Gingerbread House Day

When I was a wee young lass I was always in awe at the beautiful delicacies in the grand art of gingerbread houses.  Most look like what many of us would make, with graham crackers, some frosting, and a milk carton, or the new-fangled kit from the store.  Some are masterpieces requiring architectural know-how, an electrician's license, and Master's Degrees in Interior Design and Landscape Architecture.  These amazing pieces bring imagination to life in miniature form to different places and eras and even into animation at times.

All over the country, about this time of year, competitions are held to choose who is master of the gingerbread house.  The National Gingerbread House Competition 2012 was held in Asheville, North Carolina (a place I want to visit someday: hint to G).  If you'd like to see who won the coveted top spot this year head to this link:  Gingerbread Competion link

I decided to try it this year.  Alas, my kids were saddled with what seemed to me an intolerably infinite amount homework, thrust upon them and required to be completed before the day's end.  Sigh!  I was in luck, however, that my little nephew who is not yet in school needed a loving home to be for a few hours.  I bought one of those store kits...I don't have my Master's Degree yet.  He was more than just a little excited.  Here is the Pièce de résistance:


He was not happy I was interrupting his frosting "dessert."

To get a happier face...eating frosting he is.

He did about 80% of the decorating.  I put the frosting on...he embellished.  He did insist that P, my youngest, assist on a few.  I put a few on since he was a little slower than the speed at which the frosting was drying.  But he did a most fantastic job.  He was even more thrilled when he realized he would be taking it home.

At some point, my two boys, J and P will make theirs.  I will have to chat with some teachers about priorities.

Dewey Decimal System Day

Where would we ever be without Simon Dewey when we want a good book to read?  As much as I detested this section of study in just about every English/Language Arts class in school where you had to memorize (supposed to anyway) this system...it sure makes it easy to find what you're looking for.  I absolutely love to read and to learn.  While I have had less time the last few years, it is quite common to find me in a book (or on the internet to learn with today's modern technology).  This system has been quite helpful in many libraries in my life.

As a different side of this system, I thought you could get to know me a little better by knowing what I like to read.  As a reminder, there are ten sections starting with 000-099 and ending with 900-999.  You're giddy with excitement already, I know.  Are you ready?

I enjoy:
010-014 (selected works)
040-041
150-158
170-173, 177
220-228- should be one everyone loves (I really should spend more time with many in the 200's.)
300-307
320-328
342
443, 445- trying to spend more time here
800's (selected works)
900's (selected ones)

I have spent time throughout the 500's, 600,'s and 700's in my lifetime and likely will continue.

I hope that you have learned a little more about me through knowing what I like to read.  Go grab a book of your own in your favorite Dewey Decimal System section.

World Choral Day

Music is great!  For as long as I can remember my life has had a good healthy dose of harmony with family, hymns at church, musical instruments, and living vicariously through the radio.  Music has a way of reaching into your soul and pulling out pieces of you, all explored through poetic runs of notes, different tempos, and the artistic placements of pianissimo and fortissimo.

I never did choir in school, but my sisters and my daughter did.  I have participated in choir at church.  Some pieces were okay, but many left me in awe at the inspiration of the composer and, at times, whomever arranged the choral piece.

While in college, our ward (congregation) had a Christmas party with performances by various ward members.  My cousins (Shauna and Cynthia, and Michelle as pianist) and I decided to perform a harmonized piece called "Gesu Bambino."  We worked so diligently on it, practicing and practicing and practicing...our mother's would have been proud.  It was so beautiful when we finally performed.  I cannot listen to it today without going back in time to that blessed moment we finally shared the fruits of our attempt to make it perfect.  It was a perfect moment in my life.

A few years ago while at a Christmas concert for T's high school choir, I experienced an unexpected moment of joy.  The opening number was done in darkness with each member of all of the choirs holding candles and strategically positioned all around the room.  As they sang "O Come, Emmanuel" I was taken to a place that left me breathless, wanting the piece to continue much longer than it did.  It was one of those moments that I will treasure and lovingly enjoy each time I remember it.  The "light" from the words so beautifully chosen and the music carefully crafted so perfectly matched the visual light from each candle.  To me, it was another of those perfect moments.

In honor of World Choral Day, I would like to present three video presentations that I particularly enjoy.  Two were performed for the Christmas holiday.  One is a portion of a larger program and is about 28 minutes long, but WELL worth the time.  The other is about 5 minutes consisting of one very beautiful song.  The last is a piece by Alex Boye' and The Mormon Tabernacle Choir.

Here is one of my favorite choral programs featuring Walter Cronkite, The Mormon Tabernacle Choir, and The Orchestra at Temple Square.
One Silet Night Concert link

A new one that I love is a collaboration between The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and The Piano Guys.  It is a beautiful rendition of the Christmas carol "O Come, Emmanuel" with video of events in the Savior's life.
O Come, Emmanuel link

This last one could be played at Christmas time, but it is an amazing Spiritual...a style of music I love which originated from slaves.  I was moved the first time I saw this performed during a tour called "One Voice" by the choir.  It stirred me to the core of my soul and Alex performs it so well.
I Want Jesus To Walk With Me link

Do Something Nice Day

Do something nice...seems easy enough.  I can do many little things all day, and I did.  But I was really aiming to do something bigger in honor of this national day.  As the minutes ticked away into hours, and the morning stretched to afternoon and then evening, I began to fear that the little things would need to be what I accomplished.  Little things are important, after all, small and simple things bring about great things.  I believe that.  I had finally settled on that simple truth and found great peace and left with G for our date night.  Little did I know that my desire would be realized very shortly by being in the right place at the right time.

My birthday is tomorrow.  G wanted to take me somewhere special for tonight.  At the very last minute, I picked a place I'd never been to, but had always wanted to go.  Off we headed to a very romantic and gorgeous restaurant.  We were seated at a beautiful table next to a series of very large glass patio doors overlooking a stunning courtyard.  The view was perfect for such a special day.  Not long after our arrival, two other couples arrived and were being seated at an adjacent table, one carrying a large, beautifully adorned gift bag.  They quickly became concerned about something and began voicing it to the host seating them.  The manager was asked for by name, and he soon arrived.  It quickly became evident that they were part of an elaborate plan.  You see a young man was going to be asking a special young lady to be his wife.  The young man had specifically chosen that table for them, the parents of each of the soon-to-be engaged couple, a surprise for his special lady.  It kept them hidden from view from his chosen proposal spot in the perfect little courtyard, but provided a window for the parents to witness the very special event in the lives of their children.  Our table was seated in front of the very window from which they would be able to view this.  They sat down and waited for the arrival of their children.

They began to visit with us as they felt they were being quite disruptive to us and were also quite anxious and excited.  We were actually quite entertained.  As it turns out, the plan was somewhat in jeopardy, as the girlfriend, a teacher, decided to stay late at school to work on some things, and was also not wanting to go to this dinner that her boyfriend said was to meet up with some friends.  Can you imagine the frantic scramble he found himself facing on the most important and nerve-racking night of his life?  Man!  Not an envious spot!

Due to the "later than planned" arrival, the parents settled into conversation with one another, no longer paying attention.  I noticed a young couple arriving in the courtyard, dressed nicely.  I wasn't sure where exactly they were to be sitting, and asked the parents what their children looked like and which table would be theirs.  The description fit, and I told them, "I think they just arrived."  Sure enough.  The parents went into a frantic dash to the window, completely surrounding us.  The couple was visiting with occasional kisses.  He had arranged with the manager to bring out a bottle of champagne and a card to the table.  One mother kept taking pictures, complete with a flash.  Talk about discreet!  Three of them were plastered in plain site at the window.  G told them they may want to hide behind the curtains.  The young man realizing what was happening leaned in to give her a long kiss and began signaling behind her and toward the parents to "get the heck back."  They were oblivious with their joy and excitement.  I told them what he was trying to say, and they quickly moved away.  One of the moms was adamant about not being seen and stayed right behind G, with both hands on his shoulders the entire time, a very personal thing to do considering they'd just met us.

Then, he got down on one knee and pulled out the box.  I suddenly thought of my daughter, T.  I was able to envision what it must have been like when she was proposed to by C.  How I would have loved to have been there.  I had to turn away briefly to not start crying.  In a way, this was a gift for me as well.  The young lady had long dark hair just like T.  I could put myself in the shoes of each of these mothers.

In the end, they were so grateful for the help we had been, more than just what was written here.  They felt like they had been such an intrusion into our dinner, but we were so excited for them because we knew how "once in a lifetime" this would be.  I was so grateful that I could do something nice for a few people that made such a huge difference in their lives and the memory they would forever cherish.

Homemade Cookie Day

I have a confession to make.  I rarely bake homemade cookies, but we always have freshly baked cookies at our house.  When G and I were first married, homemade chocolate chip cookies were frequently made and engulfed every week or so.  Then we moved.  From that point on, we painstakingly tried to create the same cookie experience, but alas, the altitude change befuddled our efforts.  We consulted expert bakers we knew, cookbooks, information on the internet (there was a much smaller version back then), and our own ingenuity.  Nothing worked.  They either came out like cake, hardened disks, or wafers.  We needed our chocolate chip cookies, though.  That is when we discovered Pillsbury ready-to-bake cookie dough in the grocery store's refrigerated section.  Once again, we were regularly enjoying our treat.  Once we took them to a potluck party at a friend's home and were asked for the recipe.  It's a secret recipe you know...well, it is...Pillsbury isn't giving it out I'm sure. 

 

As much as we like chocolate chip cookies, we longed for some of the other cookie gems.  We each had favorites from our childhoods.  The memories of the inviting and loving aroma from each cookie as our mother's carefully pulled the tray from the oven left us desiring more.  Luckily we were blessed with a daughter, T, who was born with a gene in her DNA for baking cookies.  She can whip them out quickly and successfully every time!  Same recipes we use with very different results.

T, with her brother L and Aunt J, rolling out a batch of cookies.

T, age 2-1/2, making cookies- LOVE this picture!

Every year, G asks for her to make cookie dough for the freezer for his birthday, Father's Day, Christmas, any gift giving occasion really.  We have some gracing our freezer now.  What are our favorites that her culinary skills have offered?  All come from our Mrs. Fields Cookie Book, although you can find the recipes in a few other places.

 

Blue-Ribbon Chocolate Chip Cookies   recipe

Soft and Chewy Peanut Butter Cookies   recipe

Jessica's Marshmallow Clouds   recipe

 

We have other favorites like snickerdoodles (from my childhood memory), and G likes almost anything with pecans or walnuts.  G calls them his "health discs" when he is sick.  They have healing properties apparently...some are good enough that I don't believe any would doubt that belief.

 

While we sit back and enjoy our cookies, make a batch of your own.

Chewing Gum Day

Do you remember the scene in the movie Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory where the little girl who found a Golden Ticket was obsessed with her chewing gum? 

Violet Beauregarde- gum chewing girl- after the chewing got the best of her

While I distance myself from her personality, the first step is to admit that you have problem.  My name is Sonja, and I have a chewing gum addiction.

 

As I approach the checkout counter at the grocery store, my eyes are quickly scouring the wide variety of choices offered in gum...not candy bars.  I find myself excited at the possibility of  a new flavor.  The colors leap from the boxes drawing my attention, tempting me to pick them up.  Sometimes I even desirously breathe in the aroma emanating from the tiny package. The flavors offered have changed over the years, becoming far more complex than just bubblegum, grape, and the mints from the past.

 

I remember the Juicy Fruit commercials where the delicious fruity flavor grew in packs on trees.  If you want to enjoy one of those 1970's commercials, here's a link.  commercial link  My sisters and I naively believed that you could be Juicy Fruit farmers.  We sacrificed a stick of gum one time, carefully planting it in our backyard, watering it, and waiting.  What a long wait!  Eventually we decided that we had to have done something wrong in our planting.  Did we not water it enough?  Were we not supposed to water it?  The commercials had the yellow packages growing on them; maybe we were supposed to plant an entire pack of the gum and not just a single stick.  The thought of giving up an entire pack was more than we could bear.  You see, we RARELY were allowed gum.  My mother frequently found a chewed up piece on the carpet or in the bedding (tip: an ice cube placed on it for a while hardens it and lets you pull it up), or in our hair (tip: peanut butter gets it out).  Hence the ban; a control we found quite Communist-like at our young age.

 

How much did I love gum?  Because of the gum ban in our home, if we were found chewing it...to the garbage can it went.  Did that bother me?  At first...yes.  But I soon found an intelligent solution to my conundrum.  I waited until my mom or dad left the room, then went back and dug it out of the trash to resume my chewing.  I know, I know...you are shocked.  Me and my germ phobia did that.

 

The only time I ever stole anything was around the age of 6 or 7...and it was gum (on two occasions).  I hang my head in shame at the thought of stealing, but again, remember that I was on a gum ban...I still found a way to get some.  Addictions can drive you to a life of crime.  I am living proof that it can happen.  I have since found better and more appropriate ways to deal with gum withdrawals.

 

When my children were very young, in order to help them to be reverent in Sacrament Meeting (church), I bribed them.  Yes... I believe in bribery.  If they were reverent at the beginning of church and all through the Sacrament, they could choose a piece of gum.  I kept about 3-4 packs in my purse.  Today I bring close to 4-6 packs, sometimes more.  I now have two kids out of the house and two not far behind them, and they still ask for gum after the Sacrament.  They have their favorites.  I have passed my addiction on to them.  I have not broken the addiction chain.

How bad is my addiction today?

This is the stash in my night stand. It is a couple of layers deep.

I had several coupons.  This was restraining myself.  

The current favorite for J and P.  It even tastes a little carbonated.  P loves to smell the wrappers as well.

My current favorite is Extra Dessert Delights Mint Chocolate Chip.  It is delectable.  I was surprised at how much it tasted like the real dessert.  As you can see from my drawer and the multi-packs, I am well stocked on that particular variety.  My all-time favorite is Stride Sweet Cinnamon, a flavor very difficult to find, much to my dismay.

I will continue to enjoy my gum.  I hope to pass on this fetish to my grandchildren and great-grandchildren.  I hope to win the coveted spot of Favorite Grandma by always having their favorite gum when they visit.  Enjoy your gum...I will be enjoying mine.

 

National Love Note Day

Love notes.  I certainly don't mind receiving them.  I know that my husband enjoys them as well, so it's not just something reserved only for the female population.  I don't need Myth Busters to test that theory.  Sometimes we write love notes because it's an anniversary or we saw a sappy commercial that made us remember how wonderful our spouse is.  If we are single, we might have seen our future Mr. or Miss Wonderful across a crowded room and we want to woo them into our life.  Words dripping with romantic overtones across "special" paper, some with little hearts scribbled here and there or lightly scented (hopefully not reeking) with the fragrance of roses, are what we typically envision.  Then there are the old brown-edged envelopes filled with permanently creased handwritten letters neatly stacked and tied together with a beautiful ribbon; letters written to bridge a distance between two people in love.  Whatever the style, it's all sentiments of love.

 

As a woman, it isn't hard to express my feelings in a love letter.  We eat, sleep, and drink romance. For men, it isn't so easy.  It is hard to feel manly while writing a romantic letter.  In their minds, they must pen nothing short of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet styled love poetry.  Women don't need Shakespeare, but the men mistakenly think we do.  Men also find romance a source of vulnerability.  To them it's no different than being caught sobbing in public.  The fear of being seen as anyone other than a cross between John Wayne, Rambo, and the Terminator is quite strong amongst the male gender.  After all, saying, "You are as beautiful as a rose," doesn't gush "tough guy." 

 

To help the men in our lives I found a great website for them to know how to write the kind of love letter that will make their wives or girlfriends shower them with kisses and cry happy tears.  Manly Love Letters link

 

I hope to see some manly men wooing their special someone.  Oh, I gave the men in my life (three here at home) their favorite candy bar and a big hug saying, "I love you."  I think that's how guys also enjoy receiving a love note...maybe not so much on the hugging for the teenage ones.