Milking, Dancing and Leaping....Oh My!

Well, the halls are undecked, the turkey is gone and the silver bells have stopped ringing.  The wrapping paper has been trampled, the shoppers are sleeping and returns have been reshelved.  Even the "festivus for the rest of us" is over.  Another holiday season has been gently placed into the record books.

We left home on December 24th and didn't return until January 2nd.  We made a grand tour of the State of Alabama...from almost one end to the other.  All of our decorations are still glowing brightly...the neighbors must think we are one of those who leave the tree up until Valentine's Day.  I will be working on putting our Christmas decor away this coming week...deciding what is too worn out to make it another year and what should be packed away.

Even though I'm still making progress through our 12 Days of Christmas, sadly, it will be coming to an end as well.

We left off with our swans swimming merrily around the mulberry bush and are now bringing some very large animals into the mix....eight large cows to keep the milk maids busy.


While we are envisioning eight chicks sitting on stools milking cows, the Catholics were remembering the Beatitudes from Jesus' Sermon on the Mount...Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven; Blessed are they who mourn, for they will be comforted; Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the land; Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied; Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy; Blessed are the clean of heart, for they will see God; Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God; Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 

On the Ninth Day of Christmas, nine ladies enter "shaking their groove thang" on the dance floor.
 

In actuality, the carol was referring to the nine Fruits of the Spirit and not the new dance moves to "All the Single Ladies". 

The Tenth Day of Christmas is pretty heavy...men are in the house, finally!!
 

I think I could handle 10 Mikhail Baryshnikovs flying across the rom but unfortunately, these aren't ten men at all.  The Ten Lords A-Leaping represent the Ten Commandments given to Moses up on the mountain.  Pretty serious stuff!  

Two more days to go before the end of our Christmas celebration!


28 comments

  1. Hi Benita,
    Lol, I have so enjoyed these posts...'All The Single Ladies'... ;)
    It sounds like you had a great Christmas and got in a lot of visiting and driving!
    Don't feel bad, we still have all of our decorations up...since we only got home a few nights ago I wasn't up to doing 'Operation Take Down Christmas'! I don't think I will get to take down our decorations until next weekend. And you might be onto something - if we just mingled in decorative hearts we could leave it up until Valentines Day! ;)
    Have a wonderful week!
    Big Hugs!! Kimberley

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    1. Kimberley, I'm so glad you have enjoyed them. I love that Beyonce song...as a matter of fact, I think it is the only Beyonce song that I like...LOL. Yes, we were traveling a lot during the holidays! I've decided to enjoy the decorations and not worry about them being up...after all, today is Epiphany, so it's cool....LOL. I've always thought that a tree could stay up all year...and just be decorated for each holiday....maybe one day...LOL. Hope you are having a great week sweet friend! Big hugs to you!!

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  2. Love this post!!! So delightful!
    Mary Alice

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    1. Thank you so much Mary Alice! Happy New Year!

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  3. So fun to read this Benita. Hey I had to take my stuff down early for packing but if I was not having to pack mine would still be brightly shinning for a few more days. So you still are in fashion with your lights still a twinkling! Have a great week.
    Kris

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    1. Thank you so much Kris! Our decorations are still up and I'm not all freaked about it like I was...I'm just enjoying the twinkling lights and the peacefulness of it all! Thinking about and praying for you!! Love and hugs!!

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  4. This is a great series, Benita, and I am almost embarrassed to say I am just now catching up my reading from the past couple weeks - whew! - I'm sorta glad the holidays are behind me. One thing I really enjoy about the dead of winter is the time to relax, read, and not feel too guilty about it (although I do get antsy pretty quick). So glad you were not directly impacted by the catastrophic weather, and that you returned home safe and sound. Btw, I like the armoire you chose, and I think I'd go for the first option of full storage items, lantern & faux greens vs. the knickknack types without storage. You can always move the storage out of sight (and still use it) if you don't want to display it. Happy New Year to you, too, Benita!

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    1. Thank you so much and don’t feel bad…I’m so far behind and am pedaling to catch up also. I am a little glad also…January always seems to be a great month for doing all of the things we enjoy and not feel guilty that we should be doing something else. I’m so glad the bad weather has passed and am glad to know that all my blog friends are safe and sound as well. Thank you on the armoire. I need the storage items so that may be the way I go! Happy New Year to you Rita and I hope your week has been wonderful so far! Hugs!!

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  5. this truly has been a fascinating series. and... a lot of work for you too!
    it's appreciated.
    i just want to know what kind of energy drink you take!
    and can someone with high blood pressure drink it too? LOLOL!
    red bullet or red ball or snazzy jazz or whatever!

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    1. Thank you so much, I have enjoyed it also. It was quite interesting and I always enjoy learning new things. Mt. Dew is my drink of choice….LOL LMAO @ snazzy jazz…I LOVE it!! I’ve always been afraid to try a Red Bull, so I stay away from those. I’m not quite sure what Mt. Dew does to high blood pressure, but it keeps me moving…LOL Love and hugs to you!!

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  6. All the single ladies....hahahahaha. I just started taking all mine down yesterday...my decor, not my single ladies, of which I have none!

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    1. LOL....you are too funny! My decor is still up and twinkling...hopefully this weekend...maybe...LOL Hugs!!

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  7. Welcome home, sweet friend!! I am sure you are glad to be back in your new home - no matter where we roam there's NOPLACE like home!! xoxo

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    1. Thank you so much! You are so right…there is NO PLACE like home! I love my family and love visiting, but I love being settled back in my house! Hugs to you sweet friend!

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  8. Happy New Year! Our trees are still up and the lights are still twinkling. Thankfully, our neighborhood is very spirited, so we blend right in! Hopefully, it'll all come down this weekend...but before Valentine's Day for sure. Maybe! ;-)

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    1. Happy, Happy New Year to you too!! My lights are still twinkling as well…I’m the only house left…but I’m cool with it. I’m enjoying the peace and quiet that settles over the house and the soft glow of all those little lights….ahhhhh, nothing better…well, except a glass of eggnog! ;-) Hugs!!

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  9. Ok, I feel like I should know this, but were you ever a teacher, Benita? If not, I think you may have missed your calling! You make learning way too much fun :) I'm just loving those single ladies lighting up the stage there. And Mikhail can dance for me any old time, haha!

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    1. I’ve never been a school teacher…they would throw me out. I have taught Sunday School (teens and older ladies) and the hubster and I taught a sex class to couples at church. I’m a bit unconventional for the school system…LOL But thank you, you are very sweet to say that. I just figure if it is fun, then people are more likely to learn…I’m that way…make it fun and I’m there…with bells on…LOL. I’m so glad you’ve enjoyed this series….and yep, I’m with you…any old time…we can sit front row center! :-) BUT, I won’t go to a Prince concert with you and sit front row center…did that once…he wore see-through pants…to say it was an eyeful is an understatement! LOL

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  10. Happy New Year,
    We are still twinkling here. We twinkle until Sunday, then we take the tree down and other decorations. I do leave my village up. My mom painted it for me. It is amazing and too nice to only have up for a month. I also like having the twinkling light of the village brighten my nights and mornings around these parts, Wisconsin is dark in the winter. Ha!
    xx oo
    Carla

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    1. Happy New Year Carla! I am still twinkling also...probably will until this weekend...maybe, maybe not..LOL Oh, I bet that is so beautiful and how wonderfully special! Your mom is just so talented!!! I'm with you on little lights brightening these winter nights....nothing better! Love and hugs to you!!

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  11. My decorations are up still too but slowing getting put away. Love the end of this song and it's meaning. It just keeps getting better!

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    1. Thank you so much AnnMarie and I'm so glad you have enjoyed it! I hope you had a fabulous New Year's Eve with family and friends! We stayed in at the in-laws and shot off some fireworks...oh yeah, and watched Alabama win...LOL My decor is still out...there's always this weekend! Hugs to you sweet friend!

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  12. Benita,
    Sounds like you had a fabulous Christmas! Don't you wish the Maids A-Milking or the Lords A-Leaping could have taken those Christmas decorations down while you were away? Maybe it's Elf on a Shelf that does that.:-)

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    1. Lisa, we did have a wonderful holiday! AND yes, while they are just nesting in my house, they could have been hard at work...lazy things they are....LOL! Hope you had a great holiday as well! Hugs!

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  13. This series of posts have been a joy, thank you.

    All the best Jan

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    1. Thank you so much Jan, I'm so glad you have enjoyed them!! Hugs!

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  14. I got two of them, but not the 9 nine Fruits of the Spirit. I cannot remember, so I will look it up. xoxo Su

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