50 Days: Christmas Eve

What can I say about Christmas Eve. It is such a wonderful time. It's that feeling of knowing that Christmas Day, the day you have been waiting for for a long while, is finally just a moment away. There are some wonderful traditions on Christmas Eve that we have always participated in- one is a Candlelight service. These are especially wonderful. I cannot remember a Christmas when we (my family) would not go to a Candlelight service at church.
This year was no different. We got back a little over an hour ago from the La Center Church service. We all took part in this service. Dad did the scripture readings and sermon. (and yes, at the end he did the whole Joy to the World thing that I had mentioned a friend nicknamed him for.) Mom was in the worship team playing Violin. My sisters sang a trio of Breath of Heaven with my mother. (It worked well cuz my sister is 7 or 8 mo. prego). I sang a solo- The Christmas Shoes-which I botched up the ending, so it was a bit embarrassing, but people still loved the solo. I also did the video taping of the service and so that was fun.

The Eve of Christmas is such a wonderful time. May you remember the true meaning of CHRISTMAS on this Eve of the celebration of Christ's Birth.

1 Day until Christmas  (actually around 3 hours and 5 minutes away)

Exciting stuff.

50 Days: Fireplace.

I really love having fireplaces- weather real or fake.  When I was younger, my family had a house with a real wood stove. I loved the smell of the real fire, but the energy that you have to put into is not my favorite. Im speaking of having to go woodcutting in the summer with all those bees around, and also the fact that you have to go out in the morning to get the wood for the fire from outside.

I also love other fireplace types such as pellet stoves, gas fireplaces, and inserts such as that. I love the fireplace that I had at my former house in Bend. It was a great house with an awesome gas stove that turned on by a thermostat. And it kicked out the heat like nothing else. Awe (wait for it...) some!

Well, during Christmas, I love having fireplaces with stocking hung by them. It just is so festive and wonderful.

2 Days until Christmas!

Fire up that place if you got em- It just adds to the ambiance.

50 Days: Travels

I'm altering my blogging once again. Yes, I have decided that today's posting of Christmas will be a love-hate part of the Christmas Tradition- Travel.
It seems every year, there is some sort of Christmas Travels. When I was younger, we almost every year went down to California to visit family on my mother's side. We would get up before, a day after, or even sometimes ON Christmas, and we would travel 9 hours on the road. Over the river and through the woods to Grandmother's house we would go. It would always be snowy on the roads, being December, and so that would slow us down some.

On those trips, when I was younger, and even now when I go on long travel trips, I would be so excited that I would not want to sleep. I would be ready for Christmas and constantly thinking of the trip and the fun and just not get to sleep one wink. This was not fun when I was younger because it would make the waiting for the trip extremely long, whereas if I would have just gotten to sleep, when I awoke I would have been ready to go. It also was a bummer because I would be grouchy. My family knows this about my quite a bit- the grouchy factor on long trips or vacations.

Travels are inevitable for the holidays around my house. This year is no different- I made travels on Monday morning, nice and early to get to La Center, WA to visit the parents and I am excited to see my sisters, bro in law, and niece soon.

50 Days: Miracle on 34th Street.

This post is dedicated to one of my favorite Christmas stories- Miracle on 34th Street. Miracle was originally released on May 2, 1947. Wow, who would've thought that a Christmas movie like Miracle was released in the month of May!

You may be wondering which Miracle I prefer. There are two very good versions- the 1947 version or the  1994 version by John Hughes. Well, sadly, they are both just so amazing that I cannot choose a preference.

The great qualities of the original version are as follows:
Its the original- unique qualities matter to me.
The Santa Clause- Edmund Gwenn did an excellent acting job.
The courtroom part in the end when they bring in all the mail to determine he's Santa (ops, spoiler Alert)
The Judges advisor friend- Fred from I Love Lucy- he's funny with all his warnings and face-making.
"Gosh, everyone knows your not s'posed to lie... specially in court!"- best line ever by a cute kid.
The fact that the store is Macy's- not a knock-off name that the knockoff company paid to have use.
Acting like a Monkey.

The great qualities of the remake version are as follows:
the remake stays true to its original story and is well done.
Susan- I love Mara Wilson- She is just the cutest, most polite little thing in this movie... she's about my age (1987) and a Red-head.. I wonder if she's married? ;)
The look of the Santa- he just looks like a Santa should.
John Hughes- He was (yeah, I was bummed that he is no longer with us) an amazing writer. Pretty much anything of his that I have seen, I have thoroughly enjoyed. Think about the movies you have watched by him.- Miracle, Home Alone, Planes Trains and Autos, Ferris Bueller, Pretty in Pink, 16 Candles, Breakfast Club, all good stuff.
The fact they brought God into the movie in parts. Awesome

There are some great parts about both movies, but I just can't choose one. I have to watch em BOTH!

4 Days until Christmas!
Ya gotta watch both versions of Miracle this season. Borrow from me if you need to.

50 Days: Spending time with Family

As I sit here in my parent's new house with the Christmas decorations all done up. Getting to spend lots of time with my family is very important to me. I enjoy spending time with those closest to me. Around Christmastime it is even MORE important. We have so many traditions (as you can tell if you have read my other 45 Christmas postings) that just make the holidays the best, and they are so much more special sharing these traditions with my family.

I look forward to sharing these holiday traditions with my future family as well. Traditions that can be passed down from generation to generation. Perhaps my future children will take some of these traditions and add some new ones of their own and pass those down. It's a never-ending cycle. (at least I hope).

My sister, brother-in-law, and niece (two technically- Selah in womb) will be traveling into town in a few days, I am here already, and the last addition to the complete the family is my other sister, Kelli who is always fashionably late and will be traveling in the next day. We will all be here for Christmas Eve and Christmas Morning. I am excited to have the whole family here for Christmas and also for the Christmas Eve service at my parents' church.

5 Days until Christmas!
May we all spend lots of time with loved ones this Christmas Season!

50 Days: Candlelight Service

For many many years, I have been a fan of the Traditional Christmas Eve Candlelight Service. I can remember going to these each year. When I was very young, the family was a part of the First Baptist Redmond Candlelight Service, and then later on, we had our Faith Community Candlelight as well, and then more recently, FBC Bend had one and now I am a part of New Hope, and they do similar Candlelight Services. (three of em)

I got a kick out of some friends' family that calls my father Hitler because of Candlelight services. The thing is that, dad leading a Candlelight service, being a pastor, everyone gets a tiny candle to light and are asked to mimic his movements. At the end of the service, it always ends with Joy to the World. All the candles are lit and my father proceeds to raise his candle up and then everyone else mimics. Then for another verse he brings it down, and mimics, and then up again, and then down. So, my friends noticed how much they felt like they were hailing Hitler. WOW, right?

I am very excited to be in La Center with the family this Christmas Eve and be attending their church for the service. I will be performing a solo as well. I can't decide on the solo though. I have accompaniment for O Holy Night as well as The Christmas Shoes. What do you think?

6 Days until Christmas!

Less than a week. It all happens THIS Saturday!

50 Days: Snow

What a perfect day to have a posting about SNOW! right? This was even my scheduled day for posting about snow. wow. Well, over here in Redmond, we got about a foot of snow last night and more is on the way.

What is so great about snow? Well, its pure. Its water, which is always good. It is wet and cold and that moment right before you hit someone in the face with a snowball is just... Magical!

It reminds me of a recent Office episode. Jim gets Dwight with a Snowball and the rest of the episode, Dwight is getting back at Jim with snowballs. Exciting stuff.

This picture is one of Pixar with his legs being covered up by the snow. It came all the way up to his body. We were having a good time of romping and playing around in the snow this morning.

I love the snow. But, the question is, would I love the snow if I had it year-round? I don't think so. It would not remind me of Christmastime either. I would just get used to the snow and it would leave me with no wonder and Awe of the snow!

I do not like driving in the snow, though. Sure, the cookies in the vacant parking lot where no one can be hurt are fun, but aside from that, driving in the snow is NO FUN! It makes me tense. I am more worried about the other drivers than I am about myself. Lets see how I feel about the Snow and driving after Monday (when I am driving over the pass)!

7 Days until Christmas!

Snow, Snow, Snow, Snow, SNOW! (Now that I have my family singing, I'll leave ya)

50 Days: Christmas Break

I'm sure we all remember the days of formal schooling and how exciting it was to get to Christmas (Holiday because they have to be politically correct) Break! Isn't it great how the last few days are all about the holidays and it doesn't really feel like school, but more like daycare... (I am talking mostly of Elementary School here, not HS which usually has finals on the last week). I mean, you go into any elem. school today and you are going to find (I would guess) around 95% of classes are having a party at the end of the day. They will have a movie and popcorn and candy.

I know it's scary, but the only thing I could find.

Kids will get to lay on the floor and chill out while they watch The Polar Express, or The Grinch. It is a fact. And also before the holiday party, the time is spent in doing Christmas coloring pages, and art projects and any other filler.
But, that is what makes the holiday break so much fun. Teachers can't get anything done the day before Christmas- its all classroom filler because students are hyped up and thinking about Christmas and the Break they get from school.

I remember my Christmas breaks and how exciting it was. So much fun- to stay at home, and play in the snow, and watch movies, and get ready for Christmas.

8 Days until Christmas!

Take time this season to remember what made you smile as a Child- things like Christmas Break!

50 Days: Staying up Late

I have always been a fan of the Christmas tree. I have previously posted about some ideas involving the Christmas tree, but this is a special posting about my yearly Christmas tree- Its about staying up late to watch the Christmas tree.

When I was younger, (and even now), I found that I could not sleep on Christmas Eve. Too much excitement. I couldn't wait for Christmas morning and I jumped the gun on Christmas Eve. (also we were often traveling to Cali. on Christmas Day and a big trip also makes me not sleep well) So, what did I do with all that time that I could not sleep on Christmas Eve? Many things, but one that happens every year is Watching the Christmas lights and tree with all the lights off in the dead of night. It is so peaceful to look at the presents, the ornaments, the decorations, the tree, and not hear a sound because everyone else is sleeping. I love doing this and I don't think I will ever outgrow it.
One year, I came out and my sisters had the same idea. I walked quietly down the hall to the main room and one (or both, I forget) was out just sitting in the living room enjoying the peacefulness.

I will have to save another Christmas Eve story for Christmas Eve when I blog about Christmas Eve!

9 Days until Christmas! 

We are finally into the single digets!

Musical Instrument selections

So, I have always been facinated with the selection of musical instruments from students. What I mean by that is, if you have been around band instruments and students long enough you can guess fairly accurately what instrument the student plays.
Try it sometime.

There are just some stereotypes that really work well. I am no expert on this, and it is not a exact science. There are exceptions, but there are definite rules.


For example, it seems that the goof off guys are either play Trombone, or Percussion. There are no girls in these instrument selections. It would just be wrong.

The bigger guys all go for the Tuba. You don't usually see a bean pole in the Tuba section- for one thing, he would fall over from the massive weight of the Tuba- he would get crushed. Also, you don't see pretty girls in the tuba section either. (Sorry, Ella- you are an exception to that rule, but think about your other instrument- Violin- def. an instrument I would see you playing)

Also, think about the Flute section. Are you thinking about them. Now, do you see a guy in there ANYWHERE?? Nope, you don't because the flute section seems to have all the popular girls in it. If you caught a guy in there, well then he is in big trouble. (or he just wants to be with all the popular girls, but it won't help him out- Flute is not a manly instrument.)

Now, Clarinet is a difficult one to put a finger on. It DOES have a mixture of both guys and girl, but I would say majority is of girls. No huge stereotypes there.

Saxaphone... Usually those are the loudmouths. Mostly made of guys, but can have some ladies as well. The ones you know when they enter the room.

Trumpet is mostly guys. They are goof-offs too, but not to the extent of the Trombones or the Percussion players.

The other instruments that are more specific and not as chosen usually go to the perfect children that can handle the "Difficult" instruments. They are the ones that are musically inclined and everyone knows it. The Oboes, the French Hornys, the Bass Clarineters, the Barisaxists, the bassoonites. They know they are good and already have music in their blood so they already know what instrument, although obscure, is their favorite.

That is my observations from the years I have spent in Bands in school as well as growing up in a musical family and going to many performances. I realized that very much tonight as I was attending my Alma Matre- Redmond High's Band Christmas Concert. I got there to find out that some of my former 5th Grade Student Teaching Students were in the 9th grade (time flies right) band. As I perused the band members names and found ones I knew from that former class, I was not a bit surprised by where the students stood. WOW.

50 Days: Wrapping Paper

I have had two different theories of Wrapping Paper in the past. I used to get the cheapest Wrapping Paper as I could get. I would get the cheapo $1 paper that was paper-thin- as in really easy to rip- and not having much on the roll. I thought that all wrapping paper was like that. Then one time, I used someone else's paper and found how thick and easy their wrapping paper was and realized I should get higher quality wrapping paper.

So, that is when I found Hallmark! Hallmark has high-quality paper that is special. Their paper is lined on the back for cutting straight lines. Now, that I have Hallmark paper, I don't go anywhere else. I just love the quality of the paper and I find some good designs too which is a nice bonus.

What I like to do is go to Hallmark a day or two after Christmas and get the paper at  50% or more off. It works great and each year I am going to get paper for the next year. Right now, I have just started this idea and so the last few years I have done this and am starting to get a good collection going. I have 3 different Christmas-themed papers- two unopened, one being used. And I have two Birthday types as well. One opened, the other not. Eventually, I will get my collection up and have many to choose from. I like using one paper per year so all my presents are of one type. I know, not much diversity, but thats alright. Its all uniform. hehe

10 Days until Christmas! That's a Wrap!

50 Days: The Christmas Story

I love to listen to the Christmas Story. Without fail, each Holiday season at church, your pastor is going to do a Christmas series. The creative ones usually have a theme that hides it but still encompasses the story in it. I have already mentioned how much I enjoy Advent at church, hearing the Christmas story every year is also such a great reminder of the true meaning of Christmas for me that I can't go a year without it.

Another part of this posting is about my family.

Each year, after we all get up and watch part of the parade with our stockings, and then eat Christmas Breakfast, after that we gather around the tree and the inevitable happens.... we read the Christmas story.
(I know you were probably thinking after all that, it was going to be open presents right?)
Well, After the Christmas story, that is when the presents are opened, one by one, youngest to oldest. (Mom's last, haha).

I used to just get SO impatient with this tradition of Christmas morning. I wanted to get everyone up at 6AM (a few hours after I had already gotten up) and get straight to the presents. I was young, and I have always really had a one-track mind. Now, I thoroughly enjoy the Christmas Traditions on Christmas Morning.
About the Christmas story. Dad has us all get our bibles and we participate in the reading of the story. Until we were old enough, we would just listen, but when we were able to read well enough, we were given a passage to read. Another funny thing is the Ellithorpe (Mother's side of the family) Curse. This is where everything reminds you of a song and you have to sing it. Its not just an option, it is something you HAVE to do. Well, you know there are lots of parts in the Christmas Story that are taken from The Messiah (the composition)- that means that every part in there has to be sung like the Messiah. Mom started it, but the sisters and I have grown into it as well. I still fight the Ellithorpe Curse, but every year, whether I like it or not we have to sing.... Glory to God, Glory to God in the Highest!


Another great memory is having my Brother-in-law (Sister's Boyfriend at the time) when he was a new Christian and he got to read the part of the Magi. He read it as Maggie instead of Maj-eye. We all have a great laugh about that. Awesomeness.

So there is my memories of the Christmas Story. It would not be Christmas without this story.

12 Days until Christmas! What's your favorite part of the Christmas Story? 

(Mine's the fact that Mary was a virgin- it makes you think about how scary that would be as a 14 or 15 year old girl)

50 Days: Christmas Breakfast

Opps, I did it again, I played with your.... Nevermind.  But, yes, I did it again. I meant to do two posts yesterday to catch up with my Blogging from Sunday and I did not. I will try again today.


Yesterdays Posting is Christmas breakfast!
My mother always made a tradition of Christmas Breakfast. When we were younger, she made Swedish Tea-Ring. 
"A Swedish Tea Ring is a delicious Christmas bread made with raisins, nuts, brown sugar and cinnamon. A yeast bread, but filled like a jellyroll, the Swedish tea ring makes a beautiful presentation. If you love to bake, you will love this delicious dessert." (E-How)

I was never really into the Tea Ring. I didn't eat much of it ever. I believe my sisters were the same. Mom always thought that it was because we ate so much candy from our stockings when we got up that we did not leave room for Breakfast. That probably was partially true as well, but  a big factor for me was that I didn't really enjoy tea ring all that much.


One year, we were talking about the Tea Ring and one of us, might have been me, I don't remember, just mentioned that it wasn't a favorite.  Mom, was so surprised. She asked the other kids what they thought about it and it was pretty much unanimous that it wasn't thought of a such a treat, so my mother looked for a different traditional Christmas Breakfast.

She came up with a sweet-roll- cinnamon carmel swirl thing that is AMAZING. I am glad that one of us mentioned that the Swedish Tea Ring was not a favorite, because mom made it all those years thinking it was such a special thing, not realizing we didn't enjoy it that much. We all DO enjoy the totally-bad-for-you-Caramel-Cinnamon-Swirliness of the new breakfast tradition.

12 Days until Christmas (Yesterday)!

Do you have any special eating traditions on Christmas?

50 Days: Christmas Light Viewing

You may be wondering where my post yesterday went off to... Me too. I was so busy with our Annual HUB Christmas Party that I had no time to post (and to be quite honest, totally forgot about it) so I get to do two today. This one is from yesterdays and then Christmas Breakfast it today's posting.

So, as for Christmas Light Viewing, it is a topic that makes me smile, reminding me of good times with family. Each year, until a few years ago, my family would take a car ride around the town to see some great Christmas lights. We would go to Eagle Crest (I've already mentioned that) and we would also go around Redmond to find some good lighting displays. Most often, we would go to "The Hill"- a higher class area in Redmond with nice big houses. (BTW- I love that as I am writing this post, I am listening to It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas sung by Harry Connick Jr.- I didn't put it on, it just was on rotation)
I always got a kick out of the different styles that everyone liked. You could always tell the type that I like because it is very straight and tight- not loosey goosey and gawdy.

13 Days until Christmas (yesterday)! So exciting. 

Have you put up your Christmas Lights yet?

50 Days: Christmas-Themed Books

I have already mentioned one Christmas book in my blog postings. Anyone guess which one that was?  
It was the Polar Express! I remember the Polar Express from way back when. I can still see my 5th grade class sitting in the library of what was Edwin Brown Elementary and what is now Brown Alternative High School and listening to Mrs. Hammer read the Polar Express to us and just falling in love with the illustrations of Chris VanAllsburg. WOW.

Another one that I really enjoy is Jan Brett. She has som great Christmas-themed books. The Wild Christmas Reindeer and especially The Night Before Christmas. She has so many great Christmas books from which to choose.






Some novels that I enjoy reading that I try to read each Christmas are:

The Last Holiday Concert, by Andrew Clements

A Christmas Carol, by Charles Dickens

And one of my very favorites that I can't go a Christmas season without reading-(and by which I have misplaced sadly, Im looking for it today) is The Best Christmas Pageant Ever by Barbara Robinson.

14 Days until Christmas! 

What Christmas-themed book are you reading this holiday season?

50 Days: Presents under the Tree

You may not like this, but I sneak and peek at my Chirstmas Presents. I am not a person who likes surprises. It doesn't excite me to wonder what I am getting and wait to find out what it is. I am the curious type that has to know NOW what I am getting- not in 15 days. So I always find a way to sneak a peek at my presents. When I was younger, I always shook my presents and tried to open them early, but nowadays I have gotten smarter about it.

I love to sit in view of the Presents under the tree. More on that to follow, but it is such a sight for me to see presents under the tree. Not that I get excited because they are mine, but because someone was thinking of someone else. I even put my presents under my tree here at my house because it gives me joy. None are mine, but the sight is a wonderful thing.

I have already mentioned this a bit before, but, I really liked how my parents did not dispell the Santa Rumor, but also didn't hype it up. Even when we were young, they put out presents under the tree early. I think I woud like to do the same for children, when I have some.

15 Days until Christmas! Have you put out your presents under the tree yet?

50 Days: Events

The Christmas Events that are just so fun, I have already talked about a bit- Local Christmas Parades, The Holiday Tree Lighting, Eagle Crest Light show, and Sunriver activities (Sleigh Rides ext).
One Christmas event that I haven't mentioned is Christmas Specials.
I really enjoy Holiday Specials. Some are not so good, but others are awesome. The Peanuts shows started out as TV specials and now look at em- they are making bank on those shows.

Others are just pop culture gibberish, but I still like them. A few that come to mind when talking about those other TV Holiday Specials are Merry Madagascar, and Shrek the Halls.
One that I was really looking forward to last year and got to see most of was Prep and Landing- A Pixar-created Holiday Special. It was awesome and thanks to a friend posting on Facebook this morning, I took a look and found out that ABC is showing it once again this year- TONIGHT! It is on at 8:30 I believe. I am excited. I will be tuning in and if you like Pixar (My dog, and the actual company) you should tune in to ABC as well.

16 Days until Christmas!

What is your favorite Christmas Special or Event?

50 Days: Gift ideas

Each year, around November I start thinking about what I might want for Christmas. The great thing is that, ultimately, I have everything I need. I always get a kick out of my father, of whom every year when I ask him what he would like for Christmas says the same thing: "I have everything I need". It is a great thing to have family members who do not need thing after thing. I think it is because we all realize that it is not about the gifts. It can "come with out ribbon or boxes or bags" (Grinch Reference in case you missed it).

We all have more than we need. God has given us so much. But it sure makes it tough to find gifts for someone who says they have everything they need. I like to get gift ideas from my family members. Sure it may take out a bit of the surprise, but I ensures the gift is something that is wanted.
The same goes for me. I should be the easiest person to shop for, because I make my list and they can ask for ideas and Ill give em some.

This year, we were asked to give a gift idea for a larger present rather than smaller ones. That is a problem for me because the gifts that I would like that are larger are TOO large and I would not want the parents to spend that kind of money. So, I have had to come up with some other ideas. We shall see how they work out.

17 Days until Christmas!

Do you have all your gift ideas planned out yet?

50 Days: Smell of Christmas Tree

Well, for a quick update. Yesterday I DID get a tree topper, but even though I wanted an angel to top it, I could not find one that I liked and I did find a Star that I liked, so that will be my tradition (at least for a while). It is a large lit-up star that changes colors. I really like the look of it.

The smell of the Christmas Tree is such an amazing thing. Isn't it great how a smell like that can bring back memories or joy or sadness. When I first got my christmas tree this year (a few weeks ago now), the smell just permeated the house. Now, a few weeks old, the smell is not so prevalent, but is still a smell that brings joy to me.
If you get one of those fake tree, you don't get that smell. I feel sorry for you!

18 Days until Christmas!

It's coming upon us fast now!

50 Days: Angels on Treetops

You might be wondering about this interesting posting title. Well, I already talked about Angels in the form of snow (or is that snow in the form of angels?) but this posting of Angels is about a different kind of angels. Angels are, afterall, from the Realms of Glory.

The angels I am talking about today in my posting is the ornamental angels that are tree toppers. Growing up, for as long as I can remember, we had an Angel Tree Topper. It is another one of those Kirkman Christmas Traditions. Sadly, this original angel, being porcelain at the head and hands, inevitably, from tree and children mishaps, got broken.
Well, moms solution to that is HOT GLUE GUN! If anything is broken in that material, she gets down the Hot Glue Gun and tries her best to repair. That Angel tree topper should have been thrown a few years earlier than it did. We just did not ever want to get rid of such a family tradition such as that. Well, a few years ago, a replacement was found and the tradition of having an angel tree topper has been kept alive.

For me, I do not have an Angel tree topper. The first year I had my own tree, my roommate, Shawn, decided that we could use a larger star ornament that I had and we tacked it to the roof of the place. It hung down almost perfectly to top the tree. This year, I think I need to find a legit tree topper, wether a star or angel or whatnot.

19 Days until Christmas!

Can you believe it- under 20 now and where I am it is snowing wonderfully.

50 Days: Advent

For those who don't know, Advent is a celebration in church services in December. It is the tradition of lighting candles each Sunday in the Advent month (December) up to Christmas. Usually (at least in churches I have been in,) one candle is lit each week leading up to Christmas and then Christmas Eve is when all candles (or just the last one) are lit.
I have wonderful memories of Advent weeks in Church and today is the mark of the traditional start (1st Sunday in December) of Advent.  I was sad to find this morning at church that we do no Celebrate Advent in the way I know- no candles were lit and there was no talk of Advent.
From recalling last years Christmas Eve Service at church, they do participate in lighting candles then, but sadly it is not a weekly lighting leading up to Christmas. How sad.

Advent is one of the great things about the Christmas Season. It is a Sunday tradition and I am sad that it is not a month-long advent at New Hope. Oh well, at least I am still taking a Candy Cane on Sundays as we did in our home. I am about to get my Candy Cane for today.

20 Days until Christmas!

Does your church celebrate Advent?

50 Days: Christmas Parade

I have always enjoyed Christmas Parades. In terms of large-scale parades, I like to watch the Parade on Christmas Morning on TV. The Rose Parade or whatever it is called. I have mentioned that a bit already when talking of Stockings, I believe. It is just so amazing to me the time and effort people put into making these floats. WOW.

On a smaller scale, I also enjoy the local Christmas Parades. Growing up in Redmond, we always went to the Christmas Starlight parade right after Thanksgiving. It was one of the best parades Redmond put on because people always gave away candy, (at least that was my reasoning when I was younger.) I loved looking at all the parade entries with lights- all decorated up cars and floats and flatbeds, ... and fire engines? One year, I was in the Redmond Parade with the RHS Marching Band. Not the most fun time in the world. ;) I get a kick out of our po-dunk-ness in Redmond some times. But, as a kid, I still loved watching the parades.

I was thinking of heading to Bend this morning to visit their Parade that starts at noon, but I believe I will instead stay home and watch the Civil War game. I will probably turn to the COTV channel and watch it (when there is a commercial break from football) if they are showing it live, but I know that is totally cheating. That's just the way it's got to be.
If you are attending a local Parade, I respect you for taking the time to go out there and support others.

21 Days until Christmas!

Do you hope the snow stays as much as I do?

50 Days: Christmas Movies

Christmas movies are wonderful. I used to love to watch the 25 Days of Christmas movie lineup on ABC Family. Then, a few years ago, I decided to make my own 25 Days of Christmas movies.  See, my family used to always watch certain movies at Christmastime. It's a wonderful life was always on Christmas eve (after the lights- previous posting) and of course days before that we watched White Christmas and Miracle on 34th street and Christmas in Connecticut.

EVERY year we watched these movies, and usually in a certain order. I took this idea and made a huge list that I like to follow. I cannot get the whole family to commit to every night for these movies, (they actually have lives at some point), but for the big ones, we always watch together.


For my 25 Days of Christmas Movies list, I start with the ones that are not as timeless, or popular, and work my way up to the best movies RIGHT before Christmas. Take a look at my list if you like on a previous posting (last year) Tim's 25 Days of Christmas Movies!

22 Days until Christmas! 

What movies do you watch for the holidays?

50 Days: Christmas Carols- High School Choir

I remember my High School choir very fondly. Mr. Swearingen, we called him Swear, was such a fun teacher; Someone of whom you could joke around with. He was someone who really cared about his students and was always the life of the Choir. I really don't know how they could have ever replaced him. He was a very popular teacher and his Spring choirs were well known for being outrageous with fun songs- that must be why we had over 125 students for many of those Spring concerts.
Another thing that his choirs were known for was singing Christmas carols around the Redmond schools on the last day before Christmas break. I remember sitting on the floor of my elementary school and listening to these huge high schoolers sing to me. When I got into High School, I had such a fun time singing these carols OVER and OVER again on the day before Christmas Break.
Jingle, Jingle, Jingle, Jingle, Jingle ....
God rest, ye merry gentlemen, God rest ye merry gentlemen,.... the men always had the repetitive songs.
And then the girls get their own song... O Come little children, o come one and all.... (while us guys were doing beatbox under our breath)

I remember very fondly of those trips. I wish Swear was still doing the same and I could be a part of it still.

23 Days until Christmas! 

The best way to spread Christmas Cheer is singing loud for all to hear!

50 Days: Christmas Cheer

Who doesn't have Christmas Cheer when it gets closer? Perhaps the single parent who has doesn't have enough money to get through the holidays. Or perhaps the single person with no family who sees everyone else sharing time with their loved ones and has none of their own. Yes, the holidays can be a depressing time for those people, but for most of us, it is such an amazingly happy, wonderful time. I believe that even those people who have no one or no money for their family can still enjoy the holiday season and have christmas cheer. If Christmas was all about the presents, then the later than there would be no way for the person without money to make it a good Christmas, but thankfully it is NOT!

I just get such a warm feeling inside when this time of year comes around. I always start the season so early because of that feeling that yearns for me to join in. The music helps the feeling of cheer, also the carols, the movies (which I get to start soon), the lights, the topics, the events (like christmas tree lightings), and many more ways allow the Christmas cheer to fill our lives.

Happy December Everyone!

24 Days until Christmas! Do you have the Cheer?

50 Days: Decorating the Tree

Once again, for the second time in a row, I seem to have more duplication in some sense. Today is about Decorating the Tree.
I decorated my tree last saturday and it looks amazing. I was discussing the idea of roommates with a friend a few days ago. My sister is the type who likes to do things with her roommates. They are planning to go get a tree together and decorate their house. I, on the other hand, don't really have a need to include my roommates in the process. I enjoy decorating on my own. I have all the stuff and got the tree and decorated it. I got a kick out of one of my roommates- when he saw me decorating over a week ago. He said- "Isn't Christmas a month away?" I looked at him and joyfully said, Yeah, it is!

25 Days until Christmas! The true countdown begins!

50 Days: Decorations- I know its a Dup!

Im sure you were all waiting impatiently by the computer screen for my 50 Days blogging post today. I know, I know, I usually kick it out nice and early in the day but this morning my puppy was having a fit that I was not paying attention to him. Also, I have very little inspiration today considering that the posting is kind of a duplicate of what I have already posted about- Decorations.
I have mentioned already that I have put up my decorations- Nutcrackers, Nativity, Candy Cane Boxes with nougats, all that. I put them up nice and early. I don't know what I was thinking- having "Decorations" and "Decorating the House" They are too similar.
Well, anyway, here is the token 50 Days of Christmas Blogging post, even though it is a duplicate.

On a side, un related note. I was driving home from AWANA tonight and there must have been some huge emergencies or two people were having babies soon and trying to get to the hospital fast, because there were some crazy impatient drivers out there tonight.

26 Days until Christmas! 

Im pretty much halfway done- 

(at least done with page two of my Blogging ideas schedule)

May I not be in such a hurry while driving 

.... and not have further duplicates

Pontificating the Cosmos- WOW (got that Truth Project people?)

Walking away from my College/Career group, The HUB, tonight, I knew EXACTLY what I was going to do when I got home. I could feel it in the air and I knew that it was something that I HAD to do...

Go in the Hot Tub at home!

The stars were so inviting and the wind was calm and there was a peace in the air that was calling to me, so that is what I did.

While I was out there I thought of how great it would be to be all alone at the top of a mountain bundled up (when am I EVER bundled up right?) and laying on the fresh snow, staring up at the sky with no one or nothing around me. Just me and God's AWEsome work.
Or perhaps, I could be out in the middle of the forrest with a huge clearing. There would be a circle of soft grass all around me bordered in the distance by trees. I swear, I could lay there for hours with not a care in the world.

There would be no house to block my view. There would be no cars driving on the highway in the distance. No dog to whine at the door that he was cold (yes, I had Pixar out there with me and he was a pain- made me go in earlier than I wanted to because of his whining). There would be nothing but me and God. WOW, I could really go for that right now. Couldn't you?

I felt so small as I was pondering the beauty of God's creation. I felt as though my worries- not having much money, or much work, or a permanent job- were all such tiny issues in the whole scheme of things.


When was the last time you stopped and slowed down to hear that still, small voice of God? I know it is few and far between for me at times.

50 Days: Eagle Crest

Eagle Crest is a high-roller resort just outside of Redmond. No, I have never stayed there. This blogging post is about their annual Christmas lights. Every year, around this time, they set up their Christmas lights that are all along their golf course and a road that you get to drive down by bringing a few dollars and some cans of food for a good cause. This was a family tradition until a few short years ago.
They are open from 5:50-9:30 every day from Thanksgiving to Jan.2. Go HERE for more info
I loved getting in the car every Christmas Eve and among other things, going to the Eagle Crest Starfest and looking at the lighted teddy bears, and snow skiers, and dragon in the middle of the golf course.
One thing that I think is pretty sweet is that Redmond High School's Tech program were involved in making some of the lighted pieces and Eagle Crest paid the school for their pieces. (It was the mostly the manufacturing class that did the pieces.

If you have not been to this event in the Central Oregon area, I encourage you to attend this year. It is very exciting.

27 Days until Christmas!  

May we light up the world 

and give holiday cheer like these light shows do!

50 Days: Tree

I have mentioned the tree a bit before in my blogging. My grandparents live in the Valley and they used to own some amount of acres (I can't remember the number, 50?) that they leased out to a tree farm company. I used to love to go go Grandpa and Grandma's because they had so many places that you could explore.  Many years, I would drive over to their house around early December and we would take our "Beast" - 68 Ford Truck- and fill it with fresh-cut Christmas Trees. Most would be for our Church around four 5-6ft trees, plus one HUGE tree for the back, and then we would also get one for our family as well.  Those days are long passed and my grandparents don't own that land any more so when they sold, we had to resort to buying a tree at a lot. Not nearly as much fun. We were also shell-shocked at how much money trees were going for. We always got ours for free (Besides the gas to get there).
So, we bought trees at lots from then on. We had never gone into the woods as a family to get trees, they just weren't as beautiful as the Christmas trees you get from a farm. A few years ago, my parents did the thing I have always dreaded... they got a FAKE tree! I have nightmares about this. Mom says "But it's such a beautiful tree". Any fake tree to me is not that beautiful, Sorry, I am a Christmas Purist.

One year, my sister and her roommate decided they wanted to get a tree from the woods so they got the permit or whatever you need, and asked me to help by driving our Truck. Being icy roads, I was not comfortable driving the truck up the mountain, so we got in my dad's (now mine) green Breeze with a trailer hooked up to it for the tree hauling. We started driving up the Santiam pass and the snow was getting more and more intrusive. It got so bad that I did not feel it was smart to keep going. We found a place and turned around and went back to Sisters with no tree. Then we decided to go up towards Three Creeks Lake and see if it was better driving conditions and to see if we could have better luck. We had the same problem, ice and snow as getting worse and worse, but this time it was a narrow road that I did not find places to turn around. It got so bad, we pulled to the side of the road, I unhooked the trailer, drove up a bit and turned around to get back to the trailer. What a pain. Again, we did not get to Christmas Trees.  On the way back down, since they had a permit, they wanted to cut down a tree so they did at the bottom near Sisters.  It was a sad, sad tree.

This is a perfect day for blogging about Christmas Trees because I am in La Center today and have decided to go to a UCut farm to get my yearly REAL Christmas Trees. Lets hope it goes well.

28 Days until Christmas! 

May you find your perfect Christmas Tree this year!

50 Days: Decorating the House

I thoroughly enjoy decorating my house. It is quite a tradition. My mother and father have 27 huge rubbermaid boxes full of Christmas decorations (Including decorative houses, tree stuff, nutcrackers, and various other trinkets.)
After Thanksgiving is the time in which it is acceptable to put up decorations but for my mother, not the tree until the 2nd Saturday of December. For me, it is NEVER too early to put up decorations and put up the tree.

I was bored for a bit last week and because I had time and nothing to do, (and because I was posting about the Santa Cup, I really wanted to put up my decorations, so I did. It looks SOOO great in my home. I have my own stash of Christmas boxes (4, I believe). Some of my items include, a nativity scene, a wooden Santa Sleigh, some garland that measures the top of part of my kitchen. It all looks so exciting and festive.

29 Days Until Christmas!

Have you festivated your house yet?

50 Days: Visiting Extended Family

The reason for having this blogging topic today is because- Thanksgiving is a time for visiting extended family as well. I am excited to be at the parents' home for this Thanksgiving along with one of my sisters, and we also get to see grandparents and an uncle as well.
It used to be, when we were younger, my family would drive up to The Dalles for Thanksgiving (the mutual meeting place for my fathers side of the family), and then drive down to California (the mutual meeting place for mom's side of the family) for Christmas.

There is such excitement when visiting extended family. To be able to see cousins and grandparents and aunts and uncles is such a great time. I used to spend a week at my grandparents house with my cousin of whom is my age. We would go run around the tree farm and get to go pick strawberries, and swim in a pool. Scott and I were good pals each summer, and so getting to see my cousins on Thanksgiving and Christmas. It is so nice that many are around the same age as my sisters and I.

I always got a kick out of Dinners full of family because there was always a "Kids" table. It usually consisted of myself, my sisters, and cousins. Mom always comments a memory from her father- "It's Checkerboard Square" because when she was younger they had family get-togethers and had a kids table.

30 Days until Christmas! 

Have a Merry Thanksgiving! 

(Yes, I just for fun Switched Happy with Merry)

50 Days: Candy Canes

Well, as I wrote yesterday, I switched my posting yesterday for Snowmen and Snowangels because of all the winterwonderland that I saw at the house in Redmond and knowing that today (when Snowmen and Snowangels were supposed to be blogged about) I would not have much to choose from. So, I ditched Candy Canes yesterday, but I am bringing it up today.

Candy Canes are such a treat. I love the Peppermint flavor. It reminds me of the holidays. As I mentioned in a previous posting, the only place for Candy Canes at our house is in the Santa Mug (and perhaps the tree).

I get a kick out of all the different types of Candy Cane flavors. I used to want to try all the different ones- the Blueberry, and Strawberry, and what not, but I have found that the only true Candy Cane is the original Peppermint.



Another place for Candy Canes in family tradition is on the Tree. When we were younger, we were only allowed to have a Candy Cane on Sundays after church. We couldn't wait to come home from church- not because dad's sermons were boring-cuz they weren't-, but because we wanted to get that weekly Candy Cane. When we decorated the tree, we put many Candy Canes up on the tree for our Sunday ritual. Such great memories.

Now, I don't know if you have read the book The Legend of the Candy Cane and if it is true- I assume it is- but you should check it out. It talks about the story of how the Candy Cane was made. It mentions why the shape is the shape and what it represents- a J for Jesus, and a Staff for the Shepherds, ect, ect. Borrow it from the Library to read it if available.

31 Days until Christmas!

Go get yourself a Candy Cane!

50 Days: Snowmen and Snowangels

I love Snow! It is such a great thing. One of my all-time favorite snow pastimes is making snowmen and snowangels. They are so much fun- to roll snow to make as big of a snowman as you can with the snow in your yard. Then you get to decorate it. I get a kick out of schoolyards after a big snow because there are about a million snowmen on the grounds. 


I always hated when it snowed and I wanted to go out to make a Snowman, but my mother, the devious person, would not allow me because SHE said "it wasn't Snowman Snow", but of course known by all kids, every snow is snowman snow- she just didn't want me to have fun outside. ;) But, seriously, I hated it when I was all set out to go make a snowman and the snow was not packing snow to stick together to make anything. What good is snow if it doesn't allow you to make Snowmen and SnowAngels.

Just for fun, I made a Snowangel this morning because of the posting coming up. Take a look.

To answer your questions, Yes, I did change the posting today from Candy Canes to Snowmen and Angels because of the weather. Yes, I did not have shoes on and my feet were freezing. Yes, I did look for snow-type pants and did not have any. Yes, I could have gotten my coat on, but with wearing shorts, I thought it would be better to be totally cold than get my coat wet. And finally, YES, I know I am crazy!

50 Days: Shopping

I enjoy shopping. But, it has to be "Male" shopping to let me enjoy it. There is a big difference between Male and Female shopping. Female shopping is where you go to the store not knowing what you want (or perhaps not even wanting to buy anything), and you go around to whatever shop suites you and you touch everything and look around for hours. Male shipping is where you are in need of something, you find a store that has it, and you go out and get it. It also may include shopping around for the best price- so you go to one store and look at their price and find it is too expensive and so you go to another store and get the same item there.
I don't know if those terms of Male and Female shopping are used other places than my family, but, stereotyping that it is, it is used in our family to describe the shopping trip.

Christmas is certainly a time for shopping, even though it is not the reason for Christmas.

I get a kick out of Black Friday. My family never used to do Black Friday deals, but in the past few years we have done a bit. We are not the type of BlackFridayers who get up at 3AM to be at store opening after store opening, but do occasionally go out to the less crowded stores at less crowded times.
Mom loves going to Fred Meyer around 8 or 9 or 10 in the morning to get socks. One year, we made a big deal out of it all and went into Bend and did the JCPenny thing and lots of other stores nice and early. I remember that I got a free Mickey Mouse Snowglobe.

A few years ago, I went out on my own and did Male shopping on Black Friday. I knew from the ads what I wanted to get- some really cheap DVDs at Target- and I went and got em. The store opened at 5AM that year and so I was in line waiting at 4:55. Sure, I was at the back of the line, but I was def. not going to wait out in the cold at 4AM sharp. I get in the store in time, and I husled down the aisle to get the few DVDs I wanted and then I husled back to the register. I am pretty sure, I was one of the first ones out of the store. That was male shopping at its best.

That is what I had planned this year. I have been looking online at pre-thanksgiving Black Friday ads and found that there were only a few things I wanted to get. I (so far) had planned to go just to Target on Friday morning nice and early, but I found the coolest thing this morning. I got an email from Amazon. They had an advertisement for Pre-Black Friday (or Cyber Monday) deals and mentioned they were offering deals matching Black Friday ads in stores.
I knew what I wanted to get at the Black Friday price, so I searched Amazon, and sure enough, the deal (im not going to mention it because it is a present and the receiver might be reading this) was available at Amazon- today. So, I bought it for the Black Friday price and it will be at my house on Wednesday. How exciting.

33 Days until Christmas! 

Is your Shopping done yet? (Or even started?)

50 Days: Frosty

Frosty the Snowman was a jolly happy soul. Is that the way we need to be as well- Jolly and Happy? I think so, especially on Christmas. One thing I love is Frosty the Snowman. I enjoy making Snowmen. It has been so long since I have gotten to make one, but the fun lasts for hours.

I remember one year that I was subbing, I took a subbing position at a music classroom right after their program and it was a few days before Christmas break. The teacher just had me show Frosty the Snowman to each and every class. To be honest, I got kinda tired of the 30 minute movie after watching it so many times in a row.

Take a look at a Christmas Decoration that I got just this year at the Paws and Shop for a buck. More on these types of decorations to come.

34 Days until Christmas! Thanksgiving is Upon us!

BTW- this is a perfect day for Frosty posting because of the slight bit of snow on the ground!

50 Days: Santa Cup

So, what is a trinket from your past that is special to you? 


For me, its a Santa Cup. Now, this is not just any old Santa Cup. It's a ceramic cup that is shaped into a Santa head. I don't know when we started this decoration in the house, but it was quite a while ago. Mom, each year puts out the Santa Cup and fills it with Candy Canes. 

Doesn't work as a Santa Cup!

It is a tradition that I have come to love and last year was looking for my own Santa Cup to put out. At first, I just got a regular mug that had a picture of santa on it. But that would NOT do.

Doesn't work as a Santa Cup!

I was lucky enough to find the Santa Cup up above that is very similar to my mothers Santa Cup! As I was looking forward to today's post yesterday, I saw that it was about the Santa Cup, I had the inkling to get my Christmas stuff out and I had some time and nothing to do, so guess what... I have lots of my Christmas decorations out. I got em out and it was great fun to get the things out that I had been yearning for since mid-October. Now, there is no tree up or anything like that, but most of the other stuff that go on table tops and the like are out.

I do have to say that even though those two mugs that don't work as Santa Cups are still really cool right? I like em.

35 Days until Christmas!

When do you decorate your house? 

(I'm sure most of you decorate AFTER Thanksgiving, but I am special that way)

50 Days: Gingerbread Cookies

You may be wondering what is the best part about  Gingerbread cookies? Well, I think it is fairly obvious,... Its cutting the cookies into the fun shapes, like Gingerbread men and women and houses. Also, a pretty great part is eating the fresh-baked, homemade, piping hot Gingerbread cookies.
I love making these holiday treats. They taste so good. I thoroughly enjoy the spiciness of the cookie and how the soft cookie melts in your mouth. If you have not tried these wonderful creations, you gotta try it. I will post a link to a great recipe online at the end of the posting.

I remember fondly helping make Gingerbread Men cookies at home with Mom during the holidays. I remember how funny it was that we had a huge gingerbread man cookie cutter, and the a set of christmas cutters that were considerably smaller. I always wanted to use the large cutter because that meant that I got to eat larger cookies. It was fun to play with these cookies when they were finished because there would be huge gingerbread men (much like a scene in Shrek- or was it Shrek 2) and then little cookies of candy canes and reindeer. Ah, the good ol days.

http://allrecipes.com//Recipe/eileens-spicy-gingerbread-men/Detail.aspx

36 Days until Christmas! 

What are your favorite Holiday Cookies?