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?

50 Days: Cool Brisk Air

Around this time of year, it seems that the colder weather starts coming around. It might start to frost or snow, especially during the night. This is a perfect posting for today because we seem to be at the start of a cold front coming in. For the most part, our fall season this year has been very late. We were having high temps in September and October with a short-lived snow in there somewhere. But, it seems like everything is changing now and getting colder.
I know this because I have the privilege of bringing my dog outside quite a bit to go potty. Pixar has to go out, it seems every hour or so, and that means that I get to stand out in the cool brisk air and wait for him.
To be honest, sometimes it is nice to be out in that wonderful air that is, as the song goes, "...biting at your nose". I can remember when I was in Middle School, I would get up early during the weekdays and ride my bike in the cool brisk air. It was refreshing, to a degree, then if stayed out in it for too long, just gets annoying.

37 Days until Christmas! 

Are you ready for Harry Potter to come out this tomorrow? 

(I know it doesn't have much to do with Christmas or Cool Brisk Air, but it is on my mind today- Thank YOU HUB group!)

50 Days: Stockings

Christmas Stockings are always fun right? I remember when younger getting up super early on Christmas and running down the long corridor of our house on 9th Street to find the presents under the tree and our stockings filled with candy and tiny toys.

Of course, I was the first one up and I was not allowed to open presents for what seemed like months and months (even though it was just until everyone got up, we ate breakfast, read the story, and then got ready for presents). But, the one thing I was allowed to open up was my stocking.

One thing that I get a kick out of each year is the fight between stockings. My sisters and I had homemade stockings that we use each year. Well, Kelli and Kristin being twins, they got stockings that are very similar and it seems each year there is always discussion whose is whose.  We grew up in a house with a fireplace which always makes Christmas fun, but sadly there was no Mantle to put the stockings on, so our Christmas stockings always went on either side of the fireplace.

I remember one year, I got up WAY too early -big surprise- and dad came out all sleepy and said I had to go back to bed until 6:30 (or something like that). That was torture, because I had already seen my stocking stuff and I had to go back to bed. It's not like I got any sleep after that. But, anyway, on a regular Christmas morning, I  would get up (too early) and get my stocking, go into the family, turn on the TV and dump out all my stocking stuff and go through it all. Mostly the toys I got were Matchbox/Hot Wheels cars. They were small enough to fit into my stocking. And then there was candy- canes, oranges, mints, and all sorts of wonderful things that we would eat while we watched the Christmas Parade on TV. It seems that we always ate so much candy that we were too full for breakfast. That is what mom always thought when we didn't eat the traditional Christmas Tearing. She was wrong. I'll get to that later on in postings.

My Review- A Christmas Carol

Well, I have to say that this is not a part of my 50 Days of Christmas Blogging but does fit into the category. I just Redboxed (Yes, I use it as a verb, some might not agree) the brand new Christmas Carol today (being its release day) and found I was very surprised.
Some was good surprise, other neutral, and other not as good.

To start off with, I was just SO SO amazed by Jim Carrey's voice in the movie. It was certainly the high point. He did a great job and added a bit of himself to the role as well, which I really appreciated. Next, also in the Scrooge area, was the Character of Scrooge's animation. It was very realistic and popped out at me every time there was a shot with Scrooge in it- especially the closeups.

Other characters did not seem as realistic to me. They looked fake and it seemed to me that the realistic factor (which it seems they were trying to excel at) did not come through. I don't know if they didn't have as much time to perfect the animation as they did with Scrooge or what, but it was not on the same caliber.
The scenery (other than the characters) was pretty impressive. The lighting- great, the visual effects-amazing, overall very good.

I was very surprised because with a Disney feature and also being animation, it seemed like it was for kids, but after watching, I do not believe that was the case. There were many parts that could scare a kid half to death. Afterall, A Christmas Carol, with spirits and death, is not a book I would be reading to say my 2nd grade students in school. It has themes that are deep for smaller children.
I was also surprised that Bob Cratchet did not have as big of a role as other renditions I have seen and come to love.

I felt that Pixar could do a better job with the animation than Disney did. Now, I am talking about Pixar the Animation company, not my Puppy, Pixar.  ;) And to be honest, I imagine that Pixar would find ways to add funny things of their own as well.- But that is all speculation.

Anyway, I just had to write out my thoughts. If you have not seen this movie, I would recommend it to you as long as you preview it yourself before letting a smaller child watch it to make sure that it is in the scary factor that you child could handle.

50 Days: Nativity

I love the Christmas Nativity. It's one of the true reminders of the reason for Christmas. A few years ago, I was given the nativity pictured to the right as a decoration (actually mom got one for each one of us kids) and I love unpacking it each year and arranging it in an ideal place- And NO, that does not mean putting the Bull on the roof Kelli!

But, another aspect to the Nativity is Live Nativities. To be honest, I haven't seen a live nativity and would love to so if you know of a place in Central Oregon that has a live nativity anytime during the season, let me know.
A live nativity is where people dress up as the people from the story and portray the people outside for a few hours as still as possible (at least as I understand live nativity.

Another aspect to this posting title is the movie Nativity Story! We have recently, in the past few years, added the Nativity Story to our 25 Days of Christmas Movies lineup (because it fairly recently came out). It is a good reminder of the Christmas story. It was a movie that was well-done, very different from other Christmas-type movies and to me doesn't have the "Christian Movie" feel to it (which is good)

39 Days until Christmas! 

It's a little over a week until Thanksgiving, then Christmas is in FULL Swing!

50 Days: Christmas Candy- Nougats

One of my favorite seasonal candies are nougats. The wintergreen and peppermint flavors are so refreshing. The chewiness of the nougats help to enhance the flavor. I realize that it is kind of an acquired taste, but I have acquired it. I have talked with many who are not into the type of candy. I am just so sad when they leave the store shelves after the season is over.

Isn't it why they are so special though- because they only come to the stores for a short time. I saw just yesterday in the weekly ads that the Christmas Nougats were finally in stores again. I shall have to go and get some soon to add to my decorations when they go up.
I found some containers a few years ago that work well on my coffee table as candy holders. They are Candy Canes that I got at the Paws and Shop- the Humane Society Holiday thrift store at the Bend Factory Outlets. If you have not shopped at this great store- check it out!


We also can't forget about Candy Canes. Those are traditional Christmas candies. More postings on Candy Canes to follow in the future.

40 Days until Christmas! 

What are your favorite seasonal candies?

50 Days: Santa

Santa is one of those past times that is memorable. I have known many friends who never believed in Santa. Their families debunked that rumor from the start.
Growing up as a PK (Pastor's Kid) one would think that my family would be the same- not giving into Santa and discussing the TRUE meaning of Christmas. In part, yes, that is true, but my family never really denied Santa. We would take pictures with Santa at times and we had an older gentleman in our church that loved to Dress up as Santa for church. Of course, growing up, we knew about Santa and we also knew this older gentlemen was the one dressed up. One particular Christmas (I don't remember, but have been told numerous times) we had a visit from Santa, but this was not Woody- the older gentleman from our church, it was another family friend. We were sure it was Woody and were sure to tell him so. It was, I have been told, a funny sight.

But you tell me "Which is better: a lie that brings a smile or a truth that brings a tear" (Miracle on 34th Street Quote- New version)
My family, as I said, did not debunk the Santa idea, but also did not hype it up. They put out presents when they were bought and not just on Christmas Eve and we were always told to thank mom and dad for the presents- not Santa. We grew up with such a wonder for Christmas even without Santa.

I remember watching a few years ago of a memory in the past recorded on VHS. I was probably around 5 or 6. It was that same older gentleman- Woody, who showed up at church on a Christmas party as Santa. There was a very conservative "Christian" man who, apparently did not like the idea of Santa and was putting words in Woody's mouth about his real identity and the fact that Jesus was the reason for Christmas not Santa. I got a kick out of that. He was being so careful to make sure that the children at church did not believe in Santa. Oh, such a scary thought- believing in Santa.
I can recall a episode of the show 7th Heaven- which is/was a very christian-based show- and it brought up the fact that this young girl was not believing in Santa and her older brother prayed to God saying that she needed to believe in Santa because it helps build for believing in the bigger stuff like God. I thought that was an interesting way of looking at it.

41 Days Until Christmas! Do you Believe!

50 Days: Love

To be totally honest, it was quite a while ago that I made this list of Christmas Blogging topics and this one is fuzzy for me, but I shall do my best.
On this posting I will be writing about two ways of looking at Love during the season.

My love of the Christmas Holiday is apparent in many forms- most of which have or will be discussed on this blog. It is everything from decorations, music, and the Tree, to the spirit, family, and traditions that my family has taken on. My love for Christmas started at a very young age. I really don't see how anyone could not love christmastime- its just so jolly. I do see how some could get upset with the materialism of the season, but that is something that is easily fixed- not giving into all the hype and remembering the true reason for the season. Just as I was writing that, I think of my time last year in Salem. I drove past a house most days that had a sign "Jesus is the reason for the season" of course I have seen this many times before and I agree with the sentiment, but this was a sign that was up YEAR-ROUND! With a sentiment such as that, I believe that it needs to be displayed only durring the Christmas season because those not familiar with the sentiment might not understand why Jesus would be the reason for the Summer season!

The next aspect of Love is not about my love for the season, but the love that goes around at the season. I feel the love of family around this most wondrous holiday. I feel the joy of the people around me during this season. I feel God's undying Love for mankind as the season approches the birth of our Lord and Savior. There is just so much love to go around during this season.

42 Days until Christmas! Can you feel the Love tonight? (Yes, Lion King- Totally)

(Disclaimer- if you have been following my last lines, you will notice that I skipped a day- numerical error on my account- I was counting Christmas Day- so the actual number of days left is truly 42. That just brings us one day closer than originally thought- SWEET!)

50 Days; Gingerbread Houses

Gingerbread is another one of those smells that puts me in the Christmas mood! The spicy aroma just tickles the nose with its tantalizing bouquet that screams out CHRISTMAS!!! to me.
Now, the making of the gingerbread has been a tradition in the family household for as long as I can remember, BUT, the making of Gingerbread HOUSES is fairly new.

Fake Gingerbread house-
BUT you see what I mean when I say I use lots of candy

Now, I am sure most of you have seen made or made your own fake Gingerbread house to decorate- by that I mean you get all the decorating stuff and use a Milk Carton and Graham Crackers to be the phoe-gingerbread house, and then decorate the house that way, but I contend that that, although simple and less agitating,  is not a TRUE gingerbread house.

A true gingerbread house is not glued to a milk carton, but instead is made of gingerbread and is one that stands up on its own. I guess I would say I am a gingerbread house pureist because I would also go so far as to say that the Gingerbread House Kits- Like the one you got last year at Costco or pretty much anywhere else, is also cheating and not a TRUE gingerbread house- Sorry if I sound snobbish there, just the way I feel I guess ;)

A REAL Gingerbread House-
With lots of candy- Yes, my Creation

Now, the real way to make Gingerbread houses is to make and bake the gingerbread yourself, then cut out the parts you need, and try as hard as you can to make it stand up (and stay up) by using as much frosting as needed. Of couse, the frosting must be homemade as well. My trials for this particular part really show through. We always used the wrong type of Frosting- certain types of frosting work the best. Royal Icing is one that is supposed to work well. Then of course, once your house is errect, then comes the fun part- using all your favorite candies (Don't worry, I don't expect you to make the candy yourself to have  TRUE gingerbread house) and place them in the ideal spot to decorate your house.
My strategy is to put on as much candy as possible and my favorite candies, so that means I can eat as much of the candy later as I have decorated. Now, my sister's strategy is very different- to decorate the house with what is needed to make it look as real as possible whether that candy is good or not.

Of couse, I have to mention a story that I think of pretty much every time I think about gingerbread houses- Video Equipment.  One Christmas (1997, I think), we had just done Gingerbread houses and my sisters and I had a competition of who could make the best gingerbread house. (Yes, theirs won in the creativity/beauty factor- but mine sure tasted good) We had just received a family camcorder for Christmas and I am sure you can guess where I was- Filming the day behind the camera. And I am sure, if you know my sisters at all, you can guess where they were- In FRONT of the camera. After a short time, I figured out how to do the basic operations of the camera. Kelli wanted a crack at it. So, I had to hand it over. She started filming Kristin and the gingerbread house they made as Kristin was describing the house to the camera for all the future viewers. Kelli decides she wants to zoom in on the house and so she asks. "How do you go in?" Right away Kristin thinks she is asking about the house and proceeds to walk her first and middle finger upside down through their gingerbread house door and says "Through the door.... and you go out through the door". This is a story that was caught on camera and is brought up each year, even though it was 13 years ago. That is still a great Christmas memory that I will remember for years to come!
Kristin, how do you go in?
BTW, I would also have to mention the Gingerbread Junction at Sunriver Resort each year. To be totally honest, I have not ever been there, but I want to change that this year. From this press release- it says that Gingerbread Junction is available for viewing from Thursday November 25 to December 26th. (that's Thanksgiving- the day after Christmas.)

44 Days until Christmas!  What's your favorite way to make Gingerbread Houses? (Personally, I still think eating Gingerbread men tastes better)

50 Days: Reindeer

"Reindeer aren't real!" I heard a friend say to me a few years ago. Sure, we were grown up- she being 19 and myself 21. "They are just like Santa- Fake!" she says. I knew myself that Reindeer were real and had known for quite a while. Was it because I believed? Was it because I still had a child-like faith? Was it because I knew more about zoological information? Nope on all accounts (but I do consider myself to still have a child-like faith). It was because I had grown up in Redmond Oregon and had seen Reindeer myself very often. Operation Santa Clause- Reindeer Ranch is located just outside of Redmond and probably less than a mile from my house. I remember going to the ranch quite a few times and visiting the Reindeer. I haven't been in ages but they are still being raised there. It used to be a big deal in Redmond with times for the public to take pictures with Reindeer and meet Santa and the like but in the more recent years they have been more private without public use.

"But Reindeer don't fly..... RIGHT?" my friend asks. "Right! I said. "Reindeer don't fly, but they are real!"
After our visit, I took her over to view (from a distance) the Reindeer at the ranch and she was a believer.

Supposedly, the local reindeer at Operation Santa Clause are shipped all over and were used in The Santa Clause movie with Tim Allen. Of couse, in those movies, the Reindeer talk and make funny faces, and fart, but real reindeer look similar to Deer- not being animated in the features like they make them in the movies.

45 Days until Christmas! Don't you wish Reindeer really COULD fly?

50 Days: Coming Up With Gifts for Family

I enjoy looking for presents for family, but I have to say, sometimes it is a daunting task. I have a father who is somewhat hard to find gifts for. I used to have a sure thing for my mother- Monk seasons on DVD. Yeah, Monk used to come out during my mother's birthday season and so each year I had a sure bet. I knew that she would want the season and she knew she was getting it from me (and usually a sister as well).

My sisters usually are tough as well. I know that it is all about the thoughts of the giver, but I really find it simple to ask for ideas from my family. Sometimes I find the perfect gift on my own, but other times, nothing comes to me.

A few years ago, for my sister Kelli, I found the perfect gift for her. It is a book published with clippings of 20s, 30s, 40s, and 50s advertisements and such. It was perfect except for the fact that I found it in the summertime. I wanted to get one right there, but instead I took a picture on my phone of the ISBN#. I kept that in my phone until I was reminded myself about this present idea in November and looked it up online and bought it via Amazon. It was a great find and a great gift. I was very happy that I found it.
Another gift that I got a kick out of was a T-shirt for my brother-in-law. Granted, he is not a TShirt kinda guy, but He is a John Deere guy- He loves John Deere (don't ask me why) and I found a shirt in Canada that said John Moose. It was great. (Not that he wears it, but still fun)

Anyway, If everyone was like me- giving a list of presents ideas to a family member that asks, this it would be so simple.

46 Days until Christmas! Better start thinking about those gifts for your family members.

50 Days: Hot Spiced Cider

Hot Spiced Cider is one of the greatest  seasonal drinks ever. The holiday that I fully associate Spiced Cider with is Halloween. It is one of those drinks that you can not go wrong with. I have found the perfect recipe online and I have gotten rave reviews from my guests.

Hot Spiced Cider is pretty much Apple Cider (Which supposedly is different from Apple Juice because it is not as filtered and could have more pulp.) and is heated with ingredients such as spices like Allspice, Cinnamon, and possibly oranges.

If you have not tried Hot Spiced Cider before- you gotta taste this experience this Holiday Season.  If you are so inclined to try my recipe:

1 Gallon of Apple Cider
1/2C. Packed Br. Sugar
2 Cinnamon Sticks
1/2 tsp. Salt
1 tsp. Whole Allspice
Pinch Nutmeg
2 Large Oranges- Peeled and Quarters
1 tsp. Whole Cloves

Pour the Apple Cider into a crock pot. Place the rest of the ingredients in cheesecloth or coffee filters and band them together. Place the crock pot to spice. Let cook until hot. (Take the spices out before the cider is too strong).


47 Days Until Christmas! What is your favorite drink?

50 Days: Bells- Jingle Bells

Bells! Jingle Bells! This posting is dedicated to the sound that permeates every child’s mind on Christmas Eve. 

"On Christmas Eve, many years ago, I lay quietly in my bed. 

I did not rustle the sheets. 

I breathed slowly and silently. 

I was listening for a sound- 

a sound a friend had told me I'd never hear- 

the ringing bells of Santa's sleigh. 

"There is no Santa," my friend had insisted, 

but I knew he was wrong."

(excerpt from The Polar Express)

I love that quote from The Polar Express (the book). It is so wonderful in portraying the feelings of a child whose conflicted about Santa because they grew up thinking one thing and then find at a certain age, that everything you believed in Santa was wrong. It seems to me like that age is around 2^nd or 3^rd grade.

I never grew up with Santa being a big part of the holiday season and so I never really had this conflicting issue. Santa was not denied in our household, but not hyped up either.

I love the sound of bells, it is just one of those sounds of the season that always remind me of that special time of year.

When I think of bells, I also think of that wonderful song- Carol of the Bells. I love singing that song in choirs. It is certainly a sound that sounds the best in a huge choir rather than just a quartet.

If you have not hear the song in a while, go find it on iTunes or YouTube. It is amazing. I was at a Christmas Concert a few years ago at Summit High School and they had/have?  a tradition of singing Carol of the Bells to end their Christmas Concerts and invite any alumni to stand with them and sing as well. It was pretty neat to hear. For me, that song is a classic.

And of course, to end, I must also talk about Jingle Bells. What a classic song.

 “Oh, what fun it is to ride in a one-horse open sleigh.”  

I don’t know about you, but I have actually not had that experience of riding in a one-horse open sleigh. Bummer huh. Perhaps I need to visit a Connecticut Christmas-type village during the season to actually experience that. If you know of a place in Central Oregon that has Sleigh rides, please let me know.


48 Days until Christmas! I'll be Jingle Belling all the way (and I hope I get to experience a One-Horse open sleigh at some point in my life.)

50 Days: Excitement

What is the most exciting time of the year? You can probably guess my answer considering that this is a blog session about the 50 Days of Blogging Christmas. It's Christmas. That is the most exciting time of year!

You may ask, "What's so exciting about Christmastime?"

Well, I will tell you. 

There are so many exciting aspects of Christmastime. As I mentioned yesterday, the christmas music. Christmas music is a very exciting aspect of Christmastime in the fact that we have to wait all year long for the ability to listen to the holiday music without getting scowls from those around us. Christmas music is always so cheerful and that is why it is exciting. I love the glorious music.

Christmas Decorations are exciting. They bring such a happy glow to the insides and outsides of houses.

She looks excited, right?

Christmas Trees are exciting. Whoever thought of having trees inside the house was a genius. The wonderful smell, the look, all decorated, ... Oh, I am getting ahead of myself- Christmas Trees posting is on November 27.

Santa is exciting. Oh, I know the truth about Santa, but the fact is that even the fictional character that Santa portrays is exciting- Getting to ride around in a sleigh, giving presents to all the children.

Giving Christmas Presents is exciting. It is so much fun trying to figure out what others want and seeing the look on their face when the perfect gift is given.

Getting Christmas Presents are exciting. Of course, not as fulfilling as giving the perfect gift, but still oh so exciting. When I was younger, I used to loose sleep on Christmas Eve, not because of Santa, but because I was so excited to open presents in the morning. Also, another sleep-loosing event that often happened around Christmas Day was taking a trip all the way down to Cali. Mom's family is all down in California and that means that we were always stuck with the task of driving down there for Christmastime.

There are such exciting times around Christmastime. What do you get excited about?

49 Days until Christmas. Are you excited yet?

50 Days: Christmas Music

I have a difficult time waiting for things. In the car, I get very uptight when I am stuck behind someone slow- (I got that trait from my mother, Shh- don't tell) When we were younger and the family was leaving for a trip, I packed a week early and was up first thing in the morning ready to go and very impatiently waiting for the rest of the family to get ready. Christmas is another one of those times in which I find it hard to wait for. There are many aspects of having to wait in the christmas department- but we will get to each one of those eventually in my christmas postings.

Today is about Christmas Music.

After a quick check of my iTunes Library, I have 326 Christmas songs in my arsenal with 48 artists represented. I so enjoy Christmas music and look forward to listening to the cheerful songs each year. In my personal life, I hold up in my room and listen to Christmas Music as early as before Halloween.  I know, I know, many of you don't like me for do that, but I do not subject you to this music until after Thanksgiving- its a Faux Pas to be listening to the holiday music before Thanksgiving is over- that is why I don't make anyone listen with me until after that wonderful feast.

Growing up in a household with classical music, every year, we listen to Hadel's Messiah, Dallas Brass, and The Nutcracker each year. I have very fond memories of those albums. With the exception of the Dallas Brass music, I didn't know at a young age that those were Christmas albums. One of the first Christmas albums (I should say Cassettes) that I remember loving was Amy Grant's Home for Christmas. It really is the most wonderful time of the year, isn't it? And of course Grown Up Christmas List and The Night Before Christmas were great songs as well. Really every single song on that collection is timeless for me.

Some of the more recent albums that I enjoy are:

The two middle albums came out just last year and I found them and could not stop listening. Click on any of those boxes to be taken to Amazon to listen em. Some of my favorite Christmas Originals are:

Joseph's Lullaby by Mercy Me

All I Want for Christmas- Mariah Carrey (I know, not Christian, but I still like the song, funny huh?)

The Christmas Song- Nat King Cole- Def. a classic.

Jesus, Born on this Day- Avalon - if you haven't ya gotta take a listen.

Putting on a Play- B.O.B. -mostly I love it because it reminds me of Christmas Plays in the church.

Holly Jolly Christmas- Burl Ives- Another classic.

His Favorite Christmas Story- Capital Lights- A very touching story- it makes me cry.

Christmas Shoes- Newsong- another one of those cry songs that leaves you with a feeling of contentment.

O, Come All Ye Faithful- tobyMac- great rendition.

The Chipmunk Song- This has a family joke in it- In First Grade I did a lipsync and it is hilarious. You can watch it here. Yes, I am Alvin.

I'm sorry that this post is WAY WAY longer than I expected it to be. I will try to cut back in the future 49.

50 Days to Christmas- Are you in the Spirit yet?

I Hope You Don't Hate Me- 50 Days of Christmas Blogging

Okay, I know some of you will hate me but I just can't hold it in anymore. I impatiently waited for November 1st to post this because I figured give Halloween its due, but Halloween is over and this is the start of a new month and a new season and even a new week so here we go.

I have hinted about this, but it is about to start. That's right, it is almost time for Christmas and because of that I have chosen to start my tradition of 50 Days of Christmas Blogging. I know what you are thinking- How am I going to do 50 days? Why 50? When does that mean you have to start your blogging?
Well, I have come up with things about Christmas and the season that I want to blog about and when I got em all down, I found i was close to 50 so I figured I didn't want 47, but 50, so I found a few more to settle my Monk-ness. You may also notice I tried to have my prompts coincide with other things happening- such as Christmas Eve- on christmas eve and Christmas Morning ON Christmas morning and advent on the first advent sunday. Also, I have picked a few special Christmas movies to blog specifically about and those coincide with the day they will be watched on my 25 Days of Christmas Movies- Oh Yes, that is still happening.
Soooooo, that means that I start my blogging nice and early- November 6th to be exact.

I am writing about it today to warn you that it is coming and also to invite anyone who would like to join me and write about their traditions and Christmas Spirit. Granted, you won't have exactly the same topics as mine because I doubt that you do everything as my family does during the Christmas Season, but in case you want to take on this exciting task and would like some ideas- here ya go- My grown up Christmas List (Amy Grant reference)

PS- please notice that you actually start on November 6th at the bottom of Page two and go UP!

So, go, Blog up a storm and be sure to make your own list of 32 Days of Christmas Blogging or 25 Days of Christmas Blogging, or 8 Days of Christmas Blogging, or however many prompts you have. I think this will be a totally fun blogging activity.