Top Ten 2008

I decided to "join the party"!

If you'd like to see who else is attending just click on "join the party" above.

It was so hard to pick just 10 photos...

...so without any further ado...

This is my dear friend Anne. She was a true Godsend to me, when we moved here (from Florida). Sadly, Anne passsed away on Easter Sunday. I miss her every single day. I took this picture in January, when we went to see the replica of the Nina. We had such a wonderful day. There will be many many people, this day - and always - thinking of this marvelous woman for she will never be forgotten!

I've included this one, because my husband looks so darn happy. It was taken in February, when we were out in Colorado. Sariah-Lynn had just had baby Avery a few weeks earlier.


This is my VERY FIRST snow angel.



A beautiful sunset on the Gulf of Mexico / Tampa Bay, taken when we went back to Florida ( in June ) to visit with family.


Giraffe at the zoo.

We all had pedicures - check out those tiny toes on the bottom right!


Sarah and the kids. I was out visiting, and couldn't pass up this photo op.


My baby, George. The light was just perfect, so I grabbed my camera.

My Christmas Tree - I just LOVE Christmas!

I didn't actually take this photo, but it had to be included. Have you ever seen two happier people? Cliff had just proposed to Stephanie!

I could have posted 100's of pictures... With 1 terrific husband, 10 kids, 2 daughters-in-law, two son's-in-law, 13 grand children and 2 dogs, I'm never without my camera!

Hope that you all enjoyed my walk down memory lane.

To all of those who have dropped by (Old Friends and New), I wish you a Happy Happy New Year...May it be filled with Joy!

To my family: Steve, Stephen (& Kyeng-hee, Ethan, and Eve) Stephanie (& Cliff, Christian, Caleb, and Corey) Simon ( & Mindi - and almost here - Conner Christopher), Sarah (& Carson, Andy, and Katelyn), Suzanne (& Barry, Alton, and Evelyn), Seth (& Jessica), Sariah-Lynn (& Dave, Peyton, and Avery), Solomon, Sonnie and Joey - Mimi and Papa, - Madelyn (& Jackson, Mandee and, Dallan), Larry and Valerie - I love you all so very much...May your New Year be filled with Peace, Love, Happiness & Prosperity!

Happy New Year

Auld Lang Syne

Robert Burns

Should auld acquaintance be forgot,

and never brought to mind?

Should auld acquaintance be forgot

and days of auld lang syne?

For auld lang syne, my dear,

For auld lang syne,

We'll take a cup o' kindness yet

For auld lang syne

We twa hae run aboot the braes

And pou'd the gowans fine;

we've wander'd mony a weary foot

Sin' auld lang syne

We two hae paidled i' the burn,

Frae mornin' sun till dine;

But seas between us braid hae roar'd

Sin' auld lang syne

And here's a hand, my trusty friend,

And gie's an hand o' thine;

We'll take a cup o' kindness yet

For auld lang syne

Should auld acquaintance be forgot,

and never brought to mind?

Should auld acquaintance be forgot

and days of auld lang syne?

For auld lang syne, my dear,

For auld lang syne,

We'll take a cup o' kindness yet

For auld lang syne.

Out Of The Mouthes of Babes

With all the violence going on in this world...maybe we should let our "little ones" take over for a while. We can all learn from their curiosity and wisdom!

SHADES of Art Linkletter ----- "out of the mouths of babes!!!!!" :


What, you ask, is 'Butt dust?' Read on and you'll discover the joy in it! These have to be original and genuine. No adult is this creative!!

JACK (age 3) was watching his Mom breast-feeding his new baby sister. After a while he asked: 'Mom why have you got two? Is one for hot and one for cold milk?'

MELANIE (age 5) asked her Granny how old she was. Granny replied she was so old she didn't remember any more. Melanie said, 'If you don't remember you must look in the back of your panties. Mine say five to six.'

STEVEN (age 3) hugged and kissed his Mom good night. 'I love you so much that when you die I'm going to bury you outside my bedroom window.'

BRITTANY (age 4) had an ear ache and wanted a pain killer. She tried in vain to take the lid off the bottle. Seeing her frustration, her Mom explained it was a child-proof cap and she'd have to open it for her. Eyes wide with wonder, the little girl asked: 'How does it know it's me?'

SUSAN (age 4) was drinking juice when she got the hiccups. 'Please don't give me this juice again,' she said, 'It makes my teeth cough.'DJ (age 4) stepped onto the bathroom scale and asked: 'How much do I cost?'

MARC (age 4) was engrossed in a young couple that were hugging and kissing in a restaurant. Without taking his eyes off them, he asked his dad: 'Why is he whispering in her mouth?

'CLINTON (age 5) was in his bedroom looking worried. When his Mom asked what was troubling him, he replied, 'I don't know what'll happen with this bed when I get married. How will my wife fit in it?'

JAMES (age 4) was listening to a Bible story. His dad read: 'The man named Lot was warned to take his wife and flee out of the city but his wife looked back and was turned to salt.' Concerned, James asked: 'What happened to the flea?

'TAMMY (age 4) was with her mother when they met an elderly, rather wrinkled woman her Mom knew. Tammy looked at her for a while and then asked, 'Why doesn't your skin fit your face?'

The Sermon I think this Mom will never forget.... this particular Sunday sermon...'Dear Lord,' the minister began, with arms extended toward heaven and a rapturous look on his upturned face. 'Without you, we are but dust...' He would have continued but at that moment my very obedient daughter who was listening leaned over to me and asked quite audibly in her shrill little four year old girl voice, 'Mom, what is butt dust?'

Macro Monday

Here is my first real "offering" for a Macro Monday Post.

This is my daughter, Suzanne's, Christmas tree. Her sweet hubby, Barry, let their son pick out the tree last year.

I had planned to take a picture of the last, tiny little shriveled up leaf, that has been hanging on to my pathetic little crepe myrtle tree. That leaf has been "holding on" for weeks, but wouldn't you know...I walked out yesterday to take the picture, and the dang thing had fallen off!

Never fear...now that The Wife has taught me how to use the macro feature on my camera, I'll be taking close-ups of all kinds of things.

Women's Motto

I've been reluctant to post, cause I just love seeing that picture of Stephanie and Cliff! It's such a wonderful feeling, to share in your children's happiness.

Since I have people who are kind enough to drop by each day, I decided that I would just have to "let go" of my previous post (after all, I have all those upcoming wedding pictures that I'll be able to bore everyone with) and move forward, so here goes...

My friend Susan sent this to me...It has become the office Motto, for her, and the women that she works with:

Powerful Women's Motto:

Live your life in such a way that when your feet hit the floor in the morning, Satan shudders and says 'oh s***...she's awake'

All I can say is...AMEN

She's Go'n to the Chapel!

Well it's official. My beautiful daughter, Stephanie, is engaged!

Don't they look happy?

I want to welcome Cliff, with open arms, to our family.

I also want to let him know about a very important tradition here in the South.

When a man gets engaged, he needs to present his future

Mother-in-law, with a piece of jewelry (at or above the cost of the engagement ring),

to show his love and respect to the women who brought his bride to be,

into the world!

Okay Cliff - I'm waiting:)

O Come All Ye Faithful

..."And she brought forth her first-born son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn...

...And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night...

...And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid..

...And the angel said unto them, Fear not; for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people...

For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord...

...And this shall be a sign unto you; ye shall find the babe wrapped in swadding clothes, lying in a manager...

...And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying...

...Glory to God in the Highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men."

Luke 2:7 - 14

I wish you all health, wealth, peace, happiness, joy and love. Merry Christmas!

How "Merry Christmas" is said .....

Afrikaans: Geseënde

Afrikander: Een Plesierige Kerfees

African/ Eritrean/ Tigrinja: Rehus-Beal-Ledeats

Albanian:Gezur Krislinjden

Arabic: Milad Majid

Argentine: Feliz Navidad

Armenian: Shenoraavor Nor Dari yev Pari Gaghand

Azeri: Tezze Iliniz Yahsi OlsunBahasa

Malaysia: Selamat Hari Natal

Basque: Zorionak eta Urte Berri On!

Bengali: Shuvo Naba Barsha

Bohemian: Vesele Vanoce

Bosnian: (BOSANSKI) Cestit Bozic i Sretna Nova godina

Brazilian: Feliz Natal

Breton: Nedeleg laouen na bloavezh mat

Bulgarian: Tchestita Koleda; Tchestito Rojdestvo Hristovo

Catalan: Bon Nadal i un Bon Any Nou!

Chile: Feliz Navidad

Chinese: (Cantonese) Gun Tso Sun Tan'Gung Haw Sun

Chinese: (Mandarin) Kung His Hsin Nien bing Chu Shen Tan (Catonese) Gun Tso Sun Tan'Gung Haw Sun

Choctaw: Yukpa, Nitak Hollo Chito

Columbia: Feliz Navidad y Próspero Año Nuevo

Cornish: Nadelik looan na looan blethen noweth

Corsian: Pace e salute

Crazanian: Rot Yikji Dol La Roo

Cree: Mitho Makosi Kesikansi

Croatian: Sretan Bozic

Czech: Prejeme Vam Vesele Vanoce a stastny Novy Rok

Danish: Glædelig Jul

Duri: Christmas-e- Shoma Mobarak

Dutch: Vrolijk Kerstfeest en een Gelukkig Nieuwjaar! or Zalig Kerstfeast

English: Merry Christmas

Eskimo: (inupik) Jutdlime pivdluarit ukiortame pivdluaritlo!

Esperanto: Gajan Kristnaskon

Estonian: Rõõmsaid Jõulupühi

Ethiopian: (Amharic) Melkin Yelidet Beaal

Faeroese: Gledhilig jol og eydnurikt nyggjar!

Farsi: Cristmas-e-shoma mobarak bashad

Finnish: Hyvaa joulua

Flemish: Zalig Kerstfeest en Gelukkig nieuw jaar

French: Joyeux Noel

Frisian: Noflike Krystdagen en in protte Lok en Seine yn it Nije Jier!

Galician: Bo Nada

Gaelic: Nollaig chridheil agus Bliadhna mhath ùr!

German: Fröhliche Weihnachten

Greek: Kala Christouyenna!

Haiti: (Creole) Jwaye Nowel or to Jesus Edo Bri'cho o Rish D'Shato Brichto

Hausa: Barka da Kirsimatikuma Barka da Sabuwar Shekara!

Hawaiian: Mele Kalikimaka

Hebrew: Mo'adim Lesimkha. Chena tova

Hausa: Barka da Kirsimatikuma Barka da Sabuwar Shekara!

Hungarian: Kellemes Karacsonyi unnepeket

Icelandic: Gledileg Jol

Indonesian: Selamat Hari Natal

Iraqi: Idah Saidan Wa Sanah Jadidah

Irish: Nollaig Shona Dhuit, or Nodlaig mhaith chugnat

Iroquois: Ojenyunyat Sungwiyadeson honungradon nagwutut. Ojenyunyat osrasay.

Italian: Buone Feste Natalizie

Japanese: Shinnen omedeto. Kurisumasu Omedeto

Jiberish: Mithag Crithagsigathmithags

Korean: Sung Tan Chuk Ha

Lao: souksan van Christmas

Latin: Natale hilare et Annum Faustum!

Latvian: Prieci'gus Ziemsve'tkus un Laimi'gu Jauno Gadu!

Lausitzian:Wjesole hody a strowe nowe leto

Lettish: Priecigus Ziemassvetkus

Lithuanian: Linksmu KaleduLow

Saxon: Heughliche Winachten un 'n moi Nijaar

Macedonian: Sreken Bozhik

Maltese: IL-Milied It-tajjeb

Manx: Nollick ghennal as blein vie noa

Maori: Meri Kirihimete

Navajo: Merry Keshmish

Norwegian: God Jul, or Gledelig Jul

Occitan: Pulit nadal e bona annado

Papiamento: Bon Pasco Papua

New Guinea: Bikpela hamamas blong dispela Krismas na Nupela yia i go long yu

Pennsylvania German: En frehlicher Grischtdaag un en hallich Nei Yaahr!

Peru: Feliz Navidad y un Venturoso Año Nuevo

Philipines: Maligayan Pasko!

Polish: Wesolych Swiat Bozego Narodzenia or Boze Narodzenie

Portuguese:Feliz Natal

Rhetian: Bellas festas da nadal e bun onn

Romanche: (sursilvan dialect): Legreivlas fiastas da Nadal e bien niev onn!

Rumanian: Sarbatori vesele or Craciun fericit

Russian: Pozdrevlyayu s prazdnikom Rozhdestva is Novim Godom

Sami: Buorrit Juovllat

Samoan: La Maunia Le Kilisimasi Ma Le Tausaga Fou

Sardinian: Bonu nadale e prosperu annu nou

Serbian: Hristos se rodi

Slovakian: Sretan Bozic or Vesele vianoce

Sami: Buorrit Juovllat

Samoan: La Maunia Le Kilisimasi Ma Le Tausaga Fou

Scots Gaelic: Nollaig chridheil huibh

Serbian: Hristos se rodi.

Singhalese: Subha nath thalak Vewa. Subha Aluth Awrudhak Vewa

Slovak: Vesele Vianoce. A stastlivy Novy Rok

Slovene: Vesele Bozicne Praznike Srecno Novo Leto or Vesel Bozic in srecno Novo leto

Spanish: Feliz Navidad

Swedish: God Jul and (Och) Ett Gott Nytt År

Tagalog: Maligayamg Pasko. Masaganang Bagong Taon

Trukeese: (Micronesian) Neekiriisimas annim oo iyer seefe feyiyeech!

Thai: Sawadee Pee Mai or souksan wan Christmas

Turkish: Noeliniz Ve Yeni Yiliniz Kutlu Olsun

Ukrainian: Srozhdestvom Kristovym or Z RIZDVOM HRYSTOVYM

Vietnamese: Chuc Mung Giang Sinh

Welsh: Nadolig Llawen

Yoruba: E ku odun, e ku iye'dun!

I got this for Chirstmas 20 years ago today.

Solomon Rafael Neas

was born in Bartow, Florida.

Happy Birthday Solomon

I Love You!

Merry Christmas Eve

From the top of our tree...

From deep down in our stockings...



From Silly Pugs...



From Impish Elf...


From Mr.'s Snowmen


From Reindeer Pug

From Decorated Dogs...

From Brightness in the Storm...

From Our House to Yours...

We wish you a

Very

Merry

Christmas

May it be filled with the magic of love!

Wishing for Family on Christmas

I'm waiting for Santa to come leave me some pretty packages under my tree!

-I'm still hanging on to the hope that we may have a few family members show up this week. Sooooo, I've got my table set. If it's just me, Dear Husband, and Big J, we will still enjoy a great breakfast and a big meal around 3:00 pm on Christmas Day.

The beautiful red plates and goblets are Princess House. They were a gift from Susan. I bought the dinner plates, cups, and saucers at K-Mart years ago. The placemats are from Big Lot's. I got the little Santa Napkins at my favorite grocery store - PUBLIX - a few years back. Whenever I find something like this that I like - I buy lots, so that I can use them for many years to come. Speaking of Publix...we don't have them here where I live now. I have to get my Publix "fix" when visiting Florida or Alabama. I keep teasing Dear Husband about making weekend trips to Tuscaloosa (the nearest Publix) to do my grocery shopping.

Oops - how did I manage to get this picture turned sideways?

The reindeer and sleigh are Princess House. The glass stem votive holders are Party Lite.

I just found these little gems at Walgreens for a $1.09. I think that they are adorable. I have 2 Santas, 2 Christmas Trees, and 2 Candy Canes. I think that I am going to go back and get some more.

Walgreens again for the Santa and Snowman salt and pepper shakers. I got them with coupons for 39 cents each. Who says that decorating has to be expensive? I have 4 sets on the table.

I have this cookie jar, mug, and vase sitting on my island. The cookie jar was filled with biscotti when I got it from Sam's Club several years ago. The little mug came from WalMart this year. The little red vase was a set of three that I got at Goodwill a few years back. Behind that big ole flower is another Santa mug. It's perfect for a big cup of cocoa with loads of whipped cream on top!!!

Musings / Macro Monday / and Pug Tongue

This was my back yard on the 11th.

Last Thursday it was in the 80's

Today the high is supposed to be 48

AND this Thursday - Christmas -

The predicted high for the day is 78 degrees!

I'm loosing my mind. Menopausal women should only have to deal with their INTERNAL FREQUENT TEMPERATURE CHANGES !!!

I started with this...


...and then got this.


I took the shots through Suzanne's kitchen window.

Somebody asked me recently, if George always has his tongue hanging out. These pictures should answer that question.

He loves to hog the space heater!



Here, he is...sitting in his car seat. He likes to use it as a bed when it isn't in the car. This is one of my favorite pictures of my sweet boy.




Sleeping (in my down comforter) with Bobo.


Enjoying the sunbeams - like Trixie on Hi and Lois.



Isn't he cute?



Resting in his snuggle bed.



There is something so special about pugs. They are goofy, playful, loving little dogs, AND I'm so glad that I have him. He was a gift from my son, Simon, and I can't ever thank him enough.


Simon...I love you!



Bonus - for all those who want to know...I live in Louisiana!

Nativities

I made this sweet little Baby Jesus at a Saturday Christmas in July craft day at my Church back in Florida.

I place my Nativities on my piano.

This set was a gift from my dear friend Vicki. She brought it back from Mexico.

I just purchased this one when I was visiting in Alabama last week.

Heavens - I can't remember where I got this one.

Here is a little glass set that I got at Big Lot's. Behind it is another Baby Jesus that I made.

Suzanne gave me this one...

...and this one.

We bought this one our first Christmas after adopting Big J.

This one belongs to Stephanie Hough. I don't know how I ended up with it. I know that it belongs to Steph because it has her name on the bottom of it. Sorry Steph - if you want it back, you've got to come visit me!

This is a little olive wood Nativity is from the Holy Land. They were giving them to all the Primary Children in Suzanne's Ward last year. They very kindly gave one to me too.

I have more, but these are some of my favorites. I look forward to collecting many more as the years go by.