Tomorrow at 6:30pm. We already bought our tickets. Can't wait!

Rum AND brandy. :)

I have to read this!!!! Thanks!

My only hobby is reading. I read a lot. Does that count? I used to scrapbook but I after I moved here I no longer had access to materials so I gave it up. :(

Favorite fiction: Garden Spells by Sarah Addison Allen and Prodigy by Marie Lu Favorite non-fiction: Nothing to Envy by Barbara Demick and The Geography of Bliss by Eric Weiner

My camera has a blue light that glows when it is on so are you saying that it could be on and that light wouldn't be glowing?

No. I live on the equator. It has never, ever snowed here so a white Christmas for me refers to the white, sandy beaches. :)

For my oldest ds it was Monsters, Inc. He was 3 years old. For my dd it was Monsters University. She was 3 years old. The movies were made 12 years apart and my oldest and youngest are 12 years apart so it worked out that they both saw a "Monsters" move at age 3 for their first movie. It wasn't planned that way! Now for what is really bad, I can't remember what the first movie was for my middle ds. I will have to think hard about that. Don't want him getting that "middle child" syndrome!!!

To the OP, Yes I totally understand. While I do not agree with most of Catholic theology, I do admire the beauty of their services and their churches. I would love a high-church, liturgical service but with reformed theology. :)

Really? I was not aware that any denominations actually banned their people from attending another service. I have been a Protestant Christian my whole life but I have attended Hindu, Buddhist, Catholic, Jewish and Muslim places of worship and more. I did not participate in any of the worship. I was just a polite observer. You really aren't allowed? At all? Not even just to observe?

Um, wow. I guess she hasn't realized that it isn't about her? Sorry you have to deal with that but congrats on the pregnancy!

All white lights Beaded garland in gold and silver A variety of style of ornaments but all in gold and silver, mostly antique-looking A huge bow at the top with ribbons streaming down, sort of a gold/cream color trimmed in gold beads A gold tree skirt underneath

Don't change the thread title please... I hate change. :) No books on my Christmas list (I don't have the willpower to wait for Christmas) but dh asked me if I want the new iPad mini for reading all my books. Woo hoo!!! Challenges ... Hmmm.... Have we done a "decades" challenge? Like a book published from each decade in the last 100 years?

Started Reading: Maya's Notebook by Isabelle Allende Still Reading: Good News of Great Joy by John Piper The Firebird by Susanna Kearsley Faithful Women and their Extraordinary God by Noel Piper Smart but Scattered Teens: The "Executive Skills" Program for Helping Teens Reach Their Potential by Richard Guare The Collected Writings (So Far) of Rick Wormeli: Crazy Good Stuff I've Learned about Teaching by Rick Wormeli Finished: 51. And the Mountains Echoed by Khaled Hosseini 50. Big, Dead Place: Inside the Strange and Menacing World of Antarctica by Nicholas Johnson 49. God is Red: The Secret Story of How Christianity Survived and Flourished in Communist China by Liao Yiwu 48. Allegiant by Veronica Roth 47. The Mountain Between Us by Charles Martin 46. Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn 45. Stealing Rembrandts: The Untold Stories of Notorious Art Heists by Anthony Amore (American Author, DD class 700) 44. The Gospel's Power and Message by Paul Washer (American author, DD class 200) 43. They Say/I Say: The Moves That Matter in Persuasive Writing by Gerald Graff (American author, DD class 400) 42. Gilead by Marilynne Robinson (American author, DD class 800) 41. Mariana by Susanna Kearsley (Canadian author, DD class 800) 40. Man Seeks God: My Flirtations with the Divine by Eric Weiner (American author, DD class 200) 39. When I Don't Desire God: How to Fight for Joy by John Piper (American author, DD class 200) 38. Inferno by Dan Brown (American author, DD class 800) 37. That Old Cape Magic by Richard Russo (American author, DD class 800) 36. The God Who is There: Finding Your Place in God's Story by D.A. Carson (Canadian author, DD class 200) 35. Sandstorm by James Rollins (American author, DD class 800) 34. Like Water for Chocolate by Laura Esquivel (Mexican Author, DD class 800) 33. The Sex Lives of Cannibals: Adrift in the Equatorial Pacific by J. Maarten Troost (Dutch Author, DD class 900) 32. Bill Bryson's African Diary by Bill Bryson (American author, DD class 900) 31. The Millionaires by Brad Meltzer (American author, DD class 800) 30. Beautiful Ruins by Jess Walter (American author, DD class 800) 29.The Sherlockian by Graham Moore (American author, DD class 800) 28. Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl (American authors, DD class 800) 27. A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson (American author, DD class 900) 26. The Last Camellia by Sarah Jio (American author, DD class 800) 25. Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese (Ethiopian author, DD class 800) 24. Having Hard Conversations by Jennifer Abrams (American author, DD class 300) 23.The End of Your Life Book Club by Will Schwalbe (American author, DD class 600) 22. The Infernal Devices #3: The Clockwork Princess by Cassandra Clare (American author, DD class 800) 21. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee (American author, DD class 800) 20. Why Revival Tarries by Leonard Ravenhill (British author, DD class 200) 19. The Infernal Devices #2: Clockwork Prince by Cassandra Clare (American author, DD class 800) 18. The Infernal Devices: Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare (American author, DD class 800) 17. God's Big Picture: Tracing the Story-Line of the Bible by Vaughan Roberts (British author, DD class 200) 16.The Weed that Strings the Hangman's Bag: A Flavia de Luce Mystery by Alan Bradley (Canadian Author, DD Class 800) 15.The Geography of Bliss: One Grump's Search for the Happiest Places in the World by Eric Weiner (American author, DD class 900) 14. Prodigy by Marie Lu (Chinese author, DD class 800) 13. Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption by Laura Hillenbrand (American author, DD class 900) 12. The Disappearing Spoon: And Other Tales of Madness, Love, and the History of the World from the Periodic Table of the Elements by Sam Kean (American author, DD class 500) 11. The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down: A Hmong Child, Her American Doctors, and the Collision of Two Cultures by Anne Fadiman (American Author, DD class 600) 10. A Praying Life: Connecting with God in a Distracting World by Paul Miller (American author, DD class 200) 9. Nothing to Envy: Ordinary Lives in North Korea by Barbara Demick (American author, DD class 300) 8. Ordering Your Private World by Gordon MacDonald (American author, DD class 100) 7. The Bungalow by Sarah Jio (American author, DD class 800) 6. The Sugar Queen by Sarah Addison Allen (American author, DD class 800) 5. Garden Spells by Sarah Addison Allen (American author, DD class 800) 4. The Next Story: Life and Faith After the Digital Explosion by Tim Challies (Canadian author, DD class 600) 3. The House at Riverton by Kate Morton (Australian author, DD class 800) 2. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen (English author, DD class 800) 1. The Dark Monk: A Hangman's Daughter Tale by Oliver Potzsch (German author, DD class 800)

The very first movie I ever saw on the big screen was the original Clash of the Titans back in 1981.

Egg nog with rum Christmas pudding Watching my kids decorate the tree Santa Claus It's a Wonderful Life Elf O Come Emmanuel

Fruitcake Wrapping presents Taking the decorations down Miracle on 34th Street

A bridal doll my mother received as a gift when she was a child then gave to me when I was a child. She grew up very, very poor and a family at her church gave her this doll because they knew she had no toys at all. One day I will give it to my dd.

I agree. Santa is a big deal here and even though my two oldest kids know he is not real, they play along for the sake of the youngest. Neither of my boys has been traumatized by the knowledge that he is not real. They think it is something really sweet and special that we did for them. When my oldest ds was much younger I actually paid $10 online for Santa to "call" him on Christmas morning. When the caller ID lit up with Santa's name you should have seen my son's face! I think it was the highlight if his year. He still talks about that and how awesome it was.

Started Reading: Good News of Great Joy by John Piper Still Reading: The Firebird by Susanna Kearsley Faithful Women and their Extraordinary God by Noel Piper Smart but Scattered Teens: The "Executive Skills" Program for Helping Teens Reach Their Potential by Richard Guare The Collected Writings (So Far) of Rick Wormeli: Crazy Good Stuff I've Learned about Teaching by Rick Wormeli Finished: 51. And the Mountains Echoed by Khaled Hosseini 50. Big, Dead Place: Inside the Strange and Menacing World of Antarctica by Nicholas Johnson 49. God is Red: The Secret Story of How Christianity Survived and Flourished in Communist China by Liao Yiwu 48. Allegiant by Veronica Roth 47. The Mountain Between Us by Charles Martin 46. Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn 45. Stealing Rembrandts: The Untold Stories of Notorious Art Heists by Anthony Amore (American Author, DD class 700) 44. The Gospel's Power and Message by Paul Washer (American author, DD class 200) 43. They Say/I Say: The Moves That Matter in Persuasive Writing by Gerald Graff (American author, DD class 400) 42. Gilead by Marilynne Robinson (American author, DD class 800) 41. Mariana by Susanna Kearsley (Canadian author, DD class 800) 40. Man Seeks God: My Flirtations with the Divine by Eric Weiner (American author, DD class 200) 39. When I Don't Desire God: How to Fight for Joy by John Piper (American author, DD class 200) 38. Inferno by Dan Brown (American author, DD class 800) 37. That Old Cape Magic by Richard Russo (American author, DD class 800) 36. The God Who is There: Finding Your Place in God's Story by D.A. Carson (Canadian author, DD class 200) 35. Sandstorm by James Rollins (American author, DD class 800) 34. Like Water for Chocolate by Laura Esquivel (Mexican Author, DD class 800) 33. The Sex Lives of Cannibals: Adrift in the Equatorial Pacific by J. Maarten Troost (Dutch Author, DD class 900) 32. Bill Bryson's African Diary by Bill Bryson (American author, DD class 900) 31. The Millionaires by Brad Meltzer (American author, DD class 800) 30. Beautiful Ruins by Jess Walter (American author, DD class 800) 29.The Sherlockian by Graham Moore (American author, DD class 800) 28. Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl (American authors, DD class 800) 27. A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson (American author, DD class 900) 26. The Last Camellia by Sarah Jio (American author, DD class 800) 25. Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese (Ethiopian author, DD class 800) 24. Having Hard Conversations by Jennifer Abrams (American author, DD class 300) 23.The End of Your Life Book Club by Will Schwalbe (American author, DD class 600) 22. The Infernal Devices #3: The Clockwork Princess by Cassandra Clare (American author, DD class 800) 21. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee (American author, DD class 800) 20. Why Revival Tarries by Leonard Ravenhill (British author, DD class 200) 19. The Infernal Devices #2: Clockwork Prince by Cassandra Clare (American author, DD class 800) 18. The Infernal Devices: Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare (American author, DD class 800) 17. God's Big Picture: Tracing the Story-Line of the Bible by Vaughan Roberts (British author, DD class 200) 16.The Weed that Strings the Hangman's Bag: A Flavia de Luce Mystery by Alan Bradley (Canadian Author, DD Class 800) 15.The Geography of Bliss: One Grump's Search for the Happiest Places in the World by Eric Weiner (American author, DD class 900) 14. Prodigy by Marie Lu (Chinese author, DD class 800) 13. Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption by Laura Hillenbrand (American author, DD class 900) 12. The Disappearing Spoon: And Other Tales of Madness, Love, and the History of the World from the Periodic Table of the Elements by Sam Kean (American author, DD class 500) 11. The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down: A Hmong Child, Her American Doctors, and the Collision of Two Cultures by Anne Fadiman (American Author, DD class 600) 10. A Praying Life: Connecting with God in a Distracting World by Paul Miller (American author, DD class 200) 9. Nothing to Envy: Ordinary Lives in North Korea by Barbara Demick (American author, DD class 300) 8. Ordering Your Private World by Gordon MacDonald (American author, DD class 100) 7. The Bungalow by Sarah Jio (American author, DD class 800) 6. The Sugar Queen by Sarah Addison Allen (American author, DD class 800) 5. Garden Spells by Sarah Addison Allen (American author, DD class 800) 4. The Next Story: Life and Faith After the Digital Explosion by Tim Challies (Canadian author, DD class 600) 3. The House at Riverton by Kate Morton (Australian author, DD class 800) 2. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen (English author, DD class 800) 1. The Dark Monk: A Hangman's Daughter Tale by Oliver Potzsch (German author, DD class 800)

I hate cherries and anything cherry-flavored. Nasty. Rap music went downhill after Run DMC. I don't like hardly any music produced in the last 10-15 years. Especially Adele. She is whiny and annoying and her songs are depressing. I don't think video games are evil and my boys play copious amounts of them yet are still godly, compassionate, well-educated kids. Adam Levine looks like a sissy to me. I liked the Twilight books but not the movies. Duck Dynasty is the dumbest show ever. Well, next to Cajun Pawn Stars.

Ok, don't laugh but I have a particularly fond memory of the year I got a Donny and Marie album that I desperately wanted. Oh, and an Andy Gibb. The one with "Shadow Dancing" on it. Best Christmas ever. :)

NO WAY. My book spending has gone up SIGNIFICANTLY since getting an eReader (first a kindle then an iPad). But I am also reading a lot of really great books so I think it is worth the cost. :)

Yuck. No. Aren't there laws against that?

I read that article. The only problem is their "alternative" to being a teacher is to become a principal. Well, first of all, it is pretty rare that someone becomes a principal with zero experience as a teacher and if they did, I wouldn't want to work for them. Secondly, being a principal is no walk in the park. You think working with students is hard? Try working with teachers.