Rockin' Round the Wednesday Hodgepodge

1. Share your traditions surrounding the Christmas stocking.

I never had a stocking growing up. It just wasn't something my parents did. I've enjoyed doing them for my family. I made our stockings - red velvet with bells hanging down from the bottom, which is how my man remembered his being when he was a child. We lay them out on my MIL's living room floor on Christmas Eve and I fill all but mine and then my man fills mine.

Funny story: one year he had been crazy busy working extra long hours, 7 days a week, and I really didn't think he would have had time to get anything, so I didn't take my stocking. I didn't want him to feel bad and I didn't want to see it laying there empty. I got up Christmas morning, and there was one of his socks with my gifts! A Post-it note was attached which said, "See what happens when you don't bring your stocking?!"

2. How many hours of sleep do you average at night? Is it enough?

Almost seven. And no.

3. If you had to give up one thing for the remainder of this year what would it be?

Planning meals. I don't mind cooking them, but someone just get me out of my rut!

4. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (or Wills and Kate as I like to call them) have announced they're expecting a baby. Do you follow news of the Royals?

Not particularly. Some of it is rather hard to avoid, just because it's in the headlines. Having had severe "all-day" sickness for 20 & 24 weeks with my pregnancies, my primary thought when I saw this announcement along with the news of her hospitalization was "It doesn't matter if you are a duchess with uber-wealth and fame, you are miserable when you throw up just like anyone else. The poor girl!"

5. For me, the sound of childhood is__________________.

The screen door. And ice clinking in the glasses at night.

6. Fruit cake-yay or boo? What's your favorite dessert made with fruit?

Yes if it's got plenty of pecans. My mom had a good recipe. Favorite dessert with fruit would be warm peach cobbler made with Fredericksburg peaches. Cherry pie is awfully good, too.

7. What is one thing you want to accomplish before 2012 comes to an end?

With the way the last ten days or so have gone, I'm just hoping to get the tree decorated before December 26!

8. Insert your own random thought here.

Each December our church staff has a dart tournament. It's happening this week, and I have actually advanced to the third round, which is also the semifinal round! I suspect I'll go down in this next round, but considering I beat the pastor who beat the reigning champion/youth minister, I'm pretty excited to make it this far!