Christmas Tour of Homes

Welcome to the Christmas Tour of Homes hosted by BooMama! Be sure to visit the other homes as I'm sure you won't be disappointed.

And you can do it from the convenience of your own home! No getting in and out of your car! Trudging through snow or ice....no siree, not on this tour! No bundling up and still being cold! That's right!

So grab a cup of coffee, flavored or regular; or a cup of hot chocolate, maybe even a Diet Coke, pull up a chair and enjoy! But don't forget to comment and thank all the hosts you visit!


COME ON IN!

Would you like some coffee or hot chocolate?







This year I am trying to keep Christmas simple so I decided to put up our 6' tree instead of the 12'. Believe me that was much simpler!



We top our tree with this beautiful angel given to me by my mother several years ago.



On my buffet I have displayed a wooden family caroling, a antiquish (I'm not sure that's a word, but it works for me) tin row of buildings. There is a place for the candles in the back which allows it to look as if the lights are on in the buildings. The picture didn't demonstrate this very well. And I also have a another centerpiece that I spoke about on this post, only this one belonged to my mother.


I have about 3 different fiber optic snowmen like this, but I only put one out this year. These wooden ornaments on the right are ones given to me over the years.


The tall soldier was one my oldest son, Lonny, gave me when he was 8. It has his name and the year on it.


This little car ornament was one that my mother gave me in 1988. I had been divorced for 6 years and had just purchased a house that August as well as a new Dodge Omni car. This wasn't exactly a replica of an Omni but it symbolized it just the same.


This is a tree I have in my office. This tree and the little white ceramic church belonged to my mother. You can set a candle in the church too.


These little wooden signs are hanging in my office too.



In the half-bath downstairs I have this little tree. It does have lights on it but I turned them off to take this picture.


This is my kitchen tree. I have so much fun decorating with those tiny little ornaments.


There would be no Christmas celebration if it weren't for this....Baby Jesus. In honor of your birth and all that you are we wish you Happy Birthday!


Thanks so much for stopping by. Our hope is that you and your family have a joyous Christmas celebration and a Happy New Year!

I have this christmas ball wreath on the inside of the front door as you head out. I purchased it a couple of years ago from ABC Distributing for just a few dollars. I really love how it is so colorful.

Now head on over to BooMama's and enjoy the Christmas Tour of Homes!

Just rattling on......

Has anyone else accepted the upgrade for Internet Explorer 7? Well I did late Friday afternoon on my computer at work. I'm still trying to figure some of it out. Sometimes I think they should leave a good thing alone. I think I like the tab feature but I didn't have any complaints about the previous version.

I haven't made the switch yet to Beta Blogger. I was so frustrated when I first using Blogger that I'm a little nervous about changing just yet.

I had a very nice calm weekend. Unusual for me. Jim was working and I had decided to put up the Christmas tree and decorations. So I was alone until about 4:30. While my husband doesn't like to be alone, I cherish those moments. And since I had decided to do a simpler Christmas this year, everything went very smoothly and I was able to enjoy the day.

It was just such a calmer, relaxing weekend that I long for more.

I need to start my Christmas shopping this week. I kind of know what I what to get everyone so it's just a matter of getting it. I'm planning to do that on Wednesday.

Jim and I watched "The Christmas Box" video last night. I had read the book by Richard Paul Evans several years ago and purchased this video last year, but we had never watched it. I also have "The Timepiece" which is a sequel to The Christmas Box. I have read that book also.

Tonight we may watch "Christmas with the Kranks" or one of my favorites, "One Magic Christmas". My boys and I have enjoyed that one since they were real young.

I pray that next year my youngest son and his family will be living here and we can celebrate Christmas with all of our kids and their families. It has been several years since we have been together for this holiday. For that I will decorate the 12' tree!

Just a Reminder

Just a reminder that BooMama' hosting a Christmas Tour of Homes on December 15th. If you would like to join in you can find all the information here.

Get those decorations out, take those pictures, and be ready for December 15th!

Christmas Tree Treasures

I hadn't unpacked my Christmas decorations until yesterday, so I wasn't able to participate in Morning Glory' Christmas Tree Treasures until now.

This is how it works:

What memories are unpacked each year as you decorate your family tree?

You are invited to post as many photos as you want, of the special ornaments that you hang on your tree each year. Share with us why they are special to you. Maybe they are family heirlooms, things your children made you or you had as a child, or special theme collections -- whatever it is that you put on your tree that brings you pleasure each year as you decorate it. Here are a few of the ornaments that have special meaning to me.



We traveled in Florida frequently as we sang gospel music and met some wonderful friends along the way. This angel was given to me by one of those dear friends.

I'm sure Barb has made these at some time!











I really don't remember where I got this snowman, but I have had him for a very long time and he is just a favorite of mine. I always try to display him next to one of the lights so that the glitter will sparkle.

The picture really doesn't do him justice. I guess with all of the lights on things want to glare.








This is actually a centerpiece that my very best girlfriend gave me years ago, so it is so special to me. I believe it was the first year she was selling real estate and this was the gift that she was giving her clients.



The boys and I made these wooden ornaments one year because we didn't really have the money to purchase any other kind. It was a good memory-maker for us.


Between 1989-91 I collected teddy bears of all kinds and sizes. So the boys bought me this teddy bear for the tree.


This was the first ornament that the boys actually walked to town by themselves (we only lived a few blocks from "the square" and it was safer then) and bought this all on their own. Although it usually aggravates me somewhat because the cube is so heavy it wants to pull the tree limb down. But they were sooo proud and I cherish it just the same.


This is another ornament the boys bought me one year. Notice the chocolate on the end of the spoon.


This is something I just prop in the tree. It was a name tag that was on one of my dad's presents years and years ago. I'm not sure why my mother kept it for so long, but now that he is gone I cherish it even more.







This is a wreath with a house on the bottom of it. In August of 1988 I had purchased our first home since my divorce in 1982. This was a big step for me and my boys and I loved the house and that is the one they remember the most about growing up.


My grandma painted this ornament many years ago and gave it to my mom. Now that they are both gone it is even more special to me.

Kyle, my youngest, gave this to me when he was only 3. It was something he bought with play money at his preschool and the teacher put his name on it. It has always been one of my favorites.



This collection of gold 4-sided ornaments belonged to my grandmother.


These are a few of the older christmas balls I have that belonged to my mother. There is the blue, red and silver ribbed ornament with a smaller silver ornament above it that looks like a berry. Then the gold ball with silver glitter on it, as well as the little silver one on the left with a red star in the middle.

And there are several more that I didn't use this year on the 6' tree. But every year I enjoy seeing all of these ornaments as those memories come back to me. One day my children will inherit them and I hope they enjoy them and have memories of their own to share with their children.

Getting Behind

SINGING

Last Thursday night after I got off work we headed to Florida to do our annual Toys of Love Benefit. This is a benefit that our promotor personally started in his area and I think this is about our 11th one we have done with him. It is similiar to the Toys for Tots program where you bring an unwrapped gift for a child. In addition they take up a love offering to donate for food baskets, etc. that are needed during this Holiday season.

According to our carnal time-frame, it was "just in time" that the Lord blessed us with a motor home to make the trip. We usually take at least 2 vehicles and pull a trailer for the equipment. So it was very nice that we could all travel together in the motor home. By all I mean, Paul, Cody, Lisa, Danny, Kyle, Leslie, Raylynne, Mark, Jim and I. Even though it was much better than riding in cars, when you get that many people in a space, there is never enough room. LOL

It is a wonderful experience to be a part of such a worthy cause. Not only are the children able to have Christmas but we are so blessed just by all of us being together, and seeing old friends that we have met through the years. It is all such a blessing to each of us.


RECOVERING

Needless to say when you travel 18 hours straight with 9 other people, have a lack of sleep, setup equipment, practice for a short time, then perform, then visit friends until almost 2 am, rise again at 6:00 and travel 18 hours again, plus saying goodbyes that you don't want to say, and arriving home at 5:30 am, and Jim and I being in our 50's, we just don't recover as quickly as we use to. So Monday we are moving at a slower pace.

CLEANING

I had also taken Monday off from work so I did laundry and cleaned out the motor home.

I would do it all over again in a heartbeat.

However I'm behind reading my blogs and I haven't had much opportunity to write until now!! But I am trying to catch up, so bare with me.

FRIDAYS FEAST - One Hundred Twenty One

APPETIZER: Which language would you like to learn and why?

Spanish. I have always wanted to learn it and now there is more of a need to know it.
But I would like to learn Italian because I would love to visit Italy.


SOUP: What's the funniest thing you've heard or read so far this week?

I honestly can't think of anything right now.


SALAD: Which movie was so bad you couldn't watch the whole thing?

Texas Chainsaw Massacre


MAIN COURSE: If there were a holiday in your honor that didn't use your actual name, what would the day be called?


Choice Day - It would be the day I could choose to do ANYTHING (or NOTHING) I wanted to do. I could choose to be by myself, no pressures to accomplish anything I didn't want to do, or I could just lay on the couch and watch videos if I wanted, or go shopping, or just anything I wanted.


DESSERT: Name one movie which is coming out soon that you would like to see.

The Nativity Story and Happy Feet. I know that's two but I couldn't help myself.


Click here to visit other Fridays Feast participants.

Holiday Meme

Oh, Barb also had a Holiday Meme she found while visiting Katrina at Callapidder Days.

HOLIDAY MEME

1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate? Definitely Hot Chocolate!

2. Does Santa wrap the presents or just set them under the tree? Santa has done both. When the kids were young Santa would wrap most of them except a large gift or two. If it was a Christmas with not much money, they would all be wrapped, so that they would feel they had received more and it took longer to get through the gifts.

3. Colored lights on tree/house or white? I prefer white but Jim likes the colored, so that it was we have done the last several years. But I don't know for sure what I will do this year.

4. Do you hang mistletoe? I have in the past, but it's been several years ago. So no, I don't normally.

5. When do you put your decorations up? Never before Dec 1st! Sometimes the first weekend of Dec but usually the 2nd weekend. I ALWAYS take them down the day after Christmas. I always had the day off and I was ready for things to get back to normal.

6. What is your favorite holiday dish, excluding dessert? I'm not sure I have one favorite. I really like Pistachio Salad during the holidays.

7. Favorite holiday memory as a child? Several come to mind actually.....there was the time my brother and I woke up during the night and my mom wasn't in bed yet so he convinced me to go to the kitchen for a drink of water and see what was going on. I headed in that direction and seen clothes draped over the couch, his electric guitar and amp....and I got scared and ran back to the room.
Naturally as I child I would sneak around to see if I could find the hidden presents. One year I found my first talking doll hidden in my great-grandma closet. And another year I found my Barbie doll case hidden in my grandma' closet and I would go in there everyday and smell the case. For some reason it smelled good to me, the vinyl I guess.
The hard part was acting totally surprised on Christmas morning!! LOL

8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa? I honestly don't remember when I found out. I'm sure my brother told me first, but I probably wouldn't believe him.

9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve? Yes! That is a tradition since I was a young child and one I passed on to my kids. Of course we couldn't choose the biggest gift.

10. How do you decorate your Christmas tree? I usually have several trees decorated. We have a 12' tree that we usually put up, then I have a 6' tree for the upstairs balcony and several smaller ones throughout the house. On the two main trees I put the lights on first, then I decide what color of Christmas balls I'm going to use. Sometimes the 6' tree has gold and clear balls and decorations. Sometimes I use only pastel balls that I have. Usually the 12' tree is decorated with older Christmas balls that belonged to my mother, some wooden ornaments that the kids painted when they were young, some gold metal figures that belonged to my grandmother. Then I add the candy canes and if I decide to use icicles I put them on last.

11. Snow! Love it or dread it? I spent over 25 years in Illinois, so now that I am in Arkansas I do not look forward to it. Oh, it's nice on Christmas morning to have just enough to cover the ground and make snow ice cream, as long as it would melt the next day. Or if my daughter-in-law is here from Georgia. But other than that....I don't need it.

12. Can you ice skate? When I was in high school, but I don't know if I still can. I prefer roller skates, not a single blade.

13. Do you remember your favorite gift? One specific gift doesn't come to mind. I know I love all the Barbie dolls and accessories I got, plus my talking doll, and Tiny Tears, the Sno-Cone machine, the doll whose hair you could style (it was a large doll, actually it was just from below the shoulders up, but it was like human size), the monkey handle bars for my bike. That's a start anyway.

14. What is the most important thing about the holidays to you? Being with family, and helping others less fortunate.

15. What is your favorite holiday dessert? I enjoy the candy (i.e. fudge, divinity, christmas cookies, etc.), because we don't prepare it any other time of the year. I guess pumpkin pie would be my favorite as far as a dessert goes.

16. What is your favorite holiday tradition? I enjoy the opening of one gift on Christmas Eve. I get the final decision in which one they get to open and seeing the anticipation they have when they THINK they get to open any one they want.

17. What tops your tree? For years I had a gold star with glitter on it that my oldest made when he first started school. I wanted to replace it several years ago but I could never find just the right angel for it. Then a couple of years before my mom passed away she had bought herself and me a pretty angel for our trees. So it is very precious to me. It isn't anything fancy, but I love it for the obvious reasons.

18. Which do you prefer, giving or receiving? Giving. I could sit all day and watch others open gifts. I wish I had an endless supply of money to buy and give to others...strangers, but those in my family who
have needs too.

19. What is your favorite Christmas song? O Beautiful Star of Bethlehem or It's Beginning to Look A Lot Like Christmas.

20. Candy Canes! Yuk or Yum? I used to like peppermint but I don't care for it much anymore, so I would say Yuk.

What Time of Day Are You?

I was visiting Barb over at A Chelsea Morning and she had seen this "What Time of Day Are You" meme on Shalee's Diner' blog so I decided to see what time of day I was.

You Are Sunrise

You enjoy living a slow, fulfilling life. You enjoy living every moment, no matter how ordinary. You are a person of reflection and meditation. You start and end every day by looking inward. Caring and giving, you enjoy making people happy. You're often cooking for friends or buying them gifts. All in all, you know how to love life for what it is - not for how it should be.

What Time Of Day Are You?

Fridays Feast - One Hundred Nineteen

I don't know who to give credit to for this lovely banner. I saw it on another blogger, but no credit was given there. If it belongs to you, please let me know!


APPETIZER: Have you ever changed a flat tire by yourself?

Only during drivers education in high school.


SOUP: Do you have an "innie" or an "outie" belly button?

Innie


SALAD: Name a new paint color and describe it.


Are you kidding!! I have enough trouble deciding on colors now, adding another would just put me over the edge!


MAIN COURSE: What is your favorite holiday tradition?


I don't know that it is any specific one, but the combination of them all. But without the family and friends none of the others would matter.


DESSERT: If you were a cookie, what kind of cookie would you be, and why?

One year Kyle accidentally (mixed two recipes) made these chocolate cookies with chocolate chips in them. I would want to be one of them because they are full of chocolate and ALMOST (excluding Barb & Bev) everyone loves chocolate!



Are you ready to prepare your meal? Click right over to Fridays Feast and cook something up!

Marshmallow Treats

Last night I prepared these Marshmallow Treats that my mother use to make for us when I was young. I normally use large marshmallows but all I had was small ones.

Take amount of saltine crackers you desire, slice cheese to fit cracker,(I usually buy sliced cheese and fold it in half, then half again, to get 4 pieces) top with large marshmallow. Bake in oven till marshmallow softens and cheese is melted. Marshmallow should be a little brown.



I know the combination sounds peculiar but it really does taste good.....well to me anyway....and my kids have always liked them.

I have done them in the microwave but the cheese melts so much more than the marshmallow. I would use the oven the first time you make them.

Children's Nativity Set

I purchased this adorable nativity set for each of my young grandchildren and thought some of ya'll may like to purchase it as well. It is designed for children in mind and I thought it would be another great way for a parent to interact with the child in explaining the birth of Jesus.

This is available from Collections etc.

Because of copyrights I wasn't able to include the picture. But this figures really are adorable and while they aren't too big they are large enough for small fingers to hold on to. The coloring is adorable. What I have ordered from this company has been shipped and received within a couple of days.


Child's Nativity Set - Item # 10334

This adorable nativity set is the perfect way for kids to celebrate the season. Set includes all 12 pieces, and is finely reproduced in vinyl, so it's unbreakable and safe for kids. Hand painted. Largest piece measures 4 1/2"H x 2"W x 2"D. Price: $14.99

Fridays Feast - One Hundred Eighteen

Banner by My Place


Appetizer: Do you believe there is intelligent life on other planets?

Not really, but it does raise a lot of curiosity.


Soup: What is one thing you said you'd never do, but you eventually did?

Be like my mother, but over the years I found myself doing things more and more like her.


Salad: Who is the teacher that influenced you the most in school?

My business teacher, Mrs. Smith.


Main Course: If you could trade places with anyone for one day, who would it be and why?

Faith Hill. I could sing "beautiful" praises unto the Lord and minister in song, look beautiful and be skinny all at once.


Dessert: What is your favorite dish to prepare?

Since chocolate gravy and biscuits may not be considered a "dish", I will have to say a roast with carrots and potatoes. I like it because its easy and you can smell it cooking for hours.



If you would like to serve this meal or just want to check out some other cooks, go to Fridays Feast

BooMama is Hosting a Christmas Tour of Homes!!

Deck the hall's with boughs of holly,
Fa la la la la, la la la la
Tis the season to be jolly,
Fa la la la la, la la la la

Woohoo!!!!

BooMama is hosting a Christmas Tour of Homes!!
This exciting event is scheduled for December 15th.
So don't wait til the last minute this year to decorate
for the holidays. Get that tree up, wrap those gifts,
display those snowmen, pines, candles, etc. Enjoy!!

All those wishing to participate please go here for more information.

This morning!

This is what was going on around our house this morning!








I stepped out of the house to get something from the truck and look what landed.





What a wonderful way to start the morning!!

If it can be this beautiful here, can you imagine what heaven will be like!

Hmmmm....interesting.

I was over visiting Gibee at Kisses of Sunshine to hear all about the trip to Dallas to meet other fellow bloggers and she had this Personality Test posted. So I participated and found the results.....let's say...interesting...or amazingly true on some of it!

Your Five Factor Personality Profile

Extroversion: You have low extroversion. You are quiet and reserved in most social situations. A low key, laid back lifestyle is important to you. You tend to bond slowly, over time, with one or two people. Conscientiousness: You have high conscientiousness. Intelligent and reliable, you tend to succeed in life. Most things in your life are organized and planned well. But you borderline on being a total perfectionist. Agreeableness: You have medium agreeableness. You're generally a friendly and trusting person. But you also have a healthy dose of cynicism. You get along well with others, as long as they play fair. Neuroticism: You have low neuroticism. You are very emotionally stable and mentally together. Only the greatest setbacks upset you, and you bounce back quickly. Overall, you are typically calm and relaxed - making others feel secure. Openness to experience: Your openness to new experiences is medium. You are generally broad minded when it come to new things. But if something crosses a moral line, there's no way you'll approve of it. You are suspicious of anything too wacky, though you do still consider creativity a virtue.

The Five Factor Personality Test

FRIDAYS FEAST - Restocking the Pantry

Restocking the Pantry

I went to get my menu for the Fridays Feast, only to discover the chef is on vacation!! But that's not all......



There's some exciting stuff going on here in the kitchen at Friday's Feast!

The chef of Fridays Feast will be on vacation until November 17th. Please don't cry; your tears might fall into the soup and make it too salty. ;)

From 11/1/06 to 11/17/06, we are running a contest to replenish our stock of questions. Here's how it will work:

-- Send an email to fridaysfeast@gmail.com with at least 3 unique, original questions. (Please do not send questions that you find on other memes or in books. The best questions are the ones you make up yourself!)

-- For each group of 3 original questions you send, your name will be entered once into a drawing to win a $25 Amazon.com Gift Code! (So if you send 30 questions, your name will be entered 10 times.) Your questions will be used in future Feasts. (If you win the contest, but are unable to use Amazon.com Gift Codes, I can send you $25 via PayPal or mail.)

-- Please spread the word and post about this contest on your blog! I'd love to have lots of participation in this contest (because it's fun and it will help me out, too!).

-- All entries should be emailed by 10:00PM EST on Thursday 11/16/06. At midnight on Friday, November 17th, there will be a brand new Feast, and the winner of the gift code will be announced.

I want to thank every single one of you for making the Friday's Feast a success over the years. I've said it before, but I really mean it. This is just as much fun for me as I hope it is for you!

Thursday Thirteen #7

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Thirteen Ingredient Entree



         Sopa De Fideo


1. 2 tblspns vegetable oil or shortening

2. 1 lb. lean ground beef

3. 1 28 oz. can diced tomatoes, not drained

4. 1 12 oz. can whole kernel corn

5. 2 tsp salt

6. 1 tsp chili powder

7. 1 8 oz. pkg sliced American cheese (optional)

8. 1/2 cup uncooked vermicelli, broken

9. 2 cups thin sliced onion

10. 2 cups thin sliced celery

11. 1/2 cup finely chopped green pepper

12. 1-1/2 tsp minced fresh garlic

13. 1 tsp pepper


In a 11-12 in. skillet (I use an electric skillet), heat oil over moderately high heat. Cook meat, add vermicelli and cook 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently. Add all remaining ingredients except cheese. Stir well to mix. Cover and cook on simmer until vegetables are crisp tender. Remove from heat and add cheese slices. Cover and let cheese melt.


Links to other Thursday Thirteens!
1. (leave your link in comments, I’ll add you here!)



Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!


The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!

View More Thursday Thirteen Participants

New Kitchen

This was my kitchen before.















As some of you know I decided to repaint my kitchen a couple of weeks ago.
I had thought I would paint it a color named "Red Gumball". It was a pretty shade of red. But in spite of some of you voting for the red, I decided against it. Mainly because I have several full walls and I was afraid it would be too overbearing. If I had a smaller galley type kitchen broken up by cabinets, I think I would have gone for it.





However, I decided to go with Light Sage.








I wasn't sure about the full curtains but I think I'm going to like it and it seems to give the kitchen a warmer feeling. I'm also going to paint the legs of my table the same color as the trim...off white.



The bookcase was my mothers and a darker wood than most of my furniture. But since I moved these darker framed pictures over here I decided to use the bookcase and store my cookbooks in it as well as display some of my crock bowls.
I had purchased the plate rack several months ago for another project but ended up buying a different style for that. So I decided to use the other one here, so now I have to buy some plates to display in it.





We do still have a few things left to do, like painting some more trim, hanging the blind over the sink, etc.

Movin' on to the next room!!!