A Christmas Recap...

Ok ok so I'm doing this week in a weird order. I should have done this post before the New Year's post. These things happen. So a Christmas recap...

Mom and I decided to keep it simple on Christmas Eve and go to IHOP for dinner before heading to our church service. I admit it was good and not too crazy. Then we headed to church for a Service of Lessons and Carols which is my favorite. The sermon was really good...the pastor related current events to scripture and the story of Jesus. The catch phrase of the evening was...what the world needs now is a stable influence. Very enjoyable! Then on to a friend's Christmas Eve party. Much fun was had by all!!

Christmas morning Mom went to church and I had intentions of going to my church but there is a quote about good intentions and a road. I ended up falling back asleep and not waking up until 1:00 PM. We had a reservation at 3:00 PM and I still had to pick up Mom so I flew through the shower and went to get her. Dinner was at a Colonial Tavern and it was heavenly! After dinner we came back to Mom's house to open gifts. (I admit this is still my favorite part.) A few of my favorites...

A lovely locket from my hubby (he sent Mom money to go shopping for me)

From The Enchanted Locket

A cool purse from my Mom

Harley Davidson

 

And my absolute favorite a Black Onyx Rose Ring from Pandora also from my hubby

Santa (and Mom and my hubby) were good to me this year. What were your favorites?

Christmas Photo Card

Here is the card that is being sent out to my friends and family this year. With J gone and a lack of planning while he was home I have no pictures of us so I decided to go cutesy this year. And I admit they are going out in January because I'm behind. It happens...

Two Elves Holiday

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Merry Christmas!

Wishing you all a Merry and Peaceful Christmas!

Military Spouse Night Before Christmas

Twas the night before Christmas and all through the house,
there was a prayer being said by a military spouse.
Her husband was away this holiday season,
and she knew it was for a good reason.

He was protecting her freedoms,
and those of people who he never knew.
Although it was hard to have him gone,
she knew it was something he must do.

He stood not alone for many stood by his side,
men and women who would lay down their life.
Christmas would come as it did every year,
and those men and women still stand without fear.


Although families may be apart,
our men and women are always in our heart.
We have pride in all they do,
and we appreciate that you do too.

As we celebrate the birth of Christ our King,
with presents under the tree, and carols to sing.
Let us give thanks to God for His Son,
and for those who guard our home.

For peace on earth we still pray,
so our loved ones will no longer have to fight.
Until that day let us just say...
Merry Christmas to all...and to all a good night.

Written by  M. N. Collins

Holiday Family Traditions and Stresses

At staff meeting on Tuesday my boss asked us to go around the table and share our favorite family tradition and what was stressing us. At the time I was focused more on work so I said the favorite family tradition was coming to Christmas Eve service and my only stress was there was something that I was forgetting because things seem extremely calm at work. (fast forward to today...we discovered a mistake in one of our Christmas Eve bulletins that has already been run so we have to rerun it)

But as I thought throughout the day I determined that honestly what was stressing me was my lack of family traditions right now. With J gone and my Dad celebrating with his new family I feel very unsettled family tradition wise. But then as I thought some more traditions can change and Mom and I are coming up with our own traditions. It may seem weird at first but they are fun. And growing up it was often just Mom and I so this really isn't that weird. It is funny how much point of view can change the way you think.

So what about you what are some of your family traditions? And what are your holiday stresses?

Top Ten Favorite Things About Christmas

Working in a church Christmas can get lost and enjoying Christmas becomes trickier because we are running around like crazy people getting ready. So I decided to focus on some of my favorite things about Christmas are...

10 - Giving gifts...I love to see the expression on someone's face when they get something they really love.

9 - Singing Christmas Carols...I love singing Christmas carols of all kinds but my favorites are Angels we Have Heard on High and O Holy Night.

8 - Christmas lights...on Christmas Eve my Mom and I drive around and look at lights. We've added some other nights to our tour as well over the years.

7 - Santa Claus...I love the concept of Santa Claus and for that I believe Santa is real. He just gets some help along the way. Although I've always wondered about the Nice and Naughty list.

6 - Department Store Decorations...I love the decorations at stores because it is always so festive and it puts me in a better mood. Which is usually destroyed by my fellow shoppers.

5 - Christmas Movies...I love watching Christmas movies they help get me in the Christmas mood.

4 - Christmas Parties - I love celebrating Christmas throughout the month. And I love celebrating with my friends and family.

3 - Christmas morning...as a child I loved the wonder of seeing the tree and the presents. As an adult there is just as calm that comes on Christmas morning. All the world is right.

2 - Christmas Eve Service...I love the Christmas Eve service because it reminds us of what the holiday is about and I love lighting our candles while singing Silent Night, Holy Night. There is something magical about  that moment.

1 - The Christmas Story...I never tire of hearing the story of Mary and Joseph and the birth of Jesus.

What are some of your favorite things about Christmas?

12 Days of Christmas

I Understand the Grinch...

I'm not sure why but I'm not really in the holiday spirit. I'm hoping it will come but I won't be surprised if it doesn't. J is gone and we aren't able to talk much while he's underway. My father is spending his time with his new family so it is just Mom and I. Now don't get me wrong we have some fun things planned for my birthday (Dec. 16th) and Christmas but somehow I'm just not there excitement wise.

I'm trying to look at things in general that everything happens for a reason. I get held up at work so I don't get into the car accident because someone was in a rush. I don't get to spend Christmas with J so I appreciate my time with him more and I get closer with my mom. My father is in the life of his stepdaughter because she needs a good male role model (ok I admit I snicker slightly as I type that). But you get my point. I know God has a master plan and I just have to trust it. I know that faith doesn't always come with full understanding.

So I'm working on it but it is slow coming. And yet Christmas will be here before we know it. Now I'm off to work on a bulletin for another Christmas service. The joys of Church work!

Top Ten Favorite Holiday Movies

It is that time of year where every character that has ever been written about has a holiday movie. (Shrek the Halls) And some of them I love...some of them I can't stand. Today is my top ten favorites...

10 - Elf - I admit this was a reluctant one for me to watch because I'm not a huge fan of Will Ferrell but I admit I love this movie. Especially the end about Christmas spirit...gets me every time.

9 - The Family Stone - although I find parts of this movie hard to watch I do think it is a great movie for Christmas. The Christmas gift exchange gets me every time.

8 - Fred Claus - this was a cute movie and Paul Giamatti as Santa Claus works perfectly. Along with Vince Vaughn and Kevin Spacey they make the movie. I'm a sucker for the happily ever after.

7 - The Miracle on 34th Street (circa 2004) - I love this movie it is so sweet and cute. And Santa wins!! I love the end when the little girl figures it all out.

6 - Christmas Shoes - This is a toss up between love and hate. I love the story but it is so gut wrenching that it is a tough one to watch. I think Rob Lowe does a great job in this movie.

5 - Christmas Eve on Sesame Street - I watched this on TV every year and loved it. I could relate to Big Bird wanting to solve the mystery of how it all worked to get Santa down the chimney.

4 - Love Actually - When I first saw this movie in the theaters I was newly divorced but I loved the romance represented in this movie. And I love when the Prime Minister goes door to door. But the scene that gets me is when the guy delivers the message to his friend's wife. You want to hate him and yet you feel for him.

3 - White Christmas - I LOVE this movie!! I think it is a great movie! The end with We'll Follow the Old Man gets me every time. As I type this I get teary eyed thinking about it.

2 - A Chipmunk Christmas - As a child I loved Alvin and the Chipmunks (I still haven't watched the new versions) and I loved this movie. Although I love the record recording best I think this movie has such a cool story in that Alvin did something right and ends up almost getting punished for it. But he truly got the meaning of Christmas.

1 - How the Grinch Stole Christmas - I can almost recite this movie. (My husband can recite this movie including the songs) I love this movie because I love Dr. Suess, because I love the story, but most of all I love Max! The scene where he is on the back of the sleigh waving makes me laugh every time.

So what are your favorite Christmas movies?

It's Beginning to Look Alot Like Christmas

It is hard for me to think that Christmas is just around the corner. But it really shouldn't be because...

• The shopping areas are starting to decorate for Christmas
• Local stations are starting to play Christmas music
• How the Grinch Stole Christmas has been on the TV
• They are talking about Black Friday already
• I'm getting my brother and his wife's Christmas presents ready
• And in order to get them to him by Christmas...I've wrapped my husband's Christmas presents and will take them to the post office soon

So what about you are you feeling Christimasy or do you want to get through Thanksgiving first? I myself would like to be like Nordstrom and celebrate one holiday at a time. 

Holidays Recap

Ok so I'm a tad behind on this but you'll see why...

•  Christmas Eve - I work in a church so I've often had to work on Christmas Eve but over the past few years my boss has generously given us Christmas Eve off. So I spent most of my day finishing a purse for my mom for Christmas. I finished wrapping gifts. Then I went to pick her up and we went to dinner with my friend S. Then the three of us went to church. Following the service S went home, I dropped off Mom, and I went to my friends annual Christmas Eve party which is always a blast. 
• Christmas Day - I got up and puttered around the house. Then I got ready and went over to Mom's to exchange gifts. We exchanged gifts. Then we watched Charlie Brown's Christmas. Then we headed to Williamsburg for our Christmas Dinner in the tavern. If you have never done this I recommend it. The food was amazing and the service was even better. After dinner we were going to go see Chronicles of Narnia Voyage of the Dawn Treader but it started to snow and Mom was tired. So I took her home for a nap. And then came back to her place to watch The Chipmonk's Christmas. Then I went to my friend's house to drop off Christmas presents. I headed home early because it was snowing pretty heavily. 
• The Day after Christmas - lower VA got snowed in. We got 12 inches of snow. It was pretty but clearing it and dealing with it...not so pretty. 
• The Days between Christmas and New Year's - I had Monday off...then back to work Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. We got off work at 3:00 PM on Thursday so I decided to extend the olive branch to my father and go bowling with him. It was pleasant. A tad awkward. Ares had shredded a suede handbag or so I thought...turns out he ate pieces. He threw up on Monday and then again on Thursday morning. I called the vet they said to keep an eye on him and if he threw up again bring him in. He did fine all day Thursday and Friday so no vet trip. 
• New Year's Eve - I spent most of the day home with the dogs sleeping on the couch. Then went to meet Mom for dinner. Then home to check on the puppies. Then off to my friends New Year's Eve party. The party was laid back and fun. We played Win, Lose, or Draw. And I headed home around 3:00 AM. All was good until I was awakened by Ares throwing up at 4:00 AM. So we got up and I tried giving him some food. He got sick again.  
• New Year's Day So I called one emergency vet...they said not to feed him until dinner time and to keep an eye on him. He kept whimpering and hiding in his crate. This is not my dog he is so social it is scary. I decided to take him in. I called my vet and they sent me to a different emergency vet. Ares had a blockage in his stomach and intestine and ended up having surgery. In an effort to keep myself occupied Mom and I went to the outlets to do some returns and some shopping. I got the call around dinner time that he was doing well and in recovery.
• Day after New Year's - I called the vet in the morning to check on him. He was doing well so they said I could bring him home later that day. I called Mom and we went to see Chronicles of Narnia's Voyage of the Dawn Treader. Great movie!! Then we went to Barnes and Noble. Then I went to get my baby!! I had the uphill battle of keeping him calm and settled down. He is on a restrictive diet and activity schedule but he is on the mend and doing well. I'm so glad!!

Grinch vs. Who

How the Grinch Stole Christmas is one of my favorite Christmas movies because I think it really does show the real meaning of Christmas. And I think the Grinch gets a bad wrap really. Yes he does try to ruin Christmas but then he saves the day and realizes what Christmas is all about. And ultimately Christmas is about forgiveness so I think we can all learn a lesson or two from this seemingly simple Christmas story.

How many of us at one time or another have had a Grinchy attitude toward something. That we must figure out a way to stop it or ruin it. Or just didn't want to participate.

I admit since I started working in a church I have a little less of the Who spirit and more of the Grinch until Christmas Eve...then I'm totally Who. We constantly have services, events, etc that seem to cause a crazy amount of stress for all involved but always look great at the end. And it amazes me how in a time of year when we are focusing on God's greatest gift to us we forget and focus on petty issues that really don't mean anything.

The true meaning of Christmas is celebrating God's love of us and the gift of his Son. And I admit it is easy to forget these things in the midst of preparing for Christmas with shopping, events, gatherings, etc. I myself often forget the true reason for the season. Although I often think it is to eat cookies, baked goods, heavy meals until I can't move it is really all about Him.

I'll finish with my favorite Grinch quote..."He puzzled and puzzled till his puzzler was sore. Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn't before! Maybe Christmas, he thought, doesn't come from a store. Maybe Christmas... perhaps... means a little bit more!"

Engage Brain...Then Mouth

So this weekend was another full one. J hates how full our weekends are sometimes but it seems no matter how bland I try to make them something comes up. So we'll see what happens this weekend.

At work we host a Drive-Through Nativity for our community. It is an amazing experience and I hope to put up some pictures of it later this week. It runs Friday and Saturday from 5:30-8:00 PM. We came up Friday and J got to go out and play a shepherd at the Nativity scene. Then Saturday we came up and J (who has a good deep voice) got to sing with the Carolers. He loved it but he was reluctant at first.

Well prior to that we got into a conversation with one of the youth about going into the military or going to college. As a man who skipped college and enlisted in the Navy J was advising the young man to go to college and then if he wants to, go into the military upon graduation. Well the youth left and his mother asked J and another gentleman if they got him straight. And we explained that we advised college then the military.

Another woman who is an officer overheard the conversation and put in her two cents about how the young man would hate being enlisted because anyone with an IQ over 100 will hate being told what to do, etc. She recommended going to college, through ROTC, and then onto being an officer. And I made a comment about how as an active duty enlisted man J commented that he wished someone had told him about other options. She said "well I'm not saying your husband is stupid" to which I had to bite my tongue...not to say something about officers. My father is retired Air Force and he had some officers around him from time to time that amazed me they could tie their shoes let alone command a group of men.

I realize that I'm protective of my husband and I probably took her comment wrong. But it amazes me how people make comments without A) Knowing their audience and B) without thinking about how it could be taken. And my husband was valedictorian he could have successfully gone to college...and he trains officers to do what he does...my husband jokes I'm the brains of the operation but he is very smart and it frustrates me that people make comments like that.

Christmas Getting To Know You...

Welcome to the Christmas edition of getting to know your blogger friends. Okay, here's what you're supposed to do, and try not to be a SCROOGE!!! Just copy this entire post and paste into a new post on your blog, if you have one. Change all the answers so that they apply to you.

Yes, I know you're thinking "Puhlease, another list?" Yes. Another list. I like hearing this kind of stuff about you all! LOVE IT. I can't wait to read your answers!

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? I love wrapping gifts but I admit I use gift bags a lot to save time.

2. Real tree or Artificial? Currently we don't have a tree but I love a real tree.



3. When do you put up the tree? See above...


4. When do you take the tree down? See above...


5. Do you like eggnog? I love it...especially with a touch of nutmeg...and some Captains', some brandy, and a splash of Amaretto.

6. Favorite gift received as a child? My Little Pony Castle


7. Hardest person to buy for? My Dad. I often get him a gift card because I don't know what else to get him.


8. Easiest person to buy for? My Husband.


9. Do you have a nativity scene? I have a number of them and J has one too so we have plenty.


10. Mail or email Christmas cards? Mail!


11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? All gifts are good because they are given with love.



12. Favorite Christmas Movie? White Christmas (Always teary at the end) or How the Grinch Stole Christmas



13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? As early as I start finding things...


14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? I try really hard not to...I'm not opposed to re-gifting but I think it can backfire.

15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Cookies and Fudge

16. Lights on the tree? Tons of them

17. Favorite Christmas song? O Holy Night

18. Travel at Christmas or stay home? Stay at Home

19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer? Most of them

20. Angel on the tree top or a star? Angel...we currently have a mechanical one who has issues...she makes a weird shrieking noise from time to time

21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? Christmas Morning

22. Most annoying thing about this time of the year? Crazy drivers in parking lots

23. Favorite ornament, theme, or color? a 1976 Hallmark Train ornament my parents bought the year I was born

24. Favorite for Christmas Dinner? mint salad...so yummy!


25. What do you want to do for Christmas this year? Spend time with family


26. Favorite Christmas tradition growing up? Sorting presents Christmas Eve


27. Favorite tradition now? Waking up with J and sharing a cup of coffee on Christmas morning

28. Favorite Christmas Memory? A gift exchange in 5th Grade...we each had to bring a $5 gift and I went out and picked a nice new gift. The day came and I excitedly took the gift to school. When it came my turn to pick a gift there was one wrapped in a paper bag with ribbon. When I opened it I found a slightly grungy, well loved bear and was disappointed. But I took it home to my mom and she looked at it and explained that it may have been a favorite toy of someone and it meant the world to them so it was the best they had to give. From that day forward I have kept that bear. He actually sits on my bookcase at work to remind me that sometimes we just need to give the best we have and not worry about the details.