All Good Things must End

And, so I hope, do all bad things.  2010 has not been the best of years by any stretch of the imagination, for us...It started off with a death in the family, and went downhill from there.  There have been some high points, but all in all, I am praying that 2011 starts off better, and continues uphill through the end of the year.

May your New Years Eve be a safe one, and New Years Day bring joy and friendship to you.
I know I'm a day early, but if you know me for very long, you'll find that there is only one thing I put off until the last minute...TAXES!

Merry Christmas

Happy Birthday Jesus!

And now, what gift did you get today.

Was it a new dress, new shoes,

a new car?

Breakfast in Bed?

Just what gift did you receive to celebrate

Jesus' Birthday?

What did I get, you ask.

I got the gift of Eternal Life,

that is the gift I got for Jesus' Birthday.

Do you have that gift, yet?

So....

...............
What's on tap for Christmas Dinner at your house?
Will it be traditional? Regional?  or just plain outlandish?
Several years ago, we made the decision that everyone was sick and tired of ham, turkey,
dressing, pecan pie, pumpkin pie, orange slice cake,  and green bean casserole, after about 3 different meals of it at different relatives homes. 
We decided to start our own tradition and it will continue this year, unless someone else decides differently.  If we have dinner at my house, I fix the main dish, it is my choice, and everyone else supplies the desserts and veggies. It may be mexican chicken,  spaghetti and meat sauce, fried catfish with all the trimmings, chicken fried steaks, or chicken enchilidas, whatever suits our fancy at the time we get the menu together. We've discussed the menu, and I think this year we will be having mini pigs in a blanket, chip and dip, cheese balls, veggies and dip, and whatever what is brought for dessert.  We'll be doing our get together on Christmas evening, with all the kids.  This gives everyone a chance to be home and enjoy their gifts on Christmas morning, without having to rush off to somewhere else, or start cooking right after breakfast.  So, if you are coming to my house for Christmas, and you don't like any of the above menu, call ahead, and I'll stick a couple of Banquet Turkey and Dressing TV dinners in the microwave for your dining pleasure.

AnonyaMouse ;-}

So who is excited about Christmas..

I laughed today, as grandson started shaking his present, and keeps asking if I am sure I actually put the gift inside...He shook his cousin's present, then his again, then cousins, then his.  He keeps telling us that cousin's present makes a noise, and his doesn't, they are the same size, so why doesn't his make a noise.
Four more days, and he will find out what is in that box, and I hope he enjoys it as much as I've enjoyed him shaking and shaking and wondering, and even offering to open it to see if there is actually anything inside.  'But, we can rewrap it, once I'm sure...'
AnonyaMouse

Christmas Gags

This afternoon, I had a message from my daughter in law, asking about Christmas Gift plans.  Several years ago, we all made the decision to purchase only for the 'kids' in the family, since none of us enjoyed shopping that much, and none of us have an unlimited supply of money.  She left a message asking if that was still the plan.  I called her, and when she answered, I told her no, the plan had changed, that this year, everyone was supposed to buy 'hubby and me' the gifts, instead of the kids.  We had a great laugh about it. 

The only thing I miss about giving each other gifts, is the unique way we had of of playing tricks on each other.  There is the year that we opened and washed a Campbells soup can, without damaging the label, and put a gift card in it, weighted the can,and glued the bottom back on.  When daughter in law unwrapped the package, she sat there with the strangest look on her face, but was afraid to say anything, I'm sure she thought she'd gotten the gag gift of the year.  We finally quit laughing, and told her open the can by popping the top.  After we showed her the glued on bottom, I'm sure she used the same gag on someone else.

About 12 years ago, at an auction, I ended up with with a 'velvet painting' in some other things I bought.

My son in law commented that 'it may be valuable', of course he was joking, but I went along with it, and laughed.  But there was a seed planted in my mind, so on Christmas, I got a beautiful roll of wrapping paper, and some heavy cardboard.  I wrapped that terrible picture up really really well, lots of tape, and with beautiful ribbon bows.I'd never pulled that kind of gag on him before, so son in law started ripping paper to get to the 'good stuff'. You should have seen his face, when he realized the gag I'd pulled on him, in front of the whole family.

Since that time, you never know when that picture is going to show up again.  We used it, with a nice gift card to Lowes, attached to the back, when youngest daughter purchased her house.  I received it last, for Mother's Day a year or so ago, but grandson almost let the cat out of the bag, when he said something about a picture.  It is hanging in my back room right now, waiting for the day when everyone has forgotten about it, so it can be brought out again, for other's viewing pleasure. 

Several people who know this story, always ask who got the picture this year.
So, do you have any special traditions in your family?

I tried, I really did

I've had trouble posting on here, the last couple of times that I've tried.
I'd get it all written out, then it will tell me I need to sign in, even though I'm supposed to be signed in to start posting.  By the time I get signed in, the post has gone to blogger hades, never to be seen again.
One was even a funny post, and I could hear you chuckling as I typed it, figuring it would be entertaining to you.  Well, when it disappeared, I didn't think it was too funny.

Idiot soon to be x sil is disappearing this weekend, and yes, it is his weekend....he's even leaving a day early, so I'll be taking gs to school tomorrow. And now word has drifted down that he's 'seeing' one of daughter's friends, or used to be friends.  Guess the one that got a divorce, that spurred this divorce, figured out he didn't have as much money, since daughter's paycheck wasn't paying for everything.  .

BTW, has anyone mentioned to you that Christmas will be here in just over 7 days....?  I guess that means that I'd better get out and find a couple of gifts..I've not purchased anything except some oils and butters...
May your soap float and your perfume be smelly.

Cold Colder Coldest...

Well folks, it seems that the weather is terrible even in the usually glorious south. 

My friends in Minnesota, Wisconsin, and even Georgia are all crying foul over the heavy snow and just plain cold.  Now one friend in South Louisiana invited us all down to her house, where it is in the mid 50s today.

My location has been 34 degrees for a high today and the wind chill kept it in the 20s. 

So what do you do if it is too cold to be outside?

We at lunch at our 'favorite spot' with the others who rather pay than do the cooking.

Then we stopped at the grocery store, got some peanuts to roast, and

came home, put a cake in the oven, and peanuts went in a short time later.

Now I'm waiting  for the chicken and mushroom soup to get done.

There is wood on the porch for the fire, and there is plenty of food.