Oh, Tracy...I forgot!! You KNOW stores don't allow saying "Merry Christmas" anymore!! It's "Happy Holidays"!

So I guess it's gotta be...

"Rake Rake Rake!! Happy Holidays, for goodness sake!!"

{{gwi:1307715}}

HEY! are you callin' me what I think you're callin' me?

You better watch out, You better not cry, you better not pout, I'm telling you why! Santa Claus is comin' to town! He sees you when you're sleeping, He knows when you're awake! He knows if you've been bad or good! So you better be good for goodness sake!

whats funny is all these countries that are supposedly so far behind the times and such are the countries that don't put up with the crap that is put up with here> This country was founded on a good solid formation, makes ya wonder what happened

ok going to stop getting political here lol sheesh.

just pixxes me off that someone may get offended if you say Merry Christmas in public. They even took the Salvation Army Santas away from the entrances of our walmart and target! How sad is that???

Christmas is Christmas for a reason, if others feel like putting other secular terms to it then fine just don't make those that know the reason we celebrate it stop. After all, and I can say this, hope it doesn't offend anyone. Maybe the 25th of December wasn't Jesus's real birthday, doesn't matter thats when we celebrate it and have for centuries. I for one can honestly say that Merry Christmas means something more than just words, the gifts we give aren't just for the sake of giving they are heart felt. Even long lived traditions for the U.S.A. are founded on century long traditions. So for all those saying its offensive then the only thing I have to tell them is I am sorry you feel that way because I think the best gift I could ever give I gave to Jesus, even though unwillingly but still don't ever tell me that Christmas if offensive.

ok I will stop now. sorry bout the outburst lol

Ummm....nnooo....that's not what I was saying, Tracy...
At least...I don't THINK so.....

Uh-Oh.

Distraction time.

psst...Pixie...did it work??

Hm? Sorry I fell asleep! LOL! Can't believe she called me a garden tool!

Medo emailed this to me the other day and I think it fits so well! I think the ACLU should read it!

Aww thanks Melissa, I am sorry about my "spout off" I was sleepy and cranky.

Thats a good sign Tracy!

Melissa you won the mini game whooohooo prize will be on the way this afternoon. (I tend to run late on these things sometimes )

I have to share what happened to me over the last few days. I posted Monday evening that I had been to my Dr. and we lowered one of the medications that I take for Interstitial Lung Disease. Tuesday I started experiencing pain throughout my entire rib cage, under my arms, my shoulders and my back. Tuesday evening I started running a fever. I knew something was terribly wrong. I was able to get my temp. down with Tylenol and ibuprofen. I called my Dr. and he wanted me to get a blood test and go back up on my medication. The blood test showed increased inflammation from just the week before. When I have a flare-up of this disease it starts with muscle pain and fever then I can't breath. My Dr. and I were both shocked that it happened so quickly. I had hoped that I was in remission but it seems that I still have to rely on the drugs to keep me stable. Life is so fragile and precious. I am thankful for each and every day. It helps to be able to write about it.

Melissa- congrats. for winning the prize.

It's great to see all the names listed for the 'Blessing' swap.

Mariann

Mariann, how scary for you. That sounds absolutely terrible. I am praying for you. How are you feeling now? I hope that you are breathing better and that the pain has gone. You are right, it is great at how many are here for the Blessing Swap!

Melissa,
{{gwi:1307717}}

Oh, Mariann! Bless your heart!!!! That's too scary!! Wow. Lots of hugs to you! Feel better soon, ya hear??

Dearest Tracy....

Wait a sec...I won! Yay!! :O)
I'm so happy!!

Melissa your little Adora is so beautiful, god love her, she reminds me of what McKenzie will look like at that age.
Kenzie looks just like Julie did, and I sware it took Julie 2 years to get hair, not to worry, when she got it, boy did she.... thick and beautiful. And has been ever since. Just take lots of pics and video, everyone laughs at me becuase I sit here and video Kenzie every day, well, duh....... I thought that was my job:))) (LOL!) I do when I can.

They will be glad at some point.
Sasy

HNB, have you already tried the dab o' honey trick for putting bows on Adora's head? I hear it works, I never tried it because my Anna - another one with very little hair on the top of her head but some nice curly yellow fringe for the first 2 years - didn't *want* anything on her head; no bows, no headbands, no hats, no nothing. So we quit trying. And now at 16 she has the fullest thickest hair with a gorgeous wave to it since it's long - and which she now spends a good 35 minutes on each morning STRAIGHTENING "because I hate how curly my hair is, Mom!!!" How she can say this to her mother with the stick-straight, super-fine, "I ain't got no body" hair, I have no idea.

Yep, when she was little we got the comments about our cute little boy. Oh well. Our Abby, who is now 3, actually looked like that evil puppet Chucky from the movies for a while... I don't know what it was, but she really did. She doesn't any more. Yay.

ROFLOL, I am with you! Poker straight, used to perm the daylights out of my ultra fine hair! What I would have given for a serious head of full curly locks! Sigh! I swear I would never straighten my hair!

If it makes you feel any better two of my blondie boys were commonly mistaken for girls since they were so "pretty"! LOL! Shhhh, don't tell them I said that! They will get me!

Oh, I almost forgot Melissa...

Okay...you've forced me to use extreme measures, here, Tracy....

And with THAT...I'm going home for the weekend. Please don't have too much fun without me!
(and behave yourselves, girls!!!) :O)

LOL! Melissa, you are such a tool! LOL! Have a great weekend! Get some rest! See ya Sunday!

Tracy

What beautiful little girls Sassy and Melissa!

My daughter was as bald as an egg for a year, when it did come in it was so fine, everyone thought she was a boy, (no matter what she was wearing) and she loved dresses, even though she was a real tomboy at play, she was always wearing a dress. By the time she was in kindergarten she had thick blond hair. Take lots of pictures, lots of video, they grow up fast!

My sister called me yesterday to say they are not coming to spend the holidays. I haven't seen them since last summer. I was reallly looking forward to seeing them (we haven't been able to spend the holidays together since 1999) I am trying to be understanding about it, but I am very disappointed...

Have a good weekend everyone, I am going to clean, clean, clean.... it will be good therapy! Time to put on my happy face! Put up the tree and try to recapture the holiday spirit.

fcoffill, I am sorry to hear your sister won't make it! My step brother and his wife won't be there for our holiday, and probably not my step sister and her family, but I can't say I'm disappointed about that. (Isn't that terrible?!) So far though, my sisters have always been there, so I can't imagine having them not there!

I too have the super straight hair! Mine isn't very fine, thank goodness, but it has no body. Well, okay, when it is a certain length, kind of between my ears and my shoulders, it does have a tendency to flip out, which as always driven me nuts. You have no idea how I would try to undo that flip in high school. Now, I just accept it as my hair, but boy did it irritate me back then! I permed it once, but it never looked the way I thought it should then either, so I never did that again. But, I have certainly used a LOT of different conditioners and creams, and mousses and all different things trying to give my hair some body!

Frances I am sorry your sister won't be able to make it for the holidays.

Terri, I greatly understand what its like to have stick straight super fine hair! Mine is so baby fine that even to get a perm I have to get an air perm because the regular perms would have to sit too long in my hair just to get a weak wave! Then with all of this humidity around here this baby hair doesn't even hold a curl from rollers or an iron sheesh, needless to say I have it up most of the time.

Alan was mistaken for a little girl all the time, he has the biggest bluest eyes and had tons of golden curls on the back of his head but just gold waves on the front. He cried and wanted his curls back everytime we would cut them off (haircuts). We have lots of ziplock baggies of his curls in his baby book! He was just such a pretty little boy lol.

Fox and I went out to eat last night, we started out to Fazio's (Italian) but ended up at Cassidores (mexican) lol. It was very good, seemed we ran into lots of people we knew, including Alan and his "Katie". We had a wonderful mean and very enjoyable evening, just sat there relaxing and talking and of course eavesdropping on the people seated at the table next to us. It was such a pretty evening that we chose to eat on the terrace.

I hope everyone has a great day!

Hello Pixie;
It is 25 degrees here and was snowing and raining last night. I can not imagine sitting on a patio eating this time of year. Oh well, we might have a white christmas and you won't.
diene

lol Diene, hopefully you will have a white Christmas (if thats what you wish for) and we will have a dry one. It was in the low 80's here today, tonights low is to be around 601-65. What is bad here right now is the FOG its horrible in the mornings, burns off around 11 am.

AS long as we have a dry sunny Christmas I really don't mind it being cold but here cold,dry and sunny are never used in the same sentence by the weatherpeople!

Ah, memories! Sitting on the terrace! Haven't been able to sit outdoors for weeks now! Even when the sun is out we have had strong, cold winds blowing constantly. Stings the cheeks! We will be having snow for the next 5 days. We have an Alberta Clipper coming down from Canada next week. Better make sure I have all of my ice scrapers in the cars and shovels at the ready. When Alberta comes knocking we get a good 8+ inches of snow! HO HO HO!

Frances, I am sad that your sister won't be able to visit you for the holidays. If Christmas can't come to you then I say hop in the car and go get Christmas. Is there a possibility that you can go to stay with them?

ya know I have watched the weather and can see that brrrr COLD front coming down from Canada, they say it won't hit us but for NEXT weekend its supposed to get cold here. Zip code is 77493 for those that have weatherbug. Sometimes its very hard to even think of it being Christmas time here (remember I am a military brat). But oh well how many friends do ya have that can wear shorts on Christmas or the days preceeding Christmas. Its no wonder that we don't put away summer clothes.

lots of people do where shorts here at Chrismas.... but I have always thought they are just showing off! lol

It was in the 50's yeasterday, I mowed the back lawn. (the grass hasn't really grown, I was just chopping leaves. I miss snow at the holidays... not big drifts to shovel out of the drive, just a nice clean white blanket and some fat flakes for atmosphere.

Pixie I would love to visit my sister, but DH can't get away from work at the Holidays (works in Retail) he's lucky to get a day off between Halloween and Christmas. Poor man is exhausted. I will survive. We will conference call... and look forward to next year!

My middle brother had blond curls (actually still does) as a baby, we used to dress him up and push him around the neighborhood in a pram. We all cried when dad took him to the barber for the first time....

Just didn't seem fair, bald little girls and boys with golden tresses...

Hi Ladies,

I will be posting partners on Monday. I have sent emails to those that I haven't heard responses from just to make sure they are still interested in this swap. If ya'll don't mind please put a lil note on here between now and Monday evening confirming that you are still interested. I am pretty sure of everyone but two but just to make sure, ya know.

Good dreams ma dear friends (ok so what does the Pix think about when she lays down to sleep????) (answer that and I'll send a special prize!)

Niters,
Pixie

Hi Pixie

I would guess (in spite of those michievous pixie ways) that she thinks of her children as she lays down to sleep.

Frances

Trina - I'm still in!

I'll guess you think about being outside surrounded by nature and feeling totally free or worries and sadness. Thinking about total peace is a wondeful way to fall asleep for me.

Good Morning! Frances, my hat is off to your hubby! I worked in retail through many Christmas Seasons and know how tired and worn out he must be every evening when he comes home. Thank goodness I am one of the civilians now! LOL! I try to make an effort to get the cashiers to smile a little after waiting on all of the hardcore shoppers. It is always nice when they chear up and give a Merry Christmas as I walk away.

Miss Pixie, I think that pixies count their blessing and say prayers for all of their wee little friends and kiddos, furry and the people kind.

{{gwi:1307721}}

I'm still in! Love reading about everyone! Galium-my heart goes out to you! Hope it can be controlled well with meds!
Have a great day everyone! Melinda

Tracy, I do believe it gets worse every year. Marketing people who work nice 9-5 jobs have great ideas for openning early and closing late (yes I do know the preasure they are under to increase sales) but they just don't seem to reallise how difficult it is to get people who want to work those hours! The hard working ones work harder and the others ones don't.

I cheer every cashier and sales person that can manage to smile in this season...

Happy Sunday!
frances

I'm still in. Somebody has been stealing about 4 hours from my day every day lately so I don't get on here so much right now, but I'm here and need this swap. :-)

'Tis the Season to be Decorating, Baking, Cooking, Shopping, Partying, Singing, & Wrapping! Falalalala lalalala!

Terri, I know just what you mean! LOL! I pop in here for a 5 minute break! I just finished decorating my front porch with evergreen roping and big red and gold puffy bows. Now I need to make something up for the lamp post. Falalalala lalalala!

Frances, I was a manager back in the day and had to be the bad guy to tell the workers what upper management decided to do to us during the holidays. Front line grinch is how they all saw me. Early openings with later and later closings. I can't imagine how the retailers are coping with these insane doors opening at 6am and closing at midnight or later.

Hello Pixie;
I'm in. Thanks diene

Hi Ladies, Thanks for letting me know that everyone is still in. Fox drew names already wink wink but I am going to wait a lil bit to post them.

For all that answered the pixie question last night a surprise will be awaiting you sometime this week. This pixie thinks about everything (ya know the saying "you think too much?" well that shoe fits me!)

I haven't felt very well today, YUCKY but not sick if ya know what I mean. I have been just laying around not doing anything at all.

I will be back on soon.

Smiles,
Pixie

I'm still in. Christmas time is so special.
Jeanne

Aw, Pix, I hope you are feeling a little better.

Pix, feel better girl, we'll be waiting:) Patiently......

LOL, this is me! Hurting here...but I'll be ok. I never got it through my head that me & ladders don't like each other:(

Sassy, Oh NO! You poor girl! I hope you didn't get hurt too badly! Ladders and I aren't friends either. I don't go higher than the 2nd rung! NUH UH! No how!

Eeeek! Ms. Sassy, are you OK???

We lost electricity until 4am last night with that nasty storm that blew in from the west. We had 50mph winds and rain, sleet, snow, lightning, thunder! The Works! I think someone ordered up a storm with everything on it! this morning we have a petty coating of ice and snow. It is still gently falling down on my freshly decorated front porch! What timing! The roping and bows looks so pretty with the snow sitting on top!

Oh, Tracy - I'm sorry to hear about that! Cold!!! Here I was worried about the power, and you are the one that lost it! At least it looks pretty, huh? Stay safe, sweetie!
Becki

hmmm....

Storm with the works!

I think that would be me..... sorry about that, but we're do for just about anything wet....

Glad to hear you survived! (It helps that snow makes the decorations look nice)

OK, this morning the snow was pretty, now the wind kicked back up and is turning the snow into little tiny frozen missiles. Frances, please order the storms to come with 50 degree temperatures! Please? Pretty Please?

Becki, it wasn't too bad last night. We were all snuggled up under blankets in the living room by the fire. That storm was pretty wicked. I can see exactly why you were so concerned about Dave driving home in all that. The winds were blowing my van around today when I drove Dan to school, I can't imagine driving a bigger truck through that. We have a few more days of this and then the Alberta Clipper is coming to visit!

Afternoon Ladies,

Sassy I hope you didn't hurt yourself bad sweetie!!!

Tracy YUCKIE on that storm sheesh! Here the weather was low 80's yesterday and WOW today the high is just to get to the mid 50's! (WAS NOT EXPECTING THIS!!!) It is very pretty and sunny outside though but sheesh kinda a tad on the cold side for me!

Double checked my list and have to redo it real quickly so going to post partners At 2.30 Central time.

Smiles,
confused Pixie

ok Im ready, sheesh I HATE MATH!!!! My confusion stemmed to not realizing that ya can't split 17 in half equally DUHHHH TRINA!!!

Here are the partners...

Tracy to Becky (Ramazz)
Mariann to Frances
Monica to Sassy
Sassy to Brenda
Frances to Beckiluv
Terri to Melissa
Melissa to Moonphase
Anita to Terri
Jeanne to Flora26 (Jenn)
Melinda to Monica
Moonphase to Melinda
Becki to Jeanne
Diene to Pixie
Brenda to Traci
Jenn to Diene
Pixie to Marianne & Anita

Please let me know if I have missed someone, I hope notttt.

Smiles and have fun
Pixie

laughing out loud! Please don't cut me in half! Trina, you don't have to send to 2 people. You have a list of 17 people. Put 17 names in a hat and draw one and then that goes to the person at the top of the list and do the same thing running all the way through the list. It works out just fine.

OK so today is Blonde Pixie day, Forget the above list, just ignore it completely. lol ok going to do this right this time.

Thanks Tracy sweetie lol.

BRB with the GOOD LIST

lol hey it worked!!! Ok let me explain, the first list that fox did confused me big time sorry about passing that confusion on.

THIS IS THE GOOD LIST

Traci to Jeanne
Marianne to Beckiluv
Monica to Terri
Frances to Traci
Sassy to Melinda
Melissa to Flora26 (Jenn)
Terri to Sassy
Anita to Mariann
Jeanne to Brenda
Melinda to Frances
Brenda to Becky (Ramazz)
Jenn to Anita
Moonphase to Melissa
Beckiluv to Diene
Diene to Pixie
Becky (Ramazz) to Monica
Pixie to Moonphase

OK PLEASE let me know if I left anyone off.

Smiles,
Pixie

Jeanne, I can't wait to send you some Christmas Blessings and good luck to your Gardens!

Pix, feel better girl, we'll be waiting:) Patiently......

LOL, this is me! Hurting here...but I'll be ok. I never got it through my head that me & ladders don't like each other:(