12 Days of Christmas

In the coming days I'm about to list 12 things that I 'want' for Christmas. When starting this I thought "what did this mean or stand for originally?". I did some searching and came up with this explanation. So let's all remember to keep "Christ" in Christmas, it can be hard when all this commercialism starts.

From 1558 until 1829 CE, Roman Catholics in England were not allowed to practice their faith openly. Someone during that era wrote this carol as catechism song for young Catholics. It has two levels of meaning; the surface meaning, plus a hidden meaning known only to members of their church.


Each element in the carol has a code word for a religious reality, which the children could remember.


a.. The partridge in a pear tree was Jesus Christ.


b.. Two turtle doves were the Old and New Testaments.


c.. Three French hens stood for faith, hope and love.


d.. The four calling birds were the four gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.


e.. The five golden rings recalled the Torah or Law, the first five books of the Old Testament.


f.. The six geese a-laying stood for the six days of creation.


g.. Seven swans a-swimming represented the sevenfold gifts of the Holy Spirit: Prophesy, Serving, Teaching, Exhortation, Contribution, Leadership, and Mercy.


h.. The eight maids a milking were the eight beattitudes.


i.. Nine ladies dancing were the nine fruits of the Holy Ghost: Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness, Self-control.


j.. The ten lords a-leaping were the Ten Commandments.


k.. Eleven pipers piping stood for the eleven faithful disciples.


l.. Twelve drummers drumming symbolized the twelve points of belief in the Apostles' Creed.


So there is your history lesson for today. I found this interesting and now I know how this "very strange" song became a xmas carol.

Big Announcement

I've been dying to tell you our 'big announcement'. Our son and dil were over recently and they had made this adorable shirt for lil Muffin. I never got it... they had to say "LOOK!".





I've been keeping this back for a few weeks because they wanted to tell a few more people themselves. Not that anyone probably reads this blog and would spread it, but I like to be extra careful. So congratulations to all of us lol.

Just so you know every time they get a new dog that means another baby is coming lol. I'm sure that is just a coincidence, but that's how it's working so far *smile*. They got Fred (a golden doodle) and then a couple months later announced Muffins arrival, recently they got Jake (another golden doodle) and Pumpkin will be here in July. Yikes! Hope that isn't a pattern, because if they are going for more kids that house is going to get full real fast. Right now they have 3 cats, 2 dogs and 1 baby with #2 coming this summer.

The Christmas Cookie Club by Ann Pearlman

(Prologue)...."I AM THE HEAD COOKIE bitch and this is my party. The Christmas Cookie Club is always on the first Monday of December. Mark it on your calendar. Twelve of us gather, bringing thirteen dozen cookies wrapped in packages. Home-made, of course. We bring a dish to pass around and a bottle of wine".......

The Christmas Cookie Club, is a tradition started some sixteen years earlier. Marnie (the head cookie bitch) and eleven of her closest friends, have kept this tradition going. The friends share how they met, their joys, their struggles, their disappointments, and more. They laugh together and cry together. Their stories are told in twelve alternating chapters, each of which includes a tasty sounding Christmas cookie recipe for readers to try.


This was a perfect Christmas read for me. It gets me in the mood to start baking and get in touch with more of my friends that I just correspond with at Christmas time. Sometimes I really miss having life long friends like they are in this book. I think maybe I didn't have enough 'hardships' in my life. Not that I want any! The book tells of how friends met and became close as they helped one another through hard times and good times. They didn't give 'in depth' character builds, but a brief review of how they knew each other and what was going on in their lives at this time. I really enjoyed this as a quick read bringing back memories of many of my friends through the years. Oh yeah, there are 12 recipes and they looked good enough to try :)

Whiteout by Ken Follett

An injured lab technician, a missing canister. Toni Gallo, the attractive new head of the security team operating at the local pharmaceutical-research company, knows she has problems, but she has no idea of the nightmare to come.

As his family converges on a remote farmhouse in Scotland for the Christmas period. Stanley Oxenford is a worried man. Everything is riding on a new drug he has developed to fight a lethal virus; all have something to gain with the money he’s going to make. Toni Gallo, too, is out to prove herself as a woman up to her job. Then a blizzard whips out of the north, and as the storm worsens, the emotional sparks – jealousies, distrust and sexual attraction – crackle; desperate secrets are revealed; hidden traitors and unexpected heroes emerge. Filled with startling twists at every turn, WHITEOUT rockets Follett into a class by himself.


This was another book I started and just kept turning the pages. The author did a good job of developing the characters and they came alive before your eyes. I found myself screaming “I can’t believe he did that!”. Great book.

Your Christmas is Modern

I saw this quiz over at Stacey's and thought I'd share what my Christmas is. The year sure is flying by, but let's not forget Thanksgiving is this month and we need to be thankful for all that we do and have.

Your Christmas is Modern

Your wish for the New Year is more happiness. For you, Christmas is a spiritual holiday. You can't separate it from your beliefs. You are patient when it comes to Christmas. You don't celebrate too early, and you don't like seeing holiday decorations in October. You like Christmas traditions, but you're not uptight about them. You do things your way. You like to celebrate Christmas your own way, and you don't like to have to compromise. You enjoy Christmas more than anyone you know. Some might call it an obsession! You give a big during the holidays but nowhere near as much as you'd like to.

What Does Your Christmas Say About You?

Blogthings: If Quizzes Are Outlawed, Only Outlaws Will Take Quizzes

Rate This Video

My friend's son is the awesome #9 in this video. They're looking for ratings to receive $15,000 for their school from State Farm.

Please rate this video on Youtube to help our High School win $15,000.
Help our district win up to $15,000!
State Farm has a “Friday Night Feats Video Contest”, and we have entered a clip of our own Howell Highlander #9 Bryce Lindberg ! However, the only way we can win is with your help.
Go to the following link and rate the video; rate it as high as you can! To get into the finals, we need the most, and highest ratings, so tell all your friends to log on and rate it!
Go here to rate this video


I'm hoping you all go do this today - it's really important!! Go #9!! They have another playoff game tonight in Holt.

Courtroom Quotations

I found this on my dil's facebook. Talk about funny.

Courtroom Quotations

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------



The following quotations are taken from official court records across the nation, showing how funny and embarrassing it is that recorders operate at all times in courts of law, so that even the slightest inadvertence is preserved for posterity.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

◦Lawyer: "Was that the same nose you broke as a child?"
◦Witness: "I only have one, you know."

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

◦Lawyer: "Now, Mrs. Johnson, how was your first marriage terminated?"
◦Witness: "By death."
◦Lawyer: "And by whose death was it terminated?"

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

◦Accused, Defending His Own Case: "Did you get a good look at my face when I took your purse?"
The defendant was found guilty and sentenced to ten years in jail.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

◦Lawyer: "What is your date of birth?"
◦Witness: "July 15th."
◦Lawyer: "What year?"
◦Witness: "Every year."

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

◦Lawyer: "Can you tell us what was stolen from your house?"
◦Witness: "There was a rifle that belonged to my father that was stolen from the hall closet."
◦Lawyer: "Can you identify the rifle?"
◦Witness: "Yes. There was something written on the side of it."
◦Lawyer: "And what did the writing say?"
◦Witness: "'Winchester'!"

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

◦Lawyer: "What gear were you in at the moment of the impact?"
◦Witness: "Gucci sweats and Reeboks."

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

◦Lawyer: "Can you describe what the person who attacked you looked like?"
◦Witness: "No. He was wearing a mask."
◦Lawyer: "What was he wearing under the mask?"
◦Witness: "Er...his face."

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

◦Lawyer: "This myasthenia gravis -- does it affect your memory at all?"
◦Witness: "Yes."
◦Lawyer: "And in what ways does it affect your memory?"
◦Witness: "I forget."
◦Lawyer: "You forget. Can you give us an example of something that you've forgotten?"

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

◦Lawyer: "How old is your son, the one living with you?"
◦Witness: "Thirty-eight or thirty-five, I can't remember which."
◦Lawyer: "How long has he lived with you?"
◦Witness: "Forty-five years."

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

◦Lawyer: "What was the first thing your husband said to you when he woke that morning?"
◦Witness: "He said, 'Where am I, Cathy?'"
◦Lawyer: "And why did that upset you?"
◦Witness: "My name is Susan."

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

◦Lawyer: "Sir, what is your IQ?"
◦Witness: "Well, I can see pretty well, I think."

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

◦Lawyer: "Did you blow your horn or anything?"
◦Witness: "After the accident?"
◦Lawyer: "Before the accident."
◦Witness: "Sure, I played for ten years. I even went to school for it."

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

◦Lawyer: "Trooper, when you stopped the defendant, were your red and blue lights flashing?"
◦Witness: "Yes."
◦Lawyer: "Did the defendant say anything when she got out of her car?"
◦Witness: "Yes, sir."
◦Lawyer: "What did she say?"
◦Witness: "'What disco am I at?'"

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

◦Lawyer: "Doctor, before you performed the autopsy, did you check for a pulse?"
◦Witness: "No."
◦Lawyer: "Did you check for blood pressure?"
◦Witness: "No."
◦Lawyer: "Did you check for breathing?"
◦Witness: "No."
◦Lawyer: "So, then it is possible that the patient was alive when you began the autopsy?"
◦Witness: "No."
◦Lawyer: "How can you be so sure, Doctor?"
◦Witness: "Because his brain was sitting on my desk in a jar."
◦Lawyer: "But could the patient have still been alive nevertheless?"
◦Witness: "Yes, it is possible that he could have been alive and practicing law somewhere."

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

◦Lawyer: "How far apart were the vehicles at the time of the collision?"

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

◦Lawyer: "And you check your radar unit frequently?"
◦Officer: "Yes, I do."
◦Lawyer: "And was your radar unit functioning correctly at the time you had the plaintiff on radar?"
◦Officer: "Yes, it was malfunctioning correctly."

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

◦Lawyer: "What happened then?"
◦Witness: "He told me, he says, 'I have to kill you because you can identify me.'"
◦Lawyer: "Did he kill you?"
◦Witness: "No."

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

◦Lawyer: "Now sir, I'm sure you are an intelligent and honest man--"
◦Witness: "Thank you. If I weren't under oath, I'd return the compliment."

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

◦Lawyer: "You were there until the time you left, is that true?"

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

◦Lawyer: "So you were gone until you returned?"

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

◦Lawyer: "The youngest son, the 20 year old, how old is he?"

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

◦Lawyer: "Were you alone or by yourself?"

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

◦Lawyer: "How long have you been a French Canadian?"

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

◦Witness: "He was about medium height and had a beard."
◦Lawyer: "Was this a male or a female?"

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

◦Lawyer: "Mr. Slatery, you went on a rather elaborate honeymoon, didn't you?"
◦Witness: "I went to Europe, sir."
◦Lawyer: "And you took your new wife?"

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

◦Lawyer: "I show you Exhibit 3 and ask you if you recognize that picture."
◦Witness: "That's me."
◦Lawyer: "Were you present when that picture was taken?"

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

◦Lawyer: "Were you present in court this morning when you were sworn in?"

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

◦Lawyer: "Do you know how far pregnant you are now?"
◦Witness: "I'll be three months on November 8."
◦Lawyer: "Apparently, then, the date of conception was August 8?"
◦Witness: "Yes."
◦Lawyer: "What were you doing at that time?"

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

◦Lawyer: "How many times have you committed suicide?"
◦Witness: "Four times."

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

◦Lawyer: "Do you have any children or anything of that kind?"

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

◦Lawyer: "She had three children, right?"
◦Witness: "Yes."
◦Lawyer: "How many were boys?"
◦Witness: "None."
◦Lawyer: "Were there girls?"

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

◦Lawyer: "You don't know what it was, and you didn't know what it looked like, but can you describe it?"

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

◦Lawyer: "You say that the stairs went down to the basement?"
◦Witness: "Yes."
◦Lawyer: "And these stairs, did they go up also?"

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

◦Lawyer: "Have you lived in this town all your life?"
◦Witness: "Not yet."

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

◦Lawyer: (realizing he was on the verge of asking a stupid question) "Your Honor, I'd like to strike the next question."

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

◦Lawyer: "Do you recall approximately the time that you examined the body of Mr. Eddington at the Rose Chapel?"
◦Witness: "It was in the evening. The autopsy started about 8:30pm."
◦Lawyer: "And Mr. Eddington was dead at the time, is that correct?"

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

◦Lawyer: "What is your brother-in-law's name?"
◦Witness: "Borofkin."
◦Lawyer: "What's his first name?"
◦Witness: "I can't remember."
◦Lawyer: "He's been your brother-in-law for years, and you can't remember his first name?"
◦Witness: "No. I tell you, I'm too excited." (rising and pointing to his brother-in-law) "Nathan, for heaven's sake, tell them your first name!"

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

◦Lawyer: "Did you ever stay all night with this man in New York?"
◦Witness: "I refuse to answer that question.
◦Lawyer: "Did you ever stay all night with this man in Chicago?"
◦Witness: "I refuse to answer that question.
◦Lawyer: "Did you ever stay all night with this man in Miami?"
◦Witness: "No."

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

◦Lawyer: "Doctor, did you say he was shot in the woods?"
◦Witness: "No, I said he was shot in the lumbar region."

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

◦Lawyer: "What is your marital status?"
◦Witness: "Fair."

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

◦Lawyer: "Are you married?"
◦Witness: "No, I'm divorced."
◦Lawyer: "And what did your husband do before you divorced him?"
◦Witness: "A lot of things I didn't know about."

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

◦Lawyer: "And who is this person you are speaking of?"
◦Witness: "My ex-widow said it.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

◦Lawyer: "How did you happen to go to Dr. Cherney?"
◦Witness: "Well, a gal down the road had had several of her children by Dr. Cherney and said he was really good."

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

◦Lawyer: "Doctor, how many autopsies have you performed on dead people?"
◦Witness: "All my autopsies have been performed on dead people."

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

◦Lawyer: "Were you acquainted with the deceased?"
◦Witness: "Yes sir."
◦Lawyer: "Before or after he died?"

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

◦Lawyer: "Mrs. Jones, is your appearance this morning pursuant to a deposition notice which I sent to your attorney?"
◦Witness: "No. This is how I dress when I go to work."

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

◦The Court: "Now, as we begin, I must ask you to banish all present information and prejudice from your minds, if you have any."

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

◦Lawyer: "Did he pick the dog up by the ears?"
◦Witness: "No."
◦Lawyer: "What was he doing with the dog's ears?"
◦Witness: "Picking them up in the air."
◦Lawyer: "Where was the dog at this time?"
◦Witness: "Attached to the ears."

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

◦Lawyer: "When he went, had you gone and had she, if she wanted to and were able, for the time being excluding all the restraints on her not to go, gone also, would he have brought you, meaning you and she, with him to the station?"
◦Other Lawyer: "Objection. That question should be taken out and shot."

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

◦Lawyer: "And lastly, Gary, all your responses must be oral. Ok? What school do you go to?"
◦Witness: "Oral."
◦Lawyer: "How old are you?"
◦Witness: "Oral."

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

◦Lawyer: "What is your relationship with the plaintiff?"
◦Witness: "She is my daughter."
◦Lawyer: "Was she your daughter on February 13, 1979?"

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

◦Lawyer: "Now, you have investigated other murders, have you not, where there was a victim?"

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

◦Lawyer: "Now, doctor, isn't it true that when a person dies in his sleep, in most cases he just passes quietly away and doesn't know anything about it until the next morning?"

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

◦Lawyer: "And what did he do then?"
◦Witness: "He came home, and next morning he was dead."
◦Lawyer: "So when he woke up the next morning he was dead?"

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

◦Lawyer: "Did you tell your lawyer that your husband had offered you indignities?"
◦Witness: "He didn't offer me nothing. He just said I could have the furniture."

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

◦Lawyer: "So, after the anesthesia, when you came out of it, what did you observe with respect to your scalp?"
◦Witness: "I didn't see my scalp the whole time I was in the hospital."
◦Lawyer: "It was covered?"
◦Witness: "Yes, bandaged."
◦Lawyer: "Then, later on...what did you see?"
◦Witness: "I had a skin graft. My whole buttocks and leg were removed and put on top of my head."

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

◦Lawyer: "Could you see him from where you were standing?"
◦Witness: "I could see his head."
◦Lawyer: "And where was his head?"
◦Witness: "Just above his shoulders."

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

◦Lawyer: "Do you drink when you're on duty?"
◦Witness: "I don't drink when I'm on duty, unless I come on duty drunk."

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

◦Lawyer: "Any suggestions as to what prevented this from being a murder trial instead of an attempted murder trial?"
◦Witness: "The victim lived."

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

◦Lawyer: "The truth of the matter is that you were not an unbiased, objective witness, isn't it? You too were shot in the fracas."
◦Witness: "No, sir. I was shot midway between the fracas and the naval."

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

◦Lawyer: "Officer, what led you to believe the defendant was under the influence?"
◦Witness: "Because he was argumentary, and he couldn't pronunciate his words."

I forgot to warn you if you're at work or someplace you should be quiet, because I did laugh out loud a couple of times.

Top Commenters

I was just thinking how I made mention of my Top Droppers and thought "aren't the Top Commenters just as important?". So to all my faithful commenters here's a big THANK YOU to you.

1.B Boys Mom (19)
2.Becki (11)
3.Michelle (8)
4.The Adventures of Grunty and Chubbs (7)
5.Lynne (6)
6.siteseer (oops this is me) (5)
7.Vixen (5)
8.Diana - FreeStyleMama (4)
9.Shannon (3)
10.Wendy (2)


I think it's funny that I'm on my own list - guess that means that I'm answering some questions. lol

Car Seat Ponchos

I've recently learned that children are safer in their car seats if they don't have on a fluffy winter coat. Evidently, the tighter the seat is on the child the safer it is for them. My friend at work bought her son one last year to the tune of $50.00. When my son mentioned that they were probably going to buy one I got motivated and made a couple for my granddaughters. I just googled it and went from there. No pattern was required and they were really quick and easy.



These two ponchos are practically identical. The color is more of a rose pink.



I used the same amount of fabric (42" squared) for both the infant and toddler car seats. Lil Peanut loves to wear it and twirl around. They are definitely cozy warm and it's easy to either cover their heads while you buckle them in or just work under the poncho. The ones I made happen to be two layers because the pretty kitty fabric didn't feel thick enough so I bought the same amount of a solid pink and made it reversible. I also figured out a little hat... don't know if they'll actually wear them, but I had the fabric. Some of the directions I found also had mittens made of the fleece that looked real simple.

Isn't the internet amazing?!

October Ecard Droppers

Thanks to all my visitors, but especially those that found the time to visit as often as these did.

All Stace, All the Time 29
Harmony In Motion 28
I will have the... 26
Get outside 25
Free Junk Easy Money 24
Did I miss something 24
Rambling Unsettled Vagabond 24
The Bubba Effect 23
Wii Mommies 23
The Sewing Mom 23

Thanks again, and I'm going to try real hard to make it on someone - anyone's top dropper list.