Jeanne's Bliss Blog

Thursday, December 31, 2009

Today and Always


Justin Christmas day in New Zealand




Ahram and Justin at a Christmas day Barbecue in New Zealand
Love you both so much
Miss you both so much♥


May I become at all times, both now and forever
A protector for those without protection
A guide for those who have lost their way
A ship for those with oceans to cross
A bridge for those with rivers to cross
A sanctuary for those in danger
A lamp for those without light
A place of refuge for those who lack shelter
And a servant to all in need.
Insight from the Dalai Lama

Off to celebrate the arrival of 2010 which will be a year of magic for us all.
Early Rabbit Rabbit and I will post one when we return.
Love to you all.
Drink and drive safely and wisely.

Much love to you all
Jeanne

Wednesday, December 30, 2009

Hands




MAMA'S HANDS

Mama, some ninety plus years, sat feebly on the patio bench.
She didn't move, just sat with her head down staring at her hands.

When I sat down beside her she didn't acknowledge my presence and the longer I sat I wondered if she was OK.

Finally, not really wanting to disturb her but wanting to check on her at the same time, I asked her if she was OK. She raised her head and looked at me and smiled.
"Yes, I'm fine, thank you for asking," she said in a clear voice strong.

"I didn't mean to disturb you, Mama, but you were just sitting here staring at your hands and I wanted to make sure you were OK," I explained to her.

"Have you ever looked at your hands," she asked.
"I mean really looked at your hands?"

I slowly opened my hands and stared down at them. I turned them over, palms up and then palms down. No, I guess I had never really looked at my hands as I tried to figure out the point she was making.

Mama smiled and related this story:

"Stop and think for a moment about the hands you have, how they have served you well throughout your years...
These hands, though wrinkled shrivelled and weak have been the tools I have used all my life to reach out and grab and embrace life.

"They braced and caught my fall when as a toddler I crashed upon the floor.

They put food in my mouth and clothes on my back.
As a child, my mother taught me to fold them in prayer.
They tied my shoes and pulled on my boots.
They held my husband and wiped my tears when he went off to war.
"They have been dirty, scraped and raw, swollen and bent!
They were uneasy and clumsy when I tried to hold my newborn son.

Decorated with my wedding band they showed the world that I was married and loved someone special

They wrote my letters to him and trembled and shook when I buried my parents and spouse.

"They have held my children and grandchildren, consoled neighbours, and shook in fists of anger when I didn't understand.

They have covered my face, combed my hair, and washed and cleansed the rest of my body. They have been sticky and wet, bent and broken, dried and raw. And to this day when not much of anything else of me works real well these hands hold me up, lay me down, and again continue to fold in prayer.

"These hands are the mark of where I've been and the ruggedness of life.

But more importantly it will be these hands that God will reach out and take when he leads me home.

And with my hands He will lift me to His side and there I will use these hands to touch the face of GOD I will never look at my hands the same again.

But I remember, God reached out and took my Mama's hands and led her home.

When my hands are hurt or sore or when I stroke the face of my children and husband I think of Mama.
I know she has been stroked and caressed and held by the hands of God.

I, too, want to touch the face of God and feel His hands upon my face.

When you receive this, say a prayer for the person who sent it to you, and watch God's answer to prayer work in your life.

Let's continue praying for one another.

Passing this on to anyone you consider a friend will Bless you both...

Passing this on to one not yet considered a friend, is something GOD WOULD DO
~Author Unknown


Our fabulous planet Earth treasure it it is the only one with chocolate♥

Tuesday, December 29, 2009

The Wisdom of Hot Chocolate



I have a Bridal Fan very similar to this I have framed♥
This photograph was from a Google Search♥


I love it so very much.
I will have so many wonderful things to look forward to in 2010
It will be a year of MAGIC♥


The Wisdom of Hot Chocolate




The cup you are drinking from adds nothing to the quality
of the hot chocolate
Life is like hot chocolate, your job, your money and your position in society are the cups.
They are just the tools to hold and contain life.
The cup you have does not define, nor change the quality of life you have.
Sometimes by concentrating on only the cup
we fail to enjoy the hot chocolate.
God has provided us
God makes the hot chocolate
Man chooses the cups.
The happiest people do NOT have the best of everything or the easiest of lives.
They just make the best of everything that they do have.
Live simply
Love generously
Care deeply
Speak Kindly and
Leave the rest to God
Enjoy your hot chocolate

Monday, December 28, 2009

Happy 31st birthday my Son





Chinese Symbol for Love


Before you were conceived,
I wanted you.
Before you were born,
I loved you.
Before you were here an hour,
I would die for you.
This is the miracle of love.

~ Maureen Hawkins


Fly free and happy beyond birthdays and across forever, and we'll meet, in the midst of the one celebration that never can end." Richard Bach

Happy Birthday my Son
May Heaven smile and hear your every wish.
Love Mom ♥

To love someone is something,
To be loved by someone is something,
but to be loved by the one you love
is everything

Author Unknown to me

Since you are like no other
being ever created since
the beginning of time,
you are incomparable.
~Brenda Ueland

Sunday, December 27, 2009

For Justin and Ahram




To love someone is something,
To be loved by someone is something,
but to be loved by the one you love
is everything

Author Unknown to Me

I love you both so much♥

I hope you are having fabulous times.
Happy Birthday my Son on December 28th
May Heaven smile and hear your every wish♥

Happy Sunday



Me and Will and Jessica on Christmas day
We are so proud of this honor bestowed upon him to carry the Olympic torch.
There was a feature article on him in the Windsor Star yesterday
on Page A5
Way to go Will.
We all love you and are so proud.


The greatest discovery of my generation is that a human being can alter
his life by altering his attitude of mind.
William James

Having another Christmas dinner today.

I hope everyone is having a wonderful holiday season
full of good food good cheer and those you love near.


Paul's late beloved Mother's recipe of 24 hour salad.
This was one of the delicious dishes we had on Christmas day
with our loved ones.

2 TBSP vinegar
3 egg yolks
2 tsp while sugar
1 tsp. margarine
Pinch of salt
2 cups or more, grapes
2 cups tidbit pineapple (drained)
1 cup manderine oranges (the recipe calls for 2 cups but I put more grapes) (drained)
2 cuple marshmallows ( I used more)
1/2 pt whipping cream (nutriwhip...I used the whole container)

Cook egg yolks, sugar, vinegar, margarine and salt in a double boiler (I used a heavy pan) until thick. Let cool. Cut grapes, pineapple, oranges and marshmallows and mix with above. Fold in whipped cream. Let set 24 hours in refrigerator.


Thank you to everyone who loves us so well♥

Saturday, December 26, 2009

Our Christmas Day



We spent a lovely Christmas morning with first a visit with my precious Grandmother
and then out with family
and we were lucky enough to have Will bring us the Olympic torch
he carried 300 m through Walpole Island Ontario this week.
What a fabulous young man and honor for him and us all.
We had a fabulous time great food, great people and they always welcome us
with such love and kindness.
The best kind of people to share your Christmas day with.

We were missing Justin and Ahram and all those we could not be with.♥

I love you Justin and Ahram




Ahram and Justin having their Christmas dinner in New Zealand.
It is summer there............

I love you both so much
Miss you both so much especially at Christmas♥

Friday, December 25, 2009

Merry Christmas



My beautiful friend Serena gave me permission to share this gorgeous photograph
Thank you Serena for this and for your golden gift of sweet friendship.
I love you
Merry Christmas♥


Websites:
Thank you Serena

Thank you Serena



Beautiful quotes from my dear friend Shelley
Thank you my lovely friend♥



Santa is a very lucky Santa Shelley
Love you Sugar Plum


I will honour Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year."
~ Charles Dickens (1812-1870), English author. From 'A Christmas Carol'.

I truly believe that if we keep telling the Christmas story, singing the Christmas songs, and living the Christmas spirit, we can bring joy and happiness and peace to this world."
~ Norman Vincent Peale (1898-1993), American Protestant religious leader, author.

Christmas Eve was a night of song that wrapped itself about you like a shawl. But it warmed more than your body. It warmed your heart...filled it, too, with melody that would last forever."
~ Bess Streeter Aldrich (1881-1954), American author, 'Song of Years'.





I will honour Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year."
~ Charles Dickens (1812-1870), English author. From 'A Christmas Carol'.

I truly believe that if we keep telling the Christmas story, singing the Christmas songs, and living the Christmas spirit, we can bring joy and happiness and peace to this world."
~ Norman Vincent Peale (1898-1993), American Protestant religious leader, author.

Christmas Eve was a night of song that wrapped itself about you like a shawl. But it warmed more than your body. It warmed your heart...filled it, too, with melody that would last forever."
~ Bess Streeter Aldrich (1881-1954), American author, 'Song of Years'.

LOVE


Love is the final end of the world's history, the Amen of the universe.

Novalis

At Christmas and always I wish you Love


Truly loving another means letting go of all expectations. It means full acceptance, even celebration of another's personhood.

Karen Casey




Christmas! The very word brings joy to our hearts. No matter how we may dread the rush, the long Christmas lists for gifts and cards to be bought and given--when Christmas Day comes there is still the same warm feeling we had as children, the same warmth that enfolds our hearts and our homes."

~ Joan Winmill Brown, American author and editor.

Wednesday, December 23, 2009

The Olympic Torch

The Olympic Torch passes right by our family homestead former home
on Campbell Avenue tonight.
Deeply emotional night for me to say the least



"Beautiful light is born of darkness" ~ R. Turnbull


I also seen the Olympic Flame Torch in Tecumseh Ontario this morning
we were all singing and dancing in the Streets.
Such an emotional time for us all♥

The Wisdom of Hot Chocolate


Photograph courtesy of our niece Michelle
as the Olymic Torch went through Richmond Hill Ontario last week.
tonight it is our turn
and it will go right by our old family homestead on Campbell Avenue
where many of us grew up and my Mother lived their with my precious Grandmother
until 2006 when she began her etertnal life.
This is such a lovely tribute for the family home that no longer is dwelled in

I am sure my beloved Mother had a hand in this from Heaven for this exact route.
I believe in Miracles and things that make us smile especially at Christmas.


The Wisdom in Hot Chocolate


A group of graduates, well established in their careers, were talking at a reunion and decided to go visit their old university professor, now retired.

During their visit, the conversation turned to complaints about stress in their work and lives.

Offering his guests hot chocolate, the professor went into the kitchen and returned with a large pot and an assortment of cups – porcelain, glass, crystal, some plain looking, some expensive, some exquisite – telling them to help themselves to the hot chocolate.

When they all had a cup of hot chocolate in hand, the professor said:

“Notice that all the nice looking, expensive cups were taken, leaving behind the plain and cheap ones. While it is normal for you to want only the best for yourselves, that is the source of your problems and stress. The cup that you’re drinking from adds nothing to the quality of the hot chocolate. In most cases it is just more expensive and in some cases even hides what we drink. What all of you really wanted was hot chocolate, not the cup; but you consciously went for the best cups. And then you began eyeing each other’s cups.”




Now consider this:

Life is the hot chocolate; your job, money and position in society are the cups. They are just tools to hold and contain life. The cup you have does not define, nor change the quality of life you have. Sometimes, by concentrating only on the cup, we fail to enjoy the hot chocolate God has provided us. God makes the hot chocolate, man chooses the cups.

The happiest people don’t have the best of everything. They just make the best of everything that they have.

Live simply. Love generously. Care deeply. Speak kindly. And enjoy your hot chocolate!!



My dear friend Shelley sent me a power point presentation of
the Wisdom of Hot Chocolate.
I love this
I love you Shelley
Merry Christmas everyone

Christmas is not a time, nor a season, but a state of mind.
To cherish peace and goodwill and to be full of mercy
is to have the real Christmas spirit.

Tuesday, December 22, 2009

Year View Mirror 2009 in Rhyme by Scott Emmons

Year View Mirror
The Year 2009 in Rhyme

Let’s drink to ‘09 with a good belt of wine
(Though whiskey may well be more fitting!)
The recession was hairy, the Swine Flu was scary,
And Oprah announced she was quitting!
While we loved Lady Gaga, the Octomom saga
Struck many as shameless and wrong.
We witnessed the rift between Kanye and Swift,
And Phelps was caught smoking a bong!
When a pilot’s quick brain saved his passenger plane
On the Hudson, the tale was a thriller.
Balloon Boy was phony as rubber baloney.
The abs on the werewolves were killer!
A governor’s flame was an Argentine dame,
Bringing scandal to South Carolina.
There were pirate attacks, there was Goldman and Sachs,
There was poisonous drywall from China!
The prez was sworn in and he flashed us a grin
While exuding his usual charms.
Though some thought it shady, the stylish First Lady
Asserted her right to bare arms.
While Michelle was in Vogue, Sarah Palin went Rogue
And political tensions were showing.
With the gathering storm over health care reform,
The Tea Party movement was growing.
The Hollywood crew gave us “Transformers 2″
While “Up” was a true work of art.
There was Brüno (a jerk!) plus a young Captain Kirk
And an overweight mall cop named Blart.
Those admen on “Mad Men” were sexy-yet-sad men
With lives full of pressure and toil.
Adam Lambert came out, leaving no shred of doubt,
And who didn’t love Susan Boyle?
O’Brien shone bright as the star of “Tonight.”
Stephanopoulos stepped in for Sawyer.
And of course a divorce was so quickly in force
That we watched “Jon and Kate Plus Her Lawyer!”
When a huge SUV hit a hydrant and tree
And the worst of the rumors proved true,
The endorsements went winging, for that kind of swinging
Just wasn’t the Tiger we knew!
And Pop lost its King! What a terrible thing
For an artist with hit after hit!
There were songs and orations with loud lamentations,
For everyone knew This was It.
There were others as well who went out, sad to tell.
We saw Cronkite and Kennedy fall.
Bea Arthur is gone, Ed McMahon has passed on,
And Mary left Peter and Paul.
With the passing of Farrah we ended and era
And Soupy and Swayze went too.
DeLuise said goodbye, as did Oxy-Clean Guy
And the soft-spoken star of Kung Fu.
Yet some news was brighter and made us feel lighter
In spite of our sorrows and peeves.
There was Google Wave chat and a keyboarding cat.
There were trendy new blankets with sleeves!
Though we still can’t erase all the troubles we face
From the climate to high unemployment,
Let’s be of good cheer and they won’t interfere
With our holiday fun and enjoyment.
We’ll turn from the news to whatever we choose,
Be it Lifetime or ESPN.
And after a break, we’ll be ready to take
The big plunge into Two Thousand Ten!

~Scott Emmons

Link as seen on the Blog Ample Sanity
Thank you

Happy Birthday my dear Sister Debbie



Photograph of my little Sister Debbie at her birthday party as a child
at our homestead growing up.

The Olympic torch will pass right by our old childhood homestead tomorrow night.
What a tribute indeed.


Happy Birthday to my dear Sister Debbie:



A birthday blessing
Life is change this much we know
We plant a seed,
we watch it grow,
A caterpillar, small and shy,
Unfurls into a butterfly
An acorn falls so it can be
Transformed into a sturdy tree.
And we know when change arrives
Across the landscape of our lives,
We still can trust
that it will mean
A special blessing not yet seen.
As you grow into all God has planned for you this year,
May each day bring you blessing after blessing.




Penguins for Ahram

Most images are from our home
Some are photographs from Google Searches
and blogs I love
Some of from my favorite shops in our area
Thank you all

Penguins appetizers on the montage:
From a lovely blog I visit
(link below)
and her recipe sent to me via email.

Hey Jeanne...easy peasy. You need a jumbo olive and a small olive (for head and body) a slice of carrot and some cream cheese.

Slice a piece out of the Big olive from hole to hole. Stuff this with cream cheese. slice a tiny triangle out of the carot slice (makes the feet and the tiny triangle is the nose). Put that tiny triangle in the opposite side of the hole in the tiny olive. using a toothpick (or stronger) place the body on the feet...the head on the body. Use the toothpick to secure it all.

Fabulous Penguin appetizers and recipe from the fabulous blog


Lime in the Coconut

Thank you

Monday, December 21, 2009

Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer





Various scenes around our home and area this December



On a December night in Chicago, a little girl climbed onto her father's lap and asked a question. It was a simple question, asked in childlike curiosity, yet it had a heart-rending effect on Robert May.

"Daddy," four-year old Barbara asked, "why isn't my mommy just like everybody else's mommy?"

Bob May stole a glance across his shabby two-room apartment. On a couch lay his young wife, Evelyn, racked with cancer. For two years she had been bedridden; for two years, all Bob's income and savings had gone to pay for treatments and medicines.
The terrible ordeal already had shattered two adult lives. Now Bob suddenly realized the happiness of his growing daughter was also in jeopardy. As he ran his fingers through Barbara's hair, he prayed for some satisfactory answer to her question.

Bob May knew only too well what it meant to be "different." As a child he had been weak and delicate. With the innocent cruelty of children, his playmates had continually goaded the stunted, skinny lad to tears. Later at Dartmouth, from which he was graduated in 1926, Bob May was so small that he was always being mistaken for someone's little brother.

Nor was his adult life much happier. Unlike many of his classmates who floated from college into plush jobs, Bob became a lowly copy writer for Montgomery Ward, the big Chicago mail order house. Now at 33, Bob was deep in debt, depressed and sad.

Although Bob did not know it at the time, the answer he gave the tousle-haired child on his lap was to bring him to fame and fortune. It was also to bring joy to countless thousands of children like his own Barbara. On that December night in the shabby Chicago apartment, Bob cradled his little girl's head against his shoulder and began to tell a story.

"Once upon a time there was a reindeer named Rudolph, the only reindeer in the world that had a big red nose. Naturally people called him Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer." As Bob went on to tell about Rudolph, he tried desperately to communicate to Barbara the knowledge that, even though some creatures of God are strange and different, they often enjoy the miraculous power to make others happy.

Rudolph, Bob explained, was terribly embarrassed by his unique nose. Other reindeer laughed at him; his mother and father and sister were mortified too.

Even Rudolph wallowed in self-pity. "Well," continued Bob, "one Christmas Eve, Santa Claus got his team of husky reindeer--Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, and Vixen ready for their yearly trip around the world. The entire reindeer community assembled to cheer these great heroes on their way. But a terrible fog engulfed the earth that evening, and Santa knew that the mist was so thick he wouldn't be able to find any chimney.

"Suddenly Rudolph appeared, his red nose glowing brighter than ever. Santa sensed at once that here was the answer to his perplexing problem. He led Rudolph to the front of the sleigh, fastened the harness and climbed in. They were off! Rudolph guided Santa safely to every chimney that night. Rain and fog, snow and sleet; nothing bothered Rudolph, for his bright nose penetrated the mist like a beacon.




"And so it was that Rudolph became the most famous and beloved of all the reindeer. The huge red nose he once hid in shame was now the envy of every buck and doe in the reindeer world. Santa Claus told everyone that Rudolph had saved the day and from that Christmas, Rudolph has been living serenely and happy."
Little Barbara laughed with glee when her father finished. Every night she begged him to repeat the tale until finally Bob could rattle it off in his sleep. Then, at Christmastime, he decided to make the story into a poem like "The Night Before Christmas" and prepare it in book form illustrated with pictures, for Barbara's personal gift. Night after night, Bob worked on the verses after Barbara had gone to bed, for he was determined his daughter should have a worthwhile gift, even though he could not afford to buy one... Then as Bob was about to put the finishing touches on Rudolph, tragedy struck.

Evelyn May died. His hopes crushed, Bob turned to Barbara as chief comfort. Yet, despite his grief, he sat at his desk in the quiet, now lonely apartment, and worked on "Rudolph" with tears in his eyes. Barbara cried with joy over his handmade gift on Christmas morning.

Shortly after, Bob was asked to an employee holiday party at Montgomery Ward. He didn't want to go, but his office associates insisted. When Bob finally agreed, he took with him the poem and read it to the crowd. First, the noisy throng listened with laughter and gaiety. Then they became silent, and at the end, broke into spontaneous applause. That was in 1938.

The general manager of Montgomery Ward caught offered Bob May a nominal fee to purchase the rights to print the book. Wards went on to print,_ Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer_ and distribute it to children visiting Santa Claus in their stores. By 1946 Ward's had printed and distributed more than six million copies of Rudolph. That same year, a major publisher wanted to purchase the rights from Ward's to print an updated version of the book.


In an unprecedented gesture of kindness, the CEO of Wards returned all rights back to Bob May. The book became a best seller. Many toy and marketing deals followed and Bob May, now remarried with a growing family, became wealthy from the story he created to comfort his grieving daughter. But the story doesn't end there either.

Bob's brother-in-law, Johnny Marks, made a song adaptation to Rudolph. Though the song was turned down by such popular vocalists as Bing Crosby and Dinah Shore , it was recorded by the singing cowboy, Gene Autry. "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" was released in 1949 and became a phenomenal success, selling more records than any other Christmas song, with the exception of "White Christmas."

The gift of love that Bob May created for his daughter so long ago kept on returning back to bless him again and again. And Bob May
learned the lesson, just like his dear friend Rudolph, that being different isn't so bad. In fact, being different can be a blessing.

Sunday, December 20, 2009

Wishes


Our home very early this morning taken on my 5:00 AM walk
I love the peaceful time of the mornings I call all my own
Just me and God and my thoughts♥



Image sent to me via email
Source unknown
I thought it was so sweet.








I love Bella Pilar cards and gift bags...........



What are you wishing for this Christmas?

This was viewed on my friend Lance's website
Jungle of Life

Too nice not to share
Thanks Lance


These Are My Wishes For You

May you find serenity and tranquility
in a world you may not always understand.

May the pain you have known
and the conflict you have experienced
give you the strength to walk through life
facing each new situation with courage and optimism.

Always know that there are those
whose love and understanding will always be there,
even when you feel most alone.

May a kind word,
a reassuring touch,
and a warm smile
be yours every day of your life,
and may you give these gifts
as well as receive them.

May the teachings of those you admire
become part of you,
so that you may call upon them.

Remember, those whose lives you have touched
and who have touched yours
are always a part of you,
even if the encounters were less than you would have wished.
It is the content of the encounter
that is more important than its form.

May you not become too concerned with material matters,
but instead place immeasurable value
on the goodness in your heart.
Find time in each day to see beauty and love
in the world around you.

Realize that what you feel you lack in one regard
you may be more than compensated for in another.
What you feel you lack in the present
may become one of your strengths in the future.
May you see your future as one filled with promise and possibility.
Learn to view everything as a worthwhile experience.

May you find enough inner strength
to determine your own worth by yourself,
and not be dependent
on another's judgment of your accomplishments.

May you always feel loved.


~ Sandra Sturtz Hauss

Saturday, December 19, 2009

All is Calm




A soft snow fall is upon us..........
We are taking it easy today
Going to mass and out for a dinner.............

Watch movies later............
How about you?

Maybe Christmas does not come in a store
Mabye Christmas means a whole lot more.

Ahram and Justin have the best holiday season.
Young love is superb.
Enjoy every ounce of your 3 weeks together.

Everyone I wish you love and peace and joy and a holiday season
rich in blessings♥


Budwiser 9/11 Clydesdale Commercial

Jennifer | MySpace Video



Love this song so does my Son


Cloths of Heaven
William Butler Yeats
Had I the heavens' embroidered cloths,
Enwrought with golden and silver light,
The blue and the dim and the dark cloths
Of night and light and the half-light,
I would spread the cloths under your feet:
But I, being poor, have only my dreams;
I have spread my dreams under your feet;
Tread softly because you tread on my dreams.

Friday, December 18, 2009





Love this song


Let nothing perturb you,
nothing frighten you.
All things pass.
God does not change.
Patience achieves everything."
~Mother Teresa

"Christmas is not a time nor a season, but a state of mind. To cherish peace and goodwill, to be plenteous in mercy, is to have the real spirit of Christmas." -
~Calvin Coolidge


"Live a balanced life - learn some and think some and draw and paint and sing and dance and play and work every day some."
~Robert fulghum

Thursday, December 17, 2009



All you Need is Love for Aids in Africa




Safe travels my darling Ahram♥
Enjoy every ounce of your time with Justin
Thank you for loving us so well♥

All you need is love♥

Love far outweighs any gold.

Christmas waves a magic wand over this world, and behold, everything is softer and more beautiful. ~Norman Vincent Peale



"Christmas is not a time nor a season, but a state of mind. To cherish peace and goodwill, to be plenteous in mercy, is to have the real spirit of Christmas." -
~Calvin Coolidge

Wednesday, December 16, 2009

Merry Christmas Darlings



Love these Christmas cards




Thank you for your kindness and your love all through the year
My heart is sending you love and thank you
not alone at Christmas time but all through the year.

Please remember to help those in need this Christmas.



Looking forward to seeing my niece and her students on CTV tonight
They collect a huge toy collection from her school
Richmond Hill Montessouri School

I am enjoying the gifts of the season which mean the most
health love peace and joy
Skype conversations with my Son
Packages from him and Ahram
and their constant love and wishes all through the year.
The gift of family both near and far and each family member
is precious
and visits with my precious Grandmother
She will be 95 this January
and bringing her new bedding and Christmas nightgowns
and a wreath that smells like Christmas........
I read to her and sing to her and I will read to her from my new
Christmas book received yesterday

More pages from the red suit diaries
by Ed Butchart.
An excerpt from the end of the book

Jesus gave us two commands:
Love God and love your neighbors. It's simple, really.
Show your love for God by loving your neighbors.
Find a way to do that.
Reach out to others in love.
Volunteer at a service charity.
Build a Habitat House
Give blood
Mow your neighbors lawn.
Be the type of person you'd like to be.
Be somebody's Santa Claus.

I love reading all the Christmas cards and viewing the pictures
enclosed and hand written letters. A treasure trove of beautiful things.

I have Christmas CD's playing in my car
all made for me by dear friends

I am blessed beyond belief...........
How about you what magic are you spreading this Christmas?

Share the joy
Scatter the love.

Ever felt an angel's breath in the gentle breeze?
A teardrop in the falling rain?
Hear a whisper amongst the rustle of leaves?
Or been kissed by a lone snowflake?
Nature is an angel's favourite hiding place
~Carrie Latet

Found on a google search

1. The version found written on the wall in Mother Teresa's home for children in Calcutta:

People are often unreasonable, irrational, and self-centered. Forgive them anyway.

If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives. Be kind anyway.

If you are successful, you will win some unfaithful friends and some genuine enemies. Succeed anyway.

If you are honest and sincere people may deceive you. Be honest and sincere anyway.

What you spend years creating, others could destroy overnight. Create anyway.

If you find serenity and happiness, some may be jealous. Be happy anyway.

The good you do today, will often be forgotten. Do good anyway.

Give the best you have, and it will never be enough. Give your best anyway.

In the final analysis, it is between you and God. It was never between you and them anyway.

-this version is credited to Mother Teresa

Remember at Christmas and always
Love weighs far more than gold♥

Monday, December 14, 2009

Penguins



A gift I received on Friday from a precious friend.
I am blessed beyond belief with so much love and kindness and joy
not only at Christmas time but all through the year
and thank you everyone
for your love♥




Ahram at Starbucks in Seoul
They have Penguins there but we do not in Canada (Starbucks)


Since Ahram introduced me to her love of Penguins
I sent out many Christmas cards this year with Penguins
and many of my gifts this year sent to me by friends have been of Penguins
Now I too have things with Penguins in our home to honor Ahram.
and think of her with so much love as we do each and everyday.
I wish you a safe journey to New Zealand this week and thank you for loving
my son and I so well.
We adore you.

I am so glad you will share the holidays together
I love you Ahram!~♥

Saturday, December 12, 2009

Invictus



How wonderful life is while you are in the world



We enjoyed the movie Invictus so very much


Invictus


Invictus

Out of the night that covers me,
Black as the Pit from pole to pole,

I thank whatever gods may be
For my unconquerable soul.

In the fell clutch of circumstance
I have not winced nor cried aloud,

Under the bludgeonings of chance
My head is bloody, but unbowed.

Beyond this place of wrath and tears
Looms but the horror of the shade,

And yet the menace of the years
Finds, and shall find me, unafraid.

It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll,

I am the master of my fate:
I am the captain of my soul.



Most scenes are from our home but some are of Vernacular Flower and Gift shop
and a few places I have gone to for lunch with friends recently for Christmas
gatherings


Christmas in New York



Christmas in Seoul

Friday, December 11, 2009

One of my Favorites



One of my most favorite recent pictures of my Son taken by his friend in New Zealand..............

Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever."
~Psalm 107:1~

Christmas....that magic blanket that wraps itself about us,
that something so intangible that it is like a fragrance.
it may weave a spell of nostlgia.
Christmas may be a day of feasting,
or of prayer, but always it will be a day of remembrance...
a day in which we think of everything we have ever loved."
~Augusta E. Rundel


The Olympic Torch will pass right by my beloved Grandmothers former home that she shared with my late beloved Mother.
The torch will pass right by their former home on December 23rd, 2009.
What an awesome tribute this is for me for a home I miss so very much
especially at Christmas.

Treasure all your blessings..

My sincere good wishes for your happiness
throughout the coming year as well.

Thursday, December 10, 2009

The Invisible Woman


The Invisible Woman


The young mother set her foot on the path of life.
"Is this the long way?" she asked.
And God answered her "Yes, this way is hard,
and you will be old before you reach the end of it.
But the end will be better than the beginning."
But the young mother was happy,
and she would not believe that anything could
be better than these years.
So she played with her children,
she fed them and bathed them,
taught them how to tie their shoes and ride a bike,
and reminded them to feed the dog
and do their homework and brush their teeth.
The sun shone on them and the young Mother cried,
"Nothing will ever be lovelier than this."
Then the nights came, and the storms
and the path was sometimes dark,
and the children shook with fear and cold,
and the mother drew them close and covered
them with her arms and the children said,
"Mother, we are not afraid, for you are near,
and no harm can come."
And the morning came, and there was a hill ahead,
and the children climbed and grew weary,
and the mother was weary.
But at all times she said to the children,
a little patience and we are there."
So the children climbed and as they climbed
they learned to weather the storms.
And with this, she gave them strength to face the world.
Year after year she showed them compassion,
understanding, and hopes, but most of all...unconditional love.
And when they reached the top they said,
"Mother, we would not have done it without you."
The days went on, and the weeks and the months
and the years, and the mother grew old
and she became little and bent.
But her children were tall and strong,
and walked with courage.
And the mother, when she lay down at night,
looked up at the stars and said,
"This is a better day than the last,
for my children have learned so much
and are now passing these traits on to their children."
And when the way became rough for her,
they lifted her, and gave her their strength,
just as she had given them hers.
One day they came to a hill,
and beyond the hill they could see a shining road
and golden gates flung wide.
And Mother said: "I have reached the end of my journey.
And now I know the end is better than the beginning,
for my children can walk with dignity and pride,
with their heads held high, and so can their children after them."
And the children said,
"You will always walk with us,
Mother, even when you have gone through the gates."
And they stood and watched her as she went on alone,
and the gates closed after her.
And they said: "We cannot see her, but she is with us still.
A Mother is more than a memory.
She is a living presence.
Your Mother is always with you.
She's the whisper of the leaves as you walk down the street,
she's the smell of certain foods you remember,
flowers you pick and perfume that she wore,
she's the cool hand on your brow
when you're not feeling well,
she's your breath in the air on a cold winters day.
She is the sound of the rain that lulls you to sleep,
the colors of a rainbow,
she is your birthday morning.
Your Mother lives inside your laughter
and she's crystallized in every tear drop.
A mother shows every emotion...
happiness, sadness, fear, jealousy,
love, hate, anger, helplessness, excitement, joy, sorrows
- all the while hoping and praying
you will only know the good feelings in life.
She's the place you came from,
your first home,
and she's the map you follow with every step you take.
She's your first love,
your first friend, even your first enemy,
but nothing on earth can separate you.
Not time, not space, not even death!
Author Unknown

Wednesday, December 09, 2009

May your Christmas be Merry and Bright


I love these greeting cards.








In a world where celebrity equals talent, and where make-believe is called reality, it is most important to have real love, truth and stability in your life.

Bernie Brillstein


The kind of beauty I want most is the hard-to-get kind that comes from within--strength, courage, dignity.

Ruby Dee


Children are the magic of the season

this video I first seen on my friends blog
A Flyover blog
Thank you♥

Tuesday, December 08, 2009

Christmas a blast from the past


Be Merry and Bright
My precious Grandmother and late beloved Aunt Barbara and my late beloved Mother
all having a Christmas cheer some years back.
These memories to me are more precious than Gold.




It is wrong to think that love comes from long companionship and persevering courtship.
Love is the offspring of spiritual affinity and unless that affinity is created in the moment, it will not be created for years or generations

My Mom and her Bernie who was in our lives when I was a teen.
I loved him very very much♥
He treated us all like Queens.



Me and my precious beloved late Mother.
Every memory of her a golden thread that weaves forever in my heart.
We are never ever apart.
With glorious memories living on forever.


Hungarian Kifli cookies one of the ones my precious Grandmother
always made at Christmas
This is not her recipe but one done from a Google Search.



9 ounces cream cheese
1 cup butter
3 egg yolks
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 pinch salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
3 egg whites
8 ounces ground walnuts
1 cup white sugar
1/3 cup confectioners' sugar for decoration

Directions
In a medium bowl, cream butter and cream cheese. Stir in the egg yolks and vanilla. Stir together the flour and baking powder. Add the flour mixture a little at a time until it is fully incorporated. Divide dough into 5 parts, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate overnight.
in a medium bowl, beat egg whites to soft peaks, add sugar a little at a time while continuing to beat to stiff peaks. Fold in ground walnuts, and set aside. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out to 1/4 to 1/8 inch thickness. Cut into 3 inch squares, place 1/2 teaspoon of filling in the center of each square and roll up from corner to corner. Place on cookie sheets and refrigerate until hardened.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Bake cookies for 10 to 12 minutes, until lightly browned. Roll in confectioners' sugar when cool.
Nutritional Information
Amount Per Serving Calories: 263 | Total Fat: 18.3g | Cholesterol: 59mg



Yes Virginia there is a Santa Claus


"Christmas..
that magic blanket that wraps itself about us,
that something so intangible that it is like a fragrance.
It may weave a spell of nostlgia.
Christmas may be a day of feasting,
or of prayer, but always it will be a day of remembrance
a day in which we think of everything we have ever loved."
~Augusta E. Rundel

Monday, December 07, 2009

Family


My Son in New Zealand




A Chinese Love Stone

You don't choose your family. They are God's gift to you, as you are to them.
~Desmond Tutu



Family Faces are Magic Mirrors♥
We went away to visit family members on my husbands side of the family
on the weekend.
It was lovely to reconnect and a have an early Christmas visit with them.

I hope everyone had a fabulous weekend.
Love and hugs and many blessings to you all

Love Jeanne


Love this




Snowflakes are floating about outside............



True Meaning of Christmas




Just a week before Christmas I had a visitor. This is how it happened. I just finished the household chores for the night and was preparing to go to bed, when I heard a noise in the front of the house. I opened the door to the front room and to my surprise, Santa himself stepped out next to the fireplace.

As read on this blog




"What are you doing?" I started to ask. The words choked up in my throat and I saw he had tears in his eyes. His usual jolly manner was gone. Gone was the eager, boisterous soul we all know. He then answered me with a simple statement . . .


"TEACH THE CHILDREN!" I was puzzled. What did he mean? He anticipated my question and with one quick movement brought forth a miniature toy bag from behind the tree. As I stood bewildered, Santa said, "Teach the children!


Teach them the old meaning of Christmas. The meaning that now-a-days Christmas has forgotten. "Santa then reached in his bag and pulled out a FIR TREE and placed it before the mantle. "Teach the children that the pure green color of the stately fir tree remains green all year round, depicting the everlasting hope of mankind, all the needles point heavenward, making it a symbol of man's thoughts turning toward heaven."



He again reached into his bag and pulled out a brilliant STAR. "Teach the children that the star was the heavenly sign of promises long ago. God promised a Savior for the world, and the star was the sign of fulfillment of His promise."



He then reached into his bag and pulled out a CANDLE. "Teach the children that the candle symbolizes that Christ is the light of the world, and when we see this great light we are reminded of He who displaces the darkness."



Once again he reached into his bag and removed a WREATH and placed it on the tree. "Teach the children that the wreath symbolizes the real nature of love. Real love never ceases. Love is one continuous round of affection."




He then pulled from his bag an ORNAMENT of himself. "Teach the children that I, Santa Claus, symbolize the generosity and good will we feel during the month of December."



He then brought out a HOLLY LEAF. "Teach the children that the holly plant represents immortality. It represents the crown of thorns worn by our Savior. The red holly berries represent the blood shed by Him.



Next he pulled from his bag a GIFT and said, "Teach the children that God so loved the world that he gave his begotten son." Thanks be to God for his unspeakable gift.



Santa then reached in his bag and pulled out a CANDY CANE and hung it on the tree. "Teach the children that the candy cane represents the shepherds' crook. The crook on the staff helps to bring back strayed sheep to the flock. The candy cane is the symbol that we are our brother's keeper."



He reached in again and pulled out an ANGEL. "Teach the children that it was the angels that heralded in the glorious news of the Savior's birth. The angels sang Glory to God in the highest, on earth peace and good will toward men."



Suddenly I heard a soft twinkling sound, and from his bag he pulled out a BELL,. "Teach the children that as the lost sheep are found by the sound of the bell, it should ring mankind to the fold. The bell symbolizes guidance and return.




Santa looked back and was pleased. He looked back at me and I saw that the twinkle was back in his eyes. He said, "Remember, teach the children the true meaning of Christmas and do not put me in the center, for I am but a humble servant of the One that is, and I bow down to worship him, our LORD, our GOD."

Thursday, December 03, 2009

Ahram I love you


And the stockings were hung by the chimney with care
In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there♥
Our newest Christmas stocking.......
for Our lovely Ahram♥
Special is used to describe something one of a Kind
That is you my darling♥
I love you
Merry Christmas♥




Family faces are magic mirrors
I love you Ahram...........♥
Merry Christmas
thanks for loving me so well and my son too...........

This MP3 playing on this montage is courtesy of my dear friend
Chloe in Greece.
Thanks for always putting a song in my heart♥

Wednesday, December 02, 2009

Santa Baby


Me and Santa's lap last Christmas and he was really lucky this Christmas
look who is on his lap this year my darling friend Nia.




Oh Santa Baby





Santa Baby


Buh-bum.. buh-bum...
Santa baby, just slip a sable under the tree, for me
Been an awful good girl
Santa baby so hurry down the chimney tonight

Santa baby, a '54 convertible too, light blue,
I'll wait up for you dear
Santa baby, so hurry down the chimney tonight

Think of all the fun I've missed,
Think of all the fellows that I haven't kissed
Next year I could be just as good
If you check off my christmas list

Santa baby, I want a yacht and really thats not a lot
Been an angel all year
Santa baby, so hurry down the chimney tonight

Santa honey, one little thing I really need, the deed
To a platinum mine,
Santa baby, so hurry down the chimney tonight

Santa cutie, and fill my stocking with a duplex and cheques,
Sign your x on the line
Santa cutie, and hurry down the chimney tonight

Come and trim my chirstmas tree,
With some decorations bought at Tiffany's
I really do believe in you,
Let's see if you believe in me

Santa baby, forgot to mention one little thing, a ring,
I don't mean on the phone,
Santa baby, so hurry down the chimney tonight

Hurry down the chimney tonight
Hurry, tonight.

Kindness



Kindness is the highest form of wisdom

Photographs courtesy of my son's friend in New Zealand
I thank you all for sharing your photographs.
It is amazing technology and all we can share world wide.

you enter this world knowing you are loved and you leave this world knowing the same
then everything that happens in between can be dealt with.
Michael Jackson
1958-2009

Tuesday, December 01, 2009

Rabbit Rabbit



Image scanned from a Christmas card from my dear Aunt Shirley and Uncle Garry
Rabbit Rabbit♥






One of my rabbits around the house.
Many little rabbits are about on my early morning walk.






From our lovely Ahram
I thank you so much for all you do for me.........
I love you with all my heart♥
May December bring us good luck, good cheer and family ever near.

God bless us all this month.

I open the door. The gorgeous guest from afar sweeps in. In her hands are her gifts~the gifts of hours and far seeing moments, the gift of morning and evenings, the gift of spring and summer, the gift of autumn and winter. She must have searched the heavens for boons so rare.
~Anne Graham

December's gifts, custom, ceremony, celebration, consecration~come to us wrapped up, not in tissue and ribbons, but in cherished memories. This is the month of miracles.
The oil that burns for eight days, the royal son born in the stable, the inexplicable return of Light of the longest, darkest night of the year. Where there is Love, there is always miracles. And where there are miracles, there is great joy. Gratefully we weave the golden thread of Joy into our tapestry of contentment. At last we embrace the miracle of aunthenticity, changing forever how we view ourselves. Our daily round. Our dreams and our destinies. Days we once called common now are holy.

From the book
Simple Abundance
A Daybook of Comfort and Joy
by Sarah Ban Breathnach

Love is what's in the room with you at Christmas if you stop opening presents and listen.

"Advent is the perfect time to clear and prepare the Way. Advent is a winter training camp for those who desire peace."

Before you know what kindness really is
you must lose things,
feel the future disolve in a moment
like salt in a weakened broth.
What you held in your hand,
what you counted and carefully saved,
all this must go so you know
how desolate the landscape can be
Between the regions of kindness.
How you ride and ride
thinking the bus will never stop,
that passengers eating maize and chicken
will stare out of the window forever.

Then it is only kindness that makes sense anymore,
only kindness that ties your shoes
and sends you out into the day to mail letters
and purchase bread,
only kindness that raises its head
from the ground of the world to say
It is I you have been looking for,
and then goes with you everywhere
like a shadow or a friend.

Naomi Shihab Nye