Christmas Review

Lots of you have probably have received this in your inbox. But I don't recall if anyone has ever posted it on their blog. So here is mine. Feel free to follow suit :)

*/1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? wrapping paper – it’s one of my favorite holiday preparations…wrapping

*/2. Real tree or Artificial? Artificial – until last year, it was one that we bought to use at our wedding reception (then we moved the wedding up to Oct!)

*/3. When do you put up the tree? Sometimes Thanksgiving weekend; sometimes not until the week before Christmas – depends on what I am personally involved in like directing school programs and such. Some years in Michigan we didn’t even GET one up we were so busy with school and church stuff…but we spent a lot of time at my parents those years and enjoyed theirs

*/4. When do you take the tree down? Again, no hard fast rule – sometimes the day after Christmas; some years it’s been the first week of February!

*/5. Do you like eggnog?  Never tried it and don’t plan to

*/6. Favorite gift received as a child? Probably Baby Alive

*/7. Hardest person to buy for?   Tony or his sister, Liz (can never decide if she’s a child or a grown up J)

*/8. Easiest person to buy for?  Kerrigan

*/9. Do you have a nativity scene? Yep, a Home Interiors one that I got ridiculously cheap when I was a displayer before I was married…it was like 75% off after Christmas.

*/10. Mail or email Christmas cards? MAIL

*/11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received?  Probably something from a gift exchange; nothing personal

*/12. Favorite Christmas Movie?  The new Miracle on 34^th Street (I think that’s the one)

*/13. When do you start shopping for Christmas?  It varies….whenever the budget allows

*/14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present?  Probably for a gift exchange – not for a personal gift

*/15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Mom’s soft sugar cookies

*/16. Lights on the tree?  Yep…I think they are already ON the new tree we got last year…and they are white.

*/17. Favorite Christmas song? Religious: to play, Away in a Manger; to sing, Oh Holy Night – Secular: to play, The Christmas Song; to sing, Sleigh Ride (just hear those sleigh bells jingling, ring ting tingling too; come on it’s lovely weather for a sleigh ride together with you…)

*/18. Travel at Christmas or stay home? Travel

*/19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer's? Oh yeah! Highlight the following space AFTER YOU attempt to name them to see if you are right. Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner, Blitzen; and of course Rudolph

*/20. Angel on the tree top or a star? Used to be an angel; now it’s a bow. I think I bought a star last year but took it back – can’t remember why

*/21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning?  All week long. We open them here before we go to MI; then typically open Christmas Eve with my family and Christmas Day with his

*/22. Most annoying thing about this time of the year?  Too much going on to enjoy the season

*/23. Favorite ornament theme or color? Not that I’ve ever done one, but silver and blue

*/24. Favorite for Christmas dinner? Mother-in-law’s fabulously moist stuffing and Grandmother’s recipe for apple salad (which I make and now have the actual apple bowl she used to use!!)

*/25. What do you want for Christmas this year?  To feel good and be able to fully enjoy the holiday with my husband and girls

Snagged from Denise's Blog

Age: 36 (or 320,520 hours old)

Burger of choice: Culver's or Steak 'n' Shake

Car you drive: Olds Sillouhette minivan

Dog's name: don't have one now but used to have the cutest pup named Babe

Essential item you use everyday: Endau Natural Progesterone cream

Favorite show at the moment: always has been The Price is Right

Game: Scattergories

Home State: Michigan

Instruments you play: piano (and at some point in my lifetime - saxaphone, clarinet, accordian and trombone :)

Juice: Durian

K - whose behind you'd like to Kick: whoever is truly responsible for ridiculously high gas prices

Last restaurant you ate at? Taco Bell drive thru - actual sit down meal, Steak 'n' Shake

M - favorite Muppet: didn't like any of 'em

Number of Piercings: zero

Overnight hospital stays: tonsils, dermoid, three pregnancies, three times with hyperemesis, gall bladder = 9

People you were with today: immediate family and church family

Quiet time: pray; reflect; enjoy the peace

R - biggest Regret: that I don't use my spare time wisely

Status: married to my best friend

Time you woke up today: 7:33 a.m.

U - what you consider Unique: everyone's salvation experience

Vegetable you love: brocolli w/cheese

Worst habit: running late

X-rays you've had: teeth - not sure about any others

Yummy food you ate today: banana bread

Zodiac sign: Scorpio or Sagittarius - depends on where you read it...apparently my birthday falls on the line (and I only know b/c I USED to read them when I was a kid but never believed them)

If I were...

I hadn't seen this one before and came across it trying to find Jenny's blog from dh's laptop (thought I knew the address by heart). Anyway, now that I have spent all the time to fill this in with my answers, I am wondering...is it supposed to be my favorites of these things OR am I supposed to answer based on my personality and character? Bugs me, so maybe I'll have to do part two. I can already hear a family friend saying, "You second guess yourself too much." I like to think of it as being analytical :)

If I were a month I would be: September
If I were a day of the week I would be: Friday
If I were a time of day I would be: 6:40
If I were a planet I would be: Earth
If I were a sea animal I would be: Nemo
If I were a direction I would be: north
If I were a piece of furniture I would be: a buffet
If I were a liquid I would be: Pepsi
If I were a stone, I would be: aquamarine
If I were a tree, I would be: weeping willow
If I were a bird, I would be: chickadee
If I were a flower/plant, I would be: tulip
If I were a kind of weather, I would be: 67, partly cloudy
If I were a mythical creature, I would be: something graceful and beautiful
If I were a musical instrument, I would be: pan flute
If I were an animal, I would be: tiger
If I were a color, I would be: purple
If I were an emotion, I would be: cheerful
If I were a vegetable, I would be: sweet corn
If I were a sound, I would be: wind chimes
If I were an element, I would be: platinum (is this an element?)
If I were a car, I would be: new Ford Mustang
If I were a song, I would be: Prelude in C
If I were a book, I would be written by: Karen Kingsbury
If I were a food, I would be: Dad’s mashed potatoes and gravy
If I were a place, I would be: tropical beach
If I were a material, I would be: t-shirty
If I were a taste, I would be: chocolate
If I were a scent, I would be: baby powder
If I were a religion, I would be: Christian
If I were a body part I would be: hands
If I were a facial expression I would be: compassionate
If I were a subject in school I would be: music
If I were a cartoon character I would be: Pa Grape
If I were a shape I would be: triangle
If I were a number I would be: 3

ABC MEME

My answers to the topics found on Mickey's Musings blog:

Accent: Just told my sis this weekend that I am not accepted anywhere...I have just enough of a southern accent on some of my words/phrases that I get made fun of in MI; but everyone in IN still thinks I am a Michigander through and through.
Bible book I love: Luke or Acts
Chore I don't care for: cleaning toilets and mopping
Dog or cat: I love puppies and I love kitties. We have cats only b/c I hate mice more than cats. Besides they take care of their own poo AND they don't make noise or need chained up.
Essential electronics: Computer and phone - but mostly computer
Favorite movie: Return to Me and Though None Go With Me (by Jerry Jenkins...ultimate love story...and surprise, surprise, clean! you must see it!)
Gold or silver: Silver
Handbag I carry most: I only buy one purse at a time. Right now it's a multi-colored woven one from Cato's.
Insomnia: I don't lie awake but I toss and turn all night long.
Job Title: Mommy, wife and p/t secretary
Kids: 3 girls
Living arrangements: 2 story, 3 bedroom, 2 bath, living room, computer room, kitchen and dining room
Most memorable moment: At this moment in my life...when my mother passed away 3 weeks ago
Naughtiest childhood behavior: I remember being mean to a little girl that my sister babysat for and made her cry...don't remember what I did but DO remember my sister scolding me and telling me "the devil made you do that!"
Phobias: something happening to my kids or dh
Religion: Christian
Siblings: 2 older brothers, 3 older sisters
Time I wake up: weekdays, 6:40 a.m.; 10ish on Saturday and 7:30 a.m. on Sunday
Unusual talent: anyone wanna help me here? it's kind of hard to post a talent of your own :) I have a very low singing voice...does that count?
Vegetable I refuse to eat: I try most vegetables...there are some that I love more than others
Worst habit: being nosy
X-rays: teeth, I think that's all
Yummy stuff I cook: fudgy freezer brownies (thanks, Sherry!), chocolate salad dressing cake (thanks, Mom!) and magic cookie bars (thanks, Tony!)
Zoo animal I like the most: tigers and lions

Why are we missing an "O" and "Q"?
Feel free to copy and paste these topics into YOUR blog and put your answers.