Christmas

Some funny highlights:

Lil'Bug wanted ice cream for dinner...why? Uncle J. ate some and she wanted it too. He ate the last of it. So......Lil'Bug insisted that her dinner food was full of boogers. So she wouldn't eat it. She asked for a bowl of cheerios and then wouldn't eat that either. Turns out she was mad that she had to sit in the high chair (we had extra guests and it was the only way to fit everyone....) so she was happy with the cheerios once she was out of the "baby" chair. If the only drama in a family gathering is a three year old's dissatisfaction with dinner (no nap factored)...count yourself blessed! I did!


Uncle J. was not late! In fact, he brought a friend. It was cool. The family recounted all the family milestones based on the boys' injuries and ER visits over the years. Gah. Aunt Bee and her J. joined us too. Certainly a full house! We ate good food, sang carols, and shared a lovely time.


Nana got me a Christmas sweater with bells on it. The baby kicked and the bells would ring. That was hilarious.


During the reading of the Christmas story I started scowling at Dearest Husband. Why? I thought he was laughing as he was reading the part about Mary being with child. Um. Sort of. Turns out he was tearing up and he choked up and had to stop to explain to everyone how happy he is that we are "with child" again and gave me a kiss. Wow, did I feel terrible (for scowling) and overwhelmed with emotion. I teared up for the rest of the reading. And right now, while writing this.

What? No drama? Nope. None. It was great.


Dr. Lil'Bug wrote people prescriptions NOT to take any more medicine. She checked everyone's ears for potatoes and quarters. Then she waved her magic wand and cured people of their worms. LOL! *no one in our family has ever had worms, that I know of.....

A Major Award

• Because I'm the Mama That's Why
• Child's Play
• Gookins
• Happy and Free
• Life Dreamed
• Mini Memoirs of Mine
• Montucky Rox
• My Little Soap Box
• My So Called Homeschool
• Smitten Kitchen
• Sugar Creek
• Sugar Mountain Farm
• Supernatural World
• The Foil Hat
• The Road Less Traveled
• The View From Here
• Turtle Works
• Welcome to My Brain
• Wheelchair Mama

So why have I listed my blogroll and a picture of the leg lamp? Minimemoirs award me this and now I am passing it on....to all in my blogroll (+zamunzo, who for some reason I can't get into my roll. I'm working on it!)

Merry Christmas friends. :)

12 Questions of Christmas Meme

(I found this meme at minimemiors blog and decided to play along. )


1. Christmas is splendiforous. [fill in the blank with ONE WORD]

2. In memories, what was the best part of your Christmases past? Cream cheese pecan pie. One year I ate an entire pie before dinner and no one noticed but a neighbor who caught me and then brought forks and demanded I share. :) Since many of my Christmases were rotten in various ways, I like to remember good little details like that and this one.....:

3. Was Santa ever good to you? [describe how and what] ....my husband first kissed me on Christmas Eve 1996. :) That was the beginning of a different life for me- one where I am cherished, valued, and cared for. I knew this at that first kiss. There was just something very special about that night for me. The time between that Christmas and the next I had enrolled in college and had my first writing published.

4. Do you open gifts on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, or both? Both. Family on the Eve and Santa in the morning. This year will be a bit complicated as Santa will visit Grandma's house and we'll head over there first thing.

5. Is there something you make each and every year? [craft or recipe] Yes. Peppersass cookies and Christmas cards. That's new to the past few years, but so much fun!

6. What are your favorite five[5] Christmas songs/hymns?
Let it Snow!- the Brian Setzer version
Santa's Got a Hot Rod- Big Bad Voodoo Daddy
The Grinch- version by Sixpence None the Richer
AND.....sung by our family on Christmas Eve:
Silent Night
Away in a Manger

7. Is there a new tradition for Christmas since your childhood days? We sing Christmas carols on Christmas Eve as a family. I love this. I can't sing but I love participating anyway. Nana plays the piano and Lil'Bug turns pages for her.

8. Describe one of your Christmas trips. [whether it's across town or across country] One Christmas day of 1999 we flew to Virginia to visit my favorite Aunt and Uncle. We stayed through what was also our 1st wedding anniversary in early January. I saw the Atlantic ocean for the first time and it was the last time I saw my Uncle.

9. Do you have a special Christmas outfit to wear for the day? Every year my MIL buys us all Christmas sweaters to wear. It is a special tradition for her and we honor that!

10. Have YOU or any of your family members sat on Santa's lap? My daughter! She thinks he's pretty cool. I think I might have as a kid. I don't remember.

11. What is/or will be on your Christmas tree this year? Stuff. Lil''Bug has been pulling off the plastic balls and gluing stuff to them. I used to decorate the tree, but she has way more fun so I let her do it. ;)

12. Do you/or have you decorated your yard for Christmas? I did at our first house. It looked like a little gingerbread house with lights. Too cute. I've always wanted to decorate here, but there are no exterior outlets.

TMBG- James K. Polk

In 1844, the Democrats were split
The three nominees for the presidential candidate
Were Martin Van Buren, a former president and an abolitionist
James Buchanan, a moderate
Louis Cass, a general and expansionist
From Nashville came a dark horse riding up
He was James K. Polk, Napoleon of the Stump

Austere, severe, he held few people dear
His oratory filled his foes with fear
The factions soon agreed
He's just the man we need
To bring about victory
Fulfill our manifest destiny
And annex the land the Mexicans command
And when the votes were cast the winner was
Mister James K. Polk, Napoleon of the Stump

In four short years he met his every goal
He seized the whole southwest from Mexico
Made sure the tarriffs fell
And made the English sell the Oregon territory
He built an independent treasury
Having done all this he sought no second term
But precious few have mourned the passing of
Mister James K. Polk, our eleventh president
Young Hickory, Napoleon of the Stump

Why did I post this? Heh. Funny story. In graduate school I took an American history seminar. I had a 3 month old. I didn't do the reading. I'm sure I'm not the first or only grad student ever to face this problem BUT there were only 3 students in the seminar and it is a little harder to fake having done the reading in such a small class. Fortunately......the subject of James K. Polk came up and I had just heard the song at home. I quoted it almost word for word in my piece of the discussion and managed to make my way through the 3 hours. Gah. I've always suspected that one of the other students knew, the professor certainly didn't. Anyway. Funny story. ;) We all learn things in different ways. Me? I happened to learn obscure history facts from a They Might Be Giants song.

It was on my mind today and the subject of the upcoming Iowa caucus was discussed. Our lovely state is overrun by candidates, news affiliates, and campaign brew ha. I wonder how many of them know about James K. Polk?