Christmas Tour of Homes

BooMama is hostess to a lot of people sharing their beautifully decorated homes. Here is a short tour of mine:

HWH decorates the outside of the house.We have a tradition of going out together to find our tree. I have stuck to my convictions of having a real tree every year, though I must admit - I am getting closer and closer to giving in to my HWH and getting the fake pre-lit tree. But, I'm still at least a few years away from caving! HWH puts the lights on, then the kids decorate, after they go to bed, I rearrange.

The kids have their own tree - we alternate whose bedroom it goes in each year. This one is a fake tree (they charge about $30 for a real one this size!)

I decorate the mantle and put out all the other decorations.
Knick-knacks people have given me over the years.
My Nativity Scene - I got this about 14 years ago when I worked at Lillian Vernon catalog. We got a very nice discount - everything is much better from LV with a discount! I keep hoping for the Willow Tree nativity - there is even a photo of it on the refridgerator - maybe one year!

Every year I struggle with "do I put the kings here or not"? I know the kings didn't visit the stable - but rather Jesus' house - but - every year I go ahead and put them there. Now, when I get the Willow Tree set - I won't even buy the kings - temptation gone! :)

Another Lillian Vernon discount purchase.

Our count-down tree.

Our Christmas Card holder. After the holiday I like to pull them out, read them again and pray for each family.

And finally, my HWH's dear "children" - Connie and Hans.

These are his beloved Deutsch Drahthaar hunting dogs. I don't mind them, except when they bark (which is often). (All I outright asked for for Christmas was bark collars for the dogs!)

There are a couple people in my life right now who have sick family members in the hospital - my thoughts and prayers go out to them.

Merry Christmas everyone!

Winner of December PASS IT ON . . . .

Is Karen at Mommy of Three! Karen won Snow Angel by Jamie Carrie - an awesome book! If you haven't read it, I suggest you use one of your Christmas gift certificates to get it!

I hope you all have a VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS!

I'll be posting as I get time over the next week. I am off work for the 3 work days after Christmas - WOO HOO!

Check back in January for another PASS IT ON book giveaway - perhaps it will be affiliated with the new TEEN LITERATURE REVIEW blog that a few other ladies and myself will be going live with in January!

Off to wrap those last few gifts . . . . . . . .

Wash that mouth out girl!

Yesterday, while at the YMCA a girl told my son to go to f*****g h**l. Why? Because he didn't want to listen to her gush on about her life and when she told him something he said "whatever". I'll tell you - if someone ever hears any of my children swear, I pray they tell me. It will not be a good day (or month) for my child if I ever hear about it.
I bet the mother of this girl has no clue her 12 year old daughter is talking that way.
I so wanted to call the Y director and complain (the counselor who my son told did nothing). But, I can't "come to his rescue" all the time. He's got to learn to handle difficult people and situations. We discussed how perhaps he could have been more polite to the girl from the beginning, and how you should be courteous even to annoying people . . . .
Man, parenting older kids is less physically draining (I'm not running around playing with him all the time, he cleans up his own toys and can change his own clothes) - but it's tough in a whole 'nother way!

The Third King

Eldest (when he was 4 yr. old): Mom, what's the name of the 3rd king?
Me: The 3rd king?
Eldest: Yeah, you know, the 3rd king?
Me: Hum, well, what is the name of the first two kings?
Eldest: You know, the kings of oil and tar.
Me: (Driving, and about to die trying not to laugh!) Oh, "We 3 kings of orient are . . . ."
Eldest: Yeah, the 3 kings - one oil the other tar, what's the 3rd?
Me: Honey it's saying "We 3 kings of or-e-ent - kings of orient means, well, it means, well, it means they are from far away. It never really says where any of them are from, just from far away." (Um, yeah - that made a lot of sense, I'm sure he understands now!)
Eldest: Oh, I thought it was oil and tar. . . . .

Hi! Nice To Meet You Winner . . . .

I used the Random Number Generator to pick a winner among the ladies who introduced themselves to me in my Hi! Nice To Meet You! post. The winner is Lauren at Baseballs and Bows. Be sure to stop by her blog and meet her - she is a lot of fun!
Lauren - please email me your address so I can send your special gift out to ya! connievail at hotmail dot com.

I won!

Woo Hoo! Love it when I win free books! Thanks to Lace at Keeping My Fingers Crossed, I won "The Honk and Holler Opening Soon". Looking forward to adding it to my pile of books to be read! Thanks Lace!

Warning on The Golden Compass Movie

Warning! I highly suggest you read this before taking your child to see the movie opening up today, December 7th - The Golden Compass.
I struggle, because my eldest did read the book, and the movie looks awesome, but I really don't want to support the author or his end game - so I will use self control and avoid it.
Have a great weekend!

If I only had a . . . . .

Dinner!

Two weeks ago - I put a pot roast and veggies in the crock pot before I left for work. Told HWH that it would be waiting for him and the two boys when he got home, just make rice and enjoy! Daughter and I had girl scouts and would pick something up on our way. I told him to just leave the dishes for me darling, I'll clean them up when I get home. Oh, aren't I just the perfect working mom/wife!?

Well, when he got home, there was no wonderful crock-pot aroma to greet him. He went over and looked in, nothing was cooked. It was plugged in. Hummmm . . . . It wasn't turned on. Great! So, he had to throw out $15 of food, and they had cereal for dinner, again!

This past Monday - I took the day off work to do my Christmas shopping - put together another crock pot roast/veggies before I left. Knew I'd be too tired to cook when I got home, plus daughter and I had girl scouts that night. Walked in, no crock pot aroma to greet us. "But I know I turned it ON! I triple checked!" Yes, but upon examination, I did not plug it in! You have got to be kidding. I was ready to be commited to the dementia ward right then! So, it was mac & cheese with hotdogs, again!

What is wrong with me! Why can I not remember little things like this? I have been so scatterbrained lately. People, I am only 36 - and I feel like half my brain has been stolen from me! Oh yeah, it has - these 3 kids sucked it out of me in the womb to make their own! Good thing I only had 3 - 4 and I would have been a gonner!

PASS IT ON Book Giveaway!

Because books are too precious to only be read once . . . . PASS IT ON!

This month's giveaway is Snow Angel by Jamie Carie. I can't say enough good things about this book. If you don't win it - go buy it, it's worth every penny!

Description: Fierce and fragile, the mysterious Elizabeth is obsessively drawn to the promise of gold in 1880s Alaska. But when kind Noah Wesley saves her life during a violent blizzard, she won't tell him why she's chasing her dream through a pounding storm. Can these cold and lonely hearts risk everything and be forever warmed? 304 pages

My Review: I reviewed on my blog here. Her style blends the perfect amount of description, conversation, and adventure. The pace was perfect. And the characters were lovable. The romance was sweet, no inappropriateness. I am not a big romance reader, but this book combined just enough adventure and action with the romance that it was very enjoyable!

I kind of hate to give the book away. I enjoyed reading it so much, it might be one I'd like to read again! Plus, I really think it's a book worth buying - so if you don't win - treat yourself and buy it as a Christmas gift for you (or I guess you could buy it for your sister, then borrow it when she's done!)

I will hold the drawing on 12/20/07. Good Luck! And remember, when you're done reading it - PASS IT ON!

Hi, Nice to Meet You!

Hi everyone! Nice to meet you! My name is Angi.

Some of you know me as Connie.

Some of you know me as Vail.

But, really, I am Angi.

I'm still the same person. Different name.

To be technical I'm Angela. But the only time anyone calls me that is if their mad at me. So, I hope you call me Angi.

I'm the same person who posted my first entry - only different.

That was almost 2 years ago. That was a stressful time for me - but that has passed and my life is more peaceful.

Anyways, I'm happy to meet you. If you'd like to get to know me better, please look around at some old posts. These are my favorites, the ones I think will help you get to know me:

1. Deep Thoughts
2. Legacy of Prayer
3. Heartfelt
4. Lost My Child - The Most Terrifying 20 minutes of my life!
5. 5 Things You Want Your Kids to Know

and lastly . . . . Anonymous No More . . .

Leave me a comment on something about yourself, perhaps something I don't know from reading your blog. I'll randomly pick one of the comments on Friday and send a little surprise!

Have a great week!

Now, I'm off to shop!

Christmas Ornament Exchange!

I was part of a Christmas Oranment Exchange this year! It was sooooo fun receiving my ornament yesterday! The ornament is very nice, and the box it came in is so cute!

The exchange was hosted by K.M. O'Donnell at The Open Window. Thanks to her for hosting!

My exchange partner was Charlotte at Sweet Southern Life.

I haven't been shopping yet - but am taking Monday off to do my Christmas shopping. I plan to mail Charlotte her ornament on Tuesday!

I am getting so excited about Christmas!