This month has gone by so quickly! I talked about our Thanksgiving in my previous post.  I had a nice Thanksgiving weekend. I am almost finished with the Christmas decorations in the family room. I have one more tree to decorate. I took down Harvest and started decorating the kitchen. I turn it into a gingerbread cottage. I will share pictures when it is done. Hubby sets up the big trees and leaves the decorating to me. He will put the lights up later in the week.

One of the traditions I have is giving everyone a Christmas ornament. I went shopping at Kohl's on Friday and found the ornaments on sale! I gave lots of ornaments and decorations to my kids when they moved out. I like to see how they decorate. Here are the grands with their new ornaments.The boys got a Mickey and the girls got a Minnie. They each got a snowman with with their initial. I got a Mickey 2020 for each of my kids too. Our main tree is decorated with Disney characters. The grands will be down next weekend next weekend and they will be making an ornament and Bible journaling. We will also plan a cookie baking day and they may be making scented gingerbread as well as sugar cookies.

 

Our church has 2 services open right now with limited amount of people. Everyone has to wear a mask, get a temperature check and keep 6 feet from each group. My hubby and I have been watching from home, but I really want to go next week. I don't mind watching the sermon, but I miss worshiping with others.

 

I will finish my Gratitude devotions today and start Advent on Tuesday. I am also doing a 6 day craft class that starts Tuesday. I love crafting and Bible journaling. They will also look for the Shepherd on the  search and Elf on the Shelf. I like to make it fun for them. I also want them to remember why we have the Christmas season. They all know Jesus. 

As we start this season, please pray for the lost and those suffering. Our message at church was about serving. We have toys we are donating to our mission church. I want to make special bags too that I can pass out to the homeless. Warm socks, mittens, mask and a few other goodies. I am going to see if my Lifegroup wants to participate. There is also a person we can contact that will distribute the bags.  December is going to be a busy month. 

Most of my family and friends know Jesus. 

I am praying for our nation.

 

Have a blessed week!

Saturday 9: Black (2016) Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.

1) This song was chosen because yesterday was Black Friday, the traditional day of sales. Have you begun your Christmas shopping? I ordered something online today. I went to Kohl's and found lots of things on sale and the store was not busy when I was there. I buy for my grand nephews and nieces. I also got ornaments for my family and friends. Even the Hallmark were 15% off.

2)  Was there an adult beverage served with your Thanksgiving feast? No but we did have sparkling apple cider. My favorite is the cranberry-apple.
 
3) Did any pets enjoy scraps from your Thanksgiving table? Yes, Minnie had turkey and plain sweet potato.

4) Are there any Thanksgiving leftovers in your refrigerator right now? Yes we had plenty. My daughter and her family were there on Thanksgiving and they brought the potatoes, macaroni and cheese, ham and pumpkin pie. We made the turkey, gravy, candied yams, stuffing, green bean casserole, cranberry relish and rolls. I also made pumpkin banana cookies. After dinner we watched National Lampoon's Christmas. The next day my son and his family came over and they brought home made pumpkin donuts and chocolate cake and we ate left overs. We watched Elf while having dessert. My hubby made Mexican hot chocolate both evenings. There is still enough for one more meal. I also saved some turkey and the bones to make soup on a cold day. My other son went with his in laws.

5) Football is a popular Thanksgiving weekend pastime. Will you be watching any games over the next few days? If yes, which team(s) are you rooting for? No sports, just Christmas movies.

6) This week's song is by Dierks Bentley. He wrote it for his wife, Cassidy Black, who appears in the video. They met in eighth grade, dated on and off, and then eloped when they were in their late 20s. Has anyone ever surprised you by going off and suddenly getting married? Yes my cousin eloped in Las Vegas. I think she stayed at the Venetian which is a really nice hotel.

7) 2016 was a good year for Bentley. This song was one of three hits he had that year, he co-hosted the CMAs and was nominated for Male Vocalist of the Year and Video of the Year. As 2020 winds to an end, do you feel it's been a successful year? I think my family has managed well is this crazy year. All of my kids are essential workers and have done fine. There were a few family things that had to be cutback because of Covid. We know that we will all meet up again. We keep in contact with our extended family with Facebook and messaging. But I can't say that for our country. So much division because of politics.  So many deaths from Covid 19. I am praying for a much better year ahead. I am very thankful for all the essential workers that kept life going.

8) In 2016, David Bowie died. Do you have a favorite Bowie song? Fame

9) Also in 2016, CBS telecast reran How the Grinch Stole Christmas for the 50th time. What's your favorite Dr. Seuss story?

My website, Susan's Garden of Friendship  is on the link to the right. I have a whole Christmas site listed at the Site Map. Lots of inspirational pages too. Over 200 pages!

 

I am so thankful for so many things. A home to live in, a family to love and a God who loves us! I am thankful for having what I need. All my kids are doing well. My grand kids are happy and doing well during this time of Covid. I am thankful for for good health and good insurance. I am thankful for my extended family and my friends far and near. God bless you!
 

Thanksgiving 2019

Two years ago  today we were in Hawaii, Dole Plantation, Waimea Falls, North Shore. We are suppose to go back in the fall of 2021. That will depend on if the pandemic is over. Still so  thankful for this very special trip with the grands. We want to stay healthy for them!

I love flowers and grown them in my front yard. We grow a lot of succulents too. I also love plumerias, but they are not as easy to grow. I love the way they smell. My birth flower is the

                                    My birth flower is the gladiolus.      

 

My state flower is The California Poppy.

 

We like to cut the roses and plumerias and bring them in.

I like what we have in our yards now. If I can add one thing, it would be a fountain because I love the way they sound. I am glad my husband enjoys working in the garden. I love all the beautiful colors that God blesses us with. I also love how we can express it in art.

Monday the grands came down for an overnight. The boys played in the spa and the girls played with the doll house. Ampa got then Wendy's for dinner. Then I sat with them to do Bible journaling. The girls read Psalm 100. I explained it to them and talked about generations starting with my grandfather, Papa David. Then they worked on their pages. It blessed me so much to be able to teach them from the Word of God.

 

They also celebrated Minnie's birthday and some included it in their Bible.

 

 

 

 

Sunday Stealing...

1. What did you do for Thanksgiving when you were a kid? When we were young, we would get together with my grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins. As the family grew, we didn't get to do it as often. My dad is in the white shirt and my mom is in the blue dress. This must have been around 1968 at my aunt's home. Can you find me?

2.What’s your favorite family tradition?  My  mom always set a beautiful table. She would use nice dishes and there would be candles and fresh flowers. She was very detailed as I am. Last year I used the fine china. This year I found really nice paper plates. Only my daughter's family will be here. My son's are spending this year with their in laws. We decorate for Christmas the week before Thanksgiving, but keep the kitchen decorated for fall. We usually take pictures with the grands on Thanksgiving for the Christmas cards, but not this year. We will use the pictures we took when we went to the Apple Farm last weekend.
Besides making the turkey, my parents would order a Honey Baked Ham. Hubby can't eat ham and daughter won't eat it. But they are bringing a small ham for the rest of us.

3. What’s your favorite way to give back and help others? I like to take flowers or little gifts to my friends, but things are different this year. Our church collects gift cards to pass out to families at Thanksgiving and Christmas and we contribute to that. 

4. Name one person who can make you laugh, even months later. Why? My cousin Joanie. We can always pick up where we left off. It has been a rough year for her because her mom has had breast cancer and because of Covid, we can't get together.. So I miss our times together.

5. What is the funniest thing you remember about a Thanksgiving past? I don't remember anything funny. We did not have Thanksgiving dinner in 2018. We went out for breakfast instead. We spent the rest of the day packing because we had to be at the Los Angeles airport by 8am the next morning. We were going to Hawaii!

Thanksgiving 1973 was special. My mom invited the grandparents and my then fiance's parents along with a few aunts and uncles. I remember they had it in the garage because there were a lot of guest. My dad made a toast and then announced our engagement to everyone.

6. Do you have any unusual traditions, rituals or habits around Thanksgiving? I use to pass out ornaments to all my kids. Now I pass them out to the grandkids. Last Thanksgiving, I went with my DIL and daughter to shop at a few stores to get gifts. I waited in the Target line while the girls hit Best Buy. Then they joined me. We got in, got what we wanted and then went back home. We had desert and watched National Lampoon's Christmas. I am glad there will be no rushing out to the stores this year.

7. What time do you eat your Thanksgiving meal? At 4 PM this year but last year we ate at 3.

8. Name one ancestor that you think about on Thanksgiving and tell us why. My mom, she taught me how to make the favorite sides.

9. Is there a family heirloom at the Thanksgiving table? What its story? No favorite heirloom unless you want to count the recipes. Oh wait, yes there is. There is a serving fork  I have that belonged to my parents that has to be at least 60 years old.

10. What is your favorite part about Thanksgiving Day? Everyone says something they are thankful for. Then we prayer before the meal. 

11. What is something that was done for you this year that makes you grateful this Thanksgiving? Having a friend tell me how much I mean to her.

12. What foods do you usually have for Thanksgiving? Turkey, ham, mash potatoes, green bean casserole, Chicken liver stuffing, carrots, candied sweet potatoes, salad, rolls, sparking cider and pumpkin pie. This year Renee's man will be making home made macaroni and cheese. Every few years I make a raspberry jello salad.

13. How has the celebration of Thanksgiving today changed from when you were little? It is pretty much the same. It is a special day where we dress up a little better and remember how blessed we are. We won't all be together his year, but we do have a lot to be thankful for. None of my kids were out of work, all essential workers. My eldest got Covid and missed 5 weeks of work but is well now and no one else sick. Thank you Lord!

14. If you could share Thanksgiving dinner today with one person in history who would it be? Why? (Note: it can be a relative) My parents.

15. What is one wish you have for the next generation as they begin to establish their own Thanksgiving traditions. For them to keep it special. This year I plan to teach my oldest grand daughter how to make the candies yams. I also plan to print out the recipes and pass them out to our kids. You can find the recipes here.

 

 

Happy 4th Birthday Minnie Mouse!

 

Saturday 9: Walking on Broken Glass (1992) Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.

1) Annie sings that she feels she's walking on broken glass. What's the most recent item you broke? A Willow Tree figurine. I knocked it over and the hand broke off.

2) She sings about being cut until she bleeds. Tell us about a time you needed stitches. When I had a C-section when my son was born in 1983.

3) This week's featured artist, Annie Lennox, was born on Christmas Day. Do you know anyone whose birthday falls on a holiday? No

4) When Annie met Dave Stewart, with whom she'd form the duo The Eurthmyics, she was living in Australia and staying in a tiny apartment called a bedsit. The occupant has his/her own combination bedroom/livingroom with cooking facilities, but must share a bathroom. Tell us about one of your early apartments.
My husband and I got our first apartment when we got married in 1974. He moved in about 6 weeks before we got married. The apartment complex was fairly new. It had a nice pool and spa, a weight room, and laundry room. We had a second floor apartment. The kitchen was small but the dining area was a nice size and so was the living area. There was a large balcony outside the living room. We had a lot of plants out there. We had a lot in the house too. The bedroom was next to the living room and we could see the plants outside on the balcony from our bedroom. If you walked in the front door, through the living area, you would go through a door that had the bathroom sink with large mirror. Going right took you into the bedroom. Going left from the sink area, you went through a door into the bathroom. We lived there for a year and a half and then we moved to a cute Craftsmen house that we rented for 2 years. Then we bought our first house.

5) After the Eurythmics broke up, Annie went out on her own. Would you rather work independently, or as part of a group? I worked for the US Postal service for 36 years and I worked with others for the most part. There were a few years I worked by myself in the evening in the Marketing department that closed at 5. I could put my music on loud while I worked. I enjoyed it.

6) Among her many honors, Annie Lennox was named chancellor of Scotland's Glasgow Calledonia University. What's the last college campus you visited? What brought you there? Cal Baptist University in Riverside Calif last fall. We attended a basketball game.

7) In 1992, the year this song was recorded, compact discs outsold cassette tapes for the first time. Back in the day, did you enjoy making your own mix tapes? I didn't make them. I did buy quite a few. I had a friend that made me a few.

8) Also in 1992, Johnny Carson made his last appearance as host of The Tonight Show.  The catchphrase, "Here's Johnny!" was associated with the show. Can you think of another popular TV catchphrase?“Lucy, you got some 'splainin' to do!” – Ricky Ricardo, "I Love Lucy"
 
9) Random question: Think of your past week. Now look ahead to the coming week. Would you like it to be more, or less, exciting? More exciting. My grands will be down a couple of days. Then there is Thanksgiving preparation and Thanksgiving day. I started Christmas decorating on Friday.

Did you as a child or do you now like amusement parks, going out to places of entertainment? (theaters, themed parks, etc.) Yes! I live in So. California. I am about 30 minutes from Disneyland, about 40 minutes from Knott's Berry Farm,  2 hours of from San Diego. I was born 3 wees after Disneyland opened up in 1955. My dad had a friend that worked there and so he would get us in. We also would go to Knott's Berry Farm a lot. There were rides that were outside the park that they later moved in the park. But many times we went to eat at Knott's Chicken House.

Which rides/parks did you enjoy the most or what snack foods to you enjoy when you are out and about? My favorite rides/attractions were/are Dumbo, Jungle Cruise, Carousel, Submarines and Tom Sayers Island. I remember getting a pickle at the fort on the Island. In my teens I enjoyed Space Mountain, Small World and Pirates of the Caribbean. In my Adult years my favorite rides are Star Tours, Splash Mountain on the Disney side. I love Radiator Springs Cars and Soaring over California/World. We usually get popcorn and Dole Whips.

When you were a kid, what activities /games/places brought you the most enjoyment? I was a Tomboy as a kid and always enjoyed fast and fun rides. I also enjoyed going to our local zoo and San Diego Zoo and Sea World, 2 hours away.

Would you share with us a fun time or great trip that you've experienced?  When I was a kid, my family went with family friends to Yosemite which is about a 7-8 hour drive. We slept most of the way. I will never forget the tall trees, the wind rustling through the pines and the beautiful river that we camped by. I remember sitting on rocks along the river and dipping our See's suckers i the cold water and enjoying that sweet sucker. I remember looking up at the stars and just in wonder over how many we could see there. 

It was fun taking our kids to those places when they were kids. It is especially fun to go with our grandkids. I retired 9 years ago and we had passes up until 2018. We gave them up t save for Hawaii and went there at the end of 2018. That is another fun story. We were going to get passes last spring and then Covid hit. We will be going to Knott's for the Merry Food Festival since it is all outside. No rides are open at any of the parks.

Mickey-shaped Beignets and Mint Julep, New Orleans Square. 

        Knott's is famous for the Chicken dinners and boysenberry pie.

 

 

Throwback, Grad Night, 1973

 

 My 60th birthday, August 2015

Sadly I don't have any pictures from when I was a kid.

 There are movie pictures that I will  have to get made into DVD.