Wednesday, December 17, 2014

It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year!

It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year!

All my kiddos last Thanksgiving



Christmas is a great time of the year!  Although I haven't been in the Christmas spirit too much yet. I'm getting there.  We went to dinner with my niece and husband and my brother and sister in law the other day.  I was so impressed with the way my niece guided the conversation to include everyone! She asked us each some of our "favorites" of Christmas.  We each got a chance to go around the table during dinner and share some of what makes Christmas special to us.  This is a great conversation starter!  So I'm sharing mine here!


Favorite Christmas Memory
One of my favorite memories of Christmas was when we were little girls.  My sister and I woke up really early at my grandparents house to find a string going all throughout the house and into the yard!  We were to follow our strings all around the house.  It went through drawers, under beds, around furniture, through the windows!  We followed it all the way to our presents!  I think I got a stereo that year.   But the important thing was the way we found our presents!

This was probably 7 years ago


Favorite Christmas Food

I don't really have a favorite food for Christmas!  I just love getting together and eating all the goodies and desserts!  I love making some sort of nachos or easy thing for Christmas eve so we can all be together and play games. 

Last year's Christmas!

Favorite Christmas Song  

I've always loved "O Come O Come Emmanuel.   I love the old Gregorian chanting sound of this song.  This is also what Christmas is all about!  Jesus came to seek and save the lost!  Each verse gives a name of God: Emmanuel, Rod of Jesse, Day Spring, Key of David, Lord of Might.  My favorite line- "free thine own from Satan's tyranny-From depths of Hell thy people save-and give them victory o'er the grave!"  Hallelujah!

that's me!


Favorite Christmas Movie 

Hands down, "It's a Wonderful Life".  I can pretty much quote this movie!  I'm surprised at how many people haven't seen this movie!  We watch it every year!  

Worst Christmas Present

A few years ago, I was wrapping everyone's presents and putting everything under the tree.  I looked and I saw that I didn't have one single present under there!  Not one!  I told Larry and off he went to find me something.  He was gone for about three hours!  I thought, "Man! This is going to be good!"  He came home with with this tiny bag.  Hmmm...  It could be good!  Then he wrapped it in a cardboard box with scotch tape.  So Christmas morning comes and I finally get to my ONE present.  I open it and it's a 


wait for it........



wait for it..............



a headlamp!



Yep!  Well, I wore it all day anyway.  Apparently,  I ride my bike at night a lot and needed one!

Well, Merry Christmas to you all!  Would love to hear some of your "favorites" of Christmas!  Comment below :)



Friday, December 5, 2014

2014 Year in Review

So 2014 is almost over!  I can't believe it!  How is it possible that it will be 2015??  Well time does fly!










So just a little year in review in no particular order:


  • My youngest turned 18!  now I have all grown adult kids!  wow!
  • Took a Cruise to the Bahamas with friends!!
  • Majorly downsized and moved into a 750 square foot apartment closer to Larry's work
  • Val changed jobs and is now loving the office life! weekends off!  woot woot!
  • Had a wonderful time visiting our pro life friends in New Orleans
  • Our home church continues to grow and be an encouragement
  • Camped a lot this spring and summer all around!  even stayed in a Yurt!
  • I still love my hula hooping!  I even started Zumba!
  • Scott is working hard in San Angelo and around Texas
  • Sam got a job at UPS at the airport (but is ready to leave us on some new adventure!)
  • A few car wrecks but thankfully everyone is ok!
  • Found a lot of geocaches wherever we happened to be
  • Got to go visit friends and my Godson in Pittsburgh
  • The boys jumped out of a perfectly good airplane!  Skydiving!
  • lots of hikes, museums, plays, movies, games and fun!
  • Larry grew (and is still growing!) a big 'ol beard!



So that's 2014 in a nutshell!

What about your year!  How has the Lord blessed you??