Need Coffee

I need coffee and lots of it. Seems like I just can't shake this post Christmas sluggish feeling. I found this vintage coffee photo and loved it. I got another book earlier this month and the pictures are just classic. Women cleaning the house in dresses and heels, yeah riiiiight! Boy things have changed! Men in ties at the dinner table, etc. But I have to admit, it was a better time and it still has class. Probably why I enjoy the pictures so much.















Can't wait to go to Barnes and Noble today... I've been looking at some items there I'd really like to get and now I can! Yahoo! Maybe I'll find new vintage books too! Speaking of books, have you seen all the new diet books coming out this week. Yea you know it's the last week of the year when people talk about their New Year's resolutions and diet is at the top of the list. Well I am no different... as the saying goes, it should really be a lifestyle and not a thing you do when your clothes are so tight, it makes you have good posture. ha ha Well it's lunch time and I still need to take a shower but first I'll make the family some lunch. Hmmmm think they'll go for turkey sandwiches? Probably, it' been a few days! ha ha

UPDATE: I was at Barnes and Noble for 3 hours and could not decide on a book. There were 3 in mind that I wanted but they didn't have them in stock, sooooo instead I bought the BBC Jane Austen DVD collection.... Oh I love it!

Feeling like Christmas

Reindeer

You Are Prancer

You are the perfect reindeer, with perfect hooves and perfect flying form. Why You're Naughty: Because you're Santa's pet, and you won't let anyone show you up. Why You're Nice: You have the softest fur and the sweetest carrot breath.

Which of Santa's Reindeer Are You?

How do you...?

Okay my blog picture suddenly got all squashed up after my recent post tonight and I don't know why? So I thought I would try a new design but I still am having trouble trying to figure our this whole blog world thing? Hmmm Oh well!

Anything else I can add to my list?

Well Thanksgiving arrived and our video camera batteries, yes both of them, died! I was so mad! I can't really complain though because they both lastest for 8 years, longer than manual said they would last but I was upset because it happened on Thanksgiving and of course there was no store open to get another one. To replace them both will cost about $100.00, so now it's on the list of things to buy. We had a lovely holiday though, I ended up hosting it and made all the hot food while my sister brought the cold food and desserts and my parents brought drinks! My nephew came over too and my mom was over the moon happy! My nephew that came for dinner, speaks fluent French and writes poems. He is a good writer. His brother has a part time job at the movie theater near us and of course Thanksgiving Day is a big day for movies to be released so he had to work because he is a Assistant Manager. He is also going to college and is a fine young man too!

We had my son's Christmas program on Monday and it was so cute! The Kindergarten class sang a lot of songs and my precious boy was a Wise Man from the story of Jesus' birth. I didn't even know he had a role until the night of the performance! All this time he has been telling me that he is just singing so as we were getting ready to go he tells me he has to wear a white T-shirt (like an undershirt) and I asked him why and he said because I have to wear it under my costume. I said WHAT!!! What costume? He says, "Yeah my costume." Then I said, "You said you were just singing." and he says "I am just singing." Then I said, "Well I meant you didn't tell me that you had a role with a costume." And he replied..... "Mom I just did tell you." AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHGGGGGGGG!

Oh don't you love children! They have no idea how big news is until it is too late! Again I wish I had my video battery but no. I had my camera and took a couple of pictures and guess what! My camera is now starting to break! When it rains it pours! I can get it to work but I have to keep my eye on it, so a camera is also on the list of things to buy! ha ha ha ha ha ha

Then my daughter's Christmas program was Thursday and her 3rd grade class did a fantastic job of singing! I was so impressed, the children were so in tune and pronouced all their words clearly and easy to understand. All the children were standing up straight on the stage and staring straight ahead singing in unison.... and then there was my precious girl up on the stage singing her heart out and getting her grove on! ha ha Oh I wish you could have seen her, it was so funny and cute! AGH - again no videocamera!

Oh Santa could you bring me what I really need? Batteries!

Addicted to blogging?

64%How Addicted to Blogging Are You?

I found this fun test at another blog - Hmmm, that's a high number! ha ha Well go ahead and give it a try.. click on the picture and it will take you there.. I hope!

Baby it's cold outside

Well now I've done it.... I've got a cold! Bummer - oh well, at least it will slow down my pace a bit. I slept terrible last night, awake for nearly 3 hours. Don't you just hate that! I tried to read, didn't help. I tried to play my hand held game, didn't help. I tried to watch TV, didn't work! UGH! Then of course, I started thinking of grocery shopping items to get this weekend... blah blah blah! All I wanted to do is sleep - ha ha ha! Tonight I didn't go to church with the family, instead I stayed home to get some rest and curled up in my blanket and watched a movie on TV. We have comcast cable that offers free movies so I chose the Classic TCM (Turner Classic Movies) channel and stumbled upon a absolutely lovely movie! It's called "The Enchanted Cottage" made in 1945 with Robert Young (Oooh so handsome) and the beautiful Dorothy McGuire - funny how I recognized her from watching the Swiss Family Robinson movie as she plays the Mother character! Two scarred people are transformed by love when they live in an enchanted cottage. But the simple message throughout this movie is that kindness and thoughtfullness are a very powerful thing!

My Favorite Christmas Movies

My personal favorite - watch it ALL the time starting on my birthday!

White Christmas (1954) - Bing Crosby, Rosemary Clooney, Danny Kaye and Vera Ellen - wow that woman can dance! This is Christmas classic. I love all the ad-libbing that Bing does to his lines and the dancing is simply the best! The music, the singing - I wish this era of talent would return!

It's a Wonderful Life (1946) - Tops on any list. Started watching it a couple of years ago and it just keeps getting better.

Miracle on 34th Street (the re-colorized version) - Definitive proof that Santa really does exist.

A Christmas Story (1983) - I double dog dare you not to like this one.

A Charlie Brown Christmas (made-for-TV movie) - But again it is a classic, to ignore it would be just so unfair. Generations of kids have grown up on it.

The Bishop's Wife (1947) - Best line in the movie... "The only people who grow old were born old to begin with". I just love the acting in this movie!

Holiday Inn (1942) - Bing Crosby and Fred Astaire bring this oldie-but-goodie to life. Bing Crosby does Christmas so well!

Swiss Family Robinson (1960) - Another one that's not really a Christmas movie but the big holiday plays an important role in keeping the stranded family together.

Hmmm - How many days left?

Wow, I got a lot of shopping done today and it feels great to be done with it too. Each year I try to start on the first of December so I can really enjoy the days leading up to Christmas with the busyness behind me. I have so many receipts in my wallet that I need to get an envelope started so I don't lose them! Yikes! Well I'll have to finish this later... the family wants to watch a movie together... so that means I need to get the air popcorn maker going and the butter melting.. Mmmmm.

Oh yeah.... for moments like this.

Post Thanksgiving but never to late to reflect...

Every year for Thanksgiving I try to come up with a few things I am thankful for. Since so much has changed from last year, I have a lot of different things I have to give thanks for. I am happy that I have such wonderful friends and family. I have a lot of new friends that have come into my life in the past year and I want to take this moment to tell them all how lucky I am to know them and how blessed I am to have their friendship. I am SO incredibly grateful that so many of you have been such a great support network for me, for everything - advice, hugs, love, just listening. I am thankful to have had horrible job experiences. Without it, I wouldn't have learned how to deal with negative people, situations, as well as gaining knowledge and on-the-job training/experience. I AM confident now in my abilities than I was when I first started my career. I have faith that I can do what I was trained to do. Thank you Lord, for every night I lie down in a comfortable and safe home. There is always plenty to eat in my house. In my country I enjoy great freedom. Though I have many grievances with our leaders and institutions, I truly appreciate the honor and opportunity it is to be an American. I am blessed with good health in mind and body, while many people have a serious illness which keeps them from enjoying a full and happy life. For my children. My greatest blessing is my wonderful children. They truly “light up my life.” For my wonderful husband, who knows me better than anyone else, yet still loves me more than anyone else. Thank you Lord, for Your Son, Jesus. No one ever loved me like Jesus. He loved me so much that he was willing to die, that I might have everlasting life. Thank you, Jesus. Dear Lord, Thank you for all of your rich blessings. Help us to share what you have given us with those who are less fortunate than we are. Amen Here's wishing you and yours a very Happy Thanksgiving!!

Ready for Christmas

Check out the puzzle I just completed! Isn't it a beauty - I don't have a digital camera... hint hint Santa... so I used my cell phone but it doesn't do it justice. We finished all the decoration changes from Fall/Autumn to Christmas and we're exhausted so today we stayed in our jammies and relaxed watching movies. Me... well I did the puzzle and my son helped me off and on.

Well it's time to start making dinner... hmmm I bet it will be easy to talk the family into going out to dinner as they are tired of Turkey already. ha ha I'll let you know what happens.

UPDATE - - - We ended up going to Panera Bread for dinner this night. We had declious hot soup in bread bowls. Mmmmm

Happy Thanksgiving!

Well my birthday was really enjoyable. Slept in until the kids would let me, then finished my daughters Science project and then off to the Tea Room for a lovely lunch. My son even wore a Pirate Hat so that he would be included in the tradition of wearing hats, however I don't wear hats, they look terrible on me. ha ha They looked adorable though. My husband even enjoys going to Tea because it says the atmosphere is relaxing and the food - yummy. That evening we went to Barnes and Noble bookstore and I got to preview all the holiday books that arriving. And I bought a beautiful book - Under The Tree by Susan Waggoner. Wow, look at me I figured out how to put a picture in my blog... ha ha ha Look out folks, I'm learning. Most of the content is before my time but that is why I like it. I love the images and the stories behind them. Toys my parents likely had. I'm going to show it to them today when they come over as I am hosting this year. After the bookstore, we headed over to my Mother-in-law's for dinner where she made my requested Garlic Bread and... authentic Italian spaghetti and meat sauce! Her 90 year old mother joined us and make the BEST green salad ever... that precious woman spares no expense and puts everything you'd want in a salad, delicious! Well I had better get going, have to start the days preparations but I have to go tickle my kids first and wish them a HAPPY THANKSGIVING. And to all my new friends, Happy Thanksgiving to you too.

Happy Birthday to Me and my Blog

Happy Birthday to Me and my Blog. Yes, I'm determined to learn how to do this blog thing. I enjoy reading others so much and the writer in me wants to try it. Today I plan to finish my daughter's homework and then we're off to the store to do our Samaritans Purse Franklin Graham organization of Christmas shoe boxes for children around the world. And finally, off to my Mother-in-law's for dinner where her famous Garlic Bread awaits me. ha ha She asked me what I wanted for my birthday and I said... Your Garlic Bread... She said .... Well what else... I laughed, what else is necessary... ha ha... So she's going to build a meal around the bread. ha ha