Christmas Eve

Christmas Eve at our house.  I get the kiddos PJ's every year and they open them Christmas Eve before bed.  I used to make them but I am without a sewing machine and I have gotten lazy.  :)  

Wow!  What a wind storm last night.  It actually woke me up around 2am whipping around the house and makin the windows rattle.  I had a devil of a time going back to sleep.  The skies are grey and I'm wondering if we might just get some snow for Christmas after all.  :)  I'm hoping it lets up my SIL and family are suppose to do some Christmas caroling tonight.  Havent done that in ages. 

Fun Christmas Trivia

Here are a few fun things but if you wish you can go see the whole thing!

Although many believe the Friday after Thanksgiving is the busiest shopping day of the year, it is not. It is the fifth to tenth busiest day. The Friday and Saturday before Christmas are the two busiest shopping days of the year.

Christmas trees are known to have been popular in Germany as far back as the sixteenth century. In England, they became popular after Queen Victoria's husband Albert, who came from Germany, made a tree part of the celebrations at Windsor Castle. In the United States, the earliest known mention of a Christmas tree is in the diary of a German who settled in Pennsylvania.

During the ancient 12-day Christmas celebration, the log burned was called the "Yule log." Sometimes a piece of the Yule log would be kept to kindle the fire the following winter, to ensure that the good luck carried on from year to year. The Yule log custom was handed down from the Druids.

Hallmark introduced its first Christmas cards in 1915, five years after the founding of the company.

In 1647, the English parliament passed a law that made Christmas illegal. Festivities were banned by Puritan leader, Oliver Cromwell, who considered feasting and revelry, on what was supposed to be a holy day, to be immoral. The ban was lifted only when the Puritans lost power in 1660.

Long before it was used as a "kiss encourager" during the Christmas season, mistletoe had long been considered to have magic powers by Celtic and Teutonic peoples. It was said to have the ability to heal wounds and increase fertility. Celts hung mistletoe in their homes in order to bring themselves good luck and ward off evil spirits.

The actual gift givers are different in various countries: 
England: Father Christmas
France: Pere Noel (Father Christmas)
Germany: Christkind (angelic messenger from Jesus) She is a beautiful fair haired girl with a shining crown of candles.
Holland: St Nicholas.
Italy: La Befana (a kindly old witch)
Spain and South America: The Three Kings
Russia: In some parts—Babouschka (a grandmotherly figure) in other parts it is Grandfather Frost.
Scandinavia: a variety of Christmas gnomes. One is called Julenisse.

Merry Christmas!

Town Christmas Parade

My ohh so happy camper.  (I wouldn't let her take her coat off.) 

waiting for the parade.

while the parade was going by
Vanessa caught me. 

Douglas and Deven stayed warm at home.  We were at the very end and it took so long for this parade!  We went home after 7pm and it was still coming.  

New Nativity's :)

Okay if ya didn't already know I like frogs.  Douglas found this frog nativity and bought it for me.  hehehe  He spoils me!  Then I was able to get this tealight nativity from PartyLite.  So fun!  Now I have 5 counting my snow-globes.  Love em!

Thanksgiving Day

I was feeling well enough to help out with dinner.  (whats with this underlining?  I can't get rid of it!  Ahhhhhhh!!!)  Anyway Douglas did the turkey ,Vanessa did pies and Kristina and Deven peeled potatoes for me.  Vanessa was very pleased with herself. hehehe  They all did a great job!  Thanks guys!!  Vanessa wanted to make sure we had lots of photos so she was incharge of that.  Deven doesn't like to have his photo taken so she made sure to get a few of him.  :

Twilight

 It was the midnight showing!  It was alot of fun and they really did a good job.  Here is Vanessa and friend.

Breanna's Thankful Play

Okay so I've been sick and way behind on everything.  So here are a few pictures from Breanna's play she had at school on the 20th of Nov. 

 Her line in the play was "T is for thanks.  They gave thanks for many new 

friends and plenty of food."  It was real cute and she had a good time.