Apples don't fall far from the tree, thank you Mom...................

I do not know how many years ago my mother started a tradition and has been carried on faithfully by my father since her death 13 years ago. Everyone has an apple on the Christmas tree, with their name. Over the years since we were young it has grown to include spouses, grandchildren, grandchildren spouses & great grandchildren. All were in attendance Christmas Eve, as our family grows the tree is almost all red with a couple of green branches showing: Mom, Dad, Patrick, Carol, Andrew, Jill, Luke, Robin, Tom, Tina, Chip,Carolina, Will, Abby, Ross, Hudson, Cole, Dino, Tina, Gabby, Bella, Doni, Dani. Thank you to everyone for making Christmas Eve Breakfast an evening to once again to remember. 

Italian Christmas Time Song...................

Archie Griffin does not know how lucky he is........

.....to have his photo taken with such an outstanding group of people.

FLORENCE AMERICAN CEMETERY AND MEMORIAL

I think of myself very lucky to have visited this cemetery and have driven by it several times viewing how impressive it appears from the highway. On Veterans Day, I think of this.....

The Florence American Cemetery and Memorial site in Italy covers 70 acres. The wooded hills that frame its western perimeter rise several hundred feet. Between the two entrance buildings, a bridge leads to the burial area where the headstones of 4,402 of our military dead are arrayed in symmetrical curved rows upon the hillside. They represent 39 percent of the U.S. Fifth Army burials originally made between Rome and the Alps. Most died in the fighting that occurred after the capture of Rome in June 1944. Included among them are casualties of the heavy fighting in the Apennines Mountains shortly before the war's end. On May 2, 1945 the enemy troops in northern Italy surrendered.


Info stolen from: American Battle Monument Commissions

Halloween Givers not Beggars.............

Check out the beggar's photos from The Newark Advocate

at the Licking County Court House lawn last night.

July 4th spiked watermelon....................

CLICK HERE FOR INSTRUCTIONS

Each one has it owns personality...................

Manufacturing Peeps by The New York Times.

What do old silk ties & Easter eggs have in common............

Martha Stewart brings this new twist to the commonly pastel color dyed East Eggs. Click here to get the simple recipe. I am trying it Friday night, but mine will be all stripes.

President's Day & the style of our past presidnets....

Each President over the years has brought his own style of dress and grooming to the White House. The Significant Other posted each of the past President's photo and a brief comment about their style of clothing. Click here to find some very interesting photos and comments.

P*********** .......................

I missed it!

National Change Your Password Day

February 1, 2012

Spending the weekend working on it.

Click here for a password generator

Click here for suggestions from Gizmodo

What Christmas is all about............

Merry Christmas..............

Solving problems, building relationships & having fun............

Guru Sean Carpenter's Christmas message:

Santa and technology & dancing......................

Stolen from Kurt Harden

I have only had a couple of chances during my adult life to dance to Christmas Music.
This is the first song I would choose.

Stolen from Steve Layman.

12 Ways to slash holiday stress.........

1. Get Out from Behind the Camera

2. Knock Out the Greed

3. Simplify Your Shopping

4. Find a Gift that Earns You Sex

5. Write a Brag-Free Family Letter

6. Stay Sane Traveling by Plane

7. Survive Annoying Relatives

8. Sidestep the Holiday Blues

9. Don't Watch "It's a Wonderful Life"

10. Dodge the Holiday Weight Gain

11. Hit All the Parties (Politely)

12. Catch the Bowl Games that Count

Click here to the read the theory behind each reason.

14 Ways to win over your in-laws.........

Click here to find out more from Men's Health:

1. Be an Anthropologist

2. Never say "Estate Planning"

3. Decide to be Devoted

4. Laugh at their Jokes

5. Subdue the Yelling

6. Inquire about their People

7. Take their Names

8. Go to Med School

9. Remember your Gender

10. Be their Defense Attorney

11. Remember your Spine

12. Tell your Story

13. Don't let them see you Lying Down

14. The Greats don't loose Focus

Dominick the Italian Christmas Donkey........

Fitting for my 700th post:

Thank you to Tim Fitterer for passing this along!