Christmas Adventures

Merry Christmas to all of you! I hope your Christmas has been blessed. As a reminder, the Christmas season has just started and will go until January 8th - the feast of the baptism of our Lord. Christmas Eve and Christmas Day were both Joyous. The choir was beautiful, the weather was glorious, and family tension was at a minimum. Christmas was in the high 70's and absolutely beautiful - with puffy white clouds and a beautiful sky. Our family has expanded over the years. My folks had four kids. Two of us are married and have four kids between the two of us (three are mine). We don't have much room under the tree. We all bring our gifts to Mom & Dad's for opening. It is quite a sight to see. We open gifts on Christmas Eve after mass. As a parent, I much prefer this to doing Christmas morning (which we tried one year while living in Georgia). We did have an adventure on Christmas day. We used to have turkey, as a kind of repeat of Thanksgiving, but my dad is not the biggest turkey fan. So about 10 years ago Pops started making prime rib. Well this year we decided to try and roast it on the outdoor grill - especially given the gorgeous weather. We skewered the meat (and almost me), fired up the rotisserie, and thought we were set for a real treat. Well, we didn't really know what we were doing, but went inside anyways to be with the family and prep some other parts of the meal. About 10 minutes later, Maggie tells us there is fire coming from the grill. Actually, I think she mentioned the word “volcano.” This gorgeous piece of meat had drip it’s delicious grease over hot burners and had created a grease fire. After Dad got over his disbelief it was rather funny. It was just like in the movies where they burn the turkey and have to go out for Chinese. Well, that happened to us – except we went out for Mexican. It makes for a good family story though. I suspect we will remember this Christmas 20 years from now.

Just Checking In

I hope all are doing well as Christmas approaches. Not much to blog on here. We are busy preparing. The kids are home from school. The weather has turned to a chilly 65 degrees (though the lows are in the 40's). Everyone is healthy, the baby is happy. Work is busy still. I had hoped for it to have lightened up by now, but it is what it is. I should have a chance for a post or two before the holiday. I hope you are all enjoying this advent.

Friday Feast #122

Sorry for left overs. I know that it is Sunday morning. I guess I am a couple days behind schedule. You can find Friday Feast at: http://fridaysfeast.blogspot.com/ Appetizer What was your very first job with a paycheck? Box boy (grocery bagger) in a supermarket in East LA. Soup Did you ever lose something really important to you? Yes. Friends from high school. I also lost my song book from high school. We had an awesome schola, and wish I still had all the words to the songs I remember. I can't find my high school ring either. Salad What is the best Christmas present you ever received? Back in the early '90s my folks got me a signed copy of Patrick Stewart as Jean Luc Picard. I don't have it anymore, but I was very excited when I got it. I also got an iPod from a business colleague a couple years ago - it was one of the really expensive ones and it was totally unexpected. Main Course Tell about a favorite "hang out" place for you and your friends when you were in high school. Tommy's, definitely. Tommy's is an LA institution. It serves the most outstanding, artery clogging chili burgers I have ever experienced. There was one in the San Fernando Valley that we went to for any celebration or pretty much any chance we could get (once we started driving). It was located across the street from a brewery, so the distinctive smell of hops went with the experience for me. Dessert Name something that always brings a smile to your face. My children. My Wife. Seeing friends.

O Holy Night

There are a lot of Christmas Carols that I love. The vast majority are faith filled - I am not one of those who celebrates Winter - it just seems so trivial when you think about what we are really celebrating. Besides, we never have a white Christmas in Southern California, and (IMHO) that is as it should be. Christmas isn't just a holiday it is a Holy Day. Every year it is another chance to welcome Him. My favorite carol is "O Holy Night." I usually can't sing through the whole thing without getting choked up. Here are the lines that really hit me: Long lay the world in sin and error pining. Till He appeared and the soul felt its worth. Truly He taught us to love one another; His law is love and His Gospel is peace. Chains shall He break for the slave is our brother And in His Name all oppression shall cease. Fall on your knees, O hear the angel voices! O night divine, O night when Christ was born! When I hear "fall on your knees" sung so powerfully, I really do want to fall on my knees. And the high note is so sweet it feels like pierces to my core Just wanted to share.

Hoity Toity Angel Review

Click on picture to see a larger image. The performance of The Hoity Toity Angel was excellent. It started on time, was reasonably organized, AND well done. The kids from all the grades did very well and were extremely cute. Mags was an excellent Hoity Toity Angel (which means I get at least a few more days embarrassing her about it). I must say that the Kindergarten was delightful. They formed a choir of angels, and doubled as the stars in the sky (which would shake nervously whenever the Hoity Toity Angel was being too hoity toity). Best of all, Gracie slept the whole time! Mrs K and I give it two thumbs up.

Hoity Toity Angel Playing Tonight

Click on picture to see a larger image. Today Mags is playing the lead in the Christmas play. She'll be in the Hoity Toity Angel - an angel that thinks she is too good to prepare for Christ's coming. I am looking forward to seeing it. I have been having fun with this for the past couple months. I have been occasionally asking if she was really hoity toity. For whatever reason she acted self conscious when I would mention the Hoity Toity Angel. Typically I would get a "Daaaaddy." Not sure how to communicate the sound of that - it is really a two worded "da dee", with lots of pre-adolescent attitude. It is really funny (because then I got to tease about how she said daddy). Last night I suggested we could just call her HT after today. It took her a second, but I got the "daddy." It was really quite cute. I'll let you know how the play goes. Tags: Family

Friday Feast #121

You can find Friday Feast at: http://fridaysfeast.blogspot.com/ Appetizer Which language would you like to learn and why? Spanish. I live in Southern California -nuff said. Latin would be nice too, being Catholic and all Soup What's the funniest thing you've heard or read so far this week? I went to see stranger than fiction. There is a scene with Dustin Hoffman is asking Will Ferrell questions to rule out various plot lines he could be in. I highly recommend the movie. Salad Which movie was so bad you couldn't watch the whole thing? There have been a few, but I try to forget them. Main Course If there were a holiday in your honor that didn't use your actual name, what would the day be called? California Dreamin' Day. I have moved away twice and moved back twice - there is a theme that I need to just stay put here. Dessert Name one movie which is coming out soon that you would like to see. Nativity looks really good. So do Letters from Iwo Jima and The Good German Tags: Friday Feast

December 7th & Pearl Harbor

Today is the day that the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor in 1941. It marked the entry of the US into World War II - one of the most trying times in world history. If ever there was a just war, this was it. Multitudes lost their lives, but when the cause is just, we must stand firm. Let's remember those lessons from the past today. You can click here to listen to FDR's speech to congress on December 8, 1941. One of the most famous in history. Hat tip to Shirley Buxton. Tags: World War II, Pearl Harbor

Eliminating Christ

The effort to eliminate Christ from the public square is not just a U.S. thing. Because we live in a free country, it is our right to stand up and shout out that this is wrong. Because we are Christian, it is our duty and our privelege to shout our belief from the mountain tops for all to hear. Tags: Christianity, Politics

The Ironic Catholic: "America's Next Top Christian" Cut For Lack of Whining Self-Centerness

The Ironic Catholic: "America's Next Top Christian" Cut For Lack of Whining Self-Centerness The explanation for why there is less wholesome TV. Christian values are just too boring. :) (BTW, the article is tounge-in-cheek). Tags: Humor

Hi Mom

When I was a teen/twenty-something, I used to wonder why everyone always said "Hi Mom" when they were on TV. Oh you would get the occasional "Hi Dad" or "Hi Mom & Dad" or a random smattering of others. But "Hi Mom" is the standard. Now, never having the opportunity to become a Mom, I felt cheated. But that just goes to show that I did not know better. After seeing my three children delivered. I can begin to understand. Boy, I am glad I don't "get" to experience that. After reeking havoc to your body for 9 months, with everyone wanting to touch your stomach, with getting kicked and pummeled from the inside, and not having any room for your lungs - you get to go through labor. Geez. Then, when the baby wakes up, Mom's get to take the lead here, at least for moms that breastfeed (dad's just don't have what it takes). Sure there is some sharing, but Mom's do take the lion's share here. All of this starts a pattern. There is a primary caregiver, and it is usually the mom. And from the time before birth, we see how nature reinforces and guides this pattern, but it is so much more than mere biology. The dyanamic between the mom and her child forms the basis for all future relationships. Here children learn that they are lovable and that they can trust. Wow. Sure we dads play a role, a large and important role, but not the one that moms play. The mom role is special - a role like no other. A nurse at my wife's Ob/Gyn was talking about how we dads had it lucky (not having labor and pregnancy). I reminded her that there were benefits too that we dads don't get. I asked if she had ever noticed that people always say "Hi Mom" on TV. Just a few thought from a third time new dad on the eve of the Immaculate Conception of Mary, the Mother of our Lord - and spiritual mother to us all. Tags: Moms

The Mighty USC Trojans Have Fallen

Oh the horror of it all. So much for playing for yet another National Championship. Oh well - 10 and 2 with a trip to the Rose Bowl is what I call an oustanding door number 2. What a rebuilding year. If all rebuilding years can be as fruitful. Fight on! It is kinda funny to see all the UCLA fans pulling their shirts and jackets out of storage. They haven't had a big day in some time. Good for them. Tags: Football

Bible Or Koran For Swearing-In

Keith Ellison, D-Minn., the first Muslim elected to the United States Congress, has announced that he will not take his oath of office on the Bible, but on the bible of Islam, the Koran. He should not be allowed to do so -- not because of any American hostility to the Koran, but because the act undermines American civilization. Yet another attempt to undermine Christianity in Western Civilization. Tags: Christianity

Friday Feast #120

You can find Friday Feast at: http://fridaysfeast.blogspot.com/ Appetizer Have you ever flown in a helicopter? No – but it would be interesting. If I could, I would want to do two things. One would be to fly among the skyscrapers. The second would be to fly as fast and low as possible over the desert landscape, perhaps on the road to Vegas. Soup What color is your warmest coat or jacket? Tan/brown leather bomber jacket my wife got me two years ago. It has a mottled look from the leather – I definitely like it, but it is a heavy jacket and living in So Cal, I don’t get to use it as often as I like. Salad What is your favorite rainy day activity? Waiting for it to stop raining. :) Seriously, I would have to say it comes down to curling up with a good book and reading. If it is a thunderstorm, and the lights go out – sitting in the dark looking for lightning and listening to the thunder - counting the seconds between the flash and the sound. Main Course Describe your hands. They are wide and thick – with average length fingers – not too long, but not very short either. The left hand fingertips are calloused from my guitar lessons. They feel rough as though they were no stranger to work, but not so rough as to indicate recent physical labor. The left hand has born a ring for the past 15 years, and is white beneath the ring from never taking it off. There are more lines on the hands than there had been when the ring was first put on. Not so many as to look old, but enough to not look young. They are good hands. Dessert If you could eat only one nut for the rest of your life, what nut would you pick? Macadamia Nuts – they have such a unique texture, addictive flavor, and exotic nature. Tags: Friday Feast