Friday Fav Five and Saturday 9

I am laying in bed after having had my breakfast. I woke up thanking the Lord for a good nights rest.

So many things to be thankful for as this year ends and a new year begins. Click above to join Susanne.

1. Thankful for a husband that lets me sleep in. He cooked beans yesterday and chicken for my dinner I have tonight with my friends. His love language is service. 

2. Thankful for the wonderful Christmas I shared with my family. My daughter invited me to her church on Saturday night and then we went to church on Sunday morning. Then I spent the rest of the day getting my home ready for Christmas day.

3.Thankful for Christmas day. My husband had turned on most of the lights by the time I got up. I just had to turn on the table lights. It was a long day, but fun. Our sons made breakfast. After breakfast it was time to open the stockings which is a big deal in our family. Everyone adds to the stockings. I decided to take down my Nativity and move it to my bedroom to keep it safe. My parents gave each of their kids a  Nativity set and grandfather clock. I have a Nativity in every room, even the bathrooms.

4. Thankful that there was lots of laughter. Thankful that my whole family was together and healthy!

Our grandson was holding our Minnie, but she is covered up by Audrina's head. Our daughter's boyfriend took the picture. After this picture we had Mexican hot chocolate and dessert and watched National Lampoon Christmas.

5. Thankful for a few days of rest afterwards. Tonight my friends are coming over for an after Christmas gathering. I better get up now. Thankful for my online friends!

The Old Me

1) In this song, the lead singer thanks his younger self for everything he learned from past experience. What's something you learned in 2023? My mind is good and I feel young. My body reminds me of my age and I have to take care of it. 

 

2) He admits he did some things he wished he hadn't. Did you do anything in 2023 you wish you could take back? I wish I had exercised more and eaten better. I did make my daughter mad once and I realize that there are times I need to stay quiet.

3) This music video consists of old photographs. Do you have many photos lingering on your phone or camera? Or are you prompt about downloading them? 35,000 since I have extra memory. I take lots of pictures and screen shots.

4) This week's featured artist is 5 Seconds of Summer, a band from Australia. Have you ever been to the land down under? If not, would you like to go? 

No desire to travel that far. Hawaii is planned for next year. Now if I won a trip there, I would go if I could lay down for part of the 17-hour trip.

 

5) In 2020, when this song was popular, "murder hornets," aka the giant Asian hornet, were spotted for the first time in the United States. Are you afraid of bugs?

More annoyed with them. Without bees, there would not be a lot of food choices.

6) Enough about 2020! Let's look back on 2023. Did you travel this past year?

I went to Texas and Oregon with my friends. I went to my 50th class reunion.

7) What was the biggest purchase that you made in 2023? Groceries! 

8) What was your favorite book of 2023? Israel My Beloved by Kay Arthur who I met in the 90's,

9) What are you looking forward to most in 2024? 

Taking care of myself more. More Bible study-journaling and more time with my family. A vacation to Hawaii and our 50th anniversary!

It's Friday evening and I am finally able to post. It has been a busy week! Joining Susanne at

1. I am thankful to spend time with my family. As I mentioned in my Tuesday post, I was able to meet up with my siblings on Sunday. I was going through some pictures and found this one taken in around 1970.

2. Thankful that I made it through the weekend with an earache. Thankful that I was able to see my doctor, had my ear cleaned out, got my antibiotics and feeling much better!

3. Thankful that I was able to bake cookies with my grands on Wednesday, It's an annual tradition thanks to my cousin Joanie that got me hooked into gingerbread. So my whole kitchen is gingerbread.

4. Thanks for being able to go to the movies today with my granddaughter Audrina. She has been wanting to go see the musical called Journey to Bethlehem and so had I. She asked that we wear matching shirts. We went to lunch after and did some shopping. Thankful that she was able to go with me when I went to visit my cousin Joanie and my aunt.

5. Thankful that she and her brother are here spending the night. We had pizza for dinner and then went to look at the Christmas lights in around the neighborhood. Then she could work on Nativity project.

SATURDAY 9: HAPPY HOLIDAYS

From the archives

1. As you can see, when Sam Winters was a little girl, she loved giving her annual wish list to Santa. If you could ask Santa for anything at all, right now, what would it be? 

To gain more muscle and not have osteoporosis. I really need a new printer so Santa can get that, and I will pray to the Lord for the other.

2. Are you currently on the Naughty or Nice list? How did you get there? 

I am nice for the most part, but I do have my naughty moments.

3. Are you traveling this Christmas? If so, are you going by car, plane or train? 

No, my family is coming here on Christmas day.

4. Did you ship any gifts to friends and family this year? If yes, which one traveled the farthest? I mailed one package to my friend Deb in Utah. It was a couple of handmade ornaments.

5. Did you buy yourself a gift this year? I buy things as I need them. I have been saving my Amazon cards to get a new printer.

6. Which do you prefer: candy canes or gingerbread? Gingerbread!

7. Close your eyes and tell us the first carol that comes to mind. 

Hark the Herald Angels sing, glory to the Newborn King. I am watching Meet me in St. Louis and enjoying the music from that. Judy Garland is singing Have Yourself a Very Merry Christmas. I also enjoyed the songs in Journey to Bethlehem.

8. What's your favorite winter beverage? Mexican hot chocolate!

9. Share a memory from last Christmas.  Christmas breakfast before presents.

A digital gift from Toni before she passed to add to my page on Nativities. 

Currently, Tuesday 4, Sunday Stealing

Currently, 11 pm, watching Hallmark Christmas movies, working on Christmas cards. I usually get them out sooner, but better late than never right. I had a busy weekend. Saturday, we went to our younger grandkids school Christmas program. It was so special! We took videos that I can't get on here.

 Saturday evening, we went to the Mission Inn in Riverside to see the lights. It was so busy! We didn't stay long or take many pictures. We will go on a weekday next time. Our grands did not want a picture.

Sunday morning, we watched church online, then met my family for a Christmas lunch and present exchange. We plan to get together every couple of months. Time is going by so quickly and we are all getting up in age, I am the eldest of my siblings,

Hi there. It's time for another of Toni Taddeo's Tuesday 4...  

Christmas is next week...Let's talk a bit about it, okay?

1. Are you excited for Christmas to come? Yes, I love having all my kids and grandkids together.

2. What do you look forward to on Christmas? Having breakfast together, the laughter as they open up their stockings and gifts. 

3. What will Christmas Eve find you doing? Church in the morning. Evening -Filling up stockings, setting the table for breakfast, making sure the house is all set for everyone. My friend called and invited us over to eat!

4. What will be on the menu for Christmas? Chicken pozole (a chicken soup seasoned with green chili salsa, cumin, and basic seasoning and hominy. It is served with shredded cabbage and lemon.

Beans, rice, and green chili chicken enchiladas. We are adding something with shrimp since our daughter's boyfriend is a pescatarian.  My daughter is bringing the desserts. Cake pops and rice crispy treats have been requested.    

1. What is the best Christmas gift you’ve ever received? Finding out that grandchild # 3 was on the way.

2. What is the worst Christmas gift you’ve ever received? I can't think of any.

3. Do you have a favorite Christmas song? Lots of them! O Holy Night.

4. Does your family have any favorite holiday traditions? Every year I give each family member a new ornament. I try to find something they like. Baking cookies with the grands is another. Everyone puts on gingerbread apron and there is a lot of laughter. Then we go look at the Christmas lights and come back for Mexican hot chocolate and cookies.

5. What is your favorite Christmas snack? Cookies and Mexican hot chocolate.

6. Did you believe in Santa growing up? Of course, no belief, no gift.

7. How early do you start decorating? I started a week before Thanksgiving and it takes about a week.

8. Are you an early or last-minute shopper? In between. I just ordered my last gift. 

9. Would you rather give or receive gifts? I am a gift giver.

10. What’s your favorite Christmas movie? A Christmas Carol, White Christmas and It's a Wonderful Life.

11. What is one of your Christmas memories? I have many. My parents giving my husband then fiancé a box of ornaments to put on our first Christmas tree. We have put them up every year. The other special memory is how my mom would decorate the table for the family Christmas dinner. I think that is why I try to do the same. I want it to be special. 

12. Do you open any presents on Christmas Eve? No, I am busy filling stockings. My family comes over for breakfast on Christmas morning and then we open up the gifts. I have gingerbread theme in for breakfast and a more formal setting for dinner.

There are pictures of our house from last Christmas on the link above.

Friday Fave Five & Saturday 9

Click on the link above if you want to participate in the Friday's Fav Five.

This is a list of things I am thankful for this this week.

1. Thankful for a fun Christmas party for the seniors at your church. They provided a dinner, hot chocolate and coffee bar, dessert and candy. There were fun games and finally the gift exchange. Every year each table sings a part to the 12 days of Christmas, and it ends up really funny. We also sang Christmas carols which I love. 

2. On Tuesday I finished up my crafts kits for Wednesday. I also got some presents wrapped. Thankful that I am almost finished with my Christmas shopping!

3. Thankful for the nice Christmas tea our lifegroup had. We usually go out to a teahouse each year, bit prices have really gone up. Our outgoing leader decided to host it at her house. Everyone brought a food item. Everyone brought a gift to exchange. I did the craft before lunch. I used to sell these Nativities years ago. When my friend said she would love to have a craft, I volunteered. I also made a bookmark.

Wearing the dresses our friend Lucia gave us last year. She is in the middle.

Most of the hats once belonged to my mom and I inherited. 

She got some of them in New York and they are from Betmar.

 I have Nativities of all sizes in all the rooms during Christmas.

4. Thankful for a mother who loved hats and now I can share them with others for our teas.

5. Thankful to be able to get over 8 hours of sleep the day after the event! I sure needed it!

This is my Hannukah display. It ended Thursday evening. I could not light the candles because of my allergies, but I still said a prayer.

Saturday 9: The Christmas Blues (1953)

Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.

 

1) In this song, Dean Martin sings that the streets are white with snow. Do you anticipate a White Christmas this year?

No, I am in So. California. It rarely snows here and when it does, it is on the hills above us or one of the mountain areas around us. It takes us an hour to two hours to get to the snow.

2) He tells us he's done plenty of window shopping this season. Do you find you're influenced by a retailer's window dressing and store decor? Are you more motivated by price? Or do you do most of your shopping online, making holiday decorations irrelevant? 

I have done about half my shopping online. I like the display at Kohls in the Christmas section. 

 

3) Dean was born in Steubenville, OH. Though he rarely returned to his hometown, it was in his thoughts during the holidays. Every Christmas he made like Santa and sent toys to hospitalized children in the Steubenville area. Are there toys on your shopping list this year? 

Yes, I bought 5 of them for the younger great nephews and nieces. I call them niblings. The rest got gift cards. This is the first year I did not buy any toys for my own 4 grands.

4) He had fast hands when it came to cards and before he was famous he worked as a dealer in Atlantic City. When you play cards, what's your favorite game? I rarely play cards. I think I last played Uno.

5) Dean Martin was an avid reader ... of comic books. Especially in bed when he was on the road and couldn't sleep. Much as he enjoyed comic books, he was embarrassed by them. What do you do when you can't sleep? I like to play Words with Friends. It is like Scrabble and you can find it in the App stores. I play it on my I-phone.

Now let's have a few holiday-specific questions:

 

6) Every year, the United States Postal Service introduces special holiday stamps. Do you purchase them? Yes, I do.  I don't send out as many cards, and I hope to finish mine this weekend.

7) Do you have a funny/ugly holiday sweater? I have Christmasy clothes, but nothing ugly.

 

8) Do you wrap your presents or use gift bags? Both.

9) We're doing Christmas karaoke! What holiday or winter-themed song will you perform? 

Hark the Herald Angels sing.

Tuesday 4 & Wednesday Hodgepodge

It's the giving season and people are shopping for presents for people they love. 

Can we talk a bit about it?

1. Do you enjoy shopping for gifts at the holidays? Why or why not? 

For the most part I do enjoy it. It's a tradition that our family enjoys.

2. Is the price of things putting a damper on buying this year? 

I have looked for sales and have decided to spend less for niblings (great nieces and nephews).

3. Do you shop online or in stores and why do you choose that way to shop? 

I do both. I like to go on Black Friday because the sales are great. I went to Kohls. I got some good deals online, mostly Amazon.

4. Which people do you find hard to select gifts for and what do you do when you just have no clue!

Family members give each other ideas. I like to give ornaments. Every year I give my kids and grandkids and sibling an ornament. Even the family dogs get an ornament!

1. Oxford's Word of the Year for 2023 is 'rizz'. Hmmm...before today had you ever heard the word? Yes, I heard it on television.

Do you know what it means? (Apparently it's short for charisma) Have you ever used the word? 

If you were in charge of the world, what word would you declare word of the year for 2023?

2. What's one word you tend to abbreviate in your writing or speech? (as in rizz for charisma)

pics for pictures.

3. Are you a Hallmark movie watcher this time of year? What's your favorite character from a holiday- themed movie, book, or TV special? 

That's a hard question to answer. I do enjoy watching Hallmark movies. I like the sisters in White Christmas. Currently I am watching Christmas in Connecticut. I like the old movies and thin fondly of watching them with my mom as we wrapped gifts.

4. Something you look forward to eating this month? 

Tamales

5. What's the most stressful part of the holiday season for you? 

The mess I make in the process! I got presents wrapped so there is less clutter in my bedroom. My desk is organized, and the house is decorated. I am ahead of schedule, so I am doing okay.

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

Overall, I love the Christmas season. I love decorating and I put a tree, lights and Nativity in every room. I like how my grands help decorate the tree. I like how the grands like to bake cookies and decorated them. Then we go look at lights. Mostly I love when my whole family comes over in their pajamas Christmas morning for breakfast and open presents. 

Monday night I went to the Senior Christmas party that included dinner, games and gift exchange game. It was fun! Wednesday is our Lifegroup Christmas tea and craft. Saturday we are going to our younger grands school Christmas program. Saturday evening, we are going to the Mission Inn to see the lights and enjoy walking around the shops. Sunday afternoon I am meeting with my sisters and brother at Wood Ranch. We will exchange gifts and just share memories. It is harder to get the whole family together now.