Wordless(ish) Wednesday...Jan. 2, 2012

First Wednesday of the new year and I have a good one for you.  This is my new bud Bob who lives in the same mobile home park as my Mother. in Sedona, AZ.  In fact, he lives right across the street.  Anyway, he was the MC and host for a party thrown by the residents of this park. Getting ready to toast to the new year!

A Toast to New Starts

Let's look ahead to brand-new starts

And New Year's resolutions.

May goals we make with all our hearts

Be not mere noise pollutions.

Sunday Christmas Stories...Traditions/Caroling/Memories

Did you practice your oohh and ahhhs before the big moment?/Update

Yesterday was July 4th...Happy Birthday USA!
Tamirisc and I sat outside (getting bit by mosquitoes) and enjoyed the shows around Po Dunk. Some people really put on a show too! Whoo.


Anyway, as I sat there (wishing I had bug spray), I could not help to think of how grateful I am to live in a country where I am free. Free to say want I want and live how I want...that is, within reason.


It is a privilege to live here and have those freedoms but yet, we have to take them with responsibility too. Hurting others with our words and our actions is not what having freedom is about nor what I think anyone should be about. I believe we need to take care of each other and be kind to each other. Having said that though, as a nation, we can only do so much.  What I am really talking about is in our own homes...a responsible freedom starts there.


Anyway, I am a grateful citizen and again, Happy Birthday USA. See you again for your birthday next year but maybe with some cake!
-----------------------------------------
Update:
I am still reeling from the events in the last week and last few months. It has been difficult to say the least on my family. I thank you to those who have sent kind words...especially to those that feel my pain at this time because you can relate.  


I hope to get back to regular blogging in the next week. 


Peace...Naila Moon

Memorial Day...is it about BBQ's?

I was having a discussion with Tamirisc about Memorial Day. I contended that people really did not know the original meaning behind Memorial Day. 

I also thought/think that most people see it as the start of summer and bbq season and really do not attend any Memorial Day services. 

Also, the question was raised...Why have Veteran's Day then when we honor vets today too?

Well, I am here to give some answers.

FACT: 

• Originally was called Decoration Day
• Who officially started Memorial Day is unknown 
• The official proclamation of an actual day was May 5, 1868 with the official dedication on May 30, 1868
• On this day flowers were laid on top of the graves of Union and Confederate soldiers-thus intending for reconcilliation of Northern and Southern states
• New York was the first to recognize it as a holiday in 1890-all other northern states followed suit.
• Southern states refused to recognize the holiday until after WWI when the holiday was changed to recognize all fallen soldiers from all wars
• A few southern states still celebrate their dead on a different day although all state recognize the official holiday
• In 1971, Congress passed the National Holiday Act which gave a three day weekend for Federal holidays
• The idea of poppies being worn (and then later "sold" by VFW's) was enacted by Moina Michael who did so in order to remember the fallen
• She wrote a poem too that inspired the wearing of the poppy
• 1200 soldiers on the Thursday before Memorial Day place small U.S. flags on the more than 260,000 grave stones at Arlington Cemetery, then they patrol the grounds for 24 hours to make sure none of the flags fall. (Here in MO, they Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts place flags at 150,000 graves at Jefferson Barracks Cemetery
• Although most cities no longer have parades, in 2004 Washington, DC had its first in 60 years
• In 2000 Congress enacted the National Day of Remembrance Bill to help American's to return to the meaning of Memorial Day

Thank you to all of those who gave their lives. I am forever grateful.

Peace...Naila Moon

Cupid? Not Tomorrow!

 

In the past Valentine’s Day was not something I really wanted to celebrate. I was divorced for years and seeing other couples happy simply depressed me.

This is not to say that I was not happy for them. ( I am not the jealous type) Oh no, I was just not happy being alone or without someone in my life.  I of course was not untypical for I encountered (and continue to do so) many women that felt the same way. In fact I have met several men that have felt the same way as well.

Anyway, getting back to Valentine’s Day…a few years back my daughter and  I discovered the Anti-Valentine’s Day movement.  It was for those that did not have a significant other but also in direct protest of the card and flower industry that make millions on this day.

Love should be celebrated every day of the year. Right?

We decided not to give out Valentine’s Day cards, buy chocolate, buy flowers or anything that day and even though both of us now have someone in our life, we still don’t.  Instead, we celebrate the day before, the day after or maybe the next week.

My husband thought I was crazy last year when I told him to please not get me anything but to wait until a couple days later. He ACTUALLY agreed and two days later took me to get a discounted bear. LOL  It was wonderful and I loved him for it.

As I agreed to do a blog Valentine’s exchange,  I had to stay true to self.  So, as you can see, this is posted BEFORE Valentine’s Day . Who knows I might change my mind next year.

I wish you a lovely day. I will see you in two days. 

Peace...Naila Moon

I refuse to change!

If you are a big time Facebooker like me, then you have already seen the uproar that is taking place over there. No, I do not mean the fact that Farmville was going to be off line for an hour or the fact that they changed the face of Facebook. No, what I mean is the uproar that is going on with the change in the zodiac signs.

The current zodiac

 What is that you say, you had not heard yet? Oh, well then good! Apparently, some guy has said that due to the axis of the Earth and the rotation around the sun that all the current zodiac dates have changed. In addition there is supposedly a new zodiac sign called Ophiuchus.

The new zodiac symbol

Here are supposedly the new dates:

Capricorn: Jan. 20 - Feb. 16
Aquarius: Feb. 16 - March 11
Pisces: March 11- April 18
Aries: April 18 - May 13
Taurus: May 13 - June 21
Gemini: June 21 - July 20
Cancer: July 20 - Aug. 10
Leo: Aug. 10 - Sept. 16
Virgo: Sept. 16 - Oct. 30
Libra: Oct. 30 - Nov. 23
Scorpio: Nov. 23 - Nov. 29
Ophiuchus: Nov. 29 - Dec. 17
Sagittarius: Dec. 17 - Jan. 20

Well, I cry foul! I mean come on, as my birthday was four days ago, that would make me a Capricorn. Believe me, I am poster child for a Capricorn!! Oh but this new dates makes me a Sagittarius? I don't think so!

Really, folks, in all honesty...who cares?  Unless, you are REALLY in to the whole zodiac scene then it does not matter a flying flip. Yeah, I always thought it was fun to go to the local Chinese restaurant to see what my latest fortune was or what animal I was this year but seriously, other than that..

The bottom line, if you really do care what your sign is then go ahead call your local restaurant, call your neighbor, call your Congressman, call the President but for gosh sakes, get a grip!

So, what's your sign? ;)

~Naila Moon

12 Days of Christmas Blog Challenge-Day 5...Favorite Movie/Holiday Special

Today's challenge is by far the easiest. I love, love, LOVE this movie:








The other holiday special I always look forward to is this one:




Although, there are many more I love, it has become a tradition to watch these two on Christmas Eve or Day. (Mind you I am 40+ and my kids are in their 20-eeze.)

 


Peace...Naila Moon

12 Days of Christmas Blog Challenge-Day 2...Black Friday

Today's challenge is to blog about tips or tricks for black Friday shopping.

Well, first of all there are two kinds of shoppers...those that LOVE it and those that HATE it.

Those that HATE it usually will mention to those of us that like to go on black Friday that we are crazy. They say things like,"Why would you go out in those crowds? Why would you want to put up with all those nuts?" 

Or my personal favorite, "I hate crowds!"

My thought is do you ever go out then? But I digress.

As I am guessing you have already figured out, I am one of those nuts that like to get out on black Friday. I will admit though, I have not in the last two years because of transportation issues and not being with my family to do so.

Anyway tips...

1. For the love of God please wear good walking and standing shoes. You will be doing a lot of that!

2. Prepare ahead of time by looking at all the circulars. Decide which store you want to hit first and go there first. Then go in succession of which store you want to hit next.

3. Plan to leave your home approximately 2 hours ahead of time if you really want to get that bargain. Seriously! There will be a line a mile long waiting to one up you for the same thing. Once that hot item is gone, it is gone!  Does anyone remember the Cabbage Patch Doll craze?

4. Know your stores! Know where you are going once you are in the store.

5. Go with a group. Before you get to the store divide and conquer. Each person go in the direction of one item and get for all. Then head for the same register.

6. Do not forget to do lunch! You might want to bring a bottle of water with you.

7.  Do not kill someone because they just took that last hot item that your kid simply could not do with out or they would die this year. (whew!)

This is the holidays folks. Let's be good to our fellow human beings.

8.  And finally: All in all, be kind to others as well. Make sure to buy or give to those Salvation Army folks or some other charity. They do good work.

Peace...Naila Moon

12 Days of Christmas Blog Challenge Day 1

Today begins the 12 Days of Christmas blog challenge and what better way to start off the challenge than with traditions.
Growing up we had many traditions.

Mom handing out presents in 2007

After we had just gone to midnight Mass, the brothers and I would always wake up at oh...around 5 AM and just clamoring to open presents.  Mom & Dad ALWAYS made us wait. This was so Mom could light all the candles all over the house. Later I found out it was also so Dad and Grandpa could finish putting together something...bike maybe. Anyway, my Grandparents were always there on Christmas morning.
Before we even opened gifts, my Mom would light the Christ candle on the advent wreath and read a reading from the advent book she had.
By 8AM we were off to my Grandparents to open presents there and have Christmas breakfast with the extended family.


Over the years, my brothers and I had kids and started our own traditions, although we still went to Mom & Dad's house.
In my own family, I kept some of the traditions. However, I was divorced so my kids went to their Dad's house Christmas eve and arrived at my house on Christmas morning.

My crazy kids at Christmas

As time continued to move forward, so did our traditions.  Grandpa was now gone and Grandma too old to hold Christmas at her house. We still celebrate with her as she now lives in a nursing home.

Some of the family with Grandma in 2009

One of my nieces looking in her stocking

Mom and Dad still have Christmas at their house complete with the stockings on the wall. However, we are not all there anymore because we are spread out across the country and world.

In 2008, I began yet another tradition. As I had not lived here in Colorado too long and could not get home, my daughter flew out to visit, my son could not come out.  We opened Christmas presents and that afternoon, Tamirisc and I got married!  That is right, we married Christmas day!

Us, Christmas Day 2008

In 2009 my entire family met once again for Christmas, as we flew home. They got to meet Tamirisc for the first time. 
One of the things my kids and I always have done is take a Christmas family photo. I can say, it is NOT traditional! ;)
Here' proof:

2007

2009-the additions are Tamirisc on the left & daughter-in-law on the right

 Peace...Naila Moon