All You Ever Wanted to Know About My Christmas Habits and More!

Welcome to the Christmas edition of getting to know your friends. Okay,here's what you're supposed to do, and try not to be a SCROOGE!!! Just copy this entire message and paste onto your blog.

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? My favorite is brown paper bags. I cut them apart, to use as paper. Then I put ribbon on them. They look beautiful under the tree. Very country, but I like country. And you can't get any cheaper than that. The ribbon is only $2 for 500 yards. That will last a looong time.

2. Real tree or Artificial? Artificial. It is cheaper in the long run. Plus I can't see cutting down a tree for using only a month. People need to use a potted tree if they want a real tree. Then plant it in the yard.

3. When do you put up the tree? Shortly after Thanksgiving. If I put up a tree. I haven't the past few years. No one to see it now that the girls are gone. It is too much work for just David and I. Plus we don't have room for it in our clubhouse. :(

4. When do you take the tree down? January. If I put one up.

5. Do you like eggnog? Not at all.

6. Favorite gift received as a child? It would be a toss between my bike or the Barbie doll house that my mother made. It was awesome. We loved it. My granddaughter, Abigail, has it now.

7. Hardest person to buy for? Everyone. I am too practical. It takes me awhile to get inspired.

8. Easiest person to buy for? Grandchildren. But even then I ask, because seeing that I am practical, I don't want to buy them something that their parents really don't want them to have, or need. They too are practical.

9. Do you have a nativity scene? Lots. I have no idea how many I have. Getting a new one this year from David. :)

10. Mail or email Christmas cards? Mail. If I do any. Maybe I should try email.

11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? Motorcycle. It was for Cleaburn and I. It never worked. It was horrible. It was an old fixer-upper.

12. Favorite Christmas Movie? It's a Wonderful Life.

13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? I shop all the time. I usually give the gifts early so I don't have to mail them.

14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? Not that I recall. But I may have.

15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Sugar cookies?

16. Lights on the tree? Definitely. And I prefer clear lights.

17. Favorite Christmas song? I agree with Leslie. Silver Bells and Far, Far Away on Judea's Plains are great songs. I am not a music person, but I know it is not one of the "commercial" songs. It would be a Christmas hymn.

18. Travel at Christmas or stay home? I prefer to stay at home, but the girls can't come here, so I would definitely go to one of their homes instead. I love it when we can all be together. Last year (2007) was great because we were all together at Leslie's house. (Minus Nick. He doesn't like to fly.)

19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer's? Yes. Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner, Blitzen, and Rudolph

20. Angel on the tree top or a star? Usually an angel.

21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? PJs on Christmas Eve. Everything else is on Christmas morning.

22. Most annoying thing about this time of the year? Driving in the snow.

23. Favorite thing to do? Drink hot chocolate and visit family and friends.

24. Favorite for Christmas Dinner? Turkey and cranberry relish.

25. What do you want for Christmas this year? To be with my children and their families.

Iris Garden 2009

Some of my irises. I will try to identify them. Hope you enjoy. What are your favorites?

Lucky Draw

Spectral Challenge

Ruffles Supreme

Sunray Reflection

O'Brien's Choice

Paradise Found

Siener Heirloom

Sheer Bliss

Dusky Challenger

Rite of Spring

Ruffled Ballet

Dawn of Change

Clear Morning Sky

Rapture in Blue

Honky Tonk Blues

Fair Dinkum

Blue Staccato

Proud Tradition

Dutch Iris

Before the Storm

Forge Fire

Inferno

Supreme Sultan

Spring Tidings

Celestial Flame

Skating Party

Kittens Update

Here are a few pictures of the kittens. They were taken May 11, 2009. They were 6 1/2 weeks old. They are fun to play with. Flo is on her way to her new parents as I type. Her new parents will be Erin and Spencer. They are excited!!!

Flo, Floppy and Little Bit
They were having fun with my toes.

Flo & Floppy
Being a good sister and brother.

Floppy
He likes to explore.

Flo
David calls her Funny Face.

Little Bit
Playing in the grass.

Little Bit
He has a short tail. AKA Stubby.

Lucky Blue Iris

One of my pretty irises. This one is unique. I think this is Rapture in Blue. What do you like about it?

Kittens & Khaki

Our cat, Kitty, or now Mama Kitty, had kittens on March 28, 2009. She had five but two died. We do not know the sex of the kittens yet. Will need to look. But I did name the kittens. Not sure yet which kitten gets which name but... Their names will be Flo, Floppy, and Little Bit. I named them after David's mother, Florence. Mom's birthday was on the 28th so I thought it would be appropriate to name them after her. I think she would be tickled. I need to tell her about her namesakes. I thought of the names after I talked to Mom on her birthday. Here are a few pictures. Will need to get more later. Also including a picture of Khaki for Erin & Spencer.

Anniversary

Well, today is our 34th anniversary. We had a good day even though our daughters have all forgotten it is our anniversary. I wonder if they will remember when it is our 50th? Daughter #3 did call, but it was just to tell us how things were going for getting their home and furnishings for it. She was excited about it. So were we. We are happy for her. But it would be nice if at least one of them had remembered. Oh well. Maybe next year. After we drilled Daughter #3 about expecting all the girls to have called us today, then she remembered it was our anniversary. So she did tell us "Happy Anniversary". We love them all. I hope I remember when it is their anniversary seeing I am making a "big deal" about them not remembering ours. :)

All Star Grandchildren

Abigail-Halloween 2007

First Winter Storm 2009

Tuesday January 27th,was the beginning of Winter Storm 2009. We had a nice layer of ice all over the place that morning. David didn't have to go to work. It was cancelled. Then on Wednesday morning we woke up with snow on top of the ice. And NO power. David didn't have work this day either. So he went out and checked the road for damages. Of course it was a mess. He helped our neighbor, William , and friend, Dean clean it up. I worked on our driveway. Fun, fun. Later in the day we also lost our water. Good. Now I don't have to take a bath. LOL At least I can laugh about it. We were expecting this to happen, so we took showers and did laundry the night before. The water came back on on Thursday, but then it went out again on Saturday, but for only a half day. Our power didn't get restored until Sunday night at 7:30pm. We were excited. It is not fun to be without electricity. Five days it too long. We did borrow my sister's (Karen) generator on Thursday night, so we could plug in our freezers. We didn't have to return it to her the next morning, because she had power restored at her house. That was nice. So we ran the generator off and on during the day. That single light bulb was sure nice. And we were even able to get on our computers and watch a DVD. We were in 7th heaven. We do plan on getting our own generator in the very near future. We did have a wood burning stove put in in the fall, so we do have heat. Thank goodness, because our primary heat source was electricity. So here are some pictures for you to enjoy. Happy Winter to all and to all a better winter.

Snow & Ice Covered Vehicles
The ice/snow layer was 3-4 inches thick.
Glad it was David cleaning off the vehicles and not me. :)

Front Yard
We will have to cut down the redbud tree. The large branch that fell off, pulled the bark off all the way to the ground. We will plant a new one in the spring.

Sparkling Crape Mrytle in the Nightlight


Crape Myrtle With Snow
It popped back up after the snow melted.



Looking Down Driveway

I loved the way the sky looks in this picture.


Backyard
More trees bent over in the back yard.

Ice Covered Oak Tree in Front Yard

We lost a big branch on this tree last year too. Hopefully it is on the other side so it is more symmetrical now. I have to check that out sometime.

I liked the color of the sky with the snow on the trees. Don't you think this is a pretty picture?

The sun setting on the snow and ice.

I love the way the ice and snow glistens. It is beautiful. Hope you can see it in the picture.

Ice & Snow Covered Branches
This layer of ice and snow is 3-4 inches thick. It hurt when it started melting and fell on you.

Siener Rd.
Some of the many trees across the road.

Siener Rd.
More trees. There were more trees this year than last year. But last year's trees were bigger.

Our Driveway

Roof of Chicken Run
The chicken run looked like an ice cave. It was awesome. Too bad we didn't get a picture from inside. The door was frozen close so we couldn't get inside.

More of Chicken Run

Ice Covered Cedar Tree
I was surprised the branches didn't sag on the cedar tree with all the weight from the ice and snow. Their branches are very weak.

Cathy on Fire Break
We had just cleaned up this area from last years ice storms. Now I guess we get to do it again. Oh, boy!