'Twas the month before Christmas

'Twas the month before Christmas
And all through the house
The storage was low
Hardly crumbs for a mouse.

The shelves were about empty,
Oh, what a plight!
The wolf’s at the door,
And no money in sight.

All the children were nestled
To keep warm in their bed,
Hoping that before long
They'd surely be fed.

The prophet had counseled
“Each one be prepared,”
We had procrastinated the day,
Why hadn’t we cared?

ALAS! “Twas only a dream,”
But that didn’t matter
I jumped from my bed
Making an awful loud clatter.

Away to the basement
I flew like a flash,
Stumbling over boxes and bottles,
Along with some trash.

As I surveyed my storage,
With eyes all aglow
The security of filled bottles
All straight in a row

Filled my heart with a warmth
And my eyes with a tear
To think I had food
to last us a year.

This feeling of warmth
And security too,
Is what we as your friends
Wish for you.

So put gifts of storage
Under each Christmas tree
For those on your list,
Is our warmest plea,

Give honey, give sugar,
Give flour or wheat.
Give milk, give salt,
Give something to eat.

And you’ll hear them exclaim,
When Christmas is here,
“Thank-you so much,
It will be a good year.”

Author unknown (If you know, tell me :-) )
Wishing you and your family a very Merry Christmas!

from my friend Liz Richards

Interesting Stuff

25 clever ideas to make life easier . Via: amy-newnostalgia.blogspot.com (Above: hull strawberries easily using a straw). . . Via:apartmenttherapy.com Rubbing a walnut over scratches in your furniture will disguise dings and scrapes. . . Via: unplggd.com Remove crayon masterpieces from your TV or computer screen with WD40 (also works on walls). . . Via:athomewithrealfood.blogspot.com Stop cut apples browning in your child's lunch box by securing with a rubber band. . . Via:marthastewart.com Overhaul your linen cupboard – store bed linen sets inside one of their own pillowcases and there will be no more hunting through piles for a match. . . Via: realsimple.com Pump up the volume by placing your iPhone / iPod in a bowl – the concave shape amplifies the music. . . Via:savvyhousekeeping.com Re-use a wet-wipes container to store plastic bags. . . Via:iheartnaptime.net Add this item to your beach bag. Baby powder gets sand off your skin easily – who knew?! . . Via: realsimple.com Attach a Velcro strip to the wall to store soft toys. . . Via: flickr.com Look up! Use wire to make a space to store gift wrap rolls against the ceiling, rather than cluttering up the floor. . . Via:instructables.com Gotcha! Find tiny lost items like earrings by putting a stocking over the vacuum hose. . . Via: realsimple.com Make an instant cupcake carrier by cutting crosses into a box lid. . . Via: stephmodo.com For those who can't stand the scrunching and bunching: how to perfectly fold a fitted sheet. . . Via:sprwmn.blogspot.com Forever losing your bathroom essentials? Use magnetic strips to store bobby pins (and tweezers and clippers) behind a vanity door . . Via: realsimple.com A tip for holiday packing. Store shoes inside shower caps to stop dirty soles rubbing on your clothes. And you can find them in just about every hotel! . . Via:familyfun.go.com A muffin pan becomes a craft caddy. Magnets hold the plastic cups down to make them tip-resistant. . . Via: unplggd.com Bread tags make the perfect-sized cord labels. . . Via: kiboomu.com Bake cupcakes directly in ice-cream cones – so much more fun and easier for kids to eat. Definitely doing this! . . Via: squawkfox.com Microwave your own popcorn in a plain brown paper bag. Much healthier and cheaper than the packet stuff. . . Brilliant space-saver: install a tension rod to hang your spray bottles. Genius! . . Via: 9gag.com Win friends at breakfast with this heart-shaped egg tutorial. Aww shucks! . . Via: wilton.com Turn your muffin pan upside down, bake cookie-dough over the top and voila – you have cookie bowls for fruit or ice-cream. Click here for recipe. . . Via: realsimple.com Freeze Aloe Vera in ice-cube trays for soothing sunburn relief. . . Via:lifehacker.com.au Gutter garden: Create a window-box veggie patch using guttering. . . Via: re-nest.com Use egg cartons to separate and store your Christmas decorations.

Thanks, Elaine L!

Joseph's Answers to The Question “What Is Love?”

My co-worker Joseph has a different take on love:

Actual JosephChildren’s Answers to The Question “What Is Love?”

“Love is when you go out to eat and give somebody gives you most of their French fries without making them give you any of theirs.” - Chrissy, age 6

“Love is what makes you smile someone make you something to eat when you’re tired.” - Terri, age 4

“Love is when my mommy makes coffee for my daddy and lets me enjoy it without drinking half of it she takes a sip before giving it to him, to make sure the taste is OK.” - Danny, age 7

“Love is when you kiss all the time. Then when you get tired of kissing, you still want to be together and you talk more. My Mommy and Daddy are like that. They look gross when they kiss.” - Emily, age 8

“Love is what’s in the room with you at Christmas if you get what you want stop opening presents and listen.” - Bobby, age 7

“If you want to learn to love better, you should start with a friend who you hate,”  J - Nikka, age 6

“Love is when you don’t tell a guy what to wear you like his shirt, then he wears it everyday.” - Noelle, age 7

“Love is like a little old woman and a little old man who are still friends even after they know each other so well.” - Tommy, age 6

“During my piano recital, I was on a stage and I was scared. I looked at all the people watching me and saw my daddy waving and smiling. He was the only one doing that. I wasn’t scared anymore.” - Cindy, age 8

“My mommy loves me more than anybody. You don’t see anyone else kissing me to sleep at night.” - Clare, age 6

“Love is when Mommy gives Daddy the whole best piece of chicken with homemade potato salad and green beans.” - Elaine, age 5

“Love is when Mommy sees Daddy smelly and sweaty and does his laundry still says he is handsomer than Brad Pitt.” - Chris, age 7

“Love is when your puppy licks your face even after you left him alone all day.” - Mary Ann, age 4

“I know my older sister significant other loves me because she gives me all her they wear old clothes and has to lets me go out and buy new ones.” - Lauren, age 4

“When my grandmother got arthritis, she couldn’t bend over and paint her toenails anymore. So my she doesn’t make my grandfather do does it for her all the time, even when because his hands got arthritis too. That’s love.” - Rebecca, age 8

“When you love somebody, your eyelashes go up and down and money starts little stars come out of you coming .” - Karen, age 7

“You really shouldn’t say ‘I love you’ unless you mean it. But if you do mean it, don’t let them know it. you should say it a lot. People Just forget about it.” - Jessica, age 8

Why kids need a pet