My Boyfriends Work Christmas Party!

Last month my boyfriend came home and showed me a piece of paper saying his work was having a Christmas party at his work. The Christmas party was this past Sunday.

On the piece of paper is said that there was going to be a lunch, tour of the place, presents for the kids, presents for the employees and Santa and Mrs. Claus would be there.

So I asked him if we could get my ex's seven year old to take her to see Santa. He said yes. We had to let his work know how many people would be coming. It was my boyfriend, my ex's seven year old, myself and my youngest daughter was suppose to go but she got sick.

We had to walk in the main door and sign in. When we signed in you got a name tag and a bell necklace. Then you walked through the design room with the cutouts of gingerbread men, candy canes and Santa's. Like you see in the picture above. Then you would come to a hallway if you go ahead it is the lunchroom, if you went to the left it is a door to the parking lot and if you go right it is to the work area by the machines.

We went to the right to see what was happening there. There was tables set up for the kids to get a book or a poster. This is like one of those places you can order kids books from school. I thought that was really nice. This was like the kids present from Santa.

Then after that we went and had something to eat and I was meeting a lot of the people that my boyfriend works with. It was really nice to put faces with names that I have heard so much about. My boyfriend would talk about the people when he would come home from work and I never met any of them until Sunday. Then I found out that one of the guys I work with his wife works with my boyfriend. What a small world.

Then when we were done eating everyone was going outside because Santa and Mrs. Claus were coming. It was neat they came by tractor and hay wagon. That is the picture you are seeing. The kids went  crazy watching them come in. When they came off the wagon they came up to all the kids and said hello and shook there hands. It really was something different for all of the kids. My ex's daughter really enjoyed this. Sometimes I don't know who enjoyed it more her or my boyfriend. So then all the kids followed them back in the building. The bell necklaces were for when Santa and Mrs. Claus came to ring the necklaces for them.

Santa and Mrs. Claus went into the the area by the books. This is were they would talk to each of the kids and find out what they all wanted for Christmas. Also each of the kids would get there picture taken with Santa and Mrs. Claus.

We took are own picture of her and Santa Claus so we would have our own picture.  It was cute watching all the kids sitting on Santa's lap. Some of the real small kids would cry if they went close to Santa and the parents had to sit there on the floor with them for the picture. We have one picture of one of the dads that had to do that. It was someone that my boyfriend worked on the same machine with.

Then after that we went walking around looking at all the different machines in the plant. My boyfriend was explaining what each machine did. I was really interesting. I have always went to take him to work and pick him up. I have been inside but upstairs in the office to help him figure out some stuff. But I never got to go inside and see the machines like this. Believe me when I say the machines are huge they are huge.

Then after we walked around Santa and Mrs. Claus left. It was time for the employees gifts to be handed out. The way the did it was like a door prize but everyone would get a gift. My boyfriends gift is a Smokey Joe Grill. That was good because are small grill is on its last leg. After everyone had a gift they had a big gas grill to give away so they put everyone's name back in the box and picked one name out. But we did not get that grill. We also were able to take a poinsettia plant home. So I let my ex's daughter pick out the one she would want us to take home.

I really enjoyed the day at his work and really enjoyed meeting the people he works with. When we were on are way I really didn't know what to expect. But it was so much better than what I was thinking. I know my ex's daughter really enjoyed herself and I know my boyfriend enjoyed himself there.

Then when we got home we put our Christmas Tree up and the decorations. That was a job in itself.

To end this post this is my boyfriends machine he works on everyday he goes to work. This is the front of the machine.

Bears Week #13

Yes I know I am really late in posting this. I am really sorry about that.

I missed half of the game Sunday. My boyfriend had his Christmas party at his work. We also had my ex's seven year old here over the weekend and my mom was here the last two days.

Yes the Bears lost to the Chiefs 10-3. That was a very said day for me to see that.

Matt Forte went out of the game with a sprained knee and is a big question when he will be back to play with the team.

They do not know when Cutler will be back now either. After having his thumb broke.

The defense did a great job in keeping the Chiefs from making anymore touchdowns. I think the defense was on fire for the game.

The offense needs to work with Hanie more at practice so they can get on the same page.

I would really like to hear your thoughts on the game.

More cupcake ideas

Use old-fashioned fruit slice candy to make the easiest cupcake decorations ever! These Christmas cupcakes, like the poinsettia one above is simple and striking. If you don't think you can use any of my previous suggestions for decorating cupcakes, you can be sure these are the easiest decorations yet.

All you need are some kitchen shears and fruit slice candy and iced cupcakes. To make each flower just cut a piece of candy horizontally in half to make two flower petals. You need five half pieces (2-1/2 whole pieces) and some small snips of green jell candy for the leaves. Cut some small yellow pieces and arrange in the center, top of the petals placed on top of an iced cupcake and you have made an easy poinsettia. This idea would work for any season or occasion. Just cut the shape of the flower you want to make.

Even a very small child can help to make this decoration. You will need to help with the cutting but after that, all that is needed is an imagination.

The holly cupcake above is just two holly leaves made from a slice of fruit slice candy and three red hot candies for the holly berries placed on an iced cupcake.

You can find these candies in most stores, usually in packages that contain a number of colors. I just made sure I purchased a bag that contained Christmas colors.

Thanks to Angela McRae who took these photos.

Free Android App: Drawing Pad

by Bargain Briana on December 6, 2011

Today only, you can download Drawing Pad for Android system for free. Each day Amazon offers a FREE Android App from the Android App Store.

Don’t miss a deal! Download the FREE Bargain Briana App for Android or iPhones!

This post was obtained from www.bargainbriana.com.
For similar posts, visit cjrlwebinteractive.blogspot.com.

This morning I almost drove past this tree on my way to work. I checked the rear view mirror to be sure I wouldn't be rear-ended, and quickly turned into a parking lot to take a photo of this great tree covered with one of my Christmas favorites, mistletoe.

My son called one day last week and told me he was bringing by some mistletoe for me. He found some low-hanging mistletoe and wanted to bring me a bunch. Of course I was thrilled. I am hanging it and will be tying bunches together with red ribbon to hang in our doorways and to put in arrangements.

Mistletoe is one of those plants that is both universally loved and greatly maligned. It is very important in our forest ecosystems because it helps to feed overwintering wildlife. Birds, and some insects and mammals eat the berries and leaves to sustain them through the winter months.

Though we don't usually notice that mistletoe is growing in our trees until winter comes and the trees lose their leaves, we see the evergreen clumps all along the roadside at this time of year. I believe what I have seen in this area is the European mistletoe, native to Great Britain, but there are over 200 species of this plant worldwide. It is a semi parasitic plant and has a symbiotic relationship with the host plant, usually a tree.

It is generally thought of as a positive, rather than negative plant for trees because of the benefit to birds, though the mistletoe can occasionally be more of a pest if it grows to the point that it smothers and kills a tree limb. Mistletoe might be more beneficial if controlled rather than stopped, for this reason.

The plant is in the order Santalales (perfect), and like most other Christmas plants, with the exception of the Christmas tree, is considered poisonous to humans and pets, though how poisonous is disputed by some. I would advise against ingesting berries, leaves or tea made from the mistletoe plant. It should be kept out of the reach of small children and animals.

Mistletoe can be dried and kept indefinitely by hanging it upside down in a dry place. I have also read that it can be frozen and refrigerated to keep it like new for Christmas celebrations. I have not tried this.

Though the tradition of kissing under the mistletoe was, not surprisingly, started by the Scandinavians, Washington Irving made it a popular past time by writing that young boys would pluck a berry after luring a girl underneath the mistletoe for a kiss. Of course after all the berries are gone, the kissing must then end.

Mistletoe is a traditional "good luck"  plant as we see in this old postcard I found online and     I love the fact that mistletoe has been the state flower of Oklahoma since 1893, though they also have a state wild flower and a state rose. I can also remember my dad bringing home mistletoe and holding it over my mom's head while kissing her. It is still a great memory for me.

Today, if you goggle mistletoe, the most likely thing you will find is a video of Justin Bieber singing about kissing his girlfriend under the mistletoe -- not my favorite video. I am much happier with the YouTube video where Frank Sinatra sings, "Oh by gosh, by golly, it's time for mistletoe and holly."

I will leave you with that link. Happy Decorating!

Free Christmas Music

by Crystal on December 1, 2011

Abiding Radio is offering a free livestream of sacred Christmas music. They also offer an instrumental, sacred, and kid’s livestreaming channel. (Thanks, Rachael!)

Classical Composer’s Monthly is offering many different free Christmas music links.

Don’t forget, Amazon.com has a number of different Christmas mp3 downloads available for free right now. Just look for the ones with FREE! listed as the price.

And you can also still download a free mp3 track from Merry Little Christmas. I liked this piece so well that I ended up buying the whole album off of iTunes with an iTunes gift card and it’s my current favorite Christmas album.

This post was obtained from www.moneysavingmom.com.
For similar posts, visit cjrlwebinteractive.blogspot.com. 

Holly Berry Wreaths

It is the perfect year to make a holly berry wreath! That is because there are so many berries. I have never seen anything like it.

I've read that the reason for this abundance of pretty red berries is because the weather conditions were absolutely perfect for berries -- and acorns. The rain came at just the perfect time. It was a bit dry later, but during the time the holly trees were making berries, we had plenty of rain.

Later though there wasn't as much rain, there was enough to keep a multitude of berries on the trees and growing.

My sister made this pretty wreath and she sent me these photos of her progress.

On thing you MUST do when working with holly is to wear gloves.

This wreath was made from a plastic wrapped hay wreath. She added picks onto each small holly branch by attaching florist picks with wire onto each holly cluster and inserting them into the straw wreath. She began with the outside of the wreath and filled in with holly in a circular pattern, until all of the holly covers the straw wreath. (Above is a photo of the wreath with holly cuttings inserted into the wreath using florist pics.)

I don't think I would say it is easy because I know it took hours of meticulous work to wrap all the holly cuttings with pick wires and floral tape but the results are just beautiful.

I wouldn't mind having one either. She did a great job.