Happy Holidays

The merriest of times is again with us. Boy do I love the magic of Christmas, and it is still there for me mostly. Sometimes I get all caught up in the have to's and not enough of the smelling of the daises. The snow has really helped along with the lights glistening in the streets. It is beginning to feel a lot like Christmas. The smell of cookies baking and the scent of peppermint all bring it to the memories of Christmases Past and future.

The excitement of the kids at seeing a snowglobe. They were always my very favorite as a child. I see the wonder in Sydney's eyes as she watched the snow globe and listens to the music. Luke is thrilled with Frosty the Snowman - we have a big blow up one in our front yard, a musical one on the table and a stuffed one to hold. He loves watching the CD, as did Hallie and Madison when they were his age. Hallie is less than impressed with it now though. Once is enough for her.

This time of year is the very best of the best - no matter where we are. I remember wonderful Christmases as a child and filled with all the excitement and magic of the season. When I was eight I opened the door at my Gramma Kleiner's and there stood SANTA. It was very intimadating for me. I just backed up as he came toward me and kept backing up as he entered the living room. I will never forget the feeling I had that snowy december night. He gave me a candy cane and an orange and talked with me - just wow wow wow!!!!!! I will never forget the Christmas Eve Masses we always went to. There was standing room only and all the songs were sung in Latin - it was very festive and exciting. Now when we are able to go to the tabernacle Christmas Concerts - it reminds me so much of my feelings as a child and singing carols in Latin.

In the town where I lived - they had a town Christmas Tree. There was a night when we would all go and see the tree lite and sing Carols around the tree. They usually served hot chocolate.
Santa always came to the Town Hall and brought every child a stocking filled with peanuts and an orange. and usually a candy cane. We thought that was just grand. My Mom would take me to downtown Rochester on a bus to the toy department - specifically the doll department at Sibley's Department Store. It was on the second floor along with Santa - looked like the toy department in Elf. There was also a walk through window displays of a Christmas Story with animated dolls etc. For a child it was pure magic. You would walk from window display to window display in a darkened hallway with only the window lite up. It would have a sign that you would read as you walked from one display to another. It would tell a story. They were done with minute detail in every way.

As our family grew we started several traditions - some have survied and others have been abandoned. Christmas Eve has always- from the time I can remember - been a time for family and friends to get together and eat and party. To remember the birth of our saviour. Ornaments for the tree has also been a lasting tradition. I still have my baby rattle that my Mom always put on our tree at home and we still put it on the tree to this day. Most of all I cherish the opportunity to be together as a Family - to remember the Christ Child and to reach out to those around us. I feel the love and the magic of the season.

I REALLY DO LOVE CHRISTMAS - even if it seems like I stress too much. But it is important to me and I want all of my family to love it as much as I do.

My first blog

I hit enter and apparently I shouldn't have because my blog was blank. Which is exactly like my mind is this time of night. I have finally attempted to be a "BLOGGER" not sure how it will all progress, but we are trying. I enjoy reading everyone's humor etc, but my mind is rather empty of any insite. I am ready to be done with finishing the house. It has been a work in progress for almost ever. Since the day we had the hole dug for the foundation. Most of the molding is finally painted and the doors are free of runs - hurray - and some painted for the very first time. We are in what is called the staging process. That means I need to finish sewing the curtains which have been hanging around for a while now and Ken needs to put up the rods. Things are finally looking almost finished and it is a good feeling - now if only we could freeze wrap it so it stays that way.

We have a little touch up to do on the newly painted walls - in Lukies room. He decided to try painting the walls with "Paint" from his diaper. He is so darn cute that it just doesn't pay to get angry with him. The other morning I heard the front door bell ring and guess who is standing on the bench on the front porch - naked ringing the door bell. Yep you guessed right - Lukie Boy.

Ken and I and the kids, Luke, Sydney and Kendra took Don to the airport last Thursday so that he could fly to Tucson for his grandpa's funeral. Well it was SHOP HOP week for the Wasatch Front and I just thought I needed to take advantage of the trip to Salt Lake. If you don't know what a Shop Hop is well it is like a HOT FUDGE SUNDAE with a Cherry on top. The quilting stores ( about 15 of them) from Logan to Springville have sales and games and prizes and patterns and food. They each picked a theme from ONCE UPON A TIME and went from there.
Needlesstosay I had a wonderful time seeing plenty of new fabrics and quilts I want to make. The kids got prizes at each shop and candy and food of course. Quilting is my addiction and it is something I love to do each day if I get a chance. I got to visit about 6 of my favorite shops and had a great visit with Mara Rands. The kids got to feed the ducks at Gardner Village so everyone had a great day.

Anyone wanting to quilt - I'll drop everything to do it with you!!!!!