Most Viewed Family Blogs (545)

When he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him.
Luke 15:20


Last February, John Allen, a British lawyer living in Holland, smiled across the supper table at his wife and three sons, ages eight to fourteen. Someone snapped a picture. They were happy. A family vacation to Indonesia was in the works.


Five months later the five Allens boarded Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17, but somewhere over Ukraine the plane was blown out of the sky. The whole family perished in an instant, along with their fellow passengers.

We can’t comprehend the evil and calamity in the world. Such tragedies deeply upset and depress us, but they also represent a poignant reminder. Take every opportunity to cherish your loved ones. If you’re peeved with a family member, forgive them. If you’ve neglected them, give them a call. If you’ve rebelled against your dad or mom, go home with the humble attitude of a repentant prodigal. If you’ve been tense with your kids, give them an extra hug. If you live far away, work harder to stay in touch. Whatever it takes, take care of your family as well as you can. It’s at the core of God’s plan and provision for the world.

God bless everyone!

So the NHS has scheduled my biopsy for 5 minutes before Christmas which not only means I can worry* about the results over the entire festive season, it has properly mucked up any travel plans I would normally have made. I’ll spend it writing, instead, see how far I can mine my imagination.

If money and distance were no object , if anything you could dream up was possible – what would you do over the festive season?



*not really

starting to lean threateningly toward the Ponderosa Mansion here. 40 or so meters tall. Took it down in pieces, with much regret, as I normally spend my time hugging the big girls. (Hugging big girls, now there's a thought) Like a sniper, have had this old girl in the crosshairs for some time. She served us well, as a location for various antennas, a tire swing when the twins were younger, for shade, and just for her beauty. Will also help this winter in the wood stove, after she's in little pieces and has a chance to dry out. But the writing was on the wall. Even though she still had a few large greening branches up top in the sky, and again this season was producing those wierd other worldly Gymnosperm "ersatz flowers", that become pine cones, most of the lower ones were drying and falling, also a threat to wires. (and to passers by). But how sad was the process. After taking down the top ten feet or so, she began to exude that wonderful smelling sticky pine sap, methinks in panic, as part of some ancient evolved protective strategy---traps for invaiding borring beetles, bandages after wind or lightning damage? Is it dumm to tear up not a little over all this? Aa.

I have visited several primary schools in Abu Dhbai these days. I plan to bring mum and my daughter to this city. So now \i have to look around for a good school for my daughter. I have been to musaffah area, and al raha garden and Abu Dhabi city.Now i need teach her more English, and she need pass the assessment from the school. I have been teaching her almost everyday one hour.

I wish my efforts will bring her good education!

In my family, we have a tradition. Every Christmas Eve, we get together and enjoy some good food, some good conversation and some good times together.

In my family, Christmas Eve starts at noon on the 24th, and can sometimes run until midnight. Some of my family members attend church, but I am not really interested in attending church, so I just stay home, and usually I am watching tv or preparing something for later on in the evening. Once people are home from church, the table is filled with candy, cookies and drinks. Either soda or water for the kids, and beer for the adults. The food is then prepared at about 2.30 - 3 pm, so it'll be ready for 6 pm, when we sit down to eat.

Usually, the food is traditional Danish Christmas food: roasted pork, roasted duck, two types of potatoes (regular and caramelized), pickled cabbage, thick gravy and sometimes, we also have heated potato chips, as a side dish for the gravy.

After the food, we bring each bring out three small gifts, and place them in the middle of the table. It can be everything from a small toy to candy. There is a catch, though: All the gifts has to have a maximum value of 30 DKK, which is just under $5. Then, we bring out a dice and a raffle cup. We then take turns rolling the dice. If your dice lands on a six, you get to take a gift. Once all the gifts have been taken, the timer is set. Usually for about 15 minutes. For those next 15 minutes, if you roll a six, you are allowed to take a gift from someone. The aim of the game is to have as many gifts as possible, by the time the clock rings. It's always good fun, and it's always a huge hit.

Once we have distributed all the small gifts, it's time for the thing that no other country has: Risalamande. It is a dessert made of rice pudding mixed with whipped cream, sugar, vanilla, and chopped almonds. It is served cold with either warm or cold cherry sauce. Just to demonstrate how cruel/brilliant us Danes are, there is a tradition to the risalamande: a whole almond is added to the dessert, and the person who finds it wins a small prize such as a marzipan pig, a chocolate heart or a small board game. The finder may conceal their discovery as long as possible, so that the rest of the company is forced to eat the entire dish of risalamande, even after they have already devoured a large Christmas dinner.

If people are still awake by that time, it's time for the Christmas gifts. At this time, more candy, cookies and drinks are brought out. Usually, we have enough drinks to fill a swimming pool, and combined with what seems like about 30 kilos of food and snacks, most people go into a food coma. I am usually not hungry for the next few days after a Christmas Eve in my family.

Everyone is welcome - even friends. If someone doesn't have a place to celebrate Christmas Eve, they are welcome to spend it with my family. The only demand is three small gifts, and if they want to bring Christmas gifts for everyone, they are welcome to do that as well, but that's not a requirement.

I am looking forward to this years celebrations! We are going to be seven people, so it's gonna be a lot of fun!

Was just watching news of a school bus accident here in Dead Sea and many children died. The bad news is breaking my heart. My son called me and told me the bad news so I searched for the news online. Rescue efforts are ongoing I thought we only had slight rain this afternoon and I wasn't even aware that in some places were pouring, and it's our first rainy day. Expecting more rain tonight in an hour or so till morning so I'm leaving office a little early, hopefully no more flash floods and everyone is safe at home. Have a trip to Dead Sea this weekend with friends , I feel like cancelling it.

I know how painful this is for parents who lost their children/children in this accident and all over the world. I'm enjoying every moment I can spend with my son, those moments are precious. I love children, I wish we could do more to keep them safe and have a brighter future.

Just feeling down tonight...

I saw my second gator in the canal across the street from me this morning while walking Lucy, Lucy, Lucy. It was about 7 feet which is still a juvenile but big enough to munch on my dog in one bite. I followed it up the canal until we got to a bridge then the creep went under the bridge and didn't come out. I know animal control was called last time but not sure if they found it or even if this is the same one. I doubt it though.

On an unusual note my son texted me that he was so angry that he could Not look at or talk to his wife because she shaved her head bald while he was at work. I tried to calm him down, asked him to send me a picture but he said, "NO I can't even look at her and Mom you know the one thing I love about a girl is her hair" my heart felt bad on one hand for him but I hadn't heard her side yet. Who knows he may have made her mad and she did it out of spite, then I couldn't blame her.

This morning my daughter texts me to say how mad my son is at her and she sent me a picture. BALD, skin bald but I still love the heck out of her. She said she did it twice in China when she lived there. I asked if that was a Chinese thing and she said nope it is just her thing. She likes it easy and besides she is starting to get grey and doesn't want hair color because it is not healthy.

I'm not meddling in my sons family. Houston we have an unusual situation here. I'm not getting involved in how this marital dispute will play out but I hope they keep me informed. Until I wrote this blog I didn't realize how funny it is now. I have to say I give kudos to my daughter-in-law for being her own woman. Now she also has leverage for the future once her hair grows out.....she can threaten my son if she catches him eating fast food she will shave her head.

Just had a fun exhausting night with my sister-in-laws and kids. This evening is the last day of Ramadan and I didn't get to share "iftar" with them due to busy work schedule so I decided to invite everyone to have Iftar at my place. Lots of cooking and baking...foods turned out great 6 adults and 7 teenagers including my ex=husband and his wife came over. Luckily I was done with all the cooking and baking when they arrived. Haven't seen them for some time and all were very happy to come see me. I'm the favorite aunt for all the kids so we had lots of fun dancing in between desserts Every kid had a turn dancing with me, I'm exhausted! I'm pretty close to my in-laws and I'm always part of the family even after the divorce, they are always there for me whenever I need help and I'm so happy to keep it that way

Family members who stand by each other are rare to find. I'm lucky to have them and will always treasure them

I hope you're all having a fun weekend too

and HAPPY EID to all those who celebrate

Not so great its to do with magi blah blah blah blah blah