Follow Friday Four Fill-In Fun

Welcome to the weekly Follow Friday Four Fill-in Fun Blog Hop!

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Each week, Hilary over at Feeling Beachie lists four statements with a blank for you to fill in on your own blogs. This week’s co-host is Pam from Trooppetrie– she came up with the last two statements!

Hilary really needs co-hosts, so please email me some statements! She would LOVE it if you could please help her spread the word about this hop…. So, please tweet, FaceBook share, and add the linky to your post…
 This week’s statements:
1. When I am in a ____ mood I ___
2. When I ___ I ___
3. If I could donate a ton of money to a charity it would be_____ because _______.
4. I like to visit ______________blog(s) because __________________

My Answers:
1 When I am in grumpy mood I get very quiet.
2 When I upset I clean.
3 If I could donate a ton of money to a charity it would be for Alzheimer's because it is a dreadful disease.
4 I like to visit my favorite blogs because I have found a wonderful group of friends here.

Pondering With a Purpose

Thursday again! Time to do a little "pondering" with Brenda from Ponderings of an Author.

Her rules are really easy:

1. Grab the Pondering with a Purpose Badge (in her sidebar)

2. Look at the week's prompt

3. Post something on your blog that relates to the prompt - it can be a story, a poem, a picture -- anything you want it to be.

4. Go back here and add the URL from your post to the linky list on Brenda's.

5. Go check out the other bloggers who have added their links to the list.

6. AND most of all.... Have fun!

This Week's prompt:                Overcoming Loss
 Loss of Innocence-Loss of Dignity- Loss of Privacy-Loss of a loved one-Loss of purpose
I, like Brenda, have to admit that I have lost all of those things at one point or another. I could even add a few to the list - the one that comes to mind would be loss of self. Loss is never an easy thing to deal with but when you lose yourself - what do you do?

 You all know that I call this blog "Empty nest in IL" and if you have read much you know that my world has revolved around my kids for a long time. It was always me and them - together. When my son joined the Air Force I was devastated - but I had to let him go. Daughter stayed with me till she was 24. I always told her that she could never leave me but of course SIL came along and off she went. So there I was. ALONE. 

I did not deal with it very well. The house was too quiet, too clean, there's really no point in cooking for one, laundry was always done, no dishes.......So what was I supposed to do? I wallowed for a while and became somewhat of a "hermit." I really hate to admit it but I even spent many nights with a bottle of wine. Until I took the trash out one day and realized how many bottles were there. I couldn't let myself go down that road so I had to do something.  

I started crocheting a lot. I  and even did some craft fairs. I joined the VFW. I joined Blue Star Mothers of America. I started this blog. I put one foot in front of the other and kept going. That's all you can do. Nothing stays the same but wallowing doesn't help anything. 

Now, I do still enjoy an occasional glass of wine and my kids are still the most important thing in my life. And I've learned that even though they're gone - they still need me. I have a life of my own now. Me - myself - my life - and things are better.  I've grown a lot and this blog has been a big part of that growth. I thank you all for that.

Hodgepodge

Welcome back to the Wednesday Hodgepodge! Be sure to add your link to the bottom of Joyce's post and then go visit the neighbors. After all, that's part of the fun! 

This week's questions:

1. How will you spend 'the night before Christmas'? There is a Christmas Eve service at the church that I plan on intending.

2.  What is one thing you are not? I am not pretentious.

3.  Fudge-are you a fan?  Your favorite flavor? Yes please, any flavor  will do but especially peanut butter. I'll be making some this weekend.

4. Did you attend any craft/vendor fairs in the month of December?  Do you prefer homemade goodies or the more professional stalls? Are you giving any homemade gifts this year? I give home crocheted gifts every year. Homemade gifts mean more to me because they require you to actually work at making something special for someone special.

5. What's your favorite type of holiday gathering? Family and friends, small get togethers are the best.

6.  We're approaching a new year...what's going to be different in 2013? Hopefully a new job description.

7. Share a favorite scripture, quote, saying, or song lyric relating to peace. "Peace on earth, good will toward men."

8.  Insert your own random thought here.I hope everybody has a wonderful Christmas with their families. I also hope that everyone, in some way, remembers the reason for the season.

Chats on the Farmhouse Porch

It's time to head over to Patrice's porch for the weekly chat.

Questions  

1. What would you like to see under your Christmas tree?
2. What is your best color for clothes?
3. Tell me your favorite kind of cookie.
4. What's in the middle of your dining table right now? (flowers, a lazy susan with condiments, Christmas decorations...)
5. Please help me spread Christmas cheer to my buddy, Wendell. Please a wish for him here. :)

My answers:

1. I would like to see my grandson under my tree

2. Black - most of my closet is black/white or shades of gray.

3. Peanut butter.

4. Absolutely nothing at the moment! I cleaned it off last night and will "dress" it tonight.

5. Merry, Merry, Christmas Wendell! I so enjoy visiting with you and wish I could give you a basket full of carrots under your tree!

Monday Quiz About Me

Based on the original Meet Me on Monday hosted by Java at Never Growing Old, Heather over at Acting Balanced  posts 5 questions on Sunday evening along with a linky for you to link up your post answers! Since Java is back , Heather has changed the name of her hop to "Monday Quiz About Me."

This weeks Questions:

1. What are your favorite h'orderves at a party? Pinwheels.

2. What Christmas song have heard too much already? Can't think of any.

3. Do you have New Year's Eve plans? To stay at home and probably not even stay up to see the new year in.

4. What was the best blog post you read this week? I enjoy reading the posts on Brenda's Thursday "Pondering" hop. She has some great topics that will actually make you think before you write your post. Last week I really enjoyed Stacy's post on memories.

And don't forget to add a 5th Question on your own blog so we can answer as we hop around!

My 5th question: Regarding the tragedy in Connecticut this past week. What are your feelings on gun control? Mine? Owning a firearm is one of our basic rights. If guns were illegal, only the criminals would own them. I hate the thought of having armed guards at our schools but if there had been one in this case could this have been prevented?