Open House at Em's

Em at Life, Liberty and the Pursuit is having a Christmas Open House today....complete with a giveaway and charity donation....so head over there and give her some comment love!

On another note me and the kiddos have been busy all morning making homemade Christmas ornaments. I just took them out of the oven and we will paint them later...I will be sure to post pictures tomorrow.

Have a great Wednesday!!!

Love Ya Mimi!!

Thank you Mimi for giving me this Christmas award. You make me feel so special....HUGS!!!

The Rules are simple:

You must be a true Christmas lover to receive this award.

The person to whom you give the award must also be in love with Christmas.

You must link back to the person who gave you the award.

You must list 5 things that you love about Christmas.

If you can't limit it to 5 things, then keep going till you run out of space! :o)

Pass the award along to as many people as you like. That can be 1 or 45; it's up to you. But, you must pass it on to at least one person in order to keep the Christmas cheer going!

Let your recipients know that you have tagged them by leaving them a comment on their blog.

Things I Love About Christmas

1. Celebrating the birth of the Jesus Christ...absolutley!

2. Seeing my parents this Christmas

3. Watching the boys decorate the tree

4. Seeing Hubby and the boys enjoying the train

5. Giving gifts

6. Christmas music

7. Eating......and more eating

8. Seeing the looks on my boys faces Christmas morning

9. Watching Christmas movies

10. Shopping

Now I get to tag people!

I pick:

I would pick Mimi, but she sent it to me so I have to pick a few others. And I cant pick Deb, because she isnt in the Christmas Spirt yet. (remember, I said YET...you will get there)

Tink
Rhonda at Because Mom said so
Lisa at Adventures in Jujuboo

Pics and Eclispe

This is what I'm waiting for.....with only 11 days to go.....

and this is what my kids are waiting for....
dont know why that pic was so small....sorry.

and here is a picture I came across yesterday. It was taken last year, when Poppop still lived with us. He ALWAYS wore his hat, even to sleep.

Now I want to talk about Eclipse....so DONT read any further if you havent read the book and/or plan on it. Seriously, I dont want to spoil it for anyone.....so dont read any further.....last warning.....ok, here we go.....


This was the BEST book in the series so far. Honestly, New Moon left me a little flat. It was going good and then slammed us with that goofy trip to Italy, ok whatever. But Eclipse had the same intensity that Twilight did, and I ate it up. I stayed up most of the night because I could NOT put the book down. Actually I started my evening watching The Notebook. Everyone I know who has seen that movie has gushed and cried, etc. Not me. Yes it was a very good love story. And the ending was one of those happy/sad ending. But I still didnt cry. But let me tell you that I cried like a baby when Bella was saying goodbye to Jacob. Cried. Like. A. BABY. I may have even said "NO no no" out loud a few times. I am so torn because I love Edward, but I think I might love Jacob more. Now I'm full of heartbreak and angst....and cant wait to read Breaking Dawn. But I need to borrow it from C's girlfriend because I dont have any money to buy it right now. Hurry up Sam....I NEED it. Oh, and I can't believe that after 3 whole books they haven't had "you-know-what" yet. Crazy stuff!

TAG.....8 things

I got Tagged by Young Mamma at the Perfect Pen


8 TV shows I love to watch:
Greys Anatomy
ER
Jon & Kate plus 8
Nip/Tuck
Dirty Jobs
Ghosthunters
Storm Chasers
Live with Regis and Kelly


8 Things That Happened Yesterday:
I stayed in bed until 9am
I wrapped all the Christmas Presents
I talked to my mom on the phone until her phone got so hot she had to turn it off :-)
I made my very first pie crust from scratch
I had candy pancakes for Breakfast with all 3 sons and my Hubby
I played Uno
I got lots of hugs and kisses
I prayed alot

8 Favorite Places to Eat:
DiPaolos
Applebees
The Boardwalk
Smokers (in OC, MD)
Famous Daves BBQ
China Town (Phila, PA)
My MIL's
Home

8 Things That I Am Looking Forward To:
My parents coming to visit
Going to see Santa next Saturday
Going to sleep tonight, LOL
Finishing Eclipse
Starting Breaking Dawn
Being done all my tests
Christmas Morning
Christmas Eve


8 Things On My Wish List:
Happiness for all my family and friends
Health for all my family and friends
Lots of witty topics to blog about
More visits with Mom and Dad
More sleep
Chocolate
Jewelry
Books

Now I need to tag 5 other people (I think it was 5, lol)
Amy at Elsinboro Aspergers Mom
Mommy Cracked
Lana at the Kids did What??
Sam at NOLAblues
Anna at Boogers, Bibs, Books and Bubbles

I love Santa

I got tagged by Kristin at The way it is.....this one is a Christmas quiz.....so here it goes


1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate? I love both....but only drink Eggnogg around Christmas. Hot Chocolate is good anytime.

2. Does Santa wrap presents or just put them under the tree? Wrap....and Santa hates to wrap, UGH.

3.Colored lights on house/tree or white? I prefer all white, but we have colored ones for the kiddos

4.Do you hang mistletoe? no

5. When do you put up your decorations up? Black Friday

6. What is your favorite holiday dish? YUM....everything! but if I had to pick one it would be my MIL's brocoli casserole.

7. Favorite holiday memory as a child? I have a few favorites....and they all sucked at the time but I love them now. I guess my top favorite would be the time my parents made us go on a scavenger hunt to find our presents. I was always a scrooge and hated Christmas so the thought of having to go around and look for clues was pure torture back then. But I love it now....because I love Christmas.

8. When and how did you learned the truth about Santa? Early...I was scared to death of Santa. and the Easter bunny. and the tooth fairy. So every holiday I spent sleeping between my parents because I was scared of those big scarey strangers coming in our house, lol

9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve? The kids open one on Christmas eve and the rest in the morning after Santa comes

10. How do you decorate your Christmas tree? With a little bit of everything....

11. Snow.Love it or dread it? DREAD IT

12. Can you ice skate? Heck No!

13. Do you remember your favorite gift? From my childhood it would probably be my Barbie RV. My fav adult present would be my Emerald ring from hubby

14. What is the most important thing about the holidays to you? Being with family and this year will be the BEST....my parents are going to be her for the holidays for the first time in 14 years.

15. What is your favorite holiday dessert? Everything, but especially cookies

16. What is your favorite holiday tradition? AW..I dont get my favorite tradition anymore. My Poppop always spent Christmas with us. He would come down to watch the kids open presents and have breakfast. But he is in a nursing home now and cant travel.

17. What tops your Christmas Tree? A Boyds Bear Angel

18. Which do you prefer giving or receiving? Giving...I wish I had more money so I could give more. I love watching other people open presents

19. What is your favorite Christmas song? O Holy Night

20. Candy Canes. Yum or Yuck? I can live without them....unless they are spearmint, that would be awesome

21. What do you want for Christmas? My parents to be here

22. Do you attend an annual Christmas party? No

23. Do you dress-up for Christmas Eve, or wear pajamas? PJ's

24. Do you own a Santa hat? Yes

25. Who do you normally spend Christmas with? Hubby and kiddos in the morning, then Hubby's family in the afternoon.

Here are the rules:
1. Post the rules on your blog.
2. Fill out the questions; Tag 5-7 people at the end of your post; Pass on the tag!

Well I am breaking the rules, I have tagged alot of people lately and dont want to push it and make people hate me, lol. So please feel free to grab this up and use it...or pass it along.

100 Things Survey

100 Things Survey


I grabbed this from Kaycee...because Im not feeling very creative today and needed incentive. Plus I feel like a bad blogger because I didnt post for a few days. Things have been busy and my blog reader is backed up with a ton of unread blogs that I need to catch up on. So please bear with me...I will get there :-)

RULES: There are 100 statements and you bold the ones you have done. Grab it and play for yourself!!

1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band I played flute in the school band...and I sucked at it :-(
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity.
7. Been to Disneyland
8. Climbed a mountain.
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch Sewing
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept in an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitchhiked
23. Taken a sick day when you're not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse (solar)
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo's David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Pari
s51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten cavier.
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper It was a picture of me mailing a letter to Santa, I was probably 6 or 7
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chicken pox
89. Saved someone's life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famousActually I have met a few...mostly Nascar Drivers...Bobby Labonte, Michael Waltrip, Buckshot Jones, etc
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a lawsuit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee
100. Read an entire book in one day

Tags and excuses.....

OK, I am really behind in my blog reading from today and yesterday. Please forgive me. I've been playing Uno, Yatzee and watching Elmo. I also made cookies and read 8 chapters of Eclipse. It finally came in the mail today....I guess the mail lady decided I looked desperate enough to bring it, since I stare at her putting mail in the box every morning.
So even though I am short on time, I will pass along my Tag that I got from EM.

Take a snippet from the closest book sitting near you ... page 56, the 5th sentence:


"Nobody said that you had to."

And Im sorry to be a fun-sucker but I have to run and cant tag anyone else right now. Maybe next time.