Christmas is Coming

First, I'd like to thank Joyce for giving me an "earworm" with that song (my post title).  It will be in my head all day long.

So, ummm, yeah.  I'm a little distracted here.  I'm stressing out because I'm not done shopping yet.  Back to the reason for the post:
1. Share your Christmas Eve traditions.
When I was growing up, we would all pile in the car and attend Midnight Mass.  It was beautiful. The most memorable ones involved the Processional with the lights out (except for the candles that the servers walked in with) and "Silent Night" being sung A cappella.  Beautiful.  After Mass we would have Hungarian Coffeecake and eggnog, then off to bed so Santa could come.
With our boys, we started out going to Midnight Mass, but switched over to the Children's Mass in the evening because mama the boys couldn't stay up that late. We usually go to Evening Mass, then come home and have a Christmas Eve Dinner.  For dessert, we have pistachio pudding with an almond in it; whoever finds the almond gets a prize.  After dinner, we make the boys plead with us to open a present, and, after about 5 minutes of me saying "no", they open one up.  (Yes, they still do this, even though OS is in his 20's!)  We I spend the rest of the evening watching Christmas movies.  Before we had kids, I had these visions of the whole family sitting around the tree, watching movies as a family.  Funny how real life doesn't imitate our visions, isn't it?
When the boys were little, CH used to read "The Night Before Christmas" to the boys before they went to bed.

2. What was the best book you read in 2010? (we're not going to include The Bible here)
"The Help"  Amazing book!

3. Do you have pets and if so do you allow them on the furniture?
Of course we let our little fur babies on the furniture.  If I had to do it over, I wouldn't let them, but, it's a little too late for that!  Pepper's favorite spot is right next to me, no matter where I'm sitting.  And, she has to be touching me.  Funny little girl.
When we had a big dog, she wouldn't get on the furniture while we were on it.  We didn't train her to do that, she just did it on her own.  (Best dog ever!)

4. What event from 2010 are you most thankful for?
Honestly?  That MS has stayed out of trouble.  He's a good young man with a big heart; he just likes to have fun and doesn't think a whole lot about the consequences. 

5. What did you do in 2010 that you'd never done before.
Moved a child into a major university.  Honestly.  It's been quite an experience, having to learn their system.  I keep telling him it would've been a lot easier if he had gone to a smaller school.  But, I have to admit, the rugby games are pretty fun!

6. Brussel sprouts...friend or foe?
Well, the smell is definitely a "foe"!  

7. Who would you nominate for man/woman of the year?
The workers who helped free the Chilean miners.  Or, the miners themselves.  I don't know how I would've handled being stuck down in that mine for so long, or how I would handle being patient enough to get them out safely.
 
8. Insert your own random thought here.
 We live on a pretty busy road.  Monday, the boys cleaned up the garage, and, since this is the week for "bulky garbage" to be picked up by the "city", they put the old washing machine on the curb.  (There really isn't a curb, but they put it at the end of the driveway.)  It hadn't been there for more than an hour when somebody had driven by and picked it up.  Less work for the sanitation workers!  We've seen many things picked up right after we put it "on the curb"; I guess what they say is true:  One's man junk is another man's treasure!
Take a look at what I got in the mail over the weekend:
Debby at Just Breathe loves Christmas more than anybody I know!  She had a give-a-way, and, while I didn't win the "big" prize, I won a consolation prize!  These little ornaments are just adorable, and are now on my tree.  If you have a minute, go by and see Debby.  She has one of the most adorable fur babies I've ever seen a picture of, and you can take a look at all of her ornaments.
Thanks, Debby!

24 comments:

  1. I had that same vision of my family sitting + watching Christmas movies together sipping hot chocolate....here's the reality: I watched The Nativity Story last night while sipping a glass of red wine, by myself. Loved knowing I am not the only one!

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  2. I laughed at the "they ask for 5 minutes while I say no & they open a present anyways" - haha!!!

    The Help was probably one of my fav books of the year too!

    I dont see how you keep animals off the furniture. In our house, the dogs OWN all the furniture - they let US sit on it! ;)

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  3. Love the ornaments you won!

    Regarding your washing machine on the curb, I love the story of the folks who put something big out on their curb--a couch or appliance or something--with a sign that said "Free." No one took it, so after a couple of days they changed the sign to read $25, and it was immediately taken (without paying!). People are so funny.

    And that is neat that you are experiencing exchange student hosting! Our girl was also in a different home and moved in with us the weekend before Thanksgiving.

    Merry Christmas!

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  4. Love the ornaments you won. How cute! Someone else mentioned the book "The Help", I will have to look for that one. Have a great Christmas and rest up, 2011 is right around the corner.

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  5. Yeah, I tried to get the family to watch White Christmas with me the other night, but ended up sitting there alone.

    Christmas blessing to you and yours.

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  6. Ha! My hubby groans when he comes in and I'm watching yet another Christmas movie. ahaha. The rescuers and the miners definitely deserve being nominated. Thanks for sharing. Merry Christmas! Blessings, SusanD

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  7. Love hearing others traditions! Great Questions and even better answers. :)

    I thought you had won cookies by the look of that picture but they are ornaments?! SO CUTE!

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  8. I'm sure that if my family could do things over...our boys wouldn't sleep away the days on the couches. But you know my boys are big dogs, so it is nice when they snuggle up against me :)

    Though I'm not the 1st one in my extended family to go to college, I'm the first one to go to a major university. My parents had fun moving me in!

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  9. Brussel sprouts are one of my faves! But I have to admit that my kids beg me to stop eating them on a daily basis. LOL
    Cute ornaments! The same ones adorn my tree. :)

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  10. Gotta love the Muppets!
    Thanks for posting the video.

    The ornaments you won are really cute.

    Merry Christmas!

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  11. Yep, I agree, things don't usually go as we imagine, but they can still be really good!

    Those ornaments are really neat and Debby is a really neat person. I love her blog.

    Merry Christmas to you and your family!

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  12. That is a hodgepodge...

    We had brussel sprouts for supper last night, I liked them but the hubs and DD gave them a thumbs down. They were good I thought, sauteded red onion,dried cranberries,crumbled bacon and a red wine and brow sugar glaze tossed with the brussel sprouts, yum...


    Have a wonderful Christmas.
    and that would be a BIG yes, totally fake tree. Gotta love those after Christmas 80% off sales at Hobby Lobby, 10 foot pre-lite for next to nothing...

    Thanks for stopping by
    R

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  13. I'm going to have to read "The Help" since I've already seen it twice. And several of us are on the same page with the man/woman of the year nomination.

    Enjoyed taking OS to JC last night. It was an opportunity for me to get to know him better! (Hope I didn't scare him too much!)

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  14. I always enjoy reading your Hodge Podge answers! Loved The Help too!

    Merry Christmas,
    Candace

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  15. THis entire post made me smile. Loved your answers.
    I can get everyone in one room watching the same Christmas movie...but there is usually a laptop or two going as well. (i know, we are bad)
    My kids beg for ONE gift on Christmas eve too, I always give in.
    My Uncle loves to imitate me doing that as a kid...surely I was NOT annoying. I can't put anything by the road without someone picking it up within a few hours...even an old toilet. Hilarious.

    I hope your Christmas eve/day are beautiful!!!!

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  16. What an adorable consolation prize! :) Our pup isn't allowed on the furniture. We set that rule early. So glad! 50 lb dog on the furniture would have ruined it for sure. ha. Have a Merry Christmas, my friend!

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  17. So, did you do your shopping today? I'm in the same boat. But, most of the stuff I still need to do are the handcrafted things. I think it's under command. :-) I enjoyed reading your hodgepodge Wed. We did midnight mass, too, when I was a kid. Maybe this year, the mama and I might make it. It's just too cold for her. Merry Christmas!

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  18. I'm just grateful I FINALLY got my tree decorated and all the presents wrapped. I think I can just relax and enjoy it now that that part is over with!! Did I mention I HATE wrapping presents??? LOL!

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  19. Congratulations on your win! Those are cute ornaments. Love to win! Have a very Merry Christmas!!!!

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  20. I love your Christmas Eve tradition, that sounds really nice.

    I completely agree with your man/woman of the year too. That's who it should have been.

    Merry Christmas!

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  21. Hi Neighbor : ) Guess where we are?

    What you need on Christmas Eve are some daughters in law....one day! : )

    Cute ornaments! Its always fun to win! Merry Christmas!

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  22. Mary, you are so sweet. Thank you for the mention of your gift. I do love Christmas. I love the traditions that you had growing up. We always went to church on Christmas Eve. I will be going tomorrow, by myself. Hopefully when I get home I can talk my husband into watching It's a Wonderful Life with me. The miners is a great answers. That was an amazing story. That video was cute, thanks for sharing. Have the most beautiful Christmas ever. xoxo

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  23. I'm going to have to read "The Help"--several bloggers have mentioned it. Congrats on MS staying out of trouble and here's hoping the new year brings the same. Wish I lived nearer to you or we had bulky garbage pickup day! I've never lived anywhere they did that and it bums me out. :-(

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  24. I related very much to your #1, both in the midnight mass and the shift to the children's mass. I was just saying last week that I would really, really love to go to a midnight (or at least later night) mass again. The atmosphere is just wonderful.

    I got The Help from Santa! :)

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