Gosh, April ~ you have done a great job of getting ready for Christmas and staying calm through it all! You are cruising right along! Like Natalia, I haven't kept up with the missions... just S&S and my kitchen, mainly.

We had our decorating done about two weeks ago. We put lots of lights outside, plus a lighted nativity scene. We have 3 small Christmas trees indoors. My DH sets up a lighted village under a 4-foot tree in the bay window in our living room, and has two of his trains set up to run through the village and around the tree. It looks so cute.

I didn't put out as many indoor decorations as usual because we still have a lot of clutter around from moving in to this house. I collect nativity sets and have over 30 from various places around the world, and I do love to display them.

OH! The big news is that DGS(15) is going home to his family this week, after 19 months and 10 days here. When they get his stuff moved out, we can use that bedroom to hide some of the junk in the dining room and office. They were going to move his things today, but it has been snowing so hard, it was not a good time to be tromping in and out of the house with stuff. We'll see if tomorrow is better, although they are calling for more snow...

My major accomplishment this week has been to finish shopping, and getting my daughter's packages ready to send to Colombia. Tuesday was the last day to ship packages with guaranteed Christmas delivery abroad, but I didn't get the first package mailed until Wednesday, and the other one on Friday. So I've been beating myself up for not being a better mother and getting them sent sooner. (Ack! The "P" word looms menacingly!) I just hope that she will get at least one of them in time for Christmas.

How are the rest of you doing?

what da ya mean, bonnie? do you thing getting all that done is not A LOT? I think doing your shopping, posting the presents, and setting up the decorations i getting a big bunch done. what else do you need to do? I'd be very proud of you if you only stopped beating yourself for not posting EVERYTHING on a specific day you go, girl

Thanks, April, but I didn't get all that done this week, it's been over two or three weeks. I know I should quit being so hard on myself.... I'm my own worst enemy, it seems.

I still have Christmas cards to address and mail. I started that today, but then my grandkids came over to use their sleds and snowboards on the big hill in front of our house (no school because of the snow), so I bundled up and went outside to play in the snow with them! Later my DD came and loaded up all of DGS's stuff to take home. After a quick cleaning, we can stash some of the boxes of OUR stuff in that room, so our dining room will be decent for Christmas dinner. Then I can spend the rest of the winter sorting through the junk! Ugh!

It sounds like you have some good plans for your holiday free time, April. Day trips to interesting places are always great fun. Do you have a zoo or anything like that to visit? Do people decorate their homes with Christmas lights there? We enjoy driving around at night to see all the pretty lights, and the grandkids love it, too. They also love the holiday concerts. Or ask your kids what they would like to do. Whatever comes up, enjoy your time together as a family.

Merry Christmas to everyone!

Bonnie

That sounds so pretty, to have all the homes decorated on the outside! That doesnt happen here, you can sometimes see the tree through the window (since its somehow a dutch tradition to keep curtains open - which i do not do). We have had our tree for ages, but we didnt decorate it till last sunday. Im glad we did do it now though. It looks so pretty and makes me feel much more in holiday season. Too bad i still have exams to go, last one this friday.

I got mad about our tree at first. We bought quite an expensive tree, and he is already falling out completely, though it is one of those that shouldnt. I think the salesman did a small trick on us there. First it made me wanna cry, but now its decorated you dont see as much that it misses so many needles already (sometimes whole undersides of a branch are without needles). Had a bit of perfectionism there but atleast im happy with my tree now.

After fridays last exam i will have to go think of what to make for dinners and stuff. I know that Flylady says i should have done that weeks ago, but hey, atleast im a good cook so whatever i think of i can make Will do the rest of the decorating after friday too.

Merry Christmas

thanks for the suggestions. we don't decorate houses on the outside because we all live in flats, but there are public nativities and trees, which are fun to look at. we could do a night tour

we do have a zoo very near, and I hadn't thought about it, thanks. and that made me think of the open air xmas markets, too. and I'll get the kids sit with me and make a list of things they wish to do, that will employ another morning, heheheheh

There you go, April! You and the kids will think of other interesting things to do, I'm sure. Another possible idea: Have them do some research on Christmas customs in other lands....? My DGD (in 6th grade) had that assignment at school, so I told her what you and Natalia had shared about your Christmas customs! Thanks, girls!

Natalia, good luck with your exams! You can do it, you know you can! As you said, Christmas dinner will work itself out. I'm doing the same thing. I did a wee bit more shopping today and plan to start wrapping gifts tonight or tomorrow. We have our grandkids' Christmas concert tomorrow night, and Friday night is a party with Santa for the 5-yo twins, so I will think about cleaning and cooking after all that is over. One thing at a time, or I get frazzled.

Bon, i wish i was that sure about my exam tomorrow.. but this teacher is weird. I know all theory, but i have a testexam and half of the questions i dont even understand.. and it supposed to be a freshmens course, and only an introduction into the stuff. So im now puzzling with the book and my notes through the testexam, to see if i just missed things or he has a really weird way of asking questions.
I so hope to make it though, because ive spent my whole last two weeks on this exam, let go of another one, because i wanted to get this one right. And my house.. well i have let that go to, to study. Didnt get to me though, till yesterday when i found out i was out of underwear and socks Did some laundry then.
Oh well, we will see.

I agree its fun to see different christmas traditions. In France people make a pie on 6th of January and put a little puppet in there. The one that gets it is king or queen for the whole day and decides what they go do and stuff. Most times they make sure a kid gets that puppet.

Here most are not practicing Christians anymore, so it isnt much about Christ, but about family being together, having time to spend together and stuff. For us its mixed, seeing how my mum is Catholic, my dad Protestant (?) and i just believe, no religion atm where i feel at home, and my bf, brother and sister dont believe at all. So its about Christ, family, food, and all other things you can think of

That's interesting, Natalia. Those who are believers, are they mostly Catholic? Are there other Christian churches there? It's sad that so many people have no faith to guide them and give them strength throughout life, or hope for the afterlife. I, for one, would sure hate to think 'this is all there is'. I can name many, many examples of God being at work in my life, and cannot imagine not having the comfort of knowing He is looking out for my family and me.

Good luck with your exam. Stay calm and don't try to over-analyze the questions. I'm sure we all wish you well!

MERRY CHRIStMAS EVERYONE

AND


HAPPY NEW YEAR

LINA

hi everyone. i've been sort of away for a few days going out to xmas dinners with people from work and other places, then proper xmas dinners and all. today it is aholyday in Catalonia, so we overate aswell .

any news about the test, natalia?

and about the 6th of january, it is when the kids get their presentes, and we eat a traditional cake that hides a coin (wrapped) inside. it also hides a bean. if you get the coin/toy, you are king/queen for a day. if you get the bean, you pay for the cake (it's usually homemade, so paying for it is only a joke.

we do the presents on the 6th of january because it was on that date that the 3 wise men supposedly took their presents to the newborn jesus. all our holydays come from catholic tradition, but most people do not believe in god, also it is a culture based in catholic traditions. Spain is a laic? laicist? country, but has been catholic for many years, so that is the tradition. I would be considered as a non believer with a catholic background, even though my family doesnt believe either. all traditions have a cultural basis here.

there are other religions here, but they are very very minoritary. some newly arrived are muslims, some people (mainly gipsies) are evangelists. some very small jewish community in the big city, and the rest are even smaller. it's curious about the gipsies. they have their own practice and religion, but they always join an evangelist church. donno why. i'll have to find out if they are related in some way or other.

what are the main religions in the USA?

oh my, sorry about that looooong dissertations about traditions and religions.

Not at all , that was intresting. We love to know about other traditions

Welcome back, ladies! I hope that everyone had a wonderful Christmas with loved ones and friends, making lots of special memories! We hosted DH's usual clan plus my DD and her family, for a total of 16 people! I was fighting a cold, but managed to serve a bountiful feast, and I think a good time was had by all.

Maybe religion seems 'dead' in Europe because it was forced on people for so many centuries; i.e., Catholicism in Spain, Italy, etc., and the Church of England in Great Britain. In the USA, people are free to practice whatever religion they wish (or not). This is just my opinion, of course, but I'd say major religions are Catholic, Jewish, and Christianity, which includes denominations too numerous to mention, but the largest ones are Methodist, Baptist, Presbyterian, Church of Christ, Church of God, Lutheran, Episcopalian, Congregational, Nazarene, Apostolic, Assembly of God, Alliance, Brethren, Pentacostal, Mormon, Amish, and many more, plus thousands of non-denominational and community churches. Muslims are gaining, too. For the most part, these groups are tolerant and respectful of each other, and they are not under government control.

People sometimes wonder why there are so many different denominations. I like to think of it as a large family, all of whom have the same genes and basic heritage, yet each family member has their own traits, personalities, interests, talents, and so forth. Yet they belong to that one family. And, as a father loves each of his children even though they are very different, God too loves us all. Does that help any?

Wow , I didn't think Christianity has soooo many denominations. The way you think of it is beautiful, that they are all ONE big family.

So how is everyone doing this new year?

Ive been too busy, flylady is right i need to slow down, but i just dont know how atm without all the plates falling

And i was wondering how you all were doing, since the last post was 2 weeks ago

Yay! Welcome back, Natalia! Where IS everyone?? HAPPY NEW YEAR, Y'ALL!!!

I've been wondering what kind of New Year's customs everybody has? For instance, FlyLady said that in the South, they have black-eyed peas, collard greens, and cornbread on New Year's Day. Here in the Midwest, dining on roast pork and sauerkraut is supposed to assure prosperity in the new year. What's your custom?