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Post by leannec on Dec 23, 2023 16:00:59 GMT
Hi everyone! Ack! It's the 23rd! It is gift wrapping day for me ... well, gift bagging with tissue day actually ... no wrapping because that takes too long and I am very lazy! My post on Facebook today related sort of to this ... I thought it was funny. That is basically my day ... we got snow overnight but it will melt because the temperature is supposed to be above zero later ... No snow expected for Christmas ... Dinner will be rechauffee pasta with shrimp from my dinner last night at the restaurant ... sooooo good! Thinking of you today with Covid KelleeM! What are your plans today? What is on your menu tonight? Hope everyone is ready for Christmas if you celebrate!
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bklyngal62
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,962
Jun 26, 2014 12:16:11 GMT
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Post by bklyngal62 on Dec 23, 2023 16:11:28 GMT
Good morning, it's a gray and rainy morning. Perfect day to enjoy my coffee in my pajamas and watch movies. Not rushing to do anything today except maybe a load of towels.
For dinner we are having eggs, bacon and pancakes.
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Post by scrapmaven on Dec 23, 2023 16:15:08 GMT
Happy 2 days before Santa. leannec , Put on a good Netflix show that you enjoy and wrap away w/a favorite beverage, like your Starbucks Ice tea. I have 3 things to wrap today and 2 tmw. I wrapped most everything last week. It still looks like a kindergartner wrapped my gifts. Enjoy the day as much as you can. That gif is hilarious. KelleeM , I hope that you'll feel much better this weekend. Covid on Christmas is unfair. Covid anytime is unfair. Wishing you a lightening fast recovery. You have be healthy, so that you have the energy to do a happy dance when your dd and dgd move next week.
bklyngal62 , put some blueberries in those pancakes and I'll be right over. Yummy. Enjoy a quiet day! The 23rd is usually cookie baking/tray day. Not today. I'm pouting at home, glad they released me, but thinking of what I'd rather be doing than laying in a recliner. Dinner will be rechauffe pasta for dh. Yds is likely gonna be out w/his buddies who will be scattering tmw. He had a good time shopping w/his buddies yesterday, but he had them drop him off at the ER, so that he could sit w/me and then he drove me home. He's a good son and I'm so grateful. Ods is doing his shift at the antique store today. He might come home tmw, because some of his students were sick this week and he doesn't want to bring it home to me. He's a good egg. Wishing everyone a CALM, fun, happy weekend. Though I might not celebrate the religious aspect of the holiday I do celebrate the family time and it's a reminder that I have so many wonderful people in my life and that includes my tribe. I'm more grateful right now than anything else. May all of you be blessed w/happiness right now.
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Post by jeremysgirl on Dec 23, 2023 16:30:46 GMT
leannec I did a Christmas as a department store gift wrapper. Back in the day I used to go to a lot of trouble with fancy ribbons and the whole shebang but these days I use stick on bows like the normal people. I'm wrapping today too. scrapmaven you really raised some good sons. ❤️ I'll be around all day today just putzing around. If you want to talk you know where to find me. 😍 I missed that KelleeM had COVID. Geez. I'm so sorry Kellee. bklyngal62 how are you enjoying your holiday decorations? I hope they are bringing you much joy. I'm watching White Christmas and wrapping. I will shower in a bit and go to the liquor store. I'm looking for a gift for my dad. Jeremy is at the grocery store right now buying stuff for tomorrow. Tonight I'm making that other Broth Bomb. This one is called Scarborough Fair. I'm pairing it with onion, carrots, potatoes, peas, and cannellini beans. Should be delicious. I was impressed with the first broth bomb. I might order more if I enjoy this one just as much. I started a sourdough starter a couple of weeks ago and I've got my first loaf rising. I don't think it's ready. I don't think it's going to be great.
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sueg
Prolific Pea
Posts: 8,022
Location: Munich
Apr 12, 2016 12:51:01 GMT
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Post by sueg on Dec 23, 2023 16:39:31 GMT
Happy Christmas Eve Eve!
Horrible day here weather wise - cold, rainy and windy. Not cold enough for snow and it would probably be blown away if it fell! We were out early this morning to hit the butcher shop to pick up our baby turkey and other meat we will need for the super long weekend. Then the grocery store so we have enough other stuff to eat with the meat. Since lunch, I have made our Christmas pudding and a batch of mince pies. Pudding is our dessert for Christmas Day and mince pies are for after church tomorrow evening. Now it is just chill time. DH is watching Netflix and I am knitting on the sofa. Dinner is lamb steaks and I am not sure what sides. I asked DH what he’s doing with the lamb and he told me he was cooking on the grill, but I don’t believe him because the wind would either blow out the flames or blow the meat into the next suburb!
I hope everyone’s prep for Christmas goes smoothly and those who are unwell feel better soon.
Also - DH heard from his work colleague. Baby L’s surgery went well yesterday and they were able to remove about 90% of the unwanted tissue. He will remain under sedation for a few days to enable his body to heal and then they will be able to think about when he can finally go home - probably another month or so.
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Post by Linda on Dec 23, 2023 16:57:32 GMT
Thinking of you today with Covid KelleeM! KelleeM - I'm sorry - feel better quickly I did a Christmas as a department store gift wrapper. Back in the day I used to go to a lot of trouble with fancy ribbons and the whole shebang but these days I use stick on bows like the normal people. I'm wrapping today too. I worked the gift wrap/credit/catalogue counter at JCP in high school - and I learnt that it's much easier to wrap nicely when you're putting everything into boxes first. Nowadays - most of my gifts are wrapped in fabric drawstring bags I made. DH heard from his work colleague. Baby L’s surgery went well yesterday and they were able to remove about 90% of the unwanted tissue. He will remain under sedation for a few days to enable his body to heal and then they will be able to think about when he can finally go home - probably another month or so. wonderful update. continued prayers for the wee one Dinner here is egg salad sandwiches because I'm lazy. As soon as my pumpkin gingerbread comes out of the oven I need to walk over to the Dollar General and buy more sugar because I didn't realise I didn't have a backup bag and I'm out now. Wrapping is done I believe. I have two loaves of cranberry bread to make today and then deliver it and the pumpkin gingerbread to two local friends. Then I'll make mince pies today. Tomorrow I'll make the chocolate chess pie and the apple pie and I should be done with preparations.
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Post by stormsts on Dec 23, 2023 17:04:06 GMT
Good Morning! I can't believe it is Dec. 23rd! DH arrived home with my parents late yesterday afternoon. He said traffic was no problem. The only issues was stopping a dozen times for my parents. I had warned him it would be that way...My mom really is not getting around very well. After her fall in October she started physical therapy and I do not see any improvement since I saw her at Thanksgiving. Her doctor is trying to get her into a neurologist but the earliest appointment is months out. In a couple of hours my brother and his family and all of my kids will arrive. It will be a pretty noneventful day. I got out a couple of games to play. My DD and DDIL are in charge of the saran wrap game. We did it for the first time last year and had a blast. It is in the mid 40's here but it rained all night last night and it is so foggy today. KelleeM I am so sorry you have COVID. No one ever wants to get it but especially not this time of year. Take it easy scrapmaven . I agree with jeremysgirl , you raised some great sons. That is wonderful news sueg . Tonight is Italian Beef. This was my mom's traditional meal on Christmas Eve. We have it now whenever we get together for Christmas with my family.
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Post by lucyg on Dec 23, 2023 17:20:14 GMT
Wait, KelleeM has COVID?! ohhh nooo, I’m so sorry, honey. Hope you feel better fast. scrapmaven, I wish you weren’t laid up for Christmas, but here we are. Hugs to you. Stay well. sueg, thanks for sharing the good update on Baby L. DD ended up canceling her trip home for Christmas. Too much going on at home and too much stress. Her SO was going to have to stay home alone with the dogs. I encouraged her to cancel, but still. She will come on MLK weekend instead. Niece arrived (she’s not really a niece, she’s our cousin’s kid, but he’s like a brother to us, and we’re close to her, too). We picked up mostly vegetarian Thai food for dinner and it was delish. There’s rechauffe in there for lunch. Dinner tonight = New Mexican rice and refried beans. Because apparently I want to fill my fridge with extraneous large pots of food two days before Christmas.
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Post by lucyg on Dec 23, 2023 17:25:20 GMT
P.S. forgot to say I loved leannec’s meme so much, I saved it to send to my sisters. hee
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Post by **GypsyGirl** on Dec 23, 2023 17:42:49 GMT
Good morning! Have a busy day ahead and hoping to get most of it done before the rain moves in. We have another cold front moving in today/tomorrow which will help get me into the holiday spirit. Sometimes it's hard to do that when it is 70+ and humid! DH and I finally came up with a Christmas Day dinner plan (as unorthodox as it is!) and will head off the grocery about 1 pm to get what we need. Wish us luck! We are going to grill lobster tails, a filet and some sausages, as well as artichokes. The main side will be buttermilk mashed potatoes and a veggie 'charcuterie' plate. Dessert will be self made pecan pie and homemade ice cream. If DH has time he will pick up an assortment of fine chocolates to have with after dinner espresso. An odd Christmas dinner, but it's just the 3 of us so we thought what the heck! Later this afternoon I will be making the crawfish etouffee that will be Christmas Eve dinner. Tomorrow I'll bake the pie and make the ice cream. All my wrapping is done. I am more of a ribbon girl, but I use (and reuse) nice ribbons from my stash (velvets, grosgrains, etc) and just tie them on in a casual manner. I never mastered fancy bows. A few years ago I bought a stash of those decorated boxes from Joanns and they are DH's favorite now. To keep nosey people from peeking, I tie ribbons around them. This year I am (hopefully I get them done in time) using some reusable gift bags for some of the stocking stuffer items as we do wrap some of the stocking items. Once there are no little ones in the house you try to add in suspense/magic where you can! Today and tomorrow I hope to get in some sewing time between the cooking and baking. I've also been trying to spend a bit more time reading. Dinner tonight will be YOYO as there is plenty of rechauffe. KelleeM - So sorry to hear you are dealing with Covid. Hope that you are feeling better soon. scrapmaven - So glad they released you from the ER, but sorry that you are not feeling 100% yet. Enjoy your time with those awesome sons you raised. Hope that everyone else manages to stay healthy and has safe travels if you are on the road/in the air this weekend.
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Post by scrapmaven on Dec 23, 2023 17:51:26 GMT
sueg , when your infant is in a NICU the greatest gift that the parents can receive are meals and takeout gift cards. They'll spend every minute in the NICU and cooking will take a backseat to everything else. In hindsight, having meals brought to us or restaurant gift cards for fast, healthy to-go meals would have been a G-dsend. I pray for that little baby to make a complete recovery and live a long, happy life.
lucyg, it's a bummer that your dd can't come visit. Oh well, more kosher ham for you!
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Post by cadoodlebug on Dec 23, 2023 17:52:32 GMT
DH and I walked in this cold, foggy weather. KelleeM , I am so sorry to hear you have Covid. Feel better soon! DS is on his way up! Dinner will be Chicken Pot Pie.
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sueg
Prolific Pea
Posts: 8,022
Location: Munich
Apr 12, 2016 12:51:01 GMT
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Post by sueg on Dec 23, 2023 17:58:01 GMT
sueg , when your infant is in a NICU the greatest gift that the parents can receive are meals and takeout gift cards. They'll spend every minute in the NICU and cooking will take a backseat to everything else. In hindsight, having meals brought to us or restaurant gift cards for fast, healthy to-go meals would have been a G-dsend. I pray for that little baby to make a complete recovery and live a long, happy life. He hasn't been in NICU, but at a specialist children's hospital that deals with his condition. They also live in a small town about an hour from Munich, so not much in the way of take out (we don't have as much here as you seem to in the US in the best of cases) and too far for us to take anything. They also live in a family 'compound', with her parents, grandparents and a couple of aunts all near each other, so they are being well taken care of.
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Post by KelleeM on Dec 23, 2023 18:45:11 GMT
Thanks so much for the well wishes. I feel like I have a horrible cold and am very tired. In fact, I just woke up from my second nap! I’m sad that I’ve messed with all of the Christmas plans and just hope that my family can still go to karenlou ‘s on Monday. So far dd and ds have tested negative. Dinner? Probably some soup that ds pulled from the freezer. I made it back in early October. scrapmaven I’m glad you’re home but sorry you’re still not well. sueg glad the little one did well with the surgery.
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Post by taylortroop on Dec 23, 2023 20:31:41 GMT
Merry Christmas Eve Eve!
I had lunch today with my bestie and helped her finish up some last minute errands. The stores weren’t too busy but the traffic and parking lots were nuts.
Tonight is a family gathering at my nephews house. I am going but DH is not. He’s still camped either on the bed, floor or recliner. I’ve asked him to stay horizontal to allow healing and not to be a hero and do stupid stuff that doesn’t need doing.
Supper will be beef brisket and whatever appetizers people show up with to the party.
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Post by AussieMeg on Dec 23, 2023 22:04:25 GMT
Oh no KelleeM , I'm so sorry that you got COVID - what positively crappy timing! (Not that any time is a good time for COVID, but you know what I mean!) leannec I had a chuckle earlier when I was scrolling through Facebook and saw your post about wrapping, and then the very next post was jeremysgirl 's post with the photo of her perfectly wrapped present! I had to head out to do the grocery shopping. (Are you crazy?! At least it's not Christmas Eve!) I asked DSO what he wanted for dinner, and it had to be something simple, because I will be cooking for Christmas lunch and Boxing Day dinner. He suggested takeaway fish & chips. And seeing I'd been out doing the last minute Christmas present shopping and grocery shopping, I told him that he had to go up and get dinner. (Somehow over the years it has become my job, and I'm not entirely sure how.)
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Post by littlemama on Dec 23, 2023 22:11:44 GMT
We are having Thai food tonight, with leftovers for tomorrow's dinner
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PLurker
Prolific Pea
Posts: 9,739
Location: Behind the Cheddar Curtain
Jun 28, 2014 3:48:49 GMT
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Post by PLurker on Dec 23, 2023 22:19:22 GMT
I used to wrap presents elaborately, but now not so much. Sometimes, but mostly bags and easy way. Lol
It's warm, foogy and gloomy here, more like a spring day.
Tomorrow is our Family Christmas but it got majorly downsized because of COVID. I was a excited to host and then bit miffed over the stupidity of said covid catcher but I'm over it, attitude has adjusted and lower key is sounding alright. Easier, for sure.
Just four of us now, me and the adult kids. And too much food now. "Bring your Tupperware, I told them.
I look forward to it but will miss the extended fam. Oh, well.
Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays and all that jazz.
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Post by scrappintoee on Dec 23, 2023 22:53:37 GMT
KelleeM---So sorry you have Covid! Hoping you improve ASAP! leannec---That is one of the MOST clever memes !!!! I need to text it to my peeps! lucyg---your very busy, hectic food stories CRACK ME UP! Someone's always bringing more food, you share what you make with neighbors and family, etc, Your fridge is like Grand Central Station! scrapmaven---You have SUCH a great attitude that I truly admire! Enjoy time with your beautiful sons and Mr. Scrapmaven! Linda--Pumpkin gingerbread ?!?? YUM !!! I've never thought to combine two of my fave things. **GypsyGirl** ----I love that your dinner is so eclectic! SInce DH and I aren't seeing our families this year, I want to do fun things like play games and do a puzzle. We've never done a puzzle, and he makes silly / "no thanks". faces when I mention it, but I think he'll end up enjoying it. It'll be fun to face time with the families, too. (thankful for technology! ) We were just discussing dinner, and we're not sure what to have. Last night, I made one of those frozen stir-fry kits, knowing it wouldn't be anywhere as good as making it from scratch. It was lacking enough veggies, so I added more. It was definitely meh !
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Post by scrappintoee on Dec 23, 2023 22:56:30 GMT
Ugh, I can't get "quick quote" to work !!! scrapmaven said : lucyg --- it's a bummer that your dd can't come visit. Oh well, more kosher ham for you! Hee hee! Took me a second, then I got it.
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Post by Delta Dawn on Dec 23, 2023 23:00:01 GMT
I learned something. I now love chai tea lattes and make mine with vanilla almond milk. I cannot quite believe how good it tastes but I never liked cows’ milk in tea but this is a whole new level. I really love it.
Things are great here. I gave my chair to DS because the guys are watching football. Dexter is protecting me. DDIL is downstairs.
Dinner is a mystery.
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Post by scrappintoee on Dec 23, 2023 23:06:51 GMT
dontanya2 Sending you both many ** hugs ** for your first Christmas without your spouses.
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Post by lucyg on Dec 24, 2023 0:00:56 GMT
lucyg ---your very busy, hectic food stories CRACK ME UP! Someone's always bringing more food, you share what you make with neighbors and family, etc, Your fridge is like Grand Central Station! You are so right. 😆 I just texted my sister that I’m making rice and beans tonight, so she’d better come get some. dontanya2 Sending you both many ** hugs ** for your first Christmas without your spouses. And from me, too. Also to my friend who lost his wife this year.
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Post by scrapmaven on Dec 24, 2023 2:49:54 GMT
lucyg, you naughty naughty girl. I got my mail today. My heart is w/you as you think of your dear friend. scrappintoee, do the puzzle. That's a great hobby for you, as well. It keeps your mind off of pain and other stuff and instead is very theraputic. Do it. Do it. PLurker, it's so nice to see you here. don and tanya2 I'm thinking of you both and reminding you that you're part of a tribe who will help you get through the holidays.
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teddyw
Drama Llama
Posts: 6,825
Jun 29, 2014 1:56:04 GMT
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Post by teddyw on Dec 24, 2023 2:51:02 GMT
KelleeM so sorry you have Covid and aren’t feeling well. My sister’s family has it too. I saw her last week and am supposed to see her next Wednesday. There’s a lot going on here. Issues for my niece and one of my DD’s. I stress ate all the candy I bought for stockings while I was wrapping gifts. We met dd and Luke and sil at a brewery before a drive through light display. They had a Mexican food truck. I had a quesadilla with lettuce and cheese. Literally no other veggies. We know to avoid them now. I’m sorry your dd had to cancel lucygscrapmaven such good boys at your house. Loved your picture yesterday jeremysgirltmarschall I hope you’re well
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Post by don on Dec 24, 2023 3:58:26 GMT
DS took me to dinner @ Red Robin, I had Cluck n Garlic Fries.
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tanya2
Pearl Clutcher
Refupea #1604
Posts: 4,422
Jun 27, 2014 2:27:09 GMT
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Post by tanya2 on Dec 24, 2023 4:14:29 GMT
Hi everyone. I'm still hanging in here, just crazy busy. Still working on getting through each day without tears at some point, but very few days have been successful. Not all the time, just certain things hit at weird moments. But definitely keeping busy has helped me not to wallow. Some highlights - - Stepson came by last weekend to help clean out the garage attic. My garage is about 800 sq ft, and the ceilings are 16 feet tall. My tallest ladder is 14 feet. He is the only one that was brave enough (besides DH) to climb up that ladder, stand on the top step, and jump up into the attic and do it in reverse on the way down. I have never once been up there, and never will. It was full to the rafters of crap!! My kids, who are both in their 20s, still had both their carseats and their strollers up there, boxes of toys, camping gear, old lawn furniture, tools, 3 ancient microwaves, 4 metal coolers, a wagon, a garbage bag full of yarn - you name it, it was probably up there. I put anything interesting to the curb, took anything reusable to the 2nd hand store - and still had to rent a bin to have the rest taken away (which we filled). I had 6 people helping me do all this stuff. And even more interesting, we have been estranged from stepson for over 6 years. But of course I called him when DH was in the hospital so he could come. The biggest reason for the estrangement all these years, is his wife who none of us can stand, very manipulative, conniving, using us for any money she could get out of us, and just all around awful. He was not blameless in the situation though, sending us a horrible email back then basically outlining all the ways in which dh & I screwed up his life and how spoiled and pampered our kids were. DH was heartbroken all these years to lose contact with his 2 granddaughters. But now, 6 years later, we find out his wife is bipolar (which explains some but not all of her behaviours), they have just separated, and he reached out to me offering to help in any way he can. I am willing to try to mend fences, cautiously. We are very curious about how much DHs death played into them separating, and if he finally realized what he lost out on mostly because of her behaviours with us over the years. - I have been taking 2 online classes, started Nov 1. Business math and financial accounting 1. I had seriously underestimated how much of a time commitment these would be. And for some unknown reason the math class decided to schedule a quiz & a test, worth 25% of my mark, both to be done on or before Dec 26. I finished those today. And the accounting class scheduled a quiz and an assignment, worth 10% of my mark, both due on or before Dec 28. Working on that tomorrow & the 27th. So kind of them! Especially when adding in all the regular Christmas craziness and having to work. I know I don't HAVE to take the classes, but I really want a career change at some point probably next fall, so I want to get these done to accomplish that. - We are trying to keep christmas traditions as normal. The kids have both requested it, and it seems very important to them to continue on as if he was still here. So we will have our small gathering here christmas eve, then christmas day with my mom & brother & aunt, uncle, cousins. Then boxing day I am hosting DH's side of the family. It's going to be fairly simple, nothing elaborate, but with all of the losses on that side of the family we really want to get together. And it would have been important to DH and my 2 SILs that we lost that we continue that. I have been trying to read but it's been hard to keep up with everything going on Please know that I think about you guys every day though. Huge sympathies to those that have been ill, scrapmaven & KelleeM especially. don my heart goes out to you, and I hope you are able to find some comfort this christmas with your family. Wishing everyone the best this christmas, hug your loved ones extra tight if you can if/when you see them.
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Post by leannec on Dec 24, 2023 4:54:10 GMT
Thank you so much for checking in tanya2 and don! I wish you peace and the best during this season!
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The Birdhouse Lady
Drama Llama
Moose. It's what's for dinner.
Posts: 7,159
Location: Alaska -The Last Frontier
Jun 30, 2014 17:15:19 GMT
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Post by The Birdhouse Lady on Dec 24, 2023 6:42:54 GMT
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Post by karenlou on Dec 24, 2023 12:10:38 GMT
Love and Hugs tanya2, I think of you and pray for you often ❤️❤️❤️
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