Five Question Friday 11/20

 This is my first Five Question Friday.  I'm looking forward to partcipating and hopping on around to other blogs curteousy of Mama M and I hope you do the same.   

Here are the questions for today...

1. Are you a Black Friday shopper?

2. What was your favorite childhood toy? (Think Easy Bake Oven, Cabbage Patch Kid, Shrinky Dinks, etc.)

3. Favorite Christmas movie?

4. What is the "must have" item on your Christmas list this year?

5. Do you go all out with decorations or do you keep it simple and classy?
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1. Are you a Black Friday shopper?   

Yes, normally, but this year is not normal.   Let me explain.  My daughter has a birthday in mid November.  Our usually tradition is to go shopping on black Friday and let her spend her birthday money (and hopefully get some awesome deals).  This year she had her eye on a big ticket item an all her shopping is already done.  So instead of fighting the crowds I will be relaxing with some of my family.

2. What was your favorite childhood toy? (Think Easy Bake Oven, Cabbage Patch Kid, Shrinky Dinks, etc.)  Oh my goodness!  I have to choose just one??  I loved so many toys growing up!  How can a person have just one?  If I had to narrow it down I'd have to say the Easy Bake Oven was probably my favorite.  Although my mom hated it and all the mess and work involved so I didn't get to play with mine too much.  Guess I know what I'll be doing with my grandkids some day in the far, far away future.




3. Favorite Christmas movie?The Jim Carey version of the "The Grinch."  I absolutely love it!  Of course every year I MUST watch Frosty & Rudolph.  Those aren't really considered movies are they? They are only 30 minutes long.




4. What is the "must have" item on your Christmas list this year? 

The only must have on my Christmas list this year is being with my family.  There are some items I would like to have, but the only MUST have is being together.  Oh, and just in case my husband, or anybody else that might like to buy me gifts for Christmas, is reading the things I would like to have include.... gift cards to Hobby Lobby (to buy painting supplies for my new hobby), Bath & Body Works, Cato, & maybe Wal-Mart.  That would just about cover it! ;)

5. Do you go all out with decorations or do you keep it simple and classy? 

I’m ashamed to admit it, but I do very little (and I do mean VERY little) decorating for Christmas.  I put out a few (and I do mean VERY few) Christmas decorations.  I don’t even put up a tree.  Now, before you guys start calling me the Grinch let me explain.  We live a long way from our family and we always travel back to be with our family for Christmas.  Since we really aren’t home for Christmas we just enjoy everyone else’s decorations.  Another reason we don’t put up a tree is because we don’t have one.  Some parts of ours got lost when we moved and we have yet to invest in a new one (and don’t even get me started about having a real tree).  I am thinking that after Christmas this year I may take advantage of the after Christmas sales and get a good deal on a tree.  The only problem then will be figuring out how to get it back to our house.  

Ok, there you have it.  My first Five Question Friday.  If you'd like to join in just link back here!

Thank God For Kids

Went to see the Gaithers last night with a friend.  Had a good time. Lots of songs I grew up on.  Brought up lots of memories.  Especially of my grandparents.  They would have loved it!  One of my favorite songs sang last night was this one...

Thank God For Kids

If it weren't for kids have you ever thought,
There wouldn't be no Santa Claus,
Or look what the stork just brought
Thank God for kids.
And we'd all live in a quiet house
Without Big Bird or a Mickey Mouse
Or Kool-aid on the couch
Thank God for kids.

Chorus:
Thank God for kids there's magic for a while
A special kind of sunshine in a smile
Do you ever stop to think or wonder why
The nearest thing to heaven is a child.

Daddy, how does this thing fly?
And a hundred other where's and why's
I really don't know but I try
Thank God for kids.
When I look down in those trusting eyes
That look to me I realize
There's love that I can't buy
Thank God for kids.

Chorus:
Thank God for kids there's magic for a while
A special kind of sunshine in a smile
Do you ever stop to think or wonder why
The nearest thing to heaven is a child.

When you get down on your knees tonight
And thank the Lord for His guiding light
And pray they turn out right,
Thank God for kids.
Thank God for kids.

I was thankful for the reminder to be thankful for my kids!  

Thankful Thursday

I try to always be thankful for every blessing I have in this life.  I'm hoping that participating in Welcome to the Nut House's "Thankful Thursdays" is going to help me keep my focus.  There couldn't be a better time of the year to get started than right before Thanksgiving. 

Today I'm thankful for...

• My health
• My family
• My job
• My freedom
• My salvation

There are so many more, but I'll save those for next week.  Oh, and I'm also thankful that you stopped by!  Hope you'll be back!

ORANGE BELT

I am the proud mom of an orange belt! Way to go Cory!! <3

Odds N' Ends

Having a hard time believing that Thanksgiving is next week.  This year has flown by!  It's such a busy time of the year!

We are busy trying to get approved for a new health insurance company.   Got our rates for next year from our current company and just like every other year our rates went up exept this year they went up dramatically while our benefits went down dramatically.  So, we began shopping around and trying to find something to fit our needs and our budget.  Think we found something with HumanaOne.  While it is not great coverage it is certainly better than what we have now.  In the meantime we have to jump through all the hoops.  They are busy checking out our medical history with a fine tooth comb.  While we are fairly healthy, it does make me wonder how those with health problems manage to get and afford health coverage.  Our country is in desperate need of health care reform.  Although under this administration I am afraid of what that reform might ending up being.  I miss the days when having health insurance meant that you could afford to get the medical care that you need.  

My oldest son will be taking his driver's education class starting on Saturday.  Hard to believe I have a child old enough to be driving.  He's 16 and technically he could have been driving solo by now, but he put off the driving class a couple of times now because he didn't want to spend his free time going to driving school - lol.  I don't mind that he put it off, but it has been pushed back long enough.

It's time for us to take a new family picture.  I'm looking for creative ideas for backgrounds, colors to wear, etc.  What have you done to make your family pictures unique and fun? 

Giveaway

Check out this awesome giveaway over at Pardon My Dust!!

New Hobby?

We had a painting class at church today and this is what my finished product looked like.  It was a lot of fun.  I think perhaps I have found a new hobby!  What do you think?