PARASAILING WAS FUN!!!

I WONDER WHAT'S NEXT? ZIP LINING MAYBE???




Showing posts with label christmas. Show all posts
Showing posts with label christmas. Show all posts

Wednesday, December 22, 2010

Christmas Gift FAIL!!!

I saw something on Facebook about what NOT to give as Christmas gifts.  It got me thinking about a few of the FAILS I'd received from my then-husband over the years.  The bad thing was, I had to pretend to really like any gifts I received.  And unless it was the wrong size, I didn't dare return it!  He would just get SO pissy!!!


There was the nightshirt I had gotten that had teddy bears all over it and teddy bear pockets.  It was like a big sweat shirt. This wouldn't be so bad but I hate cutesy pajamas with doggies and kitties and teddy bears on them.  Same goes for sweat shirts.   I still  have the nightshirt.  I wear it on really cold nights.  I can't wear it to bed because I'd probably want to kill someone by morning because I'd sweat so much, but it's great for watching TV on cold evenings.





Here it is!  This is not something I would ever buy for myself.  And NO!  I will not model it for you!


Over the years, I'd get a series of Christmas sweatshirts that always had cutesy stuff on them.  I don't have them any more.  


I did get a washer and dryer for Christmas the first year we were married, but I was going to the laundromat every week, so I liked that gift.


I got a dining table and chair set the year we moved into our first house.  We were going to get them anyway, so I felt cheated.  My daughter has that set in her house now.


I always wanted a new diamond ring, an anniversary band after we were married for some years.  My engagement ring was minuscule (1/10 of a carat).   This brings me to the diamond ring I did finally get .  It was  a "lab-created" diamond ring and a pair of earrings to go with it.  Can you say FAKE??   It was a one-carat diamond solitaire ring that was so obviously fake that I was embarrassed to wear it.  But I had to wear it and pretend to like it.  I got this the year before we split up.  I was completely insulted that he bought this. 
 *** Before anyone says anything.... my husband could afford to get me a real diamond ring.  He was a vice president of a company, with a company car and 5 weeks paid vacation and a hefty Christmas bonus every year.  He could well afford to buy me a real ring.  He was just cheap and is the king of ebay shopping.***
My daughter used to wrap his gifts for him.  She was shocked at how bad this ring looked (she told me later).  She didn't want to wrap it for him, but she did.  I wish I had a picture of it, so I could show you, but I put it in the drawer of his humidor that was in our bedroom along with the phony earrings.  He took the humidor on one of his weekend visits when he slept on the sofa.  I always hoped he'd give it to Maleficent, but I'm sure she'd never accept anything like that.  That chick likes to spend money (which is a good thing for my daughter because she's getting the wedding she deserves, thanks to Maleficent's penchant for spending).  


The year we split (Christmas 2004), Maleficent was already in the picture and we were still married.  I found her Christmas gifts.  He bought her a tool kit (I swear!) and this really ugly blue watch.  He also bought me a  new watch, a a two-toned gold Bulova watch.  Stupid ass kept her gifts in the trunk of his car and mine in his armoir.  Like I wasn't going to search his car every time I drove it.  If that ugly blue watch was in my stack of gifts instead of the nice watch, he was going to have a major dent in his head.  Lucky for his head he gave me the good one.  


I"m sure over 23 years of marriage, I got many more ugly stupid gifts, but these few come to mind right away.


OH!!  I know I had one Fail... the year I bought him one of those big red roll-away tool boxes.... and he bought me a silver fox jacket.   I think that leveled the field.  :)


Anyone want to share their Christmas gift Fails?

Tuesday, December 21, 2010

Random Tuesday Thoughts: Merry Christmas. sigh.



So, is it bad that I didn't bother to put my Christmas tree up this year?   Only one of my kids will be here and she's not arriving until Christmas night and will be gone before the New Year.  sigh.


I am ready for Christmas, sort of.  Got everything bought, but nothing is wrapped yet.   I have to exchange one thing for size.  If my son responded to my text while I was in the store on Sunday, I wouldn't have to do that.  sigh.


I need to be on the road by 7 am on Christmas morning to make it to my daughter's house in Delaware to go to Mass with my family (the kids are staying at Gina's on Christmas Eve, since they'll be at their dad's in NJ and won't have to drive an hour and a half to my house, only to have to turn around and drive nearly an hour and a half to Gina's the next day.  Gina lives maybe 30 minutes from her Dad's).  I hope I wake up in time!  Otherwise, I'll see them after Mass.


There's a possibility it will snow on Christmas.  sigh.  If it does, there's a good chance I won't be driving to Delaware on Christmas morning.  And if I do make it to Gina's and it snows, there's no way in hell I'm going to my ex-in-laws with them!    I'd rather be alone than do that!


I really need to stop buying stuff for myself right before Christmas.  John bought me a Keurig for Christmas (I was with him when he did) and I bought a coffee pod carousel to go with it.  Guess what Tim got me?  Yup!  A pod carousel!  Guess I'm stopping at Target today to return mine!  sigh.


So guess what is the ONLY receipt I can't find?  Yup.  The one for the pod carousel.  sigh.


UPDATE:  Found the receipt!!  Woo hoo!!  

Keely  is the host for Random Tuesday Thoughts.  Go check her out at The Un Mom for lots more fun Randomness!! 







Monday, December 20, 2010

Monday's Music Moves Me: Christmas Carols



Amanda at Bloggin’ with Amanda hosts Musical Monday – What Move’s You?. You can get the instructions by clicking here.


Lorie at The Shrewbridges of Celebration, FL told me about Monday's Music Moves Me, so here's another cool music blog meme to do!



In this last Monday before Christmas, I saved probably the most powerful Christmas hymn ever.  I never ceases to bring me to tears whenever I hear it, especially if a choir is singing it live. This is The Hendricks Symphonic Choir and Orchestra, performing Handel's Messiah - The Hallelujah Chorusl.   This is probably one of the best versions I've ever heard!

Enjoy and Merry Christmas to you all





Hallelujah Chorus Hymn

Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
For the Lord God Omnipotent reigneth.
Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah!

For the Lord God omnipotent reigneth.
Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah!

The kingdom of this world
Is become the kingdom of our Lord,
And of His Christ, and of His Christ;
And He shall reign for ever and ever,
For ever and ever, forever and ever,

King of kings, and Lord of lords,
King of kings, and Lord of lords,
And Lord of lords,
And He shall reign,
And He shall reign forever and ever,
King of kings, forever and ever,
And Lord of lords,
Hallelujah! Hallelujah!

And He shall reign forever and ever,
King of kings! and Lord of lords!
And He shall reign forever and ever,
King of kings! and Lord of lords!
Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
Hallelujah!



Saturday, December 18, 2010

Six Word Saturday




I am almost ready for Christmas!

Want to try your own Six Word Saturday? Go see Cate at Show My Face and link up!

Friday, December 17, 2010

Dear So and So: Hello? Are you there?



Dear Christmas,
HA!!  You thought you'd get the better of me this year and sneak up when I wasn't ready!  There are still 9 days to go and I have only a couple of things to do.  Of course, I'm not counting getting the tree out, decorating it, wrapping the gifts I've purchased.  BUT, I do have just about everything bought!  That has to count for something, right?  Right?  Hello?  Are you there?  Stop snickering!

deluding herself,
Joanie

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Dear Bills (aka electric, cable, car insurance, cell phone,oil, credit card, grocery)
You don't really care that I've used my support check to buy Christmas gifts for my family instead of giving it all to you,do you?  Hello???????

thinks shes screwed, but her kids will be happy,
Joanie

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Dear Fridays Guests,
I'm so glad most of you read my note last week on Dear So and So!  Most of you have been most generous!  So much so, that I might even be able to pay those bills I've just mentioned!

Thankful
Your server, Joanie

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Dear Table 71 on Tuesday,
You!  Yeah you!!  I saw that $5 bill on the table when I went to get your change.  I want to know why you gave me $53 for a $37 check.  When I came back with your $16 change, I thought you'd leave my tip in the book, but NO!!  You took it with you... all of it!!  You cheap bastard!  I hope your wallet gets stolen.

Still pissed,
Joanie

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Dear John,
I know you meant well when you let me sleep for 2 hours on Wednesday afternoon.  Yes I was tired when I arrived at your place.  The bed looked so comfy when I was sitting there, bored out of my skull watching you play Mah Jongg.  I just wanted to close my eyes for a second.  Then I was awake until 3:30 am.  Gee, too bad my hurling myself around the bed toss and turning, trying to go to sleep kept you awake.

Love you lots! (yawn!!)
Joanie

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Dear Friends,
If you like Dear So and So, and want to give it a try, just pop over to Kat's Place on the other side of the pond, hook up with her Linky and add your own!  It's a great way to blow off steam, and you can read lots of other letters!

Love,
Joanie

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~







Monday, December 13, 2010

Monday's Music Moves Me: Christmas Carols


Amanda at Bloggin’ with Amanda hosts Musical Monday – What Move’s You?. You can get the instructions by clicking here.




Lorie at The Shrewbridges of Celebration, FL told me about Monday's Music Moves Me, so here's another cool music blog meme to do!


We continue our Christmas theme on Monday's Music Moves Me.   When my daughter, Gina was in high school, she sang a solo every Christmas Eve at Mass.  She found this song, Emmanuel by Amy Grant and I fell in love with it immediately.  Unfortunately she never had the chance to sing it in church, but it has remained a favorite of mine for over 10 years.  I hope you like this one too.  It could be one you've never heard before!






Emmanuel, Emmanuel.
Wonderful, Counselor!
Lord of life, Lord of all;
He's the Prince of Peace,
Mighty God, Holy One!
Emmanuel, Emmanuel.


Emmanuel, Emmanuel.
Wonderful, Counselor!
Lord of life, Lord of all;
He's the Prince of Peace,
Mighty God, Holy One!
Emmanuel, Emmanuel.


Emmanuel, Emmanuel.
Wonderful, Counselor!
Lord of life, Lord of all;
He's the Prince of Peace,
Mighty God, Holy One!
Emmanuel, Emmanuel.
Emmanuel, (Emmanuel, Emmanuel), Emmanuel.


Emmanuel, (Emmanuel, Emmanuel), Emmanuel.
Wonderful, Counselor!
Lord of life, Lord of all;
He's the Prince of Peace,
Mighty God, Holy One!
Emmanuel, Emmanuel, Emmanuel, Emmanuel....
(Emmanuel, Emmanuel, Emmanuel, Emmanuel.




Sunday, December 12, 2010

Family Christmas Party

Yesterday we had our family Christmas Party.  It isn't often that all of my brothers and sisters can get together at the same time.  We are somewhat scattered about the country.  I have family in  Pennsylvania (where we were all born and raised), New Jersey, Delaware, Virginia, Indiana, Texas, North Carolina and Peru..  At some times over the years, we have had family living in Germany, Okinawa, Korea, Abu Dhabi, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Panama, El Salvador, Peru, Colombia.  For now, only my sister's husband commutes back and forth to Peru for his job.


All of my brothers and sisters were able to attend.  However, some of the next generation, and even the third generation could not.  As it was, there were 33 of the 49 family members were there.  Some had to work, some live too far away.  We missed them, but we sure had a good time!


And oh boy!  Was there a lot of food!!  We opted to do just appetizers, snack foods and yummy desserts, rather than a meal.  It was a great idea!  I wish I had taken pictures of the food, but it was difficult.  Everyone would dig in as soon as a new platter was placed on the table!


I did take a few pictures... well, my favorite future son-in-law did!


Here are the eight of us!  I'm the only gal standing.

Here are some of the cousins with their significant others.
My daughter and her fiance' are on the left.  
My other 2 kids had school and/or work.



John and me!


We also have a barbecue at Peggy's in the summer too!  

Saturday, December 11, 2010

Six Word Saturday


Family Christmas Party at Peggy's house!

Today is our annual Family Christmas Party.  We always have it at my sister's house, since she has the most room and we have a BIG family!  If everyone showed up, there would be 49 of us there!  This is just my siblings, their spouses, kids and, in some cases, grandkids!  As it is, I think there will be about 10 people missing.  However, my 4 brothers and 3 sisters are all supposed to be in attendance!  It's our kids who are busy getting lives and are unable to attend.  They will be missed, but we'll still have a great time! 


Want to try your own Six Word Saturday? Go see Cate at Show My Face and link up!

Friday, December 10, 2010

Dear So and So




Dear Cold Weather,
Go back up to the Arctic regions where you belong!!  You aren't wanted here.  I don't care if it IS 2 weeks until Christmas (YIKES!!!).  I want warm weather and no heat bills! 


sh-sh-shivering,
Joanie


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Dear Coffee,
I love you.  Especially on these cold mornings, but to be perfectly honest, I love you every morning.

getting caffeinated as I type,
Joanie


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Dear Christmas,
I hope I'm ready when you arrive in 2 weeks!

needs a little more time,
Joanie

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Dear Friday's Guests,
How about being a bit more generous now that the Christmas season has arrived?  I have gifts to buy, oil to get delivered, food shopping to do.  It would be nice to have some extra dough on hand for this stuff.

Your favorite server,
Joanie
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Dear Tony DiNozzo,
Sigh.  God, you're hot. 
  


 But then, so is your boss.






getting hot flashes,
Joanie

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Dear Friends,
If you like Dear So and So, and want to give it a try, just pop over to Kat's Place on the other side of the pond, hook up with her Linky and add your own!  It's a great way to blow off steam, and you can read lots of other letters!




Tuesday, December 7, 2010

Christmas Flash Mob

I came across this flash mob video that occurred in a mall food court.  In keeping with the spirit of Christmas and my love of Christmas carols, I wanted to share this video with all of you.  I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!






Today is also a Blog Hop!!  This is a great way to make new friends!  Grab the button, link up, and check out some new blogs while you're at it!



Monday, December 6, 2010

Monday's Music Moves Me: Christmas Carols


Amanda at Bloggin’ with Amanda hosts Musical Monday – What Move’s You?. You can get the instructions by clicking here.




Lorie at The Shrewbridges of Celebration, FL told me about Monday's Music Moves Me, so here's another cool music blog meme to do!


I've also discovered that my blog was chosen for the Spotlight Dance on The Monday's music Moves Me  meme this week!!  I'm so thrilled!!  Thank you!!  You really need to check these other blogs out!  There are many terrific blog and all month long, great Christmas music!!


All month long our theme is Christmas music.  I have several old time favorites, mostly from growing up Catholic and learning these hymns I grade school.   Today I have 2 old favorites, one of them is my daughter's favorite   One Christmas hymn that I've always loved was Adeste Fidelis.  You may also know it as O Come All Ye Faithful.  Nat King Cole has sung this song so beautifully!!!  Please enjoy his marvelous voice.





O Come All Ye Faithful
Joyful and triumphant,
O come ye, O come ye to Bethlehem.
Come and behold Him,
Born the King of Angels;
O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him,
Christ the Lord.


Adeste fideles,
Laeti triumphantes;
Venite, venite in Bethlehem;
Natum videte,
Regem Angelorum:

Refrain:
Venite adoremus,
Venite adoremus,
Venite adoremus Dominum!



Next up is Bing Crosby and David Bowie singing Little Drummer Boy.  This is Gina's favorite Christmas song   I must say I got quite filled up with this one.  I think this was my Dad's favorite Christmas song too.  Enjoy.



Bing Crosby & David Bowie - Duet
Uploaded by beautifulcynic. - Watch more music videos, in HD!




Come they told me pa-rum-pum-pum-pum
A new-born king to see pa-rum-pum-pum-pum
Our finest gifts we bring pa-rum-pum-pum-pum
Rum-pum-pum-pum, rum-pum-pum-pum

Come they told me pa-rum-pum-pum-pum
A new-born king to see pa-rum-pum-pum-pum
Our finest gifts we bring pa-rum-pum-pum-pum
to lay before the king pa-rum-pum-pum-pum
Rum-pum-pum-pum, rum-pum-pum-pum
so to honour him pa-rum-pum-pum-pum
when we come

Little baby pa-rum-pum-pum-pum
I stood beside him there pa-rum-pum-pum-pum
I played my drum for him pa-rum-pum-pum-pum
I played my best for him pa-rum-pum-pum-pum
Rum-pum-pum-pum, rum-pum-pum-pum
And he smiled at me pa-rum-pum-pum-pum
me and my drum

Peace on Earth, can it be
Years from now, perhaps we'll see
See the day of glory
See the day, when men of good will
Live in peace, live in peace again

Peace on Earth, can it be
Every child must be made aware
Every child must be made to care
Care enough for his fellow man
To give all the love that he can

I pray my wish will come true
For my child and your child too
He'll see the day of glory
See the day when men of good will
Live in peace, live in peace again

Peace on Earth, can it be
Can it be