I Don't Just Watch TV All Day, I Promise.

I have always loved the TV channel that does 25 days until Christmas. They run Christmas shows all month long and I think it's great, but since when is Harry Potter and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory a Christmas movie? I think it should be a month long of Frosty, Rudolph and the Heatmizer...all those timeless claymation Christmas movies that I grew up watching.


However, I have noticed that my children do not get as excited as I do (or did, when I was a kid) when they come on. I remember it being such a treat to see Charlie Brown or Santa Claus Is Coming To Town coming on the TV.

They don't feel the same and I'm not sure why. Is it because we have purchased the complete box set of DVD's for Charlie Brown and the timeless Christmas claymation movies so they can watch them anytime they want...so what's the big excitement when it comes on TV?? Or could it be the animation is not nearly as good as the movies that they see today? Nevertheless, I love these movies and sometimes find myself watching them on my TV, while the kids are watching Hannah Montana on theirs.

Above all though, a Christmas movie that brings me so much joy and laughter...

Christmas Vacation. You just gotta love that movie! And you just gotta be thankful you don't have anybody in the family like Eddie....or maybe you do and you can just relate really well to Chevy Chase.

Good Email

This was in my inbox today. I enjoyed it, so thought I would share:

T'was the month before Christmas
When all through our land,
Not a Christian was praying
Nor taking a stand.
Why the Politically Correct police had taken away,
The reason for Christmas - no one could say.
The children were told by their schools not to sing,
About Shepherds and Wise Men and Angels and things.
It might hurt peopl e's feelings, the teachers would say
December 25th is just a " Holiday ".
Yet the shoppers were ready with cash, checks and credit
Pushing folks down to the floor just to get it!
CDs from Madonna, an X BOX, an I-pod
Something was changing, something quite odd!
Retailers promoted Ramadan and Kwanzaa
In hopes to sell books by Franken & Fonda.
As Targets were hanging their trees upside down
At Lowe's the word Christmas - was no where to be found.
At K-Mart and Staples and Penney's and Sears
You won't hear the word Christmas; it won't touch your ears.
Inclusive, sensitive, Di-ver-is-ty
Are words that were used to intimidate me.
Now Daschle, Now Darden, Now Sharpton, Wolf Blitzen
On Boxer, on Rather, on Kerry, on Clinton !
At the top of the Senate, there arose such a clatter
To eliminate Jesus, in all public matter.
And we spoke not a word, as they took away our Faith
Forbidden to speak of salvation and grace.
The true Gift of Christmas was exchanged and discarded
The reason for the season, stopped before it started.
So as you celebrate "Winter Break"
Under your "Dream Tree"
Sipping your Starbucks, listen to me.
Choose your words carefully, choose what you say

PROUDLY SAY:

"MERRY CHRISTMAS",

Not "Happy Holiday"

Could You Imagine Life Without A Washing Machine!?

My post from yesterday got me to thinking what kinds of things I couldn't live without, (or wouldn't want to) and those things that I possibly could live without. I am speaking of technology and "things", not family, friends, children, God, because of course that IS life. So here is my list:

Things I wouldn't WANT to live without (not that I couldn't):

washing machine
dryer
dishwasher
telephone
microwave
car
Burt's Bees Lip Balm


Things I COULD (possibly) live without (not that I want to):

t.v.
dvr/teevo(I don't even have this now...is that even what they are called?)
cell phone
computer/Internet (I love it, but I lived without it for 30 years, so I figure I could give it up if I had to)
DVD player in the car (Ooh, but that's a tough call)
hair dryer (although it wouldn't be pretty)
curling iron

That's about all I can think of at the moment. Any other ideas?

Something to Ponder

What have I missed?? My hard drive crashed and I have been without a computer for a few days. Fortunately, they were able to save all of my stuff! Whew! Anyway, not having a computer for a couple of days was paralyzing. I couldn't read my favorite blogs, couldn't do a quick google reference, and most importantly, couldn't work. Whoever once said, "you don't miss it until it's gone," was so very true, however, I don't think that person was referring the the world wide web.

Seriously, think about it...we have everything literally at the tips of our fingers. It's almost too convenient, too easy. It's no wonder that we have become so lazy. I mean, why call a friend when you could just text them? Why go out and fight crowds at the mall, when you can just sit in your pj's and order all your Christmas presents? You can even find a partner on the Internet...who needs good old fashioned courting? Mmmmmm...says something about our generation, doesn't it? Just imagine what our children's generation will be like.

Oh, but it's so good to have a computer again!! What did I ever do without one?

For Laughs

Thought I would share this video of comedian,Jim Gaffigan as he talks about holidays, in hopes that it brings some laughter your way today.



Have a happy Thanksgiving.

Greatest Gift Of All

The other night the girls and I put up our playroom Christmas tree and of course we pulled out the Christmas music to put us in the mood. I had a ball watching the girls pull out the ornaments and squeal with delight as they found their "favorites" and carefully found a good spot for them on the tree. They laughed and giggled as they did this together and it brought me so much joy to watch.

Later, T and I gave them the Walmart, Target and American Girl catalogs that had come in the mail to look through so that they could begin their wish lists to Santa. Alabama (oh, I'm a fan of some Christmas country!) was playing quietly on the Cd player while my girls were "oooh-ing" and "ahhh-ing" over toys, dolls, and games. I heard a lot of "Ooooh, I REALLY want THAT!," and "Gotta have THIS," but what I heard above it all was the laughter, the smiles, the excitement, the joy, ..the memory that they were making sitting right their on their bean bags. Belly laughter, rolling around on the bean bags, messed up hair, pj's on, making a wish list for Santa along with best friend, sister.

T noticed it too, and we both looked at each other with affection, and I said to him, "You know what? We have already given them one of the biggest gifts that we ever could.....each other. A sister."

Although I do have a brother and a sister, they are 8 and 9 years my senior, so as you can imagine, I was somewhat like an only child growing up. Years have seemed to make the 8 year gap grow smaller somehow and I'm extremely lucky to have both my brother and my sister, yet as I looked at my girls that evening, I couldn't help but feel a slight bit of jealousy because I didn't have the same experience. The joy of growing up together with a sibling is priceless.

I know that most days around my house don't exactly look as nice and "Hallmark-ish", because the reality is that they fight and argue quite a bit. On days like those, I could "sell them for a nickel and get change," as a very, wise lady recently told me. However, on the good days, I'm always overjoyed when I see the two of them bonding, loving each other, and enjoying each other. A great gift. I hope they will always see it that way themselves. I hope that they always see each other as a forever friend.

"A sister...A little bit of childhood that can never be lost."

"Having a sister is like having a best friend you can't get rid of. You know that whatever you do, they'll still be there."

All this being said, I don't think that either one of them would appreciate no gifts on Christmas morning and us informing them that we had already given them the huge gift of "sisterhood", so we'll let them keep writing their wish list, even though the former sure would be a lot easier on the pocketbook.

Different

All the local shops are gearing up for Christmas. Walmart even had out Chritmas decorations before Halloween I'm pretty sure.(Look..I have even decorated my blog with Christmas colors) The wish lists have begun, spinning from all the toy commercials on t.v. right now. This is the time that most of us start losing control, spending too much money and worrying about what the Christmas dinner will consist of.

I ran across this video at holyexperience today and thought I would also share it here. Take a look.



Let's try to be different this year.

Flower Girls and Dancing Divas

I love seeing the personalities of my children develop. It's equally as satisfying to see how different their personalities are from one another. I really saw this during the past weekend as they participated as flower girls in their cousin's wedding. The weekend was jammed packed full of events and social gatherings with many people they had never met, or family that they have only seen a handful of times. I had no idea how they would handle those situations, much less how they would handle walking down an aisle with hundreds of eyes on them. They did great..fantastic in fact.

M's personality really showed the day of the wedding. All dressed up in white and flowers in her ringlet hair, she was cutting up laughing and doing "magic tricks" for the bride and the bridesmaid in a tiny room as they waited for wedding time. She didn't show an ounce of shyness, as a matter of fact quite outgoing. After the actual ceremony the bridesmaids were sitting on the first pew of the church and M walked past them all and gave them high-fives, as if her "team" had won a ballgame. At the reception, I couldn't find her and then I saw her in the middle of the dance floor, surrounded by all the bridesmaids and bride dancing. She partied hard with them that night and loved every minute of it.

K, was not as outgoing, but she was very polite and sweet (AS ALWAYS!). Every time I glanced at her, her beauty just floored me. She is such a striking little girl. K tends to be a little shy, but this weekend she wasn't. When someone asked her something, she answered loud enough for them to hear and held her head up proud. (Man, I sure was proud) She is gracious and kind, always remembering to say "please" and "thank you".

It was a fun weekend. Weddings are special and even more special when you can be a part of them. I am sure that M & K will now start planning their own weddings. I guess their Dad and I better start saving now.

Here are a few pictures of my little flower girls.










And here is M with a new bridesmaid "friend"(Y&the R star) and another celeb that you might recognize from the movies. (I have removed their names because I have gotten SO MUCH traffic on my website from putting their names on here and that was a little scary)

A Family Wedding

My girls were in a cousin's wedding this weekend in Ponte Vedra this past Saturday. More to come (and more pictures too). Just wanted to share this sweet one today.

My Trick or Treaters