It’s week of Christmas. Can you believe it? Not too long ago it felt like time was standing still. But, time is constant and marches on. And so, here we are, 4 days from the one day almost everyone looks forward to all year long.
(more…)Posts Tagged ‘Christmas’
Here’s To Family (and Shopping)
Posted in Autumn, dessert, desserts, dieting, drinks, Family, food, friends, Holidays, humor, Jansen Schmidt, pumpkins, vacation, writing, tagged Black Friday, Christmas, eating, family, funny, funny video, give thanks, gratitude, Holiday, holiday meals, raw eating, raw food, Shopping, Thanksgiving, turkey, turkey day on November 20, 2017| 8 Comments »
Happy Thanksgiving week y’all! I hope you all have a wonderful holiday no matter what your plans.
Happy Christmas – May All Your Gifts Be Colgate
Posted in blogging, Family, Fiction, friends, Holidays, humor, Jansen Schmidt, love, writing, tagged bad Christmas present, bad presents, children gift pranks, Christmas, Christmas gift pranks, Christmas gifts, Christmas pranks, Christmas presents, Colgate, funny videos, gifts, holidays, Jimmy Kimmel, kids, merry Christmas, paper, prnaks, Pull-Ups, toothpaste, upset kids on December 19, 2016| 12 Comments »
It’s almost Christmas and who has time to write a blog post? I sure don’t.
Today I’m checking in to say Merry Christmas and to thank all of my followers, subscribers, groupies, lurkers or whatever you call yourselves. I appreciate you and wish you the very best this holiday season.
Here’s a little silliness courtesy Jimmy Kimmel and YouTube. Whatever you do this holiday season, please do NOT give the gift of Kleenex or Pull-ups, especially to a boy child.
Enjoy. And may you all receive wonderful gifts – like toothpaste – this year.
Peace out!
Have you ever been pranked? At Christmas? Have you ever pranked anyone? Your child? What was your worst holiday gift?
Word of the day: Rennet
Fun fact about me: I’ve never given a prank gift (but I love white elephant gifting.
Original post by Jansen Schmidt, December 2016. Video courtesy YouTube (Jimmy Kimmel Live)
Last Minute Gift Suggestions
Posted in blogging, Christmas, Family, friends, goals, Happy New Year, Holidays, Jansen Schmidt, love, moving, success, toys, words, writers, writing, tagged chaos, Christmas, gift giving, holidays, hope, joy, peace, weep on December 21, 2015| 12 Comments »
A lot has happened this year. My family felt the pangs of a cross-country move. My life changed significantly for the better. Terrorism, radicalism, school shootings, disrespect for authority, hit all time highs. Daily news reports made us weep.
If you’re still struggling with gift ideas amid all of this chaos, I offer the following suggestions:

Image courtesy Google Images.
Merry Christmas loyal followers and best wishes for a peaceful new year. May god bless you and keep you safe in the months to come. Be kind; to yourself and others.
Word of the Day: Remarque
Fun fact about me: If I could find the right picture, I’d get a tattoo.
Original post by Jansen Schmidt, December 2015. Image courtesy Google Images.
December Hodgepodge – What Haven’t I?
Posted in acting, Autumn, awards, blogging, bucket list, dessert, desserts, Family, Fiction, friends, humor, Jansen Schmidt, musical theater, theater, theatre, writers, writing, tagged baccarat, baking, candy apples, Christmas, church, Cooking, craps, doll house, Gingerbread, gingerbread house, Holiday, Home, Jehovah's Witnesses, lemon curd, poker, religion, roulette, snowmen on December 4, 2013| 22 Comments »
Okay, I know it’s been a while since you’ve seen a post about my crazy life experiences, so here’s the final What Haven’t I for the year.
By now you should all know the rules, but just in case you’re new here – and if so welcome new friend – here’s the low down: Post your guesses in the comments section below. Three of the answers are things that I have actually done, one is something I have not done. Your job is to guess what I haven’t. It’s simple, but you can’t win if you don’t play so put on those guessing caps and get to work.
By way of reminder, the first person to post another comment on the 12th, regardless of how many guesses they got right, AND the best guesser (person with the most correct answers) will both be awarded prizes. If you got the most correct answers, but you fail to check back, your prize will be forfeited, so it’s important to check back.
Let’s just get right to it.
1 – What haven’t I made from scratch: a) doughnuts; b) lemon curd; c) Hollandaise sauce; or d) candy apples?
2 – What haven’t I built: a) a bookcase; b) a doll house; c) a snowman; or d) a gingerbread house?
3 – What malady haven’t I suffered: a) shingles; b) measles; c) mono; or d) chicken pox?
4 – What haven’t I lost money on: a) baccarat; b) poker; c) craps; or d) roulette?
5 – What church haven’t I visited for services: a) Mormon; b) Jehovah’s Witness; c) 7th Day Adventist; or d) Catholic?
The answers will be posted in the comments section on December 12, so mark your calendars and check back to see if you’re a winner. Remember, the fastest and the best guesser will both be awarded prizes.
Word of the day: Regosol
Fun fact about me: I have played a nun both on stage and on screen.
Original post by Jansen Schmidt December 2013. Photos courtesy Google Images.
It’s Autumn The SOUPer season (or there’s more to pumpkin than pie)
Posted in Autumn, camera, crock pot, humor, pumpkins, soup, vacation, writers, writing, tagged Autumn, camera, chili, Christmas, crock pot, Fall, gifts, pumpkins, soup, stew, Thanksgiving on November 1, 2012| 10 Comments »
So autumn is finally in full swing in my neck of the woods. It was a long time coming, but finally the temperatures have dropped, the leaves are changing colors, the harvest is nearly over and we’ve had a fire in the woodstove. It is around this time of year that talk at my house turns to the holidays. Are the relatives visiting? Are we cooking or eating out? Are we exchanging gifts or buying something for the house?
I especially love this time of year because I love the seasonal foods associated with Fall and the rapidly approaching holidays. Most especially, I love me a good pot of yummy, hearty chili’s, stews and thick creamy soups. When I think soup, I think crockpot. Which in turn reminds me of a funny Christmas crock pot story.
Last year, my husband and I were discussing the annual exchange of holiday gifts and he said that he was going to get me a new crock pot. I frowned. Then I explained that girls want romantic personal gifts for the holidays, like perfume and diamond jewelry. He said that those things were very impractical, to which I responded, “Oh course they are! That’s what makes them special gifts.” The closer we got to Christmas the more I realized that the only thing I wanted was a new digital camera. So, when my husband asked me what I really wanted for Christmas, I told him, “I’d really like a new camera.”
About 2 weeks before Christmas my boss and I shared our annual Christmas lunch and gift exchange. Much to my surprise, she got me a digital camera. I was so excited! I’d gotten a gift that I really wanted and knew I’d use. At home that evening I joyously showed my hubby my new treasure and his face fell to the floor. (I think you see where this is going.) I immediately knew that he had already gotten me a camera and I told him not to take it back. I told him that I would return my boss’s gift instead, but he insisted that I keep her camera and he’d get me something else.
You guessed it. He got me a crockpot. He said he didn’t know what else to get me and since I had pitched such a fit about getting small kitchen appliances as holiday gifts, he decided I needed to be taught a lesson.
I’m gonna confess something – just between you and me – I LOVE my crockpot! I use it all the time, probably even more than the camera. So, in honor of the arrival of autumn and my love affair with my holiday crockpot, here’s one of my favorite recipes. I hope you like it as much as I do. It was my first experience using pumpkin for something other than pie.
Pumpkin Turkey Chili
Ingredients
1 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 cup chopped onion
1/2 green bell pepper, chopped
1/2 yellow bell pepper, chopped
1 (4 oz) can chopped green chiles
1 large clove garlic, minced
1 lb. ground turkey
1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes
1 (14.5 oz) can red kidney beans
2 cups ( 1 14.5 oz can) pumpkin puree
1 1/2 Tbsp chili powder
1/2 Tbsp cumin
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
Cayenne pepper to taste
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese (optional)
1/2 cup sour cream (optional)
1. Heat oil in large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
2. Saute the onion, bell peppers, green chiles and garlic until tender, about 10 minutes. Make room in the center of the skillet, add turkey, and brown, about 10 minutes. Stir in tomatoes, beans, and pumpkin. Season with chili powder, cumin, pepper, salt, and Cayenne. (It is at this point when I put the mixture into the crockpot on low for several hours.)
3. Reduce heat and simmer at least 20 minutes. Stir in fresh cilantro. If preferred, serve topped with Cheddar cheese and sour cream.
Enjoy!
What’s your favorite autumn tradition? Do you decorate your house for Thanksgiving? Got a good soup recipe to share? Let me know in the comments.
When this blog posts, I shall be vacationing in one of my favorite places but I promise to acknowledge each of you who leaves a comment. There might even be a sweet surprise for one lucky person who leaves a comment! Check back often to see what others are saying about Fall.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Word of the Day: Labdanum
Fun fact about me: I didn’t learn to swim until I was 13.