I love these super adorably cute Pups I found while visiting over at Skinnie Piggie's Blog.
They are made by Troop Paws and you can get Army, Airforce & Marines! Sorry Navy land it's against Navy regulation for some silly reason. They are too cute to pass up! If you go Follow Skinnie Piggie you can also enter to WIN one for FREE!!
A portion of all the proceeds goes to charity so you are also helping out a great cause! Go check out their adorable pups & get to ordering. Now my boys will have a great new deployment snugly besides their Daddy Dolls which are nice, but these are so much cuter! Thankful for companies like these who help keep our children connected when their special soldier is deployed.
When I was very young we had a tradition of going Christmas Caroling around my grandmother's town in Mayfield, KY. All the grandkids would huddle together and sometimes sing clearly for all to hear and other times just goof off earning reprimand from all the adults. The adults loved to go singing after dinner at my grandmother's whether it was raining, snowing or just freezing cold. The cousins started giving eachother those little handwarmers to keep in our pockets every Christmas Eve so our hands didn't go numb! My dad has the most beautiful voice and has for years led singing at church. He was in charge of picking the songs & leading the way on our caroling adventures. Thanks to that I have some favorite songs that when I hear them each year I get flooded with great memories of all of us cousins tromping along behind the grownups singing loud for all to hear! Yes folks Buddy the Elf is right! "The best way to spread Christmas cheer IS singing loud for all to hear!". Here are a few of those favorite Christmas songs. How I wish my own boys had this special memory as well. There was nothing like knowing your presence at someone's home who can't get out very well put a smile on their face & made their Christmas special.
These are the good ole classics I know, but when I think of Christmas this is what I think of hearing playing from my radio. I have a few that I love now that where not in the caroling rotation. How I miss those days long ago when everything seemed so easy & simple. If someone had told me my future and how every other Christmas I would spend alone with my boys hundreds of miles away from my family I never would have believed them. But here the boys & I sit for one more Christmas alone with out my husband or any immediate family. I will put on our Christmas music on Christmas Eve as we open our gifts from extended family & I'll remember the great memories of the Christmas's of the past. I will pray that my husband enjoys his gifts we picked out with care & mailed. I will pray for all my family to remember that each day they have is precious & what a gift it is to get to spend with your loved ones. That it's a gift that I can't explain , but if your a military family how precious every day is needs no explanation.I hope everyone has a great Christmas weekend - stay safe & remember some families have empty chairs around their tables this year.
Merry Christmas from Afghanistan- we had our Skype Christmas time last night since the internet tends to get overwhelmed on Christmas Eve & day.
My last favorite that makes me cry anytime I hear it during the year.
Never forget Freedom isn't Free. We owe all our freedom to those who fought for us to enjoy all our bar-b-ques & fireworks tonight. Thank you to those brave men & women who are still fighting for us today.
Fun Facts:
On this day in 1776, the Declaration of Independence was approved by the Continental Congress, setting the 13 colonies on the road to freedom as a sovereign nation. As always, this most American of holidays will be marked by parades, fireworks and backyard barbecues across the country.
Flags
$3.2 million
In 2010, the dollar value of U.S. imports of American flags. The vast majority of this amount ($2.8 million) was for U.S. flags made in China. (COME ON PEOPLE- Buy MADE IN AMERICA!!)
$486,026
Dollar value of U.S. flags exported in 2010. Mexico was the leading customer, purchasing $256,407 worth.
$302.7 million
Annual dollar value of shipments of fabricated flags, banners and similar emblems by the nation's manufacturers, according to the latest published economic census data.
Fireworks
$190.7 million
The value of fireworks imported from China in 2010, representing the bulk of all U.S. fireworks imported ($197.3 million). U.S. exports of fireworks, by comparison, came to just $37.0 million in 2010, with Japan purchasing more than any other country ($6.3 million).
$231.8 million
The value of U.S. manufacturers' shipments of fireworks and pyrotechnics (including flares, igniters, etc.) in 2007.
Fireworks were first invented in China over 2000 years ago. The first firecrackers were chunks of greenbamboo which when put with fire which causes them to make a loud cracking sound. Because of the way Bamboo grows, it allows for air pockets to form inside the plant's segments. Once heated up, the air inside the bamboo expands which causes it to crack through the sides which produces the cracking sound. For more Fun Facts go to : Newsroom Facts
