That's what I wanted to know and so I asked!  Tapas and Top Hats is a way for all of us to honor Remarkable Mothers... mothers who have contributed significantly to the fabric of our community by their selfless efforts to champion their children, and causes that benefit children.  Ten mothers selected from those nominated will be honored on May 4th at Tapas & Top Hats benefiting Camp Barnabas.... a funfilled and Remarkable evening that will touch your life...  

Do you know a Remarkable Mother?  Take some time now to nominate her AND find out more about Camp Barnabas.... http://www.campbarnabas.org/tapasandtophats. 

Into the new year by 24 days and I'm thinking we should either be well on our way to making those resolutions a daily part of our lives OR we should have just given up by now!  Why do we try to make major changes in the dead of winter, anyway?  People think they're gonna drag their behinds out of a nice warm bed, an hour early, to make themselves do something they certainly don't enjoy!  Or, just when there is so little daylight, lots of cold weather and a definite need for some comfort food, you think you're going to eat like a rabbit?  How silly is that!  I'm thinking that we should save the resolutions for Spring instead of shooting ourselves in the foot during the most depressing time of the year... Gee, I think I'm channeling Andy Rooney!

My mother used to tell me, when I was a kid and impatient to grow up, that I would regret my rush to adulthood... that after you get there, time moves at the speed of light!  And as you get older, still, you simply blink and it's a new year!  Well, as you might have guessed, I have decided that she is right... another year, or was it two? has passed.  And I can barely remember what happened!  I look at my children, reaching major milestones this past year... one off to college and the other driving... and I am amazed at how they went from babies to THIS!  Seems like yesterday that I was lamenting over all the feeding, diapers, cleaning and sleepless nights... and then I blinked, and they are men!  (Still making messes, but, men all the same).  It reminds me of Trace Adkins song, "You're Gonna Miss This"... and it's so true... we miss our lives because we are too busy looking forward instead of enjoying the NOW.  So, here's my New Year's Resolution... and my wish for you, too... may we slow down, pay attention and live in the Now Moment... there's so much joy here, if we just sit still long enough to notice.  May your 2012 be filled with wonderful moments, and may you notice every one!  Happy New Year!

December at KTTS always means Christmas Crusade and this year was no exception.  We've been asking listeners to sponsor needy children for Christmas for literally decades... and no matter how tough the times, you always come through!  This year, 855 children will receive something under the tree all because somebody cared enough to say "Yes" and share their abundance with those in need. 

It is an awsome thing to see as calls come in to adopt these children, followed by the gifts and money being dropped off, to being there to greet and hug those grateful families when they pick up the gifts for their children... what a blessing to be involved in such a miracle each and every year!  And the volunteers... those sweet, sweet, generous volunteers from Ridgecrest Baptist Church!  The hours and hours they put in and ALWAYS with a smile on their faces... taking those calls, organizing and checking all those gifts, the miles they log as they help both the donors and the recipients to and from their cars with gifts... it's a HUGE job and they do it with such amazing grace and love for these families... I am so grateful for these angels!

So... this is what Christmas means to me... the gift of love from neighbor to neighbor... God Bless us every one!

Okay,  I don't enjoy putting up a Christmas tree... so sue me!  My sister thinks I'm some kind of Christmas Nazi or something!  In order to put up the Christmas tree, you have to move furniture around to make room for it... then, you have to vacuum because there's so many dust bunnies where the furniture was that you haven't vacuumed in a year... THEN, you have to drag the huge box that the tree is in out of storage, up the basement stairs and assemble... takes forever and kills my back.  Then, drag the big box of lights, ornaments and assorted tinsle up the stairs, too... THEN, you have to decorate it... untangling lights and taking all the ornaments out of their little boxes... get out the step ladder and make a million trips up and down, hanging everything just right... then, clean up the mess you made and vacuum AGAIN... HOW can that be fun???  THEN, you just have to turn around and do it all in reverse in a couple weeks!

Me, I'd rather just eat cookies... and enjoy my sister's tree... Okay?  Merry Christmas!

For those that LOVE spending time with their extended families, Thanksgiving can be a wonderful time, filled with food, laughter and love.  For those that DREAD spending time with their extended families, Thanksgiving can be filled with indigestion, tears and anger.  AND, every year can be different, depending on the level of dysfunction in your particular family... by the way, there is no such thing as a functional family, just ask Oprah. 

SO, I suggest a lighter approach to the holidays, if you dread them and have no alternative but to spend time with family (i.e., can't get out of it)... play BINGO!  Make yourself a Bingo card of all the things you can predict will go wrong, people will say to be mean, persons showing up drunk or getting that way, food fights, etc.... Ask your friends to make ones for their families, too.  Then, while 'enjoying' your family get together, keep track of how many squares are being "played"... the first one to get a BINGO on their card must rush to a phone, call their friends and shout BINGO!  The winner gets treated to lunch and everyone has to listen to every last detail of the holiday!!!  Now go have some FUN!

And, Happy Thanksgiving!

It JUST came to me as I was wishing I had a mirror so I could see what I was doing while brushing my hair... we need to invent a computer screen app that turns your screen into a mirror with the click of a mouse!  How handy would that be!  Maybe my smart computer savvy son will invent that and make Momma a million bucks....

Well, I would never have guessed that it's deer season by the looks of things in MY neighborhood.  Just this past Saturday afternoon, right there in front of a dozen houses and cars going by on the street, was a big buck just strolling... and I DO mean strolling... down the sidewalk!  You could have just put a leash on him and called him Fido!  Didn't bother to get in the street, just used the sidewalk instead!  Guess he didn't get the memo on what day it was!!!

and thanks to my neighbor, I have plenty!  My next door neighbor likes to cook whole turkeys every once in a while, but he only eats the white meat.  Knowing that my children (the horses, I call them) are always hungry and prefer the dark meat, he ships the rest of the bird to our house.  Of course, that means I have to de-bone the rest and scrub his roasting pan!!!!  I don't know, but I think he just likes to have me do his dishes... ya think? 

So far, I've eaten turkey for the last three days... and tomorrow is our turkey dinner at church... I may sleep til Thanksgiving!

Now, there's a good question... and unfortunately, nobody has an answer!  One minute it's finally dropped down to $3.02 and the next minute (literally) it jumps to $3.29... what's up with that?  AND then, within a few hours, it's down to $3.19... THEN, back to $3.02... but wait, down the street it's jumped back to $3.27!  There is no rhyme or reason and I'm beginning to think that somebody's just yanking our chain... what do we do?  Occupy gas stations???  Now, there's a thought...