A Christmas Hodgepodge

Christmas Hodgepodge!

1.  Many families have a story they love to tell every year around a holiday. Does your family have one? Are you the star of that story, or does another family member take center stage? Share your story if you want.
I can't think of a story, but I usually do bring up the time I saved my brother's life when I pulled him out of the ocean. The entire family needs to know why they exist.
2. Are you afraid to speak your own opinion?
No.  Who're you looking at?  Huh, huh?
3. Pantone has announced the color of the year for 2016, and for the first time have chosen two shades-rose quartz and serenity. Hmmm...did you know serenity was a color? You can read the thought behind their selection here, but essentially it's blending the warmth of rose quartz with the tranquility of a very soft shade of blue. So what do you think? Are these colors I'd find in your home or wardrobe? Will you add something in these shades to either place in the new year?
They are currently in my wardrobe and yes, I'll buy more.  Love both and think it is interesting that the choices are pale -- like me. My skin tone is pretty rose-quartz -y, so maybe I don't need to buy it after all!
4. If you could be in a Christmas carol, which one would you choose? Why?
Joy to the World.  It has always been one of my faves. When I was a teen, our church always let the high schoolers do a service (sermon, read the verses, congregational song choices, etc.) in the summer and I always made them sing Joy to the World -- breaking rules and creating scandal ever since.
5. December 9th is National Pastry Day. Will you celebrate? When did you last purchase something from a bakery? What's your favorite treat that falls under the heading of pastry? Do you make it yourself or buy from the professionals?
Buy it. Even if I make a pie, I always use the Pillsbury refrigerated crusts. When you can buy something that tastes that good and is so easy, why not?
6. When it comes to holiday decorating_____________________________.
More is more.  I hired someone to help me this year and she came up with a lot of new ideas. Moved the tree to a new room too.
7. When did you last laugh so much it hurt? Explain.
It wasn't painful, but I cracked up the other night watching SNL -- the sketch where Ryan Gossling was cracking up too.  Kate McKinnon is just hilarious.
8.  Insert your own random thought here.
Christmas card addressing is looming, so I'm out.  Happy to be back with Joyce and the Hodgepodge!

Words I love. The struggle is real.

I love words.  Quotes, especially, but really just words.  I have an account on Instagram, but really it's words for me.  Of course, I'm a reader -- although lately, I've been slacking on my novels for work-related stuff.

So, for today's blog post, I'm hitting you with a few of my new and long-time favorite phrases:

1. Hello from the other side.  I must have called a thousand times to tell you I'm sorry for everything that I've done, but when I call you never seem to be home.  These words are on everyone's minds right now due to the earworm, but I really do find the lyrics striking from Adele's latest.  And gosh, isn't she just absolutely beautiful?  Sings pretty well too.
2. The struggle is real.  Not sure why I find this so interesting, but I've never heard anyone in person use it.  I have heard it a couple of times in commericals.  I love it so much that I used it in conversation with Joe the other night.  He just looked at me.  Obviously, he doesn't know how f-ing cool I am.
3. If it takes a village to raise a child, it also takes a village to abuse one.  This is from the film Spotlight about the Catholic priest sexual abuse scandal and about how it was first reported by The Boston Globe.  The quote is so true -- it is very difficult to engage in ongoing abuse of a child without someone knowing or suspecting something.  If you suspect abuse or neglect, you must report it -- it is your legal duty to do so.  In Texas call 1-800-252-5400.
4. She's the coolest girl in school and everyone worships her because she's heaven.  This is from my favorite Christmas movie, Love Actually.  Get the popcorn ready.

Happy Friday, friends!

Thanksgiving Blessings

I missed my traditional Thanksgiving post yesterday, but that doesn't mean I'm not grateful -- in fact, I have to give God the glory for more abundance than ever!

You may have noticed that I haven't been posting lately.

The blog break started when Joe and I went to Paris and London to visit our wonderful friends Cathy and Tom who are living over there for a short time while Tom stars in Wicked in London. What a wonderful trip and the best part was being with our friends. Blessing!

The blog break continued when we returned and I came down with a terrible cold. I've still got the end of the cough.  I sat next to a darling girl on the way to Paris who was blowing her nose the entire trip, so I blame her.  While I wouldn't normally think a cold is something for which to be thankful, I know that God directs my steps and that He can make all things work for good.  I do know that we all need to slow down periodically, and sometimes a bad cold is a forced slow down.  Blessing!

Other reasons for dogging on the blog are numerous, but most of it is the hustle of the holiday -- December is our biggest month at Community Partners of Dallas as we are scramble to fill wishes for 5,500 kids -- along with the official beginning of the leadership phase of our capital campaign. Finding the donors for CPD is my favorite blessing of all!

Thanks for sticking with me and the blog. Not sure if I can keep up weekly posts, but I'll try.  You're a blessing too -- Paige

P.s.  One of my favorite things about being in London was that Tom got recognized ALL THE TIME because Frasier is played on TV there every morning and Tom was on that show. Vicarious fame is how I roll!

Hat Lady Hodgepodge

It's Hodgepodge Wednesday!  Let the games begin...

1. Are you comfortable with silence? If you're home alone, do you like silence or do you need regular background noise? Do you seek out times and places to be silent? What's your favorite place to find silence/be silent?

Hmmmm.  Even as I write a leaf blower is loudly working outside my window, a baby is crying down the hall (we let babies come to work until they're 6 months with their moms at CPD), and Joanna is talking on the phone next door, so you'd think I'd crave silence.  Nope.  I pretty much have TV or radio on all the waking hours of the day, unless I'm reading or praying and I can do those things anywhere.

2. October 28th is National Chocolate Day. Can't let that go by without a mention now, can we? Will you celebrate? How? Let's say you can have one of the following right this very minute... a cup of hot chocolate, a strawberry dipped in chocolate, a bowl of plain chocolate ice cream, or a slice of chocolate pie...what's your pleasure?

Ice cream or pie for me.  I'd probably choose the pie first since ice cream is a bit more of a constant for me.  Working at a charity makes chocolate candy everpresent.  We must have it for the kids -- at least that's what we tell ourselves.

3. How do you feel about blue jeans? Favorite thing in the world to wear or nope, don't own a single pair? How often do you wear blue jeans in a typical week? Do you own a blue jean jacket?

LOVE blue jeans!!!  I wear them several times a week.  We are super casual at work, and sometimes even wear them as a uniform with our CPD-branded T-shirts.  I love the way jeans hold it all in (if you know what I mean) and yes, I own several jackets too.  I don't wear them as often, though.

4. Are you superstitious? If so, in what way?

Yes, a little.  Mostly for my sports team faves.  When the Mavs won the NBA championship I couldn't even watch them because if I watched, they lost.  They owe me for their win.  Here's the post I wrote about it: http://blog.paigemcdaniel.org/2011/05/controlling-mavs.html

5. If you had to come up with a costume using only things you have on hand right now, what could you come up with? 

I have lots of hats -- Santa Hats, Ball Caps, Witches Hat, Headband with a Reindeer on it, Headband with Bunny Ears, Birthday Hat, etc.  Hat Lady, I guess.

6. What scares you a little? What do you do when you feel scared?

I watch scary shows all the time.  Right now American Horror Story is freaking me out quite a bit.  What do I do when scared?  Make popcorn and keep watching!

7. Perhaps today will be the day I ______________________________.

Hear back from some people I'm trying to get in touch with for CPD!

8.  Insert your own random thought here.

What has happened to all of the Chinese restaurants in Dallas?  When I was young there were so many good ones -- Schezwan Pavilion comes to mind -- but now, it's pretty much either delivery or nothing.  Thank goodness for Royal China!

Four Favorite Things I Love Right Now! Part 23

Sorry that I've been an absentee blogger for a week or so -- life sometimes does get in the way of blogging, doesn't it?  I haven't had time to even read my favorite blogs, must less write one.

BUT, since it is threatening to flood in Dallas today and we have only a few brave souls in the office at Community Partners of Dallas, I have a little time to write.  And you know if I get to write about my Four Faves it's a good day -- yay!

If you are new to this blog, I write about my favorite things periodically.  Visit the most recent one here (and so on):  http://blog.paigemcdaniel.org/2015/08/four-favorite-things-i-love-right-now.html

I decided this morning that I'd do a few of my favorite morning things with one evening thing thrown in so you know I'm loads of fun at all hours of the day (and night)...

I spent a little time this summer reverting to my high school days when I ate no breakfast in the morning.  I thought this might help me to lose a few, but it hasn't and my recent visit to a new doctor had her lecturing me that I was doing the exact opposite thing that I should be doing -- ugh.

NOTE:  Never again will I go to a young, skinny female doctor.  Give me a fat old male doctor every time.  If he also smokes that's a bonus.

1.  I love this Applegate Naturals Sausage that my friend Katie told me about years ago.  You can heat up one or two pieces in a skillet and you're ready to go.  I usually have a few grapes with it too. Red grapes are just fantastic right now.

2.  My new Green Smoothie is the best!  Add these things to your blender in this order:
One 1/4 C water (or you can use coconut water -- I use good old filtered tap water)
Handful of spinach (if I have it I add some kale too and sometimes a little pineapple)
Navel orange, peeled and pulled into a few sections
1/2 of a frozen banana, cut into 1/4 inch slivers
Dash of cinnamon
Squirt of honey
Blend this, then add 1/2 glass or so of ice and a tablespoon of hemp seed (for protein) and pulse/blend again.  Delish!

3.  This is not food, but I'm absolutely smitten with this Scarf from Hadleigh's in Highland Park Village.  They are opening a new store on Madison Avenue in NYC next week, so get your scarf now while you can.  It is oblong and can be a scarf or used as a shawl.  Fabulous patterns!  Not cheap, but SOOOO wonderful.

4.  My friend Sofia told me about Yogi Tea to relax at night and I just love it.  Has a slightly sweet flavor without any sweetener added.

What are your Four Faves?

A Texan's Hodgepodge

Another Wednesday, Another Hodgepodge!!!  I just love answering questions (and asking them), so I'm always happy when it's time to let Joyce (from her blog called From This Side of the Pond) take over.

1. It's October so let's get this out there first thing...have you jumped on the all-things-pumpkin bandwagon? How so?

Not yet, but I will get it going soon.  I'm a big fan of Halloween decorations.  I don't do scary, gruesome stuff though -- only cute witches and pumpkins for me!

2.  "We have more power than will; and it is often by way of excuse to ourselves that we fancy things are impossible." Francois Duc De la Rochefoucauld  What's something you once thought impossible, but in hindsight see as more a matter of lack of will?

I often think it is impossible for me to lose weight.  I start thinking the old "life is too short to deprive myself" thoughts and even though I know (and so you do) that it is a lack of will, I still don't do it.  Just ate a Snickers in protest, BTW.

3. The rose is America's National Flower, but every state also has its own. Are you happy with yours? If you were in charge what would you declare your state's flower? If you're outside the U.S. what bloom would you like to see labeled as your country's national flower?

Every Texan knows that the bluebonnet is the state flower, and hell no we don't want to change it because it is the best flower.  We know everything in Texas too.

4. What have you lost interest in recently?

The Blacklist.  I watched for two years but gave up this season.  In fact, I think I even gave up in the middle of last season and erased them all from the DVR.  I do still love James Spader and think he is a great actor.

5. In your opinion, who's the best living musician?

That is a huge question.  For me that means they have to write and play music (multiple instruments) and sing -- do it all -- as well as be innovative.  I first thought of Prince.

6. S'mores-love 'em or no? Ever make them indoors? Last time you sat around an outdoor fire? Are making s'mores and sitting round a fire pit on your autumn bucket list? Do you have an autumn bucket list?

I don't like marshmallows, so no.  It's been a long time since I've sat around a fire unless you count my friend Cynthia's chimenea months ago.  No bucket list at this time other than to raise money for our Community Partners of Dallas Capital Campaign.  That is my full-time work!

7. Your favorite small town? Why?

Fredericksburg, Texas.  I know it well and love it.  Great food and wonderful memories there.

8. Insert your own random thought here.

I am loving the cooler weather in Dallas.  It is wonderful to wake up and go outside and have it be a little colder.  I'm even wearing a sweater today!

I Have Zits.

I have zits.

You would think by age 50+ that your face would quit producing oil and pimples, but NOOOOOO!

I'm pretty well sick of it.  At least I can wear makeup to cover it up or I'd be depressed every time I looked in a mirror.  Yes, I enjoy being a girl -- makeup is my friend.

NOTE:  You'd enjoy me being a girl too if you had to look at my zits all day.

My complaining makes me think about a story I heard last Sunday from our minister at Highland Park United Methodist Church, Paul Rasmussen.  Paul is our top dog at HPUMC and he is our usual preacher at the service where I'm an usher.  Anyway, Paul told a story about being late for a meeting at the church.  He was running a little late and then when he got to the church he had to drive around and round looking for a parking space.  This caused him to get more and more frustrated and mad.  He was fuming when he got up to his office where his appointment was waiting.

NOTE:  The following quotes are paraphrased by me -- I do not take dictation during church -- only a rare glance at the i-phone on occasion.  I never said I was a saint.  Saints don't have zits.

As any of us would, Paul dashed in and started apologizing -- "I'm so sorry I was late.  I've been driving around and around the parking lot trying to find a space.  I bet you even had trouble finding one.  It is just awful here with parking.  I'm really sorry that it is so bad here."

The man waiting for him said, "Gosh, you're really mad about this aren't you?  Well, you don't know what I would give to have a parking lot full of people who wanted to come to my church.  You can't imagine what I'd give to be feet away from a vital college campus like SMU.  Instead, I drive up to an empty parking lot.  That's why I'm here -- I want to get advice from you on how to grow my church into one where we will be flourishing like you."

So, while I'm not accepting these zits enough to show them off, it did make me think about how much better I have it than most people in the world.

What would the kids we help at Community Partners of Dallas give to be your child or mine?

How much would they love being part of a family?  Having siblings who live with them?  Having a dad to shoot some hoops with?  A mom who would tuck them in at night?

I lived a blessed life.  A zit or five is easy.