Random 2012 notes

Oh, my---I love January. The pressure to be jolly is finally over, and now we can be merely content. Which is actually good enough, thank you.

The new year brought good news on a family health front and after that, well, all other good things were just a bonus. But, mercifully, they keep coming, and we are so grateful.

My mother-in-law is still recovering nicely and has managed to do so without threatening bodily harm to anyone, which is likely how I would react after being couch-bound for weeks on end.

In the last couple of weeks both kids have had sleepovers, Sir Jack for Nate and the lovely Elaina for Liv. Both guests were excellent company. This weekend has been a tad quieter, with Nate nursing a cold. Olivia is at her knitting lesson today with Cousin Emma. This idea was hatched by the girls and a dear church member Susan. Twice a month they go home with Susan after church, have a snack and knit. I don't know which thing I'm more blown away by---the fact that my ten-year-old daughter who loves all things electronic is fascinated by knitting, or the never-ending grace and generosity of someone like Susan who offered up two Sunday afternoons a month to knit and share cookies with her. As I mentioned, the good things blessedly keep rolling in.

What's on the night stand: (Or should I say what's on the new Kindle Fire which was a Christmas gift from hubs. But it does rest on the night stand.)-- Traveling Mercies, by Anne Lamont. Awesome, awesome read. Anne Lamont is a recovered alcoholic who is now an associate pastor of a super crunchy granola church in northern California. Her courageous honesty about her struggles through addiction, getting sober and unexpectedly having a son at age 35 is nothing short of humbling. The fact that she's hilarious is just icing.

What's been on the menu: Aunt Sybil's chili, roast chicken, chicken and rice soup, beef tips. All in the slow cooker, my winter BFF. Oh, and of course chicken casserole, the kind with the stuffing on top (not a slow cooker meal but just as easy and delicious). I had to make that after overhearing Nate ask Emma one night "Hey, have you ever had my Aunt Sybil's chicken casserole? With the crunchy stuff on top? Oh, MAN that stuff is goooood." Emma and my Aunt Sybil, as far as I know, have never met. But maybe I should make the casserole for her one day--she will definitely want to meet her and get her autograph to boot. :)

State of winter so far: Still not much of one, although today the temps barely reached above 40 which was highly unusual. Aunt Beth's birthday is still coming up on Tuesday and that almost always brings some snow. Finger's crossed!
And fingers double-crossed that if it comes, it'll melt in about 8 hours. Heh. Sorry, that's how we southern gals roll.