Thursday, November 27, 2008

Christmas Survey

Christmas Survey

Getting Ready

Do You Look Forward to Christmas?: Always

Do You Prefer Real or Fake trees?: Real

Which Do You Have?: Fake, have you seen a fir tree in Southern Arizona?

Do You Hang a Wreath?: Always made door swag out of bottom branches of real tree.

Do You Hang Lights On Your House?: Not always

Do You Play Christmas Music?: Yes, its Thanksgiving so I can start today

Do You Hang Stockings?: No

Do You Get Ornaments Every Year Like Hallmark Ornaments?: Did for kids when they were at home

Do You Hang Mistletoe?: Have in past

Do You Put Candy Canes On Your Tree?: No

Do You Use a Tinsel Garland or Strands of Tinsel?: yes

Favorites

Christmas Candy: Chocolate covered mountians my Dad always bought,
can only find out Vermont Country Store now and they don't taste near as good at $19.95 lb.

Christmas Cookie: Any homemade

Holiday Food: Turkey & Dressing

Holiday Dessert: Pumpkin Pie

Holiday Drink: None really

Candy Cane Flavor: Origional peppermint

Santa's Reindeer: Rudolph

Christmas Carol: Any Statler Brothers Song

Christmas Movie: None

Christmas Color: Blue & Silver

Christmas Activity: Getting together with family and friends.

Do You Believe In Santa?: Yes

Do You Like Fruitcake?: No

Do You Like Eggnog?: No

Do You Go Caroling?: Have you heard me sing!!

Do You Drive Around and Look at the Christmas Lights?: Yes

Do You Do Christmas Baking?: Not as much as in the past.

Ham or Turkey for Christmas Dinner?: Turkey...if the crowds big enough ham also.

Do You Set Out Cookies for Santa?: No

Do You Leave Carrots for Santa's Reindeer?: No

Do You Have a Family Christmas Dinner?: Have in past

Do You Read T'was The Night Before Christmas Every Year?: No

Do You Open a Present on Christmas Eve?: Eve, always went to parents house Christmas Day.

Do You get Photos Taken With Santa?: No

Do You Go To Holiday Parties?: Sometimes

You Host a Holiday Party?: Seldom

Do You Prefer to Give or Receive?: Give

Do You Drink Hot Chocolate?: Yes

Marshmallows or Whipped Cream?: Whipped Cream

Do You Send Christmas Cards?: Yes

Would You Want a White Christmas?: In Arizona, get real.

What Do You Do On Christmas Eve?: Usually stay at home now

Do You Have Any Special Family traditions?: All have changed since parents passed away in 1999

How Early Do You Wake Up on Christmas Morning?: Same as usual, about 6-7 am

Monday, November 24, 2008

Hawaii

Wow...Great.....So lovely.....what more can I say.
Arrived the afternoon of the 4th November, picked up rental car and short drive to Keauhou Beach Resort in Kona. As we were checking in the desk clerk looked at Don taking luggage out of car and said "he is big, just a moment". In less than a minute she said "I changed your room it was a double and he needs a king size". It could not have been a better room, 3rd floor over the turtle bay on the left corner of the building so we had a balcony on two sides with a small table and two chairs (one side you had to stand it was so narrow but you could look over the pool and watch sufers)looking down you could see fish in the water and green sea turtles, needless to say we spent lots of time sitting watching sunsets over the water and left the sliding glass door open to hear the waves wash in at night.
Took the Big Island Grand Circle Island Tour (know locally as the 13 hr tour)and yes it did take 13 hrs. Picked up at hotel and visited coffee factory, volcano, macadema nut factory, chocolate factory, black sand beach and drove through a rainforst, desert, mountian and valleys.
Included a luaua, Hilo Hatties,trip to Hilo, Greenwell Coffee Plantation (it had been in the family since 1850's), stopped at Kimura Fabrics which has a great selection of Hawaiian prints (and has been in business for 60 years), even tried our hand (body) at snorkeling...twice...loved the beautiful fish.
John & Steph and family invited us to a wonderful lunch at the yacht harbor, which turned out to be a treat from Trudy next door. Was suprised to see Pat & Jodie Schatz owners of Crane Prarie Resort in the High Lakes Region of Oregon at the next table. John & Steph also had us to their home for pupus and hang out time till our plane left at 11:45pm the last night.
Have pictures but still haven't gotten them from the camera to computer so that will be a later post.