Hi...

Whatever you give a woman, she will make greater.

If you give her a house, she'll give you a home.

If you give her groceries, she'll give you a meal.

If you give her a smile, she'll give you her heart.

She multiplies and enlarges what is given to her. So, if you give her any crap, be ready to receive a ton of sh*t.

(I'm back! Whew! It's been rough. Threw my back out (could possibly be a herniated disk) and totally wrecked Christmas. Couldn't stand, couldn't sit. Flat on my back in bed from Christmas Day until Tuesday when I went back to work. But the hubs was worth his weight in gold! He waited on me hand and foot, fed the girls (our two cats) and even cleaned the litter box! He was absolutely wonderful!!)

Christmas Angel

Sorry about the late post -- I'm a bit under the weather.

Hugs, Sandy

The 12 Days of Christmas

People often think of The Twelve Days of Christmas as the days preceding the festival. Actually, Christmas is a season of the Christian Year that last for days beginning December 25 and lasting until January 6 _ the Day of Epiphany Catholic Church)_ when the church celebrates the revelation of Christ as the light of the world and recalls the journey of the Magi. From 1558 until 1829 people in England were not allowed to practice their faith openly. During this era someone wrote 'The Twelve Days of Christmas' as a kind of secret catechism that could be sung in public without risk of persecution. The song has two levels of interpretation: "the surface meaning plus a hidden meaning known only to members of the church."

Each element in the carol is a code word for a religious reality.

1. The partridge in a pear tree is Jesus Christ.
2. The two turtle doves are the Old and New Testaments.
3. Three French hens stand for faith, hope and love.
4. The four calling birds are the four Gospels.
5. The five gold rings recall the torah (Law) the first five books of the Old Testament.
6. The six geese a_laying stand for the six days of creation.
7. Seven swans a_swimming represent the sevenfold gifts of the Spirit.
8. The eight maids a_milking are the eight beatitudes.
9. Nine ladies dancing are the nine fruits of the spirit (Gal.5).
10. The ten lords a_leaping are the Ten Commandments.
11. Eleven pipers piping stand for the eleven faithful disciples.
12. Twelve drummers drumming symbolize the 12 points of belief in the Apostles Creed.

There you have it, the HIDDEN meaning of "The Twelve Days of Christmas" and the secret behind the song.

Merry Christmas

A Long Winter's Nap

Winter

I don't know who painted this, but it is one of my favorites.

Wrapping...

I sure hope this works. It's really good!

http://www.americangreetings.com/ecards/view.pd?i=477967254&m=9664&rr=y&source=ag99

Mike Huston

I read a blog titled High Country Archer. The man who writes the blog is husband and soul mate to a wonderful lady who is a very accomplished photographer and is a wildlife rehabilitator. He puts words down that touch your soul. He has posted a piece entitled Christmas, and this is the link to the post. I think it is beautifully written and well-worth the read. Please stop in and read what he has written. Enjoy!

http://highcountryarcher.blogspot.com/2008/12/christmas.html

The Christmas Pageant

I got this delightful story from my niece in Wyoming. I don't think I've seen this one before and it was just too good not to share with all of you!

THE CHRISTMAS PAGEANT

My husband and I had been happily married (most of the time) for five years but hadn't been blessed with a baby.

I decided to do some serious praying and promised God that if he would give us a child, I would be a perfect mother, love it with all my heart and raise it with His word as my guide.

God answered my prayers and blessed us with a son. The next year God blessed us with another son. The following year, He blessed us with yet another son. The year after that we were blessed with a daughter. My husband thought we'd been blessed right into poverty. We now had four children, and the oldest was only four years old.

I learned never to ask God for anything unless I meant it. As a minister once told me, "If you pray for rain, make sure you carry an umbrella."

I began reading a few verses of the Bible to the children each day as they lay in their cribs. I was off to a good start. God had entrusted me with four children and I didn't want to disappoint Him.

I tried to be patient the day the children smashed two dozen eggs on the kitchen floor searching for baby chicks.

I tried to be understanding ...

when they started a hotel for homeless frogs in the spare bedroom, although it took me nearly two hours to catch all twenty-three frogs;

when my daughter poured ketchup all over herself and rolled up in a blanket to see how it felt to be a hot dog, I tried to see the humor rather than the mess.

In spite of changing over twenty-five thousand diapers, never eating a hot meal and never sleeping for more than thirty minutes at a time, I still thank God daily for my children.

While I couldn't keep my promise to be a perfect mother -- I didn't even come close -- I did keep my promise to raise them in the Word of God. I knew I was missing the mark just a little when I toldmy daughter we were going to church to worship God, and she wanted to bring a bar of soap along to"wash up" Jesus, too. Something was lost in the translation when I explained that God gave us everlasting life, and my son thought it was generous of God to giveus his "last wife."

My proudest moment came during the children's Christmas pageant. My daughter was playing Mary, two of my sons were shepherds and my youngest son was a wise man. This was their moment to shine. My five-year-old shepherd had practiced his line, "We found the babe wrappedin swaddling clothes." But he was nervous and said, "The baby was wrapped in wrinkled clothes." My four-year-old "Mary" said, "That's not 'wrinkled clothes,' silly.
That's dirty, rotten clothes." A wrestling match broke out between Mary and the shepherd and was stopped by an angel, who bent her halo and lost her left wing.

I slouched a little lower in my seat when Mary dropped the doll representing Baby Jesus, and it bounced down the aisle crying, "Mama-mama." Mary grabbed the doll, wrapped it back up and held it tightly as the wise men arrived. My other son stepped forward wearing a bathrobe and a paper crown, knelt at the manger and announced, "We are the three wise men, and we are bringing gifts of gold, common sense and fur."

The congregation dissolved into laughter, and the pageant got a standing ovation. "I've never enjoyed a Christmas program as much as this one," laughed the pastor, wiping tears from his eyes. "For the rest of my life, I'll never hear the Christmas story without thinking of gold, common sense and fur."

"My children are my pride and my joy and my greatest blessing," I said as I dug through my purse for an aspirin.

Jesus had no servants, yet they called Him Master.
Had no degree, yet they called Him Teacher.
Had no medicines, yet they called Him Healer.
Had no army, yet kings feared Him.
He won no military battles, yet He conquered the world.
He committed no crime, yet they crucified Him.
He was buried in a tomb, yet He lives today.
Feel honored to serve such a Leader who loves us.

If you believe in God and in Jesus Christ His Son, send this to all on your buddy list.

GOD BLESS YOU ALL!

(Thanks, Linda!)

Kids Are Quick

TEACHER: Maria, go to the map and find North America.
MARIA: Here it is.
TEACHER: Correct. Now class, who discovered America?
CLASS: Maria.
____________________________________

TEACHER: John, why are you doing your math multiplication on the floor?
JOHN: You told me to do it without using tables.
__________________________________________

TEACHER: Glenn, how do you spell 'crocodile?'
GLENN: K-R-O-K-O-D-I-A-L'
TEACHER: No, that's wrong.
GLENN: Maybe it is wrong, but you asked me how I spell it.
(I Love this kid)
____________________________________________

TEACHER: Donald, what is the chemical formula for water?
DONALD: H I J K L M N O.
TEACHER: What are you talking about?
DONALD: Yesterday you said it's H to O.
__________________________________

TEACHER: Winnie, name one important thing we have today that we didn't have ten years ago.
WINNIE: Me!
__________________________________________

TEACHER: Glen, why do you always get so dirty?
GLEN: Well, I'm a lot closer to the ground than you are.
_______________________________________

TEACHER: Millie, give me a sentence starting with ' I.'
MILLIE: I is...
TEACHER: No, Millie..... Always say, 'I am.'
MILLIE: All right... 'I am the ninth letter of the alphabet.'
________________________________

TEACHER: George Washington not only chopped down his father's cherry tree, but also admitted it. Now, Louis, do you know why his father didn't punish him?
LOUIS: Because George still had the axe in his hand.
______________________________________

TEACHER: Now, Simon, tell me frankly, do you say prayers before eating?
SIMON: No sir, I don't have to, my Mom is a good cook.
______________________________

TEACHER: Clyde , your composition on 'My Dog' is exactly the same as your brother's. Did you copy his?
CLYDE: No, sir. It's the same dog.
___________________________________

TEACHER: Harold, what do you call a person who keeps on talking when people are no longer interested?
HAROLD: A teacher.
__________________________________

PASS IT AROUND AND MAKE SOMEONE LAUGH! LAUGHTER IS THE SOUL'S MEDICINE!!

(Thanks, Jayne!)

Cat Fact #198

I just HAD to post this one...




http://icanhascheezburger.com/

DMV

Holiday Celebration Tips

HOLIDAY CELEBRATION TIPS!

1. Avoid carrot sticks. Anyone who puts carrots on a holiday buffet table knows nothing of the Christmas spirit. In fact, if you see carrots, leave immediately. Go next door, where they're serving rum balls.

2. Drink as much eggnog as you can. And quickly. Like fine single-malt scotch, it's rare. In fact, it's even rarer than single-malt scotch. You can't find it any other time of year but now. So drink up! Who cares that it has 10,000 calories in every sip? It's not as if you're going to turn into an eggnog-alcoholic or something. It's a treat. Enjoy it. Have one for me. Have two. It's later than you think. It's Christmas!

3. If something comes with gravy, use it. That's the whole point of gravy. Gravy does not stand alone. Pour it on. Make a volcano out of your mashed potatoes. Fill it with gravy. Eat the volcano. Repeat.

4. As for mashed potatoes, always ask if they're made with skim milk or whole milk. If it's skim, pass. Why bother? It's like buying a sports car with an automatic transmission.

5. Do not have a snack before going to a party in an effort to control your eating. The whole point of going to a Christmas party is to eat other people's food for free. Lots of it. Hello?

6. Under no circumstances should you exercise between now and New Year's. You can do that in January when you have nothing else to do. This is the time for long naps, which you'll need after circling the buffet table while carrying a 10-pound plate of food and that vat of eggnog.

7. If you come across something really good at a buffet table, like frosted Christmas cookies in the shape and size of Santa, position yourself near them and don't budge. Have as many as you can before becoming the center of attention. They're like a beautiful pair of shoes. If you leave them behind, you're never going to see them again.

8. Same for pies. Apple. Pumpkin. Mincemeat. Have a slice of each. Or if you don't like mincemeat, have two apples and one pumpkin. Always have three. When else do you get to have more than one dessert? Labor Day?

9. Did someone mention fruitcake? Granted, it's loaded with the mandatory celebratory calories, but avoid it at all cost. I mean, have some standards.

10. One final tip: If you don't feel terrible when you leave the party or get up from the table, you haven't been paying attention. Re-read tips; start over, but hurry, January is just around the corner.

Remember this motto to live by: 'Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, chocolate in one hand, martini in the other, body thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming 'WOO HOO what a ride!'

Most Important Tip of all: Have a great holiday season!

Playing for Change

This is awesome!

http://www.flixxy.com/peace-through-music.htm

Which is the Front of the Tree.

Do you know the front from the back of a tree?

A redneck from Georgia decides to travel across the south to Virginia to see God's country.

When he gets to Franklin, he likes the place so much that he decides to stay. But first he must find a job.

He walks into the International Paper Company office and fills out an application as an experienced log inspector. It's his lucky day!!! They just happen to be looking for someone, but first the log foreman takes him for a ride into the forest in the company pickup truck to see how much he knows.

The foreman stops the truck on the side of the road and points at a tree. "See that tree over there? I want you to tell me what species it is and how many board fee of lumber it contains."

The redneck promptly answers, "That thar's a White Pine, 383 board feet of lumber in 'er."

The foreman is impressed!!!

He puts the truck in motion and stops about a mile down the road. He points at another tree through the passenger window and asks the same question. This time it's a bigger tree of a different class.

"That's a Lob Lolly Pine and she's got about 456 clear board feet."

The foreman is really impressed with the good ol' boy. He has been quick and got the answers right without using a calculator!!!!

One more test. They drive a little further down the road and the foreman stops again. This time, he points across the road through his driver side window and says, "And what about that one?"

Before the foreman finishes pointing, the redneck says, "White Oak, 242 board feet at best."

The foreman spins the truck around and heads back to the office a little ticked off because he thinks the redneck is smarter than he is. As they near the office, the foreman stops the truck and asks Bubba to step outside.

He hands him a piece of chalk and tells him, "See that tree over there?" "I want you to mark an X on the front of that tree!!"

The foreman thinks to himself, "Idiot, how would he know which is the front of the tree?"

When Bubba reaches the tree, he goes around it in a circle while looking at the ground. He then reaches up and places a white X on the trunk. He walks back to the foreman and hands him the chalk.

"That thar's the front," the redneck says.

The foreman laughs to himself and asks sarcastically, "How in the heck do you know that's the front of the tree?"

The good ol' boy looks down at his feet, while rubbing the toe of his left boot cleaning it in the gravel and replies, "Cuz somebody took a sh-t behind it!"

He got the job and is now the foreman!

(Thanks, Frank!)

The Blog

Just out of curiosity, I looked to see when I started this blog. December 28, 2007! It says I have 385 posts. Wow! That's a whole lot of posts!!

I remember when I first started out. I was so afraid I wouldn't be able to do this. I thought to myself, "What will I ever say?" Well, obviously I've had quite a bit to say! LOL!!

For the most part, I put jokes or stories up, or I put up a favorite I Can Has Cheezeburger photo. Sometimes I have something to say. But for the most part, I enjoy making people laugh. I also like to make people think. I read each and every comment. I find that very important. If you care enough to stop by and leave a comment, I read it and then respond to let you know that I'm very glad you stopped by. I even have some followers! I think that is SO cool!

In this "almost" year I have made many, many wonderful friends. I have grown quite fond of all of you. There's, just to name a few, Carol, Jayne, Jan, Jenni, Daryl E, River Poet, Larry & SWMBO, St. Blogwen, Josh, Gregg, Anita, Sandi, Nathan (who I owe my start to), Steve (Brooklyn Parrots), Nikki, Jamie, Deanne, Karin and many more. I am honored that even my family reads my blog!
I started out by reading one house blog... I found it through The New York Times. That blog is gone (they finished building their "vacation" home) and it mushroomed from there. I found so many wonderful blogs through houseblogs.net -- and I found others through curiosity in the comments left on those house blogs (they are my true passion). I have so many favorites that it sometimes takes me 3 days to read them all! I try to leave a comment when I stop by, but sometimes I don't because so many others have already said what I would have said.

I have learned a ton of cool things about restoring and renovating a home. I've learned how to put all those cool gadgets on my blog from seeing something that I really liked on someone's blog and followed the link to put it on mine. At first, I had to ask how to do things, but I eventually gained the confidence to figure out how to do a lot of it on my own. Most of the time it works, but every now and again I just can't get it to work.

So, I think I just wanted to let all of you know how wonderful you are and how much I admire you. Each one of the blogs has enriched my life.

And, Diana, I am honored that you always manage to read my spot every day.

Recipe

I'm posting this for people who know who Gracie Allen was (and some who can simply appreciate a good recipe.)

Gracie Allen's Classic Recipe for Roast Beef:

1 large Roast of beef

1 small Roast of beef

Take the two roasts and put them in the oven.

When the little one burns, the big one is done.

What love means...

A group of professional people posed this question to a group of 4 to 8 year-olds, 'What does love mean?' The answers they got were broader and deeper than anyone could have imagined. They are all adorable!

'When my grandmother got arthritis, she couldn't bend over and paint her toenails anymore. So my grandfather does it for her all the time, even when his hands got arthritis too. That's love..' Rebecca- age 8

'When someone loves you, the way they say your name is different. You just know that your name is safe in their mouth.' Billy - age 4 (Love this one)

'Love is when a girl puts on perfume and a boy puts on shaving cologne and they go out and smell each other.' Karl - age 5

'Love is when you go out to eat and give somebody most of your french fries without making them give you any of theirs.' Chrissy - age 6 (Awwww)

'Love is what makes you smile when you're tired.' Terri - age 4

'Love is when my mommy makes coffee for my daddy and she takes a sip before giving it to him, to make sure the taste is OK.'Danny - age 7

'Love is when you kiss all the time. Then when you get tired of kissing, you still want to be together and you talk more. My Mommy and Daddy are like that. They look gross when they kiss.' Emily - age 8 (Too cute!)

'Love is what's in the room with you at Christmas if you stop opening presents and listen.' Bobby - age 7 (My favorite)

'If you want to learn to love better, you should start with a friend who you hate,' Nikka - age 6 (We need a few million more Nikka's on this planet)

'Love is when you tell a guy you like his shirt, then he wears it everyday.' Noelle - age 7

'Love is like a little old woman and a little old man who are still friends even after they know each other so well.' Tommy - age 6

'During my piano recital, I was on a stage and I was scared. I looked at all the people watching me and saw my daddy waving and smiling. He was the only one doing that. I wasn't scared anymore.' Cindy - age 8

'My mommy loves me more than anybody, you don't see anyone else kissing me to sleep at night.' Clare - age 6

'Love is when Mommy gives Daddy the best piece of chicken.' Elaine-age 5 (Too cute)

'Love is when Mommy sees Daddy smelly and sweaty and still says he is handsomer than Robert Redford.' Chris - age 7

'Love is when your puppy licks your face even after you left him alone all day.' Mary Ann - age 4 (Awww)

'I know my older sister loves me because she gives me all her old clothes and has to go out and buy new ones.' Lauren - age 4

'When you love somebody, your eyelashes go up and down and little stars come out of you.' Karen - age 7 (What an image!)

'Love is when Mommy sees Daddy on the toilet and she doesn't think it's gross.' Mark - age 6 (LOL)

'You really shouldn't say 'I love you' unless you mean it. But if you mean it, you should say it a lot. People forget.' Jessica - age 8

This one tops the others in my opinion: The winner was a four year old child whose next door neighbor was an elderly gentleman who had recently lost his wife. Upon seeing the man cry, the little boy went into the old gentleman's yard, climbed onto his lap, and just sat there. When his Mother asked what he had said to the neighbor, the little boy said, 'Nothing, I just helped him cry'

Christmas Spirit

http://icanhascheezburger.com/

Tagged :-)

I have been tagged!

I have been tagged by my dear friend Carol at http://charliandme.blogspot.com/ to do a post listing five addictions I have.

So the name of the game is ADDICTION......

The rules of the tag are as follows:

Name five things you are addicted to.
Write a post.
Next invite five other bloggers to participate in the tag.
Then notify each of the bloggers you picked that they have been tagged.

Now here goes....

1. My Computer.... That just goes without saying! I love to blog, to check on all of my blogger friends, play games, enter my points for My Coke Rewards.

2. The Big Bang Theory.... I absolutely LOVE that show! I try to never miss it. I definitely get the humor!

3. Solitaire.... Spider, Free Cell, Pyramid, Golf... so many games, so little time....

4. Candles..... Spice, Pumpkin, Apple Cinnamon, Cucumber & Melon, Eucalyptus... candles in jars, candles on pedestals...

5. Bookworm...... My nephew Mike introduced me to this game. I liked it so well I purchased it and have been hooked ever since!

OK, there you have it.... My secrets are out..... Now it's your turn.....

I am now supposed to tag five other bloggers. If I haven't tagged you, and you would like to join in the fun, please consider yourself tagged.....

Larry over at http://simpsonsfolly.blogspot.com/

Jenni over at http://1311vernon.blogspot.com/

Jayne over at http://daintydigs.blogspot.com/

Nate over at http://nodaknateinnyc.blogspot.com/

and

Daryl E over at http://onthem104.blogspot.com/

I can't hardly wait to see what you post!

Memories of Christmas

There is excitement in the air! Christmas will soon be here. I watch some people carefully count their pennies and decide what they can buy with what little they have, and I watch some people spend like money is no object. There are people everywhere pushing, shoving, grabbing, sneering; and there are some who just quietly move out of the "movers and shakers" way and then continue on when the rush has moved on.

Someone asked me today if I remembered what Christmas smelled like. Oh most definitely I do! The air smelled fresh and clean -- it smelled of snow. There were smells of pine trees (no one had an artificial tree when I was little). There were smells of wreaths, turkey, pumpkin pie, oranges and cloves that wafted through the air sometimes when you passed someone's house... and the smell of church and the candles from the midnight service when we would sing Silent Night and they would turn the lights off so that you sang by candlelight.

We didn't have very much when I was growing up. If we had a tree it was because it was the only one left in the lot and it was a "Charlie Brown" tree that no one else wanted. To me it was absolutely beautiful. There were construction paper ornaments, and ornaments that were given to us. The gifts were few.... I cherished every book, every puzzle, every pair of pajamas... I even still have some of the books and I have one puzzle that my Sister gave me. I even kept a yellow chenille robe that she gave me... of course it is so old that there isn't much left of it.

We might not have had much, but we had family; and those Christmases were absolute magic to me.

Winters of Long Ago...

This is absolutely delightful. A trip back in time that I hope is enjoyed by all!

http://www.greatdanepro.com/Winters%20Long%20Ago/index.htm

(Thanks, Sandi!)

Why The Printer Doesn't Work

I sure hope this link works because this is hysterical!

http://s2.photobucket.com/albums/y20/PerthPurplePenguin/vids/?action=view&current=cvUMHvLZ.flv

Hogwarts...

http://icanhascheezburger.com/

The Human Body

The human body is a machine that is full of wonder.

1.. Scientists say the higher your I.Q. the more you dream.
2.. The largest cell in the human body is the female egg.
3.. The smallest is the male sperm.
4.. You use 200 muscles to take one step.
5.. The average woman is 5 inches shorter than the average man.
6.. Your big toes have two bones each while the rest have three.
7.. A pair of human feet contain 250,000 sweat glands.
8.. A full bladder is roughly the size of a softball.
9.. The acid in your stomach is strong enough to dissolve razor blades.
10.. The human brain cell can hold 5 times as much information as an encyclopedia.
11.. It takes food seven seconds to get from your mouth to your stomach.
12.. The average human dream lasts 2-3 seconds.
13.. Men without hair on their chests are more likely to get cirrhosis of the liver than men with hair.
14.. At the moment of conception, you spent about half an hour as a single cell.
15.. There is about one trillion bacteria on each of your feet.
16.. Your body gives off enough heat in 30 minutes to bring half a gallon of water to a boil.
17.. The enamel in your teeth is the hardest substance in your body.
18.. Your teeth start developing (in your gums) 6 months before you are born.
19.. When you are looking at someone you love, your pupils dilate, they do the same when you are looking at someone you hate.
20.. Blondes have more hair than dark-haired people.
21.. Your thumb is the same length as your nose.
22.. At this very moment I'm sure you are putting this last fact to the test... now remove your thumb from your nose and pass this on to the friends you think might be interested in comparing their thumbs to their noses as well.

You did it -- I know you did ! (yes, I did)

Thanks, Larry!

Been there...

http://icanhascheezburger.com/

A New Country Song

This is hilarious!!!

http://videos.komando.com/2008/02/20/

(Thanks, Ron!)

A Bit of Yesterday...

Lorenzo - The Flying Frenchman

This is absolutely amazing! Enjoy!

http://canecorso.com/lorenzo.htm

Pecans in the Cememtery

On the outskirts of a small town, there was a big, old pecan tree just inside the cemetery fence. One day, two boys filled up a bucketful of nuts and sat down by the tree, out of sight, and began dividing the nuts.

"One for you, one for me. One for you, one for me," said one boy. Several dropped and rolled down toward the fence.

Another boy came riding along the road on his bicycle. As he passed, he thought he heard voices from inside the cemetery. He slowed down to investigate. Sure enough, he heard, "One for you, one for me. One for you, one for me."

He just knew what it was. He jumped back on his bike and rode off. Just around the bend he met an old man with a cane, hobbling along.

"Come here quick," said the boy, "you won't believe what I heard! Satan and the Lord are down at the cemetery dividing up the souls."

The man said, "Beat it kid, can't you see it's hard for me to walk." When the boy insisted though, the man hobbled slowly to the cemetery.

Standing by the fence they heard, "One for you, one for me. One for you, one for me."

The old man whispered, "Boy, you've been tellin' me the truth. Let's see if we can see the Lord." Shaking with fear, they peered through the fence, yet were still unable to see anything. The old man and the boy gripped the wrought iron bars of the fence tighter and tighter as they tried to get a glimpse of the Lord.

At last they heard, "One for you, one for me. That's all. Now let's go get those nuts by the fence and we'll be done."

They say the old man made it back to town a full 5 minutes ahead of the kid on the bike.

Lord put one hand on my shoulder and one hand over my mouth!

(Thanks, Frank!)