Here is what it looks like out my front door this evening. But I don't care.
Let it Snow! Let it Snow! Let it Snow!
Because I spent the evening in the kitchen, baking up some Christmas goodies. I had got a head start last Saturday, grating my big "zucchini that got away" and baked up about 24 small loaves of zucchini bread.
Tonight I baked three kinds of cookies for my annual cookie exchange I have with my Huckleberry Book Club. I think this is the fourth year we have gathered together at Christmas to share our special cookies with each other.
There are five other women in my book group besides myself, so we bring a dozen cookies for each person. Here are the plates filled with spumoni cookies, red spritz and chocolate spritz. I can't wait to see what yummy goodies I get to bring home on Friday.
It is also a tradition around our house to make some special Christmas drink mixes. Tonight I made our special Christmas Tea mix, and Hot Chocolate Mix.
Tomorrow I will put a loaf of zucchini bread and a bag of drink mix in a bag, wrap it with ribbon, and share it with friends as a special Christmas treat.
The following pictures are for Inland Empire Girl. I had told her Z2 and I had some new "Christmas looks", so here is the before picture...
And here is the after...
As the snow continues to fall, take a moment to watch this video. It should help warm you up as Dean Martin and Shirley Jones celebrate Christmas in California!!
Z2 performed in the Christmas Choir Concert at Kellogg High School tonight.
It was a really fun evening of music. Director Joy Persoon always puts on a wonderful show.
Z2 was the driver of the sleigh, and drove the "horses" around the gym during the song "Sleighride".
The "horses" were hilarious.
Chris Huff stole the show when he did his rendition of Frosty the Snowman, looking a bit like The King of Rock and Roll...Elvis Presley.
Here is Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer, Santa Claus and Frosty having some fun.
School Christmas concerts always put me even more in the Christmas spirit. We'll get to enjoy more Christmas music on Thursday night when we attend Z2's band concert.
Here is the Peanuts gang again, sharing this special song that was the theme of tonight's concert....Christmas Time Is Here.
This week Raymond Pert gave us this Sibling Assignment:
Over the last month, I have been studying ancient and medieval Asian poetry with my students. In particular, the Japanese Kokinshu poems have been on my mind. They are poems of brevity, sometimes seasonal. They anticipate the haiku. Robert Bly often wrote poems in this style. Since we are all getting hit by a winter storm, I'd like us to each write a reflection on this winter poem of Bly's:
Watering the Horse
How strange to think of giving up all ambition!
Suddenly I see with such clear eyes
The white flake of snow
That has just fallen in the horse's mane!
--Robert Bly
Inland Empire Girls post is here, and Raymond Pert's will be here soon.
As I continue to meditate on the Christmas story, and think about different aspects of the many things that contributed to Jesus' birth, I read this poem and my thoughts went toward the Shepherds.
To me, this poem is about having an Ah Hah! moment. In the first line, Bly writes about giving up, of really not having much ambition for anything.
But suddenly he has an Ah Hah! moment. His eyes are opened. He sees a while flake of snow that has just fallen on the horse's mane, and something all of a sudden becomes clear.
I think the Shepherd's had an Ah Hah! moment the night of Jesus' birth. Can you imagine being out in the field, minding your own business, and tending your sheep, and all of a sudden the sky lights up? I am not that familiar with the habits of Shepherds, but I imagine they were a pretty rough group of men. They are probably sitting around a fire, talking, telling stories. Maybe similar to hunting camp the men trek to each October here in the Silver Valley.
Then things start changing. An electricity fills the air. It isn't jackals or wolves endangering the sheep. It is something different.
All of a sudden the sky lights up and an angel appears to them. I'm not sure the angel was dressed in a white gown with a halo and wings. Who knows what the angel looked like, but you know it was something otherworldly.
I'm sure these poor men were scared to death, because the angel said to them...
"Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. 12This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."
Then more angels showed up, and started praising God, and saying:
"Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests."
Then the shepherds decide to go to Bethlehem and check this thing out that the angels just told them. It was probably a bit of a walk for them to get to Bethlehem, and to find where Jesus was located. It may have caused quite a stir in the City of David when this group of Shepherds arrived, looking for the baby Jesus.
"So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told."
The shepherds remind me of many of the guys I grew up with here in the Silver Valley. Good men, but a little rough around the edges. And you probably didn't see them spending a lot of time glorifying and praising God openly and out loud in their daily conversation. Then, all of a sudden, here they were, spreading the word about what they saw, and praising God.
They had encountered The Messiah...Emmanuel...God With Us.
I love Santa Claus. To me he is real like a character in a great book that becomes real as you read the story. As I look back on my childhood, Santa Claus was part of the magic of Christmas.
When we had children, the magic returned as we introduced Santa Claus to our kids. One year we took a pair of boots and covered the bottom of them with coffee grounds, and made footprints on our white carpet in our living room right in front of the fireplace, and had the footprints head towards the plate of cookies,
and the Christmas tree where the presents were left. We always put a plate of cookies out for Santa and some carrots for his reindeer. One of my favorite stories about Santa is a true story based on a letter written to a girl named Virginia. You can read all about it here.
I also have a Santa collection.
It continues to grow every year as family and friends give me Santas to add to my collection.
Here, I'll give you a little peek at some of my collection.
Santa lights around the mirror.
Santa wreath.
Santa and Mrs. Claus made of felt.
A small Santa bench.
A cute Santa welcoming visitors to our home.
Santa mugs.
This Santa stands and greets you as you enter the living room.
A Santa Lamp.
Santa and a little reindeer.
Look at these two cute stuffed St. Nicks.
Santa telling a story.
Two Santas standing tall.
These two jolly fellows watch over the living room up on top of the shelf.
And here is my favorite, Santa kneeling in front of the Baby Jesus.
Here Comes Santa Claus
Here comes Santa Claus, Here comes Santa Claus, Right down Santa Claus Lane,
Vixen and Blitzen and all his reindeer Pullin' on the reins.
Bells are ringin', children singin', All is merry and bright.
So hang your stockings and say your prayers,
'Cause Santa Claus comes tonight.
Here comes Santa Claus, Here comes Santa Claus, Right down Santa Claus Lane,
He's got a bag that's filled with toys For boys and girls again.
Hear those sleigh bells jingle jangle, Oh what a beautiful sight,
So jump in bed, and cover your head,
'Cause Santa Claus comes tonight.
Here comes Santa Claus, Here comes Santa Claus, Right down Santa Claus Lane,
He'll come around when chimes ring out, It's Christmas time again.
Peace on earth will come to all, If we just follow the light,
So let's give thanks to the Lord above
'Cause Santa Claus comes tonight.
Here comes Santa Claus, Here comes Santa Claus, Right down Santa Claus Lane,
Vixen and Blitzen and all his reindeer Pullin' on the reins.
Bells are ringin', children singin', All is merry and bright,
So jump in bed, and cover your head,
'Cause Santa Claus comes tonight.
Peace on earth will come to all, If we just follow the light,
Caroling is a big part of our family Christmas tradition. Each year at Christmas, we find some way to go out and carol.
While living in uptown Kellogg on McKinley Street, we were very close to our neighbors, and every Christmas we would don our Santa Hats and Elf Hats and walk from house to house caroling and taking plates of goodies to our friends. It was always a fun time, and much anticipated by our neighbors each year.
A few years ago, I helped start a tradition at our church. We would hop on our church bus and go to shut ins in the community and carol and give them some goodies. The past few years, we have walked around the church neighborhood delivering jars of hot chocolate mix and inviting neighbors to our Christmas program, along with caroling at each door.
I think every Christmas season for as long as can remember, I have had the opportunity to go Christmas caroling.
I enjoy it so much because of the music. Christmas carols are so beautiful, and the words share such a beautiful message of love, joy, peace and redemption. I have lived with these songs my whole life, through singing them in church and listening to them on Christmas albums.
The church I attend has more of a contemporary worship service, so we don't focus as much on the traditional Christmas hymns. Caroling is a wonderful way for people in our church to learn the words and become familiar with these traditional Christmas caroling songs.
When I wrote the Christmas pageant this year for our Sunday School program at church, the title is "Here We Come A Caroling". I took traditional Christmas songs combined with scripture and used them to tell the Christmas story, the story of Jesus' birth.
The program begins with the song "O Come, O Come, Emmanuel". I love this song because of the haunting melody and the anticipation that is expressed in the lyrics. I think of the hundred of years the Jewish people waited to hear again from their God, and how many never gave up. They knew Emmanuel would eventually come, Emmanuel...God With Us.
Then out of the darkness came a glorious light...the Son of God. The waiting was over. God was now with us....in a way no one could have ever imagined.
And He continues to be with us each and every day. All we need to do is talk to Him, and He is there. We no longer have to be in the dark....because God's light has come.
Enjoy this song sung by Enya..."O Come, O Come Emmanuel."
I've come down with Xmas---Xtreme Mellow Apathetic Syndrome.
On a scale of 1 to 10, my motivation level is about a 2.
I finally got the tree decorated last night. But nothing else got done.
Wait, I am very motivated to sit in the chair in the living room and sleep. So I guess I'm not completely apathetic.
I think I'm weird, and sometimes don't know how to deal with time. Now that the play is over, and I don't have a lot going on, it seems like I have all the time in the world, so then I become the dreaded PROCRASTINATOR.
Instead of taking advantage of the extra time I have, so things don't get so stressful as Christmas draws nearer, I lay around, looking at a sea of unopened boxes of Christmas decorations, knowing full well they will not open themselves and their contents fly around the house until they find the perfect place to sit and look pretty. (Where is Samantha Stevens when you need her....if only I could wiggle my nose, it would all be done!!)
When I was walking this morning with my walking buddy NR, I told her I think I don't want to do anything because the pressure isn't on yet. I have TOO much time, so I won't do what needs to get done.
So, I sit here, in my living room, surrounded by boxes and decorations crying out to me to be released from the captivity they have been in the last 11 months, so they can do what they were created to do....transform my home into a Christmas wonderland.
Well, as I go lay on the couch to devise a plan on how and when I am going to decorate, I invite you to watch a video about some mellow Christmas music.
What came to mind was an album my sister Inland Empire Girl just shared with me. It is Yo Yo Ma's "Songs of Joy and Peace". Ma asked different musicians he wanted to collaborate with what song gives them Joy and Peace. Then each musician came to him with a song, and they recorded it for this album.
I enjoy thinking about this as a Christmas album, because to me, the Christmas themes of Joy and Peace are not exclusive for this time of year. They are something I experience throughout the year in a variety of ways. But I believe I receive this unexplainable joy and peace in my life throughout the year because of Jesus, whose birth we celebrate each year at Christmas.
This is an interview done by Time magazine with Yo Yo Ma, as he explains what this album is all about, and how it was created. Enjoy!!
I'm sure when Charles Dickens novella "A Christmas Carol" was published in 1843, he had no way no comprehend the enormous popularity this story would have around the world.
This story has been adapted into plays, opera, movies, cartoons, television shows, and radio specials. It has been parodied and sequeled. Ebenezer Scrooge is as much a Christmas symbol as Santa Claus himself.
Some of the versions of "A Christmas Carol" I am familiar with include "Mickey's Christmas Carol", "Scrooged", and Albert Finney's "A Christmas Carol" movie.
One version I would have loved to see when he was performing it was Patrick Stewart doing a one man reading/acting of the story, what he performed on Broadway in 1991, 1993, 1995 and 2001.
But the one that is a Christmas tradition in our family is "The Muppet Christmas Carol". This is one of the VHS movies we pull out each year and watch. Michael Caine does a wonderful job as Scrooge.
I think this version touches my heart, because I am a Muppet girl. I started watching "Sesame Street" on PBS when it first started, around 1969 or 1970, enjoying Kermit the Frog, Burt, Ernie and Big Bird. In high school, "The Muppet Show" was a popular variety show that I enjoyed watching. It ran from 1976 to 1981.
Here is one of the songs from "The Muppet Christmas Carol" that shares some of the true sentiments of the Christmas Season.
Our sibling assignments for the month are going to keep with the holiday theme. Here is the assignment IEG assigned us this week:
" When we hear certain songs they take us back to a time and place in our past and stir up memories. Pick a Christmas song and reflect on the time and place it takes you."
IEG's story of one of her favorite Christmas songs and movie is here, and Raymond Perts will be here soon.
Every little girl likes to impress her daddy. I was no exception. I loved to make my daddy happy.
The Christmas song I am reflecting on is "The Christmas Song." This was Dad's favorite Christmas song. Every Christmas you knew it was his favorite. As soon as the words "Chestnuts Roasting on a Open Fire...." were sung, Dad would often join in and sing through the entire song.
I have a very special memory regarding this song. I was probably around 10 years old, maybe younger. I remember being in the car driving either to Spokane or home from Spokane, because my Grandma Woolum was in the car. We had probably just been to Spokane to pick her up to bring her to our house for Christmas. Dad was driving, and Mom was sitting in the front passenger seat.
I can't remember how I started singing this song, but I did. I don't think it came on the radio, because we didn't listen to the car radio that often when I was younger. One reason was there wasn't many stations you could pick up good reception on as you traveled over the Fourth of July Pass. Also, I don't think they played Christmas songs as much on the radio when I was younger as they do now.
But, for some reason, I started singing, all by myself, "The Christmas Song" for my daddy. I sang it all the way through. I have always enjoyed singing, and to be able to share this song with my daddy was very special.
Even though it is about 35 years later, here is a little taste of what you may have heard had you been in that Chevy Malibu driving from Spokane, Washington to Kellogg, Idaho a few days before Christmas.
Another trip over the hill today to Coeur d'Alene, for Kiki Aru's basketball game. Also took Z2 so she and The Princess could go watch the new movie Twilight. They both really enjoyed it. I'm a little behind on the whole Twilight craze. But we do have all the books in the series, so I hope to start reading them soon. (I was a little late on the Harry Potter craze as well, but once I began reading them, I LOVED them.)
Kiki Aru was awesome in the game today. She hustled, and she was the top scorer in the game, with 15 points.
I've mentioned before how I often don't enjoy watching basketball games because the parents can get a bit out of hand and unruly. I have been so impressed this year, not only with our parents, but with the officiating in this AAU league. Often I think that is why parents get upset, is when there is poor officiating. But these officials have been very consistent, and it has sure made this league a very good experience as a parent. Hats off to the organizers of this Post Fall AAU league.
Stopped and did a bit more shopping, dropped The Princess back at her dorm at NIC, then drove home. Thank goodness the roads were good. With all the prediction of snow, I was a bit concerned about how the roads were going to be this weekend. (I think ever since I had my car wreck last December, I am even more cautious when it comes to driving the Fourth of July pass.) But everything was fine. And it was sure nice filling up the tank of gas at Fred Meyer for only $1.50.9 a gallon. (That is with my rewards card 10 cent off bonus.)
Z2 and I got our lighted nativity scene up outside in front of the house. Here is Mary, Joseph and Baby Jesus in front of our house. The first year we put up our lighted nativity here at our house, someone actually came and stole baby Jesus. It was pretty strange, and funny in an odd sort of way. I mean, why would someone come and steal a plastic, lighted up Baby Jesus? We'll probably never know. (Actually, my prayer is that more people would take baby Jesus with them throughout the Christmas season. They might enjoy the holidays a lot more!!)
As my thoughts focused on Christmas songs to share, one of my favorites I enjoy hearing each year is Carol of the Bells. I love hearing it performed by bands or orchestras, or listening to it in different ways on CD's.
Here is a wonderful version performed by Celtic Women. Now I would love to see these women in concert. (Especially if it could be somewhere on the British Isles, since that has been a dream of mine to visit there ever since I can remember!!)
So, here is a beautiful version of one of my Christmas favorites, Carol of the Bells.
I had a meeting in Coeur d'Alene that was job related this morning, then I went and a little Christmas shopping. Then I picked up The Princess and Boyfriend and we went to lunch at Tomato Street. As we were visiting, we started talking about the movie "Love Actually" and how I guess it could be consider a Christmas movie....a rather quirky Christmas movie. Or, since it is a British movie, it would probably be a quirky Crimbo movie, right Marmite Toasty?
(And I hinted to The Princess that a DVD of this movie would be a wonderful Christmas gift for her mother!!)
This British romantic comedy follows the lives of eight very different couples in dealing with their love lives in various loosely and interrelated tales all set during a frantic month before Christmas in London, England.
It is rated R because of sexuality, nudity and language. (The sexuality and nudity is mostly from one part of the movie that had to do with a couple who are stand ins for X rated movies so they can get the lighting correct. These scenes may be a bit uncomfortable for some. Others of you will probably enjoy the absurdity of the situation.)
The cast are a wonderful ensemble of English actors. My fave actor Alan Rickman is in it, along with Emma Thompson, Colin Firth and Hugh Grant, to name a few. I'm not a big Hugh Grant fan, but I really like him in this movie.
This isn't the first time I've highlighted this movie. To read and watch a few more clips from the movie, go here.
The movie soundtrack album is also wonderful.
Here is one of the more Christmasy songs that is sung throughout the movie, sung here by an amazing young woman named Olivia Olson. She is only ten years old, and yes, this is her singing.
I have always been intrigued by Mary, and what she was going through before she gave birth to Jesus. I think I really started thinking about this in December of 1993. PKR and I just found out we were expecting Z2, and Amy Grant had just come out with a new Christmas album with the song Breath of Heaven as one of the selections.
The lyrics of this song share about what might have been going on in Mary's head.
It is such a great story. A young teenage girl is visited by an angel, and told this in the book of Luke:
26Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city in Galilee called Nazareth,
27to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the descendants of David; and the virgin's name was Mary.
28And coming in, he said to her, "Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you."
29But she was very perplexed at this statement, and kept pondering what kind of salutation this was.
30The angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary; for you have found favor with God.
31"And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name Him Jesus.
32"He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David;
33 and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and His kingdom will have no end."
34Mary said to the angel, "How can this be, since I am a virgin?"
35The angel answered and said to her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; and for that reason (AT)the holy Child shall be called the Son of God.
36"And behold, even your relative Elizabeth has also conceived a son in her old age; and she who was called barren is now in her sixth month.
37"For nothing will be impossible with God."
38And Mary said, "Behold, the bondslave of the Lord; may it be done to me according to your word." And the angel departed from her.
One of my favorite parts of this whole story is Mary's reaction. I think back to being in high school, and thinking about what a stigma it would be to become pregnant. To me, it was a huge thing. One I made sure didn't happen. And I'm sure it was no different when Mary was a young girl. In fact, it was probably worse. I don't think I would have been stoned. She could have been.
So imagine being visited by an angel who tells you you are going to have God's son. But you won't have this baby by conventional means. You will have the Holy Spirit come upon you and the power of the Most High overshadow you, and then you will become pregnant.
Could Mary even comprehend what this meant? Then the angel tells her about her cousin Elizabeth, who is also going to have a baby, and the angel tells Mary,
"For nothing will be impossible with God."
And I loved Mary's reaction to this proclamation the angel just told her. She didn't freak out. She didn't say no. She didn't pout and go to her room. She said this:
"Behold, the bondslave of the Lord; may it be done to me according to your word."
I remember being in a Bible study when this verse came up, and I looked up the meaning of bondslave. A bondslave is A person in a state of slavery; one whose person and liberty are subjected to the authority of a master.
Her response was, okay Lord, whatever you want. Thy will be done. I'm not going to fight it. You are God, and You know what is best.
And I often wish I could respond the same way Mary did when I come up against impossibilities in my life. That I could say to God, okay, may it be done to me according to you word.
But sometimes I do freak out. I do say no. I do go and pout in my room. I crawl in bed and watch old West Wing episodes.
And all the time Jesus is saying, "Hey, look at what my mom had to face, and how she reacted to it all. My mom was a pretty good example to follow."
Then I would say, "Yeah, Jesus, you're right."
I encourage you to ponder Jesus' earthly mother this Christmas season, and how she handled an impossiblity in her life, and see if you can have the faith she did, when you are faced with an impossiblity in your life.
A movie called The Nativity Story was released a few years ago, and it tells the story of Mary and Joseph and the birth of Jesus. If you have a chance, rent it.
Below is the Amy Grant song Breath of Heaven, and some film clips from the movie The Nativity Story. Hopefully it will give you something to ponder, as Mary pondered, the upcoming birth of the Son of God...a miracle that would change the world.
Okay, I couldn't resist. For all I know, this commercial could have been playing on the television as Raymond Pert, Inland Empire Girl, and Silver Valley Girl posed for the Christmas picture in the header. So, to share a little nostalgia with everyone....I present
I was born in 1963. Rudolph aired for the first time on December 4, 1964. We grew up together. I can't even count the times I have watched Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer.
Sometimes I think Rudolph may have been on Monday night. If so, my Dad would have got to hog the T.V. and watch Monday Night Football. So there were years I couldn't watch it. It isn't like now, when it comes on three or four times during the Christmas season. You had one chance, and if you missed it, you missed it.
But one year was different. I have this memory, probably when I was about five or six years old, of going to one of our family friend's, the Waltman's, and watching Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer with Matthew, who was my age. I'm not sure why this was such a big deal, and why I remember it so vividly, but I did. But it seems to me that it was on a Monday night, because Dad was home watching football. (No wonderful I am so ambivalent to football, even today. It goes all the way back to missing important Christmas specials like Rudolph.)
Now we own the DVD, and can watch it every holiday season. I love the songs, and Rudolph and Clarice, and Hermie, who wants to be a dentist, and Yukon Cornelius, and the Abominable Snow Monster. I can sing along to each song,
Here is one of the great songs from the show, Holly, Jolly Christmas.
I was probably about 8 or 9 years old when A Partridge Family Christmas Card became a part of the family Christmas album collection. I was a big fan of the show "The Partridge Family" and yes, I had a crush on David Cassidy. I think "The Partridge Family" is one of my fantasies. I mean, who wouldn't want to travel around the country in a multi-colored bus with your singing family, and putting on concerts dressed in red velvet costumes and lace.
What could be better than that??
Here I am holding the original LP that I have owned
probably since the year it was released, 1971.
Old habits die hard. Here I am sending a Christmas kiss to David Cassidy.
The album was full of lots of popular Christmas songs, sung in the special Partridge Family style. But the one original song on the album was called "My Christmas Card To You". (The album came with a Christmas Card on the front, signed by the whole Partridge Famly. Who knows what happened to it in the last 37 years.)
Listening to the songs from this album takes me back the house on Cameron Avenue in Kellogg, where I grew up. I shared a bedroom with my sister upstairs, and there were actually two rooms upstairs. When you got to the top of the stairs, there was a room we referred to as "the hall". Then if you took a right turn at the top of the stairs, you would go toward the bedroom. We had a sterio in "the hall", and I would stack many Christmas LP's on that player and listen to all my favorites. This was one of my favorites. It is no wonder I can sing along to almost every Christmas song known to man. And that is one of the reasons Christmas music is such a big part of my whole Christmas season. It always has been, something I received from my parents.
So, for your Christmas listening pleasure today, I give you The Partridge Family's "My Christmas Card To You."
One of my most favorite things about the Christmas season is the music. I love the traditional Christmas carols and the more modern holiday tunes.
This month, with the help of You Tube, I am going to share some of my favorite Christmas songs with you. I have quite a collection of Christmas music, so I hope to find some of my favorite artists and songs to share with you as we make our way toward Christmas.
Some of the old crooners did some great Christmas songs. Thanks to Andy Williams for this one... "It's The Most Wonderful Time of the Year".
Christmas is a wonderful time of the year. I love putting up decorations, and having lights inside and outside of our home, and attending Christmas concerts at the local schools, and gathering with friends and family.
I love shopping during Christmas, all by myself. I love to stroll around, looking for a special little something for each person on my list.
I love making Christmas goodies, and sharing them with others.
I love the wonder and surprise of Christmas morning.
I love writing and directing our Christmas program at church. This year it uses traditional Christmas carols to tell the story of Jesus' birth.
I love that our family has a lot of Christmas traditions. Some are passed down. Some are new ones we've established in our own family.
Throughout the month, I hope to share some of these things with you, and I hope this helps December become for you the most wonderful time of the year as well.
I did it. I posted 30 posts in 30 days, and there was only a couple days I wondered what I was going to post...but it all worked out.
It was very enjoyable, and I hope to keep it up this next month in December. My plan is to go "Christmas crazy" in December, since it is one of my favorite times of the year. I hope to post something to do with Christmas each day, with the hope of spreading "Good Tidings of Great Joy".
I have been blessed with such a wonderful family. Some of this family gathered together for the last few days for Thanksgiving, and we have had such a wonderful time sharing meals, playing games, visiting, shopping, and relaxing. We have had lots of laughs as well.
Here is my brother-in-law JEJ and my mom Grandma Mary.
Here is sister Inland Empire Girl bringing in the salmon just off the BBQ for Thanksgiving dinner.
Here is brother Raymond Pert and my wonderful honey PKR.
And here are my beautiful daughters Kiki Aru, The Princess and Z2, cheering before they dig in to their Thanksgiving feast.
8 And God will generously provide all you need. Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others. 9 As the Scriptures say, “They share freely and give generously to the poor. Their good deeds will be remembered forever.” 10 For God is the one who provides seed for the farmer and then bread to eat. In the same way, he will provide and increase your resources and then produce a great harvest of generosity in you. 11 Yes, you will be enriched in every way so that you can always be generous. And when we take your gifts to those who need them, they will thank God.
Here is what it looks like out my front door this evening. But I don't care. 
It was a really fun evening of music. Director Joy Persoon always puts on a wonderful show. 
Here is Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer, Santa Claus and Frosty having some fun.
