to be my turn?" or "When do I get my presents?"  Way to go, Chris!

Seriously though, he is the very best husband for whom I could ask! (I'm working on my grammar)

I love you, Chris!  Sorry, you'll need to wait a few more days before we can celebrate your birthday, but for today, we love you and we'll do our best to make the day special in the brief time that we will actually see you :-(


Okay, I'm trying to find a picture of you to put out here, and do you know what I've discovered?  We hardly have any pictures of you!  Well, that's not entirely true.  It seems that every time I point of a camera at you, your face goes into some sort of spasm and I end up with pictures like these...
And there are a lot that look like this...
Oh, wait, here's a nice one...


Love you, Babe!

Of Trees and Tree Skirts

I'm all about traditions over here, especially when they involve Christmas!  Just ask my husband.  He discovered this little quirk of mine right before we got married.  Since we married at the end of November, the holiday season was already upon us when we said "I do!"  I think he was under the impression that I was a blank slate when it came to "how the holidays should be celebrated."  Hmm!  Boy, was he surprised!

I won't bore you with all my quirky holiday "musts," but a couple of them are 1)You must decorate for Christmas immediately after Thanksgiving, preferably the very next day, 2) You must go to a tree farm and physically cut down your own tree, and 3) You must hang Christmas lights on the outside of your house (to be turned on the day after Thanksgiving)!

Thankfully, Chris has gone along reasonably agreeably with these "musts."  In fact, he added the tradition of cutting down the tree on his birthday, which isn't always possible to do, but we try.  To the traditions we brought into our marriage we have since added a few of our own.  One of those is that whenever and wherever we go on vacation, we need to bring back a Christmas ornament to remember the time.  Because of this, we have things like scorpions, buffalo, ocean freighters, lighthouses, and seashells on our tree.

In addition, all of the kids have certain ornaments that are special to them, so when we decorate the tree there is a specific order of things.  It is a major offense to put up an ornament "belonging" to someone else!  Okay, maybe not, but they do like to hang their ornaments  :-)










A few years back we started the tradition of putting the kids' hand prints on our tree skirt (an idea from Family Fun magazine).  It has been very fun watching their hand sizes grow over the years.  Two years ago our first hand tree skirt filled up and (gasp) it has taken me this long to make a new one :-(  Here is the old one...



I don't have a picture of the new one yet because I'm not done with it :-(  I ran out of paint, so I haven't put the pets' paw prints on it yet.  The only downside to the custom tree skirt thing is that I can't give away or throw away our old skirts, so what do I do with them?  By the time the kids are grown and gone I will have at least three (maybe four) tree skirts!  (we fill them up pretty quickly with eight hands, especially as those hands get larger)  Ahh well, they will bring back many memories each year as I unpack them with the Christmas stuff on the day after Thanksgiving!

Well, That Was Fun

In a wintery weather sort of way.  We had a little snowfall here over the weekend...

Here's the neighbor's car, buried in a drift of snow.  I think we got about 20 inches, but the wind was blowing quite a bit, so the drifts were much deeper.

Chris managed to get out for some snowshoeing and photography :-)
It's not often that we get snowed in here in MN (due to the generally excellent snow removal), but this weekend was one of those rare occasions.  It was so nice to not be able to go anywhere!  Everyone was home the entire weekend which NEVER happens anymore.

I baked two batches of cookies and some bread and Nina made some fudge because there's nothing better than baking/cooking when you're snowed in!  By noon on Sunday our street had been plowed and Chris a few kids were able to get to the tree farm to cut down our Christmas tree.

It was a good weekend!

Candy-making Extravaganza

For what has become an annual Christmas tradition, the kids and I spent the day yesterday with my dad learning the fine art of candy-making.  We're not talking the "mix together some fudge and call it a day" sort of candy-making; this was the "make something that is as much a work of art as a tasty treat" sort of candy-making.

My dad has been perfecting his candy making skills for over 25 years.  Every year he makes many, many pounds of candy, of which we have consumed more than our fair share.  A few years back, we decided that we should learn from him how to do this candy-making thing, since it is very beneficial to learn from someone who already knows what they are doing.  Beginning candy makers make a lot of mistakes (usually tasty mistakes that don't look too well), so if we can learn from someone who already knows what they are doing we won't make so many mistakes.

Anyway, yesterday we spent about six hours making candy with Dad and came home with about ten pounds of candy (we used a little over five pounds of chocolate).  We made chocolate covered cherries, peanut butter cups and turtles.  I would have loved to have made more, but there is only so much time in a day :-(

Here Nina is getting a lesson from Grandpa on the proper temperature for the carmel/ nut mixture when making turtles.


Molly and Emily painting the chocolate into the molds for the peanut butter cups. 

 Nameless hands filling the cups with the peanut butter mixture.

 Some of the finished chocolate covered cherries (my personal favorite!!!)

What I've learned over the past few years is that candy-making is all about proper temperature, keeping the chocolate "uncontaminated", and paying attention to detail.

Thanks, Dad, for teaching us!  It is always great spending the day with you.  Thank you, too, for your patience in doing this candy thing with all my kids running around.  I know it's not the peaceful environment your used to when making your candy, but you put up with us so patiently!  Next year we'll do raspberry cremes :-)

Well, These Are Helping

We're paying $6000 for what??




Lovely, I know!  Yes, after a more than a year of braces, this is what Molly looks like!

Okay, maybe not quite.  She showed me this neat little trick she can do with her "appliances" and it makes her, oh, so attractive.

For those that are wondering, those metal pieces holding back her mouth are part of something called a MARA, which is just another word for "let's see how much metal we can cram into young peoples' mouths, to cause pain and suffering and, oh yeah, to push their lower jaw forward."  The good news in all of this is that the MARA is coming off next month.  YAY!  Only to be replaced by bands on all her lower teeth.  

Hang in there, Molly, it WILL all be worth it :-)

Happy Birthday, Marcus!!!

Hard to believe, Marcus, but you are really, truly seven!  Even harder to believe is that this is what you looked like when we first saw you...


You were so...little :-)

And now....

You are a strapping young lad :-)


Your smile and sweet countenance bring joy to our hearts and we are so very thankful that God brought you to our family!  We love you, Marcus!!!


******RODENT ALERT******

Just when you thought it was safe to go into the laundry room....

What should mosey out from under the freezer?  Um, I'm not really sure what it was, although I did get a good look at it as it appeared to be in no hurry.  It was black, about three inches long and had a very short tail.  Definitely NOT a mouse.

I saw it again when it meandered back to its cozy little spot under the freezer.  It appeared one last time and scurried quite quickly into the storage room because of my loud protestations over its presence in my house.

So what exactly is this unwelcome visitor?  Molly theorizes that it is the offspring of our frequently wayward hamster and a lonely mouse, which would make it a "mamster" or perhaps a "house."  More likely it's a shrew or a vole.  I saw something that looked just like our house guest run across the snow the other night in our front yard.  Maybe it's the same one, who knows?  He looked like he was looking for a place to stay....


Upon further consideration, we have determined that our visitor is, more likely than not, a vole.


Isn't he cute?  The one I saw wasn't nearly this cute, and tomorrow he won't be nearly this alive either :-)

Piping Results

The final results for the 2010 Bagpiping Competition season have come in.  I know you all have been waiting with bated breath for this moment.  Here's how it all shook out for the year.

Minnesota Police Pipe Band Grade 3 (Evan's band) took Champion Supreme honors for the second year in a row.  Yay, MPPB!

Evan took first place for Grade 4 6/8.  Playing with pneumonia in St. Louis was worth it, according to Evan.

Evan's friends and fellow band members did as follows:

Joel Sarapas: Grade 3 - 1st Strathspey/reel, 1st Piobreachd, 2nd 2/4 March, 5th Jig
Abby Peterson: Grade 4 -Champion Supreme overall, 2nd 2/4 March, 3rd 6/8, 3rd Piobreachd
Alyssa Gregory: Grade 3 - 2nd Jig
Ian Elias:Grade 4 - 3rd 6/8

Ian Peterson: Tenor drum -  Novice Tenor 1st, Group Tenor 1st
Wayne Sanford -- Drum Major 2nd
Sheila Loucks -- Drum Major 3rd

Way to go Evan, Joel, Abby, Alyssa, Ian, Ian, Wayne, & Sheila!  You guys rock!  Can't wait for 2011 season to begin.  It's going to be AMAZING, just wait and see!!

Now you can all go about your daily lives without wasting hours each day wondering, "How did the MPPB do this year?"

A Bit Of Culture

I was just introduced to this poem today.  I liked it, and I thought I would pass it on to you.


Character of the Happy Warrior

by William Wordsworth

  Who is the happy Warrior? Who is he
That every man in arms should wish to be?
—It is the generous Spirit, who, when brought
Among the tasks of real life, hath wrought
Upon the plan that pleased his boyish thought:
Whose high endeavours are an inward light
That makes the path before him always bright;
Who, with a natural instinct to discern
What knowledge can perform, is diligent to learn;
Abides by this resolve, and stops not there,
But makes his moral being his prime care;
Who, doomed to go in company with Pain,
And Fear, and Bloodshed, miserable train!
Turns his necessity to glorious gain;
In face of these doth exercise a power
Which is our human nature's highest dower:
Controls them and subdues, transmutes, bereaves
Of their bad influence, and their good receives:
By objects, which might force the soul to abate
Her feeling, rendered more compassionate;
Is placable—because occasions rise
So often that demand such sacrifice;
More skilful in self-knowledge, even more pure,
As tempted more; more able to endure,
As more exposed to suffering and distress;
Thence, also, more alive to tenderness.
—'Tis he whose law is reason; who depends
Upon that law as on the best of friends;
Whence, in a state where men are tempted still
To evil for a guard against worse ill,
And what in quality or act is best
Doth seldom on a right foundation rest,
He labours good on good to fix, and owes
To virtue every triumph that he knows:
—Who, if he rise to station of command,
Rises by open means; and there will stand
On honourable terms, or else retire,
And in himself possess his own desire;
Who comprehends his trust, and to the same
Keeps faithful with a singleness of aim;
And therefore does not stoop, nor lie in wait
For wealth, or honours, or for worldly state;
Whom they must follow; on whose head must fall,
Like showers of manna, if they come at all:
Whose powers shed round him in the common strife,
Or mild concerns of ordinary life,
A constant influence, a peculiar grace;
But who, if he be called upon to face
Some awful moment to which Heaven has joined
Great issues, good or bad for human kind,
Is happy as a Lover; and attired
With sudden brightness, like a Man inspired;
And, through the heat of conflict, keeps the law
In calmness made, and sees what he foresaw;
Or if an unexpected call succeed,
Come when it will, is equal to the need:
—He who, though thus endued as with a sense
And faculty for storm and turbulence,
Is yet a Soul whose master-bias leans
To homefelt pleasures and to gentle scenes;
Sweet images! which, wheresoe'er he be,
Are at his heart; and such fidelity
It is his darling passion to approve;
More brave for this, that he hath much to love:—
'Tis, finally, the Man, who, lifted high,
Conspicuous object in a Nation's eye,
Or left unthought-of in obscurity,—
Who, with a toward or untoward lot,
Prosperous or adverse, to his wish or not—
Plays, in the many games of life, that one
Where what he most doth value must be won:
Whom neither shape or danger can dismay,
Nor thought of tender happiness betray;
Who, not content that former worth stand fast,
Looks forward, persevering to the last,
From well to better, daily self-surpast:
Who, whether praise of him must walk the earth
For ever, and to noble deeds give birth,
Or he must fall, to sleep without his fame,
And leave a dead unprofitable name—
Finds comfort in himself and in his cause;
And, while the mortal mist is gathering, draws
His breath in confidence of Heaven's applause:
This is the happy Warrior; this is he
That every man in arms should wish to be.

What They See

You just never know what is going through your kids' minds.  Well, that's not entirely true.  Ever once in a while you get a glimpse inside their thoughts, and then you discover that they have VERY STRANGE thoughts.

This morning was one of those times.

Our neighbors are apparently getting new windows today.  Our kitchen window, the one over the sink, looks out at our neighbor's house.  I noticed the window guys at our neighbor's house and stated to the kids, "It looks like the neighbors are getting new windows."  This innocent comment opened up a window for me to see into my children's thoughts...

Emily responsed, "Then they'll get rid of the Jesus on their window!"  Huh?

To which Molly responded, "That's not Jesus, it's a moose!" What??

My children are so STRANGE!

So, what was it on our neighbor's window?  A "Child Finder" sticker, albeit, a very old one that is quite worn.  I believe the picture on the sticker is a fireman climbing a ladder.  Somehow, unbeknownst to me, Molly thought it was a picture of a moose and Emily thought it was a picture of Jesus.

When Does It Start?

The Christmas season, that is.

Ive been pondering this question this morning (okay, actually only for about the last five minutes).

You see, when I was growing up we were FORBIDDEN (!!!) to listen to Christmas until AFTER Thanksgiving.  Also, Christmas lights MUST not be turned on (notice I did not say put up) until AFTER Thanksgiving.  So, what do I do the day after Thanksgiving?  Turn on the Christmas lights and music and put up all my decorations. Perhaps the day after Thanksgiving is the start of the Christmas season?

Or maybe, just maybe, Christmas starts when I get my first Christmas card in the mail which this year just happened to arrive on...the day after Thanksgiving. 

Maybe it starts on the first Sunday of Advent.  (last Sunday)

Perhaps it starts when I start baking Christmas cookies (always after Thanksgiving, but usually not the day after).  Perchance it starts tonight when I join my mom, sister-in-law, nieces, sister, and select daughters in a Ladies' Christmas Night Out )an annual occurrence that occurs the first Friday of Dec.)?  Maybe it starts tomorrow when we celebrate Christmas with Chris' side of the family (the first Sat. of Dec. every year)?  Or maybe it's when we cut down our Christmas tree, traditionally on Chris' birthday (15th), but this year on the 10th?

Oh, no, I just had another thought...when does the Easter season begin?  That one is easier for me.  Everyone knows it begins on Dec. 25, because for Jesus to die for us, first he had to come to earth and that we celebrate on Dec. 25.

And now you see how my mind works.  It's a scary thing to behold!

Um, Not Quite...

Conversation from school -

Mom: "Molly, do you know what depreciation is?"

Molly: "Yes!"

Mom: (a bit surprised) "Okay, tell me what depreciation is?

Molly: "It's when you don't appreciate someone anymore."

Friday Fotos

 It was a good week.