Simple Joys

Welcome to Simple Joys on Chief 187™Chatter. This is one of my favorite weeks of the entire year because Thanksgiving is the epitome of Simple Joys in one glorious holiday when we are all encouraged to think about all the things and people we are grateful.

What Simple Joys does for me is allow this feeling of gratefulness and hyper-awareness to last all the yearlong. This is the first time I will celebrate Thanksgiving with Simple Joys in existence (the feature not my feelings/experiences. It is a dream realized to get to take the positive in my life and share with an engaged, loving, and supportive readership. Simple Joys enhance my life exponentially and sharing them with all of you does emphatically, too! And now, without further ado, is this week’s Simple Joys.

Flag Ceremony. As I share often, my eldest child is a Cub Scout in his WEBELOS I year. This means that his responsibilities as a Scout increase and independent work, citizenship, and the like become vastly more important. At the Pack Meeting held Friday night my boys (I am the Den Leader along with 2 other great parents) were chosen to present colors. In addition to carrying the American flag and Pack flag into the auditorium where the meeting is held, our boys also carried a folded American flag, unfolded it properly, hung it, and hoisted it reverently while never letting it touch the ground, brought the room to attention, announced, “Those of you in uniform please salute, those of you who are not, please place your right hand over your heart”, and recited the pledge. Afterwards the boys lowered the flag, unhooked it, refolded it properly, and presented it to a den that was working on requirements regarding the American flag. For nine year old boys who have a tendency to want to run around and not listen at 7:30p, they did a phenomenal job with each step, understanding the reverence and importance of every job they did. The room was silent and the boys competently took to the duties they were assigned. My son refolded the flag in front of a large group and showed no nervousness at all. Not only was I proud of him, but all of the boys for rising to the occasion and always making their den leaders proud. Watching these boys consistently improve their character and skill set is an endless source of Simple Joys for me! [The picture is from the Internet & is not from my Den]

Girls Night Out. They don’t happen often but when they do I anticipate them for days (weeks?) and they NEVER disappoint! My bestie was there but so were three other women whom we adore. The venue was my favorite high end sushi/Asian buffet that is large, always scrumptious, and relaxing allowing us to sit and chat for hours with no pressure to vacate the table. We all met at the dojo and have all taken class together. A couple of us (me included) are on an extended hiatus from class, but we are still a tight-knit group of women who can share ANYTHING. We all come from different experiences which enriches the times we share because we have much to offer the group individually and as a whole. Our one friend is a newlywed (I wrote about attending her wedding in a Simple Joys post last month) and brought her wedding pictures to share. Another woman is a very young and sexy grandma who is back in the dating world and shared her stories. The three of us who are longtime married ladies with kids at home all added to the cacophony of stories, advice, and laughter. And there was a lot of laughter. I know it was an awesome night because more than once I was reduced to fits of laughter that resulted in tears, a tell-tale sign that I enjoyed myself wholly and completely! We already have plans in January and I can tell you with certainty that like this one being chock full of Simple Joys, that meet up will make the list of Simple Joys in early 2012!

2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup Season. The conclusion of the 2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup Season was on Sunday and Tony Stewart was crowned dethroning five-time consecutive champion Jimmie Johnson. The entire season, the first I ever worked and thus followed each race intently, was dramatic, competitive, and full of controversy. Drama was for the amount of winners during the season, eighteen different ones in all, and several were first-time winners. A real battle between two competitors, Carl Edwards and Tony Stewart, emerged in the Chase (the playoffs) and continued the entire run! The controversy was mostly attributed to the actions of driver Kyle Busch who will certainly be a changed man come the 2012 Season or he won’t be in NASCAR much longer. From a fan’s point of view, this season couldn’t have been any better and was certainly the most exciting in recent years. From a writer’s point of view, there have been endless opportunities for finding fantastic subject matter. I am saddened the season is now officially over. With the holidays approaching I definitely have ways to fill the void left by NASCAR. But, I guarantee, once January arrives I’ll be counting down to the February Daytona 500 like all of my NASCAR brethren! In the meantime, I want to reiterate that watching the 2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup Season has been a constant source of Simple Joys!

Mom-in-law. Let me be perfectly clear, I love, adore, and treasure my mom-in-law. I cannot even call her “mother-in-law” because that is far too formal and impersonal. Since my husband and I have been together since I was fourteen my mom-in-law has been like another mom to me but also like a dear girlfriend. We were both teachers, both adore her son, and both value a lot of the same things in life. Consequently, we have always gotten along famously and have always respected each other. We chat on the phone, work well together in the kitchen, and simply enjoy one another’s company to the nth degree. Thanksgiving is one of our very favorite times to be together because we typically get to spend a ton of time together. We shop in sync, make fabulous pies together, and, to revel in her favorite past time which allows me a much needed break, she plays games with my children much to all of our delight. We stay up late and talk, get up early and talk, and cry when the time comes for her to depart. I am anticipating her arrival tonight and cannot wait to I see her in the morning on Wednesday. She’s bringing my Dad-in-law (my other “Daddy”) and her father (Bumpa/my children’s wonderful Great-Grandfather) along, too, so there is much happiness to our festivities. I know from my peers that many women do not get along at all with their mothers-in-law. My mom-in-law hears often from her peers they cannot stand their daughters-in-law. We feel incredibly blessed to have one another in our lives and are proud of the relationship we cultivated. Anytime I spend with my mom-in-law, no matter the season or reason for the visit, is a Simple Joy.

Leaves. My husband is simply my favorite person on the planet; nay, in the entire universe. He is vigilant about house chores so he never falls behind, works hard, attends school, is a caring and wonderful neighbor and friend, and makes me feel like a princess in the best sense of the word. He is a fantastic father, engaged and involved, and knows how to wrangle up some fun. While blowing leaves in our yard over the weekend he made another pile for the children to jump in and frolic! They did, laughing, throwing leaves, and creating mischief. Early on, my husband joined them. I sat on our porch steps watching the fun but not being a part of it. Finally the pull was too great and my husband motioned for me to join him. I tackled him in the leaves and lay on top of him. I was overwhelmed with love and kissed him passionately. The rest of the world ceased to exist and all I was aware was the two of us melting into the leaves. From boundless fun with the children to falling in love repeatedly with my husband, the leaves were the conduit for Simple Joys this week.

Thanksgiving Week always makes me full of joy. Knowing the house will be filled with extended family, the kitchen emanating savory and sweet smells, and Christmas secrets stashed away for next month’s unveiling are parts of the reasons I enjoy this week. But, it really is the culmination of a year filled with Simple Joys that I can reflect and give gratitude in a formal way. Most importantly, upon the conclusion of Thanksgiving Week I know I can continue to find and make Simple Joys in my daily life to make the next year fulfilling. I wish only the best to you and yours on this Thanksgiving Week and every week of the year. Thank you for spending your Tuesdays with me and thank you for being a part of my Simple Joys.

Please join me tomorrow when I debut my first Thanksgiving Poem!

Monday Movie Blog - Thanksgiving Edition

Welcome to the Monday Movie Blog on Chief 187™Chatter. This week is Thanksgiving

Week! With the big day on a Thursday, children off of school on both that day and Friday, and the amount of Americans traveling to and from visiting friends and family, Thanksgiving Week offers ample opportunity to watch movies. Hollywood knows this and uses this week to premiere a slew of holiday-themed movies and blockbusters as well as a few hard-core films that may be considered for Academy Awards next year. People flock to the theaters. If you are like me and

would rather stay home because of comfort, expense, or dispassion for crowds, then glance through the many Monday Movie Blogs and find a movie (or movies) that fits your taste this Thanksgiving Week.

This week’s focus is movies that take place during or on Thanksgiving. Christmas gets such a starring role in myriad films, but Thanksgiving is used much more sparingly by filmmakers. Please list any and all movies that use Thanksgiving in its storyline, either predominantly or in passing. Be sure to include a list of actors in the movie as well as a brief synopsis or review of the film.

To access former Monday Movie Blogs (or have your cousin, aunt, niece, or grandfather do it) simply type “Monday Movie Blog” into the search feature located in the upper left hand corner of this page. For any archived or current post, I encourage you to add more selections to the topic provided. This is a living and ever-expanding resource for all to use. I hope you find many opportunities to use it throughout the Thanksgiving Week!

Please join me tomorrow for Chief 187™Chatter’s most popular post of any week and most fitting post for Thanksgiving Week, Simple Joys.

Ford 400 Race Recap & Championship Report

In the greatest showdown in the history of the sport Tony Stewart and Carl Edwards displayed the ultimate in sportsmanship and competition in the 2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup Chase. For the last three races of the season the two men ran neck and neck with Carl Edwards in the lead by the narrowest three point margin coming into Homestead-Miami Speedway. In the first hundred laps it seemed that Carl Edwards might have the day and the championship sewn up, but Tony Stewart and his #14 team fought back and won the race and the 2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup by tying Carl Edwards in points. Under this current points’ system, Stewart edged Edwards to the championship because Stewart simply had more wins; five in the Chase, a record in itself.

Carl Edwards had to settle for second not only in the race on Sunday but also in the championship race. Edwards’ disheartened but sportsmanlike attitude breaking hearts throughout NASCAR is a now too-common scene. His performance in the 2011 season was exemplary, but did not fulfill his destiny because he did not win enough races, a fact that does not go unnoticed by those who distinctly remember Edwards’ teammate Matt Kenseth’s championship year. That year prompted the Chase in Cup to ensure a champion would need to have more in the Win column. Carl Edwards found out the hard way that there is no exception to that rule.

Martin Truex Jr. took home third in Sunday’s Ford 400 race run in Homestead-Miami Speedway. Edwards’ Roush-Fenway Racing teammate Matt Kenseth came in fourth. Jeff Gordon finished fifth. Clint Bowyer, running his final race with RCR, came in sixth. Kasey Kahne continued his string of good runs with a seventh. Kevin Harvick secured eighth. Denny Hamlin took ninth. Jeff Burton sewed up tenth.

For the final time in 2011, the NASCAR Sprint Cup points were distributed with Tony Stewart coming out on top even though he tied Carl Edwards in points because Stewart had more wins as previously mentioned. Carl Edwards, of course, had to swallow second. Kevin Harvick finished third in points for the season. Matt Kenseth jumped two positions to fourth landing him squarely in the Top-5 in points. Brad Keselowski, the wunderkind of the second half of the season, proved his mettle in the Chase and finished a respectable fifth. Five-time defending champion Jimmie Johnson brought home sixth and ended his reign he had a stranglehold on since 2006. Dale Earnhardt Jr. had a decent seventh place in the Chase. Jeff Gordon picked up three positions landing him in eighth. Denny Hamlin who floundered in the Chase for the first half of the Chase worked hard and finished ninth. Champion Tony Stewart’s Stewart-Haas teammate Ryan Newman landed in tenth. Kurt Busch struggled and fell to eleventh. Kyle Busch, thankful to be able to compete in the last Chase races, fell to and occupied twelfth to end the 2011 Season.

The competition was deep, the duel between Tony Stewart and Carl Edwards was epic and record-worthy, and the Chase was the most exciting in many years. If you weren’t a NASCAR fan in 2011 you missed out on something truly magical and entertaining. Don’t make the same mistake again. It’s only two months until the roar of the NASCAR Sprint Cup engines spring back to life and with it these race recaps!

Wishing you all a very Happy Thanksgiving and a truly blessed Holiday Season! Thank you for your continued support of this site, the race recaps, and me. I look forward to writing more in 2012 from the weekly competition that is the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series!

Friday Music Blog - Farewell Regis

Welcome to the Friday Music Blog on Chief 187™Chatter. This day marks the end of an era, the end of the reign of a television king who has kept me company through three babies, endless snow days, summer morns, and even my college days. Today, after over fifty years in show business and twenty-nine years hosting Live!, Regis Philbin is moving on to brighter pastures at age eighty.

I’ve been a fan of the Live with Regis and Kathie Lee and then Kelly show since

the late 1980s. In college I would tune in when time permitted and live vicariously through the stories of Regis and Kathie Lee who lived and played in New York City, much closer to my home than the southwestern Virginia town my college was located. I admired Kathie Lee’s hair, wardrobe, and sense of humor, but it was Regis’ stories that kept me spellbound and left me in tears from the laughter they invoked. Regis’ talent, quite simply, was his unique and uncanny way to tell a story in an accessible and humorous manner that left his audience commiserating and, at the same time, cheering for this unlikely hero. Even when Regis dropped names of famous folk he hung out with, it never seemed neither condescending to his audience nor braggy; these were Regis’ friends and he valued them and he knew their inherent weaknesses. In other words, Regis made everyone he came in contact seem like one of us.

Over the years Regis kept his signature personality and charming and ever-increasing periods of forgetfulness that just seemed to endear him more to his audience. Still frisky, funny, and intolerable of the frustrations of everyday life, Regis made a career working “one hour a day” for our vast entertainment. Whether Regis sang (his duet with Kathie Lee on “Silver Bells” is still a perennial favorite!), told his priceless stories, or conducted interviews with the celebrity du jour, he was charming, handsome, funny, and real. Having Regis retire from his daytime talk show, knowing that come Monday I will have to do without his “Host Chat”, and will have to abruptly wean myself from his life, makes me a bit sad. I am thrilled for his release from a job that, although brought him much pleasure and his audience the same, he is able to

pursue other passions in his remaining days.

I thank Regis Philbin for being his authentic self. I thank him for giving men and women who happened to be home for various reasons throughout the decades an enjoyable hour of television to digest each weekday. I thank him for his outbursts of anger and his tender heart. I thank Regis for going to Ground Zero in the wake of 9/11 and for bringing his show back a week later so we could get on with the business of normality and living. I thank Regis for being Regis, the way he made and continued his career for its entirety. Thank you, Regis. Thank you and God Bless.

This week’s focus is songs that are befitting a king in honor of Regis Philbin. The selections can be about royalty, be sung by The King, or relate to Regis in one way or another. Please be

sure to include the artist.

Lastly, I get to indulge and brag about Chief 187™Chatter. This week saw the follower number climb two to eighty-one! The pageviews soared surpassing 34,000 late Wednesday night. The pageviews are gaining momentum and 35,000 is within reach! And, with great pride and exaltation I herald that Chief 187™ is now a trademarked name. In addition, I have created a store full of Chief 187 items at all price points. Products are for sale and range from stickers and holiday ornaments to water bottles, t-shirts, clocks, and puzzles. Please take a moment to browse the site located at http://cafepress.com/Chief187. If Chief 187™Chatter is a part of your life each week, perhaps you’d like to have something that reflects that support!

I always encourage you to check back to this blog thoughout the day and weekend to see any new comments. Also, take the time to read archived articles from this week or previous weeks. Finally, I invite you to join me again starting Monday for another week of entirely new and original posts on Chief 187™Chatter. Yes, all new even during the Thanksgiving Holiday week!

Tantalizing Thursday - Thanksgiving Pies Edition

Welcome to Tantalzing Thursday on Chief 187™ Chatter. All month long Thanksgiving has been the theme of this feature. A meal and day that is central to the holiday season and is, for the most part, celebrated by all Americans has become vitally important. Whether the entire meal is made from scratch, help is taken from the grocery store or prepared foods section, or eaten out at a restaurant; it is preferred and decadent to have pie to end the meal. At our table there are at least two choices and sometimes as many as four to obliterate your calorie count. Cool Whip is the topping of choice with Team 187, but whipped cream is, of course, the other alternative. There is NO SHAME in using frozen pies or store-bought ones as enjoying the day and time together is the only pre-requisite to a successful recipe on Thanksgiving. If you are looking to show off your culinary dessert skills and are confident you can mix a few ingredients and unwrap a prepared pie crust, then these recipes to follow will help you deliver your homemade pies as if you are a ROCK STAR!

Libby’s ®Famous Pumpkin Pie

Recipe from http://verybestbaking.com

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 2 large eggs
• 1 can (15 oz.) LIBBY'S® 100% Pure Pumpkin
• 1 can (12 fl. oz.) NESTLÉ® CARNATION® Evaporated Milk
• 1 unbaked 9-inch (4-cup volume) deep-dish pie shell
• Whipped cream (optional)

Directions:

MIX sugar, cinnamon, salt, ginger and cloves in small bowl. Beat eggs in large bowl. Stir in pumpkin and sugar-spice mixture. Gradually stir in evaporated milk.

POUR into pie shell.

BAKE in preheated 425° F oven for 15 minutes. Reduce temperature to 350° F; bake for 40 to 50 minutes or until knife inserted near center comes out clean. Cool on wire rack for 2 hours. Serve immediately or refrigerate. Top with whipped cream before serving.

This recipe is a mainstay for holiday meal enders. I make no less than four every holiday season. In an effort to save money and not skimp on taste I pick up store brand canned pumpkin and evaporated milk. Simple recipes yield satisfying impacts! In addition to this pie I also like to include my very favorite, Pecan Pie. This recipe is also simple but devastatingly and sinfully delicious!



Karo Classic Pecan Pie

Recipe from http://karosyrup.com

Ingredients:


• 1 cup Karo® Light OR Dark Corn Syrup
• 3 eggs
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1 teaspoon Spice Islands® Pure Vanilla Extract
• 1-1/2 cups (6 ounces) pecans
• 1 (9-inch) unbaked or frozen** deep-dish pie crust



Directions:


1. Preheat oven to 350°F.

2. Mix corn syrup, eggs, sugar, butter and vanilla using a spoon. Stir in pecans. Pour filling into pie crust.

3. Bake on center rack of oven for 60 to 70 minutes (see tips for doneness, below). Cool for 2 hours on wire rack before serving.

4. **To use prepared frozen pie crust: Place cookie sheet in oven and preheat oven as directed. Pour filling into frozen crust and bake on preheated cookie sheet.

5. RECIPE TIPS: Pie is done when center reaches 200°F. Tap center surface of pie lightly - it should spring back when done. For easy clean up, spray pie pan with cooking spray before placing pie crust in pan. If pie crust is overbrowning, cover edges with foil.

6. NUTRITION TIP: To reduce calories, substitute new Karo® Lite Syrup for the Karo® Light or Dark Corn Syrup.

7. High Altitude Adjustments: Reduce sugar to 2/3 cup and increase butter to 3 tablespoons. Reduce oven temperature to 325°F.

8. VARIATION: coarsely chopped walnuts may be substituted for pecans to make a walnut pie.



This recipe is decadent! If you do not want to splurge on pure vanilla extract then use the imitation. I highly recommend buying the largest pecans you can find and dry roasting in a 350 degree oven in a single layer on a cookie sheet for approximately 5-10 minutes. This results in a crunchy and satisfying pecan that enhances the finished product of the pie. Served warm with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream, this is, hands down, my all-time favorite pie
of the season!!

Whatever desserts you put on your Thanksgiving table and whatever topping you choose, I wish you a sweet day!

Please join me tomorrow for a special edition Friday Music Blog with a farewell to Regis Philbin on Chief 187 ™Chatter.

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Getting Prepared

One week and the Thanksgiving Holiday will be here. We’ve talked about making plans, menus, and coping ideas. But, there are so many more ways to prepare for this very important holiday. Whether you are a guest in someone’s home or hosting the big meal itself, take a few moments to prepare for the onslaught and fill your arsenal with tools that will help you make it to the Sunday after Thanksgiving in one piece, sane, and no worse for the wear.

Shopping. Now’s the time to make your list of things you need. If you are cooking, buy your nonperishable items now so next week can be all about fresh produce, dairy products and the like. Make your finalized menu now and double check recipes to make sure you have all the ingredients needed for each dish. As simple as this seems, many people don’t check and always need to dash to the store in a mad rush for a forgotten spice, herb, chicken broth, or pie crust! If you are not cooking, you still need to shop for something… wine, chocolate, diamond bracelet.

If you are taking part in a gift-giving celebration in December (Chanukah or Christmas, Kwanza or anything else), start shopping now before the crowds become too unmanageable. There are incredible deals in the stores as well as online. Again, have a list and stick to it. Don’t forget a gift from http://Cafepress.com/Chief187 where you can find something to bring (or keep for yourself) among over sixty different items!

Set the atmosphere. If you’re anything like me you need to have a constant stream of your favorite music in the background to keep you grounded and sane. If you have an iPod or MP3 player, create playlists that will keep you smiling no matter what happens. Still have a huge CD collection? Make a pile of only your very favorites. If you rely on cassettes or 8-tracks, go shopping for modern technology; it’s time. Also, decorate your space. If scented candles do it for you, then light them up. Have turkey lights? String them! Thanksgiving plates passed down to you from your grandma, get them out! Even if you don’t entertain or cook, set a pot of water to boil and throw in some cinnamon sticks – the place will smell homey and festive!

Wear something festive. It’s the holiday of Thanksgiving, people. Leave the jeans and sweats for the outside touch football championship; dinner requires something nice. Put your “Sunday Best” (or Saturday or Friday night) on to share the meal with your family/friends/fellow diners. It’s not about designer labels or big price tags; it’s about showing respect for the day, your hosts, and the people at the table. Many scoff at this notion of dressing for holidays remarking, “It’s my day off, why would I want to dress up?” In my opinion, this is a travesty. Again, not the whole day is necessary, but dressing nicely for the occasion shows respect. Food for thought.

Help. You betcha, help out. I wrote about this recently but it needs to be reiterated. Clear the table, stir the gravy, peel the potatoes, open and pour the wine, do the dishes or, at the very least, dry them. The group effort makes for less work for one and a better time for all.

Formulate your thoughts. Invariably you will be asked at some time throughout the day what you are thankful for this year. This practice is not just for elementary school-aged children. The day is called THANKSGIVING so being thankful is a prerequisite. Times are tough, the economy still sucks, there may have been a death, a divorce, a job loss, or an illness, but there still must be something to be thankful. Still don’t know what I’m talking about? Please see the months of Simple Joys blogs on this site. Thanksgiving is talking about the Simple Joys you experienced on the week leading up to Thanksgiving dinner. Start working on this now if you think you will choke.

Learn a joke. People like funny people. If you are going to be with a captive audience learn a joke that is funny but not too off-color so that a mixed crowd, young and old, would appreciate it. Start now to find just the right one. If you are a gifted joke teller, bring your best material and save it for the meal. Who doesn’t love to laugh until the tears fall down their face? Bring laughter to Thanksgiving and you will be well loved and asked back next year!

Have a toast prepared. Something witty, poignant, rather short, and heartfelt will be ideal. I highly recommend any of the gems that Eric Kobb Miller posts on Twitter using the handle @SpitToonsSaloon. His toasts are all tiny works of literary art that would be appropriate throughout the holidays or any time you want to wow your dinner companions. Miller’s work can also be found at http://spittoonssaloon.blogspot.com.

Channel a good mood. The holidays only last a short while in the grand scheme of things. Try your very best to put a smile on your face, be helpful, charming, and simply get along. There is no doubt in my mind the holidays can be overly trying to say the least, but if you make every conscious effort to embrace them and make the most of every situation with a positive vibe, you’ll find that will become contagious and you all might just have a great time this year.

Please join me tomorrow for more recipes on Tantalizing Thursday on Chief 187™ Chatter.

Simple Joys

Welcome to Simple Joys on Chief 187™ Chatter. It used to be that if something went wrong, a fight erupted or plans were changed last minute, I was so inflexible that my day, week, or holiday season was ruined. I was the type of person who would over dramatize the importance of a bad moment, give far too much weight to its meaning and was unable to let go of the resentments I let build up. What I found was not only did it color the moods of those around me in a negative way when I behaved this way; I was often miserable. This was no way to live. In fact, it wasn’t living at all. So, with the help of therapy, the acceptance of a brand new perspective, and the freeing knowledge I have the power to start my day over at any time, I have learned to embrace my life, bumps and all, with a renewed enthusiasm, and, even when things go in a way differently than I would have liked, I get passed it as quickly as humanly possible, too. Looking for and, indeed, creating Simple Joys helps tremendously in this vain. By always searching for the best in my days I find far more good than bad. By staying positive I emit positivity which becomes contagious. By smiling I receive smiles. The formula is ridiculously easy yet most difficult to learn if one is set in one’s ways. Time, the desire to change, and the willingness to accept Simple Joys will go far to change a negative perspective to a positive one. Food for thought. Now, without further ado, is this week’s Simple Joys.

Days Off. On the heels of a week off of school due to the freak late October snowstorm, my children had a short week because the New Jersey Teacher’s Convention. For the first time my husband arranged to take the same two days off of work and we spent another long period of time together. I don’t mean to belabor the point, but having the time off has truly been wonderful! From working together on home chores to playing Wii Lego games in pajamas, eating meals in or dining out on a shoestring budget, we just enjoyed one another’s company! Without other distractions like holidays, having time off to just be with one another was a Simple Joy I had not experienced in a long time and look forward to again!

Tom Chapin. I rarely include events that cost money because I feel it takes away from the "simple" of Simple Joys. This event, on the contrary, is less about the concert Tom Chapin gave, but the events that surrounded it. A local historic children’s theater was recently refurbished and reopened. Tom Chapin, historically and emotionally attached to the town where the theater is located, agreed to a concert where no more than fifty people could attend. We decided the day before to get tickets and were successful. Getting there early for general seating, we secured our seats and realized we’d better let the kids explore so they might be more apt to sit during the concert. They delighted in the gorgeous paintings on the walls, the intricate details in the moldings, and the magical air of the theater. Other families milled about, but none with children as young as our two-year-old daughter who was dressed to the nines

and fully enjoying herself, giggling loudly at the antics of her brothers, dancing to music she alone heard, and flirting with strangers. Once the concert began and Tom Chapin, who is truly an engaging, talented, and fantastic musician/performer, my daughter decided she did not want to sit and listen. Most of the night I spent in the anteroom of the theater, fully able to listen to the concert, but not see which was a shame as the visuals were worthwhile in such an intimate setting. Regardless, my daughter was thrilled to have her momma all to herself. We danced, we played games, “Where’s Rosie’s nose? Where’s Momma’s nose?”, we visited the ladies’ room, and we cuddled. My husband was afraid I’d be frustrated by these turn of events, and I might have been another time. But, the chance to expose my children to this setting and this class act, the opportunity to spend quality time alone with my daughter who found me far me entertaining and interesting than the performer, and stepping out to such a wondrous night is a Simple Joy I will carry with me for a lifetime.

Tacos/pizza. Friday night was taco night. This is one meal that all three of our children agree is the best dinner! We had chicken tacos with cheese, tomatoes, lettuce, black olives, and both hard and soft taco shells. Our children eat them up ravenously and we feel good not hearing complaining and seeing empty plates and full bellies! Having leftovers in our home is not only good but orchestrated. Then next day for our lunch I took out my trusty crusty pizza crust,

recreated our taco dinner on the dough, and baked it off in a hot oven. Once again our children ate the meal like it was their absolute favorite; we finished the leftovers from the night’s before dinner, and even had leftover pizza to enjoy for another meal in the near future! Why am I including food in Simple Joys instead of Tantalizing Thursday? Because watching my children eat and not complaining is an incomparable Simple Joy that had to be shared!

Star Wars Monopoly. I’m feeling like I’ve written about this game before, but it’s earned another mention. After putting our daughter to bed, my husband turned off the television and said to our sons, “Get the Monopoly game out, the Star Wars one.” What resulted was an epic sixty minute battle for monopolies, star fleets, Death Stars, and Republic Credits. What was forged was a bond between our boys and us that solidifies, once again, a strong relationship. It also proved to me that our five year old is a true financial genius who is extraordinarily lucky. It’s like living with a three foot Donald Trump! The whole experience was a Simple Joy I hope to revisit often!

After dinner. With three young children, dinner time is the least relaxing part of the day. Two need assistance eating, one could subsist on air so we have to coax him to eat, and there is noise, cajoling, and raucous laughter throughout because someone is either burping or tooting or both. Finally, after several minutes that seem like hours, the children declare they are finished eating, their father and I decide they are allowed to be excused, and the mass exodus ensues. As the dust (literally) settles, the crumbs taunt me on the floor, the chairs, and the tablecloth; I let out a long, audible sigh. My husband and I shake our heads and offer each other a supportive grin. We’d survived yet another meal. In these post-dinner moments before the dishes need our attention, my husband and I reconnect; sometimes for a few seconds, and, when we’re truly lucky, for several long minutes, to talk, listen, and just be. They are the priceless minutes of our day that are the most precious periods of Simple Joys.

When my radar detects stresses in the near future, I’ve learned to supply my arsenal with my strongest weapons – Simple Joys. Writing these Simple Joys for lo these many months has seriously made my life fuller, richer, calmer, and, plainly, more joyful. Knowing that the day offers endless opportunities for Simple Joys makes the hard parts, the stressful situations, and the sad seconds melt away faster, easier, and with less pain. Writing Simple Joys has helped with my perspective tenfold. Whether you write yours or simply think about them, I hope you are finding that recognizing the Simple Joys that exist in your life makes life simply wonderful.

Please join me tomorrow on Chief 187™Chatter when I wax poetic about yet another topic!