A very Merry...

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

To everyone on this wonderful joyful day!

A Christmas Meme...

My first Meme which I found at A Haven for Vee

1. Hot Chocolate or apple cider?
Hot chocolate! Especially when it is made with real milk and cocoa and topped with tons of baby marshamallows.


2. Turkey or Ham?
Ham slow roasted with pineapple...Yum-O!!


3. Do you get a fake or real-you-cut-it-yourself Christmas tree?
Real!!! The local farm & garden store where we have always purchased our trees has started flocking the trees. My Grandfather always flocked their trees growing up so having one in my home is like having him here.
4. Decorations on the outside of your house?
Absolutely! Clark Griswald is our inspiration!


5. Snowball fights or sleddin’?
Snowball fight...works off a little holiday aggression.

6. Do you enjoy going downtown shopping?
Black Friday is my favorite. I would love to go to New York just for the experience. I usually buy very little but I love the excitement in the air.

7. Favorite Christmas song?
Christmas Shoes

8. How do you feel about Christmas movies?
Love them...enjoy gathering friends for Christmas movie night complete with cookies and a bottle of wine (or hot cocoa for the kiddos).

9. When is it too early to start listening to Christmas music?
July...hubby sings them in July.

10. Stockings before or after presents?
Usually before to keep my son content until it's time to open presents.

11. Go to someone else’s house or they come to you?
Both!

12. Do you read the Christmas Story? If so when?
No...we watch "Ralphie" on TBS on Christmas Eve...after church.

13. What do you do after presents and dinner?
Depends. Either go to Mom or Grams and if not heading out anywhere usually sleep :) or play with new toys.

14. What is your favorite holiday smell?
Gingerbread and the Christmas tree.

15. Ice skating or walking around the mall?
Ice skating.

16. Do you open a present or presents on Christmas Eve, or wait until Christmas day?
Christmas Day!!!

17. Favorite Christmas memory?
My husband and I cut our first tree to short so we had to put it up on the coffee table. It was the shortest fattest Christmas tree...we still laugh about that.


18. Favorite Part about winter?
SNOW!!!

19. Ever been kissed under mistletoe?
Yes...but we don't do mistletoe anymore...just might have to hang some up this year.


Hope you participate in this Christmas Meme...it's fun!  MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!
**Edited to make the pink red...hopefully easier to read**

'Tis the Season...

Christmas concerts, baking and decorating...ooops almost forgot...shopping. I do NOT like to shop. I know it's unusual for a female but I really do not like to shop. I love to bake, spend time with friends and family and enjoy how the decorating makes the house feel when it's all done.


We have been very busy! Virtual juggling is my new, greatest achievement! Jon's concert was last week. He plays trumpet and seems to be really enjoying it. He's pretty good too...he's only in 7th grade!


This past Wednesday was bussier than usual. Jon had a basketball game at Crestview school and Morgan had her Christmas concert at Leetonia. We raced from Jon's game, finished making soup, gathered the items we needed for the concert and were back out the door. I was so happy my Mom was able to attend Jon's ball game and Mo's concert. She was also gracious enough to help me put together one of the raffle baskets for the concert...she makes it look so easy. I even enlisted my dear friend Jack. He was typing address labels that needed to go with me. What would like be without great friends and family?!
Morgan had a solo in the band concert and nailed it! It was beautiful! You could really forget your listening to kids play when you come listen to our kids...they are that good!!


I have been very involved in the Band Boosters for several years now...and I have to say the band kids are the BEST kids ever! And every year the seniors shuffle out and the "young ones" shuffle in..and they are still the best. I am not only impressed with their integrity and musical ability but their ability and willingness to step outside their comfort zone. During their concert Sammie had some french horn malfunctions. So Jon Dean grabbed his guitar and played an impromptu version of White Christmas. He did a fine job. Jon and Morgan have gone to school together since pre-school...how cool is that!?


Tonight after work, school and basketball practice we decided we should decorate the tree...afterall, there are only 8 days 'til Christmas. Jonathan and I strung the lights and we all helped with the ornaments. I have to confess that when I got home Morgan and Frank had rearranged the furniture, brought down the decorations and had already started decorating. Christmas carols were playing and they were both giddy! The Christmas Spirit was swirling around them both.

The plan for the weekend is to finish up the shopping (are we ever 'really' done?!) and get a firm handle on the baking. A little snow would be nice...

Merry Christmas to All!

'Tis the Season...

I think December is the fastest month of the year. It seems compounded when you have hunters in the family. We have been very busy making sausage and jerky, going to Christmas concerts (both kids play instruments in the band), dances, shopping, decorating, baking...and we can't forget the usual work, laundry, dinner, paying bills, grocery shopping....blah, blah, blah. I'm ready for a nap just thinking of all of the things that need done in the month of December. My picture taking hasn't been very good lately but I've included pics just to give you an idea of what we've been up to.

One blessing so far this year is thanks to the internet, the wonderful internet. My husband is from Croatia, he was born here, but he's first generation born here. He still has a lot of family in Croatia. Well thru cousins here in the states his first cousin on his Mom's side contacted us and would like to get to know us better. She remembers Frank from when they were little, but it's been decades since they've seen each other. She lives in Austria now and we've been exchanging photos and "letters" thru the internet.

I've also become friends with a wonderful lady named Amy. She was so gracious in giving a tour of her beautifully decorated home. Take a look just by clicking on the red home.

I hope everyone Christmas is safe, happy and healthy.

MERRY CHRISTMAS

Baby, it's cold outside...

It's sooo cold outside this weekend. Mom helped me get revved up for the holidays when we went Christmas shoppping on Friday. I haven't done anything except buy a few gifts on "Black Friday", amazing huh...it's what the 7th of December?! So I told the kids we were going to get our Christmas cards made this weekend. So we drug everything to the kitchen table and in between the pancake breakfast at the church, a "quick" trip to WV and church service this morning I think we succeeded. Granted, it just dawned on me all of the things I didn't get done...check register for attorney, treasurers report for band boosters, just to name a couple...and Jon's band concert is tomorrow and my band booster meeting is Tuesday...but my cards are done!!! We made lots of cards, some money/gift card holders and even some tags. We had a good time singing carols and just being together. I guess I should make a list so I can keep everything straight.

By the way, does anyone know where I can pick up a couple extra hours?! haha