I Love Christmas!

I do. I love Christmas. So what's so great about Christmas?
1. The reminder of Christ's beginning and what his life was all about.
2. The time to really connect with family and (real live lifelong) friends and hearing about what is most important and interesting to them at this moment of their lives.
3. Gaining inspiration from my (virtual) friends who do lovely things at this time of year.
4. The stronger desire and efforts to perform community service to those in need as well as for our favorite neighbors.
5. Trying new festive recipes and decorations specific to the season.
6. Too many more to mention.

As I type this,  "Happy Birthday to Jesus" has been sung, gifts have been opened and I have a Breakfast Casserole in the oven which smells delish. My sons have expressed disappointment that there were to be no "Christmas Pancakes." So, yes, I am about to prepare a pancake or two. After all, it's Christmas and they will need the extra energy for those "thank you" phone calls and notes.

Wishing you a happy and festive holiday

season filled with traditions old and new!

Late November - Early December

I love the holiday season. In the last few weeks, I have done much and will share highlights as time permits. In the meantime, bullets:

• I made a batch of home made Chicken Noodle soup. My family gave my soup great reviews. I used a recipe from http://www.allrecipes.com/. I will make again and post within the next few weeks. 
• I made a batch of mini-muffins using 3 Ingredients - a box of Yellow Cake Mix, a can of pumpkin puree, and a bag of Hershey's mini-chocolate chips. They were very well received, too.
• I found my pendind needlepoint project in the bottom of a tote bag in the back of my closet. It is about 2/3 complete and had been missing since August. I am delighted!
• I have completed a First Aid Course (Heartsavers by the American Heart Association). It was excellent. I received great reminders and some terrific new pieces of information. I think every household should have at least one person become certified. I feel so empowered.
• I tried a new salon and asked the colorist to go with a rich natural dark brown. Apparently, she thought that I asked her to make it jet black. Ugh! It is not very natural or attractive looking. I'll never go back there again (unless they offer a really good coupon or I get another gift card).
• I attended the National Christmas Tree Lighting in D.C. and saw the first family. It was my second time taking my sons to see President Obama in person. The first was while he was still senator and he came for a campaign rally in 2008. That time, my older son never truly laid eyes on him because of the crush of people and all the mania. But this time, the boys, my husband and I, all sat comfortably (in the super cold weather) and watched a lovely display of Patriotism and Christianity. After the official show, they served hot chocolate and we walked around and looked at the smaller trees that represented each state. Then we watched a singer (not sure who he was) have a do over of his songs on stage. I guess it didn't record well or something for PBS. (Check your local listings, as they say.) Then we watched the fantastic electric trains that were around the trees. Then we went to the historic Willard Hotel which was decorated absolutely beautifully for the holidays and listened to an amazing a capella choir sing a program of holiday tunes. It was an terrific night. May God Bless America! (Note-It took me a ridiculous amount of time to figure out what to wear.)
• I'm about 1/4 into my Christmas shopping and trying to keep it simple and sane.
• I've decorated with our family's existing Christmas stash but I am itching to do something crafty, too. My sister shared a good idea offered by Martha (Stewart) and if I have time to pull it off before December 24th, I'll be sure to share.

Does everyone want to try new things and feel crafty and cookish between Thanksgiving and Christmas or is it just me?