white Christmas? Almost

Can you believe it snowed? We didn't have a white Christmas, but I think that here in rural SC, the day after counts! It didn't last long, but it was beautiful while it lasted. This is exactly the kind of snow that I like......

Christmas pics

trivia part 2

Okay, people, get into the spirit and let me hear from you!!

1.  Wrapping paper or gift bags?  I use both, but I prefer bags or boxes that don't actually have to be wrapped.

2.  Real tree or artificial?  When we were first married we always had a live tree just as I did as a kid. However, after Stevie ate one of the pine needles, and Steve realized he was allergic to them I relented and now we have artificial always. I like the pre-lit one because of the convenience, but they have been a pain over the last year or so with bulbs burning out. I wonder if I bought an expensive one if we would have that problem......probably, it is us after all!

3.  When do you put up the tree? We always put it up on the Saturday after Thanksgiving. Usually we are having an open house pretty soon after that, and I need to start decorating asap.

4.  When do you take the tree down? Generally, New Year's Day. We will be out of town this year, though so I guess we will get it down pretty soon that next week. I am usually ready to have my house back to normal by then.

5.  Do you like eggnog? GROSS!

6.  Favorite gift received as a child? I honestly cannot remember, but I loved, loved, loved Barbies so probably something to do with that.

7.  Hardest person to buy for? Steve--by far. He's not really that hard to buy for, but he is horrible to surprise. Like this year, he knows everything he is getting. I think I have been successful ONE year out of 21!

8.  Easiest person to buy for? Both of my girls, but especially Stevie. She likes everything and is not afraid of new things. She generally has a short list, but I always find things I want to get for her so I have to play catch up with the other two. However, we solved that problem this year by putting an amount on their gifts. When the money ran out,  we stopped buying.

9.  Do you have a nativity scene? I have several, and do you know that I do not have a single one out this year. Horrible..... a parsonage with no nativity!

10.  Mail or email Christmas cards? Mail...email is so impersonal. I am usually pretty good about getting my cards out right after Thanksgiving, but this year several of my cards did not make it out (Sorry, Janet!) and they were so cute.

11.  Worst Christmas gift you ever received? Again, I can't think of anything specific. You know, they say the mind is the first to go!

12.  Favorite Christmas movie? It's a Wonderful Life, Family Man, Mrs. Miracle, Miracle on 34th Street.....I like Christmas movies!

13.  When do you start shopping for Christmas? black Friday, usually. I use to get it all done by Sept., but that was in the days of old. Now, I don't usually start until BF.

14.  Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? yes

15.  Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? peanut butter balls

16.  Lights on the tree, colored or clear? clear

17.  Favorite Christmas song? O Holy Night

18.  Travel at Christmas or stay at home? both.....we are always home on Christmas Eve and Christmas day, though.

19.  Can you name all of Santa's reindeer? yes

20.  Angel, star or ribbon on top of the tree? I've had all three and this year I have a star and I really like it!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

driver's beware

Yep, that's right....my little man is now a driver. I cannot believe that he is already 15. What an incredible young man he has become!

SCARY!!

some Christmas trivia

I guess not so much trivia, but trivial! LOL I snagged this from my friend, Janet, because I loved reading her answers. Here's the questions and my answers, and I'd love to read yours!!

1. Open the Christmas presents Christmas Eve or Christmas morn? Our family opens one gift on Christmas Eve and then all of the rest on Christmas morning. When the kids were little, Santa gifts were left unwrapped, but now we wrap everything.

2. Favorite children's Christmas song? Grandma Got Run Over By a Reindeer. We sing it all year long! haha

3. Most annoying thing about this time of year? People who don't put up a tree. Although, the older I get, I kinda understand those empty nesters reluctance to do so. However, I love looking at the lights, so I hope my kids will do it for me if I ever turn into Scrooge!

4. Favorite ornament theme or color? This is a hard one for me because I go with what I feel that year. I love burgundy, green, and gold; but I also love green or blue and silver.

5.  Turkey or ham on Christmas Day? We usually do both.

6. What do you want for Christmas this year? Some good family time. I want the kids to be happy. We love playing cards and watching movies together and we have rearranged our travel time to do some of that.

7. Does anyone in your family dress up as Santa? no

8. Age you discovered Santa wasn't real? I cannot remember. I love the dream of Santa.

9. Eggnog, hot chocolate or apple cider? Hot chocolate unless we are at Starbucks, and then I love their hot cider.

10. Do you have any Christmas decorations on  your roof? Ha! I barely have them outside. We've never done the roof thing.

11. How does Santa get into your house, chimney or magic key? chimney

12. Do you prefer gifts or tokens? Gifts. I put a lot of thought into the gifts I give, and I appreciate it when others do too. Although, just because I give something doesn't mean I have to have something in return. I love the giving part a lot.

There's another part of this that I plan to post tomorrow. I hope you will play along. Leave me a comment letting me know that you are posting on your blog so that I can come and read your answers or just leave your answers in the comment section!

Camden Christmas parade

falling behind

I am so behind this year! Each week has been busier than the next, and it seems like I am just trying to survive! Yesterday was my sweet Luke's birthday, and while he doesn't really care if he gets his own post on this here blog, I kinda like talking about him! Unfortunately, he'll have to wait!

His Christmas concert at the school is tonight, and his party is tomorrow so hopefully, I will have some good pics to share from those two great events. But, right now I am awake at 4 AM stressing about whether or not I will have enough icing for my four classes today to decorate their cookies AND knowing that I need to walk out into the frigid cold and get the stuff to do my PTO deposit!

I'm really looking forward to Sat. afternoon when I can curl up on the couch in my comfy robe and do NOTHING! A whole lotta nothing, I mean! I intend to seriously embrace the nothingness!! But first, I have play practice for the children's musical to be held Sunday night.

For today, I will continue, though, to just be behind with the wrapping, shopping, and general Christmasy stuff that one can get done when one has the time..............

santa's helpers

Santa and Mrs. Claus

Santa's helper and our #1 PTO President......Yeah, Staci!

sugar cookies

If you haven't read the book, Sugar Cookies Little Lessons on Love, you should. It's a great book about what love looks like using cookies as the object of affection. It is so sweet.

I read that to my classes on Wed., and then they decorated and ate sugar cookies.....they had a great time choosing their icing colors, placing the sprinkles just so, and then licking their plates clean. It was the cutest thing. I'd love to post pics, but I'm not sure about the integrity of that, so if you'd like to see their little faces check them out on Facebook--BDK Elementary.

Today, Santa comes to visit and have his picture taken with lots of little people (and some bigger ones too). I'm not sure how Santa feels about this experience since little people aren't really THIS Santa's forte'. However, I'm sure that Santa Steve will endure and take a nap when we get home! LOL

Have a delightful day!

December so far

Well, December is finally here, and with it--some cold weather for SC. After enduring 10 months of summer down here, winter has finally shown up. I was having a hard time getting into the Christmas spirit with it being so hot, but just in time for our annual open house, the weather decided to cool.......and not too soon for me!

Our open house was a huge success even though I have not one single picture of it. I was actually able to talk to our guests this year because we learned a valuable lesson last year in traffic flow! We had a great crowd, and yummy food (I'm just guessing about the yummy part since I didn't get any!). Our sweet church people brought us some really cute things...totally unnecessary, but certainly appreciated! It's always nice to look at something and remember who gave it to you....it's a nice reminder that you are loved, and it gives you the opportunity to say a quick prayer for them, too.

We also went to a couple of parties over the weekend with more to come this weekend. It's just a partying season round these parts. This coming Saturday Luke is in  two parades, so guess what we will be doing! Yep, drinking hot chocolate standing in the cold for the band to walk by so we can shout and wave like idiots making them know we love all of them.

I have just about finished up our shopping. I've had so much fun this year doing that. I love local shops, though, and I think next year is going to be all about the local fare. I love giving small businesses MY business.

I think that's about it for now.....busy week ahead. We are reading Sugar Cookies in the library this week and decorating cookies AND Santa (Steve dressed in a suit)  is coming to take a picture with all of the kids as well. I am sure to be worn out by Friday.

Please keep me in your prayers next Monday as I travel to Charleston to see an oncologist there. Hopefully, we can get to the bottom of this platelet issue soon and our adoption can once again be the focus around here. Honestly, I feel fine. You'd think if something were truly wrong, I'd have some kind of symptom by now. So, I know God is in control and am just trying not to think about it.

Enjoy your week!!