Are Your Kids Staying Up Tonight?

I've gotten word that the triplets are. That might make for an active New Year.  Hope to have pictures later.

I have never seen the ball drop in NYC...not even on TV...well at least I can't remember ever having seen it.  Maybe the kids will be able to fill me in on Sunday.  Make that Monday. Surely they'll sleep through church and all afternoon as well. I'm anxious to find out just how it goes.

 Maybe Izzy will curl up in a ball in a closet somewhere and have a peaceful New Year's Eve.

Maybe I will as well.

Here's wishing you a Happy New Year in advance.  May God show you mercy and give you peace.

American Girl Do

When Ashley got the American Girl doll Sadie, she found she really wanted Julie.  So now, a couple of years later, Julie has come to live with her. I'm hoping that Chelle makes the doll some clothes to match Ashley's soon so that Julie does not get jealous of Sadie who had several outfits like her 'mother'.    

Speaking of jealousy.  There is so much of it these days. It has been fed by class envy. It once was in America where one started out at a lower paying job and worked himself up to the top or as near the top as he or she could.  No on expected to finish school and step into the highest paying positions.  But that was in the past. Now many do not get work when they finish school because they expect more than anyone is willing to pay for beginners.  Then instead of working hard and showing their worth, they would rather follow mobs of other non satisfied people around the country complaining about their situation and condemning the 'rich' for not giving them what they want.  

It's a sad situation, one that has happened over and over in history.  When people's lives get so cushy that  they become spoiled and expect to be given all they want, the nation fails.  It always happens.

Trust in God for in him is peace...the peace that passes all understanding.

Liberty

"Liberty is the only thing you cannot have unless you are willing to give it to others."- William Allen White

This statement is full of truth.  We all need to think about it these days when the world is full of those who, while doing what they please, complain about the slightest things they don't like others to do or say.  We were all given minds of our own, good for cooperating in some ways, yet individual.

I  got the quote in my inbox this morning along with my daily puzzle from Wordles.com. I love these cryptograms and am hoping (probably beyond reason) that they will help keep my mind sharp as I age and age and age...oh so quickly now.

Izzy, our grand cat, has the liberty to climb in there family's Christmas tree. She didn't wait until it was fully decorated, but tested it out pretty soon after it was raised in the stand.  Since this was taken, she has been up there a few times and has actually broken at least one ornament.  But it seems, she is loved more than the other  baubles  that just hang there.  So she gets away with this contrary behavior. She is pretty cute in there.

Christmas or Not

A few cays before Christmas our grand daughter Lauren, her friend Pat and some of his family members went to New York City. I'm guessing Christmas had something to do with it, if not just because that is when they got a break from college. I do have pictures of them with Christmas trees, which I'm sure are called Holiday trees in the city.  But here they are in Central Park .  Whether the trip was for Christmas, or not, I've mentioned.  However, the trip also threatened her Christmas celebration in Ohio because she and he both got the flu while there and had to return home 'spewing'. It took her a couple of days to recuperate and then her mother got sick as well. After two days for her, they were able to head this way, but Lauren made it only as far as West Virginia where her brother lives. We have not seen her since Thanksgiving. But we are thankful we saw her then.  April and Tim then drove here separately so that he could go back and do some work while she stayed a couple of days.  

As the flu threatened our celebration, Iran is threatening to close the Persian Gulf. I guess they are out to prove we are no longer a country of strength, but one of apology.   I pray to God that He will once again protect us from this evil.

Recipe for A Big Time

Last Friday I said I'd do a page of Jane in the Christmas hat she was given to wear at Phyllis' house. Here she is plus Diann and me. I've included a recipe for A Big Time in Phyllis' kitchen.

I'm anxious to show some pictures of the grandkids and am waiting for pictures since I didn't see even one of them in person.  We Skyped and did FaceTime, but I'm not sure how to get still pictures that way.

  Tomorrow night I hope to have a layout of Lauren and her friend in the Big Apple where they spent a few days along with his family members the week before Christmas.

Christmas Adam

Now that Christmas is over, I have time to make layouts. Teresa's daughter told her mother that Friday was Christmas Adam since Saturday was Christmas Eve. Never thought about that before, but I guess she's right...in a way.  But we didn't celebrate it at our house.

 We celebrated Christmas Eve at Outback Steak House, our favorite. Before retiring for the night and before the rush of Christmas day, we thought to get a picture.

Sympathy Card for Christmas

A friend gave me this card for Christmas.

 On the inside it says," Because Democrats always know what's best for you and your health."

You might say it is a sympathy card.