Before I even start my new topic, I'm going to acknowledge that I still have one chapter left to read and blog about from Crazy Love. (Whew... there, I said it...)

Now that's out of the way...

The next Bloom Book Club book is called "Same Kind of Different as Me."

I'll admit, my first reaction to the choice was lukewarm. While I enjoy reading, I don't make time for it... at all. And I wanted the book choices to be more bible study based -- this one, at first glance, doesn't really appear to me. I haven't opened the cover yet, so I'll reserve judgement.

That said... after looking into it a bit, it seems to be a very compelling topic. It also seems to be a topic that hits VERY close to home.

So close to home, in fact, that yesterday when I was in Jon's office, I saw the book sitting on his desk. I grabbed it, walked it out to the other room and said, "Excuse me, did you steal my book?" He said, "No, Pam loaned it to me; she thought I'd enjoy it."

He didn't even realize I had ordered it.

But you see how close to home it hits? So close that Jon's board of directors knows that it's a topic close to his heart. Even better for me -- we can read it together as I read it with the Bloom ladies!

The Bloom discussion begins in January, so it's not too late to join us! Please do!

The kids got some cash for Christmas this year -- they were in heaven! Everytime they see change laying around, they ask if they can have it, then they stash it somewhere (when we tell them they can have it).

We were talking to them about what they'd like to buy with their Christmas cash -- whether they'd like to buy toys or go to the "fire food house" (the hibachi grill). Amara decided she wanted to buy sparkly make up and necklaces (how'd I get such a girly girl!?)

Anyway, following that discussion, we decided that they'd be old enough to start getting an allowance. If the complete their chores each week, they get their age in dollars -- so Amara gets $5 and Dominic will get $3.

They are SO excited! (and that's an understatement)

So I made up some chore charts for them. I shared them with the kids this morning, and they actually REQUESTED to add a few more chores on there! OK, I can do that!

So here's what we ended up with. I'll let you know how it goes!

So what about you? Do you have chore charts for your kids? At what age did you begin giving them chores? At what age did they earn allowance? If you've used chore charts, what style, what chores, and how successful were they?

Today when I dropped the kids off at Day Care, Miss Jessica stopped me to tell a Dominic story.

Apparently this is the conversation held by Dominic and his friend(s) last week.

D: It's OK to have Santa in your heart, as long as Jesus is in your heart bigger.

Friend: Who's Jesus?

D: He's who SAVED me, because I asked him into my heart.

Oh to be so bold.

We spent some good quality family time this weekend... baking!

There are 4 Christmas cookies that I really wanted to make, and each of them I thought the kids could probably help me bake. They loved it! It was slightly messier and more time consuming than I expected, but hey, that's life with kids, right!

First is snowballs or Mexican Wedding Cakes or Russian Tea Cakes -- I think they have a multitude of different names. As a kid, I loved these. As an adult, I discovered I really don't care for them all too much. The nostalgia just didn't quite carry over. So I've got the cookies this year, but will scratch them off the list for next year.

Next is almond bark pretzels. I've always loved these -- don't like them at all with regular chocolate, but with almond bark, YUMMY! I don't know that I've actually made them before -- I've always just eaten them. They're significantly more time consuming than I expected them to be! Still turned out delicious though! I added the little sprinkle balls to the top -- even better!



Peanut Blossoms (i.e. Hershey Kiss cookies) are my personal favorite Christmas cookie. The perfect blend of chocolate and peanut butter in the form of a moist chewy cookie. And have you ever eaten these fresh out of the oven when the kiss is still all melty. Oh, to die for!



Still on the docket: Kringla.

Stay tuned.

So I almost never go to You Tube, therefore I didn't realize it was even possible to make a playlist. However, I was tipped off to that yesterday... and I've had a bit of fun since then!

My family is coming for Christmas. We've disconnected our cable, so can't "listen" to that channel that plays music only. We don't have a radio that gets decent reception down in our valley. And we don't have a stereo of any sort hooked up (or working?), nor do we even have a CD player right now. Honestly... they're somewhere, just not sure where, nor do I think I want to unbury them.

Anyway, what we DO have is a computer and You Tube. So, I've been busy creating a playlist of some fabulous Christmas songs. Check out my playlist, then tell me what YOUR favorite is. A couple prerequisites: it must be on You Tube (duh!), and I'd prefer it be Christian, not secular. I have no problem with secular music, I just don't care much for the secular Christmas music. Never have.

So here's the link. Have a listen. Sing along. Then share with me songs you think should be added to my Christmas playlist!

CHRISTMAS PLAYLIST