Ok I will start...

This is actually a Thanksgiving memory from a few years ago. We were at my Grandmothers house for dinner. Her stove is in the corner of the kitchen right next to the window. The last thing to bake was the sweet potatoes with Marshmallows on top. Well the Marshmallows caught on fire and when we pulled it out of the oven it caught the curtains on fire. Luckily we put them out right away, but it sure made for interesting dinner conversation :o)

Heidi,Did you get to eat the sweet potatoes?:0)That would make for a conversation every Christmas,Remember when......
happily, nothing really bad happened.

Ok, this happened two years ago.The kids were coming home for the holiday,of course we were going to have turkey,but for that Friday night, i made several big dishes of lasagna,and some pies,veggie tray and assortment of goodies,you know,cheese crackers,munchies.
So every one arrived safe and sound, we had our lasagna,and munched most of the night,while visiting,had plenty of left overs.Next day, i was suppose to put the turkey on,we live way back in the woods,a snow storm hit over night,and guess what, we woke up to NO ELECTRIC!!!!!!Our house is all electric.Needless to say, we did not have any turkey that year,the electric stayed off for the 3 days they were here,we have a wood burner,than God,so we did have heat, we put all the food out in the snow,and warmed up the lasagna on the wood burner, made coffee,tea,and hot chocolate,stayed up most of the night,visiting by candle light,played games,by candlelight,studied the constitution(another story)ha ha,every one cuddled up in blankies,to be back in the woods,with no light at all showing,only the candles,was a magical time,we all laughed,and no one was upset that we did not have turkey dinner,we still talk about it,with fondness.I was one of the very best times we all shared.A disaster turned positive.
cAROL

Heidi,
I just read the last November post,ha ha, you did know i would say that didn;t you,tee,hee.
Is that a picture of one of the turkeys you cooked?:0)

Love the seed exchange also.

Ok, whos next?

Hello all, I'm feeling realy stupid about now. I came up this idea and then I don't even have any kind of stories, it looks like my life has been boring, same o same o

The only story that I can still remember very clearly to this to day is this (I am now 60) and so it must have had a huge impact on.
I am from The beautiful Island of Puerto Rico and in PR in those days (and still some do today) we don't celebrate Christmas, what we do celabrate is 'Three Kings Day'in memory of the three kings bringing presents to the new born child Jesus.
So the custom is that before you go to bed you put a box under your bed with grass and water inside and when the kings came they feed and water their camels they would leave you a present in the box. Of course we were very poor and there were 10 siblings. Oh and we do this January 6 not Dec.
So I was about 5 yrs old and I was so sure that the kings were going to bring a little porcelain doll
(ideal gift in those days)so I put my box with grass and water under my bed. Omgosh I can't even believe I telling this story, In the morning when I woke up and checked under my bed
I had the suprise of a life time........
One of my stinkin idiot brothers, never did find out who did it.
They had takin a crap in my box.
I realy don't remember what happened after that but I never again put a box under my bed. And never did get that little porcelain doll that I wanted so bad. Any way now I do Christmas and it's my favorite time of the year.

Merry Cristmas everybody. and try not to leave anything for those kings under your bed.

Lots hugs, Carmen

Carmen, if I did that, I'd either find grass flung throughout the house, or the cats would've thought they'd gained another litter box! As if sleeping with them isn't bad enough sometimes! Don't get me wrong, I love both of them dearly, but sometimes I don't want to play at 3:30AM, know what I mean?

I guess the only story I can contribute is of a Christmas that occurred while I was attending college in Tennessee. I wasn't able to get home, and neither were a couple friends of mine. I had to stay in Tennessee, knowing that the rest of my family was going to be at my parents' house, and although my parents had sent some presents, they hadn't arrived yet, so I believed I was in a real kind of "boo-hoo" situation. Anyway, Christmas Eve, my friends invited me over to their house for dinner, and we wound up spending the whole night talking, watching movies, and just generally hanging out. We wound up having Christmas breakfast at a local Waffle House and then going back to their house, where I slept part of the morning away.
We look back on that Christmas occasionally, finding ourselves wishing we could have another one just like it.
That year, Christmas was all about friendship, and carving out a family amongst the three of us.

And that, my dear friends, is going to be my contribution to this month's swap. I'll be lurking and gabbing from time to time, but between the snow and the Christmas deliveries, I find myself feeling like all circuits are busy, know what I mean?

Peace.
-Dan

Oh My Carman,
How sad!How funny!:0(***:0)
Rotten brothers!
You mean to tell, that to this day, you still do not know who did it?
I am for sure, not leaving any thing under my bed,execpt dust!
cAROL

Wow Carmen. That is a horrible experience.

cAROL I don't like sweet potatoes, but if I remember correctly they just took off the burnt marshmallows. In my house my husband does most of the cooking...well for himself anyway. He is pretty particular about his food. The kids and me eat it...or I make something else for us :o) He does make our turkey in the fryer. We did the whole oven thing for years, but love the way the fryer keeps the meat moist and it only takes about a half hour. Once my work was having a Thanksgiving dinner and I offered to bring the Turkey. My husband made the turkey for me and carved it so all I had to do was take it to work...sounds like a nice offer. His underlying plan was to take all the skin off the turkey and eat it because that is his favorite part. Luckily no one asked about it.

Dan sorry you won't be joining us, but glad to see you stop in and chat!

Heidi

Just saw this posting and had to read it! I've never joined in this group and can't right now. But, I think I can give you a couple of laughs.

My birthday is Christmas Eve. When I was growing up, our extended family always gathered at our house on Christmas Eve. We kids shot fireworks while the adults visited. After the fireworks supply was depleted, we all had cake and hot chocolate around the fireplace in my parents' living room. One time, my uncle decided to dispose of the fireworks debris in the fireplace. Well, a Roman candle didn't have a fuse but it hadn't been shot. I can clearly remember the colored fireballs shooting through the living room. I also remember the fire on top of the chimney. (There was a wooden frame with screen on top to keep chimney sweeps --- the birds --- from coming down the chimney.)

I can also celebrate the 4th of July!!!! The first year we were married, my husband decided to mow the lawn the evening of July 3 while I baked apple pies. Now, I bake apple pies in paper bags. He came running in the door screaming about cutting off the water. I ran to the door and saw water shooting up several feet in the air. After finding the tools and cutting off the water supply, the water continued to shoot into the air; the break was after the meter and before the cut-off valve. When I ran inside to call the water department and beg for emergency service, smoke was coming from the oven. I opened it; the paper bags were on fire. I pulled them from the oven and headed to the sink. About halfway there, I realized there wasn't any water. So, I head to the front door and toss out the flaming pies. They didn't quite make it to the geyser but it was quite a show for the neighbors.

Oh my, Carmen, what a horrible experience for a little girl! I hate to admit that I read your story to the rest of the family and they got a really good laugh out of it. I'll have to relay it to my mother-in-law - she's also a Carmen from Puerto Rico!

I have three stories from the past. The first one is of a Disney Thanksgiving that my hubby loves to remind me of. We took the kids to WDW at Thanksgiving a few years ago because we heard that 'it's not crowded at all during Thanksgiving." Well, that was a joke - there were tons of people there! I must have heard "I told you so" several times a day from DH.... Anyway, Thanksgiving night, we went to Epcot to see the Mickey vs the Dragon show - don't remember what it's actually called. My son who must have been five years old, threw a humongous hissy fit because he didn't want the dragon to get him. So, my DH took him out of the seating area and off somewhere while my daughter and I stayed to watch the show. Well...DH figured that the only way to calm down DS was to feed him, so he stood in line for almost 30 minutes only to pay a premium price for cold cheese pizza. So, what did we have for Thanksgiving dinner that year? COLD PIZZA! I don't think I'll ever live that one down.

The other story is from when I was a kid. All of us in the neighborhood used to get together out in the street and shoot off fireworks. Parents would be out to supervise. My dad decided to be funny, so he walked around with some 'black cats' and lit them with his cigarette and threw them behind everyone. At first, no one knew who was doing it, so he thought he was really clever. He finished his obnoxious behavior, he went and sat in a lawn chair with his coffee and continued to smoke away...One of the kids decided to get even and went behind him, lit a bunch of black cats and tossed them under his chair. He and his coffee cup must have jumped 10 feet in the air! We all got a good laugh out of it, and he did too. He announced to all, "I guess I deserved that!"

The next year, the city decided to ban fireworks, but that didn't stop us from going and getting them anyway. My neighbor's dad was out in the street trying to light a cone thing and he thought one of his kids was blocking the light from the street light on the corner. He kept yelling at his daughter to get out of the way, getting angrier because 'she' wasn't moving. He looked up to yell at 'her' again, only to be staring into the face of a police officer! LOL! Needless to say, the rest of us had scattered like rats when we saw the police car pull into view. The nice police man even told him "Merry Christmas" as he gave our neighbor the citation!

~Kathy

I love all these stories! I will share one that I am embarrassed to even tell, but tis the season for sharing.

Now please keep in mind I was 12... Do you guys remember when "Starter Jackets"(Starter was the brand) were big. I grew up in a wealthy neighborhood, though we were poor. My Dad worked several jobs just to put a little food on the table and keep us from being kicked out of our house. Well all the kids at my School had a Starter Jacket and that is all I asked for that year at Christmas time. Christmas morning under the tree there was a big squishy package (imagine a puffy winter coat folded up). I got so excited!! When I got to that package I opened it up and it was....a pillow. I cried and cried. I still feel horrible that I acted like that. Being older and knowing the stress that my Dad was under just to even provide Christmas. I think I will probably beat myself up about it till I die.

Well that is my horrible story for the day. My sister still brings it up every year and makes fun of me...probably why I can't let it go.

Hope everyone is having a great day!
Heidi

Good morning all,
Dan, I'm sorry you won't be joining us for this one, maybe you'll change you mind later. Great Cristmas story!!

Amelia, A BIG WECOME TO YA, how funny, I can just imagine everybody running for cover. Thank God nothing inside cought fire.

Carol my older brothers were real stinkers always doing mischief.

Kathy, my brothers thought that was real funny too LOL
Your stories are too funny, thanks for sharing. I hope you can join us for this swap, see what kind of disastrous
seeds you'll come up with
I like the police one best. It reminded me of a time when
I was traveling a lonely highway in New Jersey and I went past a group of police with radars trying to catch speeders.
after I past them I proceded to flash my lights to oncoming
trafic to warm them of the radar ahead. When a car turned arround and started to follow me, as I watched in horror, it was the trooper. He wanted to know what was wrong with my headlights. LOL needless to say I got a ticket.

Heidi, thank so much for hosting this swap,great story. WE all have story to tell don't we?

Did we run out of stories all ready?

Well here is a side topic that I can always talk about...Winter sowing. Anyone else doing this? It will be my first year. I am not going to have stuff planted for the winter solstice, but I hope to start right after the holidays.

I hope others pop in with their stories good and bad. Where is Melissa?? She needs to tell her Christmas tree story!!

Heidi

Ok it's game time...Anyone can play, whether you are going to join in the swap or not.

Below is a list of Quotes from well know Christmas movies. Name the movie..
The person to get the most right wins....

1."Rats. Nobody sent me a Christmas card today. I almost wish there weren't a holiday season. I know nobody likes me. Why do we have to have a holiday season to emphasize it?"

2. "He looks like a deranged Easter Bunny."

3. "I don't want to sleep with Fuller. You know about him, he wets the bed. He'll pee all over me, I know it."

4. "I must get that hat back! Think nasty, think nasty, think nasty!"

5. "Down the chimney? You want me to take the toys down the chimney into a strange house, IN MY UNDERWEAR?"

6. "Oh, Christmas isn't just a day, it's a frame of mind... and that's what's been changing. That's why I'm glad I'm here, maybe I can do something about it."

7. "I'm glad he took our presents. You can't hurt Christmas, Mr. Mayor, beacuse it isn't about the... the gifts or the contest or the fancy lights"

8. "And they call him, Sandy... Clawssss"!

9. "Look, Daddy. Teacher says, every time a bell rings an angel gets his wings."

10. "Didn't I ever tell you about Bumbles? Bumbles bounce."

Heidi, what is winter soltice? I've heard the term but I don't live in winter area so what does it mean?

As for the movies
1.charlie brown christmas
2. a christmas story
3. home alone
4 Frsty the snow man

I know the rest but I give someone else a chance to quess

On the way out to work

Happy Day to ya.Great game
hugs Carmen

This is the way I understand Winter Solstice...

I think it is Dec. 21. It marks the shortest day and longest night of the year. In other countries it is celebrated with feasts and parties. It is when Winter sowing is supposed to begin. I am pulling this info off Wintersown.org. It is run by Trudi who you can find on GW winter sowing forum. Anyway...You are supposed to plant 4 seeds...Remembrance, Life, Mother Nature and Faith.

Remembrance~ a plant that reminds us of someone
Life~ make seeds or fruit that help feed the birds or other animals
Mother Nature/Tree~ Trees honor mother nature by cleaning up the environment
Faith~ seeds that don't grow in our zone. You are taking a "leap of faith" in your heart to know that mother nature is capable of miracles.

For those of you who have not checked out Wintersown.org , You should. It is an awesome and informative website.

Heidi

Oh Heidi, thanx for that info that is so cool, ijust might try that.

Now where are the rest of our story tellers!!!

All you lurkers out there come on in and do tell.

1.Charlie Brown Christmas

2. A Christmas Story

3. ??

4. Frosty the Snowman

5. The Santa Clause

6. Miracle on 34th St

7. How the Grinch Stole Christmas

8. ???

9. Its a Wonderful Life

10. Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer

Where is everyone??? I had a Disaster last night that I would like to share...

I went out for about an hour, leaving my 2 boys with their Dad. When I came home my husband was on the computer and the boys seemed to be playing quietly. All of a sudden I hear Ping ping smash. I say to myself that didn't sound like any toy the boys have. I walk into the dining room and there are my boys playing nicely under the table. They are breaking Christmas ornaments. They didn't break anything important, but they did get 5 of the glass balls. I am more frustrated at the little glass pieces that are in the carpet. We vacuumed several times and I know that we got most of it up, but depending on how the light hits the carpet shines. I did get to tell my husband "I told you so". He insisted that we needed to hang all these ornaments. To top off the whole situation, my 3 yr old tells me as he points at the tree "Mommy I was trying to reach that one but I am to little".

I will be gone most of the day so if anyone wants to try to guess the quotes they still have time. Tonight I will give the answers. Remember the winner is who ever has the most guesses right.

Heidi

Hiedi, what a disaster! It's a good thing no one got hurt. I think I would Have Cracked a couple of ornaments on my DH's head LOL.

Heidi, what is the price for winning the movie Q"S??

You are right, where is everybody????

Hugs Carmen

I made an ornament that I was going send. I won't tell you what it is. I will run the quote game till midnight. Tomorrow I will post the winner.

Well I had a cold day outside so I am ready for bed. I hope that we get more guesses for my game. Well I hope we get more postings too.

Heidi

Well I guess catrionaa is the winner. I will try to get your prize in the mail.

I know everyone is busy, but there hasn't been many posting here. If there is no interest I will cancel this swap. Maybe Petal Pushers will just pick up in the New Year. Please let me know what you all would like to do :o)

Enjoy the weekend!!
Heidi

Heidi,I'm with you. What ever you want to do. maybe Dec. is too busy for swaps. I had not been on GW in Dec. so I don't know what it was like last year.
Everybody prety much quit posting even the oldtimers. Some of the regulars have not posted for about 2 months now.
Oh well we gave it a shot.
Hugs Carmen

Hi All- Sorry not to have posted here. Life has been happening again here to keep me from what I want to do! This computer is still not working right & it is sooo frustrating!

Heidi-Thsnks so much for trying for Dec. I just wish I knew what has happened to all the Petal Pusher members & what is going on. Maybe there is a problem being handled thru email with others. If anyone hears, please let me know. I hope it isn't something I have done to offend anyone. It sure wasn't intentional.

Pray each of you have a wonderful Christmas & much joy & peace in the coming new year. Blessings, Margaret

Margaret what could you possibly have done to offend anyone??? You're to hard on yourself. I think everyone is just busy with the holidays. I've been without a computer for about a month. My DD helped me buy a new one and she paid for half as a Christmas present! What a sweetheart.

Heidi I really don't have any seeds to trade right now. This is the first year that I didn't collect seeds. Our weather was horrible all summer. Rain...Rain....Rain!

I wish I had something to share about Christmas. However, I've really enjoyed everyone's stories.

Hi Mariann, so good to here from you, it's been a while.
Sorry you've been having computer troubles.

Margaret, dido on what mariann said.

Heidi you still didn't send me your addy. Email it to me thanx.
Hugs Carmen

Hello everyone!

I'm sorry for not being around lately, I really wish I could come in and say "hello" everyday but my neck is acting up and it's just too painful.

I have an appointment with a neurologist on Friday and a spine specialist after that so hopefully I can get some relief soon.

I just wanted to post a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all he pedal pushers, I don't think that I'll be on for a bit.

Lisa

Just thought i would bring this up to the top, getting closer to Christmas, there has to be a story or two coming up, with all the snow and all.
Merry Christmas every one,just a few more days eh.
cAROL

Hi, miss cAROL How is it going by you???

Carol check your mail in the next couple of days

Same to you miss Heidi.

My sister just called me from New Jersey and they had 21" of the powder this week. YUUUUUKKKK

MARRY CHRISTMAS EVERYBODY

Lots of warm hugs to you all
Carmen

bump

Hi Carman, Heidi,Lisa,and every one else over here.I am looking forward to reading some Christmas stories soon.:0)
I am fine Lady Carman, now i am really excited, am i getting a card?
You better believe i will be checking my mail box,now! ha ha
A few more days,for us, it is another week, we go up north,New Years Eve,and celebrate then.
my GRANDAUGHTER WILL BE HERE NEXT WEEK,SHE IS 14, WE ALWAYS GO SHOPPING TOGETHER,TO A MOVIE,MAKE GOODIES,AND STAY UP ALL NIGHT TALKING,CAN'T WAIT FOR HER TO GET HERE.
oH, I AM SORRY ABOUT THE CAPITALES, I AM NOT YELLING, AS I STATED BEFORE, I AM JUST A BAD TYPEST,sorry, again, i though i took the caps off, mannnnnnn,heavy sigh!

Oh, listening to Elvis Christmas, so sweet!
cAROL
Hope you are all well, safe,and out of the snow,burrrr, it is cold.
How many have started to WS?
I have done i think 15,today.yeaaaaaaaaa,for me.
cAROL

Merry Christmas Everyone!!

I am so glad you all posted here even if we are not swapping. I am doing ok. I had a little cold and now my 2 boys have it. They are not feverish any more just runny noses. I sure hope that they are better by Christmas. Oh and if any one ever feels like a "Bah Humbug" at Christmas talk to a 3 year old. My oldest John, has been talking about Santa non stop. He pretends that he is Santa in his workshop and then he is driving a sleigh. He worries about putting out cookies and carrots. Oh and he wants to sleep on the sofa Christmas Eve so he can see Santa!! If it wasn't for him I would be miserable. Then there is Jace. He is 1 year old. Well together they are TROUBLE (yes I meant to capitalize that :op ). My poor tree is naked on the bottom half. They have broken all the glass ornaments they could reach. I actually anticipated this but my wonderful DH just had to have them on there!! I caught them at the tree yesterday and put both of them in time out on our steps. John immediately started to cry. Jace sat there kicking his legs, the whole time looking at John trying to figure out why he was crying. I fixed the tree, yelled once again about not touching the tree and sent them to play. Jace went right back to the tree. I said "Jace Nikolas do you need a spanking?" He shook his head no and went right back to the step for time out. Then he started fake crying, trying to imitate how John sounded. It was all I could do not to laugh.

I have not started Winter Sowing. I wish I was doing that instead of all this Christmas stuff. I hope to start next week...that probably means middle of January :o)

They were calling for sleet mix on Christmas Eve but I heard they pushed it back till Christmas night. I hope that is true. We go to my Dad's on Christmas morning. I do not drive in slippery conditions. I know I am a big baby.

Well I have to get back to my sewing. I wish each and everyone a Merry Christmas, safe traveling and many good memories!! **Big Hugs** to all of you

Heidi

If anyone would like to join in, I just posted the new January MNF swap, called New Beginnings. Everyone is welcome to join.
Just thought I'd let you all know...

Peace.
-Dan

Dan, who are these people, is one of them you?
cAROL

carol, which people? the mnf'ers? if so, I've been part of that group for almost 2 years now.

Hi every one,I am back.
We were out of electric for 3 1/2 days,i had just received my seed pack for Patty's swap, was posting a thank you, and wham!Electric went out, we were in the middle of an ice storm here, so many trees down, from the shear weight of all the ice build up,thank God we have a wood burner,we at least had heat, and i can cook on it also,so we were not to bad off, had no water though,no shower, no hair washing, for 3 1/2 days,not so bad i know,but you really learn to depend on electric.It was actually very peaceful,beautiful out side,lots of candles burning inside, a warm fire,ahhhhhhhhhhhh, silence, a good thing.
I was expecting to come back and find lots of interesting stories,where is every one any way?

I can share one with you.
My daughter and her family do not celebrate Santa,but they do what they call,"Christmas Magic"they have these little baskets on the tree,small,just big enough to hold a hershey kiss,now, mind you, the baskets just appear one day, out of thin air,one day, no basket, the next day, ''MAGIC", there they are.When it is time to put away the Christmas tree and ornaments, the little baskets has already disappeared,"Magic"again.
They can get "Christmas Magic"something 3 times a day,can you believe that.
So a couple of days ago, the youngest grandson, who is a 9 year old, is in the kitchen, getting his boots on for school, there is recyclables in the kitchen for him to carry out to the garage,as he bends down to fix his boot, he says,"Mom,do you believe in Christmas Magic"?She say,"Yes, of course i do, don't you"He says, "Well,i guess,but look at this"(he pulls out of the garbage a empty bag of hershey kisses)what do you think about this"?Right away Brenda say,"Yea,an empty bag, so"She says, "A friend from work gave me a 1/2 bag last nigh, i ate them when i got home"So he puts the bag back into the garbage and just says,"oh"
We really did not think he really believed in Christmas Magic, but it seems he does,isn't that sweet?
Children, ya gotta love em.

Heidi, how about you little ones this year,any more stories,have they finally left the tree alone?You may not have ornaments left by the time you get it down,ha ha
hubby needs a lesson on watching children,eh?

Come on every one, i just know there are stories out there,

Lady Carmen, no mail from you yet, just thought i would let you know that, i am still looking though.
Did you all have a Merry Christmas?

We will celebrate ours the 31st.
Keep warm my friends,it is still snowing out,and so pretty.
cAROL

cAROL I am sorry to hear you didn't have electricity. I know that it stinks (haha I didn't mean literally). No good stories for me. Our 3 Christmas's went smoothly. The kids got at the tree on Wednesday. I told them if they touched it once more I was putting it away. Where was Santa going to put the presents?? They left it alone after that.

I know this is going to sound ungrateful but my kids got a lot of crap!! Things that look cool, but they are to young to play with. Or things that take an hour to put together, the kids play with it for 15 min. and then you have to take it down right away or it will get broken. I wish that my in laws would just buy them 1-2 presents and then clothes. My kids are 3 and 1. Do you really think that they are going to look back and say "gee I really got screwed that year" :oP

Ok I am done complaining. We are blessed to have such generous in laws **looking in the mirror repeating it over and over**

Did anyone get anything good from Santa. Please share!!

Heidi

Hi cAROL, Heidi, Dan.
Had a woderful day not too many gifts as we are all too broke to do anything. But we did have an awesome christmas
dinner and lots of family time. I love family time!!

Been too cold to go outside to do any yard work, so I've been working on my many,many many projects that needed to be finished.

carol keep looking for that mailman He's a comin LOL. sorry to here you had such a bad blackout, but like you said it makes you appreciate when you have power eh.

Heidi, don't be so hard on your in laws they probly did the best they new how. Sometimes these things just teach us 'how not to be' forgive and move on, life is too short remember that what goes around comes around. Life is just like gardening the seed you plant is what you will get,so continue to plant good seed and watch it grow.

Hugs, Carmen

Really looking forward to a new year hoping things will be better.