HAPPY NEW YEAR-A FEW NEW YEAR'S EVE TREATS FOR KIDS-OR KIDS AT HEART

 We never really had

fussy eaters in this

family.

They would eat just about

anything put in

front of them.

However, it was

ALWAYS

fun to do a little

SOMETHING SPECIAL

for them for the

Holidays.

The "tradition",

according to the

Bible of Lulu

(when she was 9 years old),

was that every

New Year's Eve they

came to our house to

EAT and then they

got to spend the night,

while Mom and Dad

went out to celebrate.

What?

How did THAT get started?

I guess I was now

TOO OLD

to go out to celebrate!

sigh...

Anyway, It was always

best to be prepared for the

LITTLE DARLINGS

with some special snacks.

How about a

Snowman Cheese Ball

to start the night off?

Betty Crocker recipe is here.

Hmmmm..what else did I do?

Leave those

kids alone with me and I

will serve them

SHOTS!

Shots like everyone else had

on New Years!

That'll teach them.

Okay-

Maybe I DID tone it down

a bit.

How about

THIS kind of shot?

I call it

Tomato Soup Shooters!

You find the instructions at Rachel Hollis's site.

And, of course, we must have a few

Ants on a log

(raisins on cream cheese filled celery)

They loved those, too.

Apples cored, sliced sideways,

and topped with peanut butter,

or nutella,

and sprinkled with granola were also a hit.

So..a few snacks,

a few laughs,

a few games,

and a shot of Tequilla

and those kids had a

GREAT

New Year's Eve....

okay...just kidding about

the Tequilla.

sigh... ?

Maybe one for me?

Enjoy your own

New Year's Eve

and I will see you soon!!!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

THE CHRISTMAS ROSE POEM I WROTE

I know many of my followers

came along after I wrote 

this poem several years ago.

I thought I would post it.

I wrote this in just a few minute's time

as I saw the picture of this rose.

THE CHRISTMAS ROSE

There is a legend old as time 
about the Christmas Rose,
If you've not heard it e'er before~
this is how it goes.

The night sky glowed quite splendidly,
and the girl could see a Star.
It brightly shone upon the land 
and beckoned from afar.

She left her door step quietly 
without a backward glance,
She knew that she must follow it
and take the risk-the chance.

She had heard the shepherds talking 
about the child so near,
That would change the world forever-
that could comfort every fear.

She watched behind a hillock 
as the Magi took their place, 
With their gifts of myrrh & frankincense
& gold in a fine case.

She wanted such a special gift 
for this baby oh-so-dear,
But she was poor, had nothing, 
and she cried a silent tear.

She quickly searched the countryside~ 
a flower was her thought,
But the winter was cold 
& damp & mean-
no flower to be sought.

She earnestly began to weep 
and softly shed each tear,
While an angel watched & marveled 
at the love she held so dear.

"Why are you crying, my child?" she asked 
as she met her on the ground 
"I long to give something to this child
- but nothing have I found."

The angel touched her tears 
where they lay upon the earth,
And a Rose sprung up beneath them-
a green & silent birth.

Now go and give your roses, child,
your gift of heart & tear,
And the Savior child will bless you 
& comfort you, my dear.

She gently picked the roses 
and took them to the place,
Where the baby lay in splendor
in His lowly birthing space.

She stared upon his countenance-
this ragged, humble child,
And He turned his little face up 
and looked at her & smiled.

Yes! That's the story of the Christmas Rose-
it's been heard by many ears,
But the Blessing it brings at Christmas time 
will carry us through the years.
~©Diana Kosmoski~

I know everyone has their own beliefs

and I respect that.

If nothing else, just enjoy it 

for the beauty of the moment.

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL OF YOU.

YOU ALL HAVE A PIECE OF MY HEART!

PICK YOUR FAVORITE CHRISTMAS TABLE RESULTS

WHEW!

You all gave me a run for my money

this time!

Here were your choices:

And here we go!

#1-Green Green Wants To Be Seen

Dewena, Michele(really dislikes #2-lol), Diane (she said it took her ALL day to decide), Missy&Mimi-(Sounds like a high school duo, doesn't it?) Dear Dawn-almost missed her!

#2-Rustic Manor

Sandi (the introvert-pushing herself to the center of the table), Penny, Jack&Sherry(my travelers), Sandra(LIKES THIS ONE-never likes ANY of the tables but, of course, ended by complaining about the chairs)..lol, Ginny, Laurie/Heaven'sWalk, (Laurie will be adding palm trees-of course she will), Bonnie, Brenda, Lisa/OfficeChair and bj!

#3-NO ONE PICKED IT!!!!  

Kind of like being in the line waiting for someone to pick you for their team...and I was always the last one left standing...lol...A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away.

#4-Blue For You

Jane, SusanL, LisaK, LisaL, Lori,

and MaryBeth

#5- Silver Snowflakes

Debra/SheSeeks, Doris, Nellie, JennythePirate(she says she is going to sit quietly and I will PAY EXTRA to see that), Julie, Constance AND Connie

#6-Green & Gold

Ramblings, PamS(going to also visit #7-one in every crowd), Donna, KimM, Every Green Bay Packer Fan

#7-I Plead For Plaid

Next year I am only going to post plaid tables!    Susie, PamK, Leena, Arlene(would like to sit at the all white table but, you know, there is gravy to spill there), MA, DebbyRay, Tessa, Jan, Latane, Anne, Diane-(bringing her Aunt Helen and is wearing plaid--is that like wearing white to a wedding?), SusanK, Mevely, Judy, Noreen, Kris(confused the all white queen, did I?), Kim-(insisted on sitting next to Kris by shoving Happy out of place), Happy, Rita, LV, ParR, Denise, Sheri, Liz, LindaC(Snapping at the MadSnapper for her comment-HEY! I do NOT make this stuff up),Beachgram, Cecilia, Louica, Gert, Rita(wants to wear her old parochial school uniform-hmmm--let's see if it still fits after the pandemic), Jan/Lowcarb, Jeanie, Kitty, Fabby, Sabra & Tiffany(my sweet old roommate's daughters found me-I am so grateful),Cass, DonnaL,  and JanKoch & Sweet Jenn & Lordy, Lordy- I forgot RON -the Cocktail King~

#8-Whisper of White

Laurie, Louise, Terri (says this table won't clash with her ugly Christmas sweater-and no-there is no contest for ugly Xmas sweaters going on), Carla-(not eating or drinking for fear she will spill on the white table-more for me),Bless-reminds her of WI snow, Theresa & Cindy/Cloches&Lavender.

So!  There you have it.  What a crazy group!

Thank you all so much for playing along and after figuring this out-I think I need a nap.

IF I missed you-PLEASE let me know. I went over the list twice but invariably I miss someone OR put them at the wrong table.  lol

Hey!  Never said I was good at this!

Have a wonderful, pre-Christmas Day week.

Love to all of you and thanks for playing along!

SOCKS TO WRAP? YOUR FAMILY WILL LOVE GETTING THEM WRAPPED LIKE THIS!!!

Every year I like to post this little

-ahem- tutorial on wrapping 

SOCKS or MITTENS.

Prepare to spend a lot of time

IN THE BATHROOM

after you read this!

Is there anything more

mundane to wrap than SOCKS????

You KNOW that

you just don't want to

stick them in box

with a bow on it.

Right?

Look! Here's an answer to

your wrapping dilemma.

Well, peeps,

Here we go~

First you must get a sock..

well, make it a pair because

one sock won't work for

MOST people.

How about something like

these-?  Cute, huh?

Then you must find some of

those short peppermint sticks.

You can buy them or

someone might send them to you.

Then you must let the

peppermint stick

SNEAK UP ON

the SOCK!

Before you can say

Alla-ka-zam-whoheebobster-helloworld

that peppermint stick

has jumped into the sock

and worked its way down

into the toe.

Can you see it there?

I've pinched it to make it stay

and now I am gonna roll

that little sucker up

into what I like to call

THE SOCK ROLL.

Well, GREAT, we got ourselves 

A SOCK ROLL

NOW- what the heck are do we do with that?

Welllllll....

There's another kinda roll

lying around my house

cuz I've been saving them.

Used toilet paper rolls.

No..No..Not used toilet paper..

Used up empty rolls.

They look like this when they are naked.

Don't worry about that little bit of

white tissue left-you won't see it soon.

Find some foil based wrapping paper.

Foil works best because you can

bend the edges down and you

don't have to glue/tape it

lest you want to.

Wrap that foil paper around

that roll leaving about 1/3"

extending over each end.

Simply bend the paper down

so that it overlaps the edge of the roll.

You will not see this when it is

done but you can glue/tape if if you like.

Then..

Sneak up on those socks and

stuff them in the roll.

A roll in a roll.

I'm just keeping myself rolling here!;>)

Remember you won't see this at the end.

Then, take some sweet tissue paper

and cut an 18" x 18" piece~

or thereabouts.

Center the roll in the middle and

starting at one end,

roll that baby up and then

twist the ends so that it

looks like a big old fat

piece of taffy.

Toilet Taffy

Laffy Taffy!

Now is that cute, or what?

I only need to tie a bit of ribbon

around the twist and I'm done.

And, when it's unwrapped

they will see the shiny foil roll

and NOT this..

Cuz the only place we

REALLY want to see THAT

is in the bathroom.

And we don't even really want

to see it there because that

would mean that someone

like MyHero..

not pointing fingers here but it

has happened

has used the last piece on

the roll

 and neglected to replace

it and there is none to be found

making me want to scream

bad words...naughty words...

Okay-that's it-

Now get rolling and wrapping

cuz there's not much time left!

And I'll just say a little prayer for you

to have to go to the bathroom

a whole lotta times

(if you need empty rolls

to wrap your socks)

cuz I am just nice like that!;>)

You can always TRY this if you need

empty rolls in a hurry!

  

I am just FULL of .......what

good advice!  

I will be wrapping up(pun intended) 

the Pick Your Favorite Table 

in the next day or so.  

Bare bear with me.