On This Day: President Barack Obama makes phone calls to 10 American servicemembers stationed around the world from his vacation rental home in Kailua, Hawaii, Dec. 24, 2011 (Photo by Pete Souza)
On This Day: First Lady Michelle Obama reacts while talking on the phone to children across the country as part of the annual NORAD Tracks Santa program. Mrs. Obama answered the phone calls from Kailua, Hawaii, Saturday, Dec. 24, 2011 (Photo by Pete Souza)
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MoooOOOooorning.
It’s Christmas shopping day 😦
The Obama Diary 
Morning and Merry Christmas Eve!!!
Same to you Jackie.
Goooooood morning Jackie, Happy Christmas Eve!!
Good Morning, JackieG! Congrats on being the earliest bird as we rise and shine this morning! 🙂
Enjoy your day!
Bah Humbug!
Morning, AMK. Amazing how repetitive that getting up stuff is.
morning, jg. regular as a clockwork. 🙂
Exactly! It’s like when you vacuum and dust – why should you ever have to do it again???!!!
rrriiiite.
🙂
But still recovering from the twinkly evil eye.
question – are danny’s jewels safe after his vet ‘visit’ ?
oops.
hahahahahahaha love that pic. That child has the “side eye” down pat. hahahahahahhahahahaha
Chips, I hope you have a very successful day finding everything you want on your Christmas list. This is going to be a busy time with friends stopping by, cooking and then the arrival of our granddaughter and mom, dad and dad’s mom. Lots to do, lots to cook, lots of Christmas cheer. Have a fantastic Christmas everyone.
Ooooh Jackie, busy days ahead for you! Hope everything goes wonderfully!
I’m so excited right now, I can hardly think straight. Just about each room is filled with lists–sheets to change, special treats to arrange, desserts to cook, final decorating to do. Would love to acquire a couple of Christmas elves right now or maybe some fairy dust.
Yikes! Crikey yes, a couple of Santa’s little helpers would be very nice, I could send them off to my shopping and you could sit back and relax while they sorted everything. It’s so not fair, why can’t we have them?
You can’t have them because that would reward you for having left everything to the last minute! I say, let you sweat it out – after all it’s what you’re used to!
I do feel that JackieG is a different case though. A house worker bee like she is (and I will never be) should be granted an occasional list-sheet-changer elf. Santa’s gals and guys would be so experienced at that they could help her in the twinkling of an eye! Yo, manager for Santa’s elves, listen up!
🙂 🙂 Happy Christmas Eve, everybody for whom it hasn’t yet gone by!
I suspect I’ll be incommunicado later today and tomorrow as I’m going on my first ever Christmas Eve sleepover and away-from-home Christmas Breakfast! Am still trying to imagine the chaos when I return here and try to put xmas dinner together. I am not a believer in cooking ahead as I like things ‘fresh’, especially major meals. We’ll see how my history on this evolves as today progresses and I get a better mental picture of how C-Day will be if nothing is done today – two interesting days ahead! 😉
“I do feel that JackieG is a different case though”
😯 We are two ladies in Chrismussy need, we’re identical!!!
Moooooorning VC!
Morning CC! As it’s the Christmas season and I’m *supposed* to exhibit goodwill, I won’t admit that I feel little sympathy for you. I will however say – ‘Happy Shopping’ ……. while chortling at the mental picture of a frenzied Chips dashing from store to store.
Have a **great** time at it! 😀
Evul, you are. I am leaving in eight minutes, I feel like I’m heading for a trip to hell. 😦 Why didn’t I do this earlier? Hush.
!
#amhushing
It’s nice having VC as a champion, but the only difference between you and me, Chips, (aside from age) is that you have nerves of steel and I don’t. If I left things to the last day, I would be a freaked out mess and my nails would be down to the quick. So I secretly admire those who can chill out til the last day. That, to me, is the essence of cool. The problem with the ‘non-chill’ people like me is they drive the people around them crazy, as Mr. JG will cheerfully attest.
Now, Chipsticks, VC, and jackieg, don’t y’all forget how Magic happens, especially at Christmas! We are usually the most surprised of all when things actually come together in a most fantastic way!! Just keep purring along, and Voila! TaDa! BadaBing! BadaBoom! It’s Here!!
🙂 ❤
Good morning TOD folks.
Alma, I hope you have a truly wonderful time this holiday, enjoying all the warmth and joy of being with your loved ones.
Morning Almablanca!
Good Morning, Almablanca. I hope you enjoy this Christmas Eve day!
Happy Merry Jolly Christmas Eve Chips & TOD ~ oh and good morning! My 7 yr old granddaughter spent the night last night, so my Christmas came early and pretty much perfect.. although tomorrow we’ll get to hang with the baby grandson too.. couldn’t ask for anything more than this. Wishing all of you a wonderful day today.
Merry Christmas, Sheri. You’re right that you can’t ask anything more than being with the ones you love–especially the little ones. Have a truly joy-filled holiday.
thank you Jackie, and a very happy Christmas to you also! Have a wonderful holiday.
Merry Christmas Eve to you as well, sherijr! Christmas with the grandchildren makes the day extra special…especially wit the *new* grandson!!! 😀 Have a joyous day!
you are so right, you have a wonderful holiday also, thank you sw 🙂
I nearly choked on my toast!1!1!
Merry Christmas Eve! Have had a sore throat and headache since yesterday afternoon. Slept well l so thankful for that. Doing everything I can to keep from getting worse. Gonna do some wrapping today. Our kids won’t be here until late on the 29th so I have time–thank goodness for that!
Hope the day is wonderful for all of you!
((((Tn)))) feel better soon, take care of yourself.
Morning everyone. Hate to be a bearer of bad news, but it has happened again near Ferguson. W.T.F!
https://twitter.com/search?q=antoniomartin&src=typd
MSM doesn’t seem to be saying much about it….would have expected that to be on constant loop. However, social media seems to be on the case…260+ hits and climbing since I clicked on your link, desertflower.
that’s the first thing I saw this morning coming online df, I think it’s going to only get worse. The police are and have been out of control for a good while in my opinion.. and now that their power is being challenged, they won’t change easily.
Been watching this TL since I posted this….see cop had a body cam that he “forgot’ to turn on….we need to fix this cancer. Pull this out by the roots.
I think it’s been a long time coming.. too often the police see themselves as above the citizens they are sworn to protect; and in my opinion we’ve been part of the problem when we allow them to refer to our fellow citizens – criminals or not- as scum, as less than human; etc. When one of their own is in trouble/ killed/ harmed- somehow their lives are more valuable than the rest of ours. I’m tired of the double standard.. and so possibly is everyone else. As we know, change will come hard.
I hear you, sherijr. I agree. My heart aches. As a mom and a human being, my heart aches.
I know, df, mine too.
This has to stop. No country can continue to function if people are relentlessly gunned down because of their color or the mood of a police officer. I really feel we’re heading toward a major eruption and you can bet everything you have that it will be turned against the president and his voting coalition. Republicans strategist who put politics first are chortling at this escalation of anger and violence.
Good Christmas Eve, Chipsticks…TOD Family!
There was a lot of bad weather yesterday…tornados, heavy wind and rain, flooding… I pray that those in the storm areas are/reman safe.
…*remain* safe.
Yes, SW, and those many thousands who are traveling today and tomorrow take great precautions and stay safe as well.
This is ‘poifect’ – man, so many people are doing things this year that I can simply piggy-back on without too much sweat! 😉
From my house to all of yours, ‘Happy Holidays!’↓
Oh that’s nice vc, tweeted 🙂
Greetings, Granny S! 🙂
Greetings right backatcha vc, happy holidays 🙂
TY, Sjr.
BTW, Arapaho, did you notice they started by acknowledging *you*? 🙂
GM VC, Merry Christmas to you and all the busy head elves at TOD (wondering where the junior elf-helpers are now, LOL).
Beautiful opening photo of the Arapaho National Wildlife Refuge — I’ve been to many National Parks/Wildlife areas, but have never been this far north in Colorado. Interestingly, the Illinois River runs through it.
Thanks for your comments yesterday, glad to know we’re on the same page (i.e., 2014 themes = youth, foreign relationships) and THANK YOU for your hard work and diligent effort in rounding up a collection of wonderful photos for 2014.
GM, A. 😀 😀 We are a mutual admiration society. TY.
I do have a thing about children and youth AND the way our president and wife constantly uplift them. To me it’s such a clear indication that they’re future oriented, and not in it for themselves. From his very first run for the WH I was intrigued by the fact that BHO reached often to the very young who couldn’t even vote – and no, it didn’t mostly seem like a ploy to get the parents’ votes. Also, I ❤ ❤ to see him on the world stage where he leads and functions so well, PLUS where he's respected!
Enjoy every minute of your holidays!
Beautiful! Thanks for continuing to share these messages from the Dept of the Interior.
It’s a reminder that the GOP would happily allow drilling for oil at a lot of these places, and when they cut funding of “wasteful government services”, it also includes those departments that care for the natural beauty of the United States.
Happy Holidays – enjoy all the wonderful free stuff we get to enjoy during the holidays – family, fun and natural wonders.
G’morning Chips & TOD! Happy Christmas Eve everyone 🙂
Happy Christmas Eve BFF and TOD.
BFF!!!! How on earth are you getting these socky pics of Danny??? 😆
Well BFF, when you weren’t paying attention, Danny went on a photoshoot. 🙂
Good Morning, Everyone 🙂
First Lady and daughter sighting…(hope this embed works)
Hawaii News Now – KGMB and KHNL
Thanks for the link, MittR. Here’s the specific vid-clip at the link you supplied.
http://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/story/27700211/first-family-sighting-on-oahus-north-shore
Is this it?
Morning, JER. From watching the video I think Malia & MO got out ahead of this section of their party. This is the tail end of their group it seemed.
Yes, I think they were shown right at the beginning of the video (from behind). 🙂
Yep.
Season’s Greetings, Ms Traveler! Trust your week is progressing as it should.
Thanks vc! Yes, I’m at my holiday destination and things are going as well as expected 🙂
Good! Make the most of each moment.
Thanks JER. Sort of new at this embedding stuff… Lol
Happy holidays to all. Special wishes for Chips to have a smooth day of shopping and that you can find Danny a present that will last at least to the New Year. Thanks to NerdyWonka for your amazing work and dedication. Hope you have some time off. We have so much to be thankful for in the age of President Obama and two more years!
Special Holiday Greetings to you, Taiping! Hope you enjoyed “my’ happy holiday @Interior link up above. 😀
http://theobamadiary.com/2014/12/24/early-bird-rise-and-shine-3/#comment-1222573
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Meanwhile, politicians who know better are too spooked to utter the simple truth that government in competent hands can be a tremendous tool for advancing the good. At least this year offered plenty of evidence for anyone willing to make the case in 2015.
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Good share, LadyH! Greetings of the Season to you too!
A Pretty Good Year for Government
By George Packer
//……………………………..
Remember the stimulus package? Its Republican critics called it a huge waste of taxpayer money—ignoring the fact that a third of it came in the form of tax cuts. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act created hundreds of thousands of jobs and prevented the Great Recession from turning into the kind of decade-long slump that cripples a country. Today, unemployment is under six per cent, average pay is up three per cent over last year, and the economy grew at four per cent for much of 2014. The recovery package should have been larger and more targeted to job creation, and the economy remains permanently skewed toward the upper class, but after six years the stimulus is a government success story. (Think what might have been possible if the Republicans in Congress had decided to participate in rebuilding the economy that President Bush left in ruins.)
……………………………………//
It’s worth a full read; it’s short too.
http://www.newyorker.com/news/daily-comment/pretty-good-year-government?mbid=social_twitter
Merry Christmas Eve TODers!!
Heeeeeeeeya Chips
Merry CVhristmas Eve to most TODvillians and Merry Christmas to our down under folks.
One good thing about having to work today is that there is absolutely no traffic unless you go by shopping malls. Friday will be the same.
G’Morning, Japa. Happy traffic-free driving day to you!
VeeeeeeeeeeeeeCeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee. Good morning young lady.
🙂 🙂 ‘young’ 🙂 🙂
HEADLINE: Christmas comes early for [President] Obama
// Democrats on Tuesday received a gift high on their wish list — an invigorated economy that they believe will give President Obama much-needed clout when he faces off with a Republican Congress next year. Current and former Obama aides say they expect the White House to get a year-end boost from the 5 percent expansion of the economy in the third quarter, and expect the president to aggressively talk up the gains in the months to come.
The growth figures also could give the White House new leverage as it seeks common ground with Republicans on a range of policy areas, like trade and taxes — and prepares for battle in others, like changing the healthcare law.
“The proof is in the pudding,” one former senior Obama administration official said. “There’s really nothing else to say.”
Democrats boasted about Tuesday’s growth figures, which are the highest in more than a decade and the latest good news for an economy that added more than 300,000 jobs last month. The Dow Jones Industrial Average cleared 18,000 for the first time in history barely an hour after the release of the economic numbers. //
http://thehill.com/policy/finance/228012-christmas-comes-early-for-obama?fb_ref=Default&fb_source=Message
Well, yesterday, looked like we were going to have a white Christmas here, with a forecast of 3-7 inches. Today it’s down to 1-3 and where I am located, maybe .1, which, in my mind, doesn’t qualify as a white Christmas. I really enjoy getting up Christmas morning, looking out on a white landscape (as long as it isn’t too much white).
Instead, I will have to settle for brown grass.
I feel ya japa, nothing but mud around here from all the rain, our first Christmas without snow in 11 years.. and for all my years of complaining about shoveling.. I am missing it today 🙂
Shaking my head at you and Sherij, Japa! Sure, I could use some flurries on the day itself, but you won’t see me weeping if the trade off for no white on the ground is not having to shovel inches of the stuff. I say, leave the weather God alone over the hols in case you rile him up and get more than you want. [So says someone who hates traveling ‘far’ on holidays but who agreed for the first time *this* year to go visit a relative who’s about a 50 minutes highway drive away.]
Happy Seasons!!!!
stl police killers at it again.
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-30596531
Yes. https://twitter.com/search?q=antoniomartin&src=typd
Dash cam not on….Body camera left in vehicle.
How convenient…
That should be a crime unto itself, when they are required to have both enabled. He should be suspended, if nothing else – I’m not holding out for much more justice than that…
It was a revenge execution by the police.
Good morning and Merry Christmas Eve TOD’ers
Donna – Thank you again for your prayers for my “special intention” this year … I won’t forget it! And a Merry Christmas to you and yours, including your twin granddaughters!
Goood Morning …Ms Chipsssssss…NW….and to allll in TOD land….
I will be spending Christmas with my sister and my mom….driving to Harrisburg…
starting a new ritual this Christmas Eve….my sister and my mom are humoring me…:-)
i bought all 3 of us Christmas PJs….made a song books filled with Christmas Songs…and will have a few mugs of hot chocolate…topped with festive things….and of course a few Christmas movies…smilin….
I want to wish everyone the best of Christmases ….filled with JOY…Love…Happiness..
In addition…despite the unrest that happening in our country…what gives me hope is the we are not standing still…we are organizing….planning….moving forward with each protest step….striving to as the President says…create a more perfect union
and my NORTH STAR is our wonderful President…
this is not a Christmas Song…but i feel it this morning…
Very fitting, pf. Thanks for sharing and reminding.
you are so welcomed
Good Morning Chips and TOD Family! Have a beautiful Christmas Eve, hope you have all been good so Santa will bring you something special! Merry Christmas ;-))
JER, thank you for posting this and for all that you bring to the Village. You seem to be a magician working behind the scenes to bring us timely information and it is greatly appreciated! ❤
Thank you GGail.
Good West Coast Christmas Eve morning Chipsticks & TOD family.
I’m sitting here at my desk. Sleepy and counting the time to when I blow this joint!
Here’s wishing everyone safe travels today and pleasant times with family and loved ones over this Christmas holiday.
I thank you all for this virtual family that we’ve managed to put together. ((((((TOD)))))
Thank you Voters for the best President evah!
LIVE NOW: Police-involved Shooting News Conference – Berkeley, MO – http://www.cbsnews.com/liveFeed/widget.shtml
Let me guess it’s all about defending those poor police officers and going on and on about how their job is so fucking tough. You hear one you hear them all.
Jeff, let’s hear more from the investigation before we rush to judgement. I heard a snippet of what the Mayor said and I am waiting before proceeding. I’m sorry another black life has been taken, but let’s hear more, something tells me this is not Ferguson-like. The Officer was stupid for not having his dash or body camera working.
JER, I feel ya. It is funny how the only time the white suspect gets killed is when they do it to themselves.
A big warm good morning, TODville.
I hope everyone has the day off and is able to be with their families today and not shopping like our Chips!
Enjoy your warm beverages, especially you, Sailor!
Good morning Meta and TOD. Sad to say I will be out there with Chips as I am terribly behind on my shopping. May you all have a safe and wonderful Christmas Eve.
Good luck! And a very Merry Christmas to you and your family, Jackie.
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all of the TOD ohana; Bt’s, commenters and lurkers from all over the world. Be safe and enjoy a drama-less time with those you love the most. Special prayers for those who were affected by the tornado in Mississippi.
Dragging myself off to finish cleaning and reorganizing post-remodel (why did I wait so late to organize the bookshelves?).
Chips’ new post.
http://theobamadiary.com/2014/12/24/2014-kat4obamas-most-memorable-moments/