I’ve been out of commission lately due to being sick. Mostly recently I spent time with a little thing we like to call the flu. Or at least a 24 hour one. I cant remember the last time I threw-up but its been many years. I’m the kind of person who will lay in pain for hours rather than throw-up, I just hate the feeling. But when your body wakes you up at one in the morning to do its deed, there’s not a whole lot you can do about it. After three days of saltines and Gatorade, I have moved onto solid foods today: pie and pretzels. I think its a good start. Still have this cold that’s been following me around for a while and Id like it to go away. I realized half the problem is this cold weather I whined for ages about. I’m thankful to have it after a long warm spell. Love wearing my scarves with jackets who haven’t spent much time off the hanger. I hate wearing socks (more so for the aftermath of fuzzies between my toes – hate that) but I’ve been wearing socks to bed lately and even now in the early afternoon my feet are crying out for some warmth of socks.

This weekend we are going to get our Christmas tree. Always a highlight for me during Christmas time is getting the tree and every year my parents threaten to get a fake tree. I’m all for fake trees if they actually had a smell to them but they don’t. So until they can give me the smell that a real tree can, then boo to fakes! My mom has started to wrap presents and they are now in a pile on our kitchen table. Gold and light green are the colors for the packages this year. Long ago she learned that Kenny and I are very bad at not shaking (not unwrapping just shaking) so she doesn’t even mark who they are for at this point. Right now there are just a bunch of sticky notes all over them with codes written on them.A/PCC or ADK or SWK or IPCA What on earth could they mean? Are the ones with A at the front of them mine? I can never crack her code, but can you?

Thanksgiving Day Photos . Enjoy.

I had planned to write about all the things I am thankful this past year and post it yesterday on the day of Thanksgiving (how was your Thanksgiving by the way? I hope really well). I suppose I still could, giving thanks isn’t just about one day a year. But I guess the moment has come and gone for me on the post. My pastor said years ago, if we spent just 5 minutes a day thanking God for things we are thankful in our life, how different would our day be? Spiritual or not, it does help one point towards the blessings in ones life instead of thing of all the things they have to do when they really don’t want to. But as a Christian, even just muselling with the things that I am thankful for especially this year, a great deal of joy came over me. God has showered with me with many blessings for nothing I have done to deserve them (one of the deepest truths we could know).

As many of you know, I adore Sandra McCracken’s music; she’s probably my favorite singer/song writer. Her long awaited album Best Laid Plains was great and worth the wait. But of course, I wanted more. She recently put together a collection of redone hymns onto an album and it arrived at my door step a couple days ago. I had been listen to the song “In the Secret of His Presences” on her myspace on repeat while I waited for the album. Even now, every listen I hear something different. Part of a line from the song that has stuck out between the beautiful violin and banjo melody are theses lyrics:

“Go and hide beneath His shadow”

There is so much power to me in those few words. I’m a big wimp, I will just own up to that right now. A lot of things scare me, even if they maybe good for me. So, my first thought is how can I hide my fear. Hiding is the biggest game we play from each other, this is no secret (just not something we talk about). Especially when one thing on top of another thing seems to be going wrong I want to find some place to hide to get away from the world gone bad. Being a Christian and in a rut of sorts you get all the Christianize things you are supposted to take as encouragement when in fact you smile on the outside and curse all that you know to be true on the inside. I know Jesus has everything under control, that doesn’t explain the pain that’s happening right now to me. I believe He loves me and protects me but it really doesn’t feel like that right now. I KNOW.

The idea of running (my version of “go”) to Him to hide, in a safe place such as His shadow is a place I can get behind. As I do so I realize as I step into His shadow this is a very scary place all the while so safe. Reminds me of the famous C.S. Lewis quote in regards to Aslan “He’s not safe, but He is good.” That is a hard concept for me to grasp but with the idea of finding a place to hide in Him is one of the most simple and most comforting things I can be reminded of.

With extended family mostly being out of town this year for Thanksgiving, we will not be traveling to see anyone nor will anyone be coming to our house. Just the four of us. I cant remember a Thanksgiving like that, but I think it will be good none the less. At least I know it will be a comfortable Thanksgiving which will be nice. This year my mom and I will be cooking Thanksgiving dinner. Nothing unusual there, my mom has cooked it for many years. I have cooked a Thanksgiving meal when I lived in Alabama (everything but the turkey, so does it really count?). I’ve been more into cooking (well baking more so but leaning towards cooking) lately, so I’m looking forward to cooking with my mom. I don’t cook with her often because she doesn’t like people in her kitchen, for whatever reason. I think that might be part of the reason I have never really cooked: its my mom’s kitchen. When I lived out of the house, I still had the feeling of its my room mate’s kitchen. Wonder if I will ever feel I have a kitchen of my own? To me, and not to buy into stereo-types or anything, but it feels really feminine to cook for someone. In my mind if the husband is the one working more, providing in the money accept, then cooking is one way a women can provide. That’s how I see my life in the future, married or not, I like being a hostess. I don’t know whether or not I feel like its something I am good at (least not yet) but I enjoying doing it. I enjoy planning a time with friends or family and the food preparations that goes along with that. Thanksgiving seems to be the ultimate time for that, each year being a little different (ah the memories).

So far, my mom and I have listed foods that are pretty much a staple in my family as far as Thanksgiving meal goes. Turkey, green beans (we put roasted almonds and bacon in ours), sweet potatoes, mash pototas, gravy, stuffing (don’t even get me started on that. No its not going into the bird and no its not dressing) pumpkin pie and pears. Yes pears! Its a fancy new dish I learned how to make (on How to Boil Water. Kinda cheesy hosts, but most helpful). I’m trying to wean my family away from the traditional dishes but so far I have just got the pears oked. I wanted to do a stuffed squash too, squash seems very Thanksgivingish. But everyone thus far has turned their noses up at that idea. The bread seems to be a bit of a controversy in my family because during the whole menu planning my mom said we are going to cook biscuits. My dad and I exchanged faces at thought of biscuits instead of crescent rolls. My mom tells us that she grew up on biscuits and its a tradition for her. This is the first my dad or I have heard of this and we exchanged faces again and I whispered “I will make crescent rolls for us.”

So with a few more weeks till the blessed event I will be searching for recipes of my family’s favorite traditional dishes with a new twist on them. I am all for suggestions so don’t be shy in sharing. I love stuff like this, planning, finding the perfect thing and then getting to see an instant (well on Thanksgiving Day) result. I feel a little bit silly for getting a bit excited about this but if that surprises you, then clearly you don’t know how much I like making packing lists on index cards. This is nothing in comparison cause its just one day (but very important day).

Dear Wal-Mart,

My friend, Carla called me a few weeks ago to tell me that Little Debbie Christmas Tree Cakes in her local Wal-Mart. I was very excited and looked forward to my next trip to your store. These little snacks bring back good memories for when her and I were room mates (we consumed one to many, but that’s good for you). But the last three times I have visited your store, I see all your lovely Christmas items but no Christmas Tree Cakes! Its not like you don’t carry Little Debbie snacks, there’s a whole section of them but yet, no Christmas Tree Cakes. They would of really cheered me up and help me kick off this holiday season but no, you Wal-Mart have let me down. I may just have to take my Christmas Tree Cake purchase some place else. Sorry to be so harsh but I could see the first time I was in, but three times? That’s just unreasonable.

Happy Holidays,
Alisa

I didn’t want to write about work on my two day brake but I think I kinda broke that pack when I went to Starbucks (not mine) to see all the holiday stuff up. I also was really wanting a Gingerbread latte (decaf, soy, no nutmeg with whip. no dairy when I’m sick) and treated my mom to a Peppermint Hot Chocolate (non fat no whip). I bought their cute new ornaments and some Christmas Blend (partner markout actually… time for gifts of coffee!). I like the decorations a lot this year (much better than last year) and even though I was worn out easy (I mean I didn’t even try anything on at GAP Outlet was so worn out) it was officially holidays to me. I asked my mom on the way to the car if we could get our Christmas tree now. She reminded me it wasn’t even Thanksgiving, it would die. My only answer was “We could get two.” I’m so practical aren’t I?

The work related story I want to share is about a regular who sits outside smoking his pipe for at least 4-5 hours a day who’s name is Ron. Ron lives across the road from my Starbucks and is always bringing us little gifts of candy from the grocery store next to us. He’s real nice and calls all the girls “sweetie” and everyone who even speaks to him “God Bless you!” Nice guy, drinks only coffee and iced tea, time to time getting a pastry. Well, one night last week I was on my brake and my coworker pulls me to the front because Ron wants to show all of us something. I saw from the camera monitors (those are such like reality TV for me) that he had some big red thing on the counter. When I walked up there he pushed the button on a Santa doll which I read on the box saying “Booty Shaker Santa”. The expected “ho ho ho” came from Santa with the tune of “Are You Ready For This?” he starts dancing side to side and then, Santa says the line of “Are You Ready for This?” and turns completely around and shakes his booty (or reading more of the box, its called his rump. I haven’t hear the word rump in a very long time) at you! I was in shock in what to do. Do I laugh at such a thing or just sit in shock of it all? We of course thank Ron for Santa and I put him in the back (we do not celebrate Christmas at Starbucks so Santa cant be out front to shake his booty at the customers). When I closed that night I forgot to leave a note in regards to why there was a Santa on the desk. When I came in the next day I explained to my coworker that Ron had brought it in for us. She said that she had assumed it was a gift from Ron, it only make scene where such a thing would come from. It was one of the more random events that I have had happen to me at work. And of course I took photos, I didn’t want robbed anyone of Booty Shaker Santa.

My sad attempt at capturing the few trees around here that know what month it is and demand to shed their leaves, but first turning pretty shades of oranges, reds and yellows.

(trying so so hard but yet half is still green.)

These trees are amazing. Go perfectly with fall don’t you think? Some trees around my neighborhood have started to turn (finally) that I should take photos of (I’m inspired or something). Yay for fall now that we’ve hit November!

So, Holiday drinks at Starbucks came out yesterday. Whoops. I was told the 9th…which is really the 10th when we will start serving them in holiday cups. But yesterday you could get your Gingerbread Latte (which I had on my brake) EggNog Latte (which I had while writing this) and Peppermint Mocha (which you can get year round now, cept with red sprinkles at Christmas, I mean, holiday times). Sorry for that, I’m clearly an un-updated barista. Christmas Blend comes next week, the 10th as well.