Merry Christmas..and from my very favorite song...

"Mary Did You Know"

[Originally written by Mark Lowry and Buddy Greene]

Mary, did you know
that your Baby Boy would one day walk on water?
Mary, did you know
that your Baby Boy would save our sons and daughters?
Did you know
that your Baby Boy has come to make you new?
This Child that you delivered will soon deliver you.

Mary, did you know
that your Baby Boy will give sight to a blind man?
Mary, did you know
that your Baby Boy will calm the storm with His hand?
Did you know
that your Baby Boy has walked where angels trod?
When you kiss your little Baby you kissed the face of God?

Mary did you know..
The blind will see.
The deaf will hear.
The dead will live again.
The lame will leap.
The dumb will speak
The praises of The Lamb.

Mary, did you know
that your Baby Boy is Lord of all creation?
Mary, did you know
that your Baby Boy would one day rule the nations?
Did you know
that your Baby Boy is heaven's perfect Lamb?
The sleeping Child you're holding is the Great, I Am.

A very merry & loving Christmas is my wish for you all and from our house to yours...

Love, laughter and the light of God to you!

-me & Mr B

Our Merry-Little-Christmas-Party...

Every year - at least for a little while past. we've hosted a little gathering for the neighborhood to come and have some sweets & treats and fun and friendship.

My Grandfather who I never met..

This year, it was smaller {many participants had places  to go - things to do- people to see} but we had fun, and those who missed this year may well be able to attend next year..

My Mother (l) and my Aunt Alice (r) circa 1917

So, it started a couple of weeks ago with a little decorating ...

 

..put out some treats...

{Parmesan, Cayenne Shortbread}

{Chocolate Chip Cookie Peppermint Balls}

{Corn Chex, White Chocolate and Peppermint Snack Mix}

'Course, had to have ID tags...

{just because Sushi lives on the warm stove, I didn't want the guests to think he was on the menu!}

{Dips..}

{Chips & Mango Salsa..}

{Queso..or.."that's nach-yo cheese"}

{Jeff's "Ooey-Gooey Butter Cake"}

{Peanut Clusters}

{left to right..Cookie Balls, Cracker Toffee, Dark Chocolate, Pistachio and Cranberry Bark..}

{Sugar Cookies, Oatmeal - Golden Raisin Cookies and Peanut Butter Cookies}

..great neighbors and friends..

and just have fun!

And we did..

Hope you have a wonderful Christmas week and God bless us everyone!

..me

to start your week-end with a smile...

Remember my granddog, Mia? She has 'water on the brain" {hydrocephalus??}

Well, she started out with Brandi & Johnny & Ella at 1.5 lbs..she's now a whopping ...

3pounds!!

And, she can now smile..

Really.

You have your doubts?

OK, here she is...

Have a fun and happy week-end.  We're having our little neighborhood get-together tomorrow night at our home..

Photos to follow :-)

Have yourself a happy little week-end!

-me

Just for fun..

..this is a short video done by a news station about the company I work for :-)

Take a minute if you want so see some interesting science and genealogy meet...

http://www.kztv10.com/videoplayer/?video_id=18979&categories=307

DNA Analysis Proving Helpful With Genealogy

Posted: Dec 1, 2011 7:00 PM by Bart Bedsole - bbedsole@kristv.com
Updated: Dec 1, 2011 7:15 PM

• 
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CORPUS CHRISTI - It is an exciting time for anyone who's ever asked themselves "Who am I?"
There is better technology and DNA databases available than ever before to help answer that question.
Quite a few companies are now able to analyze your DNA, for a fee, and tell you what you may have never known, or never been able to find out before.

We recently tested out one of those companies, and the test subject was me.
When it comes to genealogy, I generally feel like I know more than most, thanks to the hard work of a handful of relatives who dedicated a lot of time and money into researching the origins of our family.
But tombstones and title records hardly compete with modern day technology.

Genetree.com is a relatively new company that uses DNA testing to help people reconnect with family or find information about their ancestry.
My personal journey through history began with a small cup of mouthwash provided by the company.
Following the included instructions, I put it in my mouth and swished it around for about a minute, to collect DNA cells from the inside of my cheeks.

Then I spit it back into the cup, tightened the lid, placed it inside the box, sealed it, and mailed it back to the company.
A few weeks later, I received a 51-page email filled with maps, codes, and even a list of possible relatives in the DNA database for me to potentially track down.
It was all then interpretted over the phone by a company technician.

The results were interesting, and maybe even a little unsettling, because it revealed I may not be a blood Bedsole after all.
Dr.Ugo Perego with Genetree explained, "The closest matches we found, which are very close, within I'd say 7-8 generations in the past, is with people whose last name is Hall."
According to Perego, there may have been an adoption, or even an act of infidelity on my father's side of the family somewhere along the line that blended the Bedsole and Hall bloodlines.
"You share 42 out of 43 of the markers we test with individuals whose last name is Hall," Perego said.
On my mother's side, the results indicated my ancestors came from eastern Europe, maybe Germany, something I also didn't know.

It's doubtful Genetree or any DNA analysis company could ever fill out your family tree, so there will always be a place for researching tombstones and title records.
But for anyone just starting out, or maybe at a dead end, a quick shot of mouthwash may be just the jumpstart you need.

You never know what'll come out of your mouth.

-me

So, who's in your genes??

OK, so everyone has had the "white elephant" decission, right?

You know, that to give that isn't so tacky that you'd be disappointed if you took it home..

yet staying within the price range agreed upon.

Every year I have not wanted to disappoint - so I've always purchased  the thing I'd not be embarrassed to give and wrapped it beautifully...

..until this year. 

I don't know what it is about being in my sixties that make me throw caution to the wind, but ..

This year's offering?

                                                      "Redneck Party in a Box"

Yep.  And the wrapping, of course, had to be in line with the gift, right?

So, here it is..

You may be wondering what's in the box..No?  {...work with me here people..}

Let's take a look at the ingredients ...

..and, because it's actually a redneck box..I felt it  may need written instructions..

Redneck Party in a Box:

Contents:

1 Bottle or vintage 2011 (July) good grape juice

2 redneck wine glasses - for all that good grape juice..

2 pkgs Pop Rocks - to turn that good grape juice into …that ‘$epensive Shampain..

“Or Dur-vies” {that’s French for snacks..} consistin’ of :

Crackers

Pork Rinds

Beef Jerky

Cheese

Entertainment package:

“Chew”

Tattoos

Moustaches

Duct tape {for repairs…..…or restraints}

..and for

am-be-ance…..

Romantical lighting !

Have yourself a Merry Little Redneck Christmas



..{the "Romantical lighting" was not pictured..it was 2 utility candles and a bundle of stick matches in a small canning jar}

It looked beautiful..tucked in with all the "other" white elephant gifts at work...

Yeah..it was a big hit..

So, if you have canning jars, Dollar Store glass candle sticks and some glue..you too could have a set of bee-u-tufulicious Wine Glasses...

My sincere apologies to any redneck friends out there...and I'll leave you with the wise words and advice about this Christmas Season....

"Get 'er done.."

-me