#28 - Carol of the Bells

Hark how the bells,

Sweet silver bells,

All seem to say,

Throw cares away

Christmas is here,

Bringing good cheer,

To young and old,

Meek and the bold,

Oh how they pound,

Raising the sound,

O'er hill and dale,

Telling their tale,

Gaily they ring

While people sing

Songs of good cheer,

Christmas is here,

Merry, merry, merry, merry Christmas,

Merry, merry, merry, merry Christmas,

On on they send ,

On without end,

Their joyful tone to every home

Dong Ding dong ding, dong Dong

This is one of my top ten favorite Christmas Carols. The speed, the music, the way it flows together so naturally, reminds me of all the Christmases we've celebrated together as a family. The year we all were sick with the flu, the first Christmas in our house on the Erie Canal, the time it was on a Sunday and my Grandma lived with us, and the first Christmas for each of my sisters.

Throwback Tuesday: Gilligan

Remember our favorite first mate? Who could resist his goofy smile and comical behavior? I think he had the better end of the deal though, he was on an island in the Pacific. I'm in the snow in the North. ;)

Close enough, don't you think? ;)

#29 - Chestnuts Roasting Over An Open Fire

Chestnuts roasting on an open fire
Jack Frost nipping at your nose
Yuletide carols being sung by a choir
And folks dressed up like Eskimos
Everybody knows a turkey and some mistletoe
Help to make the season bright
Tiny tots with their eyes all aglow
Will find it hard to sleep tonight

They know that Santa's on his way
He's loaded lots of toys and goodies on his sleigh
And every mother's child is gonna spy
To see if reindeer really know how to fly

So I'm offering this simple phrase
To kids from one to ninety-two
Although it's been said many times, many ways
Merry Christmas to you

So I'm offering this simple phrase
To kids from one to ninety-two
Although it's been said many times, many ways
Merry Christmas
Merry Christmas
Merry Christmas to you 

 Another favorite of mine from the radio. :~) My sister and I were listening to this on the radio together this past Saturday. :~)

A 3 yr old request

When greeted by the sight of all the snow on Saturday, the 3yr old promptly asked for a Christmas tree. (She does that every time it snows ;). We aren't getting ours until next weekend, but I do have a mini one in my room. I left it up this year to see if I could actually leave it up for an entire year. Every year I try to do this, but I end up putting it away by St. Patrick's day. This year, I did it! :~D So anyways, I decided to hook the tree up, so when she went to bed, the lights would be on it. She was ecstatic! She was jumping all over the house, telling everyone that there was a Christmas tree in her room! Last night she whispered to Mom 

"I can see the lights sparkle on my eyes!" 

Our Weekend Blizzard

We have almost a foot of snow from this weekends "blizzards". I'd forgotten how pretty the snow is!!!!!!!! :~D I truly don't have any favorite season because they are all unique and I love them for different ways! Enough of that, want to see the snow? :~)

This was the first gust/blizzard of snow. We were sitting on the couch, watching the Sugar Creek Gang and the Great Canoe Fish on Saturday when I glanced out the window and this is the sight that greeted me!

Around bedtime, the snow was still falling.

Sunday morning was cold, and snowy. The roads weren't very good and we haven't put our snow tires on yet, so we stayed home. Which is good cause there were nasty blizzards throughout the day. One occurred while Dad was out getting some groceries. From the time he left to the time he got home we easily got a couple inches.

Good Morning! Snow!!! And a pretty sunrise. ;)

The skies are clouding over today; but the roads are better. We probably have 8-10 inches.

And that is our weekend blizzard! 

#30 - Happy Holidays

Happy holiday, happy holiday
While the merry bells keep ringing
May your every wish come true

Happy holiday, happy holiday
May the calendar keep bringing
Happy holidays to you

Happy Holidays to all my wonderful blog friends! :~D You are all special to me. :~)

#31 - 12 Days of Christmas

On the first day of Christmas,

my true love gave to me,

a partridge in a pear tree.

On the second day of Christmas,

My true love gave to me,

Two turtle doves,

And a partridge in a pear tree.

On the third day of Christmas,

My true love gave to me,

Three french hens,

Two turtle doves,

And a partridge in a pear tree

On the fourth day of Christmas,

My true love gave to me,

Four calling birds,

Three french hens,

Two turtle doves,

And a partridge in a pear tree.

On the fifth day of Christmas,

My true love gave to me,

Five golden rings,

Four calling birds,

Three french hens,

Two turtle doves,

And a partridge in a pear tree.

On the sixth day of Christmas,

My true love gave to me,

Six geese-a-laying,

Five golden rings,

Four calling birds,

Three french hens,

Two turtle doves,

And a partridge in a pear tree.

On the seventh day of Christmas,

My true love gave to me,

Seven swans-a-swimming,

Six geese-a-laying,

Five golden rings,

Four calling birds,

Three french hens,

Two turtle doves,

And a partridge in a pear tree.

On the eighth day of Christmas,

My true love gave to me,

Eight maids-a-milking,

Seven swans-a-swimming,

Six geese-a-laying,

Five golden rings,

Four calling birds,

Three french hens,

Two turtle doves,

And a partridge in a pear tree.

On the ninth day of Christmas,

My true love gave to me,

Nine ladies dancing,

Eight maids-a-milking,

Seven swans-a-swimming,

Six geese-a-laying,

Five golden rings,

Four calling birds,

Three french hens,

Two turtle doves,

And a partridge in a pear tree.

On the tenth day of Christmas,

My true love gave to me,

Ten lords-a-leaping,

Nine ladies dancing,

Eight maids-a-milking,

Seven swans-a-swimming,

Six geese-a-laying,

Five golden rings,

Four calling birds,

Three french hens,

Two turtle doves,

And a partridge in a pear tree.

On the eleventh day of Christmas,

My true love gave to me,

Eleven pipers piping,

Ten lords-a-leaping,

Nine ladies dancing,

Eight maids-a-milking,

Seven swans-a-swimming,

Six geese-a-laying,

Five golden rings,

Four calling birds,

Three french hens,

Two turtle doves,

And a partridge in a pear tree.

On the twelfth day of Christmas,

My true love gave to me,

Twelve drummers drumming,

Eleven pipers piping,

Ten lords-a-leaping,

Nine ladies dancing,

Eight maids-a-milking,

Seven swans-a-swimming,

Six geese-a-laying,

Five golden rings,

Four calling birds,

Three french hens,

Two turtle doves,

And a partridge in a pear tree.

I love this song! We put hand motions to it last year and performed it! :~) The only downside was I injured my wrist from doing it so many times. Oh well! It was fun anyways!

#32 - Go, Tell it on the Mountain

While shepherds kept their watching

Over silent flocks by night,

Behold throughout the heavens,

There shone a holy light:

Go, Tell It On The Mountain,

Over the hills and everywhere;

Go, Tell It On The Mountain

That Jesus Christ is born.

The shepherds feared and trembled

When lo! above the earth

Rang out the angel chorus

That hailed our Savior's birth:

Go, Tell It On The Mountain,

Over the hills and everywhere;

Go, Tell It On The Mountain

That Jesus Christ is born.

Down in a lowly manger

Our humble Christ was born

And God send us salvation,

That blessed Christmas morn:

Go, Tell It On The Mountain,

Over the hills and everywhere;

Go, Tell It On The Mountain

That Jesus Christ is born.

When I am a seeker,

I seek both night and day;

I seek the Lord to help me,

And He shows me the way:

Go, Tell It On The Mountain,

Over the hills and everywhere;

Go, Tell It On The Mountain

That Jesus Christ is born.

He made me a watchman

Upon the city wall, 

And if I am a Christian,

I am the least of all.

Go, Tell It On The Mountain,

Over the hills and everywhere;

Go, Tell It On The Mountain

That Jesus Christ is born.

GO! Tell others that Jesus Christ is born! This always reminds me why we celebrate Christmas: to tell others that Jesus came to save them from their sins.

#33 - Angels We Have Heard On High

 

 Angels we have on heard high

Sweetly singing ore the plains

And the mountains in reply

Echoing their joyous strains

Gloria in excelsis Deo

Gloria in excelsis Deo

Come to Bethlehem and see

Christ whose birth the angels sing

Come adore on bended knee

Christ the Lord the newborn King

Gloria in excelsis Deo

Gloria in excelsis Deo

See him in a manger laid

Whom the choirs of angels praise

Mary, Joseph, lend your aid

While our hearts in love we raise

Gloria in excelsis Deo

Gloria, in excelsis Deo

Most people do not sing this song correctly. In Latin "C" is hard, not soft. So when you sing excelsis, you shouldn't say "exellsies", but "ekelsies". :~)

Dreaming about Prince Charming

How many girls do you know, dream about their future husband? I know many like that, including myself.

We make lists of the attributes of what he should be like, what he should look like, what he should be good at and on and on.

Unfortunately, we fall into a trap. He "HAS" to be a perfect Prince. While in some cases this can be true, most of the time its not. 

Open your eyes, girls! God will give you the perfect Prince. But he won't be perfect. The only way he'll be perfect is because he is yours.

So while you may not have the perfect Disney Prince,

and unless you are an equestrian, he won't ride up on a white horse, 

but he will be your special man. And he very well might be the person you spend the rest of your life with. So girls, relax! Your perfect Prince will be here soon enough, he won't be perfect but he'll be a Prince that's perfect because God chose him specially for you.