Sunday, January 3, 2010

Santaland


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Every year we try to go the big Christmas lights park in Lindale called Santaland. It has the lane of trees, the awesome tunnel of lights, Texas-themed vignettes, and an entire section devoted to the life of Christ. We never got around to going last year, so I was determined to go this year. Since my darling hubby gave me a new computer for Christmas (SQUEEEE!) that actually works with my Flipcam, I broke it out and took some videos to share.

*The links are to the videos as posted on my YouTube channel so this page will load faster for you.*

The trees in the lane now dance to music that's broadcast from a dedicated radio station like all those popular videos you see of lights dancing on houses. I didn't think about video until after we had gone through it, so I caught it on the way out:







Then you go through the tunnel of lights, which I forgot to video.

Next, there's generic Christmas vignettes:









Followed by Candyland:





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Then "Elfland, Texas"









There was a section of Precious Moments angels doing all kinds of things, but the video was washed out. :( They're really cute, and I'm sad you don't get to see them.

The Life of Christ was covered, which I love. It's nice when someone includes the whole story and not just the Nativity.



















We had some cookies (bought in a bucket with the Nativity story on it) and Bethy had mini marshmallows while we went through the park. It's not a big deal and only cost $20, but it's another great family time to store away in our hearts.

Saturday, January 2, 2010

Yeah, ok, I'll post more - maybe...






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So it's the new year and everybody's pitching fits about resolutions, goals, and "promises to myself." Yeah, ok, whatever. I used to play that game, then I figured what's the point of doing something that's just going to make me more depressed anyway?

But I do have this blog, and you do read it (you do read it, right?), and you deserve to have something to read.

So, I'll try to post more frequently. That's as close to a resolution, goal, or blahblahblah that you're gonna get out of me.

To start, I'll tell you the humdrum (Feel free to fall asleep on the keyboard here, but be careful not to drool on it.) of the last week.

The beginning of the week was spent in The Kids Are Out of School *ahem* pleasantness. You know - bickering, screaming, throwing things and fits, and being sent to our rooms. And you should've seen the kids! Just kidding. A little.

Wednesday night, I took the kids up to the church to meet their "Aunt" and "Uncle" - a couple we've known longer than Sarah's been alive that they all adore. They haven't had the chance to go spend the night in a while, so they finally got the opportunity. They went with them Wednesday night after church and Brandon and Sarah will come to church with them in the morning. Bethy couldn't stand to be away from Mama and Daddy that long, so we went and got her this morning. You'd think with the kids being gone that long, we'd get all caught up on sleep. Instead we didn't go to bed until 4am Thursday night/Friday morning.

Media_http3stairscomw_sjyggWe spent the day Thursday hanging around town shopping and eating barbecue at the local famous bbq place, Mack's. Yum, good! That night we watched a few episodes of the Merlin series (and I crocheted). A few minutes before midnight, we turned on the Dick Clark special to watch the ball drop. It was sad to see Dick in his condition, and we toasted him with our sparkling apple cider. I played Wordscraper on Facebook and Michael played on his computer, watching stuff and goofing off.

Just your typical nerdy New Year's Eve.

We slept in Friday morning, and went to get Bethy around 11. We came home, ate lunch, and took a nap. Yes, we're nappers. Go ahead, make jokes - I'll color a picture while I wait...

Done? Ok, moving on.


Media_http3stairscomw_wnmgvMy grandmother invited us over for dinner and we had a lovely meal of black-eyed peas, coleslaw, cornbread, turkey, homemade macaroni and cheese, and zucchini. Then, the highlight of my week - Meme's homemade chocolate meringue pie! Seriously, this is the Absolute World's Best Pie Ever. In the history of baking. In the history of mankind. Trust me on this.

Tomorrow (well, in about seven hours), I'll go to church, have lunch, and take a nap. Sabbath is the one day a week I'm guaranteed a nap. The kids will probably go to my Mom's for the afternoon to get their weekly Grandma Fix. I'm planning to drag everyone to the Christmas lights place in Lindale after Sabbath, so that'll be a nice family thing. We usually take my mom and grandmother, too and make it a whole-family affair. The kids love it, and my heart does, too.

Oh yeah, and yarn will be crocheted. That's a daily thing.

Are you still here? Wow, I'm impressed! Here's your blanket - you can go back to sleep now.

Sunday, December 27, 2009

This Week's Twitter Blatherings


  • made a big cup with english breakfast and irish breakfast teas - tastes like cold coffee - blech! #

  • with the latest download, i now have 10.5 hours of Christmas music, including 9 versions of Silent Night... #fb #

  • Oh my the ppl at walmart today!!! #

  • hello, my name is crystal and i'm a big, fat, freakin' pushover idiot... will i ever learn? #fb #

  • downloaded a few more Christmas songs from Amazon; realized i had a few cd's not on pc; uploading now... #fb #christmasmusic #

  • Toy Packaging by Sara Groves #nowplaying #

  • Carol of the Bells by The Proclivities #nowplaying #

  • dang, going through my Christmas cd case and finding a bunch not on my pc... #fb #

  • last cd in - then we'll see how many hours i've ended up with... #christmasmusic #fb #

  • final tally - 21 hours of #christmasmusic! #fb #

  • to bed late again; awake too soon with a headache; oh joy... #fb #

  • Ladies and gentlemen, Hellmas has now officially begun - Bethy puked in the car #hellmas #fb #

  • kids finally asleep after 10pm and i actually managed to finish a post to go up later this week; now i crash #hellmas #fb #

  • It's not a lux hotel, but @bestwestern in hillsboro tx has massaging showerheads & copious hot h2o #bliss #fb #

  • still tired; when's the vacation where i get to sleep and sleep and sleep? #fb #

  • took 4yo bethy up and down the stairs at the hotel - she got all excited because she saw the "pond!!!" (pool) #fb #

  • listening to and enjoying Susan Boyles' "I Dreamed a Dream" - early Christmas gift from @marcand - thanks, honey! #fb #

  • shower and bed; it's good to be home... #fb #

  • cleaning off my desk, then i may consider tackling the living room - maybe... #fb #

  • tried to make tea - stupid 2.5 gallon container leaked all over my counter; ugh #redotoday #fb #

  • nap down, gotta write this week's soapbox for @kidglue... #fb #

  • swing time with @marcand! #fb #

  • having my annual quiet, sad, contemplative night during the holidays, remembering Christmases past... #fb #

  • 4yo Bethy just brought Tigger to meet me, then Little Pooh... #fb #

  • AWESOME piece >> An abundance of blessings even in toughest of times -- chicagotribune.com - #

  • missing my hair... #fb #

  • is one pissed-off mama #fb #

  • beware thinking you're actually on top of something, lest you discover that you're really an idiot that's a day late #fb #

  • have you checked out all the posts i've written for @KidGlue today? two already and another coming at #fb #

  • snowing in mineola, texas; will wonders never cease?? #fb #

  • heading to my grandmother's house to have Christmas with my mom, sister, niece, nephew, and uncle #fb #

  • turkey, fruit salad & chocolate meringue pie eaten; annual scrabble played; sister heading home to snowy McKinney - pray for safety #fb #

  • is looking at the undecorated house and grieving that the magic is not here this year... #fb #

  • going to attempt a hot bath and bed... #fb #

  • just opened my review copy of @kathilipp's The Marriage Project that i got today - merry christmas to me! *squeeee* #fb #

  • Patton space heater - $18 from WalMart - made of win! #fb #

  • presents opened at the homestead; going back to grandmother's for meatloaf later today #fb #

  • just had some cold leftover tasty, tasty, turkey-murder #nom #fb #

  • but i don't wanna go to the store! #fb #


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