Performance Anxiety

No, no, no, those of you with dirty minds. Not that kind of 'performance anxiety.' Shame on you!

I have performance anxiety when it comes to baking.

Saturday, I was invited to a cookie swap. Instructions. Bake 4 dozen cookies or candy items, bring them and you swap with the other participants and then get fat.

I've known about this party for a while, but had been putting off baking anything out of fear; fear of failure.

Last Christmas, I attempted this beautiful cake. (above) Looked easy enough. I mean how hard can it be to put icing on a chocolate cake? Pshh, I can do that!! I'll have the best looking cake at the family get-together. I'll be a legend.

A legend alright. A legend of FAILURE!!! There was weeping and gnashing of teeth when this attempt failed. I ended up bringing something else that was probably bought.

For the cookie swap, I didn't try anything. I bought things to try, like I do every year, but didn't.

Saturday morning, a few hours before the 'swap' the family headed to Chloe's Mother's Day Out school for a 'Donuts with Dad' thing. At the breakfast they were having a bake sale. *ding ding ding* I had an idea. I'll buy something from here and just bring it! (Don't worry, I didn't pass it off as mine)

I purchased 'brownie pie' thinking, "People can just cut a slice and it'll be all good."

I'm not familiar with the contents of a brownie pie, but apparently the inside is the consistency of ohh, raw brownie batter. Everyone that got a slice had to use foil, so the sludge would not contaminate their 'cooked to the proper temperature' cookies.

Yet again, another failure! I can't even buy something and get it right!

I had a MOPS meeting this morning. All of the moms were instructed to bring cookies for yet another 'cookie swap.' (wahoo..not)

On our way home from church last night, I stop by Wal-Mart and buy marshmallows, almond bark, caramel, and graham cracker crumbs. The idea? Too make a smore on a stick.

It didn't work. Too sweet and sticky.

Enter Plan B, make chocolate covered marshmallows on a stick, rolled in the cute sprinkles I purchased in preparation for my attempt at baking. I saw them at the bake sale and asked the lady how she made them and it sounded super easy. (NOT)

Apparently, you need good melting pots and pots that are deep for high quality dipping. Ya, I don't own those things. I mean my kitchen is the size of the inside of a Volkswagen Beetle. I try to melt white chocolate in a deep mug. It melts, but it looks the consistency of chili, it's thick and nasty. So I chunk it, along with the worthless mug.

Enter Plan C, make chocolate covered pretzels. For crying out loud who could mess that up? I start digging around my 'petite' kitchen for the pretzels I bought a month ago in preparation of Christmas. Dang, I only have one bag and it contains a whopping 12-15 sticks. If only I could make them multiply in order to feed the masses.

I sit on the couch and begin to get frustrated. "Think, think, think," I say to myself while watching 'Brothers and Sisters' in between plans.

"Do I really need cookies?" NO! I'm already large enough.

"Will anybody care if I don't have the best treat?" Only I will care.

Enter Plan D, make nothing. And that's what I did.

Anyone for a lettuce wrap?

GIVEAWAY/ WE HAVE A WINNER!

Winner is below!!

OK, here's the deal.

I think I have around 4, possibly 5 on a good day, readers of this super fantastic blog. I mean I won an award for crying out loud, I'm famous! Ok, so not at all, but in the spirit of Christmas music. I've decided to do my very first giveaway! Yes, yes, you read me correctly.

I love MercyMe and have for, gosh, since Traces of Rain. Now that it's Christmas time, I'm feeling like I should giveaway their Christmas CD. Especially since I have mentioned it 2 times in the past week!

Here's how to win, and seeing how there's 4-5 readers your chances are good!

Tell me your favorite Christmas song.

If you don't have one use mine, it's 'O Holy Night' any rendition. You don't have to put my blog on yours, that drives me crazy when that's a requirement, you don't have to 'tell your friends', you don't even have to come back except to find out if you won, just tell me a song.

One entry per person. (That goes to all 5 of you.)

Contest ends at 8:00pm C.S.T. Winner will be announced shortly thereafter.

Thank you to all 6 of you that entered!! You super ceded my expectations! Really though, I don't do this blog for glory, earthly, I do it b/c I enjoy writing. So thank you to my faithful 6.

So there it is, commenter number 6, which is Bec. Email me at meganknox@att.net and I will get that CD to you. (Chloe is saying, "Cheeeeeeese.")

Remember the 6 of you... This will happen again, so stay tuned!!

Merry Christmas

Christmas Tunes Revisited

I talked the other day about the Christmas CD I made through Amazon.

On Monday, I made a purchase through Mardel's website. (If you don't have a Mardel's near you, I am very sorry.) Mardel's is a Christian bookstore that sells music, books, teaching stuff, knick-knacks and everything Jesus. Good store. I guess I'm sorry for myself because the closest one to my house is 45 minutes, so I utilized online ordering.

They ran an ad in the Sunday paper. MercyMe's Christmas CD for only $5.00!! I think it's a few years old, but who really cares Christmas music is timeless.

I bought it, which is funny b/c that same day I bought one of their songs off of Amazon. I got all carried away with songs that I forgot what I had or hadn't bought.

I wanted to share the lyrics from one of the songs on the album. It's titled 'Joseph's Lullaby.'

Go to sleep my son/ This manger for your head/ You have a long road before you/ Rest your little head/ Can you feel the weight of your glory/ Do you understand the price/ Or does the Father guard your heart for now/ So you can sleep tonight/ Go to sleep my son/ Go and chase your dreams/ This world can wait for one more moment/ Go and sleep in peace/ I believe the glory of heaven/ Is lying in my arms tonight/ But Lord I ask that He for just this moment/ Simply be my child/ Go to sleep my son/ Baby close your eyes/ Soon enough you'll save the day/ But for now dear child of mine/ Oh my Jesus sleep tight

This song gives me chills and tears and smiles. I smile because of what Christmas means to us-Christians. It doesn't mean presents, gifts or should we call the tree a 'holiday tree' or a 'Christmas tree.' All of that pales in comparison to what happened in that stable.

I love that this song looks at Jesus from Joseph's perspective-his earthly father.

Imagine holding your baby when they were first born, how tiny and innocent they were. Imagine knowing the fate of your child-to be the Savior of the world, die on a cross and rise again. It's overwhelming to me.

I recommend buying the song if you don't want the whole album. It's just a keyboard and piano accompanying Bart. Very nice.

Do You Ever Find Yourself...

Do you ever find yourself sitting and watching Sesame Street? "Yes."

Do you ever find yourself sitting and watching Sesame Street when your kids aren't around? "Yes."

Do you ever find yourself having this conversation with your husband, "(their name) guess who was on Sesame Street today?"
"Uhh, I don't know."
"Chris Brown! It was so cute. He and Elmo sang a song, it was funny. It went like this, 'Elmo come take a walk with me....... See the signs there everywhere, there's enter here and exit there.' Funny huh?"
"Ya, babe. Real funny."


Or maybe this conversation, "(their name) Sesame Street did a spin-off of High School Musical. It was hilarious. They called it Pre-School Musical. They sang a song that went like this, 'Preee schoool, preeee schoool, pre school musical ya, pre school musicaaaaall.' Funny huh?"
"Ya, babe. Real funny."

Or maybe this conversation, "(their name) guess who sang Elmo to sleep today?"
"I have no idea."
"Andrea Bocelli. It was so good. Do you want me to find it on youtube?"
"Uhh, sure."


Or maybe this conversation, "(their name) guess who was on Sesame Street today?"
"Who?"
"James Blunt. It was funny."
"Huh."



Or maybe this conversation, "(their name) guess who was on Sesame Street today?"
"I have no idea."
"Norah Jones."
"Really? I like her."
"Ya, I know, that's why I am telling you. She sang a song about the letter 'y'. It was cute."
"Huh."

Do you ever find yourself in a public area singing, "lalala, lalala, Elmo's world...." out loud for all the 'real' world to hear? "Yes."

Do you ever find yourself curled up in the recliner, with your child, watching Elmo, laughing with your child and seeing him or her learn? "Ya, me too. And it's great."

Christmas Tunes

I heart Christmas music. I heart it so much that I sometimes pop in a jolly tune during the heat of July. Frantically, I begin searching for all the boxes labeled 'winter,' grab my parka, put on my beanie, gloves and warm socks. I grab wood that Matt has been feverishly chopping in preparation of snow, toss a few logs in the fireplace, light it. I then go outside frolic in the snow with the children. Once everyone is cold, we return to the comfort of our bungalow. I make a nice cup of hot chocolate, topped with a bag, yes a bag of mini-marshmallows. After first eating the marshmallows, I drink the hot chocolate. "Why am I sweating?" I strip the clothes off, run to the bathroom and take a cold shower. Once my body temperature returns to normal and I have full function of my brain I realize it's not winter, it's summer.

Now that it's winter, almost, I am loving the Christmas music. Here's the catch. If I tune in to KXOJ while in the car, I don't enjoy the Christmas tunes. I enjoy the Christmas songs when I'm in control of their air-time. If I listen to the radio, I want to hear regular songs. If I listen to a CD, I want to hear, "We Three Kings." (It isn't biblical that there were 3 by the way, it's only biblical there were 3 gifts.) Anywho, I love Christmas music.

So in preparation of my drug like need for 'O Holy Night,' in any rendition, yesterday I began downloading songs from Amazon.

Here's what I purchased.

Luciano's rendition of 'O Holy Night' (My favorite song, as you are about to see.)

Mariah's rendition of 'O Holy Night' (#2 version)

SCC's 'All I Really Want' (A tear jerker.)

Third Day's 'What Child Is This?'

Three Tenor's 'O Holy Night' (#3 version)

Barenaked Ladies w/ Michael Buble 'Elf Song'

Shades of Christmas w/ Various Artist's one of which is Shawn McDonald's rendition of 'O Holy Night (#4 version)

Anne Murray and Michael Buble 'Baby, It's Cold Outside'

Jars of Clay's 'God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen'

Kristin Chenoweth's 'Do You Hear What I Hear' & 'What Child Is This' (she's a fellow Okie)

MercyMe's 'O Holy Night' (#5 version)

Yesterday I called Matt, "Hey babe. I made a Christmas CD for you."
"Oh, thanks." He was serious, he really was grateful.
"But, I found around 5 versions of 'O Holy Night' and I put all of them on there."
"Ohhh, ok, thanks." He was a little weary of only hearing one song over and over.
"You're welcome. Love ya."
"Love ya too." He was glad to be out of the conversation.

So enjoy my 5 versions of 'O Holy Night.' I also have a MWS and a SCC's version, but they are on their CDs, so I didn't have to buy those.

Gobble, Gobble No More

I love the holidays. I loved them as a kid, but for the obvious reasons; presents. Now that I'm old-er, not old, I look forward to everyone getting together.

Growing up, Thanksgiving and Christmas were the 2 big holidays, like in most families. When my parents divorced it became a game of sorts. "Who do I need to see now? How long should I stay at their house? Who did I see first last year? Will their feelings be hurt if I don't cook?" I always feel like I am trying to make my mom and my dad happy; tough dance to dance.

I really look forward to Matt's family get-togethers. I guess I miss that 'familiness.' I really miss my parents being married, but well "that's stagnant water under the bridge" as they say. Well, maybe that isn't what they say.

Now that I have children, I am determined to start traditions and teach them what it's all about. Sooo this turkey day, we hopped in our mini, van that is, and jetted to Mounds to see Matt's side of the fam. We spent Thursday night, as did 3 of Matt's siblings and their families. *it was very loud very early* On Friday I drank 100 cups of coffee, due to the lack of sleep, and ate pecan pie for breakfast, lunch, dinner and snack. No joke. I am a pecan pie junkie. I fell off the 'eating good wagon' for 2 days. Ahh well, it'll come around to pick me up again soon.

Saturday afternoon, my mom, sister and her kids came over to eat and play guitar hero, my new obsession. I didn't want to cook, my kitchen isn't 'cooking friendly,' so we ordered a dinner from Reasor's. I must say it was very tasty and all we had to do was re-heat!

Sunday was spent recovering. The kids didn't get to sleep as much as they normally do and they were tired. Cooper slept most of Sunday. I got to go grocery shopping. I'm learning to embrace that time. I started listening to sermons, preaching and music while I shop. It's nice not hearing 'beep, beep, beep' and 'erk, erk erk' and 'clean-up on aisle 9.'

I hope everyone had a good turkey day.
(The slideshow thing will not work and I am about to break something, so it is in its own post.)

Gobble Pics