Finally.  It’s quiet.  And I’m alone.  The kids had a late nap today, and were therefore wide awake at bed time, and at 9, and at 10, and at 10:30.  They’ve finally given up.  Marshall’s working in the ED tonight, so there’s no TV on.  The dogs have settled down in their beds.  So…it’s quiet…finally.  (Have I mentioned that I’m glad to finally have some peace and quiet?)

We had a delightful, not quiet Christmas!  It was loud and crazy and fun!  Tucker was really into it this year for the first time.  I don’t think Emmie really knew what was going on.  But she did really well, considering the strange schedule we’ve been keeping as of late.  I love holidays and breaks, but they wreak havoc on schedules and routines! 

But now…it’s all over.  It looks like Santa Claus threw up Christmas Spirit all over our house.  (Not that it was clean before, but now it’s a terrible mess!)  And it’s supposed to be on the market next week.  Ha!  That’s not going to happen.  Although I did get a “coupon” for maid service to come in and clean.  Of course, I have to move all the crap out of the way before they can clean.  I’ve been trying.  Really.  I have been.  I’ve already taken home 2 van loads of stuff to store in my dad’s building.  And he came and got another truck full!  But to look at it, you can’t tell that I’ve made any progress.  What we need is for some one to whisk away the kids for a few days so that we could actually get something accomplished!  There is so much stuff every where you look!  We got a sitter for a few hours today so that Marshall and I could have a little lunch date.  She said of the mess, “Well, now I don’t have to worry about messing anything up!”  🙂 

Oh, well…there’s no way I’m going to be able to clean it all up tonight, so I’m just going to enjoy the quiet.  The still and quiet.  All day long I’ve had an old Steven Curtis Chapman song in my mind.  I guess maybe I should take these words to heart:

Be still and know that He is God.  Be still and know that He is holy.  Be still, O restless soul of mine.  Bow before the Prince of Peace.  Let the noise and clamor cease.  Be still.

Be still and know that He is God.  Be still and know that He is faithful.  Consider all that he has done.  Stand in awe and be amazed.  And know that he will never change.  Be still.

Be still and know that He is God.  Be still and know that He’s our Father.  Come rest your head upon his breast.  Listen to the rhythm of his unfailing heart of love beating for his little ones, calling each of us to come.  Be still.

Teddy(Marshall’s brother): What is your favorite word?
Tucker: Tucker!!
Teddy: What is your least favorite word?
Tucker: Tucker!!
Teddy: What is your favorite curse word?
Tucker: Tucker!!
Teddy, in Barbara Walters fashion: If you were a tree, what kind of tree would you be?
Tucker: A great big Christmas tree!! 

 Merry Christmas, everybody!!
Pictures will be up soon, I assure you!

I just made the yummiest pasta I’ve had in a long time.  As I sit here typing, I’m slowly enjoying my creation.  I don’t know how much of each thing I used, but I can give you guidelines…and maybe your will turn out just as tasty!

1/2 box elbow pasta, 1 jar alfredo sauce, olive oil, 10ish campari tomatoes, 2 big spoons of jarred minced garlic, 3 big forkfuls of small capers, a shake or 10 of dried basil, a shake or 5 of Italian seasoning.

Start out by washing and slicing up the tomatoes.  I did fairly thick slices, which worked out well. 

Then, in a saucepan, get the water boiling for the pasta.

Next coat the bottom of a skillet or frying pan with the olive oil.  Add the tomatoes, garlic, capers, basil and Italian seasoning.  Add salt and pepper as desired, but remember that the capers are kind of salty.

When you add the pasta to the boiling water, you can start simmering the tomatoes.  When the pasta is done, the tomatoes should be too.  Just mix the tomato mix with the alfredo sauce, and mix it all in with the pasta. 

 Yummy! 

**Side note:  When I was writing this up, I couldn’t remember the type of tomatoes, so I googled it, and got to a website all about campari tomatoes.  They had a really corny joke on there that made me laugh, and I thought I’d share:  What do you do when tomatoes go on strike?  You picket!