Street Style - Me Again!

I just can't stop! I've lost 105 pounds. It's a struggle everyday and I've rewarded myself with some new clothes.

The jacket is Anthropologie from about 6 years ago. The top Banana Republic, thrifted! The shoes, thrifted, the denim, Target, The scarf JC Penney $12.99. The Jewelry by Amy Peters Studio, "Thank Your Lucky Stars!" And the cuff, Uko.

Christmas Gift Giving

Yeah so, it's here. The proverbial ship has sailed and we're now headlong into the holiday season.

There are no rule books anywhere that says how to do things but it feels so good to give and give and give.

Every year the husband and I have a party. I love to give gifts to the wee ones that friends bring over, and give cookies and mulled cider to the grown ups.

Once in a while a guest a will bring a hostess gift to me which is always unexpected and well loved.

I visit a website often called Creature Comforts. Ez has a list of some really cute stuff that she written about for the holidays. I've included them here and for the shopping guide, visit her! If you really want to thank your hostess, these are superb!

What is a Republican

I have put this here today because people are confused. I am a moderate Republican. I am:

*Pro-Choice (Roe V. Wade)
*Pro Women's Rights (I can vote and own land)
*Pro Civil Rights (This includes homosexuals)
*Pro Conservation (Recycle)
*Pro Independent Business
*Pro Economic Stability
*Anti Taxes
*Anti Big Government
*Anti Organised Religion

What I am not:
*A racist
*A warmonger
*A rich person
*Anti women
*Anti Freedom

I recommend visiting CNN where I got this. Very enlightening. By the way, I suggest you teach your children that among people you know, one should not discuss money, religion, sex or politics. It lacks graciousness and you may offend someone.

CNN Explains: How today's GOP has its roots in anti-slavery crusade

By Tom Foreman, CNN

updated 10:27 PM EDT, Sat August 25, 2012

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

• Republicans emerge as an anti-slavery party in 1800s
• Abraham Lincoln was party's first president
• GOP got name Grand Old Party from a Chicago newspaper

Washington (CNN) -- Some may not realize that the modern Republican Party owes its origin to the fight over slavery nearly two centuries ago.

In the tumultuous mid-1800s, right before the Civil War, some political activists were concerned about keeping slavery from spreading into new western territories, and they saw no way to stop it through existing political powers: the Democrats and the Whigs (the pro-Congress party of the mid 1800s that largely destroyed itself in the 1852 elections in a battle over slavery).

So they formed a new party, taking the name "Republicans" in a salute to earlier American politicians.

By 1861, they had their first president: Abraham Lincoln. Soon after, slavery fell. The Whig party disappeared. And the Republicans began a long steady rise in power.

Even back then, the party liked to talk about fiscal responsibility -- immigration, religion -- and the need for a strong business climate. All of this spurred a sympathetic Chicago newspaper to call the Republicans the Grand Old Party, or the GOP.

Republican voters were strongest in rural and western parts of the country, and they were highly successful at maximizing electoral votes to produce presidents: Ulysses S. Grant and Theodore Roosevelt were among their early successes.

However, World War I brought sharp policy disagreements to the party. And when Herbert Hoover ushered in the Great Depression, the Republicans were driven into retreat.

It would be 20 years until they won the White House again, under Dwight Eisenhower.

But since 1969, they have been largely back to their winning ways.

During that time, Republicans have been in the Oval Office for almost twice as many years as the Democrats -- Nixon (elected to two terms, but resigned at the start of his second), Ford (served out Nixon's second term), Reagan (elected to two terms), George H.W. Bush (elected to one term) and George W. Bush (elected to two terms).

And I still am wishing today that Mitt Romney restarted the tradition.