New Year's

This year is the first year we let Older one stay up to ring in the new year. I had talked to him about to see if he thought he was up for it and he jumped at the chance to stay up so late. (go figure) We had planned to junk out on snacks and play chess/checkers all night but dad had bought a new Wii game that just had to be played so we did one game of chess and I snacked while they tried to beat each other at Wii football. I did share with them when they looked away from the TV. At about 11:30 we turned on Dick Clark's rocking new years eve, lemme tell you it was very sad for me to see how much the great man had aged in just a few years. He used to be ageless then happened his stroke and the aging process began. I was happy to see that Dick was able to participate and thought he looked amazing considering, but in my mind I will always think of him as the ageless Dick Clark. Below is the only video I could find of it that wasn't too blurry/shaky.



As soon as the ball dropped we sent Oldest to bed and I sent myself to bed since I worked the next night. I woke up when the Littlest came into my room about 8am, oldest was in bed until 11am and hubby woke at about 12pm then napped when I did. All in all I think new years went well and the 1st was a great resting day.

Christmas

I am a very big fan of all Holidays but I think Christmas is one of my favorites. Even though we live within 40 minutes of everyone we usually only see them at the holidays. Sad, I know but we all have kids who have different activities to be driven too and usually all in the oppposite direction. This year we went to Janets house for Christmas eve and I think this was the first year all my hubby's Cousins were together, there are usually 2-3 missing. After that the boys and I went to my dad's house to exchange gifts and back to our house to open the family gifts, then youngest went to bed to wait for Santa to come and Oldest and I went to the candle light service at church. It was a beautiful service but ran long this year, we did not get home until midnight, needless to say the kids slept in Christmas morning. I did not get pictures of the boys with their gifts (guitar hero for oldest and a Diego Wii game for youngest, Hubby got a sweat shirt that said Dad on it) but when I opened my box I found 2 cans of green beans and a coloring book (used) I knew that was not the gift lol but had to figure out where to find it, as I rifled through the coloring book I found a picture of the boys behind a lighthouse portrtait. I am very into lighthouses and have been for years but I am very picky about it, I want tasteful not cartoony as some of the pictures/figurines can get. I have been to many houses where people have rooms devoted to lighthouses..any and all lighthouses and some make it work but others are not to my taste..ok enough of the 'criticism' now.
Christmas morning I was up at 5:30 to get the cooking/baking done for my contribution to the meal at my MiL's house. Oldest woke up at 8 and youngest finally got up at 8:30 (with a little help from brother of course) Both boys were happy with their gifts..Santa brought Oldest a glass Chess/Checkers set and a remote control escalade as well as some Modeling clay, Youngest got a Disney 10 pack games set, Color Wonder book with paintbrush/markers and a plastic tool set. After a very non-nutritious breakfast we played with the games/toys until it was time to go to Grandma's. I think this was the best year at my MiL's, in years past all have concentrated on the gift part and this year with everyone being a bit hit by the economy very little was purchased in the form of gifts. The boys got clothes and 1 toy from everyone...both hubby and I are happy with the 1 toy they got as were the boys since they had to choose a toy to donate to the homeless shelter for every new toy received. The biggest gift was spending time with the grandparents and great Aunt and Uncle with no interruptions of football games or any other sport. Unfortunately we did have to watch alot of the Christmas Story.
After my MiL's Hubby, Boys and I went out to see FiL. We try to get out for all Holidays and Birthday as well as the Anniversary of the day we said Goodbye. It was -15 degrees so we had the boys stay in the car and we were out for a bout 5 minutes..long enough to clean off the snow say a prayer and do a bit of reflecting. It has been a little over two years since he went home to Our Father but it has not gotten any easier yet. We really feel the loss at Christmas, no matter how many Christmases we had in a year, we made sure to see him or have him over so the boys could listen to his stories and Corny jokes. Oldest knew him longer than all the other grandkids and remembers many of the stories and such, so he likes to sit down with youngest and tell him some of Grandpa's 'exploits' as a kid. Youngest was not yet 2 when he passed although he does know which one is Grandpa when he sees a picture of all the 'kids'. I still remember the first Christmas without him the boys and I were at Wal*Mart in the Christmas section and youngest found a Santa in a biker jacket with a bike in his hand (grandpa had a beard and mustache and rode a harley Softtail) and said, grandpa..buy him, buy him..daddy like (remember he was 2..not much articulation) so that was daddy's first gift that year. Youngest walked up to him with the gift and said, Daddy..Grandpa..for you..always here, it now sits on top of Computer Armoire year round. Still brings tears to my eyes when I think of it. Hubby thought I put him up to it, but my kid is amazing on his own.

Hunting Season

I recently had a discussion with someone about hunting..specifically deer hunting. She did not agree with the fact that I and my husbands family hunt and we are going to have our boys hunt as well if they want to. I brought up that if we did not hunt deer that they would become over populated end up starving and getting disease that could kill out the entire herd. Her response...overpopulation or being pushed out of their environment. Ignorant people really do bother me. I kind of got on my soapbox telling her that the area I and my family hunt is heavily wooded with very little development happening. The people in the area would never give up their hunting land to developers...that is how they feed themselves all year long. The DNR keeps an eye on the population of deer constantly..they decide how many permits to allow..they require registration of every deer that a hunter has gotten so they can keep as accurate a count as possible. There is also that time restriction for hunting...9 days for firearms hunting and that is it until next year. I asked her how she thought her ancestors fed themselves back when the United States was 'wild & untamed' when they could not just hop in their cars and go to the grocery store...I bet they weren't vegetarians... she then tells me that she is not a vegetarian either and that she enjoys venison.. I had to stop at that...I mean who eats venison then does not agree with deer hunting?

Obama

I read this response on a blog recently and thought I would share it..The poster is anonymous. This is political so if you don't like to hear negative things don't read on.

Will I support Obama???? This is the United States of America.... He is not the type of leader our forefathers and their families have sacrificed themselves for... He didn't use the Holy Bible when he was sworn into Offices... He will not say the pledge of allegiance... He and his wife are racist... In HIS book, he stated there was a very influential father figure in the early years of his manhood...This FIGURE happens to be a radical racial extremest... Obama has since denounced this figure once the media had an opportunity to interview this great influential man... (funny huh)... His father was a radical Muslim, and a US hater... His family members have financially supported Radical Muslim Extreme Groups... He attended a radical Muslim school while over seas... Recently he went overseas to visit our troops... (after a great deal of pressure from his supporters) He DIDN'T acknowledge any of the US SOLDIERS while exiting his plane!!! He did however play in a prearranged basketball game ... I will not let you know what ethnic background of the players and spectators were.... While boarding HIS leased plane (painted with the O Logo, nothing stating the USA, America or even the American Flag) he walked right past the soldiers and officers serving this GREAT COUNTRY, (so people like you and I can go through our so called rough lives) He didn't even share a glance with them... Our jobs are important, but nothing can hold a candle to the bigger PICTURE... We are in a great deal of trouble but nothing compared to what our kids will face and endure if people like you and I don't stand up... Is McCain the answer??? I don't think he is...but he is our best choice... how can anyone judge his loyalty to this county and its citizens... how many of us can say we understand what he went through while a POW!!!!! NOT ME... he is proud to serve and will do what is best for the USA.... Will our problems be mended overnight or in our lifetime??? No, but we need to take baby steps before we can walk.... Sorry to ramble on... but I'm sick of ..... non loyalty!!!! All the answers to your questions can be found with very little research.... I challenge all of us to do our own research and formulate our own opinions!!! Quit taking someone else's word and trust your own!!! What does it state in the Bible about the Anti-Christ???? Might sound a little familiar...OK OK I'm off my soap box...

Merry Christmas from Heaven

I still hear the songs
I still see the lights
I still feel your love
on cold wintry nights.

I still share your hopes
and all your cares
I’ll even remind you
to please say all your prayers.

I just want to tell you
you still make me proud
You stand head and shoulders
above all the crowd.

Keep trying each moment
to stay in His grace
I came here before you
to help set your place.

You don’t have to be
perfect all the time
He forgives you the slip
if you continue to climb.

To my family and friends
please be thankful today
I’m still close beside you
in a new special way.

I love you all dearly
now don’t shed a tear
cause I’m spending my
Christmas with Jesus this year.

Why Women Cry

A little boy asked his mother, 'Why are you crying?''
'Because I'm a woman,' she told him. 'I don't understand,' he said.
His Mom just hugged him and said,'And you never will.'
'Later the little boy asked his father, 'Why does mother seem to cry for no reason?''
'All women cry for no reason,' was all his dad could say.
The little boy grew up and became a man, still wondering why women cry.
Finally he put in a call to God. When God got on the phone, he asked,
'God, why do women cry so easily?'
God said:'When I made the woman she had to be special.
I made her shoulders strong enough to carry the weight of the world,
yet gentle enough to give comfort.
I gave her an inner strength to endure childbirth and the rejection
that many times comes from her children.
I gave her a hardness that allows her to keep going when everyone else gives up,
and take care of her family through sickness and fatigue with out complaining.
I gave her the sensitivity to love her children under any and all circumstances,
even when her child has hurt her very badly.
I gave her strength to carry her husband through his faults and
fashioned her from his rib to protect his heart.I gave her wisdom
to know that a good husband never hurts his wife,
but sometimes tests her strengths and her resolve to stand beside him unfaltering.
Finally, I gave her a tear to shed.This is hers exclusively to use whenever it is needed.
''You see my son,' said God, 'the beauty of a woman is not in the clothes she wears,
the figure that she carries, or the way she combs her hair.
The beauty of a woman must be seen in her eyes,
because that is the doorway to her heart - the place where love resides.'

A SOLDIER'S CHRISTMAS

TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS, HE LIVED ALL ALONE,
IN A ONE BEDROOM HOUSE MADE OF PLASTER AND STONE.
I HAD COME DOWN THE CHIMNEY WITH PRESENTS TO GIVE,
AND TO SEE JUST WHO IN THIS HOME DID LIVE.
I LOOKED ALL ABOUT,A STRANGE SIGHT I DID SEE,

NO TINSEL, NO PRESENTS,NOT EVEN A TREE.

NO STOCKING BY MANTLE,JUST BOOTS FILLED WITH SAND,
ON THE WALL HUNG PICTURES OF FAR DISTANT LANDS.
WITH MEDALS AND BADGES,AWARDS OF ALL KINDS,
A SOBER THOUGHT CAME THROUGH MY MIND.
FOR THIS HOUSE WAS DIFFERENT,IT WAS DARK AND DREARY,
I FOUND THE HOME OF A SOLDIER,ONCE I COULD SEE CLEARLY.
THE SOLDIER LAY SLEEPING,SILENT, ALONE,
CURLED UP ON THE FLOOR IN THIS ONE BEDROOM HOME.
THE FACE WAS SO GENTLE,THE ROOM IN SUCH DISORDER,
NOT HOW I PICTURED A UNITED STATES SOLDIER.
WAS THIS THE HERO OF WHOM I 'D JUST READ?
CURLED UP ON A PONCHO,THE FLOOR FOR A BED?
I REALIZED THE FAMILIES THAT I SAW THIS NIGHT,
OWED THEIR LIVES TO THESE SOLDIERS WHO WERE WILLING TO FIGHT.
SOON ROUND THE WORLD,THE CHILDREN WOULD PLAY,
AND GROWNUPS WOULD CELEBRATE A BRIGHT CHRISTMAS DAY.
THEY ALL ENJOYED FREEDOM EACH MONTH OF THE YEAR,
BECAUSE OF THE SOLDIERS,LIKE THE ONE LYING HERE.
I COULDN'T HELP WONDER HOW MANY LAY ALONE,
ON A COLD CHRISTMAS EVE IN A LAND FAR FROM HOME.
THE VERY THOUGHT BROUGHT A TEAR TO MY EYE,
I DROPPED TO MY KNEES AND STARTED TO CRY.
THE SOLDIER AWAKENED AND I HEARD A ROUGH VOICE,
'SANTA DON'T CRY,THIS LIFE IS MY CHOICE';
I FIGHT FOR FREEDOM,I DON'T ASK FOR MORE,
MY LIFE IS MY GOD,MY COUNTRY, MY HOME.
'THE SOLDIER ROLLED OVER AND DRIFTED TO SLEEP,
I COULDN'T CONTROL IT,I CONTINUED TO WEEP.
I KEPT WATCH FOR HOURS,SO SILENT AND STILL
AND WE BOTH SHIVERED FROM THE COLD NIGHT'S CHILL.
I DIDN'T WANT TO LEAVE ON THAT COLD, DARK, NIGHT,
THIS GUARDIAN OF HONOR SO WILLING TO FIGHT.
THEN THE SOLDIER ROLLED OVER,
WITH A VOICE SOFT AND PURE,WHISPERED,
'CARRY ON SANTA,IT'S CHRISTMAS DAY, ALL IS SECURE.'
ONE LOOK AT MY WATCH,AND I KNEW HE WAS RIGHT.
'MERRY CHRISTMAS MY FRIEND,AND TO ALL A GOOD NIGHT.'