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Our Daily Thread 12-24-14

Good Morning!

It’s Christmas Eve!!!

Today’s header photo is from Janice.

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On this day in 1818 Franz Gruber of Oberndorf, Germany composed the music for “Silent Night” to words written by Josef Mohr. 

In 1851 a fire devastated the Library of Congress in Washington, DC, destroying about 35,000 volumes. 

And in 1968 three astronauts, James A. Lovell, William Anders and Frank Borman, reached the moon. They orbited the moon 10 times before coming back to Earth. Seven months later the first man landed on the moon.  

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Quote of the Day

“T’was the night before Christmas, when all through the house, not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.”

Clement Clarke Moore

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Anyone have a QoD?

75 thoughts on “Our Daily Thread 12-24-14”

  2. Hi Aj, Hi Ann.
    They don’t have no palmetto trees in Atlanta.
    We’re on our way to Greensboro to see the grandkids & greatgrands.
    I have my laptop with me, but likely be busy for the next couple of days.
    Merry Christmas everyone!.

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  3. I can’t sleep. I didn’t go to bed until awfully late and awakened without an alarm clock…I hate it when sleep eludes me…I think I slept a total of about four hours…Not the best way to begin the holiday…I’m not tired at all right now, but am afraid I’ll hit a wall around three. We plan to attend church at four this afternoon and then have reservations at our favorite fancy restaurant at 5:45 (we began this tradition about ten years ago, which I love b/c it means I don’t have to worry about cooking!). After dinner, we’ll drive through our neighborhood to look at Christmas lights, while Becca searches the night sky for Rudolph’s beaming nose….We live in the flight path of a smallish airport, so the blinking red lights from a plane become, in her mind, evidence that Santa is indeed on his way…It’s such fun to have a little one who still believes in Santa–though she also knows the real reason we celebrate is b/c Jesus was born on this day 2014 years ago….

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  6. Becca-boo is now awake..We’ve finished our morning snuggle routine…and she’s chomping at the bit to use my computer to play Minecraft….Just wanted to say good morning to everyone and wish you all the most joyous of days…I am so grateful for this community of believers…Thanks, again, Aj, for providing us with this blog…MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

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  7. Rainy Christmas Eve here in Atlanta. Again, I feel sorry for retailers since the weather has been lousy for shopping and I think a good many people are having illness to keep them from shopping.

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  9. Agree with you, Linda, that Kim is a Bedazzler.

    My friend in CA tends to fold every edge of the paper before wrapping. I don’t usually unless the edge is ragged or uneven. Does anyone else fold down each edge before wrapping?

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  10. I’ve got to get busy making veggie slaw, big fruit salad, cranberry stuff, and some kind of cake or fruit bread. It’s all easy to carry to my brother’s for Christmas dinner. Of course, Miss Bosley is easy to carry in her carrier, and the look on Brother’s face would be priceless, but I think I better not…we do hope for roasted turkey and not cat stew.

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  11. We went out to our favorite Chinese restaurant a couple of days ago. Afterwards we drove around looking at lights. Husband and son were not aware that Christmas at the Grove is nearby. It was a winner in a TV battle of lighted houses. Here is a link that has some videos or if you are on Facebook I saw they have something on there.
    http://www.christmasinthegrove.net/

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  12. I will admit to a little of the bedazzler, except I have no diva in me. In a DISC profile my D hardly measures. I probably am more of the perfectionist—but not this year. I really don’t know where I get this unless it is a combination of Mrs. Brown who is the grandmother of College Boyfriend. She is Northern Italian raised on Staten Island. Every room in her house was decorated for Christmas. College Boyfriend’s mom taught me how to make bows along with a woman I worked with in retail. She always decorated the windows and I helped her.
    Ex-father-in-law deserves some of the credit. He grew up in the printing industry and owned his own printing company, Cotten Printing. The first time he saw me try to wrap a present he said, “That will never do. Come here Shug and let me show you how”. In printing it used to be that things were wrapped in brown craft paper. Really thick paper. He cut perfect edges, folded perfect creases, and barely used tape to hold the whole perfect package together. I think only 3 pieces.

    There is lots here still left undone and they will probably remain so. I was first going to make gumbo tonight, then I thought BG won’t eat that and I was at Publix and they had Classico pasta sauce on sale, so I decided to make white lasagna and got some of what I could remember to make that. This morning I though, ugh, it has spinach in it. BG won’t eat it. So I went into the garage to see if I could find my box of cookbooks to find my manicotti recipe. It looks like a bomb went off in there, so I came back out and am back to the white lasagna and may make BG a smaller pan with no spinach or I might just heat up tomato soup out of a can and tell them all that tomorrow’s dinner will be better. 😉 Of course all of you know me better than that. I am fighting every urge to go unpack the Christmas china. After all, that is why I have it and if I don’t use it I can’t justify having it. See the endless cycle?

    I have picked up another man/child for Christmas. Youngest Son called his dad last night to ask if he would bring his co-worker/friend. I overheard the conversation and told Mr. P to tell him come on over. I can’t stand the thought of a twenty something with no where to go on Christmas or not to be welcome somewhere. Mr. P was a little concerned over where we would put him and we had bought a standing rib roast for tomorrow. Mr Researcher wants to cook it and had determined just how much I needed to buy for 5 of us. A 6th person was going to mess up his serving calculations, so I told him we would cut smaller portions and I would add another side dish. Now I have to figure out where to put people for sleeping arrangements in a 1200 SF house with only two bedrooms set up and the third filled with boxes! Perhaps since they are all young, some can sleep on the floor. Middle Son has the second bedroom. I could put the Youngest Son and Friend on the L shaped sofa. BG could sleep with me, but I don’t know where I would put Mr. P so that won’t work. I could get Son to move the boxes out of the 3rd bedroom and let someone –BG—sleep on the sofa in there. Yeah, that’ll work.

    Now to get a shopping list together, get dress, and brave the grocery store.

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  15. Putting up the neighborhood watch sure did quiet down the neighbors. We will probably take him out today. He is rather used to being put on mouse patrol in odd places. Does not seem to bother him.

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  18. I ordered a book for husband that has not been received yet. I got the book from the library. Should I wrap the library book as a Christmas present with a note that says he will be soon receiving his own copy?

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  20. Well, Christmas is upon us (almost), ready or not. In my case, I’m not much ready, but oh well. One of *those* years.

    And unlike most of the rest of the world around me, I’m working today so there’s only so many last-minute things I can do although I woke up with all KINDS of ideas of things I ought to do — make cookies to bring the convalescent home tomorrow, order a last-minute gift for the friend who’s being housed there, return a couple changed-my-mind/got-something-else gifts to amazon …

    I am hoping to get out of work early today so I can pick Carol up for Christmas Eve services — her former Lutheran church has a 7 p.m. service that should work, though there will be a lot of driving to and fro’ to make it work. If we don’t make that in time, here’s one at 11 p.m.

    Annie’s not around this morning, which is unusual. I let all the animals out at 6:30 a.m., when the sun was coming up (and I deem it safe for the cat, considering there are coyotes here now). But she’s always back in by the time I get up 30-45 minutes later to hit the shower, she knows breakfast isn’t far behind. Still no sign of her …

    Ah, speak of the devil, she just popped in the doggie door and is on the back of the sofa, meowing for food.

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  21. By the way, did you know that Amazon now has “same day” delivery? Order it in the morning, it’ll be on your doorstep by early evening.

    And it doesn’t cost an arm or a leg. But I think you have to live in a metropolitan area where they have local warehouses.

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  22. My first thought of the photo? My, Donna really does go all out for her front yard!

    Lots of cooking here. Would be happy to have folks on the floor and am so pleased Mr. P’s sons are there.

    Feeling sentimental–tears in my eyes thinking of those guys! 🙂

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  23. I may get to the dog park where it will be very cold sometime late tomorrow, but we’ll see.

    I have to work on Friday, too.

    Next year the Christmas & New Year’s holidays land on a Friday, good news for working people everywhere who will at least get a 3-day weekend out of it. 🙂

    These ‘orphan,’ middle-of-the-week holidays are just awkward, being hedged in on either side by regular working days.

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  24. Thanks to you who shared my Death at Christmas post. Nearly 90 people have read it in the last 24 hours.

    No word on our pastor and his father’s death; but another friend’s mother-in-law died yesterday. Lots of death this Christmas; not much peace on earth.

    A busy couple days for us. If I don’t get back, merry Christmas to all and thanks for being a blessing for me this year!

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  25. Musical Advent Calendar – Christmas Eve: The third county carol that Ralph Vaughan Williams used in his “Fantasia on Christmas Carols” was collected by Vaughan Williams himself, from a Mrs. Verall of Monk’s Gate in Sussex

    On Christmas night all Christians sing
    To hear the news the angels bring
    On Christmas night all Christians sing
    To hear the news the angels bring

    Chorus:
    News of great joy news of great mirth
    News of our merciful King’s birth
    When from our sin he set us free
    All for to gain our liberty?

    Then why should men on earth be so sad
    Since our Redeemer made us glad
    Then why should men on earth be so sad
    Since our Redeemer made us glad

    When sin departs before his grace
    Then life and health come in its place
    When in its place, angels and men with joy may sing
    All for to see the new born King

    All out of darkness we have light
    Which made the angels sing this night
    Glory to God and peace to men
    Now and forever more, Amen.

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  27. I tried to post earlier about having tears in my eyes over feeling sentimental over all of you dear blog family members. There needs to be a new word for these types of relationships that are so meaningful, supportive, and based on our solid Rock of Christian faith. May you all have a most blessed and joyous Christmas.

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  29. Just put this on the prayer thread as a praise. My daughter invited me to spend the night tonight so that I can be with them on Christmas morning, exactly what I have been longing for.
    Tears of joy!

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  32. That is wonderful, Jo! So happy for you.

    Christmas shopping finished this morning (hubby did that today), everything wrapped (mom and arrows), grocery shopping to be done this afternoon (mom), and church tonight at 9:00. Hopefully hubby will be done with work by that time so he can come to church with the four youngest and me.

    Not sure if I’ll get back on here the rest of the day, and I know I won’t tomorrow, so I’ll take this time to wish you all a very merry Christmas! You all mean so much to me.

    Blessings~

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  35. You all mean a lot to me, too. It is hard to explain to those who aren’t a part of this how a bunch of people on an online forum can become a loving, supportive community. But we understand, so I guess that’s what’s important.

    ❤ My love, & a Very Merry Christmas, to all of you! ❤

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  36. I braved Wal-Mart. I don’t know what it says that I was swigging Maalox in the parking lot before I left. Actually that was part of the reason I went. It has been coming on for a few days. Terrible heartburn. I have had an ulcer in the past so if I swig Maalox before and after I eat for a while I should be able to control it.
    Stepson and I went into town to pick up the last present–his dad had to go to Pensacola to the VA for some medicine. He bought me lunch. Very sweet. We went to Panini Pete’s
    http://www.paninipetes.com/videos/

    I have put the lasagna together, leaving the spinach off of one end and was about to make white chocolate brownies when I realized the brown sugar was moving on its own. YUCK! Somebody around here is going to have to go back out and get brown sugar.

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  37. Younger daughter went shopping earlier and brought home red carnations with some Christmas decorations in the arrangement (holly and such). Very festive and pretty. We leave in a couple of hours for Christmas Eve at the grandparents’ (they’re local; we’ll go back for Christmas dinner tomorrow).

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  38. Well, you all are having more fun than I am.

    I’m trying to write a story about Zamperini’s grandson while listening to the cop reporter interview a cop on the phone about an arrest of some guy who strangled and tortured a shelter cat he was going to give his girlfriend as a Christmas gift.

    Merry Christmas. Ugh.

    People. 😦 😦 😦

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  41. I repeat the sentiments already expressed about how special this blog community is…I look forward to checking in with you guys and gain much comfort from the prayer thread. I’m not sure how long I’ve been a regular on here…at least a couple of years…but I feel like I know y’all and have become a part of a really special group of believers. I’m an introvert and not very good at making friends in the “real” world, so this is a wonderful outlet for me. I’m also kind of a square peg living in a round-pegged world (while our subdivision is pretty and safe, it’s incredibly homogenous, filled with tennis-playing, botox-using upper-middle class women, with whom I have very little in common). Fortunately, I joined an amazing prayer group about a year ago and have made many friends in it. There are about twenty women in the group and there are none I dislike (which is rare for me, b/c I’m pretty picky about women friends). Anyhow, Merry Christmas to all of you and a special shout out to Aj for keeping us all together… I feel especially blessed to know each and every one of you. And, if any of you are ever in Houston, or even nearby, I’d love to meet you in person! Any of you would be welcome in my home anytime.

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  42. I will be driving through Houston on January 3rd or 4th on the way to Austin. Daughter in law has a conference that week and Grandpa and I are going to take care of Miss Em.

    Which just made me start to wonder. Because I am older–17 years older– do you think I will be more comfortable getting out and about with a baby than I was when I was just a mother who didn’t know anything about babies?

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  43. I echo the sentiments – you all are quite precious to me!

    Merry Christmas to each and every one of you.

    We’re off to ‘old’ close friends’ for Christmas Eve and then home to find daughter here (she’ll arrive while we’re gone). Tomorrow is Christmas dinner here with ‘new’ friends with newborn baby and then Boxing day will be spent with our ‘old’ friends again. Saturday son & girlfriend arrive to celebrate all together with us!

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  45. Merry Christmas dear blog family….you all are a blessing in my life and I am truly thankful for each and every one of you…and you all are indeed welcome to visit anytime you find yourselves passing through Colorado!
    Paul and I ventured out to Safeway to pick up some last minute things…bread, bananas and milk…and the Lord blessed us in a most unexpected way…and I pray we were a blessing as well…..
    Paul never goes to the grocery with me…I reluctantly agreed to his tagging along…we like to banter and laugh with one another….we were in the produce section…he was shuffling behind me…I was laughing as he did so….when we were approached by an older white haired gentleman….he told us he had been observing us enjoying one another…and suggested we should never ever lose that joy….he had just lost his wife and was missing her when he spotted us….he told us she knew the Lord and was in heaven this Christmas….we conversed for a while and wished him a most blessed Christmas….I was crying all the way through the produce section as we made our way to the check out….God is good and worthy to be praised… Merry Christmas ❤

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  46. I really do appreciate this community. When my husband and I were courting, I had a hard time waiting to tell y’all about him. And then people were so happy for us, and we received several wedding gifts and two cards with a bunch of your signatures on them.

    So many times I’ve come for advice, or to tell something happy, and so many other things, and I enjoy checking in on you, too. Seeing how Mumsee’s kids, I mean children, are doing, and seeing Chas offer his wisdom. The new photo each day. So many fun things.

    I hope all of you do have a good Christmas, and make at least some good memories. I know for some that is hard, but may there be some.

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  47. Kim, my dad was a serious man. When I saw him with his first grandchild, I was absolutely astounded to watch him making faces and noises and otherwise just being silly to keep her attention. I’d never, ever seen that side of Dad, and he didn’t care who was watching. Grandparents are allowed that sort of nonsense. And as to all-round baby care, I think they’re assumed to be experts, so no one is going to be second-guessing how you care for her. (The child’s mother will, of course, have her way of doing things, but strangers aren’t going to be critiquing your every move. Of course you know what you’re doing!)

    One thing I look forward to this evening . . . we have a new baby in the family, and a month ago was the first time I saw my husband hold a baby. But I didn’t have my camera. Tonight I have my camera!

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  51. What a blessing reading this thread! NancyJill, your story of your and your husband’s encounter with the older gentleman at the grocery store brought tears. Thank you for sharing that.

    A praise: hubby just called and said he’s almost done with work, and will be home in time to make the 6:00 pm church service! I’m so thankful!

    Merry Christmas! ❤

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  52. Kim, I think the only trouble you’ll have with that baby is 1. wrestling her away from her grandfather and 2. explaining why you, the mother, are married to such an, ah, older man . . . 🙂

    First batch of company gone, second batch 90 minutes away. I can’t ice the Ule log until the dishwasher finishes . . .

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  55. Back from the Christmas Eve gathering. Next year we’ll all be saying, “Don’t touch!” But this year we had a three-month-old baby to pass around. And yes, I got some pix of hubby with her (although my camera does better outside than inside after dark–oh well). A very good evening.

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  57. I made a long, 4 paragraph comment, but couldn’t post it. I”ll try again, with less input

    Thanks for the 9:06 Kim. I thought about it but not at the right time I also thought of posting Johnny Cash’s recitation of Conrad’s Christmas Visitor, but never did. I’m on my laptop now and it’s difficult because I don’t like the keyboard.

    to be continued

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  58. It was a difficult drive over because the weather was messy. Not rainy enough to keep the windshields clean. Just messy.

    We went to the Christmas Eve service as is our custom. But Elvera got sick and Chuck & Linda brought us home early. Elvera went to bed, C&L went to Becky’s as planned. I stayed here and was going to blog, but didn’t have the password to Linda’s WiFi. They brought me a nice plate of what they had and fixed the WiFi. So, here I am.

    Remind me to tell you about the iPhones for R&R Saturday. I will settle in for the night soon. Elvera is asleep (presumably), C&L are watching some TV and I have finished blogging.

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  63. We are all piled on the furniture. We are full of lasagna. I have been chugging Maalox but the plain eggnog is actually better. Figures doesn’t that Maalox have about a thousand less calories than eggnog. 😉

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  66. Oh, Janice…I hope you finish up soon. I am waiting until midnight and will then set out the presents from Santa and head to bed. I had coffee at dinner and am worried I’m not going to be able to fall asleep very readily. And, morning will happen all too soon, I’m afraid. We told Becca she may not come out of her room until 6:00…but that’s already less than seven hours away…

    It’s been a really nice celebration thus far. We went to church and then to dinner, just the four of us, which is our tradition. The food was good and we all enjoyed pleasant conversation. We had an outstanding waiter–I spoke to a manager about him. It makes such a difference when you have a good waiter. Tomorrow, we’ll open presents in the morning and then head to my MIL’s for the afternoon/evening. My BIL and his fiancee will be there, too. My SIL and her family arrive the 26th, so we’ll go back to MIL’s that day as well as the 27th. BIL lives in San Francisco and SIL is in Chicago, so we only see them about twice a year. SIL has two sons, ages 7 & 3. My girls adore them and vice versa, which is a pleasure to see. My girls get along really well with their cousins on my side of the family, too, which is also a blessing.

    I hope everyone has had a nice day (and for those who haven’t, I hope tomorrow is much better!).

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  67. Ooh, hope Elvera feels better by morning. Sounds like everyone’s had a great Christmas Eve.

    I FINALLY escaped work, but it was a frantic, quick turn-around to come home, feed animals, wrap gifts, then hit the freeway to pick up friend who’s some distance away in time to make it to church (which was also some distance away again) for Christmas Eve services.

    Crazy time on the L.A. freeways (with big neon signs every few miles that said “Buzzed Driving is Drunk Driving”). Bumper-to-bumper traffic in some stretches, but mostly on the other side and going in the opposite direction I was, thankfully.

    The service was beautiful, just what I needed. Whew. The pews were packed. The recessional song was a rousing rendition (with organ and brass instruments + drums) of “Joy to the World!” We all sang with all we had. Wonderful.

    Then it was the usual “winging it” as we drove around trying, mostly in vain as usual, to find a place that was still open to eat. Things close down very early on Christmas Eve, for those of you who wouldn’t know. 🙂 We family orphans juggling work schedules are used to the annual challenge of heading out on a wing and a prayer to try to make it all work.

    We landed at Arry’s, a real cruiser burger joint, that was closing in 40 minutes but it was time enough for us to order, sit down and eat. Classy it wasn’t, as workers mopped the floors around us, but we were hungry & the burgers were good.

    Then the long drive back home. I’m really beat.

    Tomorrow it’s Mexican food out with some other friends, but not as much driving involved in that.

    None of my holidays are very “traditional” (or even the same, year to year) anymore. But that’s OK.

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  69. I would not be up so late, but I lost my food processor, and did not find it until an hour before church services. I had almost given up on finding it, but son looked in the cabinet where for years I had stored an old big crock pot I got through my MIL. I had forgotten I had given it away and put the food processor in there. Not just a senior moment, but a senior day. Some things are good about getting older, but I could do life better without being so forgetful.

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  70. I should be sleepy, but I guess the noise of the food processor until the wee early hours keep zombies awake. Miss Bosley does not like the noise so it kept her nose out of the veggie slaw.

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  73. Taking a breather here. We had breakfast and opened presents. Dad and Youngest Son took the dogs to the dog park. Middle Son is in the shower. BG went to her aunt’s for a couple of hours. All through the house…well I can hear music MS is playing in the bathroom.

    I have potatoes cooking in milk for scalloped potatoes, brussels sprouts are in the oven roasting and Mr. P is going to make green bean casserole and the roast.

    Have you noticed that the blog will show that you have spelled a word wrong when you are almost positive you spelled it correctly? I had to go look up brussels sprouts when I knew I was correct to make sure I was correct. This isn’t healthy for my spelling ego. 😉

    It is a really laid back Christmas around here. Almost TOO laid back. Makes me think I have missed something.

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