Miscellany Monday

It has been probably ten days since I've blogged, so I'm going to use

Miscellany Monday

as the vehicle to recap all of our Christmas week activities.

[one]

Our first Christmas activity was a family trip to Columbia to Lake Murray Baptist Church for their production of This Man Called Jesus.  What a wonderful experience for our whole family.  We all enjoyed it and were moved by the play. 

[two]

After the play and supper at Fuddruckers (YUMMY!!), we went to Riverbanks Zoo for the Lights Before Christmas.  The decorations and lights were spectacular, and the weather was perfect. 

[three]

On Tuesday and Wednesday, Chuck and I finally got around to doing our Christmas shopping.  We went to Cheraw and Florence and got the few gifts we wanted to purchase.  We also made our yearly donation to heifer.org in honor of our families. 

[four]

The girls and I were busy in the kitchen making delicious goodies for Christmas.  We made peanut butter fudge, pralines, cheese biscuits, sausage balls, sugar cookies, graham cracker goodies, and mints.  Thanks to Big Mama's recipe boxes, we have all of the instructions for the snacks and goodies that have always been a big part of Christmas in my family...

[five]

Saturday night we all attended the FUMC candlelight and communion service.  Afterwards, we had our annual soup and sandwich supper here at our house for the family.  I made veg. soup and broccoli soup, and we had lots of sandwich fixings and goodies.

[six]

After sleeping a little late, we got up on Christmas morning and went to church.  After the beautiful service, we came home to the sweet and spicy smells of breakfast casseroles.  We enjoyed our brunch, and then went into the den to open gifts.  I think that the children got a few things that they needed/wanted, and Chuck and I got a few things too...

[seven]

Christmas supper was a Creech family get-together at Bethel UMC, as we usually do every Christmas and Thanksgiving nights.  I cooked the turkey, dressing, and gravy.  There was so much good food there, and we all left full and happy.


[eight]
Our final Christmas gathering for the week was lunch today at Viv's.  Warren and Emily were here from the Columbia area, so we exchanged gifts with them and the others.  Then, out to the backyard for a corn hole tourney.  Lots and lots of fun was had by all!!

Merry Christmas all!

Christmas Blog Challenge - Days 17 & 18

Days 17 & 18

Show us your Christmas tree

and

Share a picture of yourself and your loved ones....

 

I've been ultra-slack over the past week and have not blogged at all.  I'm going to finish up this blog challenge with two posts rolled into one, and call it a wrap....

Our tree for 2011...I only put up and decorated one this year. 

 Everyone in the family was so surprised!

 Our children:  MJ, Lawren, Josh, and Charles....

My sweetheart and me....ILY, Chuck..

Merry Christmas everyone...

<3

Fill in the Blank Friday

1. My most favorite "little thing" is sleeping late on Saturdays, and then getting up and hanging around the house in my nightclothes.... .

2. I give anything to for the children to willingly help decorate the Christmas tree..

3. I can't believe how awkward it is to talk to some my students about "real life" issues....some of them live on a completely different plane and appear to be being raised by adults with no sense of morals or values. .


4. The one thing I'd like to achieve today is getting the den straightened up so we can semi-decorate for the season....probably won't happen though...


5. The last thing I want to do today is allow stress invade my mind and heart..

6. If I were writing my own blank today, it would say: ...For me, the true meaning of Christmas is...                                  .


7. My favorite candle scent is Twisted Peppermint from Bath and Body Works..

Friday Fill-Ins

1. Sleigh bells ring, are ya listening?


2. It's coming on Christmas, they're cutting down trees ....please bring one to me...



3. You're a mean one, Mr. Grinch....



4. Father Christmas, be good to me, please..

5. Silent night. holy night.  All is calm, all is bright..


6. All I want for Christmas is peace and love in my family!



7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to a quiet time with my family, tomorrow my plans include a play in Columbia, followed by the Lights Before Christmas as the zoo and Sunday, I want to put up our Christmas tree (better late than never)!

Christmas Blog Challenge - Day 16

Day 16

Show us your inside Christmas decorations

Our mantle with stockings and Santa collection....

Buzz...

1. Do you like your middle name or are you embarrassed by it?  Growing up, I was extremely embarrassed by my middle name.  After all, I was named after two UNCLES.  When I became an adult, I learned to appreciate my family name, so much that I gave it to Lawren as her middle name.


2. Have you ever seen a white Christmas?  No, but almost.  One year when Charles was a baby, it snowed on Dec. 26, but it was just a dusting....like we usually get here in the South.


3. Looking back, have you accomplished what you wanted to in life up to this point?  Yes, most definitely.  I have a loving husband, three healthy children, an education, a career, and I'm a follower of Jesus.


4. Do you prefer baking or cooking?  Cooking, but the girls like to bake, so it all works out.


5. What's the website you think you spend the most time on?  Facebook, Blogger, and MSN games....

Alphabe-Thursday "F"

I'm linking up with

Jenny Matlock for this week's edition of

ALPHABE-THURSDAY...

This week's letter is F...

Freestyle - I loved my car....a 2006 Ford Freestyle. It is by far the nicest car I've ever had!  Chuck ordered it from Meggs Ford, so it is a custom-made car just for me.  It was a good one, and we drove it for many years before we had to finally let it go...still sad...but I also love my new car too, a Mercury Mariner...

fingernails - Anyone who knows me knows that I was a nail-biter. I bit my fingernails from the time I had teeth up until about two years ago, and for some unknown reason, I just stopped. My nails are not beautiful, or long, or smooth, or strong, or perfect, but at least I can say that I'm not a nail-biter anymore! Hooray for me!!

firefighters - I live with two brave, loyal firefighters...Chuck and Charles. They are both on the Bennettsville and Wallace Fire Departments. I'm very proud of them and their work in the community. I cannot imagine what it would be like to walk into a burning building, and don't ever want to experience it, but thank GOD that there are those men and women who are willing to risk their lives daily to help others.

Facebook - What can I say? I'm addicted. I peruse the wall to see what people are talking about and usually find out something new each day. I love to look at the new pictures and the funny status updates that are posted. I have played the FB games like Farmville, Cafe World, etc., but really don't any more. I just suddenly lost interest in them. I think that Facebook is a wonderful tool that brings people closer together and makes communication and interactions more convenient, even when people are separated by distance.

Christmas Blog Challenge - Day 15

Day 15

Show us your outside Christmas decorations

I'm sad to admit but we have done no decorating so far, so I have no outside Christmas decorations....boooo me! :(

Alphabe-Thursday "E"

I'm really ashamed of myself....

 I am linking up with Jenny for

ALPHABE-THURSDAY...

 a whole week late!

Last week's letter was E...maybe for "excuse me, please."

earrings – I love earrings! I got my ears pierced for the first time when I was in 5^th grade. I rode my bicycle across town to Dr. Godwin’s office and he gave me a tetanus shot and pierced my ears. My grandmama, Neenie, died a few days later, and I remember being especially upset because she never got to see me with earrings on.

Since then, I’ve had my ears pierced several more times….I actually have four holes in my left ear and two in my right ear….and I love to wear different earrings in each hole!

email – What did we ever do before computers and email? Oh yes, I remember…we wrote letters…on stationery…and put them in addressed envelopes and mailed them. But now, we depend on instantaneous messaging. Email is so quick and efficient. Thank you, inventor of email. I appreciate your contribution to the ease of everyday life!

eucalyptus – After Chuck and I bought our house, Mama gave us a eucalyptus tree to plant in the front yard. The tree is so tall and beautiful now, and its leaves give the whole front yard a soothing, comforting smell.

edelweiss – One of the best scenes in The Sound of Music (my second favorite movie) is when Captain Von Trapp sings “Edelweiss.”

education – My vocation, my calling, my life. Education is so important…it’s one thing that no one can take away from you once you have it.

Education is the movement from darkness to light. ~Allan Bloom

eBay– Just about anything you could ever want can be found on eBay. I started using eBay about 10 years ago when I was really into scrapbooking, but since then have purchased many things, and have even sold books, kids’ clothing, and other miscellaneous items. It is truly the “World’s Marketplace.”

Christmas Blog Challenge - Day 14

Day 14

Most meaningful or best gift ever received

Over the years, I've received a lot of wonderful gifts. These are some of the most meaningful and memorable:

- replacement Winthrop College ring
- diamond engagement ring
- Wizard of Oz Christmas ornaments
- bookcase my brother built
- an airline ticket to Berkeley, CA
- washer and dryer (wedding gifts)

- my children
- my husband
- the love of my family and friends

I am truly thankful for all of the gifts,

tangible and intangible, that I've been given. 

My Happy List

It's been a few weeks since I've linked up with Angie over at

"My So-Called Chaos"

for

MY HAPPY LIST...

so, here goes...

I'm happy that today is Tuesday, and we only have three and a half more days of school before Christmas break!

I'm happy that Jose came back to school yesterday.  His mama died last week, and he's been out...I really missed him too!

I'm happy that Lawren and MJ got their class rings last week....and have not lost them!

I'm happy because I remembered to bring ALL of the pieces to my coffee maker to school and was able to make a pot of hot, caffeinated deliciousness this morning.

I'm happy that the glass repairman replaced the window in my classroom....after at least a month of being in the darkness, and daily staring at a piece of plywood and glass shards.  My mood has improved 100% already!!

I'm happy that our whole family is planning a trip to Riverbanks Zoo for this coming weekend.  I cannot wait to once again experience the "Lights Before Christmas!"

What are you happy about today??