More Juju cuteness

Our Sugar Plum Fairy in the annual Nutcracker Production at E. Rivers.

A note from J

Complete with two $1 bills stapled to it.

What we are Reading #2

Me- 'Tis by Frank McCourt, the sequel to Angela's Ashes. I saw there is a third book too, called Teacher Man. These are autobiographical memoirs of an Irish man who grew up very poor in Limerick and returns to the US (where he was born) as a young man to make his way in the world.

cje- World War Z- an oral history of the Zombie War by Max Brooks. Speaks for itself.

M- The Golden Compass by Phillip Pullman. Yes, I know the author is an atheist or agnostic or whatever- please don't forward me any warning emails. I haven't read it yet but I like the idea that he is railing against all the yucky parts of organized religion.

J- Cam Jansen and the Mystery at the Haunted House by David Adler. She did her book report last week on this gripping mystery.

K- Where Does Maisy Live? by Lucy Cousins. K continues to be fascinated by Lift the Flap.

Tagged!

In lieu of the traditional 6 things you might not know about me, I am posting this fun list of Christmas Questions I got from my friend Kristina. Post answers of your own in the comments!

1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate?

Hot Chocolate all the way!

2. Does Santa wrap the presents or just sit them under the tree?

Santa brings stocking presents in our family, usually not wrapped. If they don't fit in the stocking, they sit underneath or next to it.

3. Colored or white lights?

White , although I have fond memories of big colored lights as a kid.

4. Do you hang mistletoe?

Yes- beware.

5. When do you put your decorations up?

No set date, but often around my birthday on the 12th.

6. What is your favorite holiday dish?

Pie- most kinds except not pecan. Pumpkin with a lot of whipped cream, or warm apple with ice cream- YUM.

7. Favorite Holiday memory as a child?

Getting the tree on my birthday. One year I was really crabby and didn't like the one we ended up with and threatened to push it out of the station wagon (I was riding with it in the back).

8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa?

I don't remember exactly, but I do remember waiting up to 'catch' Santa Claus by hiding behind a chair the year I turned 9.

9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve? We always got to choose one to open on Christmas Eve. If we were with my dad's family, Santa always came on Christmas Eve, along with Black Pete the chimney sweep who brought coal, if we were at my cousin's house. cje is adamantly opposed to opening anything on Christmas Eve so we don't do that if we are at home or with his family.

10. How do you decorate your Christmas Tree? Full of homemade ornaments from my childhood or by my kids.

11. Snow-love it or hate it? I love snow, but we hardly ever get any here in GA. My girls love it when we have been in Wisconsin for Christmas so they can play in the snow.

12. Can you ice skate? Compared to other people in the South, I can skate pretty well. J got a concussion last year at the rink so she'll be wearing a helmet when we go this year.

13. Do you remember your favorite gift?

I got the whole set of Little House books one year from my grandparents and I loved that present until they fell apart.

14. What's the most important thing about the Holidays for you?

Doing secret service projects. We also have a tradition of going caroling that we really enjoy.

15. What is your favorite holiday dessert? See # 6, but I also love any combination of peppermint and chocolate.

16. What is your favorite holiday tradition? We have a mail box that is painted with a winter scene that we get out each year and put anonymous notes in about kind things people did.

17. What is on top of your tree? I am in search of the perfect angel. She needs to be a little homemade looking in off-white with hints of old gold, cranberry, pine green. Any ideas?

18. Which do you like best -giving or receiving?

I like giving when I have good ideas of something the person will love but doesn't even know he/she wants. That doesn't happen often enough though!

19. What is your favorite Christmas Song?

Joy to the World- I love to sing the harmony part. We also love "Sleigh Bells" around here.

20. Do you like candy canes?

Only when they are crushed on top of chocolate bark or sprinkled over ice cream or mixed into hot chocolate.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!