Lifestyle

Years had passed since I had set foot on an icy pond. Motherhood had taken over, and priorities had shifted.

The following births were reported by Grady Memorial Hospital:

My kitchen is torn to pieces; everything is a huge mess.

We are home from church. The three oldest boys are playing volleyball in the kitchen (with a soft ball) and Julia, the bookworm, is reading. Hosanna and Joshua are playing with dolls in the living room and are singing German songs.

“Mom, may we sleep in the barn on Christmas Eve?”

The following births were reported by Grady Memorial Hospital:

Christmas bells are ringing. It is close enough, you can almost touch it. Around the world homes are getting ready for this day. It may not be celebrated all the same, but it’s Christmas. To each of us Christmas brings its own sense of congruity.

Hi there, good evening, It’s… well, I won’t tell you what time it is. We’ll just say I’m usually in bed at this hour of the day; why lay there with sleep out of sight? Why not seize the moment touch base with you all and enjoy a chocolate in the meanwhile? That’s right, a Lindor chocolate from a reader and dear friend, and no little ones asking if they can have one too! Mmm. It’s delicious, I mean both the milk chocolate and the moment of solitude. And some apple cider to go with it.

Have you ever noticed how “white” lights seem to vary in color? Some light bulbs seem yellowish, others almost blue; some seem to have no color at all but give an unpleasant “cold” light that’s very unflattering. This is because every light bulb (or LED) has a built-in “temperature.” Light temperatures are measured in degrees, on the “Kelvin scale.”

Our Christmas shopping trips take us on a whirlwind tour of the Cincinnati metro area, and on our way home we like to detour through the lovely neighborhoods of Indian Hill and Mariemont. Their tree-lined streets and professionally landscaped yards are a refreshing sight at any time of year. During the holiday season, many homes in these towns are showcased with Christmas lights, and many have professionally designed landscape lighting systems to flatter them year-round.