My (Almost) Christmas Baby

Happy Birthday Joseph Daniel!  You are 2 today.  You were, and will always be, my (almost) Christmas baby!  

It's a little bittersweet.  In my mind, two marks the end of your 'babyhood'.  And, now we officially have no more babies in our home.  And, unless God would send us a surprise, I don't think we will.  Your birthday, Joseph, marks the beginning of a new stage for our whole family.  A little sad, yes, but also very exciting!


Happy Birthday HoJo! 

Merry Christmas!

May your Christmas this year be joyous & richly blessed.  I have been so blessed by all of you my dear blogging friends.  Thank you!

Addendum to Yesterday's Post/ Weight Loss Update

First, an addendum to yesterday's post.  I kinda feel bad about writing that now.  Looking back I wrote it out of frustration and with not a whole lot of grace.


I didn't give the benefit of the doubt to a whole group of people who have a job I'd rather not have during the Christmas season.  I mentioned that I've been in their shoes, but a lot of time has passed since then and I think I've forgotten a bit how stressful it really is.


I thought about deleting the post altogether.  But, I think I will leave it there for now.  I do, however, want to apologize to those folks who are working in retail/ service industries.  I know you work hard.  I know this is a rough time of year.  And, those of you with good customer service really do still outweigh those with not so good.  


I'm going to work harder to look for the positive this holiday season and all year long.  And, hopefully I remember to say 'thank you' for a job well done.




Second, I've reached another weight loss milestone.  And, I feel a little silly mentioning it right before Christmas.  But, I'm really excited, so I wanted to share.  As of this morning I have lost 30 pounds since July (35 pounds since the beginning of this year).  I still have a few more to go, but I feel SO much better than I did at the beginning of the year.
 - I have more energy.
 - My moods have evened out (I still can be moody, but nothing like the wild swings I was having earlier this year)
 - I feel lighter & more comfortable in clothes.
 - I just feel overall better instead of feeling kinda yucky most of the time.


Sometime after the new year I plan to write a post on what I've been doing to get healthier.  I've had a lot of people I know ask me, so I figured I'd put it all down.  And, really it's stuff I knew I should be doing all along.




If I don't get back here before Christmas, Have a very Merry Christmas!

Some Basic Customer Service Tips For the Young Employee Who May or May Not Know Any Better

(I've written an addendum to this post.  You can read that here. )


I know it's a crazy time of year and that folks who work in retail and other service industries have probably had just about all that they can handle.  I have also worked in several different customer service positions over the years, so I suppose I'm particularly sensitive to how I am treated as a customer.

I try really hard to be a pleasant, considerate, respectful customer.  I'm afraid though that the art of good customer service is quickly getting lost.  And, I'm really not sure if some of the younger generation have actually been taught what they should do.


Thus, my list for those who maybe just don't know....


1. When a customer is standing at the counter where you are working, acknowledge them.
2. If you are not immediately able to help the customer say something like, "I will be with you in a moment".
3. Ignoring a customer hoping they'll just go away is not appropriate.
4. A customer is more important than the restocking or reorganizing you were working on. In fact, the customer is the reason you have items that need restocked/reorganized.
5. If you are a sales person from another department who stops in to a department where a customer is waiting & the sales person in charge is unaware you should also a)aknowledge the customer & b) alert the appropriate employee.
6. If the customer decides that he/she is not actually going to purchase the item she/he asked you to pull from a locked cabinet & price check, remember this is their perogative.   Rolling your eyes is not an appropriate response.
7. If a customer has 2 sleepy/cranky children with them, it would be ever so helpful to assist them in a timely manner.
8. If you legitimately did not realize the customer was standing there, when you are made aware it is gracious to say, "I'm so sorry. I didn't realize you were there. I didn't mean to make you wait. Can I help you?"


And, for those of us on the customer end, let's always remember to give a smile & a cheery greeting even when we don't receive the same.  You never know what kind of day someone has had!

Thought You'd Like To Know....

I just thought you'd like to know that I'm drinking this right now.....


It's Turmeric Chai Tea & I found this lovely recipe over at New Nostalgia.

Picture found at New Nostalgia

I was blown away by the list of health benefits from turmeric, a spice that I rarely, if ever, use. I'm tellin' ya!  It's pretty impressive.  Go check out the link!


Note to self:  A coffee filter doesn't really work all that great as a sieve.  Buy some cheesecloth.  
Note to you:  I noticed the recipe doesn't actually call for any tea.  I steeped my spices along with a green tea bag.  

Citrus Arugula Salad

I'm still here.  I haven't been posting much because I really am trying to keep my head above water with Christmas preparations.  Boy, that sentence sounds so wrong doesn't it?  Why do I stress myself out every year?


Anyway, God is also really working on my heart this season.  I'm still trying to process everything He's trying to say to me. 


On a lighter note, I wanted to share a yummy idea you could include with your Christmas dinner.  I made these for our mom's group Christmas brunch.  And, they really turned out nice.  They're pretty too.

Citrus Arugula Salad on Parmesan Baskets

First, to make the parmesan basket you take shredded parmesan cheese (it's fine 
too if it's a blend of romano & asiago & parmesan) and you spoon 1-2 tablespoons 
of the cheese on a cookie sheet.  Then use your fingers to spread the cheese out 
into a circle.  I put about 3 of these circles on a cookie sheet at a time.  I 
greased my sheet for the first batch but didn't need to after that. 
 Bake at 350 

degrees for about 5 minutes until the cheese is golden brown.  Allow to cool 

slightly, but when it is still warm & pliable you want to use a metal spatula to 
take the parmesan circle off the sheet and drape over an upside down cup to mold 
into a cup/basket shape.  I usually take a paper towel or cloth & actually press 
the sides down to help mold the shape.    This is a link that shows the process 
step by step....http://whatscookingamerica.net/Appetizers/ParmesanCrisp.htm  
(You can also make them stove top using a small skillet.  I've done it that way 
before too...but for making a large number the oven was the way to go) 
 
The salad was simply a mix of arugula & baby spinach tossed with this 
vinaigrette & then topped with mandarin oranges 
 
Honey Mandarin-Lime Vinaigrette 
3/4 c. cider vinegar (I actually used white vinegar) 
3/4 c. Mandarin orange juice 
2 T. lime juice 
3 T. honey 
1 T. brown sugar 
1 shallot clove minced 
1 1/2 c. olive oil 
pinch of salt 
 
Combine all ingredients except olive oil in blender & blend well.  Then on a low 
blend speed, drizzle in olive oil until well mixed. 

A Simple Christmas?

Every year I tell myself I'm going to keep Christmas simple...not get swept up in the hurry & the busy & the hype.  Every year I tell myself I'm going to keep it slow & focused....that I want to be sure me and my family remember why we are celebrating at all.


And, every year, I still find myself struggling for simple.  


We don't do a lot of parties or gift exchanges or expensive gifts.  We try to be reasonable about the money we do spend & not go into debt.  I don't frequent malls or shopping centers, preferring to do most my shopping on line or at some smaller stores.  


I try really hard to keep it simple.


And, yet I have a whirlwind of To Do Lists flying through my head.  A list of Christmas cookies & candies I want to make & the list of teachers, friends, etc. I want to give them to.  I have a to do list for my mom's group's Christmas brunch (I'm the hospitality person), and a to do list for my children's class parties at school (I'm not able to go in but am sending some things in).  There's my personal list of everyday chores & tasks, and my list for Christmas presents yet to buy.  There are Christmas picture cards ordered & received that now I need to address and send. 


 Baking, wrapping, planning, buying.  Where did my quest for simplicity go?


And, in the midst of it all, I remember my extended family that is suffering with a grief I can't begin to imagine this season.  I look ahead to Friday when funeral services will be held for the three family members whose lives ended in such a tragic way.  


I have to rearrange my morning on Friday in order to attend the funeral.  It's the morning of the Christmas brunch for my moms group.  And, I'm in charge of several things related to the brunch.  I'm stressing as I'm trying to figure out how to delegate & get as much done as I can ahead of time.  


And, then I stop myself.  So what?  So what if I don't get it all done?  Perspective pushes in at me from all sides....
 - the loss of 3 lives in my own family, Rachel, Patti, and Melvin
 - a young boy (whose grandmother I know) who had brain surgery this morning to remove a tumor
 - the family in our area who lost 3 of their children in one tragic car accident last week
 - the blogger whose blog has brought such joy & encouragement to me who is fighting her own battle with cancer
 - friends whose Christmas will be simple not because of their own choosing but because the husband still has not been able to find employment despite months of job searching


This is why He came.  Emmanuel - God With Us.  He came to walk with us in our human condition.  And, he brought Hope.


The Christmas celebration is a celebration of Hope. 


I still love the trees and the decorations and the food and the gifts.  I just don't want to make Christmas ALL about that.  And, it's easy to do.


I guess keeping it simple can be as simple as stopping and remembering and meditating  on what He has done.  I don't want to forget.


(P.S. - If you haven't done so yet, you really should read this post called ' How in the World to get ready for Christmas'  over at  A Holy Experience.  It spoke volumes to me.)