Ann

Geri...please share your Christmas Pudding recipe with me. Sounds yummy!

1. Avoid carrot sticks. Anyone who puts carrots on a holiday buffet table knows nothing of the Christmas spirit. In fact, if you see carrots, leave immediately. Go next door, where they're serving rum balls. 2. Drink as much eggnog as you can, and quickly. Like fine single-malt scotch, it's rare. In fact, it's even rarer than single-malt scotch. You can't find it any other time of year but now. So drink up! Who cares that it has 10,000 calories in every sip? It's not as if you're going to turn into an eggnog-aholic, or something. It's a treat. Enjoy it. Have one for me. Have two. It's later than you think. It's Christmas! 3. If something comes with gravy, use it. That's the whole point of gravy. Gravy does not stand-alone. Pour it on. Make a volcano out of your mashed potatoes. Fill it with gravy. Eat the volcano. Repeat. 4. As for mashed potatoes - always ask whether they're made with skim milk, or whole milk. If it's skim, pass. Why bother? It's like buying a sports car with an automatic transmission. 5. Do not have a snack before going to a party in an effort to control your eating. The whole point of going to a Christmas party is to eat other people's food for free. Lots of it. Helloooooo ? 6. Under no circumstances should you exercise between now and New Year's. You can do that in January when you have nothing else to do. This is the time for long naps, which you'll need after circling the buffet table while carrying a 10-pound plate of food and that vat of eggnog. 7. If you come across something really good at a buffet table, like frosted Christmas cookies in the shape and size of Santa, position yourself near them and don't budge. Have as many as you can before becoming the center of attention. They're like a beautiful pair of shoes. If you leave them behind, you're never going to see them again. 8. Same for pies. Apple. Pumpkin. Mincemeat. Have a slice of each. Or, if you don't like mincemeat, have two apples and one pumpkin. Always have three. When else do you get to have more than one dessert? Labor Day? 9. Did someone mention fruitcake? Granted, it's loaded with the mandatory celebrator y calories, but avoid it at all cost. I mean, have some standards. 10. One final tip: If you don't feel terrible when you leave the party, or get up from the table, you haven't been paying attention. Re-read tips; start over, but hurry, January is just around the corner. Remember this motto to live by: "Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, chocolate in one hand, martini in the other, body thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming "WOO HOO ? what a ride!" SO TRUE

This is copied from the www.widownet.org forums by a man named Steve. Hoping for peaceful holidays to everyone. " Dear Santa: I hope you would take a moment and listen to this list of Christmas wishes. It is for people who need it more than anything so please take care of them, it is for the newly widowed. I wish they would have at least one day of peace - no anger, no overwhelming sadness, no sense that it's all impossible - just one day of peace. I wish they would have someone who knows them, loves them and is so very concerned about them, just to be there when they need someone around. I wish that they would have at least one person they could call at 3am who would truly listen and better yet understand. I wish they would have at least one day with a full eight hours or more of restful sleep. I wish that someone would surprise them by bringing dinner one night, and I would wish that the dinner would taste wonderful - not like cardboard like so many nights before. I wish they would have friends who will understand why the Christmas cards did not get mailed this year. I wish they would have the strength and courage to cry whenever and wherever they need to, you know Santa its so much better to let the tears out than hold them in. I wish that they would have good health, and be blessed with doctors who understand that grief is a cloak that affects the entire body and soul. I wish they would be free from DGI's for at least one full day. I wish they would have at least one full day free from confusion and widderbrain. And above all, Santa, please give them what we all need here at WN - hope. Just a little hope to help us get through these holidays and the days ahead... Thanks, Santa. "

Fay, I am very sorry that any of this was offensive to you. Regardless of faith or religion, this time of year (Christmas for me) is a special time of peace and love. I truly hope this can be remembered by all of us.

Saying prayers and thinking of you, Val.

Addie, I just wanted to let you know how wonderful it is to see all these posts from you today! I take this as a sign that you're feeling better! You have been so missed and so prayed for by everyone here! I'm just bubbling over with happiness that you're up and running!!!

Don't get me wrong her. I didn't post to start a debate and cause any hard feelings. My post was not about whether it "IS" or "IS NOT" a gift but rather about how we all look at things differently.

I usually bake a ham for Christmas but am going to do prime rib this year. I have a yummy recipe for a pepper crusted prime rib and I hope it's a success. I am going to make Kasey's mashed potatoes (ahead of time) and then add lots of different veggies and sides. Dessert....Kahlua bundt cake!

Cindi...I love ya.

What is the traditional Christmas dinner menu for your family?

Thanks for the recipe, Kasey! This sounds great! I will be trying this for Christmas dinner this year! Now...Cindi...don't salivate all over the place!!! You'll drool all over the pub and make such a mess!

I love nothing more than to see moms bursting out at the seams with pride in their children! Your post certainly shows the love and pride you see in your son! What a wonderful milestone...for both of you!!!

I agree with Ginny. Your mom sounds like one heck of a gal! I am so glad you have all of these wonderful, happy memories to look back on! I'm sending lots of hugs to help you get through this tough time!

Sorry to hear your results weren't what we were all hoping to hear but am very glad you and that beer truch avoided a crash! Praying for better results and successful treatment!

I can understand why you feel that cancer is not a gift but I think we should all be a little more respectful of posts on this board. I think you should each put yourself in the shoes of the kind and caring person that posted this thread and see how you would feel if so many people made such harsh remarks. Different people read different things differently and have different feelings about them. I watched my husband die from cancer. Was that a gift? No. But God has given me many gifts as a result of that experience. One of these gifts has been the opportunity to share and exchange thoughts with the wonderful members of this board. I would hate to think that we are all expected to come to the same conclusion after reading a post! As a moderator, I strongly encourage any member to post anything that they feel strongly about or read and enjoy.

Here are a few things to think about that you probably have never thought about; Can you cry under water? How important does a person have to be before they are considered assassinated instead of just murdered? Why do you have to "put your two cents in"...but it's only a "penny for your thoughts"? Where's that extra penny going to? Why does a round pizza come in a square box? What disease did cured ham actually have? How is it that we put man on the moon before we figured out it would be a good idea to put wheels on luggage? Why is it that people say they "slept like a baby" when babies wake up like every two hours? If a deaf person has to go to court, is it still called a hearing? Why are you IN a movie, but you're ON TV? Why do people pay to go up tall buildings and then put money in binoculars to look at things on the ground? Why do doctors leave the room while you change? They're going to see you naked anyway. Why is "bra" singular and "panties" plural? Why do toasters always have a setting that burns the toast to a horrible crisp, which no decent human being would eat? If Jimmy cracks corn and no one cares, why is there a stupid song about him? If the professor on Gilligan's Island can make a radio out of a coconut, why can't he fix a hole in a boat? Why do people point to their wrist when asking for the time, but don't point to their crotch when they ask where the bathroom is? Why does Goofy stand erect while Pluto remains on all fours? They're both dogs! If Wyle E. Coyote had enough money to buy all that ACME crap, why didn't he just buy dinner? If corn oil is made from corn, and vegetable oil is made from vegetables, what is baby oil made from? If electricity comes from electrons, does morality come from morons? Do the Alphabet song and Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star have the same tune? Why did you just try singing the two songs above? Why do they call it an asteroid when it's outside the hemisphere, but call it a hemorrhoid when it's in you’re a$$? Did you ever notice that when you blow in a dog's face, he gets mad at you, but when you take him for a car ride; he sticks his head out the window?

Kasey...try these brands. Crystal Hot Sauce or Texas Pete .

Kasey...I would love the recipe. I am to the point that I cook most everything that has to go in the oven the day before a big dinner and then just heat it all up. Having mashed potatoes ready ahead would be be a wonderful help! As for the hot sauce, I think almost any brand would work. This is the hot sauce in the bottles...sauce is red. I think some brands call it "pepper sauce." It's the same sauce I use when I make wings. PS...I made a double recipe of this for work today and the dish is now empty.

Lynda, I am so sorry your mother is having such a rough time. I know how difficult it must be for you to deal with, also. If your mom is refusing to take any pills, this may be tough. I know there are some appetite stimulizers in pill form that we tried for my husband. The nausea meds he took were also in pill form but I know there are suppositories available from the doctor that are very effective for nausea. I know it's hard to eat when you are feeling nauseated so I would think that would be the first thing you need to correct. Boost and Ensure are both good supplements that should help. Hope things get better soon.

Yesterday morning, I felt as if smiling would be an impossible task. My day at work was as usual and the drive home uneventful...still nothing to make me smile. Then, all three of my sons dropped to have dinner with me. My soon to be DIL made dinner and brought it to my house. We all sat around the table and exchanged stories about Dennis. We were all smiling and laughing...just the way Dennis would have wanted us to be. So...my children and lots of good memories made me smile!

I have desperately been trying to keep myself busy and my mind occupied for the past few days, so last night I made this casserole to bring to the office today. I should have shared this recipe with Andrea for the cookbook. I had forgotten how good and easy this dish is. So...thought I'd share this with any of you that need fast, easy dishes for this time of year. Buffalo Chicken Dip 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 2 pounds) 1 (12oz) bottle Frank's Hot Sauce 2 (8 oz) packages cream cheese 1 (16 oz) bottle blue cheese salad dressing (or Ranch if you prefer) 8 oz shredded cheese...sharp, Monterey Jack, or combo Preheat oven to 350. Boil chicken until cooked thoroughly. Remove chicken from water and shred with two forks. In a 13x9 baking dish, combine chicken with hot sauce. Spread evenly in baking dish. In large saucepan, over medium heat, combine the cream cheese and salad dressing. Stir until smooth and hot. Pour evenly over chicken. Bake, uncovered, for 20 minutes. Sprinkle shredded cheese on top and bake for another 10 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before serving. Really yummy!!!

THE PRODIGAL Once upon a time not so long ago, on a farm in north central Texas, there lived an older couple whose 2 daughters had flown the nest, the time having come for each one to make her own nest. Younger Daughter was headstrong, argumentative, independent- in fact, she was exactly like her father! She & he had argued, they had shouted, they had stomped their feet. and it got worse: She married young (the wrong boy!) She had children young (rash!) She moved out of state (outrageous!) When she placed one of her sporadic calls home, the family made sure that they all got to talk to her before Dad got on the line: no matter how civilly the conversation started, within minutes, they'd hear Dad's voice rising, & rising, & rising, followed by the sound of a telephone being banged down into its cradle. The Older (Good) Daughter, meanwhile, listened to her parents, made good grades, dated nice boys, finished college before marrying the perfect son-in-law, stayed close & helped her parents, & was, therefore.... taken entirely for granted. The years rocked on. Dad had a heart attack one summer, & he wasn't doing at all well. He was under strict doctor's orders to take his medicine, do his light exercise, watch his blood pressure, & behave himself. So he sat down in his recliner, glaring at the television, brooding about his health, & sinking into melancholy. Good Daughter got an excited call from Mom one autumn afternoon: Dad was (at last!) out of doors! He was picking up the pecans that had fallen from their dozens of pecan trees. When the pecans were all gathered into bushel baskets, Dad would shell them for pies & cakes & fill Mason jars with them for Christmas presents, just as he had done every autumn of his married life. Good Daughter heaved a sigh of relief: Things were looking up! Then her phone rang again. Uh-oh. There had been a letter from Younger Daughter. She had saved a little money & was flying home for the holidays, bringing the 2 small grandchildren that her parents & sister had not yet met. Younger Daughter closed her letter thus: "I can't wait to get back home. "I still remember picking up pecans with Daddy when I was a little girl. "We'd put them in bushel baskets & bring them inside, & shell them, & make presents by filling Mason jars with pecans & tying ribbons around the top. "I can't tell you how many times these rich memories have comforted & sustained me in some of the hard years. "I hope the pecans make a good crop this year. "I'm looking forward to picking up pecans with my Daddy once again, & I want my own 2 little ones to have the same kind of memories of Christmas on the farm with their mom & grandparents, memories that may sustain them in the future. "Your Loving Daughter..." Mom told Older Daughter she was very worried: When Dad had finished reading the letter, he had gone outside & stood, facing the sunset, not speaking, not moving. Could Older Daughter come? Older Daughter flung on her coat & drove to the farm as fast as she could. She felt a wave of panic when she drove through the gate: She could see her father doing something with his arms, bending, then making big arcs. Was he having another heart attack? Was he trying to signal his distress? Then she saw the bushel baskets by his feet. Her Daddy was flinging every pecan back under the trees.

Thinking back on yesterday, share with us things that made you smile.

Sam and Edith were 85 years old, and had been married for sixty years. Though they were far from rich, they managed to get by because they watched their pennies. Though not young, they were both in very good health, largely due to the wife's insistence on healthy foods and exercise for the last decade. One day, their good health didn't help when they went on a rare vacation and their plane crashed, sending them off to Heaven. They reached the pearly gates, and there an escort was waiting to show them inside. He took them to a beautiful mansion, furnished in gold and fine silks, with a fully stocked kitchen and a waterfall in the master bath, and their favorite clothes hanging in the closet. They gasped in astonishment when he said, "Welcome to Heaven. This will be your home now." Sam asked how much all this was going to cost. "Why, nothing," their companion replied, "remember, this is your reward in Heaven." Sam looked out the window and right there he saw a championship golf course, finer and more beautiful than any ever-built on Earth. "What are the greens fees?" grumbled the old man. "This is heaven," the companion replied. "You can play for free, everyday." Next they went to the clubhouse and saw the lavish buffet lunch, with every imaginable cuisine laid out before them, from seafood to steaks to exotic desserts, free flowing beverages. "Don't even ask," said their companion. "This is Heaven, it is all free for you to enjoy." The old man looked around and glanced nervously at Edith. "Well, where are the low fat and low cholesterol foods, and the decaffeinated tea?" he asked. That's the best part," the companion replied. "You can eat and drink as much as you like of whatever you like, and you will never get fat or sick. This is Heaven!" Sam pushed, "No gym to work out at?" "Not unless you want to," was the answer. "No testing my sugar or blood pressure or..." "Never again. All you do here is enjoy yourself." Sam glared at Edith and said, "You and your f'''king bran muffins. We could have been here 15 years ago!"

I am so sorry Mike is continuing to have problems. With all of these appointments, I am sure someone will be able to help. I am certainly going to keep on praying for both of you! You take care of yourself and give Mike our love!