Welcome To The Chirstmas Edition of Getting to Know Your Friends

Wrapping paper or gift bags?

Wrapping paper is way more fun to unwrap, but bags are pretty too. I think bags are the "easy way out" for wrapping gifts, but I also have to admit that I do use them sometimes.

Real tree or Artificial?

REAL please, but it's not always practical. We have an artificial tree. It never compares to the real thing, but with two kitties and no kiddos... why bother with the real thing?

When do you put up the tree?

Sometime shortly after Thanksgiving. No specifics.

When do you take the tree down?

Sometime shortly after New Years. Also, not specific.

Do you like eggnog?

It's ok, but I'm not gung-ho about it. My handy-hubby likes it tho.

Favorite gift received as a child?

Probably jewelry from cousin Steve. He once gave me a gold necklace with a heart pendant that had 2 rubies in it. I still have it. It is the first real jewelry I can ever remember getting.

Easiest person to buy for?

My handy-hubby. He gives me a million ideas and I know what will make him smile.

Do you have a nativity scene?

No.

Mail or email Christmas cards?

Mail please. I have trouble keeping up with my emails and sometimes its difficult to download them. I love snail-mail, so that's my pick. Also, I have been known to recycle Christmas cards from past years by cutting the picture and using it as a gift-tag. Sorry friends, we aren't sending cards this year. As much as I enjoy it... it's not in the time or funding budgets. Gotta cut somewhere...

Worst Christmas gift you ever received?

Can't remember any bad ones.

Favorite Christmas Movie?

"Christmas Vacation"

When do you start shopping for Christmas?

I shop all year round.

Have you ever recycled a Christmas present?

Yes. As a matter of fact, our very first married Christmas was a very poor one. My father-in-law gave us $100 gift-card that arrived before Christmas. We used it to buy eachother presents.

Favorite thing about Christmas?

Anticipation. I love surprises. Also time off to relax and enjoy.

Lights on the tree?

Yes. I think that white lights are most elegant, although occasionally the colored ones are pretty too. I will also take the opportunity to say that Christmas lights are made for a certain kind of tree. I think that lights strung around a maple or oak type of tree is tacky... real tacky! Especially when they run out of lights half way up the tree.

Favorite Christmas song?

Away In A Manger (sweet pony hay)

Travel at Christmas or stay home?

Yes please. If we aren't traveling, then I want somebody to travel to us.

Can you name all of Santa’s reindeer’s?

Of course, but I'm not going to give it away for the next guy.

Angel on the tree top or a star?

Angels are prettier.

Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning?

Usually Christmas morning, but my handy-hubby and I like to have a private one-on-one gift exchange, so that is sometimes on Christmas Eve. Besides, if he gets me something pretty I might want to wear it on Christmas?

Most annoying thing about this time of the year?

Crowds and traffic. I can't stand people in stores that aren't respectful of other peoples space. (yes I have a space issue) I don't like it when someone with a cartload of goodies is pressing me forward through a line or bumping into me.

Favorite ornament theme or color?

That's three things!

1) Ornament - the ugly ones! We have an ugly ornament contest and that is the life of the party.

2) Theme - I like to remember the religious aspect of the celebration. It's Jesus's birthday. That's pretty cool. It's a reminder that our Savior is both 100% man and 100% God.

3) Color(s) - burgundy and gold

Favorite Thing for Christmas dinner?

My mother-in-laws tea ring and cranberry nut bread. YUM!

What do you want for Christmas this year?

Top items on my list this year are...

New pitchfork - a green one please, just like I used to have

Breastcollar with running attachment for my pony

Socks for work - you know, to go with dress clothes

Fuzzy slippers - because I'm too cheap to buy them for myself

Pasta bowls - I have always wanted these

Jewelry - my handy-hubby is all over this one

Belgian Waffle maker - YUMMO!

Warm but lightweight barn boots would be a plus.

Dish towels - one can never have enough of those

Snow Christmas morning?

A white Christmas has always been lovely.

Feel free to play along... grab the questions and insert your own answers. Then post on your blog!

I won I won I won

I won a prize over at Down On The Farm. Go visit Marci to see how that happened, what it is, gather up a blessing, and leave a little hello. THANKS Marci!

An Award

I am very humbled to have been granted a blogger award. Thank you Marcie at Down On The Farm. You are so kind!

Once an award is received,the rules are as follows:

1. Put the logo on your blog .

2. Add a link to the person who awarded you.

3. Nominate at least 7 other blogs.

4. Add links to those blogs on your blog.

5. Leave a message for your nominees on their blog.

I am delighted to share this award with the following ladies whose blogs I read regularly and find to be uplifting, interesting, and absolutely worthwhile. Check them out for yourselves!

1. Lizzies Home - For brilliant writing style
2. The Homespun Heart - For brilliant insight into hospitable living
3. With All That I've Been Given - For brilliant cookie recipes
4. Renaissance - For brilliant photography
5. Praise And Coffee - For brilliant daily devotions
6. Scribbit - For brilliant ideas, giveaways, and recipes
7. Making A House A Home - For brilliant ideas on homemaking

I love these ladies! You will too! Thanks again Marcie, for you would have been on my list too if you had not already been granted the award!

Fantastic Summer Give-Away

Check out Monica's blog at The Homespun Heart for her Fun Summer Give-away! She's convinced Lands End to offer a generous gift-card because she really likes their swim suits... Stop over and enter for a chance to be one lucky winner!

My favorite is the Women's Regular 3-piece Dot Paisley Halter Tankini Swimsuit but you know... I'm into pink!

And The Winner Is....

Sorry... waiting for Handy Hubby to wake up. Will post this evening! Thanks to all who entered a chance to win my Blogger-Birthday prize package.


Drumroll please...............................................................................................

The Winner is Amy at I Think I Can I Think I Can! I'm emailing you now. I'm going to need your snail mail address!

I have enjoyed Amy's blog this past week. She's really into saving, budgeting, and the like AND she participates in Menu Plan Monday just like me! So Congratulations to Amy. I am delighted to be sending out your prize package in honor of my Blogger-Birthday!

And a special thank you is also due for all my other fans... I'm not over-flowing with comments, but I am making my rounds and getting to know a few. Thanks so much for all the birthday-wishes!

I LIED But I Can Make It Up To You

This will stay at the top until March 31st.

HAPPY BLOGGER-

BIRTHDAY TO ME!

MARCH 31, 2008

Ok so a while back I made a mistake. I haven't been blogging for THREE years, only TWO. (Thanks Mom) SORRY. I'm really not a liar. It was a simple mistake. I must not be very good with arithmatic!

To make it up to ya'll, I'm going to give away a little prize package to one lucky winner. What's in it?

• An awesome PINK journal. It's cover is textured like alligator skin or something, but it's not the real thing. I love it because its... PINK! Click on the photo to get a closer look. Saweet... isn't it!?
• A devotional "Sharing Your Faith" from The Discipleship Series by Carolyn Nystorm.
• A PINK candle by Cottage Hill Soaps... Cotton Candy flavor... I mean scented! Smells OH SO GOOD!!! I could just eat it!
• Something from Starbucks... either a pound of coffee or a box of Tazo Tea - YOU PICK!!! Let's face it... who doesn't love Starbucks!!!
  

I see it now... light the candle, waft the sweet scents while kicking back in your big cushy chair to complete a lesson in your new devotional and write your thoughts in your new awesome journal for a lifetime of safe-keeping... all the while sipping a delectable cup of tea or coffee! LOVE IT!! It's so me! And so appropriate for a birthday prize pack.

How to enter:

LEAVE A COMMENT - One per person. Comment must include the following:

1) Your email address or a way to contact you.
2) An interesting fact or comment about anything COUNTRY.
3) If you prefer tea or coffee.

Anyone is eligible... near or far, with our without a blog. If you make more than one comment, only one of them will be counted. Game closes at 12PM March 30, 2008 EST. On March 31st, my handy-husband will select a random number between 1 and however many entries are made. The number of that entry wins the prize package. I will contact the winner via email for a mailing address.

Another Chance For Prizes... and Celebration!

Chandra over at Keeping It Sane is having a give-away with a 100th theme. Very cool... great stuff! Entries are free... and who couldn't use some of these fun items?! You'll have to go to her blog to see them! Good luck!

Works For Me Wednesday

This is my first post on "Works For Me Wednesday." I haven't had much to add until this past Sunday I realized I actually HAVE somthing to post on this weekly collection of ideas...

I was making bacon. I usually get a plate, put lots of paper towels on it, and let the bacon grease drain onto the paper towels. This week I was thinking... I don't want to dirty a plate and I don't want to waste a lot of paper towels. That's when it hit me... NEWSPAPER!

So I recycled some newspaper in my kitchen. I took some old newspaper, topped it with ONE paper towel (instead of a bunch) and let the bacon drain on that. The paper towel kept it clean and clear of any ink and the grease seeped into the newspaper. I did not dirty a plate. There was no need. I transferred my leaner bacon into my baking dishes (was making quich'e) and disposed of the newspaper/paper towel.

If you have an idea that "works" for you... stop over at Rocks In My Dryer and share with the rest of us.

Blog Anniversary

March 31st I will have been blogging for THREE Years! How is that even possible?! I've been thinking about hosting some sort of give-away... not sure what. Hmmm... COFFEE anyone? Details to follow... suggestions welcome!

Ultimate Blog Party

In the spirit of mingling among other bloggers at this party... I must take the opportunity to introduce myself.

I am JennyV. My blog is an eclectic collection of my life... with basically no rhyme or reason... most of the time. I don't blog for money or fame. I just like to ramble on for anyone who might listen. Maybe someday I'll find a more elaborate purpose in blogging, but for now... it is what it is.

Some random things about me:

1. I reside in Western Pennsylvania.


2. My Handy-hubby is a Coffee Master for Starbucks... we drink LOTS of coffee in our home!


3. We both work full-time and are putting great efforts into becoming essentially debt-free


4. I have a pony, but she lives in Kentucky right now


5. We have two cats


6. Some days I think maybe I'll start an aquarium... nah... the cats would play with it!


7. Sometimes I work from home - sometimes I don't


8. My hubby says I'm a better baker than a cook


9. I haven't had my hair cut for over a year! WOW!!!


10. I used to ride horses almost daily... now I just dream about it.

In the next 5 years I'd like to:

1. Pay off our debts


2. Purchase a modest home


3. Adopt a child


4. Have at least 2 horses


5. Be a blessing to others

Participants in the Ultimate Blog Party have chances to win awesome prizes! I'd like to have a new blog design... Prize numbers 24, 67, 71, 124 or ANY professional help with my blog design!!!

Ultimate Blog Party... Is Going On!!!

There are so many good partiers right now!





5 Minutes For Mom is the host! Basically it's a place to network with other bloggers! Sign-up as a party guest... write a post about yourself and link back... then mingle with other party-goers by visiting their blogs! Some have prizes... I'm just getting started, but I recognize some friends already... notably:





Christian Women Online - prizes are awesome! "sponsored by Art Bookbindery, in which you could win a Sony Walkman Video MP3 Player with 4GB Memory! Listen to music, watch movies, and more..."





My pal "Lizzie" is in on it and adds an Austrailian flair!





An Island Life is giving away baby stuff. I am a subscriber of her blogs and won some really cool pink-bling earbuds from her on one of her former give-aways!

Coffee and Tunes

If you are feeling lucky, head on over to Praise & Coffee and enter her monthly give-away contest for some good tunes and Starbucks coffee!

Blogger Contests

Don't miss out on all the chances to win FREE STUFF!!!! Rocks In My Dryer is hosting Bloggy Giveaways Carnival!!!! At last glance there were MORE THAN 400 and very close to 500 giveaways happening! There is some very cool stuff out there!!! I am tempted to become a giveaway host, yet I have not decided what plunder I could offer. Hmmm... we shall see.


Just a little plug for my pal... If for none other, at least enter my friend Lizzie's give-away!!!

Anyway... go win some stuff!!!!

Good Material To Acquire

Check out Laced With Grace who is having a really great give-away! This is great study material for the upcoming year. Sign up soon... we're almost out of time!

Are You Feeling Lucky?

GoodyBlog has a bunch of giveaways that are easy to enter. Lots of kids stuff.

COZY MAIL

CHECK OUT ALL THE LOOT!!!

I've Got Mail!!!

First... thank you Monica and Carrie for hosting the "Cozy Sister Swap." I was blessed to be matched with an international participant, Lizzie. We have had such a grand time getting to know one another. Funny thing, it is already tomorrow where she lives. I think of this each time I write or chat with her.

Lizzie spoiled me rotten! The pretty purple box arrived overflowing with all sorts of lovely goodies. (I took pictures but cannot upload them at the moment. Should have those up tomorrow - so please check back!) She wrapped everything very festive-like with cutsie tags. I was like a child digging through the loot and gasping with shrills of excitement. What was in the box you might ask?

• Humorous Christmas Cards - just in time
• A stuffed animal holding the Australian flag - cute and cuddley
• Collectors Edition of Handmade Country Christmas Crafts (book/magazine) - I'm going to have to cancel all my weekend plans because I'm going to have my nose in this book of awesome crafty ideas
• Kit-Kat... didn't last long. :)
• Angel ornament holding a tiny kitty - so precious and thoughtful
• Festive holiday paper - for Christmas time correspondence
• PINK stationary with envelopes - How did she know?
• Holiday cookie cutters - for this weekend's plans
• A calendar (for work) Scenic South Australia - to confirm that I want to visit there someday
• A calendar (for home) Psalms - a heartfelt choics
• A sandal magnet to remind me that summer is coming again soon
• An assortment of herbal and fruity teas - Yummy and relaxing
• Recipes... also yummy
• Vegemite - Hmm... it's edible and I'm going to try it, but need more instruction first.

Lizzie is quite resourceful. My first impression was that she is ultra-organized. When you log onto her blog, you will find that to be true. I want to personally recommend that you check out her Home Management Binder Tour. I LOVE IT!!! I think that everyone should have one. I think that to write out the organization of ones household is a huge step in conquering that task. I'm so impressed that she recently incorporated significant snippets of Proverbs 31 within the binder. How cool is that!!!! She is a lovely woman and has a lot to offer in many areas of life.

THANK YOU LIZZIE!!!! I LOVE MY BOX OF GOODIES!!!! IT'S ALL VERY COZY!

Sister Swap - REFRESH

You have no idea how REFRESHING this truly is! Today was hectic. I'm so overwhelmed at work. My stress level is rising by the day. I worked late tonight. My shoulders are tense and sore and calling out for relaxation. All the way home I was praying and just trying to let it all go - at least for tonight. I just want a nice relaxing evening with a good nights rest.

I see there is a box for me on the table. Hmmm... I investigate. Wow - such lovely frangrances wafting from this box. It's from my Sister in Michigan, Angela! I pried open the seams to find such lovlies awaiting me. Soup mixes!!! Comfort food!!! How timely!!! Yankee Candles are one of my faves! Oh and they are decadent! I love them!!! I'm burning the Autumn Leaves scent already. It's so appropriate for the season. It's rainy and cold out with wet leaves that have fallen leaving their trees bare. It's kind of the sad part of the season. Corn bread mix to have with my next pot of chili. More comfort food... I know. YUM. How did you know to treat my Handy-Hubby like that? He LOVES cornbread! And you are so very thoughtful to include a Hallmark Magazine. I mean - WOW - it's packed full of goodies! If it wasn't so late I would so be making us a pot of soup right now. Alas, I shall do that tomorrow. BUT - I am going to go cuddle up with my new magazine and fill my mind with crafty thoughts and new meal ideas for the coming weeks. The cutest part is the little kitty-bell ornaments. Where in the world did you find them? One grey and one black... how appropriate! Initially I had trouble keeping the kitties from investigating such a treasure, but I have found a lovely spot to hang them from the mirror on my dresser. For now anyway. YIPPIE!!! It was so lovely. This really made my day! The surprise was definitely REFRESHING! THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU ANGELA!!!!! I do hope that all is well with you and your family.

Many thanks to Monica at The Homespun Heart and Carrie at With All That I've Been Given, for hosting the Refresh Sister Swap. I have enjoyed getting to know Angela.

To see some of the other Refreshing boxes, check out the links on Carrie's post here. I am also participating in Monica & Carrie's COZY Sister Swap and having a grand time chatting with my new sister Lizzie and putting together her box of goodies to mail this week!

Keith and his mom painting the dining room

This is the new floor being installed in the living room and dining room.

This is the newly installed kitchen floor.

A 100 Point Tour Of Our Home... Sort of

C'mon take a 100 point tour of our home

1. We live in a townhouse
2. It is a 2 story with a basement/garage
3. It's an end unit so we have more yard than most
4. The porch is small
5. Parking is minimum
6. We have a flower garden
7. A big tree with a bird feeder
8. And a small red japanese maple
9. The front door is white
10. And is decorated with indian corn at the moment
11. Our living room is painted red
12. The curtains there are white
13. But the buffet and bookshelf are black
14. We installed light oak laminate floor this year (or more specifically, my HandyHubby did)
15. We need a rug in there
16. I'd like to get a black shag rug - that would be cool
17. The dining room was painted by HandyHubby and his mom
18. He calls it "old world style"
19. The paint is kind of greyish with a hint of green
20. They did a special painting technique to make it look textured
21. There are bamboo blinds
22. The country style table seats 6 - 8 - 10 comfortably
23. It is a hand-me-down from his dad
24. We only have one tablecloth that fits it
25. Our dishes are black
26. We also have some that are off-white with blue and green on them
27. And we have lovely white china (thanks to his mom)
28. There is a bookshelf in the corner that my HandyHubby built with his dad
29. We have 2 wine racks
30. We don't have enough wine to fill the racks
31. We have a set of really cute country style canisters
32. But no room for them
33. There is a matching cookie jar too
34. Are you grasping the eclectic style of our home yet?
35. The kitchen is really small
36. It needs remodeled BADLY
37. I'd like it to have a wine/grape theme
38. The floor is grey sticky tile
39. It's not elegant, but WAY better than the former
40. We have a functional dishwasher
41. It doesn't wash dishes
42. It stores utensils and tupperware containers
43. The coat closet is actually our pantry
44. We don't have a coat closet
45. The half bath is pink and white
46. It needs decorated
47. I'm too cheap to decorate it
48. The upstairs needs a lot of work
49. The carpet is dirty green and drywrotted
50. We have replacement carpet
51. Someday we'll get it installed
52. It's white
53. The master bedroom needs the ceiling replaced
54. It needs painted BAD
55. It's a huge room
56. It has 2 big closets
57. Our bedroom furniture is mismatched
58. We don't have a headboard
59. But HandyHubby has some plans to make one someday
60. Our master bedroom splurge is fancy sheets
61. We both want new pillows
62. The spare bedroom is country style
63. I'd like to get some barn stars for that room
64. It also needs a lamp
65. And a bed-side table
66. The Computer room has a lot of stuff in it
67. And a roll away bed
68. Which is not rolled away
69. It's a cluttered room
70. And rather dark
71. Needs painted BAD
72. Can't even get to the closet
73. The bathroom needs work too
74. The shower curtain has plum colored roses
75. On an off-white background
76. The rug is plum colored too
77. There are matching pieces for trash can
78. Tissue Box, Soap dish, etc.
79. The toilet leaks
80. So we use the one downstairs
81. Some of the drywall needs replaced
82. And the floor is asphalt tile
83. It needs a complete makeover
84. We have 2 kitties
85. The basement houses the laundry
86. And my treadmill
87. Surrounded by things being stored
88. Haphazardly to be candid
89. There is another room in the basement
90. It's FULL of stuff
91. Books, Christmas decorations
92. Stuff we never unpacked from our last move
93. The garage is big enough for one car
94. And the lawn mower
95. And our bikes, etc.
96. We haven't ridden our bikes in forever
97. Maybe longer?
98. We are constantly making updates and changes to this home
99. It's a work in progress
100. I wonder what the next project will be?

Why don't you take us on a tour of your home?