Losing It Under the Dome

I'm reading Valerie Bertinelli's book "Losing It," before I read her new release "Finding It."

The book goes into her family history, career, romances, marriage, issues with weight, etc. Also includes some terrific photos of her and her family. I had no idea she was a book club aficionado. She's been in a book club for years. So cool!

I'm also reading Stephen King's new book "Under the Dome"...Holy COW! The story is about a dome that seals off a city. I'll be so glad when Big Jim and Junior get their come-upance! Also wondering where the dome came from. On edge of seat...

The Perfect Gift

I've been taping Christmas movies on my DVR over the last few weeks and finally got around to watching "The Perfect Gift."

Awesome! Finally a movie about the "real" story of Christmas.

Tag line: What if the world threw you a birthday party...and you weren't invited?

Plot: A spoiled school girl, her overworked executive mother and a disillusioned young minister each receives an uplifting message about friendship, commitment, and the truest meaning of Christmas from a friendly drifter.

The film was released in November 2009 and is part of the "Perfect Stranger" series by Jefferson Moore.

And there were in the same country...

...shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them, and they were sore afraid.

And the angel said unto them, "Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David, a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger."

And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, "Glory to God in the highest and on earth, peace, good will toward men."

Luke 2:8-14

Is it Christmas yet?

So what have I been doing this week? Here's the low-down:

Baking Christmas goodies (chocolate peanut clusters, bourbon balls, Russian tea cakes, sugar cookies; taking them to work so I don't eat them all)

Watching Christmas movies (The National Tree, Mr. Saint Nick, The Christmas Choir, The Christmas Card, The Homecoming, Charlie Brown, just to name a few)

Reading "A Christmas Carol" (I read it every year; I'm at the part where the ghost of Christmas present takes Scrooge to the Cratchit home)

Today I'll be walking in the snow! (So happy we're having a white Christmas this year)

Received 25 Christmas cards as of yesterday.

Drinking eggnog.

Listening to Christmas music (Barbra Streisand, Perry Como, Dean Martin, John Denver, Ella Fitzgerald, Neil Diamond, Vince Guaraldi)

Learning lines for a Christmas play.

Playing Christmas carols on the piano.

Lighting candles and watching the Christmas lights on the tree.

Reading about the birth of Jesus in the Book of Luke (Jesus is the Reason for the Season)

God bless us, everyone!

Six Chix

Josh and the Hot Dog

So I'm sitting at the breakfast table eating my cornflakes and reading the paper when I turn the page and there it is. A photo of my nephew Josh, age 7, with a hot dog stuffed in his mouth. I could tell it was him by the black hair and sparkling brown eyes.

This wasn't just a small black and white blurb in the local section. It was a huge full-color spread! Josh was at the Boys and Girls Club of Cheyenne where members of the Wyoming National Guard fed more than 100 kids a dinner of hot dogs, chicken, baked beans and cookies.

When Josh and his family come to my house for dinner, I serve Josh's favorites: mashed potatoes and anything with sugar in it. It would be an understatement to say that Josh is hyperactive, but he moves so fast he makes a hummingbird look like a turtle.

The cool thing about Josh right now is that his front teeth are missing and he has two fangs that lend him the appearance of a vampire. But those teeth are perfect for biting into a hot dog.

Way to go, Josh!