I need a Silent Night....

Writing Christmas cards, buying gifts, wrapping presents, Christmas cupcakes for the scouts, searching for the "perfect" surprises, some handmade gifts, Christmas parties, decking the halls, baking, school programs, teacher presents...then throw in the standard Cub Scout meeting (and another patch), ballet classes, grocery shopping, visits to the gym, laundry, etc. Whew! This song just sums it all up!

My sister-in-law played this for me saying it reminded her of me. That comment worried me a bit at first, because our tastes in music can differ some! (Yes, Janet, I think Sugarland fakes their country accent!!!!) But she hit the nail on the head! Plus, I adore Amy Grant!

**I know I volunteer for a lot of this stuff on my own, but that's the spirit of the season, right?!?!




I promise to get my Silent Nights soon!!!

Ready~
Laurie


P.S. Here are the lyrics!

I've made the same mistake before
Too many malls, too many stores
December traffic, Christmas rush
It breaks me till I push and shove

Children are crying while mothers are trying
To photograph Santa and sleigh
The shopping and buying and standing forever in line
What can I say?

I need a silent night, a holy night
To hear an angel voice through the chaos and the noise
I need a midnight clear, a little peace right here
To end this crazy day with a silent night

December comes then disappears
Faster and faster every year
Did my own mother keep this pace
Or was the world a different place?

Where people stayed home wishing for snow
Watching three channels on their TV
Look at us now rushing around
Trying to buy Christmas peace

I need a silent night, a holy night
To hear an angel voice through the chaos and the noise
I need a midnight clear, a little peace right here
To end this crazy day with a silent night

What was it like back there in Bethlehem
With peace on earth, good will toward men?

Every shepherd's out in the field
Keeping watch over their flock by night
And the glory of the Lord shone around them
And they were so afraid

And the angels said fear not for behold
I bring you good news of a great joy that shall be for all people
For unto you is born this day a Savior, who is Christ the Lord
And his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Prince of Peace

I need a silent night, a holy night
To hear an angel voice through the chaos and the noise
I need a midnight clear, a little peace right here
To end this crazy day with a silent night
To end this crazy day with a silent night

Little surprises!

Don't you just love those mornings when you sleep in a little and can smell the sweet aroma of breakfast being made? Well, this morning, that is just what I did. But as I turned over and peeked out of one eye, I noticed that John was still in bed next to me. So wait, how am I smelling breakfast if John is still nestled all snug in the bed?!?!

I hopped out of my warm cocoon and hurried down the stairs to find this....



Sam wanted to make the four of us breakfast. Toast, more specifically. (At least he didn't attempt pancakes or scrambled eggs!) Look at his proud face...

Yep, it's toasted!




Voila, the finished product. If you look hard enough, you can see the butter that he put on!



What a great way to wake up. Emeril has nuthin' on this guy!

BAM!~
Laurie

P.S. I wonder when I can teach him to make the coffee?

Oh, the fun of it all....

The Christmas season itself is just a wonderful, fun time of year! The bright lights and anticipation of Santa fills the days with such joy. So what could make this season any better you ask? You did ask, right?!?! Well, the answer is easy... it's the great movies that are shown repeatedly on an almost daily basis! You know the ones I'm talking about...Christmas Vacation, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, and A Christmas Story! Did you think I was going to say White Christmas or Miracle on 34th Street?!? Well, those are good, but they just can't beat the "dysfunctional Griswold get-together", or Ralphie being told constantly "You'll shoot your eye out!" or Cindy Loo Hoo melting the heart of the mean old Grinch!

So, I decided to pay tribute to these great flicks. Can you see any resemblances:









I tried to get John to dress up in a short robe like Cousin Eddie in Christmas Vacation, but he would have none of that! Oh well.



Jingling all the way~
Laurie

Here's a question for you.....

What is one of the fastest (and least fun) ways to spend a large amount of money!?!??! No, not throwing it out the window -- that might be more fun.

Here's your answer:




A new driveway!


I'm still looking for the positive side of this. Still thinking, still...


Ummmmm, still thinking~
Laurie

**************Edited to add********************

O.K., here are my positive thoughts. At least we're able to replace it...and, if it's not fixed now, we may end up losing one of the children in one of the ever-widening cracks. So there, I looked at the sunny side!

I am thankful for

my family...all of them!










"Other things may change us, but we start and end with the family." ~Anthony Brandt

You don't choose your family. They are God's gift to you, as you are to them. ~Desmond Tutu

Families are the compass that guide us. They are the inspiration to reach great heights, and our comfort when we occasionally falter.
~Brad Henry

Thankful~
Laurie

I am thankful for

my friends!


Friends grow up together (thirty years strong!)...


Vacation together...



Stand in line to vote together at 5:45 a.m.!!!


Giggle together...


Have plain ol'fun together...



"I keep my friends as misers do their treasure, because, of all the things granted us by wisdom, none is greater or better than friendship." ~Pietro Aretino


Friendship is unnecessary, like philosophy, like art.... It has no survival value; rather it is one of those things that give value to survival. ~C.S. Lewis


Some people come into our lives and quickly go. Some stay for a while, leave footprints on our hearts, and we are never, ever the same. ~Flavia Weedn

Feeling lucky~
Laurie

I am thankful for

our church...

www.afumc.org

Why? Well, an easy example..... the first story of this week's sermon was about our minister going to the dermatologist to have a wart removed! Yep, and it only got better from there! He is quite the storyteller and does a perfect job of tying in his stories with the teachings of the Bible. Even a wart!!!

Now, if we can get ourselves in there every week, who knows what else we'd hear!?!?

Learning from His stories~
Laurie