Twas the Night Before Christmas.....

Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house

Not a creature was stirring,

The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,

In hopes that St. Nicholas would soon be there.

The children were nestled all snug in their beds,

While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads.

And mamma in her 'kerchief, and I in my cap,

Had just settled our brains for a long winter's nap.

When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,

I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter.

Away to the window I flew like a flash,

Tore open the shutters and threw open the sash.

The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow,

Gave the lustre of mid-day to objects below.

When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,

But a miniature sleigh, and eight tiny reindeer.

With a little old driver, so lively and quick,

I knew in a moment it must be St. Nick.

More rapid than eagles his coursers they came,

And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name!

"Now, Dasher!

now, Dancer,

now, Prancer

and Vixen!

On, Comet!

On, Cupid! On, Donner,

and Blitzen!

To the top of the porch! To the top of the wall!

Now dash away! Dash away! Dash away all!"

As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,

When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky.

So up to the house-top the coursers they flew,

With a sleigh full of toys, and St. Nicholas too.

And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof

The prancing and pawing of each little hoof.

As I drew in my head, and was turning around,

Down the chimney St. Nicholas came with a bound.

He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot,

And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot.

A bundle of toys he had flung on his back,

And he looked like a peddler, just opening his pack.

His eyes how they twinkled! His dimples how merry!

His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!

His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,

And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow.

The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,

And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath.

He had a broad little face and a little round belly,

That shook when he laughed, like a bowlful of jelly!

He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,

And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself!

A wink of his eye and a twist of his head,

Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread.

He spoke not a word, but went straight to work,

And filled all the stockings, then turned with a jerk.

And laying his finger aside of his nose,

And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose!

He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,

And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.

But I heard him exclaim, 'ere he drove out of sight,

"Happy Christmas to all, and to all a goodnight!"

Christmas with The Dirt Queen!

(I started this post, and realized I left out some of the pictures! Then I wasn't able to move them where I wanted! Sorry about that!) Ok...well now I am all off kilter! I like to go in order, and that didn't work here...so lets see where we are.... We are at The Dirt Queen's house checking out her festive decor! They have lived in this house almost 2 years. This is the "old" tree from the "old" house. The ceilings in the living room were 8'-0", and this tree always seemed huge. In the new house the ceilings are really high, and this tree looks so small in the kitchen!

The Dirt Queen must have 10 sets of Christmas dishes (I have none!). She displays them in her china cabinet over the holidays.

She also decorates outside...go figure! I haven't decorated my backyard, that would just be one more thing for Tide (the dog) to destroy!!!!

Fancy little decorations for the birds! They seem to enjoy them!

Each birdhouse got its own set of decorations!

She has a great little village on display on the entertainment center.

*********** Ok...now this is where I was when I realized I had left some pictures out! LOL!.....so this was the actual beginning of the post! *******************************

I hope ya'll aren't getting tired of all the Christmas posts over here. I do have stuff blooming in the garden, and we will get back to that in January, BUT its CHRISTMAS and I love it! Christmas only comes once a year and I like to enjoy every second of it! You only have a few more days...so ya'll just hang in there.....blooms shall resume shortly!

Sigh....this picture....it just cracks me up! This is actually one of my favorite pictures ever...as bad as it is! This is my and my brother, I am on the right...hard to tell since we both look like boys!!!! I was around 4 years old when this picture was taken. I had never had a haircut at this point in my life...so the mullet look was all natural! My hair grew so slow when I was little, I didn't have a full head of hair until 4 or 5! It looks like I took some scissors to it and cut it myself...but no....that's just how it was. The poor Dirt Queen had to take me out in public with that messed up hairdo! Besides the hair...the clothes really crack me up...the Dirt Queen swears that those clothes were in style! The front entrance to my parents house This is the "new" tree....it is 12 or 13 feet I think...it is pretty tall! My parents have lived in this house about a year and a half...and I like it...but I really loved the other house. It was out in the woods, and really peaceful.

I hope you enjoyed the tour of my parents home! My family will be having Christmas here! We will have a wonderful time tomorrow night with The Hunter, and then again Friday night when my brother and sister in law come in to town on Friday. The Hunter has to work Friday night, so we will celebrate tomorrow night.

Let's not forget the reason for the season!

I hope you all have a very Merry Christmas, that is blessed in many, many ways. Be sure to enjoy all of those you love, and cherish each memory that is made!