First Christmas

Today we had our first Christmas celebration of the season, as so often happens when family is scattered far and wide. Today was a celebration with family on Rob's side. It has been a weekend filled with fun traditions and some new adventures. The festivities officially kicked off with trimming the tree. An opportunity to share with the next generation the memories held in those lovely bits of wood, metal and glass. Including the first ornaments that trimmed the first tree that Gram and Grandpa had when first married. They were hand painted wooden ornaments hung on a tree with popcorn and paper garlands. That first tree was about as tall as my youngest (three feet.)

Today was the day that stockings and presents were opened. Yes, Santa found us even for this early celebration. We told our kids that Santa makes sure to find all families that are celebrating Christmas, even if they have to do so on a day that is not exactly Christmas. This was the first time that they both truly understood that treasures lie hidden within those colorfully wrapped packages, so they had a hard time being patient while gifts were being handed out and they wanted to "help" everyone open theirs. 

It was a wonderful holiday weekend, the perfect start to the Christmas season and an excellent time spent with family. 

Many blessings to you this night.--Kate

A Christmas Surprise.

Today, as a Christmas surprise, I was taken on a "girls' day" trip to a painting class. The "girls" who went on this adventure were, my mother-in-law, my sister-in-law (Marjorie), a neighbor and close friend of my parents-in-law (Bobbie) and myself. It was a special surprise planned by my mother-in-law for Marjorie and I. All we where told ahead of time was to bring clothes that could get messy. Which was definitely not a hint that gave the surprise away. One of Marjorie's not so serious guesses was panning for gold. 

Another wonderful part to the surprise was that the class was at a nursery, which was once an orchard. The building front looks much like they did in the many old photos that hung on the walls, and they have done a beautiful job caring for and refinishing the inside so that it has kept an antique, early 1900's charm. It was a lovely location that one could easily spend hours wandering around in. Besides the nursery there was a cafe and in the old Fruit Shed there was a large selection of home and garden furnishings, like pots, (some that were water fountains.) Also in the Fruit Shed there was a little fabric store, a wine and art gallery, a olive oil and balsamic (on tap) shop and another art gallery. That is just in the small section that we walked through to get to where the art class was being held. 

The art class is open for people of all interests and skill levels. It is called "Sip and Paint." Everything is provided, canvas, paint, brushes, a little picture of the painting we are working on for the class and a table filled with delicious snacks and a variety of beverages, mostly wines, (perhaps to improve the technique.) The teacher, Unni, does a wonderful job of guiding you through the painting and walks around frequently to offer up suggestions and aid in color blending. Amazingly at the end of 3 hours you actually have a painting ready to take home, and if you can manage to refrain from making "finishing touches" and are brave enough to allow your work to be viewed by others, it is ready to be hung proudly in your home. 

Today really was an excellent Surprise Saturday. 

They all turned out amazing. It was so much fun to see how everyone has a slightly different take on the picture. 

 The painting I did.

Many blessings to you on this fine night.--Kate

Tuesday Traditions

I am going to put transformations on hold to the month to talk instead about some of the traditions that we do during the holidays.

Today's tradition, the Advent Calendar. We have had this cute little Hallmark Tree calendar for a few years now. The kids like it so well they fight over who's turn it is.

So the solution, this year we have two Advent Calendars.

The new addition is a Lego calendar. Where they get to open a new door everyday and build the item that is inside then add it to the city scene. It is already turning out to be a lot of fun.

I am excited for this season of festivities, family and traditions.

Many blessings to you on this fine night.--Kate

Coconut Pancakes

A wonderful grain free pancake option. It is a little bit sweeter and much lighter then almond pancakes, (a recipe I will share later.) My youngest requests these pancakes almost every morning. 

Coconut Pancakes

Ingredients:
-3 eggs
-4 Tbsp Organic butter (melted)
1/4 cup milk
1/4 tsp vanilla
6 Tbsp Coconut flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp salt
1/4 cup Xylitol (I have found that it makes the pancakes taste much better then the Stevia does.
2 tsp coconut oil to cook in. (You do not need much the butter in the batter helps it to not stick, but I have found that for the first pancake I have to have a little something in the pan.)

Directions:
* Mix all the dry ingredients in one bowl and all the wet ingredients in another. Then add the wet to the dry ingredients. 
Over medium heat add 2-3 Tbsp of batter to the skillet. Makes approx. 10 cakes.

My youngest enjoying some breakfast.

Many blessings to you on this fine night. 

Peaceful Sunday Afternoons

Lovely, quiet, sunny fall days are the best!

Many blessings to you on this fine day.--Kate

Microsoft/Windows Phone Scam

What a Saturday Surprise, here I was thinking I was so smart, but I fell for a major computer phone scam. Now I feel like a huge fool.

First you receive the phone call saying that they are from Microsoft or Windows and that there have been error warning reports sent to them that there are problems with your computer. (this is the point that you should hang up, Microsoft does not track what is happening on your computer.) If you are a fool like me and persist. Next they will have you go on your computer and push some buttons and they will show you a few sites that show how many problems there are on your computer. Then a few sites later they will have remote access to your computer and then they can start showing you all kinds of things that will convince you that your computer is a total mess and each second it is getting worse. Then comes the kicker they can clean it all up and get your computer back to working order just as soon as you fill out their registrations and sign-up for either a one year, three year or whole life protection plan. I of course fell for the whole life plan, (what a deal, right) 399 dollars and can be transferred to any computer or even to your kids. ( I know, I know in hind site I can totally see the warnings. Even in the moment something did not seem quite right, but I ignored my smarter self and on I fell.) The actual total was 415 and some change, (for the taxes and fees right.)

Thankfully I have a smart and suspicious husband who looked into the whole thing and quickly discovered the danger. So now I have a canceled card, 2 hours in combing through both computers to change passwords and check to make sure there were not any other problems. I will be making a few phone calls to report the scam. I have that horrible feeling of violation and I am totally embarrassed.

Most importantly though I wanted to send out the warning. They are good, especially if you only know enough about computers to be dangerous. Some of the biggest warning signs that I thought were strange even at the time was that they are giving you the hard sell the entire time. Trying to show you just how bad it is and convince you that you have to take steps to fix it. Please, please do not fall victim as I did. Microsoft and windows will not call you if there are problems on your computer.

I really still can not believe that I fell for this.

Many blessings to you on this lesson learned night. --Kate

Holiday Lights Parade, Caroling and Fireworks.

So every year downtown they have a parade and fireworks the day after Thanksgiving to kick off the season of Christmas. Actually they have a lot of activities down town for the season. There is a Festival of Trees, where the proceeds for the trees goes to the local hospital. There is a cruise to Santa's Village. Where they even read off the list of kids on the nice list. Everything is kicked off on this night with the parade and fireworks.

Even though we have been living here for 10 years this is the first time we have made it downtown for this event. We have watched the fireworks from the roof of our house before, but I thought this year with the weather being more mild that the kids might enjoy it.

Let's just say it was a good idea. About the time we were leaving it started raining. It was warm but quite wet. My youngest fell asleep on the drive downtown, so I had to hold him the whole time. Though we chose a great spot for watching the parade as it was right across from the fireworks and carolers and there the tree would be lit. In was an intersection and people kept pushing and crowding until the wee children in front were less then a foot away from the vehicles driving down the street. Very scary (and rude). The one very bright spot I met an exceptionally nice woman who was down there with her son, who was a great help to me with my oldest.

We did not quite make it to the end of the parade, we left just before the carolers started and we were definitely gone before the fireworks started (though we did catch then from the car.) It was a good first attempt. Maybe next year Daddy can join us and then it will not matter where we stand because we can hoist the kids on to shoulders to see.

Many blessings to you on this fine (wet) night.--Kate