12 Days Secret Service

I am on vacation and one rule I have writing this blog is that I never post anything while on vacation but there are exceptions to every rule and this is one of them. If time is of the essence, I do write in my blog if I think is important enough to do so. Here it is a post by Bianca on 12 Days before Christmas. Enjoy!

Today marks the 12 day count down until Christmas. This year, in effort to stay more focused on the true meaning of Christmas, and as a fun new tradition for our family, we decided to do a 12 days of secret service count down. What’s the 12 days of service, you ask? Well for us, it means that we have committed to doing a secret act of service every day until the big day. Remember how we did the 30 acts of love in August, and I posted about this video Steward Edge did with his surprise secret Santa? You’ve go to watch this video if you haven’t already…I may or may not shed a tear every time I watch it. I seriously love it. 

My husband and I also find something so fun about surprise acts of service for some reason. Maybe it’s the adrenaline rush that sometimes goes along with it? Or maybe it’s just because we love a good surprise. I don’t know, but we’re excited about this new challenge and for the possible new family traditionTonight, for our family night, we are going to fill out this 12 days list. If you have any secret service ideas, please pass them along and share them in the comments. We’d love to hear them!

And I know that most of us have a MILLION LISTS of things we need to DO, and the thought of adding to that is unbearable. I kind of hesitated to do this project for that exact reason. So…in effort to make this fun, meaningful and with little stress attached, we are also going to try to make these secret service projects simple.

Cristi mentioned that one year, they gave their garbage man some hot chocolate one morning when he came by- and from then on, he will often wave and put on a little show with his garbage truck when he sees her boys out front. How sweet is that?!

Anyway, so after we create our 12 days list, I will post about what ideas we’ve come up with and are committed to. Of course…life happens (and I know this now more than ever!), so if we change it up as the week goes along and have to double up on a day, or something like that…it’s really not a big deal. The whole purpose of this isn’t to get a perfect 12 out of 12, it’s just about focusing outward, about opening our hearts, and about striving to love just a little more like Christ does.

If you want to join us in this 12 days of secret service, you can download the list here to fill out.

I was thinking that this could be a fun project to do as a family, or with friends, with work buddies, or on your own even! And please share ideas if you have them; we would really love to hear them. Happy holidays everyone!

Xoxo,

Merry Christmas!

This will be my last blog I write this year since I leave tomorrow and won't get back in town until the first of the year. Our plane is actually going to land a little after midnight. So I want to take this opportunity to say I hope all of my family and dear friends have the most amazing Christmas ever, full of love, laughter and cheer. Christmas is my favorite Holiday.  I don't know if I will get to send all the Christmas cards this year. But I did write a letter.

December 2015

Dear family and friends:

We have had a nice, surprised, stunning, perfect, priceless, awesome, incredible, amazing, blessed, miraculous, wonderful and memorable year! “These are a few of my favorite things.”

In January we started our New Year with Alejandro and Lexi in Miami. We were coming back from Uruguay. Daniel’s brother let us stayed in his beach house during Christmas. Nice!

In February I surprised my mother for her 75^th birthday. Celebrated in Mexico. Surprise!

In March Ani and family came to see us for the weekend of Easter. Earlier that month we traveled to Cuzco and Machu-Picchu for the annual DTA cluster meeting. Stunning!

In April we had the visit of Pablo and family. Grandson Tiago was born in Miami. Perfect!

In May I attended Women’s Conference and got to spend Mother’s day with the girls. Priceless!

In June we went to El Salvador to attend my niece’s graduation/ Flores reunion. Awesome!

In July we packed to move to The Philippines! Hard to do as we said good -bye to the people we knew for over five years. On our way to Utah we made a quick stop in Houston to meet Owen, born last December. We drove to Colorado and Idaho to see the rest of the family. Incredible!

In August we were busy looking for a home in Manila and getting used to the new time zone, food and language. Our address remains: 50 E. North Temple SLC UT 84150. Amazing!

In September we experienced a big miracle! Bianca gave birth to a three lb. premature baby girl, Ruby. I flew down to Idaho to meet Ruby and while I was there, Cristi gave birth to a son, Asher. Two babies were born within days.  Blessed!

In October after attending General Conference Daniel returned to the Philippines with Valentina, and I had to stay because my mother had open-heart surgery. I went to be with her in Orlando during this life and death moment, and thanks to a priesthood blessing, a fine medical team and all the many prayers, she came out fine. Miraculous!

In November we were favored with visit of Elder Andersen, Elder Renlund and Elder Maynes and their wives to the area. Their inspired messages touched our hearts deeply.  Wonderful!

Now it’s time to wrap up the year spending family time in Utah! I sure hope we get to see our dear friends while we are there this Christmas and that it will be like always. Memorable!

Merry Christmas and happy New Year!

Veronica & Daniel R. de Almeida

Christmas Traditions

This is a post that came out today and felt it was great to post it on my blog as well.  She has a tradition of picking out her Christmas tree out from the forest. I love this tradition and can't wait to see what this tree looks like when is decorated. We are actually leaving town in two days to be with our children who live in Utah and hope to see those in Idaho too. I like to re-post  things I find interesting and this one is from Cristi.

I ambaaaack and ready to get started once again on this blog! With a babe on  my lap- I type you this post with one hand so excuse typos…here we go.

The smell of cloves and cinnamon and sound of Michael Buble’s Christmas in the background while my family dances around decorating the Christmas tree… heavenly.

Okay that is how it looks in my mind.

It usually really ends up with my husband and I struggling to get the tree to stand just right while the kids put a few ornaments on the bottom half for five minutes then run around like wild little animals. But overall- this time of the year is magical.

But with all that holiday magic there are a few things I am growing tired of and wouldn’t mind doing away with all together. But I don’t… My kids love them and in my heart I do too. I just now have tweaked them a bit and will share with you soon of what I do!

Okay….drum roll please….here they are.

#1) Wish Lists! Oh the many lists we write during the holidays! Shopping lists, grocery lists, to-do lists, guest lists, (wait this blog post has a list!)….ahhh! You should see my gift shopping list- it’s enough to make me want to hibernate until February! But the worst list of them all… the kid’s Christmas WISH LIST!

Toy catalogs make an appearance about early November and my kids will drop everything they are doing to spend hours fantasizing and circling what they want. Little Bear (my two year old) will point to anything with wheels and exclaim, “ I want dat and dat and dat and dat.” He looks up at me with his big blue eyes and I for a split moment am sucked in. I want to make this little boy’s dreams come true and see his face light up on Christmas morning. “Snap out of it woman!” I tell  myself. And I let them quietly fantasize and dream up their wish lists as I respond with, “Wow that IS really cool. Wouldn’t it be so cool to have that” …and then when nobody is looking I accidentally drop the toy magazines in the recycle bin. Oops.

#2) Elf on the Shelf! We started this tradition a year or so before the commercialized Elf on the Shelf made a debut in the big stores. My kids still can’t figure out why Santa would send Elves to a store to be purchased. Don’t they just magically appear in your home? Anyhow, this cute and fun tradition has ended up being one more thing to have to remember as a parent during this holiday season. There are mornings that I leap out of bed with the first sound of my children waking, and scramble to get to the elf before anyone else does. For this sleep deprived mama…it exhausting! I feel like it’s one more thing I will have to explain later. But for  now, we keep doing it- but in a different way then most and I will talk about that later in a post.

#3) Santa! There I said it… I cringe even writing his name down. I mean he IS a cute jolly old man who you just want to hug and eat cookies with. He has such great intensions but I am just not a fan of his naughty or nice list. It is like we are telling kids that they are either a ‘good kid’ or a ‘bad kid.’ And I feel like as parents (we all have done it) we use that to manipulate, bribe, and threaten them if we think they are misbehaving… “If you aren’t nice to your brother than Santa won’t bring you your gift this Christmas” or “You better cut it out- Santa is watching.” I remember as a kid waking up Christmas morning wondering if I was “good” enough that year to receive what I wanted. Does he really give coal?

Then it brings me back to lists and expectations kids have of Santa. “Dear Santa, I would like this year” Big donut (my five year old) this year wants a particular Starwars toy that retails to be over $280. He is convinced that if he asks he will receive. Who ever thinks about Santa wants?

There you have it- My rant. But I have solutions and ideas coming right here so stay tuned.

besitos, xoxo

Fun Activities to do

This Christmas is going to be special because we get to actually be where three of our children live and one who is coming into town plus we plan to visit two more= six out of ten, not bad! so the plan is to have some activities to do other than seeing doctors and shopping for presents. I came up with what we should be doing with the children and our friends so here is the list:

Have a traditional Christmas an open house where we would invite our friends.
 see the lights on temple square.

Send all packages and Christmas cards as soon as I arrive so they will not be late.

Get tickets to attend the Mormon Tabernacle Choir Christmas program.

Celebrate Vale's birthday with whomever she wants to invite.

Read the story of Jesus birth from the Bible while having the children act out the parts.

Read the Twas the Night Before Christmas story.

Go as group Christmas Caroling around the building.

Make cookies with the grandkids. Frost sugar cookies and then take them to those people on the streets that look homeless.

Take a skiing class with Daniel if it snows.

Visit the children and grandkids in Idaho.

Watch Elf with the kids and grandkids.

Go to Chachis Annual gift exchange Christmas party.

Go to a Jazz game.

Take the girls to see the Nutcracker.

Take the parents to see Star Wars.

Celebrate Owens 1st birthday.

Regardless of what activities we do while we are there what is important is to treasure each moment you have together. Don't get so caught up doing stuff that  you don't enjoy the moment. Be present!

Con amor,
Vero

Christmas Eve 1881

Christmas Eve 1881

— Author Unknown

Pa never had much compassion for the lazy or those who squandered their means and then never had enough for the necessities. But for those who were genuinely in need, his heart was as big as all outdoors. It was from him that I learned the greatest joy in life comes from giving, not from receiving.

It was Christmas Eve 1881. I was fifteen years old and feeling like the world had caved in on me because there just hadn’t been enough money to buy me the rifle that I’d wanted for Christmas. We did the chores early that night for some reason. I just figured Pa wanted a little extra time so we could read in the Bible.

After supper was over I took my boots off and stretched out in front of the fireplace and waited for Pa to get down the old Bible. I was still feeling sorry for myself and, to be honest, I wasn’t in much of a mood to read Scriptures. But Pa didn’t get the Bible, instead he bundled up again and went outside. I couldn’t figure it out because we had already done all the chores. I didn’t worry about it long though, I was too busy wallowing in self-pity. Soon Pa came back in. It was a cold clear night out and there was ice in his beard. “Come on, Matt,” he said. “Bundle up good, it’s cold out tonight.” I was really upset then. Not only wasn’t I getting the rifle for Christmas, now Pa was dragging me out in the cold, and for no earthly reason that I could see. We’d already done all the chores, and I couldn’t think of anything else that needed doing, especially not on a night like this. But I knew Pa was not very patient at one dragging one’s feet when he’d told them to do something, so I got up and put my boots back on and got my cap, coat, and mittens. Ma gave me a mysterious smile as I opened the door to leave the house. Something was up, but I didn’t know what..
Outside, I became even more dismayed. There in front of the house was the work team, already hitched to the big sled. Whatever it was we were going to do wasn’t going to be a short, quick, little job. I could tell. We never hitched up this sled unless we were going to haul a big load. Pa was already up on the seat, reins in hand. I reluctantly climbed up beside him. The cold was already biting at me. I wasn’t happy. When I was on, Pa pulled the sled around the house and stopped in front of the woodshed. He got off and I followed. “I think we’ll put on the high sideboards,” he said. “Here, help me.” The high sideboards! It had been a bigger job than I wanted to do with just the low sideboards on, but whatever it was we were going to do would be a lot bigger with the high side boards on.

After we had exchanged the sideboards, Pa went into the woodshed and came out with an armload of wood – the wood I’d spent all summer hauling down from the mountain, and then all Fall sawing into blocks and splitting. What was he doing? Finally I said something. “Pa,” I asked, “what are you doing?” You been by the Widow Jensen’s lately?” he asked. The Widow Jensen lived about two miles down the road. Her husband had died a year or so before and left her with three children, the oldest being eight. Sure, I’d been by, but so what?
Yeah,” I said, “Why?”

“I rode by just today,” Pa said. “Little Jakey was out digging around in the woodpile trying to find a few chips. They’re out of wood, Matt.” That was all he said and then he turned and went back into the woodshed for another armload of wood. I followed him. We loaded the sled so high that I began to wonder if the horses would be able to pull it. Finally, Pa called a halt to our loading, then we went to the smoke house and Pa took down a big ham and a side of bacon. He handed them to me and told me to put them in the sled and wait. When he returned he was carrying a sack of flour over his right shoulder and a smaller sack of something in his left hand. “What’s in the little sack?” I asked. Shoes, they’re out of shoes. Little Jakey just had gunny sacks wrapped around his feet when he was out in the woodpile this morning. I got the children a little candy too. It just wouldn’t be Christmas without a little candy.”

We rode the two miles to Widow Jensen’s pretty much in silence. I tried to think through what Pa was doing. We didn’t have much by worldly standards. Of course, we did have a big woodpile, though most of what was left now was still in the form of logs that I would have to saw into blocks and split before we could use it. We also had meat and flour, so we could spare that, but I knew we didn’t have any money, so why was Pa buying them shoes and candy? Really, why was he doing any of this? Widow Jensen had closer neighbors than us; it shouldn’t have been our concern.

We came in from the blind side of the Jensen house and unloaded the wood as quietly as possible, then we took the meat and flour and shoes to the door. We knocked. The door opened a crack and a timid voice said, “Who is it?” “Lucas Miles, Ma’am, and my son, Matt, could we come in for a bit?”

Widow Jensen opened the door and let us in. She had a blanket wrapped around her shoulders. The children were wrapped in another and were sitting in front of the fireplace by a very small fire that hardly gave off any heat at all. Widow Jensen fumbled with a match and finally lit the lamp.

“We brought you a few things, Ma’am,” Pa said and set down the sack of flour. I put the meat on the table. Then Pa handed her the sack that had the shoes in it. She opened it hesitantly and took the shoes out one pair at a time. There was a pair for her and one for each of the children – sturdy shoes, the best, shoes that would last. I watched her carefully. She bit her lower lip to keep it from trembling and then tears filled her eyes and started running down her cheeks. She looked up at Pa like she wanted to say something, but it wouldn’t come out.
“We brought a load of wood too, Ma’am,” Pa said. He turned to me and said, “Matt, go bring in enough to last awhile. Let’s get that fire up to size and heat this place up.” I wasn’t the same person when I went back out to bring in the wood. I had a big lump in my throat and as
much as I hate to admit it, there were tears in my eyes too. In my mind I kept seeing those three kids huddled around the fireplace and their mother standing there with tears running down her cheeks with so much gratitude in her heart that she couldn’t speak.

My heart swelled within me and a joy that I’d never known before, filled my soul. I had given at Christmas many times before, but never when it had made so much difference. I could see we were literally saving the lives of these people.

I soon had the fire blazing and everyone’s spirits soared. The kids started giggling when Pa handed them each a piece of candy and Widow Jensen looked on with a smile that probably hadn’t crossed her face for a long time. She finally turned to us. “God bless you,” she said. “I know the Lord has sent you. The children and I have been praying that he would send one of his angels to spare us.”

In spite of myself, the lump returned to my throat and the tears welled up in my eyes again. I’d never thought of Pa in those exact terms before, but after Widow Jensen mentioned it I could see that it was probably true. I was sure that a better man than Pa had never walked the earth. I started remembering all the times he had gone out of his way for Ma and me, and many others. The list seemed endless as I thought on it.
Pa insisted that everyone try on the shoes before we left. I was amazed when they all fit and I wondered how he had known what sizes to get. Then I guessed that if he was on an errand for the Lord that the Lord would make sure he got the right sizes.

Tears were running down Widow Jensen’s face again when we stood up to leave. Pa took each of the kids in his big arms and gave them a hug. They clung to him and didn’t want us to go. I could see that they missed their Pa, and I was glad that I still had mine.
At the door Pa turned to Widow Jensen and said, “The Mrs. wanted me to invite you and the children over for Christmas dinner tomorrow. The turkey will be more than the three of us can eat, and a man can get cantankerous if he has to eat turkey for too many meals. We’ll be by to get you about eleven. It’ll be nice to have some little ones around again. Matt, here, hasn’t been little for quite a spell.” I was the youngest. My two brothers and two sisters had all married and had moved away.

Widow Jensen nodded and said, “Thank you, Brother Miles. I don’t have to say, may the Lord bless you, I know for certain that He will.”

Out on the sled I felt awarmth that came from deep within and I didn’t even notice the cold. When we had gone a ways, Pa turned to me and said, “Matt, I want you to know something. Your ma and me have been tucking a little money away here and there all year so we could buy that rifle for you, but we didn’t have quite enough. Then yesterday a man who owed me a little money from years back came by to make things square. Your ma and me were real excited, thinking that now we could get you that rifle, and I started into town this morning to do just that, but on the way I saw little Jakey out scratching in the woodpile with his feet wrapped in those gunny sacks and I knew what I had to do. Son, I spent the money for shoes and a little candy for those children. I hope you understand.”

I understood, and my eyes became wet with tears again. I understood very well, and I was so glad Pa had done it. Now the rifle seemed very low on my list of priorities. Pa had given me a lot more. He had given me the look on Widow Jensen’s face and the radiant smiles of her three children.

For the rest of my life, whenever I saw any of the Jensens, or split a block of wood, I remembered, and remembering brought back that same joy I felt riding home beside Pa that night. Pa had given me much more than a rifle that night, he had given me the best Christmas of my life. 

Top of Form

Before Christmas

Tis The Month Before Christmas

Tis the month before Christmas, we’re all going nuts;
With so much to do, there’s no ifs, ands or buts.
Buy presents, hang tree lights, pop cards in the mail,
Send gift packs, thread popcorn, find turkeys on sale.

Decorations need stringing up all through the house.
And you haven’t a clue what to buy for your spouse.
School concerts, receptions, open houses with friends,
Long lineups, short tempers, tying up the loose ends.

With all our mad dashing, we’re reeling from shock;
Let’s stop for a minute and really take stock.
It’s crassly commercial, the cynical say;
If that’s true, that our fault-it’s us and not they.

Take time for yourself-though hard as that seems—
Enjoy your kids’ laughter, excitement and dreams.
Take a moment out now, don’t get overly riled,
Instead make an angel in snow with your child.

The shortbread can wait, and so can the tree;
What’s important to feel is a child’s sense of glee.
The holidays aren’t about push, rush and shove;
They’re for friendship and sharing and family love.

Hear the bells, feel the warmth, light up with the glow
Of a message first sent to us so long ago:
Peace, love and goodwill, and hope burning bright.
Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!                                 – unknown

Sharing this poem to keep things in perspective. 

Con amor,

Vero

For the Man who Hated Christmas

For the Man Who Hated Christmas   -by Nancy W. Gavin

It’s just a small, white envelope stuck among the branches of our Christmas tree. No name, no identification, no inscription. It has peeked through the branches of our tree for the past ten years or so.

It all began because my husband Mike hated Christmas–oh, not the true meaning of Christmas, but the commercial aspects of it–overspending… the frantic running around at the last minute to get a tie for Uncle Harry and the dusting powder for Grandma—the gifts given in desperation because you couldn’t think of anything else.

Knowing he felt this way, I decided one year to bypass the usual shirts, sweaters, ties and so forth. I reached for something special just for Mike. The inspiration came in an unusual way.

Our son Kevin, who was 12 that year, was wrestling at the junior level at the school he attended; and shortly before Christmas, there was a non-league match against a team sponsored by an inner-city church. These youngsters, dressed in sneakers so ragged that shoestrings seemed to be the only thing holding them together, presented a sharp contrast to our boys in their spiffy blue and gold uniforms and sparkling new wrestling shoes. As the match began, I was alarmed to see that the other team was wrestling without headgear, a kind of light helmet designed to protect a wrestler’s ears.

It was a luxury the ragtag team obviously could not afford. Well, we ended up walloping them. We took every weight class. And as each of their boys got up from the mat, he swaggered around in his tatters with false bravado, a kind of street pride that couldn’t acknowledge defeat.

Mike, seated beside me, shook his head sadly, “I wish just one of them could have won,” he said. “They have a lot of potential, but losing like this could take the heart right out of them.” Mike loved kids – all kids – and he knew them, having coached little league football, baseball and lacrosse. That’s when the idea for his present came. That afternoon, I went to a local sporting goods store and bought an assortment of wrestling headgear and shoes and sent them anonymously to the inner-city church. On Christmas Eve, I placed the envelope on the tree, the note inside telling Mike what I had done and that this was his gift from me. His smile was the brightest thing about Christmas that year and in succeeding years. For each Christmas, I followed the tradition–one year sending a group of mentally handicapped youngsters to a hockey game, another year a check to a pair of elderly brothers whose home had burned to the ground the week before Christmas, and on and on.

The envelope became the highlight of our Christmas. It was always the last thing opened on Christmas morning and our children, ignoring their new toys, would stand with wide-eyed anticipation as their dad lifted the envelope from the tree to reveal its contents.

As the children grew, the toys gave way to more practical presents, but the envelope never lost its allure. The story doesn’t end there.

You see, we lost Mike last year due to dreaded cancer. When Christmas rolled around, I was still so wrapped in grief that I barely got the tree up. But Christmas Eve found me placing an envelope on the tree, and in the morning, it was joined by three more.

Each of our children, unbeknownst to the others, had placed an envelope on the tree for their dad. The tradition has grown and someday will expand even further with our grandchildren standing to take down the envelope.

Mike’s spirit, like the Christmas spirit will always be with us.

This true story was originally published in the December 14, 1982 issue of Woman’s Day magazine. It was the first place winner out of thousands of entries in the magazine’s “My Most Moving Holiday Tradition” contest in which readers were asked to share their favorite holiday tradition and the story behind it. The story inspired a family from Atlanta, Georgia to start The White Envelope Project and Giving101, a nonprofit organization dedicated to educating youth about the importance of giving.

A poem from my collection

True Christmas Joy (by Tennett Morrell)

‘Twas the day before Christmas, a long time ago

And our beautiful earth was all covered with snow;

Down the street with their sleighs came two manly boys,

Who paused at the window to look at the toys.

Already two others were there looking in;

But their faces were sad, and their clothes old and thin.

And the little one said, “is it because we’re so poor

That Santa doesn’t come to our house anymore ? “

The older one patted his wee brother’s head,

And hugged him up closely, as softly he said:

“Oh, maybe he will come tonight, little Tim,

If we ask in our prayers for the Lord to send him!”

The little face smiled, but the boys saw a tear

In the eye of the one who quelled little Tim’s fear.

Then slowly and sadly the waifs went their way

To the place they called home, where that night they would pray.

The boys, with their sleighs, followed closely behind,

And neither one spoke, but in each childish mind

A beautiful thought said as plain as could be:

“I’ll share with those poor boys what Santa brings me.”

When the two reached their home, to their father they ran,

And eagerly told him their unselfish plan.

He was proud of his boys, who now felt that same love

That sent our dear Savior from His Home above.

Next morning, still thrilled with their beautiful thought,

They scampered downstairs to see what Santa brought,

And they, with the help of their father and mother,

Selected the presents for Tim and his brother.

And as the first light of dawn came into view

The two went their way with the toys bright and new,

And crept very quietly up to the door

Where they’d seen the boys enter the evening before.

As they hurried back home toward their own Christmas joys,

They could not even dream how the other two boys,

On finding that Santa had really been there,

Sent their joy to the One who had answered their prayer.

That night, when the “Santas” were ready for bed,

With a hand of their father on each curly head,

They knew, as they thought of two poor, happy boys,

What’s the truest and choicest of all Christmas joys.

And the countdown has begun

Only 9 days before we go home and 23 days until Christmas! It's hard to believe. This time of year is my favorite, yet it seems to fly by so quickly each year that I barely am ably to appreciate and take in the Christmas spirit. I am beginning to realize that the only way to take control of enjoying the holidays is to make a conscious decision to not allowed oneself to get sucked into the hustle and bustle and chaos going on throughout the holiday season. 

First there is the anxiety of trying to find everyone on the list the perfect gift, then there is the stress of searching on line to find those gifts at a reasonable price, not to mention the frustration of finding a parking stall at the mall only to stand in endless lines among all the other agitated shoppers. It sounds sad to say that it takes a conscious effort to slow yourself down at Christmas, but it does. And so this year I am determined to try and handle the holiday season differently. I have come up with a plan. 

I plan to finish my shopping up quickly and without stressing over finding the perfect gift. Instead I am going to put less stress on what the gift is and more emphasis and making sure the person I give the gift to is able to feel how much I care. 

I plan to dedicate my next ten posts on stories and poems I have collected over the years and perhaps I get to turn it into a book for the children.

I plan to spend time sitting by the window at our apartment in Salt Lake. Sipping hot cocoa, and quietly contemplating the beautiful sunsets each afternoon thinking or the many blessings in our lives including the birth of our precious Ruby and the fact my mother is still alive. I don't want to take those blessings for granted. I think this time of the year is a fantastic time to sit and write down each of the blessings we have in our lives as keepsake to look back on in future years.

I plan to start early thinking of service projects my family can do for others for Christmas so our hearts and minds are more focused on the true meaning of Christmas from the start of the month. And for icing on the holiday spirit cake I plan to listen to visit Idaho too listening to plenty of Christmas music as we drive up North. I would also love to enjoy watching countless hallmark Christmas movies with our grandkids. Including Elf of course. That movies always helps to keep me in that Christmas spirit. I also plan to invite our friends for a good old time sake open house. Yes, this month I intend to truly enjoy and church the Christmas season and I realize that it is my attitude and my focus that will make that happen. 

It is especially important for me to remember that I control my attitude and focus. Especially when this will be a very special Christmas we get to spend it at home. It is  amazing how powerful the desire is to be with family during the holidays and it makes my hear goes out to all of those people who don't get to be around their family or loved ones during the holidays. I am so happy this one time we get to be home. I can't wait! 

Special days in December

I cannot believe it is already December!!!  Only 23 Days left until Christmas!  But lest you think Christmas is the only exciting holiday this month – think again! The month of December is full of some memorable and wacky celebration days.  Let’s look at a few between now and Christmas Day.  Celebrate each one of these special days with your friends and loved ones sand children.  It is a fun way to entertain everyone while they wait for the big Christmas Day to arrive.

December 1st – Eat a red apple day

December 2nd – National Fritters Day (make sure you eat a yummy fritter this day!)

December 3rd – National Roof over your Head Day (a day to give thanks for all the blessings you have in your life, starting with the roof over your head!)

December 4th – Santa’s List Day! (this is the day Santa goes through to see if you are on his naughty or nice list in preparation for having his elves make your Christmas gifts).

December 5th – Bathtub Party Day (this day is for taking a long, hot, relaxing bubble bath in your bathtub)

December 6th – St. Nicholas Day (this is the day to officially celebrate the Christian Saint Nicholas and the life he lived).  Also this day is Mitten Tree Day (the day for young kids to hang a pair of mittens on a Christmas tree).

December 7th – Letter Writing Day (today is a day to write a hand written letter and send it to someone.  It is a perfect way to let someone know you care).  It also happens to be National Cotton Candy Day today so celebrate by eating Cotton Candy (which used to be called fairy floss by the way).

December 8th – National Brownie Day ( a day to each gooey, chewy, yummy brownies)

December 9th – Christmas Card Day (this day is to honor Sir Henry Cole of England.  He created the first commercial Christmas card in 1843).

December 10th – Human Rights Day (this is a day to give special attention to Human Rights issues affecting people throughout the world.  Give time and money to help with these important issues).

December 11th – National Noodle Ring Day (a day to enjoy yummy noodles – bust out the cans of spaghetti o’s)

December 12th – National Ding-a-Ling Day (this is the day to “ring your bell” but not a metal bell as you may imagine, no this is a day for normal people to act a little crazy, to cut loose, to be silly and wacky)

December 13th  – National Ice Cream Day (okay how fabulous is this!!! A day to celebrate ice cream!  How fabulous! )

December 14th – National Bouillabaisse Day (this is a day to enjoy a cup of soup or a bowl of hot stew).

December 15th – Bill of Rights Day (a day to celebrate the freedoms we enjoy in America).  Oh, and today is also National Lemon Cupcake Day so while you are celebrating your freedoms be sure to eat a delicious lemon cupcake.

December 16th – National Chocolate Covered Anything Day (today is the day to cover everything and anything in chocolate.  This is going to be my mother’s favorite day of the month!  She is a true chocolate lover.)

December 17th – National Maple Syrup Day (whip up some pancakes and cover them in maple syrup)

December 18th – Bake Cookies Day (which fits perfectly with the need to make cute decorated Christmas cookies to take to friends and neighbors)

December 19th – Today is Look for an Evergreen Day and Oatmeal Muffin Day (so go find a Christmas tree and then celebrate your perfect tree with a little oatmeal muffin)

December 20th – Go Caroling Day (put on your warm coat and gloves and go out and sing carols to every house that will open their door for you).

December 21st – Look on the Bright Side Day (this is a day to be optimistic and to look for the bright side of every situation.  It is also the shortest day of the year, winter solstice.  Ironically today is also Humbug Day (a day for grumpy people to complain about the holidays).  So I suppose today we will find out who the positive happy people are and who the grumpy negative people are.

December 22nd – National Date Nut Bread Day (shoot…..a day to celebrate fruit cake…ouch…I can’t stand fruit cake….but for those who like it today is your day to celebrate)

December 23rd – Roots Day (today is a day to celebrate your roots, your ancestors, where you came from.  It is a day to look back and learn about your family tree by doing genealogy and reading family histories.  If you need a good website to do research on your family history try going to www.familysearch.org )

December 24th – Christmas Eve and National Egg Nog Day.  (this day speaks for itself, have a big eve celebration with lots of egg nog!)

December 25th – CHRISTMAS!

So you see, there are 25 days of fun things to celebrate this month.  May we all head into this month with the spirit of charity and love and kindness in our hearts.  May we all let go of past hurts, mend broken relationships, express our love to all, and truly celebrate each day of this month.