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Tuesday, December 20, 2011

Memories




I love this picture for lots of reasons. The people in it are my brother, Bruce and my Dad. When I see them together in this picture I think of all the boys in the family and the fun times I had sandwiched between 2 of them ... riding in Dad's pick up together and stopping for a can of pop, then laughing so hard at something while drinking it that the pop came right up our noses. Good times. The angle this picture is taken, showing all the wood (but you can't see the new wood floors) reminds me of "the old old house" where we were teenagers. We'd hang out in the family room with built-in bookshelves on every wall and an actual elevator that would carry you up to the master bedroom. More good times. On the right in this picture is a peek at my parents "Candy Bar". We're all non-drinkers, so although it's set up for beverages, my parents have filled it with candy and pictures. On the left and middle of this photo are old family pictures. Need I say more? These make my heart swell when I see them. The tiny picture just above that little table is a snapshot of some of us at a family reunion playing a rousing round of Pit. You can't see it, but there was a lot of noise, a bit of reaching and grabbing and a lot of laughing. You may be able to see that no one is sitting down, though Pit, a card game, is intended to be played as most card games are - from your chair. You can see a bit of the bookshelf on the far left. We grew up with books all around us and we all have a love of reading. Thanks Mom & Dad, and thanks to my brothers and sisters ... I got a great start in life!
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Monday, December 19, 2011

LIFE IS FUN

It was Michael Jordan who said:
"Just play. Have fun. Enjoy the game."
I couldn't agree more ... life is meant to be FUN! I had a great time with my siblings and parents last week. Besides lots of game playing, my sisters and I spent an hour or so at the piano. My sisters are both really good - I'm a moderate pianist. That meant enough mistakes to make it super fun and create a ton of laughs!
"Don't ever become a pessimist... a pessimist is correct oftener than an optimist, but an optimist has more fun, and neither can stop the march of events."
-Robert A. Heinlein


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Wednesday, December 14, 2011

The nest

Icelandic lore says that a bird's nest in a Christmas Tree brings a year of good luck, good fortune and good health.





What do you traditionally include on your Christmas tree?


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

All Tied Up

My Parents:





“Grow old along with me! The best is yet to be, the last of life, for which the first was made. Our times are in his hand who saith, 'A whole I planned, youth shows but half; Trust God: See all, nor be afraid!'”

-Robert Browning


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AWOL

I've been missing you ... but missing for good reason: I've just returned from a glimpse of heaven. I spent a short time with my parents and ALL of my siblings. Little sleep ... lots of fun.
My parents throw an annual Christmas Egg Nog Party ("non-alcoholic of course", as they would say)They began this tradition in 1972 (the last time all the siblings were present for the party) as a gift to their community as well as a way to help us, their children, learn to serve and to socialize. It's a lot of work AND a lot of fun. More details on the Egg Nog Party in future posts. For now, just imagine how joyful it was for me to be a kid again in my parents' home with all of my brothers & sisters ... it was glorious.
Here we are in 1977 followed by a picture taken just a few days ago:

Friday, December 2, 2011

Feeling Christ in Christmas

I'm really excited to be guest posting over at
about our family's best Christmas ever.
Please zip on over - it's an all-around amazing blog!


WINNER OF CHRISTMAS JARS & CHRISTMAS JARS:
I stole this idea from my sweet blog-friend, Special 'K'.
Christmas is just too exciting for me to take up any of my blogspace talking about anything else.
So a couple of things:
CANDY CANE POPCORN is delicious AND easy to make.
Pop the popcorn
Coat in white chocolate
sprinkle in crushed candy canes.

Next, have you ever wondered what 7 swans-a-swimmin or a partridge in a pear tree have to do with Christmas? I was visiting a friend this week when she shared the history of this song with me:
From 1558 until 1829 Roman Catholics in England were not permitted to practice their faith openly. Someone during that era wrote this carol as a catechism song for young Catholics. It has two levels of meaning: the surface meaning plus a hidden meaning known only to members of their church. Each element in the carol has a code word for a religious reality which the children could remember.
-The partridge in a pear tree was JESUS CHRIST
-Two turtle doves were the OLD AND NEW TESTAMENTS
-Three French Hens = FAITH, HOPE & CHARITY
-Four Calling Birds = MATTHEW, MARK, LUKE & JOHN the 4 Gospels
-Five Golden Rings = TORAH or LAW, the FIRST 5 BOOKS OF THE OLD TESTAMENT
-Six Geese a-Laying = 6 DAYS OF CREATION
-Seven Swans a-Swimming = SEVEN-FOLD GIFTS OF THE SPIRIT
-Eight Maids a-Milking = 8 BEATITUDES
-Nine Ladies Dancing = 9 FRUITS OF THE SPIRIT
-Ten Lords a-Leaping = 10 COMMANDMENTS
-Eleven Pipers Piping = 11 FAITHFUL DISCIPLES
-Twelve Drummers Drumming = 12 POINTS OF BELIEF IN THE APOSTLES' CREED