Ethan helps make dinner

Ethan served himself some pumpkin pie and cool whip.
I made the from scratch red beans, rice, and sausage. 
Then Ethan felt he needed to make himself a more meaty main course.  Pig with an apple?  Heck no, not in our house.  ALLIGATOR with a rubber ball!

Santa Visits MyOmahaMommies

Story time with milk and cookies for Santa.  It is a great event and the boys had a blast.  If you are in Omaha, check out MyOmahaMommies.com and join today!

Jackson gave Santa a picture.  It was very cute and I wish I could have kept it.

Brennan was sweaty from playing a game with his friends, but he's still not too old to sit on Santa's lap, though I bet Santa wishes he'd not sat...Brennan is heavy.

Ethan did NOT want to hang out with Santa at all...who could blame him?  Go hang with a total stranger?  No thank you.

All three of my little elves.  They had a great time listening to stories, playing games, making cards for the Red Cross, and seeing all their MOM friends.

Neil Diamond Winner!

Loriann WINS...random.org was her friend this morning (just days after I said I'd pick a winner!)

 Here's her comment:

I absolutely love Girl, You'll be a Woman Soon. It takes me back to College. All my friends and I had a mixed tape (yes I'm old enough to have had mixed tapes in college) with that song on it. A lot of happy memories...

I will email you to get the ball rolling!  Thanks for entering everyone.



And, all the Christmas/holiday neck ties are just $7.50...order by Thursday to get it in time for Christmas Day services!

0.25 cent shipping in my etsy shop!

Yep, one quarter gets you shipping!
Code: JOLLY25 gets you 25% off.

We have a visitor at our house. Flat Crovan (google Flat Stanley if you need more details on that), visiting us from Denham Springs Elementary School in Louisiana.  We made him help shovel the driveway today and plan on having him help decorate birthday cakes tomorrow!  I wonder if he is good at dusting?

The Very Best of Neil Diamond...SO GOOD, SO GOOD, SO GOOD

How many of you have been at a wedding and heard the first few notes of "Sweet Caroline" and instantly perked up, knowing what was coming next?  I remember that one song being played at my friend Jamie's wedding, a few years ago.  I can't tell you a single other song that was sung, but I know THAT one was.

Or maybe you are flipping channels and you accidentally land on the "soft rock" station and hear the smooth voice of Neil singing "You Don't Bring Me Flowers" and instead of continuing your channel searching, you stop and listen, loving every second of it?
I remember my mom and dad attending a Neil Diamond concert when I was young, maybe five.  We lived in Utah.  I thought that was by far the coolest thing they could have done.

I still think concerts are the coolest thing to do, lol...and wish Neil Diamond was coming closer to Omaha (or Louisiana so my parents could go again!)

Neil Diamond was in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade...anybody get to see him?  We did!  It's funny how some singers stay classic and loved pretty much forever, and ND is one of those voices.  He's had 16 top ten albums and 37 top ten singles...not too shabby.  He was even inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of fame this year!

Neil will release his new c.d. "The Very Best of Neil Diamond" on December 6th...and it really is his best hits!  Considering he's been singing and writing songs since the 1960's, he's really achieved a great track record.  (get it, "track" record.. ;) )

Check out this playlist:

1. Forever In Blue Jeans

2. Beautiful Noise

3. Love On The Rocks

4. Cherry, Cherry

5. I Am…I Said

6. Sweet Caroline

7. Cracklin’ Rosie

8. Play Me

9. I’m A Believer

10. Girl, You’ll Be A Woman Soon

11. Holly Holy

12. Solitary Man

13. Song Sung Blue

14. You Don’t Bring Me Flowers

15. Hello Again

16. Red, Red Wine

17. If You Know What I Mean

18. Brother Love’s Travelling Salvation Show

19. Pretty Amazing Grace

20. Kentucky Woman

21. Shilo

22. America

23. Hell Yeah

Not a song on there that I don't love!  I am so excited to get a copy of my very own, thanks to Sony Music.

You can win a copy, too!

All you have to do is leave a comment with your very favorite Neil Diamond song.

Extra entries: 

1. Visit his website and tell me the closest concert coming your way.
2. Leave a comment telling me of a memory you have involving Neil Diamond.  You know you have one!
3. Follow @neildiamond on twitter
4. Follow me on facebook.  Leave a comment telling me you are there from this giveaway.

Contest runs through December 9th.  Winner will be notified via email and has 72 hours to claim the prize before we draw a second name.  Winner to be chosen via random.org

The title on this picture just made me giggle :)

I was not paid to write this review.  These are my own thoughts and feelings and I am so happy to get to share them with you!