Wednesday, December 14, 2011

Hodgepodge Wednesday





1. Do you put Christmas decorations in every room of your house? If not every room, what rooms do you decorate? No, I definitely do not put decorations in every room.  I decorate the kitchen, the family room and the dining room.  Those are the rooms that we are in the most and use for entertaining.  There was a time that I did lots and lots more decorating, but no more. 

2. If you could visit one of the Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden) which one would you choose and why? I'm really not interested in any, there's too many places right here in the US that I still want to see.

3. What does the word faith mean to you?  For me it is placing my trust and confidence in the Lord, plain and simple, but oh, so powerful!

4. You can go back to your childhood for one day...what day and age would you choose?  There are several but one would be in 1960 (I was 8 years old) when we took a family vacation from Arkansas to Washington, DC.  I am sure my parents sacrificed and saved for a long time to make this trip possible.  It was a wonderful trip and my Mom made us a couple of matching outfits to wear (shirts for my Dad and brother and skirts and tops for the two of us). 

5. When did you last have 'punch'? If it's not too much trouble share your favorite punch recipe.  Hubby and I attended a play at our local theater a couple of weeks ago and they served punch at intermission.  I'm not a big fan of punch but the following recipe is a good one and I especially like the lemon and orange slices floating around in the punch.


SPARKING  PUNCH

Ingredients

  • 2 lemons
  • 3 large oranges
  • 1 (6 ounce) can frozen lemonade concentrate
  • 1 liter club soda
  • 2 (750 milliliter) bottles sparkling apple cider
  • 1 tablespoon white sugar
  • 2 trays ice cubes

Directions

Thinly slice the lemons and the oranges and place in a large punch bowl. Pour in the thawed lemonade. Gently stir in the club soda and the sparkling apple cider. Add sugar to taste. Add ice

6. Do you fill stockings at your house? Are stockings opened before or after the bigger gifts?


Oh, yes, we have stockings!  Well, might I say, we have buckets.  Several years ago the stocking stuffers would no longer fit in the stockings that I hung so I came up with another idea.  I found these cute Christmas buckets and they now serve as the kids stockings.  And, they will tell you in a hurry that they look forward to "the buckets" more than anything else.  I usually pick up items throughout the year for "the buckets" and of course, always add a few gift cards.  I pass them out at the end of opening gifts.

7. What takes your breath away?
A cold winter's wind - literally
Gorgeous music
Majestic view
Hubby in his pinstripe suit ~grin~
God's love

8. Insert your own random thought here. 
It seems that I have heard a lot of talk this year about Santa and the part HE plays in Christmas.  I, personally, cannot imagine Christmas without Santa.  My Dad, was a Minister, but we always had Santa. We were taught the true meaning of Christmas from the cradle and Santa never took priority over that but he was very much a part of our Christmases.  I think, given his proper place, Santa adds a fun to Christmas that I would never want to be without.  That's just my opinion! ~smile~
Lea @ CiCis Corner
Lea @ CiCis Corner

Hi there! My name is Lea. I've been wife to the best Hubby for 44 years....Mom to a son and daughter....CiCi to 4 precious Grans....lover of family and friends....enjoy laughter and a good time....shopper....picture taking maniac....maker of delicious fudge....organizational enthusiast....memory maker....Southern Belle...and most importantly.....a Child of the King! Welcome to my little corner!

10 comments:

  1. Well we don't have buckets but we have a similar concept...everyone has their 'assigned seat' and on Christmas morning the stockings no longer hang, instead they are at your seat with the overflow stacked up in your chair. So much fun!

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  2. I love your last answer. If you are taught the meaning of Christmas then by all means, let Santa be a fun treat!

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  3. I love your answer about Santa ~ very well said {smile} for us he is not a distraction to Christmas either {smile} just like our tree is not a distraction, 'nor is the SUPER FUN night when My Love takes us all out to our favorite place for dinner and then with full tummies and excited hearts we drive out to see the Christmas lights....can't wait! Have a WONDERFUL Wednesday Lea! Love, EMichelle

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  4. I have to tell you this, Lea. I had a dream that made me wake up saying, "You know you've been blogging the Hodgepodge too long when..." Here's what happened in my dream. I was reading your blog. Joyce's third question was, "How often do you think about reindeer, just at Christmas or more often?" And YOU replied, "Well, I think about them every day because my address is on Reindeer Court.-smile-" Yes, even the "smile" word was in my dream!

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  5. My daughter is contemplating omitting Santa from their Christmas celebration. I have mixed feelings about that ... but she wants to do everything she can to make sure that her children grow up focusing on someone real - the Christ child, sent to us by the Father, with nothing that might inadvertently distract them from that most special Christmas gift.

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  6. Love those beautiful stockings!! I'm sure you've enjoyed getting to add new ones the past few years for your grandbabies!

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  7. There are soo many FUN traditions tied up with Christmas....Santa, trees, lights, and FOOD, haha. It is all just a part of the celebration and the fun is the way I have always looked at it. I see nothing wrong with any of it. The ones I feel sorry for are the ones that these things are ALL it is about. That don't know the One who the celebration is for. I asked a couple of my young nieces and nephews last year if they knew WHY we celebrate Christmas, and the bottom line was they had no idea. It was sad. I told them the story of the first Christmas and they were fascinated by it. I'd like to see more emphasis placed on it. But then of course you run into the people who don't believe and celebrate Christmas for very different reasons. The way it was presented at our house when my kids were young was Santa is a magical figure who is part of the fun...as was Frosty, Rudolph, and elves, but had nothing to do with why we celebrate. There never seemed to be any confusion. Sorry I have written a book, haha, this just made me think. Have a wonderful day!

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  8. Visiting from Wed HP. I agree with you that Santa can have a place in Christmas. As long as we know that Christ is at the center. I remember the times that my grandkids visited Santa and whether crying or happy they are good memories. Your punch recipe sounds yummy. Drop by for a visit.

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  9. i'm with ya on the faith - it's plain and simple and profound yet really hard at times. thank goodness for His workings in us to crane our necks toward the sky!

    i used to decorate more rooms, but with little hands that like to make messes, i contain it all to two. : )

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  10. I have a lot of things I want to see in the US. I agree, Santa and Jesus are two different things. One does not replace the other! Thanks for the punch recipe, sounds wonderful.

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So glad you stopped by and hope you enjoyed your visit. I love your comments and read each and every one of them and I always try to reply to them. Blessings to you this day!