Dasher and Dancer and Hodgepodge

1. Do you put Christmas decorations in every room of your house? If not every room, what rooms do you decorate?

We put decorations in every room except the bedrooms - well, except for my daughter who this year took a mini-Christmas tree and decorated it with all of her earrings and necklaces. It actually looked kinda cute!

2. If you could visit one of the Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden) which one would you choose and why?

Oh gosh - they all sound so COLD to me! But I guess I would choose Sweden, which is where my ancestors came from!

3. What does the word faith mean to you?

Faith to me is the secure knowledge, that inner peace of knowing without a doubt that God is there, that He loves you, and that there is absolutely nothing you can do to deserve His grace, and yet He gives it anyway. I can't imagine going through the trials of life without faith.


4. You can go back to your childhood for one day...what day and age would you choose?

I would choose any day that my grandma was still alive and aware of who she was. She developed Alzheimers when I was 8 and passed away when I was 16, but for the first 5 of those years many times I was the only person in the family she would recognize. Oh how I wish I could see her again and listen to her stories of being a girl in Hollywood during the 1920s... she was beautiful and lively and I wish she could see her great-grandaughter who is named for her and has her same beauty and spunk for life.

5. When did you last have 'punch'? If it's not too much trouble share your favorite punch recipe.

On Sunday I went to a baby shower and the hostess there had a super yummy coffee punch! I've asked her for the recipe, and if she does, I'll add it in my comments. But for now, this is the punch recipe I always go with - it is easy and I always get tons of compliments on it!

1 can frozen orange juice concentrate
3/4 c. sugar
1 qt water
1 pkg tropical punch kool aid
1 (46 oz) can pineapple juice
2 liters Sprite

Mix up orange juice according to package directions. Add sugar and water to package of Kool Aid. Chill mixture until ready to use. Before serving, add pineapple juice and sprite to punch mixture. (You can make a frozen ring of part of one bottle of Sprite to keep punch cold - add strawberries or orange rind to make it pretty)

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

Oh yes, stockings are always filled. My mother-in-law is the queen of stockings and has taught me how to do it right! This year we aren't traveling for Christmas and I have made it known to my DH that I expect a filled stocking! :-) He assures me that he has it covered! We always open our stockings first thing in the morning, then we have breakfast (usually a yummy egg dish I've set overnight), and then we open the big presents. This year we will do stockings, breakfast, and then go to church, and then do presents afterwards.

7. What takes your breath away?

Sunrises and sunsets. Rainbows. My children's laughter. My husband coming up behind me and kissing me on the neck.

8. Insert your own random thought here.

Here's a fun Christmas video for you - even if you don't have pets of your own, you just can't help but smile and laugh! The guys who do these videos are so talented! (And they have way too much time on their hands... just sayin...) Have a wonderful week!

ugh - OK, so for some reason it won't let me post the video here... grrrrr..... SO, just follow this link - believe me, you won't be sorry!

youtube.com/watch?v=uRzhd3eUyO8