PG-13 Rated Joke: The Good Napkins

I read this yesterday and laughed my butt off. I think it hits home, because I was raised to use cloth napkins for all "special" occasions and taught at a very young age how to set a table properly. This could of been me!!

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THE GOOD NAPKINS... ahhhhh... the joys of having Girls...

My mother taught me to read when I was four years old (her first mistake). One day, I was in the bathroom and noticed one of the cabinet doors was ajar.

I read the box in the cabinet. I then asked my mother why she was keeping 'napkins' in the bathroom. Didn't they belong in the kitchen?

Not wanting to burden me with unnecessary facts, she told me that those were for 'special occasions' (her second mistake).

Now fast forward a few months.... It's Thanksgiving Day, and my folks are leaving to pick up my uncle and his wife for dinner. Mom had assignments for all of us while they were gone.

Mine was to set the table.

When they returned, my uncle came in first and immediately burst into laughter. Next came his wife who gasped, then began giggling. Next came my father, who roared with laughter.

Then came Mom, who almost died of embarrassment when she saw each place setting on the table with a 'special occasion' Kotex napkin at each plate, with the fork carefully arranged on top. I had even tucked the little tail in so they didn't hang off the edge!!

My mother asked me why I used these and, of course, my response sent the other adults into further fits of laughter.

'But, Mom, you said they were for special occasions!!!'

Let me step back to Flowers again!

I just got an email from Bob's Tropicals in Hawaii showing me some arrangements for Christmas. I had to share this wreath, because it's simply beautiful. If I only had $150.00 laying around to spend today, I'd have it sent to my mom in a second.

 

Here are a few others that were included....

While were on the topic of Hawaii...let me throw in a Hawaiian Christmas song from Bing Crosby. 

 

Santa or No Santa...

It seems this question has become as much an issue as the Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas conflict. I'm a true believer in not being afraid to say Merry Christmas over Happy Holidays, I'm a firm believer in Jesus Christ, and I'm also happy to say I'm a firm believer in Santa. That's why tonight, my lesson for the AD girls at church will include the following messages. I think they are worth sharing and a reminder to everyone of why the spirit of giving is so important. 

Santa's Prayer on Christmas Eve   Author Unknown

The sleigh was all packed, the reindeer were fed,
But Santa still knelt by the side of the bed.

"Dear Father," he prayed "Be with me tonight.
There's much work to do and my schedule is tight.

I must jump in my sleigh and streak through the sky,
Knowing full well that a reindeer can't fly.

I will visit each household before the first light,
I'll cover the world and all in one night.

With sleigh bells a-ringing, I'll land on each roof,
Amid the soft clatter of each little hoof.

To get in the house is the difficult part,
So I'll slide down the chimney of each child's heart.

My sack will hold toys to grant all their wishes.
The supply will be endless like the loaves and the fishes.

I will fill all the stockings and not leave a track.
I'll eat every cookie that is left for my snack.

I can do all these things Lord, only through You,
I just need your blessing, then it's easy to do.

All this is to honor the birth of the One,
That was sent to redeem us, Your most Holy Son.

So to all of my friends, least Your glory I rob,
Please Lord, remind them who gave me this job."

I was thankful to have this message from LDS President James Faust show up today on SugerDoodle.  It can't be said any better then this, so if you'd like to download the free printable you can go to  
Simply Fresh Designs. 

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It's been 5 minutes since I finished this original post, closed it and published it. I immediately pull out the Perspective section of the Denver Post, that I've stashed away in my bag for future reading. On the bottom of the front page is an article titled: "Let Them Believe in Santa Claus". Here is what Margery Fridstein had to say. 

Let the kids have Santa Claus.

As a psychotherapist and a child development specialist, I've heard all the arguments:

"He's 7 years old and in first grade and he still believes in Santa. My husband says I should tell him the truth."

"We're a Jewish family and we don't believe in Christmas, so how can we allow her to believe in Santa?"

"We teach our children not to lie, so we must not lie about Santa Claus."

I cannot argue with the parents who make these statements. And yet I argue for Santa. A child who isn't allowed to believe in Santa is missing out on a lot. Parents do their kids a disservice when they keep them from the myth of the jolly, round, white-bearded man with the red checks and the red and white tousled hat.

Isn't it amazing that Dancer and Prancer and Rudolph can find all of our homes? And that Santa slides down our chimneys? And if we've been good, he leaves us gifts. It's surprising he doesn't get stuck. Maybe we should leave a snack for Santa and his reindeer. They've been working pretty hard all night.

Fantasy is a young child's escape from the reality of the rules of growing up. The 21st century is not easy on any of us. We all need some fantasy to survive. How about Avatar, video games, Harry Potter? Children absorb the fear of parents, and today's parents have plenty of fears for their children. We supervise our children all the time (who knows what might happen otherwise?).

J.M. Barrie wrote, "Once upon a time, there was a boy named Peter Pan, who decided not to grow up." Children and adults cheer when they read or hear Peter say, "I do believe in fairies, I do! I do!" There is a Peter Pan in all of us. And it's that magical thinking that helps up develop the resilience to deal with the reality we face as we do grow up.

Sure, there is a commercial and a religious side of the Santa experience that lead some families not to promote the story, but I think their kids miss a magic that exists only in childhood.

Every child is exposed to Santa Claus, but some very caring parents are so eager to foster their children's cognitive development that they have little tolerance for a prolonged Santa experience. There is nothing more wonderful than for a bright, reality oriented, school-age child to be able to regress to Santa at Christmas time. Of course, he may really know the score, but he wants to be a little boy one more time. Don't spoil it for him.

Research has shown that children who play imaginatively in their early years more often think creatively and solve problems effectively when they grow up.

Some parents worry about lying to their children. When your child starts asking if there really is a Santa, you can turn the question back to him: "What do you think?" Usually he will say he thinks there is one, and you can say, "Sounds good to me." And so for one more year, your child can have the symbolic experience of giving with love.

As a very young child, I remember looking at an odd patch in the ceiling of my small bedroom and thinking it was Santa watching me to make sure I was good enough to deserve presents. And I guess I was good enough.

Then came the day I found the sled I wanted hidden under my parent's bed. How did that happen?

When raising our four children, we had a friend who dressed as Santa and came to our house Christmas Eve. One year, my oldest child noticed that Santa and I used the same paper to wrap gifts. My answer: "That's amazing, isn't it?"

Loving, caring, imagining, believing and simple goodness are all part of the cultural experience of Santa, and I recommend nurturing it.

P.S.: I'm also an advocate for the Tooth Fairy and the Easter Bunny.

Another Great Message on Keeping the Spirit of Christmas!

Just seen another video on Keeping the Spirit of Christmas...Love it! Makes me all warm and fuzzy inside!

A touching message and gift to Jesus Christ on Christmas

This one has me crying this morning, so I guess it's a message worth passing on. A kind reminder that service is what we are here for! Not only during the month of November and December, but all year long!

Browsing the Flower Shop for Christmas

I'm a big fan of flowers on the table, so collect all kind of basic, simple ideas. I can thank my step mom for this, because a holiday never goes by when we don't have fresh flowers on the table. On occasion, she would go non traditional and match the flower settings to the color in the china. I remember a pink and peach and red arrangements with Hawaiian flowers that was gorgeous. Don't be afraid to think outside of the box. Some of the arrangements below, use basic holiday items like Candy Mints, Christmas balls and Cranberries. 

Hope you enjoy! 

AMT 2010 Christmas Party

2010 AMT Answering Service Christmas Dinner at White Fence Farm

Here's the crew!!

Barb and Ginger

Lee, Byron, Michelle, Lesley and Elydia

First and foremost, we were all looking forward 

to the corn fritters. They are soooo yummy!

After dinner we had fun with a white elephant exchange. I stole Byron's gift and got a great 

Christmas mug with a long, long spoon that's shaped like a candy cane. LOVE IT! 

We had things like cows, floating fish candle holders, football mini mugs and the list goes on. 

Oh and how can I forget...Sarah Palin. Lesley is going to display her picture frame proudly next to Obama. 

Love you Lesley!! 

Then I gave them all the paintings I had made for them. Each different and each was especially picked out for them. I'm no Picasso, but it sure was fun trying. This is Elydia, 

with her Denver nightscape. 

Lesley opening her Lighthouse and Sailboats. 

  

I painted Ginger some doggies. One looked like her Petra and Sasha, and another like my Hoover.

Then it's Bosswomen and Bossman...BFF's Forever! 

Aunt Sandy is facebook friends with all the girls online, so she came along to meet everyone. 

She fits right in with all the craziness.

Then there is the little one....Ciara.  

My politician and photographer in the making!

It was great to hang out with you outside of the office. 

We really do need to do it more often. Thanks Rod for staying behind and answering the phones! I'm thankful for each and every one of you. I can truly say, in 22 years you truly are the most reliable women I've ever worked with.  Love you all!