"Merry Christmas in July"

MERRY CHRISTMAS, PUPPY DUDE!

In yesterday's blog (whoever came up that word?) I said someday I'd talk about Christmas--well, lucky you, today's that day! And here's why:
Today is the last day of July, making last week Friday July 25th. For almost 2o years my children and I celebrated Christmas in July every summer...this year...I had no kids to party with. It was a very sad day for me. You have no idea. I called Justin and he told me call several friends of his here in town...but everyone was busy. I STILL haven't gotten to watch my summerly Christmas movie. Ahhhhh, but tonight....and this wasn't my idea....my junior high group and I are partying it up! We're going to make fudge, make a Christmas ornament and watch a movie. So I'll get my fix...even though it won't be quite the same without Tiffany and Justin.
Yes, I AM the Christmas Queen. I love everything there is about Christmas, the lights, the baking, the smells, the colors, the family and friends, making and sending out cards, making gifts (we try our best to have a home made Christmas in every sense), the partys...even the snow. The only thing I don't like is wrapping the gifts. One year I bagged everything...it just wasn't the same though when it came to opening them. That idea was easily...bagged.
Every year we would have a birthday party for Jesus with a cake, the song, gifts for Him. He was the center of it all. When Ken and I were first married we had no ornaments or decorations. Our first year we made a salt dough manger scene, which I still have...every year I have to glue on a foot or find a way to make the star stick again. (I think our dog ate one of our sheep one year.) After Tiffany and Justin were born I made a felt manger advent calendar that I would hang on the wall and they would take turns each day hanging up the pieces. That too, every year I have to patch. When Tiff would play dress up from October well into January, she would be Mary, Justin would be Joseph.
Kenny was very good at tolerating all of this. But his main contribution to our festivities would be to spend one whole Saturday afternoon making snowflakes with the kids. I would have paper snowflakes of all sizes, designs and shapes plastered all over all the windows clear into spring, to the point where I'd have a hard time getting the tape off the glass. He was also very good at reading to the kids....of course the Christmas story--all sorts of versions, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, The Littlest Angel. As Tiffany and Justin grew so did our books...The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, The Gift of the Magi, The Christmas Carol...but never stopping the reading of the "little kid" books.
And the parties....oh my goodness! One year we had at our house the school party, the Pathfinder party, the Boy Scout Party, the Girl Scout party, the Hospital party and of course out Happy Birthday Jesus party. Our parties were never boring. We were blessed for several years with a large house with acreage on the side of a mountain with wonderful sledding trails, not for the weak of heart. We had a Newfoundland at the time so there was always what Kenny called "the horse and pony show".
As the Children have gotten older, the Mary and Joseph dress up tradition has been replaced with other things. Our most current is the "great Christmas tree hunt". This is something that both Tiffany and Justin go out of their way to be home for. Kenny's dad lives on 10 acres just 3 miles south of the Canadian border. So every year, as soon as we can gather after Thanksgiving, we and various friends do our northerly trek to my inlaws' where after our traipse through the snow (hopefuly) and collecting various quantities of trees, we enjoy a home made dinner of fried chicken or taco soup...and watch Christmas movies!
Yes...I am the Christmas Queen...to the point where Kenny had to lay down some rules. Christmas music cannot be played in the house or car before Halloween or after the month of January. Christams movies of any length cannot be played before Thanksgiving or after the month of January. Christmas cannot come out of storage before the weekend after Thanksgiving and must be put away by January 10. He did allow 2 exceptions: the weekend after the first snow of the winter (usually in October), and one evening in July. Thus tying it in with ...today, and with what this has to do with this stage of my life.
I missed my kids horribly last week! But I have found others--some who had never heard of Christmas in July (can you believe it?!)--that I can share it with. I do so look forward to grandkids--not for a few years, Tiffany and Justin--but someday. I look forward to the childish enthusiasm, the excitement and wonder, the Mary and Joseph dress up parties, to the re-living of old family traditions and the making of new ones.
So....Merry Christmas in July, every one. And may we hold Christmas in our hearts all year long!

"Movies and Me"

So last night Kenny and I were able to sit down and watch a movie for the second night in a row. Until night before last it was all we were able to do just to keep up with the Tour d' France. (Kenny's an avid cyclist--mountain and road--so the tour is a big event in our home.) I love watching movies at home, the theaters are too loud although I have to admit some flicks are best seen on the big screen.
My son Justin was always my movie buddy, maybe sub conciously that's one reason I haven't made time to watch movies lately. Last Christmas both Ken and Tiffany had to work Christmas day so we celebrated the weekend before. Christmas morning Justin and I looked all over town for a resaurant that was open. Did you know that even Denny's (at least here in CdA) is not open on Christmas morning? Surprise to me! We did find an open restaurant FULL of people. Anyway...afterwards we went to see a movie. I can't remember which one, but I thoroughly ejoyed the event.
When the kids were little, Ken worked nights so every other Saturday night was movie night, sometimes mixed with a sleepover. We'd spread blankets on the living room floor and watch movies all night. We'd have Star War marathons, Disney classic marathons, The Gods Must Be Crazy marathons, and Home Alone marathons at Christmas time. (Sometime I'll have to do a blog on Christmas--I'm affectionately known as the "Christmas Queen".)
Movies have always had a place in our home. I LOVE cartoons--everything from what they now are calling "vintage" Warner Bros. to Disney movies. But we were very careful about what our kids watched; Kenny was adamant about the ratings and even then we screened them first, I was careful about violence. (Justin would mimic anything he saw and Tiff would get night mares.) One night after spending a weekend at my parents', a place I never worried about what my kids would be watching, they came home with night mares of flying monkeys. Come to find out a family with older children had visited my parents and ended up watching The Wizard of Oz, another of my favorites. To this day Justin doesn't like that movie.
I'm not sure where I'm going with this! I could get on a soap box about how parents in general don't censor enough what their children are watching. But...nah. There are too many happy memories of mine tied in with movie watching.
How does this fit in with my current stage of life? I'm not sure. Kenny's not much of a movie person, my friends are more up and moving type people. Maybe I'll just have to everyonce in a while pull out the movie file from my brain and revel in the warm fuzzies! And that is NOT a bad thing...ahhhh, memories!

"Who Am I?"

When I was growing up "who am I?" was THE question. You don't seem to hear it as much now. And I don't think it's because kids now-a-days have it figured out. So here I am in my 40's with lots of time on my hand...trying to "find myself". The more I think about it, the more I realize we never truly do find ourselves because we are constantly growing, learning and changing. By the time we reach my age, we hope to have found our place in society, to have experienced a few of our dreams and to have discovered our true interests. Most of us have figured out that "what I do" does not usually show "who I am".
So...who am I?
Right now (and I'm sure this will change) who I am is most closely shown through my current interests, the things that I enjoy the most. So...here goes...and the order may change...
God--he's a constant study! Everyday I learn something new about Him. I depend on Him for
everything: safety--for my family and friends, for people I don't even know but see in passing
that they are having a difficult time; peace--I'm a worrier by nature and turn to Him
constantly for assurance that He is in control, as long as I let Him be in control. He won't
force even that on me!; forgiveness--for the things I do and say to others and to Him, for
helping me to forgive others for what they do or say to me; love--sometimes I can't imagine
why He loves me and shows me that He loves me, and for His love shining through me to
those I sometimes don't want to love.
Kenny--my husband. While (and it took me a while to figure this out) my happiness cannot and
does not depend on him, I am happiest when I'm with him. He is patient, loving, charming,
funny, handsome, hardworking, talented, smart, energetic, kind, tough, generous...he has
taught me so much about life, people and God. He IS my best friend.
My kids--they are my life. Every day they amaze me. They are both so strong, dependable,
hardworking, stubborn, stick to their convictions regardless of what is going on around them in
a world where that is getting harder and harder to find. They have brought me more joy than
anything else (except maybe their dad but I've known him longer). Joy is the best gift anyone
can give you.
My parents-- They have spent their life doing what they have felt is right
regardless of what even their families thought. (My kids have great roots!) In hind-sight they
may think they should have done things differently but at the time it was what they thought
was best--what else can anyone do? Their love for me and my 4 siblings is superceded by
nothing except for their love of God and each other. They are my role model.
My friends--I have more close true girlfriends now than I have had in years. The few I have
kept from my past I can still call at the drop of a hat and pick up from where we left off. The
ones I have found in the last few years I can cry on, pray with, laugh with, share with and
depend on for anything. They are strong, laugh easily, play hard and support me in every
way. We cry with each other over our kids and when a pet dies. They are my heroes.
Everything else, I've decided, is nothing but hobbies! And I have a few of those too. But these are what have made me who I am. I cannot love or thank them enough...but every day I will try!