Here comes Santa Claus
Here comes Santa Claus
http://www.downtownlittleton.com/
Thursday, November 26, 2009
Ornament shopping!
Tomorrow is the big ornament shopping day and in the evening, Santa parades through downtown Littleton!
Here comes Santa Claus
Here comes Santa Claus
Right down Santa Claus lane...
http://www.downtownlittleton.com/
Here comes Santa Claus
Here comes Santa Claus
http://www.downtownlittleton.com/
Saturday, November 21, 2009
Sing with me now!
You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch
Author: Dr. Seuss
You're a mean one, Mr. Grinch.You really are a heel.
You're as cuddly as a cactus,
You're as charming as an eel.
Mr. Grinch.
You're a bad banana
With a greasy black peel.
You're a monster, Mr. Grinch.
Your heart's an empty hole.
Your brain is full of spiders,
You've got garlic in your soul.
Mr. Grinch. I wouldn't touch you, with a
thirty-nine-and-a-half foot pole.
You're a vile one, Mr. Grinch.
You have termites in your smile.
You have all the tender sweetness
Of a seasick crocodile.
Mr. Grinch.
Given the choice between the two of you
I'd take the seasick crockodile.
You're a foul one, Mr. Grinch.
You're a nasty, wasty skunk.
Your heart is full of unwashed socks
Your soul is full of gunk.
Mr. Grinch.
The three words that best describe you,
are, and I quote: "Stink. Stank. Stunk."
You're a rotter, Mr. Grinch.
You're the king of sinful sots.
Your heart's a dead tomato splot
With moldy purple spots,
Mr. Grinch.
Your soul is an apalling dump heap overflowing
with the most disgraceful assortment of deplorable
rubbish imaginable,
Mangled up in tangled up knots.
You nauseate me, Mr. Grinch.
With a nauseaus super-naus.
You're a crooked jerky jockey
And you drive a crooked horse.
Mr. Grinch.
You're a three decker saurkraut and toadstool
sandwich
With arsenic sauce.
You have termites in your smile.
You have all the tender sweetness
Of a seasick crocodile.
Mr. Grinch.
Given the choice between the two of you
I'd take the seasick crockodile.
You're a foul one, Mr. Grinch.
You're a nasty, wasty skunk.
Your heart is full of unwashed socks
Your soul is full of gunk.
Mr. Grinch.
The three words that best describe you,
are, and I quote: "Stink. Stank. Stunk."
You're a rotter, Mr. Grinch.
You're the king of sinful sots.
Your heart's a dead tomato splot
With moldy purple spots,
Mr. Grinch.
Your soul is an apalling dump heap overflowing
with the most disgraceful assortment of deplorable
rubbish imaginable,
Mangled up in tangled up knots.
You nauseate me, Mr. Grinch.
With a nauseaus super-naus.
You're a crooked jerky jockey
And you drive a crooked horse.
Mr. Grinch.
You're a three decker saurkraut and toadstool
sandwich
With arsenic sauce.
Copyright © 1957, Dr. Seuss.
posted by: Danette
Sunday, November 15, 2009
Punkin Pie!
WARNING: Do not use canned pumpkin as a substitute for the real thing for this pie.
In advance: Cut up your PIE pumpkin (be sure that you are getting a pie pumpkin-- they are smaller than regular pumpkins, weigh about 5 lbs and are generally marked.)
Toss or clean and roast seeds, as desired. (Or you can keep them to grow your own pie pumpkins next summer!*) Clean out stringy inside with large spoon and throw away. Cut pumpkin meat into squares, leaving on the skin, the larger the better. Cover with water and boil until you can easily stab it up with a fork (about 20 minutes). Drain and allow to cool completely. Cut off orange skin. Puree your pumpkin until it has the consistency of mashed potatoes (or slightly thinner.) For each pie you will need two cups of cooked and pureed pumpkin. At this point, you can freeze in containers to be dethawed for later.
1 really delicious Pumpkin Pie!
Heat oven to 375 degrees.
1 pastry for single-crust pie (below)
2 cups pureed pumpkin
1/2 c. sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ginger (for added deliciousnesss use fresh ginger. Grinding it yourself is laborious but you can find it already pureed and in jars at most grocery markets in the produce section, If using fresh, use a bit less than 1/2 tsp.)
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
2 eggs
3/4 c. half & half, light cream or milk.
1. Prepare pastry shell. (recipe below)
2. In a medium bowl, combine pumpkin, sugar, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and eggs. Mix gently with fork until combined. Add half&half. Stir until combined.
3. Place pie crust on oven rack. Pour filling in pastry shell.
4. Bake in a 375 degree oven for a total of 50 minutes. To prevent the edges of the pie crust from overbrowning, cover lightly with aluminium foil midway through baking time. After 50 minutes, a knife inserted into pie should come out clean. Cool and refrigerate within 2 hours.
Serve with real whipped cream for optimal deliciousness!
Pie Crust:
1 1/3 c. flour
1/3 c. Crisco (generous-- and the brand does make a difference!)
1/2 tsp. salt
4-6 T. water.
1. In medium bowl, combine flour and salt. Cut in shortening until pieces are "pea-sized".
2. Add tablespoons of water, tossing gently with a fork untl dough forms into a soft ball (like play dough).
3. On lightly floured surface slightly flatten dough. Continue to flatten (with rolling pin) until dough is 12" in diameter.
4. Fold in half and gently transfer to 9" pie plate.
5. Trim 1/2" beyond edge of pie pan. Fold under and crimp as desired. (Do not prick pastry with fork!)
*It's easy to grow your own pumpkins for pie so keep it in mind for next year.
pictures taken from: http://www.bfeedme.com/thanksgiving-pumpkin-pie-recipe/ & http://www.ehow.com/how_5186341_grow-sweet-suger-pie-pumpkins.html
(although the author on that website does not give credit for where he took the pictures from, the webpage gives directions for growing your own pie pumpkins)
Friday, November 6, 2009
Pumpkin Pie!
The holidays would not be complete without the seasonal sweets that top off the massive meals of both Thanksgiving and Christmas. However, preparation is needed in order to have the best of the best and it is time to get serious.
In order to make a perfect pumpkin pie, you will need fresh pumpkin. But not just any pumpkin. It's not enough to scoop out the innards of the family Jack-o-lantern. Indeed not!!! You will need a pie pumpkin and they are quickly disappearing from the grocery store's produce department- so hurry and get yours quickly. (You won't need to do anything with it right away so don't worry that you've got to rush home and bake that pie)
Recipe to follow!
In order to make a perfect pumpkin pie, you will need fresh pumpkin. But not just any pumpkin. It's not enough to scoop out the innards of the family Jack-o-lantern. Indeed not!!! You will need a pie pumpkin and they are quickly disappearing from the grocery store's produce department- so hurry and get yours quickly. (You won't need to do anything with it right away so don't worry that you've got to rush home and bake that pie)
Recipe to follow!
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
ghosts of christmas past
Christmas was a magical time for me as a child. My parents were poor and gifts were often sparse but the mystery of the season captured me in a particular way. So much so that I would decorate my own little tree and use whatever christmas decorations that were left to string around my room each year as though there could never be enough (and there wasn't!).
One christmas, I decided my brothers and I should "rehearse" christmas. I suppose I'd been in enough christmas programs by that time to have the innate sense that something that important had to be prepared for in a specific way. So, a few nights before christmas eve, I announced to my brothers that we were going to have a little christmas practice.
"Christmas practice?" my younger brother was always skeptical of my schemes and rarely wanted to join in imaginary play. One too many tea parties, I guess.
"Yeah, we have to be ready. And we should KNOW what we're going to do, which present we're going to unwrap first and how we're going to do things," I was trying and get him on the band wagon- to get the spirit of Christmas in full gear!
"We don't need to practice. That's just dumb."
Or that boy anyway.
The night of the dress reahearsal arrived. I was so excited that I couldn't sleep so I lay in my top bunk counting the hours till dress rehearsal Santa arrived. At some point I must have finally dozed off but some time around 3 a.m. my eyes popped open.
I climbed down to my brothers bed and made a small earthquake. "Wake up!"
"Wha??" Always a dead-to-the-world sleeper (a few years later he began sleep walking and did odd things around the house-- like peeing in a dresser drawer), his eyes didn't even open enough to realize it was still dark.
"Time to get up. We have to practice."
"Leave me alone." I smirked at my incoherent sibling and glanced over at the sleeping three-year-old in the crib, opting immediately out of his company.
"Leave me alone." I smirked at my incoherent sibling and glanced over at the sleeping three-year-old in the crib, opting immediately out of his company.
And that was the moment of truth. Only a true believer, only a fully fledged lover of Christmas was going to appreciate the proceedings of the night.I could count on no one but myself to fully appreciate the rehearsal for the ultimate night of anticipation!
"Fine," I whispered in his ear "but your not going to have any fun on Christmas because you won't know what you're supposed to do."
As sincere as Linus in his belief in The Great Pumpkin, I marched off to the living room to practice waiting. It would take patience and cunning to meet up with Santa. It would take perseverance to keep my eyes peeled on the sky in search of the large sleigh filled with wondrous goodies. And I would be certain to be ready for that big moment because, well, after all no one else would have practiced.
So there I was in the faintly moonlit room.
I indian walked to the tree, my nightgown whispering against the branches of the tree lightly shaking the kugel balls and bent over to plug in the lights. The dark room glowed with the thousand points of colored light that spread and bent off the glass ornaments nearby. I sat down in the warm glow of tinsel and tucked my legs under me and stared at the quietness. A finger crept out and tugged at a loose end of wrapping paper as if it had a mind of it's own then I quickly yanked my hand back into submission when I realized the crackling paper would probably wake the near dead in the other rooms.
Several solemn moments were spent in the solitude of the tree before I decided I should look for the likely path of the little old man with the red button nose. Would he scamper over that roof? Fly down that chimney? Could he make it over the oak tree and still get to our house or would he miss us altogether? (After all this was our first christmas in this house... in this town... in this state...) Maybe he wouldn't know I was here waiting, looking for him and he'd go on by, merrily passing out toys to other children and completely overlook the three strangers in town.
I curled into a ball and watched...
and waited...
and hoped....
for the mystery that was and still is ...
Christmas
"Fine," I whispered in his ear "but your not going to have any fun on Christmas because you won't know what you're supposed to do."
As sincere as Linus in his belief in The Great Pumpkin, I marched off to the living room to practice waiting. It would take patience and cunning to meet up with Santa. It would take perseverance to keep my eyes peeled on the sky in search of the large sleigh filled with wondrous goodies. And I would be certain to be ready for that big moment because, well, after all no one else would have practiced.
So there I was in the faintly moonlit room.
I indian walked to the tree, my nightgown whispering against the branches of the tree lightly shaking the kugel balls and bent over to plug in the lights. The dark room glowed with the thousand points of colored light that spread and bent off the glass ornaments nearby. I sat down in the warm glow of tinsel and tucked my legs under me and stared at the quietness. A finger crept out and tugged at a loose end of wrapping paper as if it had a mind of it's own then I quickly yanked my hand back into submission when I realized the crackling paper would probably wake the near dead in the other rooms.
Several solemn moments were spent in the solitude of the tree before I decided I should look for the likely path of the little old man with the red button nose. Would he scamper over that roof? Fly down that chimney? Could he make it over the oak tree and still get to our house or would he miss us altogether? (After all this was our first christmas in this house... in this town... in this state...) Maybe he wouldn't know I was here waiting, looking for him and he'd go on by, merrily passing out toys to other children and completely overlook the three strangers in town.
I curled into a ball and watched...
and waited...
and hoped....
for the mystery that was and still is ...
Christmas
Monday, October 5, 2009
Opening Ceremony
Traditions are an important part of Christmas and long before I darkened the doors of the Cook Street house, the small family had long held this tradition and I was joyfully asked to join in. The Friday after Thanksgiving is a well known shopping day for many and I know some who are up at the crack of dawn to catch the best sales. Really doesn't sound very fun to me-- but we do spend the day shopping.
The day begins early but not in the pitch of the night. We (and when I say "we" I mean all five of us. Four men: twenty-one, twenty-three, twelve, one older and myself, also, umm-- older) try and get out of the house just before 9 for breakfast at Village Inn. We eat plenty, recognizing it will be hours before we eat again and all our energy will be needed for the day at hand.
From there, we head out on a treasure hunt, in search of the ornament of the year. Each of us will scour the shelves and the fake trees of the best and specially chosen shops in our vicinity looking for the one ornament that will symbolize Christmas best for us this particular year. It is not a task taken lightly. No corner is left unturned nor branch ignored. Who knows where THE ornament is hiding itself?
Once the bobbles have been secured, we venture home for replenishment and preparation for the evening's festivities. If the wind is not too wickedly capricious, we might head out to the Christmas parade in a nearby suburban berg where Santa comes down Main Street, illuminating the streets he passes through. At the end of the street, he gives a Christmas speech to welcome the revelers and occasionally offers an inappropriate political addendum... but party differs fade into the spirit of the season and a warm shouts of cheer follow him on and off the stage.
After the evenings gaiety, we head home for Christmas movies that are as standard as "We wish you a Merry Christmas"-- 'Charlie Brown's Christmas' and 'The Snowman'. Once they finish we stumble off to bed knowing that the season's best is lying before us and we are looking forward to packages for pretty boys and girls!
There are plenty of other traditions we will be observing- but this is the first and perhaps the best.
The day begins early but not in the pitch of the night. We (and when I say "we" I mean all five of us. Four men: twenty-one, twenty-three, twelve, one older and myself, also, umm-- older) try and get out of the house just before 9 for breakfast at Village Inn. We eat plenty, recognizing it will be hours before we eat again and all our energy will be needed for the day at hand.
From there, we head out on a treasure hunt, in search of the ornament of the year. Each of us will scour the shelves and the fake trees of the best and specially chosen shops in our vicinity looking for the one ornament that will symbolize Christmas best for us this particular year. It is not a task taken lightly. No corner is left unturned nor branch ignored. Who knows where THE ornament is hiding itself?
Once the bobbles have been secured, we venture home for replenishment and preparation for the evening's festivities. If the wind is not too wickedly capricious, we might head out to the Christmas parade in a nearby suburban berg where Santa comes down Main Street, illuminating the streets he passes through. At the end of the street, he gives a Christmas speech to welcome the revelers and occasionally offers an inappropriate political addendum... but party differs fade into the spirit of the season and a warm shouts of cheer follow him on and off the stage.
After the evenings gaiety, we head home for Christmas movies that are as standard as "We wish you a Merry Christmas"-- 'Charlie Brown's Christmas' and 'The Snowman'. Once they finish we stumble off to bed knowing that the season's best is lying before us and we are looking forward to packages for pretty boys and girls!
There are plenty of other traditions we will be observing- but this is the first and perhaps the best.
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
86 days! Start planning gifts now!
Gift giving--
It is time to begin thinking about what you are giving your loved ones for Christmas. Budget wise and otherwise it is always good to give yourself plenty of time. In our house, we have all begun making our lists which is a great way to start. We don't try to get everything on the list and sometimes there is only one or two things from the list under the tree, but looking over what someone wants may lead to other interesting ideas that they may never have thought of. For example, last year my stepson Aubrey wanted lab equipment for Christmas. Most of what he wanted appeared to be out of his father's price range but we wanted to see what was available. While we were at the Cosco (Colorado Science Company, I think) we found a lab coat that we thought he would like. And in fact the expression on his face was priceless. It was the perfect gift for the mad scientist within!
If you make gifts, you have probably already started on your projects. If you haven't then you will want to get started soon! There's nothing worse than staying up all night trying to get a gift finished. Years ago (over several years), I made crosstitched stockings for my children and their cousins. The hours I put into this made it a priceless gift that was probably not as appreciated as I had hoped. (Watching my nephew drag his around the house nearly undid me one year!) This kind of gift has to be planned well in advance or not started in October with the intention of giving it in two months! Many Christmas patterns will come up for sale in the next month or two but be realistic and set them aside as a gift for next year.
We make trips to nearby towns to some of their specialty shops. This Saturday we're planning on an excursion to Boulder for a little pre-shopping on Pearl Street. Who knows if we'll find anything, but it's fun to begin looking around for that special gift that will light up a face as brightly as Aubrey's was last year!
It is time to begin thinking about what you are giving your loved ones for Christmas. Budget wise and otherwise it is always good to give yourself plenty of time. In our house, we have all begun making our lists which is a great way to start. We don't try to get everything on the list and sometimes there is only one or two things from the list under the tree, but looking over what someone wants may lead to other interesting ideas that they may never have thought of. For example, last year my stepson Aubrey wanted lab equipment for Christmas. Most of what he wanted appeared to be out of his father's price range but we wanted to see what was available. While we were at the Cosco (Colorado Science Company, I think) we found a lab coat that we thought he would like. And in fact the expression on his face was priceless. It was the perfect gift for the mad scientist within!
If you make gifts, you have probably already started on your projects. If you haven't then you will want to get started soon! There's nothing worse than staying up all night trying to get a gift finished. Years ago (over several years), I made crosstitched stockings for my children and their cousins. The hours I put into this made it a priceless gift that was probably not as appreciated as I had hoped. (Watching my nephew drag his around the house nearly undid me one year!) This kind of gift has to be planned well in advance or not started in October with the intention of giving it in two months! Many Christmas patterns will come up for sale in the next month or two but be realistic and set them aside as a gift for next year.
We make trips to nearby towns to some of their specialty shops. This Saturday we're planning on an excursion to Boulder for a little pre-shopping on Pearl Street. Who knows if we'll find anything, but it's fun to begin looking around for that special gift that will light up a face as brightly as Aubrey's was last year!
Thursday, September 3, 2009
112 days until Christmas!
And since Christmas really starts for us the day after Thanksgiving-- only 84 days!
"Sleigh Ride"
Just hear those sleigh bells jingle-ing
Ring ting tingle-ing too
Come on, it's lovely weather
For a sleigh ride together with you
Outside the snow is falling
And friends are calling "You Hoo"
Come on, it's lovely weather
For a sleigh ride together with you
Giddy-yap giddy-yap giddy-yap let's go
Let's look at the show
We're riding in a wonderland of snow
Giddy-yap giddy-yap giddy-yap it's grand
Just holding your hand
We're gliding along with the song of a wintry fairy land
Our cheeks are nice and rosy and comfy cozy are we
We're snuggled up together like two birds of a feather would be
Let's take the road before us and sing a chorus or two
Come on, it's lovely weather for a sleigh ride together with you
There's a birthday party at the home of Farmer Gray
It'll be the perfect ending of a perfect day
We'll be singing the songs we love to sing without a single stop
At the fireplace while we watch the chestnuts pop
Pop! Pop! Pop!
There's a happy feeling nothing in the world can buy
When they pass around the coffee and the pumpkin pie
It'll nearly be like a picture print by Currier and Ives
These wonderful things are the things we remember all through our lives
For more:
http://41051.com/xmas/
"Sleigh Ride"
Just hear those sleigh bells jingle-ing
Ring ting tingle-ing too
Come on, it's lovely weather
For a sleigh ride together with you
Outside the snow is falling
And friends are calling "You Hoo"
Come on, it's lovely weather
For a sleigh ride together with you
Giddy-yap giddy-yap giddy-yap let's go
Let's look at the show
We're riding in a wonderland of snow
Giddy-yap giddy-yap giddy-yap it's grand
Just holding your hand
We're gliding along with the song of a wintry fairy land
Our cheeks are nice and rosy and comfy cozy are we
We're snuggled up together like two birds of a feather would be
Let's take the road before us and sing a chorus or two
Come on, it's lovely weather for a sleigh ride together with you
There's a birthday party at the home of Farmer Gray
It'll be the perfect ending of a perfect day
We'll be singing the songs we love to sing without a single stop
At the fireplace while we watch the chestnuts pop
Pop! Pop! Pop!
There's a happy feeling nothing in the world can buy
When they pass around the coffee and the pumpkin pie
It'll nearly be like a picture print by Currier and Ives
These wonderful things are the things we remember all through our lives
For more:
http://41051.com/xmas/
Thursday, February 26, 2009
300 days!!!
It's exciting isn't it? just 300 days until we're opening presents and basking in the yuletide spirit. Are you making your christmas wish list yet? shopping for friends? family? I set a pretty high standard last year with my gifts so I am going to have to really do some thinking to top my gift giving last year!
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Friday, December 19, 2008
Five days and counting
The clock is ticking... will the christmas shopping get done? Can the cookie cutter get used to it's fulest? Will Santa get the list filled and on the sleigh? Stay tuned for the next installment of CHRISTMAS IS HERE!!!!
~Danette
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