An oldie but goody, enjoy!
The 12 Days of Christmas by Straight No Chaser
Author: admin
First Snow of the Season
Actually this is the second snow, but we were in England for the first snow, so I am not counting it. 🙂
You can read about our First Snow Tradition on my guest post at Better in Bulk.
Real Family Photos
Seven kids, seven smiles, and who knows how many teeth? I have given up trying to get everyone to look at the camera, at the same time, and smile. Oh, and not put something in front of their face, or wave their hands in the air, or cry. Perhaps they can not pull the hair of the child next to them, not squint in the sun, or remove something from their nose. Maybe they can all remain standing for the 30 seconds it takes for me to snap the photo…
We have tried professional photographers, amateur photographers, and friends. The last great family picture we took was in 2002, and my husband and I aren’t in it. So, for the entire world (or at least those who read this blog) to see, here is our 2009 Family Christmas Photo.
Please don’t let me suffer alone! I know you have some great REAL family photos you want to share with me, if only to make me feel just a little bit better at my failed family photo attempts this year. Link up with your favorite REAL family photo. Remember to link to your blog post, not your blog home page, and link back to The Happy Housewife so others can participate too. The more the merrier!
Weight Watchers Stocking Stuffer Giveaway
Weight Watchers didn’t want to be left out of the fabulous giveaways I hosted this week so they are stuffing one of my reader’s stockings with some treats.
The stocking is filled with Weight Watchers by Whitman’s chocolate candies (yum!), vouchers for Weight Watchers sweet baked goods, and two different cookbooks to help you make delicious and healthy meals that are Weight Watchers plan friendly. Of course even if you aren’t on the Weight Watchers plan, healthy meal ideas are always a good thing!
Weight Watcher has also created this cool widget that allows you to find healthier substitutes for your snack cravings. You can also find coupons for Weight Watchers products.
You can also get a FREE subscription to Weight Watchers magazine. Visit Money Saving Mom for all the details.
To enter to win the stocking leave a comment. Giveaway ends Monday December 21st!
Toy and Product Recall Finder ~ Updated
Parents.com has updated their Toy and Product Recall Finder. Keep your kids safe this year, by making sure their toys are not on the naughty list.
They also have plenty of activities to make the Christmas holidays a special time for the family, and keep your kids busy during the winter break.
Christmas traditions – Family activities that can grow into Christmas traditions, such as visiting a tree farm each year, giving to people in need outside of the family, and participating in neighborhood Christmas caroling.
Christmas printables – Cut outs of paper ornaments for kids to color and decorate and easy-to-make gift tags that kids can personalize.
Christmas crafts – ideas for handmade gifts and ornaments, featuring everything from handmade ribbon ball ornaments, light bulb snowmen, gingerbread ornaments, to felt stockings and creative wreaths. It’s not too late to get crafty and make a few homemade gifts this year.
Finally if you are looking for timeless toys that you played with as a kid, check out their classic toys recommendations. Dozen of the classic toys inducted into the Strong National Museum of Play’s National Hall of Fame. These toys, many of which have been revamped for today’s kids, include basic Crayola crayons, Legos, and even the Radio Flyer wagon.
Bible in 90 Days ~ Will You Read with Me?
The following is a guest post from my sister-in-love who blogs at Mom’s Toolbox. If you want to know why I am joining her in this challenge you can read my perspective over at Mom’s Toolbox.
Have you ever thought about reading the Bible… the whole thing, from start to finish?
I thought about it for years, and even attempted a few times on my own, before I discovered Bible in 90 Days, joined a group at my church and read the whole thing without stopping, cover to cover.
I was so blown away by the experience that I offered to facilitate it at my next church and have since facilitated several more times, trained facilitators and now plan to host an online community via my blog, Moms Toolbox.
If you have ever considered reading the whole Bible, I cannot recommend strongly enough that you join me January 1- March 31, 2010, as I read and blog through the Bible from Genesis to Revelation, bit by bit, in order, every day.
If you would like to join our online community, here’s what you’ll need to do:
- Plan to set aside about an hour each day from January 1- March 31 for an incredibly enriching experience.
- Get your hands on a Bible in 90 Days Bible from www.biblein90days.org, or your local Christian bookstore.
- Consider also purchasing the Bible in 90 Days Participant’s Guide which offers weekly questions for you ponder to gain more insight from your reading. (I’ll be using these questions for our weekly Twitter meet-ups.)
- Consider purchasing the Bible in 90 Days Essential Bible Companion, which offers a snapshot of information to help you make it through each week’s reading without getting distracted by researching on the internet.
- Bookmark my site, www.MomsToolbox.com, and plan to visit January 1- March 31 after you have completed each day’s reading to see what I learned and report in that you have read for the day.
- Follow me on Twitter and plan to be on Twitter every Monday night of the program from 9-10 CST (much like a study meeting—just online!) when we can ask and answer each other’s questions. Use and look for the #B90Days hashtag for our group discussion.
I would bet some of you are asking “Why this particular Bible?” Here’s why:
The official The Bible in 90 Days
Although we won’t be meeting in person, my prayer is that via almost-daily online communication on my blog, as well as on Twitter we can still hold each other accountable, helping each other to accomplish our goal to read every word of the Bible attentively in 90 days.
I’d love to encourage you in this endeavor. It has been life-changing for me.
I cannot express how much reading the bible in 90 days has helped me with every study I have participated in and every sermon I have heard since then. I now know the context of the stories. I know where to find them… and I can clearly see how they are related. And to read about Christ and the fulfillment of countless prophesies just after you’ve read about those prophesies is amazing!
If you’re up for the challenge, I’m up for encouraging you every step of the way.
Pray about it. Think about it… And click on over to Mom’s Toolbox to let me know if you’d like to join in the challenge and to learn more. But do it soon so you’ll be ready to start 2010 in His Word… all of it!
Hope to see you there!
** If you still have questions, plan to follow me on Twitter and join me for our first Twitter chat this Monday, December 21 from 9-10 CST.
Bible in 90 Days Giveaway
For those of you who are interested in reading along with us, I have one copy of the Bible in 90 Days Bible plus a study guide to give to one reader. Please leave a comment letting me know you are interested in participating.
2010 BAH Rates Available
2010 BAH rates for military have been released. The average increase is 2.5%.
If your BAH decreased you will continue to receive the old BAH under the Individual Rate Protection
Individual rate protection prevents decreases in housing allowances, as long as the status of a service member remains unchanged. This means that service members are entitled to the BAH rates published 1 January or the amount of housing allowance they received on 31 December, whichever is larger. Rate protection continues unless the status of a service member changes due to:
Permanent Change of Station (PCS) Reduction in paygrade Change in dependent status
Note that the definition of change of status does not include promotions. Also, note that BAH distinguishes between with-dependents and without-dependents, not the number of dependents.
In other words, after a service member arrives at a new duty station, rate protection applies. The service member will receive any published increase, but no decrease, in BAH. When new BAH rates take effect at the given duty station, rate protection guarantees that the service member?s typical out-of-pocket costs may be less, but never more, than upon arrival.
Click here to find your 2010 BAH.
REAL Family Christmas Photos
I am sure I am not the only one who gets the “Christmas letter.” You know the letter from the perfect family, with the beautiful family picture, which tells of all their accomplishments each year. I remember growing up, my mom received a letter from a family who I think discovered a planet or won the Nobel Prize every single year!
Don’t you ever wish that you could get a “real” Christmas letter. One that talks about dirty floors, flat tires, and the swine flu? If nothing else just to make you feel a little better, that no one is really perfect.
I feel this way every year when we attempt to take our family Christmas picture. It starts in January, I begin to stress about what the kids will wear, haircuts, lost teeth, and fingers up noses. From February to November I take 100’s if not 1000’s of family photos, hoping to find the one. Usually around Thanksgiving I panic, realizing I have not taken the perfect picture and I take 200 pictures Thanksgiving weekend and use the least worst one out of the bunch.
So this year I am tired of pretending that my kids can all smile at the exact same time, with no crying, fingers up noses or in a sibling’s ear. Please tell me you have this problem too? I thought it would be fun to share our favorite REAL family photos. It might not make it on your Christmas card, but it can make it on your blog. Next Monday, December 21st, I’ll put up a linky and you can link up with your REAL family photo. I have a great one to share too, and I am looking forward to seeing all your REAL family moments captured forever on film, or at least on your memory card.
If you don’t have a blog, you can email me your photo and I will include it in my post.
Frito Lay Gift Basket Giveaway
Frito Lay wants to help you be prepared for whoever drops in this Christmas. Below are a few tips for party planning in a pinch.
- Ambiance is everything – Keep a playlist of festive music easily accessible or stock the stereo with CDs so it’s ready at the push of a button…literally. Add a few scented candles and presto…instant ambiance!
- Let guests add their touch – Keep a box of ornaments on hand and ask your guests to add one to the tree.
- No clean-up necessary – Stock-up on a supply of holiday-colored paper plates, napkins and utensils to lessen post-party clean-up. And if the house is tidy before you head out for the day, there’s no scrambling once they arrive! A frugal tip from me would be to shop after Christmas for plates, table clothes and napkins you can use next year!
- Stock the pantry – Have some “better for you” Frito-Lay products on hand to lessen the stress of “what to fix?” and allow for more time to visit with your guests. Frito-Lay’s Tostitos Scoops or Baked! Scoops — with a delicious dip — are true crowd-pleasers. Serve on a festive platter or dish and presto… festive snacks ready to share!
- Entertain with ease – Always have several fun board games accessible to keep guests entertained. And a few kid-friendly movies or simple crafts will keep the little ones busy while the adults socialize.
Frito Lay wants to give you this Holiday Snack Basket to help with your party planning. To enter leave a comment. I will chose a random winner Friday, December 18th.
Lines
This week’s You Capture theme is lines. I was pretty excited because it seemed like lines are everywhere in London. The architecture in London is absolutely phenomenal, especially when you contrast the new with the old buildings that coexist on every street. I took over 700 pictures during my visit to London and I don’t feel like I even came close to capturing everything I saw during those few days.
Here are a few of my favorite “line” photos.
There were so many lights it was amazing. I’m sure it had much to do with the Christmas season, but I can’t help but think that London is probably lit up most of the year.
Streets of London – love the red buses.
Westminster Cathedral
Part of the floor in the Westminster Cathedral.
London Eye
Globe Theatre
Tate Modern – lots of lines inside too….
Tower Bridge
Buckingham Palace
Harrods
