Christmas Countdown - 2012

[made582]

It's Friday. Thank goodness! Well for most of you, at least! I have been off since Tuesday.I have some (decent) news on the job front. To continue my theme of being overly critical of our Canadian government, I am returning to work at my previous job with Health Canada. That's right. The one I just finished on Tuesday. However, I must return through an agency because I have worked the maximum amount of days through the government (90) that I am allowed for this year. Strange, isn't it? I had to pull a few strings through the agency to have them submit my resume for this position. As soon as my managers received my resume, they gladly told the agency that they wanted me to return. The worst part: Because I am working through an agency, I am only entitled to make minimum wage. That's half my former salary. All of this because the government refuses to permit those not currently in the government with indeterminate or term contracts any form of contract that isn't through an agency or a casual contract with 90 working days... This, of course, is without a massive competition that takes more than three months to complete. It's quite pathetic. Thank you, Canadian government.

I'm glad to hear that you get to go back to your former job but that sucks about the pay.:-(

 

[made582]

Better yet, we need to move to where there is snow!

Only if you bring all of the food with you!!!

 

[Seawaters]

Dinner is in the crockpot: a whole chicken, whole kernel corn, fingerling potatoes (pre-browned in garlic olive oil, onions (also pre-browned) carrots, and broth, all sprinkled with Emeril's Original Seasoning. From the leftovers, I will make chicken salad for sandwiches and chicken enchiladas. Yummo!!!

 

[Seawaters]

Food, plus my cooking expertise!!!

Only if you bring all of the food with you!!!

 

[made582]

Dinner is in the crockpot: a whole chicken, whole kernel corn, fingerling potatoes (pre-browned in garlic olive oil, onions (also pre-browned) carrots, and broth, all sprinkled with Emeril's Original Seasoning. From the leftovers, I will make chicken salad for sandwiches and chicken enchiladas. Yummo!!!

There you go again!!! How did you know that I have been craving chicken enchiladas??

 

[Seawaters]

Do, do do, do...(Think Twilight Zone)....

There you go again!!! How did you know that I have been craving chicken enchiladas??

 

[Seawaters]

Oh, wait, you're not old enough!!!

Do, do do, do...(Think Twilight Zone)....

 

[caninemom3]

Good afternoon, Christmas family

Thank you all for reading my special post today and for all the kinds replies. It always helps to write when there is inspiration like I get from you, my Christmas family xo

Shellie12 - Thank you especially for the polar bears on your reply post !!!! xo

It is warm today and lots of folks love it but I want it to be seasonable again !!! One of our local weather forecasters, Dick Goddard, is saying above average snow fall for this Winter for NE Ohio.....I hope he is right !!

I had to stop the pain medication that was helping with the psoriatic arthritis. It caused a nasty, nasty rash on arms so it's back to like it was before. I'll be fine. It was nice to be away from the pain for a while and I see the rhematologist in early December so not that long.

Solice - Happ birthday to you wonderful, beautiful babies xo You look so young, still a baby yourself !! xo Hope you will be feeling better soon.

Take care, dear Christmas family. I hope to be back later this evening. If you notice that my signature has been changing a lot that is because I have been trying different signatures since Christmas comes SO FAST and I want to be sure I pay homage properly to the birth of Jesus.

(((HUGS))) Christmas family xo

 

[Christmasstar]

Good Evening!

We have celebrated our boys today.
My tiny babies who barely made it alive to this world
turned 9 years old today ♥ ♥
I'm so thankful for having them in my life!

And now I have some catching up to do, and hope
that everyone is doing fine!! ♥

Happy birthday to great looking guys!!

 

[JayIsh]

So tell me...Are we gearing up for the countdown to the season? Our one time a year where we are live together here counting the minutes till the season begins! I missed last year but I know I can get here this year, at least for some of it! Binger??? Crown??? You onboard???

Jay

 

[Seawaters]

To recap:
1) November 08 -- Five days before the Season -- Ballcoach
2) November 09 -- Four days before the Season -- Binger
3) November 10 -- Three days before the Season -- Christmasstar
4) November 11 -- Two days before the Season -- Caninemom
5) November 12 -- One day before the Season -- Seawaters
Then! November 13 -- CHRISTMAS SEASON 2012 BEGINS -- (I'll try to have a few words to say.)

So tell me...Are we gearing up for the countdown to the season? Our one time a year where we are live together here counting the minutes till the season begins! I missed last year but I know I can get here this year, at least for some of it! Binger??? Crown??? You onboard???

Jay

 

[Maureen]

I think Jay is meaning realtime. A few worthy stalwarts gather round the virtual tree and literally countdown the minutes to the start of the season.

It's always fun (if you can stay awake - or in my case, just getting up!!)

 

[Meceka]

Home For Christmas


Special Post 4

The little girl was 6 years old and just brimming over with excitement ! Christmastime had come again and it was snowing heavily. A thick sparkling blanket of snow was upon everything outside. It was Christmas Eve 1960 and Santa was going to make his annual appearance that very night.

All was in readiness. Mom was baking cookies and was nearly finished. Dad was doing "dad" things. He always tape recorded Christmas morning on the "latest" in technology tape recorder so he could enjoy hearing everyone in all their Christmas excitement later on when all the chaos was over and he could relax and just enjoy his family. He was also preparing because he was going to record a talk he planned to have with Santa that evening for his 6-year-old. Her two brothers were being very secretive about something as well as her sister and everyone was feeling Christmas in the air. She did not know it but her two brothers had saved for weeks to buy their baby sister a giant stuffed animal dog with their paper route money and had sneaked it into the house, feeling very sly, without her knowing. Of course, her big sister was "in" on it.

Christmas carolers had stopped by earlier in the evening and it was such a magical sight. It was just like a scene right from the little 6-year-old's favorite Christmas movie, A Christmas Carol !! The little 6-year-old was sure this was what heaven was like as she stood holding her mother's hand listening to the joyous songs of Savior's birth as the snow continued transforming everything with its soft, sparkling Christmassy glow. Soon it was time for her to go to bed so that Santa could arrive !!

Her two big brothers and big sister tucked her into bed which had extra blankets given the chilly temperatures. The small fireplace in the bedroom seemed to have a special kind of Christmas warmth that night it didn't usually have. When the little girl was settled in and was comfy her big brothers and sister began to softly sing to her....the same familiar carols she had heard every Christmas but she loved hearing them. This was a ritual every Christmas for her siblings to tuck her in and then sing carols to her. She was far too excited to sleep and she loved being with her siblings.

Hark The Herald Angels Sing rang through the bedroom and down into the kitchen. Mom and dad even joined in briefly as they went about their Christmas chores. The togetherness of the family that night was more magical than any other time in the year...

Silent night, holy night began to fill the room and the lttle girl finally dropped off to dream of Santa and his reindeer, of angels and a town called Bethlehem and of a doll she hoped Santa would bring her called Suzy Smart....

Years later the little 6-year-old girl is now grown. She still remembers those magical Christmases with her dear brothers and sister singing carols. Though her family are mostly gone now except for her sister, she still feels them in her heart and remembers the precious gift Christmas and family gave to her and still gives her.

The little 6-year-old girl has a new family now. They are a group of people who love Christmas as much as she does. She is part of the group where she is always welcome like Christmas itself. Though there are many diversities among this group their souls are intertwined with good cheer and hope for the future, their families and the world and their hearts beat as one at Christmas. There are times when she feels 6 years old again when visiting with this group and when she closes her eyes she can still see the gently glowing fireplace, the beautiful tree and see the gently falling snow and hear the gentleness and peacefulness of Silent Night being sung once more.......

Merry Christmas, my dear Christmas family. I love you all.

That was beautiful, CM3 ~ thank you!!!

 

[Meceka]

hmmm we can actually start postingg hours... ubder 48 hours.....

AHHHHHH YABBAA>>... COFFEE FOR MONDAY NIGHT BOTTOMS UP

YABBA!

:dance:

 

[Meceka]

Good Evening!

We have celebrated our boys today.
My tiny babies who barely made it alive to this world
turned 9 years old today ♥ ♥
I'm so thankful for having them in my life!

And now I have some catching up to do, and hope
that everyone is doing fine!! ♥

A very Happy Birthday to your sons, Solice!

 

[Meceka]

Good afternoon, MMC!

I hope everyone has been having a MERRY day!

 

[Holiday]

I like the red and green thing! I have a big tree in front of my house and thinking about putting lights all over it this year. Put a few on it last year but since getting so many on sale last year I want to do more.

Awesome, awesome, awesome!! I did put the lights on the front of the house (only on the shrubs - not around the house) & now it is starting to get dark & I don't want to turn them off! Our next door neighbor was already razzing me this afternoon! I told him when its f-f-f-freezing & he is all bundled up outside putting his lights up & complaining, I am going to laugh & with a simple plug in of the lights - wah lah, it's Christmas! : ) I didn't put the lights on 1 of the shrubs in front yet as it still needs to be trimmed. That will get done this week!!!! (hubby's job!)

Good Evening!

We have celebrated our boys today.
My tiny babies who barely made it alive to this world
turned 9 years old today ♥ ♥
I'm so thankful for having them in my life!

And now I have some catching up to do, and hope
that everyone is doing fine!! ♥

Awe, such touching pitcutes. Thanks for sharing! Happy bday to your boys!![/B]

Come on out. Better yet, we need to move to where there is snow!

Yes, yes, yes! You move here where there is snow! Great idea!!!

Dinner is in the crockpot: a whole chicken, whole kernel corn, fingerling potatoes (pre-browned in garlic olive oil, onions (also pre-browned) carrots, and broth, all sprinkled with Emeril's Original Seasoning. From the leftovers, I will make chicken salad for sandwiches and chicken enchiladas. Yummo!!!

Sounds delish! We are having marinated pork chops (that my sil sent home with me last night) from my brother in laws meat store (delish) & a potato pack on the grill for supper. Can't wait til the hubby gets home to fire up the grill. I'm getting hungry reading all these posts!!!

Good afternoon, Christmas family

Thank you all for reading my special post today and for all the kinds replies. It always helps to write when there is inspiration like I get from you, my Christmas family xo

Shellie12 - Thank you especially for the polar bears on your reply post !!!! xo

It is warm today and lots of folks love it but I want it to be seasonable again !!! One of our local weather forecasters, Dick Goddard, is saying above average snow fall for this Winter for NE Ohio.....I hope he is right !!

I had to stop the pain medication that was helping with the psoriatic arthritis. It caused a nasty, nasty rash on arms so it's back to like it was before. I'll be fine. It was nice to be away from the pain for a while and I see the rhematologist in early December so not that long.

Solice - Happ birthday to you wonderful, beautiful babies xo You look so young, still a baby yourself !! xo Hope you will be feeling better soon.

Take care, dear Christmas family. I hope to be back later this evening. If you notice that my signature has been changing a lot that is because I have been trying different signatures since Christmas comes SO FAST and I want to be sure I pay homage properly to the birth of Jesus.

(((HUGS))) Christmas family xo

Another great post by CM3! I hope they can find a medication to help you with the pain without the side effects! You so deserve to live pain free!!!

 

[Holiday]

I am just feeling unbelievable Christmassy today!! I think part of it comes from spending some time with my SIL yesterday. Though she seems to be doing very well, I know she has a long road ahead when she starts treatment. It is so hard to leave her house, like I did last night. She stands in the garage waving goodbye until you are out of sight & you know you are the last person she is going to see (besides her wound vac nurse) until one of my other brothers or sisters goes there. It has to be such a lonely life & I just feel for her. She is such an amazingly fun person to spend time with & I think she believes that she is not normal or fun to be around. But hopefully she realizes that her feelings are the same as other peoples! She does have some mental anxiety issues when it comes to being around people & I so hope & pray she can get through it & become a stronger person through all of this. She has definately opened up more to us (Mikes family) & hopefully she see's that we love her unconditionally & we want to spend time with her & she will want to spend more time with us.
Seeing Christmas things starting to pop up & having lights on the house at night just seem to brighten my spirit & I love it. I was affraid that losing my brother this year was going to really put a damper on my Chrismtas spirit but so far I think it has only enhanced it! I am so excited & so looking forward to all the special time with family & friends!! :grin:

 

[Crown 84]

So tell me...Are we gearing up for the countdown to the season? Our one time a year where we are live together here counting the minutes till the season begins! I missed last year but I know I can get here this year, at least for some of it! Binger??? Crown??? You onboard???

Jay

That's the plan!

 

[made582]

QVC schedule for 11/12 - 11/18

Monday 11/12
11am Christmas shoppe
5pm Deck the halls

Tuesday 11/13
1am Bethlehem Lights
1pm Bethlehem lights

Wednesday 11/14
6am Jim Shore Heartwood Creek
1pm Christmas Shoppe

Thursday 11/15
5am Christmas Shoppe
10am Home for the Holidays with Dan (3 hours)

Friday 11/16
5am Heartfelt holidays with Valerie
1pm Heartfelt Holidays with Valerie

Saturday 11/17
6am Deck the Halls
4pm Bethlehem lights

Sunday 11/18
6am Christmas Shoppe