31 Family Devotions For Christmas Day ONE Dec. 1st

By: Marilee Parrish

24 Days until Christmas

Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be Thankful.

Colossians 3:15

A little prayer:

Father, Thank you for the upcoming holiday season.

Thank you for sending Your Son for us. Help me to keep my focus on You this Christmas and to make this a time of love, hope, and joy for my family and friends. Allow us to bless someone in need this year. As I begin planning for Christmas, let my heart be set on worshipping You this season and not expecting the "perfect" Christmas. Amen.

Family activity

Many homes have traditions to find the annual Christmas tree the day after Thanksgiving. Putting up the tree is one of the top things on the to do list with family members. Find a tree farm that will let you cut down your own. There are a lot of places that will take you into the woods on a wagon and serve hot chocolate or other special treats.

Stress free Tip

Avoiding major hassle removing your lights after Christmas, start at the base of your tree and work up. Wear long sleeves and gloves when putting lights up and taking them down. When removing the lights after Christmas remember top to bottom.

Recipe

Banana Chocolate Chip Coffee Cake

1 1/3 cups sugar

1 cup sour cream

1/4 cup butter softened

4 eggs

2 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

3 to 4 medium banana's, very ripe, smashed

2 teaspoons vanilla

2 cups milk chocolate chips

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Cream sugar, sour cream, butter, and eggs. Stir in flour, salt, and baking soda. Add banana's and vanilla; mix well. Stir in chocolate chips. Spread in greased 9x11 inch pan. Bake 35 minutes. Cool in pan.

Merry Christmas to all and a Happy New Year.

Winner of the CartStopper

Julie D said...

I'm following you on twitter (Mom2Ways)

November 21, 2008 2:14 AM

You have 48hrs to contact me.

Monday Round Up

Need a new computer or a few new laptops, or maybe a new photo printer well I've got a chance here and you could have chance yourself. It ends on December Fourth!!! Get 'em while it's hot. These would make wonderful Christmas gifts for those in your family. Two laptops, one TOUCH SMART IQ, a photo printer, a mini notebook, a mediasmart connect, and a few other items including Kung Fu Panda BLUE RAY style.

Mom Knows Everything's Camera Critters how cute is that puppy!! Really too cute for words.

Hip Mama's Place Christmas Giveaway Event, win an interactive Poingo StoryBook from Hip Mama's Place.

She wants to LOVE this book, and others are to encourage her to read the other three. SHE MUST so she can understand the infatuation the rest of us have for the Edward-Jacob Triangle.

Loving Heart Mommy has a stocking stuffer contest going for an iL Divo.

Half-Past Kissin' Time shows of her Kendall with some Pinup Curls. I think it looks cute on her. If only I had thick hair I bet I'd look cute with a hairstyle like that.

Cool Mom Picks has some nice little reviews one for a designer stroller pad, how about a cool Advent Calendar, and Ingrid and Isabel Leggings.

A first time blogger having her first contest for some TREE-Tastic ornaments.

Christmas Blessings Extravaganza is extended.

The letter 'K'

My boys Dear Santa Letters, James and Connor.

I won a Pillsbury Gift Basket from Jenna at For the Love of Baby.

Not So Blog Blog has a Smart-E Cat, Dog, or Bear up for grabs.

Just Spotted December Calendar has a link to be able send and receive letters to and from Santa. How cool is that.

Andrea has already posted her crafty ideas for Christmas at MOMDOT.

Holiday Cookies better than yours from Cool Mom Picks, Glass bottle that do not look like glass bottles.

A guy dancing to Beyonce's Single song over at Mama's Losin It.

Here are a few of my own links, Winners of the bracelet and 10$ gift card. Here are some cute little boys that'll make you smile.

Everyday Adventures Reality Check on Aisle Seven.

Someone got a new phone!! BLACKBERRIES ARE EVERYWHERE!! I WANT ONE!

Happy reading. These were my weekend reads. Enjoy

Thanksgiving After Dinner Table

Yes they were being like the big kids, adults and playing with their very own BIG cards. Those cards my brother and I used to play when we were little. I'm so glad my mom still those. Us big kids played a game called Apples to Apples. That was quite fun considering my sense of humor.

Queen Momma

Combining Two Blogs Into One

I figured since they are doing much with the blogs I've created for them just yet I'll just combine them into ONE Testosterone Kings Castle.

So James and Connor will be brought here together. I will keep their single blogs but most of what I type about them will be in here. So this one will be under construction for awhile but please do come back and read up on them.

The Day I EC Drop is The day EC Goes Down

Something's up with Entrecard.. I've been unable to drop this evening. And for those of you that haven't noticed if you try to go to the site you will get this message:

Outage

We have an emergency outage in progress due to on-going problems with ads not being properly published. We'll keep it as short as possible but this really has to be solved properly. Sorry about this everyone!

Served from s02

So beware!!

My Sexuality

Your Sexuality is American

The average American first has sex at age 17. And the average number of partners is 11. 42% of Americans have had sex in a park. 43% of Americans have a “toy” that vibrates.

What Country Matches Your Sexuality?

Thanks to Lori I was curious. LOL Kind of figured.

Winner of the Twilight Bracelet and Love Of Baby Online Gift Cert

Winner of the Twilight Bracelet is Shelley with this comment:
I am JUST starting to read the books after the buzz about the movies and they are pretty good:) although more geared toward the younger teen audience I think. Charlaine Harris (the True Blood series is based on her books is a much better author for adults, IMHO but I do love to read so I AM sticking with the Twilight books.... tskrush (at) cox (dot) net



Winner of 10 dollar gift certificate from Love of Baby Online is Micaela who commented with this :

Your holiday button is up on my sidebar.
micaela6955 at msn dot com
November 26, 2008 9:40 PM

Sunday Smiles 11.30

Is brought to you by All About Kimberly.

I'm sharing a few pictures that I took today. I was trying to get some different choices for Christmas cards this year and well they weren't very cooperative. So I will be using this one instead of the one I thought would turn out really good until someone rolled away.

This will be for the cards that go out.

Me and the boys, James turned his head a little too soon. LOL Would've been a picture prefect picture for a card.. POO little booger!

Sign Mr. Linky and then head on over to All About Kimberly and sign hers.

**CLOSED**Holiday Blog Party Contest: Bumble Baby Boutique

Today's giveaway is sponsored by Bumble Baby Bowtique. Jennifer Coffman is a stay at home mom of a 4 1/2 year old son and my boy/girl twins will be two right after Christmas. She started her crafting business when she found out she was having twins and one of them was going to be a girl! She knew she wanted her to have ALL of the cutesy fru-fru items she could handle, and Jennifer knew she could make them for her. She would love for her daughter to get noticed and be the "talk of the party!" . She has had a business on Etsy for one year and have sold on E-bay, and at a local boutique since then. She also does craft shows here and there, but she sells mostly on the internet. Her shop is full of hair accessorizes for little girls. Jennifer is also a member of two groups, the Etsy Mom Street Team and the CafeMom Team.

She has offered a 20 dollar gift certificate to one of my lucky readers. Only US please.

First off go to her etsy store and come back letting me know which item you would love to have for your little girl or niece in your life. After all it is the holiday season.

First entry MUST be done in order for the extra entries, in separate comments, to count.

-Follow me on twitter
-Subscribe to my blog
-Blog about this contest with links back.
-Twitter this contest
Stumble this contest
-Digg this contest
-Favorite me on technorati
-Grab a Holiday Party Blog Button
-Vote for this contest @ ContestLive

Contest Ends Dec 6th.

Dear Santa,

Hi it's me, James. Still itty bitty this year. I'm as skinny as ever but growing everyday. :)

I've been a good boy this year. Yes I've had a few tantrums but what two year old doesn't plus I am STILL getting my two year old molars. They are a PAIN! I give mommy lovin's and hugs and kisses. I make mommy smile. I'm nice to my brother we play and have fun together. I do miss him though when he's at school.

A few things I'd like to tell you about: a guitar, a train set, some CARS toys would be nice.

Well I gotta get mommy to change me.

Thanks and Blessings,
James C.

Dear Santa,

Hi it's me, Connor, with an "O" not an "e". Mommy doesn't like it when someone spells it wrong. I think they spelled it that way for reason, I don't know what reason.

I've been a really good boy this year. I help with mommy in the kitchen. I've helped wash dishes. I'll even feed Pepper when asked. I started preschool this year and I love it.

Somethings I'd like to have for Christmas: a guitar, a V-Tech game, some action figures and is it possible to get a Wii.

Thanks and Blessings,
Connor C.

Hosting SS Again! 11.29

I am always honored to Host Saturday Scrapbook with Mamma Dawg AKA Dette aka MDawg.

This is my youngest James, just turned two back in October. The other day is was just him and I at home while daddy went shopping in the morning. Well he had decided he wanted on the computer. I don't mind as long as he doesn't mess it up completely. I still need it!! Now once I get a laptop the boys can have this computer all they want. Mess it up, turn it inside and out pulling the pieces and parts out and put it back together. It'll be their first built computer whether it works or not after they put it back together.

Now sign Mr. Linky here and over at Mamma Dawg, she will be around to everyone when she gets back home. I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving.

Win a Sleep Number Bed

5M4M, known to everyone as Five Minutes For mom is giving away a sleep number bed. Yes you've seen the infomercials about them. Yes I think we've all have said I would really like to have one of those. Well 5M4M has your chance to win one. Head on over to get your entries in.

I would SO love to have one of those, but then it would probably be a bit weird because hubs sleeps during the day and I sleep at night, different schedules so we would have the whole bed at one setting when we slept. That would be awesome!

Then there's the added little one that sleeps with me.

Aloha Friday #4

It's FRIDAY again, but this time I'm doing Aloha Friday. Last week I did my first Photo Story Friday and it was nice to go through old photo's and down memory lane.

To be able to look back and see how far you've come. I know there's probably a few of the same questions out there so want to do something different.

Instead of what you are thankful for now, WHAT were you thankful for THEN?

I was thankful for my parents. I was thankful for the friends that I had. I was thankful for having a man to love me for me and not something else. I was thankful to have my little boys. I was thankful to be able to buy house. I was thankful for going to college.

Now it's your turn don't for get to visit Aloha Friday's HQ's and sign Mr. Linky.

Happy Thanksgiving, Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year to all my readers.

Three Years in a Row

Hubs has done all of the Christmas shopping. I feel so bad. I mean I know he buys stuff that is from both of us but man I would really love to shopping for them one year either by myself or together.

I think though this year ALL but two a piece will be from SANTA. The last few years I've always written my name or hubs' name on the tags and I need to stop or they wont really believe. That would just suck.

Believing is the best part. The expression on their faces Christmas morning. What I would give to have those days back. Don't you ever wish that you could be a carefree kid again? I do and I think it's getting worse as I get older and the kids get older

I just started going through a really rough patch right now and well it all stems from one particular incident, that I'll bore you with a bit later. I know I should be excited for the boys but it's hard for me for some weird reason. I've had to deal with some much these last three and half years that it's hitting hard.

Hard enough for me to go to the doctor and ask for help. Needless I am feeling a bit more like myself but some of the movies still get me crying. Hubs WONT understand and wont really care how I feel. He brushes it off and says "Just deal with it." Well yanno what I'm trying and YOU'RE NOT HELPING ANY. I just want him to LISTEN and not say a damn word.

There is a bit of good news though and I'm proud of it! He is taking the necessary steps to apply to college. He wants to go into welding. Not sure if I like it because he'll have to go where the jobs are and that will probably mean MOVING or him being gone ALL THE TIME! Not fun for me because he's already not at home at nights and then he sleeps during the day so it's hard to get any time with.. I WOULD GO ABSOLUTELY NUTS!

Well I think I'm finished for now, how do you like my new signature!! Vanessa of Paperback Designs did it. Thank you Vanessa for sponsoring the party and making my signature.