The morning radio show that I listen to brought up an interesting thought several weeks ago:  Do we "peak" at some point in our lives with our looks?  Do we have a few really good years before we go downhill?  The men on the show, and it is all men on the show except for a few female guests, seemed to think that their "peak" lasted 5-7 years while a woman's "peak" lasted 3-5. 

I agree.

My peak has come and gone, people, and I am thoroughly disappointed.  My peak was in my early 20's (good god, that makes me feel so old).  Need evidence?  All of these pictures were taken 2005-2007.  Three whole years.

Look!  I had a waist!



My dress, though made to fit, was too big for me the day of my wedding.  It was a size 4.



Abs, anyone?

And then, the downfall.  All pictures were taken 2008-2011.







Some may argue that my peak happened before I had children and your body and metabolism change afterward, I had more "me" time before I had kids, blah blah blah.  Truth is, I probably peaked.  And, for me, it is pretty disappointing, but just a fact of life.

Do you agree or disagree that people "peak" at some point in their lives?  Have you "peaked"?

Apparently the White House referred to Christmas Trees as Holiday Trees for the first time this year which prompted CBS presenter, Ben Stein, to present this piece which I would like to share with you. I think it applies just as much to many countries as it does to America .

The following was written by Ben Stein and recited by him on CBS Sunday Morning Commentary.

My confession:
I am a Jew, and every single one of my ancestors was Jewish. And it does not bother me even a little bit when people call those beautiful lit up, bejeweled trees, Christmas trees. I don't feel threatened. I don't feel discriminated against. That's what they are, Christmas trees.

It doesn't bother me a bit when people say, 'Merry Christmas' to me. I don't think they are slighting me or getting ready to put me in a ghetto. In fact, I kind of like it. It shows that we are all brothers and sisters celebrating this happy time of year. It doesn't bother me at all that there is a manger scene on display at a key intersection near my beach house in Malibu . If people want a creche, it's just as fine with me as is the Menorah a few hundred yards away.

I don't like getting pushed around for being a Jew, and I don't think Christians like getting pushed around for being Christians. I think people who believe in God are sick and tired of getting pushed around, period. I have no idea where the concept came from, that America is an explicitly atheist country. I can't find it in the Constitution and I don't like it being shoved down my throat.

Or maybe I can put it another way: where did the idea come from that we should worship celebrities and we aren't allowed to worship God? I guess that's a sign that I'm getting old, too. But there are a lot of us who are wondering where these celebrities came from and where the America we knew went to.

In light of the many jokes we send to one another for a laugh, this is a little different: This is not intended to be a joke; it's not funny, it's intended to get you thinking.

Billy Graham's daughter was interviewed on the Early Show and Jane Clayson asked her 'How could God let something like this happen?' (regarding Hurricane Katrina)..Anne Graham gave an extremely profound and insightful response. She said, 'I believe God is deeply saddened by this, just as we are, but for years we've been telling God to get out of our schools, to get out of our government and to get out of our lives. And being the gentleman He is, I believe He has calmly backed out. How can we expect God to give us His blessing and His protection if we demand He leave us alone?'

In light of recent events...terrorists attack, school shootings, etc. I think it started when Madeleine Murray O'Hare (she was murdered, her body found a few years ago) complained she didn't want prayer in our schools, and we said OK. Then someone said you better not read the Bible in school. The Bible says thou shalt not kill; thou shalt not steal, and love your neighbor as yourself. And we said OK.

Then Dr. Benjamin Spock said we shouldn't spank our children when they misbehave, because their little personalities would be warped and we might damage their self-esteem (Dr. Spock's son committed suicide). We said an expert should know what he's talking about. And we said okay.

Now we're asking ourselves why our children have no conscience, why they don't know right from wrong, and why it doesn't bother them to kill strangers, their classmates, and themselves.

Probably, if we think about it long and hard enough, we can figure it out. I think it has a great deal to do with 'WE REAP WHAT WE SOW.'

Funny how simple it is for people to trash God and then wonder why the world's going to hell. Funny how we believe what the newspapers say, but question what the Bible says. Funny how you can send 'jokes' through e-mail and they spread like wildfire, but when you start sending messages regarding the Lord, people think twice about sharing. Funny how lewd, crude, vulgar and obscene articles pass freely through cyberspace, but public discussion of God is suppressed in the school and workplace.

Are you laughing yet?  Funny how when you forward this message, you will not send it to many on your address list because you're not sure what they believe, or what they will think of you for sending it.

Funny how we can be more worried about what other people think of us than what God thinks of us.  Pass it on if you think it has merit.

If not, then just discard it.... no one will know you did. But, if you discard this thought process, don't sit back and complain about what bad shape the world is in.

My Best Regards,
Ben Stein

This weekend we did a little grocery shopping, a little baking, and we decorated our house for Christmas.  Yes, it may be too early for some people, but since Chris works most weekends I took advantage of his being home and spent the afternoon decorating the tree. 

Cameryn and I did a little baking yesterday.  I love that she likes to be so involved in preparing meals and desserts.  The more she helps in the kitchen, the more likely she is actually eat the food!  Today at school, they are celebrating Thanksgiving and normally the parents are asked to bring a dish to share, but this year the owners are supplying all of the food.  I had already planned on making these cookies before I found out we wouldn't have to bring anything, and really, I didn't want to send her empty handed.  The owners do so much for our children, I felt like sending cookies was the least I could do!

I was so proud of Cameryn because she did everything except spread the chocolate frosting and the orange frosting on the cookies.  She added the candy corn and tiny sprinkles for the eyes, I was really impressed with her patience.  Overall, these were a lot of fun for her to make!

Sorry for a phone pic, it's what was close by!

Turkey Cookies

Ingredients:
1 roll/package Sugar Cookies
1 bag candy corn
1 container Chocolate Frosting
Orange Frosting
Sprinkles or mini M&M's for eyes (I used sprinkles because I had them on hand)

Directions:

Bake cookies as directed on roll or package. Cool.              
Spread a thin line of chocolate frosting on outer edge of half of cookie.
Arrange candy corn over frosting for feathers.
Pipe orange icing (or gel) onto each cookie for the turkey face and feet.
Use orange icing to attach sprinkles or m&m's to turkey face for eyes. 

I know first hand how powerful prayer can be.  Today, I am asking for your prayers for a friend of mine.  Chris and I went to college with Joe and had many of the same friends. 

On November 15 in PA, Joe's brother, Kevin, was walking home after watching Monday Night Football with friends.  He steps away from his door when he was approached by a man who demanded money, but before Kevin could hand over any belongings, the gunman shot him in the neck.  The gunman got away, but Kevin is battling serious injuries and it is doubtful that he will regain any movement below his neck. 

Please pray for the family as they navigate thru this difficult time.  You can read Kevin's story here:  www.kevinneary.com 

You can see an interview with the family and a picture of the suspect here.

Thank you.  So very much.

I went to buy new body wash today and in the process of smelling one bottle (come on, you know you do it too) I ended up squirting a big blob of it into my nose.  Am I the only person that this happens too?  So now I am walking around smelling that particular not so lovely body wash because its since dried in my nose. 

***

I've started making my Christmas list.  Normally I ask for clothes or giftcards for clothes (I rarely buy clothes without them) but this year it seems silly to ask for clothes.  To be honest, I'm having a difficult time listing things that I would want as a gift.  I'd love a new phone.  Or an iPad.  Wishful thinking, though.   Have you made your Christmas list? 

***

A friend of mine asked me if I had thought about baby names.  Thinking about naming my kid makes my head hurt.  I don't feel the pressure to get everything done right away like I did with my first child, but a name is something that I have thought about every now and then.  I have a post it note with a few names on it.  Considering we find out the gender before most people do, I feel lucky, because those extra weeks are actually needed in order to go to battle over a name with my husband.  His top two choices when naming Cameryn both came from the movie The Matix, neither of which were acceptable choices (Neo?  I think not.)  I don't want my kids name to come up on some "WTF was the parent thinking when naming their kid" article on BabyCenter.

***

Am I the only person who loved the Twilight books but hate the movies?  I don't feel as if the big love story between Bella and Edward is portrayed as a big love story on screen.  I think that Bella (okay, really, it's Kristen Stewart) comes off with a permanent scowl and a bad attitude.  She just ruins it for me. 

***

Holiday dinners are always a little stressful with my family.  You can read about here.  Should be much of the same craziness this year, minus the pumpkin soup.  I think.  However, this year, my sister in law has requested a more traditional meal instead of the gourmet meals that my mom and brother prepare.  I hate to tell her, but it's not happening.  Last I heard they were making handmade tuna sushi for appetizers.  My mom and brother in the kitchen together is like an Iron Chef meets Paula Deen competition.  I'm bringing dessert again this year.  But, of course, I was given orders as to what to make... Pumpkin Cheesecake with Caramel Sauce. 

What are your Thanksgiving plans?

First up, the Pinterest YUMMIES!


I'm in charge of dessert this year for Thanksgiving.  These may make an appearance.


My Pinterest Pretties...











My old stomping grounds... Singapore!







What a great gift for grandparents!



Dear Santa...

Thank you for all the well wishes!  We are very excited.  I guess that I should do a weekly update, though I don't know if I will actually do one every week, especially at the beginning because week to week, nothing really changes!

Sorry for the blurry phone pic!

Cameryn's sleep schedule is off.  I blame it on Daylight Saving Time.  Chris leaves the house every morning around 5:30 and this week, not ten minutes after the door closes I hear little feet running through the house.  *Sigh*  Cameryn is awake.  I am not really a morning person.  Meaning, I don't like to get up before my alarm goes off, especially if the waking up part comes just a few minutes before the alarm sounds.  Anyway, Chris was off work Monday and Tuesday, so Cameryn slept until 6 or so.  Chris did some work around the house on Monday, which was great.  I love it when he can get some little things done (last week he installed a new faucet in our bathroom.)  I was cleaning up dinner on Monday, went to turn on the garbage disposal and it didn't work.  So I let Chris know.  His response?  "Oh, I turned off the breaker to save electric."
My husband.
It's one thing to turn off the breaker of the things that we don't use regularly.  But the garbage disposal?  Um, no.
Wednesday, I did laundry.  The washer and dryer didn't turn on.  Yep, the breaker, again.
Fast forward to 3am this morning.  I hear little feet running through the living room. 
"Mommy.  I want to get in your bed." 
I get out of bed and dear god, it is freezing in our house.  I put Cameryn back to bed in her room and put the down comforter over her when she falls asleep.  (She's very picky about what can be touching her when she is awake.)
I check the thermostat.  60 degrees, but the heat is set at 68.  I turned the thermostat off and back on again - no luck.  So, I walk out into the garage to look at the breaker box.  And yes, you guessed it, the breaker was off.
My husband flipped the switch for the "attic," and in doing so, turned off all the plugs in the attic, including the furnace.   To save electricity, of course. 

As of 3am today, his breaker box privileges have hereby been revoked.

1.  Am I the only one who doesn't like the acronym RIP?  I think it's vulgar and ugly and not peaceful at all.  Mainly because I don't read it as 'rest in peace'.  I read it as 'rip'.  (So, maybe it's just my problem?!)  Plus, RIP is always on the creepy tombstones in movies.  Currently, RIP is all over my FB feed due to the passing of Joe Frazier and Heavy D.  Each time I see RIP, I shudder.

2.  I never posted about Halloween.  Cameryn was a Tiger for Halloween.  We ordered her costume from Amazon a few weeks before and the costume ran small so it didn't fit.  We returned it but Amazon didn't have the next size up.  We looked in every store in town, but no one had the next size.  So, we ordered another costume online, hoping and praying that it would arrive in time - the guaranteed delivery date was November 3!  Well, it did arrive on time.  Cameryn stood at the end of the driveway waiting for the big brown truck to make its way to our house.  She had her little hands together in prayer formation saying over and over, "Please let that man in the truck bring my costume.  Please please please!"  He did.



3. I already have a few Christmas decorations up in my house.  A pink Christmas tree in Cameryn's room and a light up snowman in our living room.  Both make me insanely happy.  Even if it is 75 degrees outside.

4.  My child woke up yesterday with one eye swollen shut, thankfully, after a couple of doses of Benadryl she was good to go.  Poor thing.  She is just like her daddy - she is allergic to unknowns.  Chris once drank an off brand of a red sports drink and his entire face began to swell.  The day of our friend's wedding he woke up with his entire face a big swollen mess.  I do feel bad for him when it happens, I cannot help but laugh.  He looks like an alien.  After some testing, even the allergist has no idea what causes his reactions, so now we carry Benadryl and an epi-pen wherever we go.

5.  I want to learn how to do this.



6.  Cameryn had her 3 year well check up last week.  She is in the 85% for height at 38 3/4in and the 80th percentile for weight at 34lbs.  The check up was traumatic and I blame it all on the process.  I made a few recommendations to my doctor as well who totally agreed with me... Peeing in a cup and the eye exam should come AFTER shots and finger pricking.  It's very difficult to have an eye exam when you cannot see because you are crying so hard.  Cameryn is now on Miralax every day for her issues.   I am so, so happy to say that it works!  She has gone every other day since we started Miralax. 

7.  I am going to attempt to make homemade laundry detergent.  Detergent is expensive these days and I find that the cheap stuff doesn't work as well as my go-to brand.  This 'recipe' makes enough for 6 months or more and the reviews say that it cleans as well as the more expensive brands!  You add your own soap, so those with sensitive skin don't need to worry about it being too harsh. 


8.  Chris ate all of the good Halloween candy (chocolate!) out of Cameryn's stash.  Jerk.

9.  Chris took Cameryn to Pet's, Inc. yesterday to visit all of the animals who still need a home.  He always sends me a picture of the cute animals. 



Yesterday, he sent me this.  Yes, I realize the dog needs a home, but this does not tear at my heart strings!


10.  I will be making these.  Soon.

Peanut Butter Fudge Rice Krispies

{via}

Photos taken during Olympic dives.  Hilarious!






Dear Santa, I would like this:

And this.  I've been good.  I promise.

Handprint snowmen.  So cute!

This is our go-to fall recipe!



Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

1c Shortening
1c Sugar
1 egg
1 can pumpkin
2c All-purpose flour
1t Baking soda
1t Baking powder
1/2t Salt
1t Ground cinnamon
1t Vanilla extract
1pkg semi-sweet chocolate chips

Beat shortening at medium speed.  Gradually add sugar, beating well.  Add egg and pumpkin, mixing well.  Combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.  Add to pumpkin mixture.  Stir in vanilla and mix well.  Add chocolate chips.

Drop dough by tablespoons on lightly greased cookie sheet.  Bake at 350 for 13 minutes.