Horsepower Sleigh Ride Date

Good Thursday morning!

The Gallery Pics are more basketball photos from our game last night, AND a photo or two of Josh at a school choir performance yesterday.

DON'T FORGET! DON'T FORGET! DON'T FORGET! - Check out The Twelve Days of Inflatables on my sidebar. I'm still adding to the "collection."

NOTE TO JENNIFER - I loved your long distance tradition. In case you didn't read the Comment Section yesterday, Jennifer's family would record (on cassette tapes) the family opening Christmas gifts from the grandparents. The kids would then sing Christmas carols. They would mail these tapes to her grandparents the years they weren't able to be with them Christmas. You could definitely do the same thing with Skype and video now. Very good idea.

RANDOMNESS #1 - My Christmas cards are STILL being mailed out... one stack at a time. I totally ran out last night, BUT I ordered more! Everything should be finished by Saturday! Please. Do not worry! (I'm saying this more for my benefit than yours.)

RANDOMNESS #2 - My Christmas card count stands at 33. That includes a card from my friend's husband's insurance company AND two cards from the same anonymous friend/fan/enemy. I don't know. Maybe you can help me decide.

The first one is a picture of a big, FAT Santa and it reads, "Everyone puts on a few extra pounds at Christmas." That's it. No signature. Nada. Nothing. (Well, there was a little heart drawn on the envelope and a little sticker on the back that said, "Sing!")

The second one is a bit more... Hmmm. Again, you decide. It reads, "We hope your holidays are sweet and merry and you don't burn your tongue on a cup of hot cocoa and then choke to death on your burnt off tongue skin." That one scared me a little bit. But then it had the sweet little heart on the inside, so I'm in a bit of a dilemma.

The handwriting on the envelopes is exactly the same, so I know it is from the same friend/fan/enemy.

Do I laugh... or call the police? Feel free to comment any suggestions below.

(I know what you're thinking. "Did you hang them on your doorway with the rest of the cards?" The answer is YES! You act as if you've never even met me!)

RANDOMNESS #3 - Since the topic for the day is obviously "Christmas Cards," I have a semi-funny story to share.

A few years ago, I met a friend for lunch during the Christmas season at Cracker Barrel. I was driving the Big Gold Van.

Parking in the Big Gold Van is a challenge on a good day, so I tend to park one to two miles from my final destination and walk. However, Cracker Barrel was pretty full, and I had to park a little closer than normal beside a car and an empty space. (I prefer to always park between TWO empty spaces.)

When my friend and I came out of the restaurant, I noticed how crooked the Big Gold Van had been parked. Really, really crooked. But, there are worse things in life. It's not like I had robbed a bank, or knocked over a bunch of garbage cans or hit someone's mailbox with my mirror. (Oh, wait. Disregard the "mailbox" example. Been there. Done that... a lot.)

Under my windshield wiper I found a large piece of a torn brown paper bag. I cannot tell you what was written on that brown paper bag because some of the language was definitely in the PG-13 category. The person ranted and raved about my lack of parking skills (noted), but at the end of the note he/she signed it, "Merry Christmas!!!!"

A Christmas card!

I hurried home, trimmed the ragged edge of the brown paper bag with my Fiskars cutter and used a black sharpie to mark through the PG-13 words scattered throughout the message... and then I hung my newest Christmas card on my door frame.

You may think I'm pathetic, but I met my Christmas card goal that year!

Blog Linkage - Okay. The linkage I'm about to give you may forever change your life. If you love decorating, crafting or going through people's homes during Christmas Home Tours, I'm about to rock your world.

But you have to promise to come back to A Simple Life... one day. Okay? Promise?

1. I have added a new blog under My Blog List called Nesting Place. It is a visually beautiful blog. This blogger has a Christmas Tour of Homes every year. Scroll down to "Christmas Tour of Homes" dated December 13. Read her post and you will come to link after link after link of homes. As it stands right now, there are over 700 links. There are three pictures of homes and decorations on each row. Click on a picture and it will take you to a blog. You will then "walk through" that person's home looking at all of their Christmas decorations.

Some are fancy. Some are simple. Some have dozens of pictures. Some have three or four.

I'm looking at about 10 links a day enjoying the Tour and the great ideas.

2. For a quick laugh, go to Big Mama under My Blog List. WATCH the post entitled "Santa's got his groove back" dated December 16. Enjoy!

Horsepower Sleigh Ride Date

I found this idea on a blog, and thought it would be so much fun IF you can find the necessary sleigh!

"When my dear heart and I were dating, we loved to go downtown and see all the Christmas lights and holiday displays. We often commented on how fun it would be to take a horse-drawn carriage ride to see the lights, but knew on our very limited budget, it wouldn't be possible.

"One winter day, my boyfriend picked me up at my apartment and said he had a surprise for me. He told me to dress really warm, and not to forget a hat. When we got downstairs, his friend's red convertible was waiting to give us a "poor-man's" sleigh ride through downtown. We bundled up in a big, thick quilt, and had a wonderful ride through the city."

If you have access to a convertible (thanks to my nephew, Brad, we now have a convertible in the family), how much fun would this be for you and your little date for the evening.

Again, dress VERY warmly. Wrap thick quilts snugly around your guy or gal. Have a thermos of hot chocolate ready. Make a simple date of looking at Christmas lights so much more memorable! Oh, and don't forget the Christmas music!

NOTE - If you have more than one child you want to take on this date, take each one INDIVIDUALLY on the same night. Each date could last 30 to 45 minutes. If it's really cold outside, the kids wouldn't need to stay out much longer. Also, take each one to a different neighborhood to look at lights. (You want to be able to see something new each time!)

If you can pull it off, it would be a GREAT DATE!

Have the best Thursday ever. Please visit again Friday (even though I gave you over 700 new sites to visit which are arguably much better than A Simple Life). I'll have another inflatable photo in The Twelve Days of Inflatables, Weekend Happenings and so much Christmas Randomness it will make your head spin. No. Really. It will.

Take care, and I'll talk to you tomorrow.

Sincerely,

The Enchanting Belinda