"Tis the Tag Season

There have been a lot of tags this season. Thanks Denise!

'Tis The Tag Season! Welcome to the Christmas edition of getting to know your friends. Okay, here's what you're supposed to do, and try not to be a SCROOGE!!! Just copy (not forward) this entire post and paste into a new post. Change all the answers so that they apply to you. 'Tis the Season to be NICE!

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags?
Wrapping paper.

2. Real tree or Artificial?
Real. I have insisted on a real tree for as long as I can remember. For the past couple years though with the boys and traveling home for Christmas we have done a fake one. Back to real this year though.

3. When do you put up the tree?
I would love to be able to do it the weekend after Thanksgiving but we are usually traveling that weekend so we do it the weekend after Thanksgiving usually.

4. When do you take the tree down?
After the new year

5. Do you like eggnog?
Bluh!!!!

6. Favorite gift received as a child?
I found a video once of me opening ALF. I was really excited about that. My brother however gave me a clock radio about 15 years ago that I still use as my main clock radio today. So I guess I would have to say that that one has been the most useful.

7. Do you have a nativity scene? Nope.

8. Hardest person to buy for? My Sister

9. Easiest person to buy for? My Brother

10. Mail or email Christmas cards?
Christmas Cards?

11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? I would never say . . .


12. Favorite Christmas Movie? White Christmas and Holiday Inn. Holiday Inn isn't really a Christmas movie but it was the debute of the song White Christmas

13. When do you start shopping for Christmas?
As soon as I can get up the strength to go to the mall during all the crazyness. If I was smart, I would start early enough that there wasn't any crazyness. Here's to next year!

14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present?
Not that I remember

15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Monkey bread Christmas morning.

16. Clear lights or colored on the tree? CLEAR

17. Favorite Christmas song? My favorite single performance of a Christmas song is Manheim Steamroller's Silent Night but my favorite Christmas song in general is O Holy Night

18. Travel at Christmas or stay home? This year we are staying home THANK GOODNESS!!!!

19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer's? Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixon, Comet, Cupid, Donner, Blitzen, Rudolf

20. Angel on the tree top or a star? Angel

21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? Christmas Morning with the exception of opening the Christmas PJs on Christmas Eve.

22. Most annoying thing about this time of year? When it is over!

23. Favorite ornament theme or color? The Wallace Silver Ball Bells that my mom gets my sister and me every year.

24. Favorite for Christmas dinner? I don't think I have a favorite dinner. I don't even remember what we normally have.

25. What do you want for Christmas this year? For my boys to sleep in their beds at night - ALL night! Can someone put that in a box and wrap it up for me?

26. Who are you going to tag for this Christmas questionnaire?? Rebecca (gotta get that girl out of the fog and force her to blog about something!), Charla, and Amy.

A Great Day!

It was an all around great day today. I got to meet THE president!

Okay, so I didn't get to meet him but I did get to hear him speak. So I went from never seeing a president ever to seeing two today! What an awesome experience!

I like this picture because it captures him making his most famous face. He was an amazing speaker and it was by far the best commencement speech I have ever heard. Some of my favorite things he said was when he was talking about Robert Gates. He said, "When I asked Bob to be the Secretary of Defense, it was clear how much he loved Texas A&M . . . And I was even more impressed when he insisted on standing during the Cabinet meetings - claiming he was the "12th Man." One day, he explained it all. He said: 'Mr. President, I'm red ass.'"

I also thought it was funny when he said, "When you leave this campus, you will be well prepared for any endeavor you choose. To those of you who have jobs lined up, congratulations. To those not exactly sure what comes next -- I know how you feel."

He very poetically said, "There will be times when people tell you a different way is more accepted or popular. Remember that popularity is as fleeting as the Texas wind. Character and conscience are as sturdy as the oaks on this campus."

But the most touching thing he said was, "And finally, be on the lookout for role models -- people whose conduct you admire and whose paths you can follow. With that in mind, I have one last example of courage and service. It's a story of a young man who left comfort behind to answer his nation's call, became the youngest pilot in the Navy, and nearly gave his life in World War II. When he came back home, he devoted his career to public service, and proved that success in politics can be accomplished with decency and grace. He reached the pinnacle in government, but he defines his life by other roles -- a father who gave unconditional love, a grandfather devoted to his grandchildren, and a beloved husband of the sweetheart he married a lifetime ago. Some of you will leave A&M with a degree that carries this good man's name -- George Bush. I have been blessed and honored to have carried it for 62 years."

Seeing our sitting president speak was amazing but the best part of today was getting to watch my brother-in-law graduate with his Doctorate in Entomology.





Getting to live so close to Robert and Jennifer for the last six years has been a blessing. We are so thankful that our children get to grow up with them in our lives. Congratulations Dr. Puckett! We are so grateful that we have been able to be with you throughout this process. We are so proud of you!