Already?!?!

Well...It's almost Christmas.

One Week.

Already?!?!

I am starting to get that panicky feeling. Ya know, the one...Will I get everything wrapped before the kids are out for Christmas break? If I don't get everything wrapped do I want to do it before 10pm on Christmas Eve? Do they have an equal amount of presents? Are their presents equal in monetary value? Will the cookies turn out? Will Christmas Eve dinner be peaceful and serene? Will I wake the kids up transferring my presents downstairs? Will I get EVERYTHING done in time for the big day???? I am sure there are other questions, but these are just the ones that are knocking around in my head from 4am on...

Did I mention I love Christmas??? I love everything about it. Panicky feelings above included!

I remember when I was a kid and I couldn't wait for Christmas to come...it seemed like it took forever. Now that I am an adult I want to prolong this feeling, not because I have so much stuff to do. Because it is the most magical, beautiful, pleasant, homey, childlike time of the year. It hit me...one week. Do you know how fast a week flys by? ((sighs)) FAST! ((sighs again))

So to all of you...you have a week, a week to cram pack EVERYTHING that need to be done before the BIG day. BUT....that does NOT mean that all the wonderful feelings that accompany this time of year has to be shelved and put away the day after the magical day. Keep them 'out'..well after all the decorations, cards, and lights are put into storage. There is this song that I absolutely adore, one of the lines are "I Wish Everyday Could Be Just Like Christmas...what a wonderful world this would be." So ALL of you keep these feelings in your heart and your whole year could be just as magical as Christmas feels...

In Our Own Backyard....

I see things ALL the time asking to help people in other countries...on TV, newspapers, radios, little flyers on the bulletin boards at the grocery store, heck even here on the computer. I always wonder..are these legitimate charities?? How will I know that anything I do will REALLY go where it says it will go?? That may be a bit of ignorance on my part. I don't want a pat on the back if I've done something good, but I sure as heck want my 'good' to go where I wanted it to go!! =)

Well, guess what?!?! I seen one the other day on my FB and decided to follow it and check it out and really get a feel for these people. Okay...I have to tell you I 'know' them. Heck I bet ALOT of you that are reading this know them. It's Gretchen and Bill Almquist.

What do they have to do with this you ask...

They adopted a baby girl from Ethiopia. Actually today was her 'readoption' to become a U.S. Citizen. CONGRATULATIONS!

I have been reading Gretchen's blog 'Passport to Africa' for quite awhile now. I actually have been thinking about writing a little post about this subject and them for awhile. I saw that today Yohanna became a U.S. Citizen and thought what better day than today!! Gretchen sure is a proud Momma, not just of one child that 'grew' in her heart but of 3 others that 'grew' in her womb. Either way there IS love at ALL times...It is a humbling sight.

Bill, Gretchen and her friends decided to start a non-profit organization. It's called 'Delivering Hope'. $400.00 was raised for Christmas Hope. The money was delivered to Ethiopia,for the staff and children at Shalom's Children's Hope Orphanage. THAT'S awesome! Check out their site, they have arm bands and T-shirts that you can buy to support this organization...remember ALL non-profit. A little really does go along way...

I just thought I'd share this since it's a charity to help someone oceans away right here in our own backyard. It's real. It's done with love, not out of pity, and not because someone is making them do this. It is in their hearts, in their thoughts, and for Gretchen it is something she sees daily, it is in the eyes that came from that far away land. A daily reminder of the Hope that she desperately longs to Deliver...

♥ Food ♥

Don't know what to cook for supper tonite?? Making your grocery list and trying to come up with some 'new' dinners??? Are you totally bored and you just want to read about food, because afterall you get WAY less calories when you read about it then if you were to go eat it!! If any of those apply to you...then check out my Recipes tab!!! There are some good ones...Always remember though, if you want to share any recipes with me or my readers let me know. I'd like to try some new things too!! =0)

Anything AND Everything!!!

Hellooooo!!! Anybody there?? teehee.

It's been awhile I know. I've been busy and lazy and sleepy tired and lazy. But LOOK I'm here now!!! Yay!!

I have ALOT to write about....So, are ya settled in a comfy spot? Do you have a cup of coffee, tea or hot cocoa nearby?? No?!? Alright, go on, get yourself settled. No really, I'll wait....

Waiting....

Thank goodness you are back. I thought I may have escared (as Noah would say) you away!

Alright, here I go. I'm just gonna type as it comes to my head. It may be sloppy and flip floppy, but that's what you get with me =0)

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving. It was so very relaxed and filling and funny and sentimental. Dinner was YUMMALICIOUS! Leftovers were even better! Mom cleaned out a few drawers and had some of us girls' things from our school yearsschool, it was so neat going through them. I took some home. Alyssa took some home. I will have to say the best thing that Mom 'found' was a big banner she had printed out on computer paper when I graduated High School, everyone that came to my Graduation Open House signed it. It was great to see what it read. Yes, some of you on my FB signed that banner! Who remember's doing that????

We decorated the house for Christmas the weekend following Thanksgiving. I spread it out to 3days. One, so the kids wouldn't drive me bananas and have something to look forward to do and ACTUALLY do. Two, who the heck wants to put all that out on 1 day?? Not me, that's who! Everything is all cozy and beautiful in the evenings, with the soft glow of electric sex the Christmas tree lights. HAHAHA! Yes, we have already watched that movie this season. ♥ it! Ohhhhh and we made COOKIES!!! Sugar (with the kids) and Peanut Butter (by myself..ohh the peace) some with kisses-some without!

It is looking cold and gloomy out there....they are forecasting snow for tonite and tomorrow...1-4". Hope we get atleast 2. Ya know, enough to play in. 'In the meadow we can build a snowman and pretend that he is Parson Brown...' I ♥ Christmas!

This morning I did something that I have never done before. I was invited (thanks Carmen) to attend Mom2Mom. It is Moms of all ages that get together every Friday morning. The Moms sit at tables, there are probably 8-10 to a table (I'm guessing. No quoting me.)There is breakfast, coffee, socializing, guest speakers, and activities! This morning they had a guest speaker that spoke about Holiday Hosting. She was wonderful. My brain was absorbing everything that she had to say. And she was FuNNy to boot! She had a wonderful message to 'walk across the room'. Brighten someone's...anyone's day. Make them feel special. Needed. Loved. Give them hope...especially this time of the year. I am thinking John and I need to 'walk across the yard' soon, we have new neighbors that just moved in this week. We will go and welcome them to our neighborhood very soon. I think I will even bring them some treats! She had her friend read a story to us all that I have never heard of, and if you know me that is just odd. It was called ..."A Cup of Christmas Tea". It is a "familiar, uplifting story of the onerous family obligations that often descend around the holidays." (I got that from Amazon! You can click on the title and it will take you right to the link! p.s. I can't believe I actually got this clicky linky thing to work! I am AWESOME!!) It was sad at first, then it got glad. It was great to visit with other Moms. I will definitely be going back. =0) P.S. I am NOT going to eat before I go. That food looked yummo!

Everyone have a fun and safe weekend...You still comfy?? Bored?? Need a refill?? I'll be here when you get back =)

NOW on to the pictures! There's alot! They will be in the post below this one

Pictureka!!!!

~Our Handsome Indian~

~THENEICE AND BOY#2 waitin' for Santa!~

~Marchin'~

~1910 or 2010?~

~ SANTA!!! I KNOW HIM!!! - Buddy the Elf ~

~BOY#2 enjoying his Hot Cocoa~

~Hiding from K.C. the dog~

~Indian children~

~Show Mommy How The Piggies Eat~

~Mommys Little Piggie~

~The Table of Thanks~

~THEGIRL and THENEPHEW...chess geeks~

~This makes me LAUGH everytime I see it~

P.S. This is not photo-shopped. They are window clings! =0)

~BOY#2's sugar cookies~

~THEGIRL sugar cookies~

~THEBOY#1 sugar cookies~

~All my 'Flurryville Snowmen'~

~My primitive little tree and pretties~

~'O Christmas Tree~

~CLOSE-UP!~

~Peanut Butter Cookes w/o kisses!~

~Peanut Butter Cookies with a little love~



Sorry if you were bored with ALL those pictures. I promise to post a few here and there not all at once....

L A Z Y BLOGGER....

I am going to post SOMETHING today!!

Pictures will be up too!!