HODGEPODGE WEDNESDAY

1. Are you cooking Christmas dinner? How many will be round your table this year? What are we having?  Well, I am having Christmas dinner this year, but I am not doing much cooking, haha.  After last year, I promised to keep things simple, quick and easy.  So I will not be setting up tables, getting out china and crystal, and spending the day cooking.   We will leave for Christmas morning service with baked beans in the oven SLOWLY cooking. (and that is ALL that will be cooked at my house that day!)  I am also having honey baked ham, rolls, potato salad. and the lime green salad (this is a wonderful salad that was a Christmas tradition at my house growing up, and I have carried on the tradition with my own kids).  We will serve it all on paper plates with plastic forks and throw it all away when we are done.  : )  We will have pies, cookies, candy and chips to snack and munch on for the day as well.  I am having just my kids and their families this year.  We will have 19 altogether.  

2. What is one must-have Christmas cookie in your house?  For me it is Pecan Balls, but for ALL of my kids and grands it is decorated sugar cookies....There will be both available on Christmas day.  : )

3. Santa likes a glass of milk with his cookies. Do you? What kind of milk is on tap at your house-skim? almond? soy? full fat (Gasp!)  I love a cup of hot tea with my cookies, or ice cold water.  Most of my kids would chose milk.  And low fat is what you'll find in our refrigerator.  

4. Time magazine recently named their 'Person of the Year' for 2011. This is the person the editors believe had the greatest impact, for better or worse, in the past year. This year they chose 'The Protester'. Your thoughts? Who would you name Person of the Year for 2011?  When I read this question I considered not doing this Hodgepodge at all as it would mean I would have to expose myself for what I am....And that is someone who follows world events and world news and world or media or political thoughts VERY little.  Now, I have always felt like I should, but somehow or another it has never happened.  I am not really sure why I guess.  Maybe it is because I find it all soo confusing.  I can never remember names, find the majority of it very depressing, and just generally feel like I haven't much to say on most of the topics due to my ignorance of it all.  I find I can only cram so much information in my head and hope to retain it in any useful way, and this subject is just never really high on my list of priorities.  Sooo, having said that I really have no idea who I might have in this position.  I have considered just asking my dh as I am sure he would have someone as he does follow ALL of this very closely.  I think maybe I have relied on that over the years too.  He lets me know what is going on when I really NEED to know, and fills me in with information when he can or I ask.   Now I don't want any of you to think I don't care what goes on in the world, or that I don't inform myself and vote in important elections etc., because I DEFINITELY do.  I have very general ideas of what is happening and am very aware of the fact that things are in very sad state of affair.   My heart does ache for those people who suffer great losses in natural catastrophe's and support and pray for those who help them.  I am very proud to be an America and I pray and support our troops for their dedication and service to our country.  To me the person of the year could be different in everyone's mind and heart and could be someone the rest of the world will never know.  The child who suffered with a terrible sickness and endured more in their little life than any of the rest of us might ever know, and yet smiles and brings joy to those around them.  Or the ordinary man who works hard day in and day out so he can  feed his family and put clothes on their backs, but still takes the time to enjoy and play with his kids when he would probably rather be relaxing.  Maybe it's the missionary who sacrifices everything he could have, so that he might bring the gospel to those who will never hear it any other way.    Sorry this answer is so long and really doesn't answer the question, but this is where my head goes on things like this.  As for picking the protesters I have to freely admit I don't get that...it seems to me that to be Person of the Year you ought to be someone who done something that made the world a better place....just saying.

5. December 21st is National Flashlight Day... when was the last time you needed a flashlight and did you know right where to find one? The last time I needed one was last Fall when the electricity suddenly went out in the park.  And yes, thanks to my hubby, it was right in the top drawer of the desk where he insists on keeping it even though I have pointed out it is a strange place to keep a flashlight, haha.

6. candy canes...yum or yuck?Truthfully I have mixed feelings about these things.  I have to REALLY be in the mood for candy canes, AND they have to be the really good ones.  But even if I am really in the mood and they are really good ones, I will only eat a little bit of one and I am done, haha. 

7. What Christmas carol lyric means the most to you?  I love love LOVE the lyrics to the song Mary Did You Know?  I just feel that it best sums up the reason we all celebrate His birth.   Here they are....

Mary did you know that your baby boy will one day walk on water? 

Mary did you know that your baby boy will save our sons and daughters? 

Did you know that your baby boy has come to make you new? 

This child that you've delivered, will soon deliver you.

Mary did you know that your baby boy will give sight to a blind man? 

Mary did you know that your baby boy will calm a storm with his hand? 

Did you know that your baby boy has walked where angels trod? 

And when you kiss your little baby, you have kissed the face of God.

The blind will see, the deaf will hear and the dead will live again. 

The lame will leap, the dumb will speak, the praises of the lamb.

Mary did you know that your baby boy is Lord of all creation? 

Mary did you know that your baby boy will one day rule the nations? 

Did you know that your baby boy is heaven's perfect Lamb? 

This sleeping child you're holding is the great I am.

  

I especially love this version of it done by Rascal Flatts who are one of my very favorite Country groups.    ENJOY

8. Insert your own random thought here.  I am looking forward to the rest of my week as I have managed (imagine that? haha) to keep things MUCH simpler this year.  I have just a little wrapping to do, 1 pair of jammies to make, and a little bit of baking left on my list.  Friday night we are going to a candlelight service in the park with our church and I am really looking forward to it.   Christmas Eve will find us at my oldest son's house sharing dinner with them, and Christmas Day after church our family will join us here for the day.  I will miss my Melly and her Mike and Sam, but hopefully we will see them soon.  Here is the one of the most recent pictures of this cutie....

This was taken at a Christmas party they went to last week-end...

Hope you are all having a joy filled week.  I hope to get in one more post before Christmas, so we'll see how that goes.

 Oh!  I just had to share the little video I made using the elf people. (thanks for the link to do this Kimberly!)  Sooo funny.  Or maybe it just is if you know all of us, haha...Anyway, click HERE to enjoy that...

To join the others who have linked up for Hodgepodge, click HERE.  You will be soo glad you did...