Category Archives: Holidays

Christmasy links

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Nannykim suggested I post some pictures of the “misfit ornaments” I mentioned the other day. I would so love to do that! I think it would be a lot of fun, and I’m in the mood for it. I’d love to do that today — but I must exercise self-disciple and get some things done. I’m kicking myself not so much because I am running behind, but because it is my own fault. So I am thinking maybe Saturday — though weekends are usually low blog-reading days for many — maybe early next week. If WordPress would support Mr. Linky I’d even think about setting it up where others could post links (but then that would be assuming that other people save their misfit ornaments like we do!)

This is a busy week — ladies’ group party was Monday (fun!), Jesse’s first basketball game was Tuesday (more on that tomorrow, hopefully), prayer meeting at church last night, Jesse’s piano recital tonight, then another basketball game tomorrow night. Plus some of my stuff to do from last week didn’t get finished then. So it’s been “lite” posting this week, though there have been some deep thoughts along the way. 🙂

During the Thanksgiving and Christmas seasons, my blog stats go way up because of several things I posted my first year of blogging. I had a lot of poems, quotes, etc. gleaned from several years of compiling our ladies ministry newsletter, and evidently people do a lot of searching for that kind of thing this time of year! I didn’t know some of you then, and I didn’t want to repost them but thought I’d post the links if any of you has time and inclination to look around. I’ll post some of my links first and then some other links around the blogosphere that have caught my eye recently.

My Christmas links:

Christmas links I have seen elsewhere lately:

One word about Christmas crafts: I see all these cute ideas during during December bur don’t have time to try them then. So the past few years I have made some in the week or two after Christmas. I’m still in the mood and the stores still have some Christmas supplies (though you could get the supplies earlier, if you’re afraid they’ll run out, and just make them when you can).

Happy reading!

Christmas Spirit award and tag

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chirstmasawardJewel at Down in My Little Valley gave me a Christmas Spirit Award with the following tag:

“The rules are to tag someone with this award that I know loves Christmas, and has Christmas spirit. They must link back to my blog to indicate where they were tagged, and they need to add 1 to 45 reasons why they love Christmas.”

1. I love Christmas first of all because it’s the time we celebrate the birth of our Savior: “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6).

2. Christmas music.

3. Christmas lights. OK, some can be a little on the gaudy side. But I love that so many people put lights outside their houses as well as in, and I love lights on the tree.

4. The Christmas tree. In itself it may seem a little strange to bring a tree inside and hang decorations on it…but I love it.

5. Christmas ornaments, little miniature decorations, often with a story of how it came to be, who gave it to whom, etc.

6. Christmas cards, the opportunity to send and receive greetings with friends and loved ones.

7. Christmas newsletters. Yes, I love them! I enjoy catching up with what’s been going on with people.

8. Christmas events. Though it does tend to make the calendar more full than usual, I love attending our kids’ plays, our Sunday School Christmas party, events in town, etc.

9. Christmas foods.

10. Time off. The kids are off from school, and my husband often takes a few vacation days.

11. Calling loved ones on Christmas Day.

12. Giving gifts.

If you love Christmas consider yourself tagged!

I’ve been tagged with a couple of other memes and was originally going to do them all together…but I think this one needs to stand alone. So I’ll do the others later on. This may be meme week as Real Life is incredibly busy!

Christmasy at last!

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No “Blue Monday” today. It wouldn’t take too long to put a post up for it, but I feel the point of those interactive memes is to interact, LOL! I have a whole list of things to get done today, so since I don’t have time to visit around for that, I’ll refrain this week. I’ve been by to see some of my regulars already and will see the rest later on.

We finally got our Christmas tree up this weekend. I say finally — it’s not terribly far into December yet. But when we had originally planned to do it earlier, it seems like we’re running late. We like to do it all together, so as long as we have family nearby to do it, we’ll arrange our time to do it together. It just gets so much harder as kids get older and have college classes and work obligations. So because of that we went to get the tree on Sunday, something we don’t normally do.

We have Grandma with us on Sundays through church and dinner and brought clothes for her to change into to go get the tree. She did that but then wanted to go home before we decorated it. I think she was just wearing out, plus she said even when her kids were small she never did much with decorating — her husband and kids put all the ornaments on the tree. I think if she had stayed she would have enjoyed watching the antics of the kids — it’s always a riot as they put the ornaments on. We always do some odd things — maybe it comes of having older boys. There is a hook in the ceiling that the previous owners had either a lamp or a hanging plant on that we’ve never removed. One year one of the boys put a snowflake ornament there. The next year I kept saying, “No, don’t put that there,” so now it has become sort of a family joke to get the snowflake up there before I tell them not to. We have weird traditions, I know, LOL! But to me that’s the best kind — the kind that just arise from the moment. Then we have this one angel that my husband and I bought our first Christmas together that came apart a few years ago, and I keep forgetting to either fix it or get rid of it (do other people do this? When we get ornaments out I find ones that need a little repair work and think I’ll get to it some time. Then when we put ornaments away in January I think I’ll get it next year. So they stay in the box unused — unless my kids get to them and find unique ways to use them. My oldest called them “the island of misfit ornaments.”) So one year they hung the head separately from the body. There are one or two ornaments that they do something “different” with every year. It sounds weird, I know, and it is. But it’s one of those things unique to our family.

At one point while we were driving home with the tree on top of the van, Jesse and Jason kept saying it was sliding. They had been talking about seeing the shadow of it while we were driving, so I thought they meant it looked like it was scooting backwards. Just as we were slowing down to turn into a parking lot to see what was going on, it slid off the side and was just hanging by the twine tied to the luggage rack on the roof. We could just imagine what people in other cars thought — a new way to transport your Christmas tree! The two older guys had cameras but didn’t think to take a picture. I would have loved to post a picture of the tree hanging down the side of the car with just the title “Ooops!”

So now the tree is up and the house is decorated and I feel all Christmasy. I love the pine smell in the living room and the way the lights look when the rest of the room is dark.

Last week was supposed to be my week to get lots done while this week has a lot of events to go to, but everything didn’t get done last week that I had planned — one task took longer than planned plus I didn’t use my time to the best advnatge earlier in the week. So…I’d best get to it. I had planned to do a couple of memes I’ve been tagged for, but I’ve chattered on so much I’ll need to save those for another day.

Happy Monday!

WFMW: Geeky Gifts For Guys

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I have a husband and three sons. They’re not sports fans or hunters or golfers, but they do like technology and gadgets. For anything really technical I need to get the exact name, product code, etc., but these are some “other” gifts they’ve enjoyed receiving over the years.

1. USB Rocket Launcher plugs into the USB port of your computer. My husband has one on his desk at work that coworkers like to launch.

usb_rocket_launcher2

2. USB Doomsday Device Hub

USB Doomsday Device

It has a series of buttons and levers, and people just can’t resist pushing and flipping them to see what will happen, despite the dire warnings. Of course, Jeremy and Jesse wanted to try it out.

3. USB Beverage Cooler

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When you don’t want to walk all the way to the kitchen for a cold drink. It holds one drink can.

4. Duct Tape wallet. Because guys can make ANYTHING out of duct tape.

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5. Digital Temperature Fork. This is handy if your guy grills: a fork with a meat thermometer built in. Ours came with a set of grilling utensils. We got this from a department store (J. C. Penney’s, I think) one Father’s Day, but I ran a search for it and found several sources online.

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6. Digital Bank

moneyjar

Ours, which we found in the men’s department at a store in the mall, is much plainer than this version from SlashGear, but there are several online. It keeps count of the total of the coins as you drop them in. I don’t know how you adjust it if you remove any — maybe that’s motivation not to!

7. Anything from Scottevest, a line of clothing designed to accommodate the wires and cords from electronic devices and all sorts of pockets and compartments. A couple of my guys had their jackets on their “wish list” for years, but they were kind of expensive, so all we ever got was this hat (you can click on the video link there to see where the compartments are).

8. Many of the above items can be found at ThinkGeek, the name of which speaks for itself. Lots of…interesting stuff there. It’s mostly a family-friendly site, but, as with all external links, use caution and discretion.

You can find a plethora of workable tips at Rocks In My Dryer each Wednesday.

Christmas Meme

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422284_christmas_ornaments

I received this in an e-mail, and I think I saw it on someone’s blog, but forgot to note where. I added a few questions of my own at the end.

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? Some of each. For the family it’s mostly wrapped packages unless something is an odd shape. For anyone outside of family it’s often a gift bag.

2. Real tree or Artificial? Real so far, but after getting rained out of getting our Christmas tree when we’d planned to I am thinking more about an artificial one.

3. When do you put up the tree? Usually whenever everyone’s schedules can coincide. We like to get the tree and decorate it together as a family. I like the first Sat. in December. This year we were thinking about the day after Thanksgiving since everyone will was off then, but it rained on the day we were going to get it. This Saturday some of he kids works in the afternoon and others of us have events in the evening. So I don’t know when we’ll get to do it.

4. When do you take the tree down? By New Year’s if not before.

5. Do you like eggnog? I don’t, but Jim and the boys do.

6. Favorite gift received as a child. Barbie dolls, because my nickname was Barbie.

7. Hardest person to buy for? My step-father.

8. Easiest person to buy for? Jesse, my youngest.

9. Do you have a nativity scene? No. The closest I have is this little musical figurine my mom gave me.

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10. Mail or email Christmas cards? Mostly snail-mail, but a few e-mail.

11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received. Chocolate covered cherries (Bleah!)

12. Favorite Christmas Movie? White Christmas

13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? Some time after Thanksgiving usually, but not Black Friday!! When my mom was alive, we would tuck little things away for each other all through the year. I knew what kinds of things she liked and would buy them as I found them. With my boys now, as they grow their tastes and desires change, plus whatever new game or gadget they want won’t be available until closer to Christmas, so I usually wait. (More on gadget gifts for guys tomorrow!)

14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? I think I may have, though I can’t remember any specifics. I know I have given away Christmas presents I received but didn’t want without presenting them as a gift from me.

15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Harvest loaf Cake

16. Lights on the tree? Of course.

17. Favorite Christmas song? Too many good ones to have one favorite! But “In The Bleak Mid-winter” and “Infant Holy, Infant Lowly” would be at the top of the list. I like the “Carol of the Bells” the first couple of times I hear it.

18. Travel at Christmas or stay at home? Stay home.

19. Can you name all of Santa’s reindeer? No

20. Angel on the treetop or a star? Angel but I’d like to replace it with a star.

21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? Morning

22. Most annoying thing about this time of the year? Crowds in the stores, over-full schedule

23. What theme or color are you using? Usual Christmas colors. We have a wide variety of ornaments and decorations — I never went in for a themed tree — but we do have a lot of snowmen.

24. Favorites for Christmas dinner. Ham, mashed potatoes, pies.

25. What do you want for Christmas this year? I haven’t thought much about it yet.

26. Do you have a favorite ornament, what? I have several favorites — it is fun to see them and recall the stories behind them as we decorate the tree.

27. Favorite Christmas special on TV? Charlie Brown Christmas would be tops, but also The Little Drummer Boy and The Grinch Stole Christmas.

28. Do you give gifts to extended family (adult siblings, nieces, nephews, cousins)? Family gifts or individual ones? Not cousins or aunts or uncles. I like giving to everyone, but it has kind of fallen off over the years. Even when we did it, it wasn’t reciprocated — it just gets too expensive, and not living nearby, we don’t know their tastes any more. But sometimes if we have a really good, inexpensive idea, we’ll go for it, like last year when we ended up with a lot of old family pictures and made a CD of them for everyone plus copied an 8×10 of my mom and step-dad for everyone.

29. Christmas parties? Our Sunday School class has one as does the ladies’ group at church. Only once or twice has my husband’s job had anything that involved spouses.

30. Do you bake Christmas cookies? What kind? We did decorated sugar cookies when the kids were little but haven’t in the last few years. I also make gingerbread teddie bears some years. They’re a lot of work, so I don’t do them every year, but I have been craving them this year. If I make them I’ll show them to you.

31. Special church services? There is always a kid’s play or presentation, an adult choir Christmas cantata, and usually a Christmas Eve service.

32. Christmas events you like to attend? Our town has a “Dickens of a Christmas” evening downtown where there are different groups singing, little plays or ballets in shop windows, etc. There are a couple of places with light displays that we usually drive through. That’s all I can remember we do regularly, but if something else comes up that we’re interested in and have time for, we’ll go.

33. Read the Christmas story on Christmas? Yes, my husband does, usually before we open gifts, usually from Luke 2 but sometimes from other passages.

Let me know if you do this and I’ll come by to see your answers!

(Graphic courtesy of the stock.xchng)

A few scenes from Thanksgiving 08

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Thanksgiving 08

Thanksgiving 08

Jim set this up with the tripod and timer. In the first one, the camera missed him. In the second one, I’m blocking Jeremy. We should photoshop them together!

Thanksgiving 08

Thanksgiving 08

One of the many benefits of blogging I’ve reaped is a renewed interest in homemaking. I’ve wanted to be a stay-at-home-mom all my married life, and I am thankful the Lord has enabled that since my first pregnancy. But sometimes, especially when the kids were small, it was almost more than I could do just to keep up, much less get creative. Now that they’re older and a little more independent, I feel I am branching out creatively again, and I am so enjoying it. All that to say I just loved using little fall cookie cutters I found last year to embellish the pie with.

Thanksgiving 08

Sometimes I think, living with all males, that little touches don’t matter and won’t even be noticed, but everyone commented on both this and the table set a little more nicely than usual. I’ve started using tablecloths on holidays, and it’s funny (but good!) that they notice and think it’s special.

Playing Scrabble, Grandma’s favorite.

Thanksgiving 08

Thanksgiving 08

All in all a good day. We dozed a little in the afternoon and watched Kung Fu Panda in the evening with our leftovers.

The 12 lb. turkey ended up being just right: enough leftovers for everyone to have sandwiches or to heat up some turkey with leftover stuffing and mashed potatoes a time or two, and we had Turkey Bone Soup with the last of it tonight.

We were going to get our Christmas tree Saturday, but it rained off and on all day. We figured it would be too wet and muddy (the place we always go is out in a field), especially for Grandma, and then the tree would be too wet to decorate. I’m hoping Jason and his girlfriend don’t have to work too far into the afternoon next Saturday so we can get it then.

I’m enjoying the time off, lazing around mostly between dishes and laundry. The next couple of weeks are going to be really busy, so I am kind of soaking up the relaxation now. I did get a bit of preliminary work done this afternoon when we decided not to get the tree, so that helps a little.

This song by Rebecca J. Weston has been on my heart today:

Father, we thank Thee for the night,
And for the pleasant morning light;
For rest and food and loving care,
And all that makes the world so fair.

Help us to do the things we should,
To be to others kind and good;
In all we do, in work or play,
To love Thee better day by day.

Have a good Sunday!

What Does Your Thanksgiving Meal Say About You?

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Seen at Jungle Mom‘s:


What Your Thanksgiving Meal Says About You


When it comes to the holidays, you follow and love the big traditions. You look forward to them every year.

You see the holidays as a time to think about what’s important to you. It’s a good time to reflect and regroup.

You like the aspects of the holiday that remind you of your childhood – opening presents, treats, and old favorite foods.

During the holidays, you are likely to feel comforted. At your worst, you feel a bit over-indulgent.

You consider yourself to be a bit of a purist, and you’re proud of it.

You tend to spend you holidays taking care of others. Holidays are one of the times you like to give.

All pretty true, I think.

I am thankful for…

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Glad Thanksgiving Day

For each new morning with its light,
For rest and shelter of the night,
For health and food, For love and friends,
For everything Thy goodness sends.
– Ralph Waldo Emerson

God. I don’t mean to sound trite or flippant by including God on a list. Without Him nothing else would be possible. I am thankful for Who He is and for all He has done, for the attributes of His character: justice, grace, mercy, longsuffering, kindness, righteousness, and so much more.

Family. Though we’re not perfect, I am glad God gave us to each other, and I dearly love each one.

Church. What a privilege to be able to meet freely and fellowship with a body of believers who love and support each other.

The Bible: What a wonderful book! Multitudes of times God has given me exactly what I needed at just the right time through it, encouragement, instruction, rebuke, inspiration. A true treasure trove.

Creation. Though marred by the fall, this world still has a lot of beauty in which we see the Creator’s hand.

Music. It speaks to my heart like nothing else.

Technology. I am very glad to love in the age we do.

Thanksgiving. Though we should be thankful every day, I am glad for this special emphasis and reminder to stop and count our blessings.

“Online friends.” What a blessing you have been to me since I started blogging!

Multitudes of little things — it really is hard to stop counting your blessings once you start!

I enjoyed going over again a Thanksgiving Bible Study I did last year, especially “reasons to thank the Lord” and “results of thanking the Lord.” I actually had forgotten I had done it and almost did it again this year, which would have been fine, too.

I hope you all have a wonderful, blessed Thanksgiving Day!

It is a good thing to give thanks unto the LORD, and to sing praises unto thy name, O most high: To shew forth thy lovingkindness in the morning, and thy faithfulness every night. Psalm 92:1-2.

(Graphic courtesy of Christian Clip Art)

More Thanksgiving poems

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Thanksgiving
The year has turned its circle,
The seasons come and go.
The harvest all is gathered in
And chilly north winds blow.
Orchards have shared their treasures,
The fields, their yellow grain,
So open wide the doorway~
Thanksgiving comes again!
~Old Rhyme

td-00075-dchildren-at-turkey-dinner-posters

Our National Thanksgiving

All the blessings of the fields,
All the stores the garden yields,
All the plenty summer pours,
Autumn’s rich, o’erflowing stores,
Peace, prosperity and health,
Private bliss and public wealth,
Knowledge with its gladdening streams,
Pure religion’s holier beams —
Lord, for these our souls shall raise
Grateful vows and solemn praise.”

~ Author unknown

thankful-heart

Thankfulness

We’re thankful for Thy blessings, Lord,
Thy watchful eye above,
For freedom’s bell that rolls for all
In this dear land we love.
We’re thankful, Lord, for useful work,
For measure of good health,
For family ties and friendship dear,
More precious this than wealth.
For all Thy tender mercies, Lord,
For sunshine and for rain,
For golden harvest richly blessed
In yield of fruit and grain.
On this Thanksgiving Day, dear Lord,
We bow in humble prayer.
We’re thankful for Thy blessings, Lord;
Thy gifts are everywhere.

~ Kay Hoffman ~

thankssil3

Thanksgiving …

So many years have passed away
Since Pilgrims on Thanksgiving Day
At Plymouth met with fervent prayer
Their gratitude and food to share.
This is our land-the plains and hills,
The valleys where the sunshine spills
An amber light on beans and corn
Each time a golden day is born.
Today we think of pioneers
Who braved all dangers, met all fears,
Who planted in fertile loam,
Who tamed frontiers to make a home.
For forest-store, for waterways,
For cotton fields, for mountain ore,
For mighty spires we sing our praise.
For scholars with intelligence
Who attained wisdom of the sage,
Who left their heritage to us
And flag of freedom to this age.
We thank Thee, God, for rain and sun,
For peace at frosty winter’s edge,
For harvests and for vintage bells,
For faith and joy in work well done.
The flag we love now flies above;
May faith and virtue keep us strong
As we together sing this song:
“God Bless Thanksgiving Day!”

— An 1840’s Thanksgiving prayer by Stella Craft Tremble

Poetry Friday is at Holly Cupala‘s Friday.

More Thanksgiving -related posts on this blog:

Thanksgiving Bible Study

Thanksgiving devotionals and readings are here.

Some Thanksgiving quotes are here.

More Thanksgiving quotes are here.

Abraham Lincoln’s Thanksgiving Proclamation is here.

Thanksgiving “funnies” are here.

A “Redneck Thanksgiving” is here.

Thanksgiving poems are here.

Giving Thanks I am linking this to Kelli’s Week of Giving Thanks at There’s No Place Like Home — a festival of Thanksgiving posts — poems, quotes, decorations, crafts, recipes, etc.

A Redneck Thanksgiving

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You Might Be a Redneck This Thanksgiving If…

… you’ve ever had Thanksgiving dinner on a ping-pong table.

… Thanksgiving dinner is squirrel and dumplings.

… you’ve ever reused a paper plate.

… if you have a complete set of salad bowls and they all say Cool Whip on the side.

… if you’ve ever used your ironing board as a buffet table.

… your turkey platter is an old hubcap.

… your best dishes have Dixie printed on them.

… your stuffing’s secret ingredient comes from the bait shop.

… your only condiment on the dining room table is ketchup.

… side dishes include beef jerky and Moon Pies.

… you have to go outside to get something out of the ‘fridge.

… the directions to your house include “turn off the paved road.”

… you consider pork and beans to be a gourmet food.

… you have an Elvis Jell-o mold.

… your secret family recipe is illegal.

… you serve Vienna sausage as an appetizer.

Giving Thanks I am linking this to Kelli’s Week of Giving Thanks at There’s No Place Like Home — a festival of Thanksgiving posts — poems, quotes, decorations, crafts, recipes, etc….and a few silly things like this. 🙂

More Thanksgiving -related posts on this blog:

Thanksgiving Bible Study
Thanksgiving readings and devotionals are here.
Some Thanksgiving quotes are here.
More Thanksgiving quotes are here.
Thanksgiving “funnies” are here.
Thanksgiving poems are here and More Thanksgiving poems are here.