What goes around, comes around

In Leavenworth, on Sunday, I did a little shopping here and there before we headed home--ornaments, pastries, that kind of thing. Well, when we got back to the car, I'm checking to see that I have my purse and camera and ornaments and strudel and almond kringle, when what to my wondering eyes should appear?! An extra paper bag I picked up from some poor hapless stranger I DON'T KNOW WHERE with a large, fresh pretzel, small container of cheesy dip, and 2 amazing cream-filled chocolate covered pastries!! That stolen water WAS SWEET, and that food eaten in secret WAS DELICIOUS......but of course I felt SO BAD AND SO DUMB. I also wondered what I would buy in the future that would disappear. Only 1 or 2 days later, I was at Fred Meyer's for the gazillionth time, and, among other things, I bought 3 boxes of kleenex. Well guess what never made it home with me? I could only smile.

Something really good to try in your coffee (much better than the so-called peppermint mocha creamer I bought, which tastes as scrumptious as dishwater): crushed peppermints mixed with sugar!! Awesome!! I came across this by accident. I made candy cane cookies and had a lot of that left over.

Jill sent me a hilarious thing via e-mail today. It's called "You've been Elfed," at www.elfyourself.com, and it's where you can upload photos of your kids' faces onto dancing elves' bodies. A HOOT!!! If I was a tech genious, I would have posted it, but you know I'm not.

Go to Leavenworth at Christmas time!!

Chris and I just got to have a very unusual and fabulous (and kid-free) weekend. What a godsend! I was at a fever pitch of stress by Friday night. But not anymore!! My parents watched the kids Friday and

Saturday night. Friday night, we went to Chris's company Christmas party.

Saturday around lunch time, we headed northeast to Leavenworth. It is the most charming, beautiful Bavarian style town. Everything is decorated with murals and greenery and lights. We went on the popular Christmas festival weekend. There was a tree lighting Saturday night, with a prayer and singing. The square was packed. There was a section for kids to sled right nearby, even when it was dark!!

We got an authentic dinner of wiener schnitzel and sausages and red cabbage and red potatoes. We could see all the people and buildings from our table. People were all wearing these fabulous hats--some looked like bowls of bananas or Christmas trees or antlers. There was a long line out the hat store. It was about 30 degrees and snowing very picturesquely.

We stayed at a motel 20 miles away, because there was no room at the inns. We went again Sunday morning. The pastry shop had yummy apple strudel and almond kringle. It wasn't quite as magical the morning after, but fun to stroll around again. There were metal fire pits with wood fires in them in the street night and day. What a great time!! Getting back to reality was tough today. Thanks, Mom and Dad!! :D

A few of my favorite things

Let me tell you a little story about my Sunday School adventures yesterday. None of it really happened. It was all just a dream. A very bad dream, kind of like...often. It's only an hour and a half with a dozen small angels, right? And I have 2 helpers.....so why would it be anything but lollipops and rainbows? These tikes are in the 2-4 age range, see. Most of them are so precious and good. But there was this one new kid, two years old, burly, and whenever he wasn't pleased, which was often, he'd throw this bratty boy fit, THROW himself on the floor, ROLL around vigorously, no matter who or what was in his way. Usually I'm on top of everything, as much as possible, but this kid really intimidated me, took me aback, and I let my teen helper tend to him. Her brother, maybe 11, mostly took up space unless you directly ordered him to do something specific. The girl is good help, though.
So there's 15 minutes till the kids get picked up. My teen helper tells me the toilet, which I last used, is about to overflow. This toilet is in our room's small bathroom. There is no plunger, and when I look, it seems that the flood waters might recede. So I SHUT THE DOOR. Five minutes later, she has to tell me that my little Israelites are in danger of being drowned in the Red Sea. Seriously. There is water gushing out from under the door. I rush next door where there is, fabulously, a Sunday School teacher who is a plumber by trade. He jiggles the handle, or whatever, to stem the tide. And of course, all the tots want to stand around the wet carpet and watch the shiny waters in the bathroom. They want to stick just one finger in, or just a toe. And the burly, screeching brat falls down and rolls dangerously near the water in one of his fits. He is oblivious, and gets his pants doused. The Sunday School Superintendant and my husband end up doing the mopping of ALL THAT WATER. Gross!!!!! But wait, there's more!!! This mother who is just a visitor and has a child in my class goes bonkers cuz her child has a wet pullup, and I should have checked every 30 minutes. We've got all these kids in a pretty small room, toilet water being mopped up, and she is raising cane cuz we should have known her wishes. I took a 3 hour nap not long after arriving home and didn't feel much pain after that.

Ordinary lint from the corners of my life

What is new?

I have a cold.
It is in the upper 50's, which I love. Only a few days ago, and for some
time, it had been in the mid-30's, which I hate.
Lots of wind and rain, and flooding in places.
Took the girls to a birthday party Saturday night, which included swimming at
a local high school, Subway sandwiches, and ice cream cake.
Chris took the boys to the new Cabela's store in Lacey and for a walk at a nearby
nature preserve, where they saw some birds and were cold.
Zoe has a Christmas play this week.
I haven't started Christmas shopping or decorating yet.
Something to try on your whole wheat home-made waffles with bacon on the side: Saute up some sliced, peeled apples in butter. Let cook a bit; add some water and sugar and let apples soften and sauce thicken. Add a small jar of caramel sauce. Stir. Enjoy!!
A good dinner: Angel hair pasta with cream cheese(softened, mixed with some
milk), smoked salmon, and green onions!! Combine the cooked angel hair
with the other ingredients and let flavors meld together maybe 5 minutes on
medium. Delish!! The smoked salmon from fresh seafood section was quite a
bit cheaper than that in foil from the canned tuna section.