Cheerful Christmas Greetings

It is Wednesday, and that means it is time for the Hodgepodge. 

Joyce asks the questions.

We answer the questions.

 Click here to join the fun!

1. Do you struggle with the commercialization of the holiday season? What helps you keep your focus when the season’s busyness and commercialism start to take over? 

No, this is not something I struggle with.  I do, however, resent having Christmas decorations out before November, but as I am not in the commercial world a lot, I can avoid the frustrations.  Our focus and activities are built around our church and Christian friends.  We control our outside influences.

2. What's one small thing you want to savor before the year ends? 

It's not small, but we will definitely spend time with family and friends.

3. December 9th is National Christmas Card Day. Do you still send Christmas cards? If so, does yours include a photo, or is it a more traditional card, or maybe homemade? How do you feel about the tradition of exchanging cards at the holidays? If Hanukkah is the holiday you celebrate in December, do you send cards to mark the occasion?

 

I haven't sent Christmas cards in several years, and we are actually receiving fewer every year.  Yes, there could be a correlation there, but I also think fewer people are sending cards these days.

4. What's your least favorite holiday-related task? What's your favorite?

 That would be cooking!  Thankfully, we eat out a lot during the season, and as we will be traveling and spending the holidays with family, I won't have to do much.

5. Let's do a little holiday this or that? 

• shopping or wrapping - Neither?  But let's say wrapping in gift bags
• baking or decorating - It's definitely not baking (see previous answer), and as we aren't home during the majority of December, I don't do any decorating.
• eggnog or wassail
• real tree or artificial
• turkey or ham
• white lights or colored lights 
• ugly sweaters or matching pjs
• peppermint or cinnamon 
• presents Christmas Eve or presents Christmas Day - Both for different reasons.  We share personal gifts on Christmas Eve and enjoy the Santa gifts on Christmas morning.

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

We will be hitting the road early Thursday morning for varying environments along the way to our eventual destination in Northern Indiana, which is currently buried under layers of snow.  Being southerners, packing for all the possibilities and activities in such conditions can be daunting.  That being said, I think I will just take everything that weighs more than an ounce and has sleeves.  Merry Christmas to all!

Welcome to December

As I sit here at my computer on this Tuesday morning, listening to Christmas music, thinking about the things I need to do before our upcoming trip, and answering questions Joyce has given us, my heart is filled with gratitude for all the blessings God has so generously bestowed upon our family in 2025.  Thank you, Father, for your faithfulness.

It is Wednesday, and that means it is time for the Hodgepodge. 

Joyce asks the questions.

We answer the questions.

 Click here to join the fun!

1. What does it mean to have the 'holiday spirit'? On a scale of 1-10, how is yours this year? (10=off the charts, 1=still looking for it)

Norman Vincent Peale expressed it well:  "Christmas is the season of joy, of holiday greetings exchanged, of gift-giving, and of families united."

To me, it means a magical time of joy in the air, a sense of togetherness, time with our family and friends, worship, and music celebrations.  But especially it is a time of rejoicing because God loved us so much that He sent his only Son to be born that we might know God the Father in a personal way.  So let our hearts be filled with gratitude during this season of joy.

"The spirit of Christmas is in every shared joy and in every act of kindness during this wondrous time of year."

 

2. What's your favorite character from a (December) holiday-themed movie, book, or TV special? Tell us why.

I don't have a favorite character and couldn't tell you the name of a single actor/actress in any Christmas movie or show.  We always watched Polar Express and Elf during the holidays with our son and his family. This year, I'm sure those traditions will carry on to the next generation. Once is enough for me, but I love being part of this family tradition.

We do, however, enjoy traditional and classic musical performances.  

Our church does the "Gift of Christmas," which is the most amazing live performance you could want to see.  People come from all over to see it.  Our granddaughter has performed in it since middle school. Above is the Nativity portion from last year's performance.  It involves over a thousand volunteers for fourteen performances.

3. Do you like gingerbread? Are gingerbread houses part of your holiday tradition?

I do like gingerbread, but gingerbread houses are not part of our tradition. 

4. Much of our vocabulary is determined by where we live or where we grew up. What say you-

sprinkles or jimmies? 

lightning bugs or fireflies?

soda or pop?  Coke

sneakers, trainers, or tennis shoes?

sub, hoagie, grinder, or hero?

freeway, highway, or motorway?

frosting or icing?

sauce or gravy?

5. Share a favorite holiday memory from your childhood.

Our baby sister, Sarah, was 7 years younger than me and 5 years younger than Gin.  She was our baby doll.  Her first Christmas Eve in 1951, our dad climbed on the roof of our house and pretended to be Santa with all the required sounds of reindeer, and "Ho, ho, hos."  Gin and I were convinced that Santa had actually visited us that night, and we told this story to Sarah every year.  This memory is especially poignant since Sarah's sudden death was two years ago this week.  Memories will always hold special places in our hearts.

 6.  Insert your own random thought here. 

Being that I am in a reflective state of mind, let me share with you some pictures of time past and special memories.

Sisters

Until our dad died in 1994, our family always met at their house for Christmas.  It was looked forward to all year long by all our families. These are some of the most precious memories we share, and I love that we have the privilege of making memories with our grandchildren that will bring them joy for years to come.

Our last picture together.  Little did we know.

Thanksgiving 2025

Another Dallas Thanksgiving is in the books without a single picture of the hosts and participants.  I guess in retrospect, that simply means we were having such a good time that no one was carrying around a phone.

The hosts provided the turkey, ham, cornbread dressing, mashed potatoes and gravy, while granddaughter, Chandler, made her traditional delicious green bean casserole.  I added my usual contributions with a nod to Cajun fare - the best Dirty Rice I've ever made, and Pink Salad.  Chuck's mom, Sandra, brought her usual delicious pecan and pumpkin pies.  There were enough leftovers that no one went home empty-handed.

Christy always sets a beautiful table, and this year was no exception.

Isn't this the cutest candle holder for fall?

Ava Grace has always made our place cards, but since she is now a college freshman, she pulled out some from years past.  I wish I had pictures of all she has done since she was a little girl.

One of my favorite rooms in their home is Chuck's office.  I like it because Christy has decorated to perfectly suit him and his interests - primarily the University of Texas Longhorns.

In January of this year, Christy and Chuck added three new grandbabies to the two boys born in '23 and '24.  This mantle will eventually hold all five grandchildren's stockings.

This is a picture taken while all the girls and cousins were together a few weeks ago.

We missed two of their little families this year.  Emily wasn't feeling like making the trip from Fayetteville, AR, so we missed seeing the two little ones and her little family of four.  Cassidy, Angelos, and Noah have returned to Athens, Greece, and were moving into a new "casa" as we were eating.

And this is the family tree that holds so many memories through the years, and college ornaments for all the girls.

This little Sebastian "Bass" may have gotten more attention than the turkey this year.

Now to Athens for a minute.

How about this little doll, who is approving of the new decor in his dad's and granddad's pastry shop in downtown Athens.  They are celebrating their 100th anniversary this year with a makeover.  They are also celebrating the fifth generation with Noah's birth earlier this year.

Proud Granddad and Dad in the updated Melissa.

Our Indiana Days met at Savannah and Riis's new house in Indy for Thanksgiving this year.  I don't have pictures of them either, but we did enjoy a FaceTime visit.  All in all, it was a very enjoyable day of giving thanks to our Lord and Saviour for all the joy, blessings, and God's goodness.

Happy Thanksgiving

Happy Birthday, Gin

Today is my sister, Gin's birthday.  Love her so much.

It is Wednesday, and that means it is time for the Hodgepodge. 

Joyce asks the questions.

We answer the questions.

 Click here to join the fun!

1. Do you feel like you have a 'full plate' at the moment? In what way?

My 'full plate' consists of appointments, events, and packing for a hopefully snowy Christmas trip beginning in mid-December.  We will be visiting friends and family from Atlanta, Georgia, to Indy before reaching our son's home in the far reaches of Indiana.  This requires a lot of different attire, but we have room to hang whatever we need.  So, that's that.

  

2. How did you learn to cook? If you have children, did you teach or encourage them to cook? Do you like to follow a recipe, or is your cooking style more 'let's wing it'.

I learned to cook by doing it, much to my husband's chagrin.  My mother was a good cook, but she measured by pinches and dabs.  I am a recipe follower and to this day, use them for dishes other than omelets for the most part.  I did not teach my children to cook, as neither of them showed any interest.  That being said, both of them are good cooks.

  

3. Last time you bit off more than you could chew? Elaborate. 

I can’t really relate to this question, as I don’t tend to respond that way. However, when I served as Chief Facilities Officer for five campuses in the Louisiana Technical College System, twenty-five years ago, there were times when I wondered if I had taken on more than I could handle. Even so, God carried me through, and He blessed every one of my efforts with success.

  

4. When did you last say 'the more the merrier' and mean it?

Never!  That is not in my vocabulary.  I am a planner and not necessarily a 'more is better' kind of person. 

5. Write an acrostic using the word T-H-A-N-K-S. 

T – Thoughtfulness shared and received

H – Health

A – Answered prayer

N – Nurturing kindness in every interaction

K – Keeping a grateful heart

S – Sharing joy with others

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

I had the strangest thing happen to me in the wee hours of last Thursday morning.  I woke up around 1:50 and could not put weight on my left foot.  It was a deep stabbing pain from a spot inside and above my left heel.  Crazy!  It wasn't any better during the day, and even worse on Friday.  By Saturday morning, I knew I needed to see about it, so off to Urgent Care.  They were as baffled as I was, and the X-ray showed no fractures.  They did a coin toss and decided it could be inflammation.  I stayed on the sofa all the remaining day and Sunday while wearing my supportive walking shoes.  By mid-afternoon, I got relief and our fill of college and NFL football.  By Monday, I was back to normal, despite a bit of tenderness.  I had asked Jesus to take it away as quickly as it appeared, and He heard my plea.  So grateful for His goodness.

Hodgepodge of Squashy

I am again joining Joyce at From This Side of the Pond for this week's,

Wednesday Hodgepodge.  Click over and either join us or read others' answers to the questions.

1. Let's do our gratitude question first this week...what's the best thing about your home, and have you taken time to enjoy it lately?

There are several things I like about my home - its location, safety, convenience to everything we need access to, (our church is 5 min.) size, etc.  However, my favorite thing is the sunroom.  This is where Dick and I spend our mornings together and where I sit to read or do computer work, during the day.  It is where visitors gravitate to because it is so bright and comfortable.  Besides, God gave it to me.

2. Do you like squash? Of the varieties listed, which one's your favorite and how do you like it prepared? Is squash of some sort on your Thanksgiving menu?? 

acorn, butternut, delicata, spaghetti, zucchini, crookneck (yellow squash), patty pan

Yellow squash and zucchini are my favorites.  We prefer it simply stewed down with onions.  For many years, our family favorite was squash casserole, but I haven't done that in quite a while.  Another family favorite when the kids were small was "Squash Boats."  Yellow squash sliced lengthwise, covered with cheddar cheese, and baked.
  No, it will not be on the Thanksgiving menu.

 

3. Last time you were 'squashed in' somewhere, or felt squashed? 

That would be returning from South Louisiana a couple of weeks ago on I-20.  The traffic was horrible, and 18-wheelers were dominating the highway.  I won't mention how fast I had to go to get out of their way a time or two.

4. Have you ever played squash? What about other 'racquet sports' such as racquetball, tennis, pickleball, badminton, table tennis (ping pong)? Are these sports something you enjoy?

I attempted to play tennis in high school, but no one wanted to play with me.  I hit the tennis ball like I was batting a softball, which I played with much greater success.  My sister, though, was quite the tennis player.  I also played a bit in college, a tiny bit better in order to pass PE.  We often played badminton with the kids and attempted table tennis.  My eye-hand coordination just wasn't what it needed to be to prevent embarrassment.  Definitely no squash!  I could, however, run, speed-walk, do palates, and lift weights.  Does that count?

   

5. Something in today's society or culture that feels like a 'racket' to you? If you don't like that one, tell us about a place you've been recently where there was a lot of 'racket'.

Politics!  We watched the Netflix movie series, "Death by Lightning", the story of President Garfield, this past weekend.  Dick and I commented on the fact that corrupt politics have always been a reality.  For so many politicians, their careers have been one long racket to advance only themselves.  We also reminded ourselves that this corruption is as old as the Old Testament.

   

6.  Insert your own random thought here.

We may actually see some fall weather later this week and next week for sure.  To us, temps in the 50's and 60's are enough to at least make us think it's fall.  As I write this on Tuesday, we are breaking records for high temperatures this time of year, with a high of 89.  I look around at my few Fall decor items and think I should have beachy stuff instead, and can't imagine putting up Christmas decor.  And yet, they are everywhere.

  I don't decorate for Christmas at all since we leave mid-December for Northern Indiana and don't return until after the New Year.

 Knowing that, a sweet friend sent us this Fresh Cut Pop-up paper tree this week, so it will be my only decoration, and easy to fold up and put away when we get back home.  So, I'm not altogether a Scrooge!

Happy Thanksgiving!

A Day in the Life

I am linking up with Joyce for a special edition of "A Day in the Life."

The first week of November, I visited my sister, who lives outside the small town of Port Barre in South Central Louisiana.  Following her husband's sudden death in 2023, she built a barnamenium on her son, Eric's, property.  I want to share with you a Day in the Life of that visit, but first, let's go back a few days.

One evening before my trip, my husband and I were browsing Netflix for a nice movie to watch before bed. We came across A Christmas Contract and, after discovering it was set in Lafayette, Louisiana, decided it was the perfect choice. As it turned out, much of the film takes place in Acadian Village—a must-see attraction in this charming Cajun city.  That's when I knew Gin and I must include this during a day trip to Lafayette.

Now, back to my day.

Gin had a doctor appointment at noon in Lafayette on Tuesday, Nov. 4. Our day started early as I wanted to walk around the property before leaving.

Beautiful Cypress trees draped in Spanish Moss in front of Eric's house

The lot is perfect for walking, and Gin's home is situated in a corner surrounded by woods on two sides.  The large screened-in back porch is the ideal place to relax.

Following her appointment, we drove to Acadian Village. The Acadian people in Louisiana have a long, interesting history.  About 400 years ago, a small group of people left their homeland in France and sailed to Canada.  Here they settled and developed a new, distinct dialect known as "Acadian," like the people.  Because they refused to take a loyal oath to the English King and go against their Catholic religion, all the men were forced from their homes and arrested.  All that made up the Acadian colonies was then burned, and the people dispersed.

In 1764, one of he ships carrying these dispersed people landed in Louisiana, which was ruled at the time by Spain.  Over the next 300 years, about 3,000 Acadians found their way to Louisiana.  They were poor, illiterate, hard-working people, with a language, culture, and customs that set them apart.  In time, these people were absorbed into the population that came to be known as "Cajun".  Today, Cajun is a proud and celebrated heritage, rich in traditions and a unique way of life.  And these are the people around whom I grew up.

Sister, Gin at the entrance.

The Village is located on 32-acres. In the early 1970s, officials were looking for an opportunity to improve tourism in Lafayette, Louisiana while also honoring the heritage of the area.  Seven of the eleven buildings are authentic homes of the 19th century, donated by the families whose ancestors once occupied them. All homes show the passing of time and are remarkable examples of the ingenuity of the early Acadian home builders, complete with wooden pegs, mud walls, hand-hewn cypress timbers, and high-peaked roofs. Each was moved piece by piece and carefully restored.

Above is The Doctor's Museum.  It was at one time the office of the first resident dentist in Lafayette, built in 1890.

The grounds were being readied for their big Christmas events, and the movie shows what it will eventually look like.

This is the Aurelie Bernard House, which is the oldest structure in the village.  The section on the left was built around 1800, showing the stairs to the attic.  The exterior stairs are a major characteristic of the Acadian homes.  The remainder was built in 1840.  Inside is a large 1755 Canadian painting of The Exile of the Acadians from Nova Scotia.  It depicts the Acadian arrival and settling along the bayous of Louisiana from 1763-1785.

The Thibodeau (pronounced Tib-ee-doe) Museum is constructed from cypress, a very common tree along the bayous.  The house dates to circa 1820.  The boys slept in the attic or loft, (called the "garconniere"), which was only accessible through the exterior staircase and door seen above.

The Saint-Jean House on the left dates back to 1840 and was donated by a local dentist.  On the right is the LeBlanc House built about 1825 and is the birthplace of Acadian Statesman, spokesman, and politician, Dudley J. LeBlanc.  He is the author of "The True Story of the Acadians" and "The Acadian Miracle."  He is also the inventor of a very famous vitamin tonic by the name of Hadacol, 12% alcohol, and was guaranteed to cure all ailments.  This was a very popular tonic among the older folks when I was growing up.

New Hope Chapel is a replica of an 1850 chapel.  Today it serves as a wedding venue to many couples in and outside of Acadiana.

The Blacksmith Shop is also a replica of a blacksmith shop, built on site with weather-beaten, aged cypress boards.  It now holds the nativity scene that will soon make a more prominent appearance elsewhere.

Now, this picture may not be something some of you will recognize.  It was a common sight behind many old homes, especially in the South.  It is called the "Outhouse" because it was the bathroom-toilet. My grandmother had one, and my sister and I hated having to use it.

The barn is featured in several scenes in the movie and is in the process of being readied for the many festivities here during the holidays.

On the way back home, we made a couple stops in Opelousas and then ran the car through the car wash.  Gin made her delicious macaroni salad for supper (dinner in the south) and we spent the remainder of the evening relaxing in the recliners before hitting the sack. 

This was such a fun and interesting Day in the Life of Libby and Gingie.  I hope you enjoyed taking this day trip with us.

Below is the trailer for the movie mentioned above.  It is available for streaming on Amazon and may still be available on Netflix.