There's No Place Like Home For the Holidays

That's the title of the song covered by many artists and groups, but my favorite version is the Perry Como one.



The lyrics go like this:
Oh! There's no place like home for the holidays,
'Cause no matter how far away you roam,
When you pine for the sunshine of a friendly gaze,
For the holidays you can't beat home sweet home!

I met a man who lives in Tennessee, he was heading for,
Pennsylvania and some homemade pumpkin pie!
From Pennsylvania folks are travellin'
Down the Dixie sunny shore,
From Atlantic to Pacific,
Gee the traffic is terrific!

Oh! There's no place like home for the holidays,
'Cause no matter how far away you roam,
If you wanna be happy in a million ways,
For the holidays you can't beat home sweet home!

Take a bus, take a train, go and hop an aeroplane,
Put the wife an' kiddies in the family car!
For the pleasure that you bring when you make that doorbell ring,
No trip could be too far!

For me, the fun part this year is that I'm in the song!

"From Pennsylvania folks are travellin'
Down the Dixie sunny shore,"

I've been alone, with my friends, or with family in a variety of different places, but this year it's off to my parents' home in Gulfport, Mississippi. I love to spend time with them!

Some people find time with family stressful.



So, let's break it out... Wherever you're home for the holidays.

There's No Place Like Home for the Holidays - The Good Things Version.

Brian (good things also come in twos)

2) Brothers: I have two brothers. I could count them each as good things, but then I'd have no room for more things. We are as alike as we are different from each other.

We enjoy each other's company and make each other laugh. I'm also putting my sister in-law in there. She's awesome. She's not "one of the boys" but she's awesome.

3) Nephews: I have two of those too! They are also awesome, and quite frankly much cuter than my brothers, and it's not creepy when they sit on my lap.

1) Parents: I have two of those! My mom and dad are precious to me. Yes, I could have just written "Family" instead of the pairs of good things, but then I wouldn't have this fun theme now would I?


Sue (Also sponsored by the number 2, or I'm-too-lazy-to-come-up-with my-own-theme so I'm rolling with Brian's)

2. Two cute kids : We've got 'em. They fill our lives with joy and happiness, and make Christmastime merry, bright, and expensive (especially now that they are tweens!)

3. Two sisters : We enjoy each other's company and make each other laugh. Wait, that's what Brian said about his brothers, but it's true. My sisters are awesome aunties who help me carry on festive holiday traditions with the kids like baking cookies*, and passing around presents from the youngest to the oldest or vice versa, which makes gift opening an epic event, or what my hubby T would call an all-day affair.

1. Two parents : I've got them too! They are "Nonnie and Papa" to my kids, and the inlaws to T. My mom and dad are the ones who started many of our family traditions like passing Oplatki around the Christmas table or the aforementioned gift opening ritual. One of my favorite traditions is when Santa (shh . . . it's really my dad) gives a special gift to each of his girls. This year's Christmas soiree will be at my parents' house, which is good because it takes just 10 minutes or so to get there from here. What's even better is that the day will be filled with eating, drinking, laughing, and love!

* Read my post about one of my favorite family cookie recipes and more in this free holiday ebook. Merry Christmas!

Going to the show with Sue and Brian

It's Friday Dec. 9!

16 more days 'til Christmas. There's still time for shopping, wrapping, baking, caroling, eating cookies, sipping eggnog, ho ho ho-ing, mistletoe-ing and more!

Amidst all the holiday hoopla, it's nice to sit back, relax, and take time out to watch a good Christmas movie. Most likely, you have your favorites, so do we here at the 2-3-1 blog.

Let's begin . . .

Suzi Snowflake

2. A classic classic - Charles Dicken's A Christmas Carol, the 1938 black and white version presented by Family Classics with Frazier Thomas on WGN/TV-Chicago back in the day when me and Brian were just tiny tots with our hearts all aglow. My favorite scene is when Bob Cratchet hits Scrooge with a snowball knocking off his hat!

3. A magical journey - The Polar Express, the 2004 motion-capture, computer-animated film based on the book by Chris Van Allsburg. An enchanting story capturing the spirit of Christmas, and the notion that you're never too old to believe. My favorite scene - Hot Chocolate!

1. A delightful comedy - A Christmas Story starring the bespeckled Peter Billingsley as nine-year old Ralphie whose ultimate Christmas wish is to receive a Red Ryder BB gun. Too many funny scenes to list. If you haven't seen this 1983 film, you've truly missed one of the greatest holiday movies of all time. Fa ra ra ra ra, ra ra ra ra!





Merry and Bright Brian

Sue called *dibs* on my favorite version of "A Christmas Carol" above, but that doesn't mean I don't have some good stuff too!

2) Scrooge - it's the 1970 musical version of "A Christmas Carol" with Albert Finney, who won a Golden Globe for his performance. The film earned 4 Oscar nominations and a slough of others, but only one win. The music by Leslie Bricusse, known for music in over 100 movies and television shows from the 1950s to present day - from Goldfinger to Glee, is infectious! I defy you to get "Thank You Very Much" out of your head once you've heard it.

3) Elf - I just love that movie. Sure, it's newer (2003) than our others here, but it's become part of Christmas for me. Will Ferrell is simply amazing as the wide-eyed innocent Buddy the Elf (what's your favorite color?). His performance makes the movie. The rest of the cast, including James Caan, Mary Steenburgen, Ed Asner and Bob Newhart ain't too shabby either.

1) Quick list of "I'll bet you didn't think of these as Christmas movies"
Sure - anyone can like the Christmas movies with a clear message - but what about the ones that slip under the Christmas radar?
The Godfather - Key plot line develops when "The Don" is the victim of an assassination attempt at Christmas. Meanwhile, the adopted son, Tom Hagen, is held captive in a trailer at a Christmas Tree lot while the family gathers to war.
Citizen Kane - Following the death of a publishing tycoon, news reporters scramble to discover the meaning of his final utterance. (Spoiler Alert) Hint - there's a Christmas present involved...
Die Hard - New York City Detective John McClane has just arrived in Los Angeles to spend Christmas with his wife. Unfortunately, it's not going to be a Merry Christmas for everyone. Plus, you get Alan Rickman as The Grinch! "Die Hard so perfectly represents the Christmas spirit, it makes It's a Wonderful Life look like a brutal Nativity-themed snuff film by comparison." (5 Reasons Die Hard Is The Best Christmas Movie Ever Made - Don't follow this link - not for the faint of heart)




AND not to mention... The Shop Around the Corner, Anne of Green Gables, The Thin Man, Rocky, and Twelve Monkeys!

Okay... despite what Brian likes to call Christmas movies, what's on your must-see Christmas movie list? Do share your thumbs-up choices with us, and your popcorn, too!

100 Good Things

100!
It's the boiling point of water for those of us using the metric system. (100 degrees Celsius)
It's a square number. You know, 10 x 10!
It's C in Roman numerals.
It's been 100 years since Crisco, the all-vegetable shortening, has been on the market.
It's the age my kids have labeled as the "Super Oldie Moldies" However, many famous people have lived to be 100 like comedians Bob Hope and George Burns, and composer Irving Berlin.

and it's our 100th post today! wOOt hOOt!

In celebration of this momentous event, we've invited our family, friends, and fans to share 100 Good Things with us. We snuck in some good things of our own as well, so pour yourself a cuppa, pull up a chair, and enjoy!

100) My husband and I volunteer at the County Animal Shelter on Friday mornings cleaning cat cages. These cats are so grateful for the attention we give them; they purr when we pick them up. It is very heart-warming to help homeless animals. We are very happy when animals are adopted, and feel like we are making a difference in the world, even if it only is in the life of a kitty cat.
Chris K.
Lombard, IL

99) Knowing that good or bad your true friends will always be there!!!
Michelle B.
Virgiani Beach, VA

98) A good thing is a six-week old kitten we recently brought home. She has brought so much love and laughter to us and our six full grown cats. Her name is Sheba and she is amazing and quite a snuggle bunny.
Debbie M.
Spring, TX

97) My WARM winter boots. No more cold, pruned toes for me!
Amanda B.
New York State

96) Standing in front of the ocean with the anticipation of running in and diving into a wave!
Beth T.
Chapel Hill, NC

95) A good thing is Thai that is just the right distance from my house to make for a good run and then carry food home :)
94) Holidays with family.
Anna L.
Celebration, FL

93) A clear, cool fall day.
Mark G.
Burnaby, BC

92) My daughter's face when she saw Cinderella's Castle for the first time.
Vicki B.
Yorkville, IL

91) Jumping in the car on Saturdays, heading to the beach with my husband!
Joan K.
Tallahassee, FL

90) A reliable car that hasn't had any issues in a long time.  that is something you don't think about every day, but you would if the car did have issues.
89) A baby smiling just because you smiled.
John N.
Royorsford, PA

88) Forgiveness.
87) Two Words - Pet Costumes!!
Pennie R.
Stafford, VA

86) One good thing . . . the sound of my children laughing. They crack me up!
Eva S.
Wheaton, IL

85) When a good friend sends you a quirky card and some candy in the mail in an envelope with Toy Story stamps!
Sue B.
Yorkville, IL

84) A good thing: freshly laundered, crisp, cool sheets on your bed.
83) Oh, another good thing: my dog, Batman
82) Bob (a good name) B.
81) Fishers, IN (a good place)

80) The smile on your firstborn’s face . . . both as an infant and as a young man.
79) Acting insane and still knowing there is a special someone who 100% accepts you the way you are.
78) Biking a hilly 54 miles in the blistering hot summer sun and 95% humidity with salty sweat dripping down your face. Accomplishment never tasted so sweet.
77) Riding up the steepest hill you’ve ever seen and feeling a good friend’s hand on your back to give you that extra push to let you know that you can make it up without walking.
76) The embrace that envelopes you after surviving an extremely difficult situation. It magically melts away all the pain and self-doubt.
75) Getting that short text message to let you know that someone thinks you are memorable.
74) Knowing that someone is thinking about you.
73) Hurting and coming to terms with it.
72) Feeling strong after a hard workout.
71) Knowing that you are stronger than you ever thought you could be.
Julie L.
Plainfield, IN

70) A good thing is sneaking up on a coworker and scaring the bejeezez out of them.
Brian A.
West Chester, PA

69) Saying the word "bejeezez!"
Sue B.
Yorkville, IL

68) Sitting on the porch swing on a warm spring day, listening to the birds sing and reading a good book.
67) Finding a REALLY good book on a cold winter day and spending the whole day reading until the book is finished.
Connie M.
Chillicothe, MO

66) One good thing about being an American living in London is introducing the non-Americans to interesting American traditions . . . like pumpkin pie. At first, most non-Americans wrinkle up their nose to a vegetable being used in a pudding (Brits call it pudding, not dessert!). But, once they taste it as homemade by me and with loads of whipped cream (not Cool Whip because you cannot get that in UK), they are hooked. I get asked every year now to make sure I make pumpkin pie. So, good for Brits to try something different, and good for the pumpkin farmers, too. Pumpkin... it's not just for soup ya know!
Deanne T.
London, UK

65) I'm going to spend three weeks in Cancun - wonderful Caribbean ocean, beach, warm weather, and good Mexican food. Life is Good!
Kathleen B.
Bolingbrook, IL

64) The movie "Solyent Green" with Charlton Heston.
63) That someday we will be able to have a happy, joyful, and easy end of life.
John B.
Bolingbrook, IL

62) Breakfast for dinner is a fun change once in awhile.
Scott B.
Lockport, IL

61) Being with all my good friends in (pulmonary) rehab and sharing each other's experiences with this dreaded disease.
Jim B.
Naperville, IL

60) Having furry, four-legged friends to love and curl up with is a good thing.
Barb J.
Warrenville, IL

59) Looking down the street seeing trees in full color.
C.H.
Illinois

58) Trying a new recipe - fun!
57) Having it turn out - satisfying!
56) Giving it away - rewarding! "Everything is better when shared with a friend!"
55) Oh, and making the recipe from an heirloom rhubarb plant!
Marilyn D.
Naperville, IL


54) Not having to bake on a busy day because a friend gave me some extra rhubarb cake to share with the teachers at my children's school. (Thanks Marilyn!)
Sue B.
Yorkville, IL

53) Yesterday was one of my grandson's birthdays - Collin turned 4 years old. I brought over his little gift: a tool box with a battery-charged jigsaw, and he told me after pretending to saw for an hour, "It's the BEST EVER present, Grammy!"
Karen K.
Naperville, IL

52) Comfort food (chocolate, mac & cheese, mashed potatoes, etc.)
51) Good friends who like to laugh and have fun, and with who you can be 100% yourself around without being pretentious
50) Good genes (no early signs of aging and everything works good internally)
49) Good health (good test results)
48) Good family/in laws
47) Good fortune (inheritance, bonus, etc.)
46) A job/career that fits your passion and skills
45) The ability to laugh.
44) Kids getting good grades
43) Kids growing out of stages where you have to focus 100% of your life on them
42) Helpful people
41) Investments paying off
40) Discounts/bargains!!!
39) Music variety
Melissa G.
Phoenix, AZ

A FEW of the MANY things I LOVE about your Blog!
38) Always relevant and well-written by both co-authors!
37) I look forward to reading it as soon as it is published!
36) Your blog inspired me to begin my own! (THANKS!)
Ronda M.
Houston, TX

35) Inspiring a friend who's a fan to write her own blog. Way to go Ronda!
Sue B.
Yorkville, IL

34) My daughter Leigh Ann baked a batch of HUGE chocolate chip cookies, and a dee-lish banana bread. Om, om, om. Thank you Lord for these delicious treats through my daughter. Perfect snacks with hot cocoa on this brrrrrrrrrrr...cold night. ♥
Miriam M.
Matthews, NC

33) The beautiful Autumn colors... The Maple trees are stunning right now :)
Donna M.K.
Harrison, AR

32) No alarm on Saturday morning.
Robin H.
Aurora, IL

31) A scoop of mint chocolate chip in a waffle cone from Ozzie's Frozen Custard in New Buffalo, MI.
30) Doing upper level gymnastics skills when you are only a Level 5 like aerials and fly-aways.
Olivia B.
Yorkville, IL

29) Waking up thinking that it's Friday, but it's really Saturday.
28) Good eats in downtown Chicago like: Pizzeria Uno pizza, Garrett's caramel corn, MK Burger, and chocolate cream pie from Hoosier Mama Pie Co.
Tim B.
Yorkville, IL

27) My family and friends' love and support is a good thing.
Becky M.
Aurora, IL

26) Enjoying a powdered-sugar donut and the best hot chocolate ever at Munster Donuts in Munster, IN after winning a soccer game 3 to 1.
25) Jammin' on the drums with my percussion teacher Vern.
Adam B.
Yorkville, IL

24) Faith in God has given my life meaning and purpose.
23) A positive attitude. As Abraham Lincoln said, "Most folks are as happy as they make up their minds to be."
Donna S.
Downers Grove, IL

22) I am in love with the crisp smell drifting through the air in New York City that somehow combines fallen leaves, hot pretzels and roasted chestnuts into one olfactory sensation that reappears every year, right on time with the first day of September.
Karin R.
Bronx, NY




21) A sincere smile given out and a dozen received!
Brittany L.
Sebring, FL

20) About 2 1/2 years ago, I was blessed with a wonderful friendship that was a total surprise to me. My friend Lissette tells me that she was also blessed because she had just lost her life-long friend, Maru, to cancer. That is my good thing.
Juli T.
Batavia, IL

19) Waking up in the morning and feeling like it's Christmas and you are 6 years old. I feel like this a lot. LOL
Donna C.S.
Dallas, TX

18) A good thing is keeping connected with friends/alumni from previous years; and making new memories for years to come.
Kelly B.
Spring Hill, FL

17) Reconnecting with old friends.
16) When your child still wants you to hold them.
15) Food from Chicago like pizza from Giordano’s or beef from Portillo’s.
14) Friends and family you can count on in good and bad times.
13) Grateful for God's healing hands. He helps us rise. Everyday is a precious gift!
Daphne B.G.
Dundee, FL

12) There's nothing like playing with a puppy!
11) There's nothing like how a dog is so excited when you get home, like you've been gone for weeks!
Deb T.
Aurora, IL

10) Playing with a newborn and the baby smiles, and then he smiles again - that's a good thing.
Karyn W.
Blue Island, IL

9) Smiles on the faces of the nursing home residents in response to greeting them in the hallways!
8) Friends and family together for the holidays!
Ginger Y.
Morris, IL

7) Seven is an awesome number to me. My birthday is 7/7. My middle name has 7 letters and begins with the seventh letter.
Brian A.
West Chester, PA




6) Getting married next weekend.
John L.
Kingsport, TN

5) My two awesome sons! They make me smile everyday! I am truly proud of both of them!
Pam S.B.
Plainfield, IL

4) A cup of tea - it’s good on any day. Bad day, sick day, day with friends, day alone with a cat and a good book.
Holly K.
Havertown, PA

1) A best friend who knows when I'm up and when I'm down and knows how to be there for either.
Brian A.
West Chester, PA

3) I can think of endless good things, but if I can only pick one I will say God's love, because I would have nothing without that.
Lori I.
Lisle, IL

2) A good Bible verse - Psalm 100:1-2
"Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all ye lands. Serve the Lord with gladness: come before his presence with singing."

Thank you all for sharing your joyful, good things with us!

Love,
Sue and Brian

Long Distance

I've got about 1400 friends on facebook.

That's pretty crazy.
But i'm a polar extrovert, so in that way, it's not too unusual.
I estimate that I've never met about 700 of them - that's half.
Of the remaining 700:
200 are former co-workers that I never see.
200 are from churches where I no longer attend.
150 are former classmates that I live nowhere near.
75 are current co-workers that I don't see on any regular basis.
50 are international or others I've met at conferences and never see.
10 are people I've met, but are at a distance enough that I never see them.
10 are family or friends at such a distance, I rarely see.
Leaving a handful of people that I actually ever see face to face.

(you know who you are)

So - what's the good thing about this? Oh - I'm so glad you asked! Long distance relationships are difficult. There's no hugs, handshakes, or friendly pats on the back. So... that's not it. There's got to be something...

2) Absence makes the heart grow fonder. Ok, I gotta give it up for this aphorism. It really does. When I hear from an old friend from long distance or if it's been a while, the heart swells. The joy is glorious! That's not to say I don't like hearing from people on a regular basis. People are my crack.

3) Real friends. Really? Really? Real friends? I say yes. I know most of the people I know don't live within 100 miles from me, and most don't ever want to go to a Cubs game with me. (I maintain that's a Cubs issue, and not a me issue) But, I've learned how people can really be there for you from far away. Some people are better at this than others, but at the end of the day, I have genuine feelings for these long distance real friends.

1) A whole world of impact and influence. As it turns out I am touched by and have the opportunity to touch the lives of people on every continent (except Antartica - fingers crossed) and see so many different ways of life, priorities, points of view and ways of communicating that my mind struggles to take it all in and fully appreciate it. It's great!

All that to say, yes, I would like to see more people more of the time, but I really am pretty happy with what I've got, and that's good too.

(and you know who you are)

Home

Home is...

where the heart is.
where you hang your hat.
sweet home.
on the range.
is not where you live, but where they understand you.
is a place you grow up wanting to leave, and grow old wanting to get back to.

I was very blessed, in that I had the ability to take a road-trip vacation over the last week. I happily got to spend some time with Sue and her family! I spent time in my hometown. I was able to visit with friends in several places where I've lived over the years. There were so many more people I wanted to see and spend more time with, but at some point you gotta go home. Home is good.

Here are three good quotes about home.

2) Charles Dickens
Home is a name, a word, it is a strong
one; stronger than magician
ever spoke, or spirit ever answered to,
in the strongest conjuration.

3) Maya Angelou
You can never go home again, but the truth is
you can never leave home, so it's all right.


1) Frederick W. Robertson
Home is the one place in all this world where hearts
are sure of each other. It is the place
of confidence. It is the place where we
tear off that mask of guarded and suspicious
coldness which the world forces us to wear
in self-defense, and where we pour out the
unreserved communications of full and confiding
hearts. It is the spot where expressions of tenderness
gush out without any sensation of awkwardness
and without any dread of ridicule.


Of course, that's all the things home can be, might be, should be. For some, those things are not present in any place, nor in their own hearts. Today, pray for home; for yourself, for someone you know, for someone you don't. When you've got it, you don't know how people can live without it, but still they do.

Family is good

I have a family story.
It's really to long to go into here, but you can read the full version I wrote over the years it has evolved on Mirthmobile in the Adoption section.

Here's the short version:
I was raised by adoptive parents who were abusive.
In my early 20's I severed ties with them.
In my mid-30's I met my birth mother, my step-father, two brothers, a sister in-law, an aunt, uncle and two cousins and many, many friends of the family.
My birth-mother adopted me when I was 40. That made my biological mother my legal mother and changed my last name.
Ta-da!

My Mom and Dad (the new ones) were just visiting me for a few days. It's good to have family. Most of this stuff, I'm still just figuring out.

1) They love me no matter what. That is a huge trust issue for me and I struggle with it. But it's really good.

2) People who are important to me are important to them.

3) I know that not all families are like that, but love should be like that, and I'm learning that it is.

They're on their way to visit one of my brothers now, and I already miss them. That, as it turns out is also a good thing. It's nice to miss someone.