Christmas Time Is Here

By -
Gretch and I have had to be creative with our Christmas plans this year, due to financial restraints and other issues. However, that hasn't stopped us from finding and/or making presents, doing some decorating, and, of course, baking on Christmas Eve day.

So, for those who can't make it to our home and don't go on facebook, here's our Christmas tree, with presents under and around:


Yes, that is a Charlie Brown Christmas Tree, and yes, that really is what we are using for our tree this year. We decided that the amount of time and effort required to put up our large tree and decorate it with lights, garland, ornaments, etc, was just too much. Also, we really don't have the space in our house without massively rearranging everything. So maybe when we have a bigger place, and kids who want to put the tree up. For now, though, we are happy with our little tree with its single red ball ornament.




Is there really any food combination in this world that is better than chocolate and peanut butter? Probably not. I certainly find the combination to be much preferred over, say, chocolate and snails. (That's from a commercial for Reese's Peanut Butter Cups from the late 80s or early 90s, I think, but I couldn't find a video. Sorry.)

If you've looked closely at the peanut butter cookies drizzled with chocolate, you may have noticed that one seems to be considerably larger than the others. You would be correct:

I wanted to see what would happen if I lowered the temperature in the oven and baked a giant peanut butter cookie. It actually worked out quite well. Gretch was in charge of the chocolate topping, and, while it was delicious, the presentation left much to be preferred.

Anyway, we are heading over to the Regers' this afternoon and spending the rest of the day with them. Then it is off to Washington (Illinois, for those who are still confused) early tomorrow morning to hang out with the Valencic clan for several days. Then back to Champaign by the middle of next week, in time for delicious sales on holiday chocolates and other sugary delights. Oh, and New Year's Eve. Not sure what our plans for that holiday will be yet. Maybe getting together with some of our other young married friends and eating food while playing games all night. No matter what we do, though, I am sure we will have a great time.

Have a wonderful Christmas, everyone! Or, for those of our friends who are not of the Christian faith but still celebrate the holiday(s), have (a) very happy non-denominational capitalist gift-giving day(s)!

Comments

Tom/Tabitha said…
EVERY time Benjamin makes cookies he uses the last of the dough (he might prefer to do this after one dozen...) to make a giant cookie. Awesome. Love the tree. Wish you could come celebrate New Year's with us.
December 27, 2010 at 6:34 PM
Alex T. Valencic said…
Gretch and I have a LOT of traveling that we need to do soon! But first we have to get through all the stuff we've got going on now :( We will get out there eventually, though, I promise! And sooner than later!
December 28, 2010 at 8:30 AM
Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Who Am I? On Iconography, Faith, and Self-Identity

By -
Image
In one of the great classic works of French literature, the author Victor Hugo tells the story of Jean Valjean, a man who spent nineteen years in prison, growing angrier and more filled with hate toward the world with each passing day. The first five years were for stealing a loaf of bread to feed his sister’s starving family, but then he suffered for fourteen additional years for attempting to run away. The story of Les Misérables follows his journey from his release from prison on parole to a life of service, sacrifice, love, mercy, grace, and, ultimately, redemption. In the musical adaptation of this story, a pivotal moment takes place early in the story when Jean Valjean, who had been gifted a meal and safe shelter for the night from a kindly bishop, gives in to temptation, steals the bishop’s silverware and runs off, only to be captured by the local constables. Valjean claims that the silver was given as a gift from the bishop but the police, not believing the words of a cri...
Read more

Make A Joyful Noise

By -
My father-in-law recently blogged about music, and lamented that Western society does not produce music except for the purpose of providing entertaining diversions. While I am sorely tempted to link to his blog, I will refrain. Rather, I wish to simply present my own thoughts on why I consume music. And consume it I do. I love music. I devour it. It is a part of my being. Gretch and I almost always have music playing in our home, in the car, and when we are working (and can get away with it). I do not know when my love of music first emerged, but I would argue that it has always been with me. My own father is a talented musician, although I fear there are times when this talent has been hidden from the world. Yet some of my earliest recollections of my childhood include Dad breaking out his amazingly awesome Martin D35 acoustic guitar and playing songs like "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" by The Tokens, "Boogie" by John Hartford, and various songs from the world of classi...
Read more

Who Are You?

By -
A thought has been running through my mind this morning and it doesn't seem to be planning on leaving any time soon. I have things I need to get done (such as applying for more jobs for the coming school year), so I am hoping that this may help me at least share the thought well enough that I can worry about other things. The thought is really more of a question. Who am I? Who are you? How do I define myself? How do you define yourself? So often in our lives, we have opportunities to introduce ourselves to new people. I've mentioned before how I have this habit of introducing myself as Alex Valencic but, if I am writing my name, it is always Alex T. Valencic. After sharing my name, it is inevitable that someone will want to know more about me, and the first thing they ask is what I do. How we respond to this question says a lot about what we think of ourselves, I think. When someone asks me what I do, I respond by either saying I am a teacher or I am a professional educat...
Read more