Loving December #31

I can't believe I actually did this. I actually found all of those things to like about December!

My creativity knows no bounds!!!

/snark>

Loving December #30

The BIG semi-annual sale at Bath and Body Works!

K and I get gift cards for Christmas and then have all kinds of fun at this sale.

It's a tradition!

Loving December #29

After Christmas Sales!

(and shopping with my daughter)

Loving December #28

You know, I really like to wrap gifts. I like to coordinate the trimmings and make them look pretty.

(Unless I have a ton hanging over my head that need to be wrapped in the next 20 minutes.)

Loving December #27

Presents!

Loving December #26

Half-price after Christmas sales!

But I don't shop on Sunday so hopefully there will be something left tomorrow.

Christmas Dinner Menu

Honey Baked Spiral Ham
Cheesy Potatoes (irreverantly called Funeral Potatoes at our house)
Tossed Green Salad
Homemade Rolls
Marionberry Cobbler and Ice Cream

The stockings are empty, the presents are open, there is chocolate in abundance.

Kellie made Orange Cranberry Cinnamon Rolls for breakfast.

All is merry and bright.

Loving December #25

Merry Christmas.

God bless us, every one.

Christmas Eve Menu

Shrimp Cocktails
Ham and Cheese Cheeseball (made by me!)
Schuler's Bar Cheese
Assorted Crackers
Assorted Christmas Cookies

Later we are going to a candlelight Christmas Eve service.

(But I still have some wrapping to do first!)

That is all.

Loving December #24

Giving.

That's what it is all about, really, isn't it?

It is so fun to hit the nail on the head with just the right gift. And so fun to surprise someone who really isn't expecting anything. And fun to deliver a plate of goodies as an excuse to have a long overdue visit. And fun when someone appreciates a small gesture so much.

That's what drags me back from the crazy.

Giving.

Loving December #22-23

• Favorite Christmas recipes.
• Ring and Run. Was that you, Melissa?

Loving December #21

Being able to use all of my fabulous Christmas dishes.

Loving December #18-20

• K returning from college for a Christmas vacation. Yippee!
• A Christmas program with lots of music.
• A beautifully decorated tree.

Loving December #17

A beautiful evergreen that takes up half of the livingroom and makes the whole house smell good.

Loving December #16

Christmas stamps.

I buy them every year.

Now if I could just get them stuck to the cards and in the mail!

Loving December #12-15

• A church gym turned into a Bethlehem market place
• Angels with tinsel garland in their hair
• Little blonde boys dressed as shepherds
• Excitement of a Christmas party

Loving December #11

Poinsettias.

Loving December #10

December seems to be the month of soups at our house. Good, hearty, homemade soup. We have tried a few new recipes already.

Loving December #9

I love it that in December I communicate (commiserate) with my sisters a little more often.

Loving December #8

I love watching holiday movies in December. I have already watched two on my must see holiday list: Miracle on 34th Street (the old one) and Holiday Inn. Four more to go!

Loving December #7

There is more of an emphasis on doing things for other people in the community at large.

It is easier to come up with things to do for other people.

That is a good thing.

Loving December #6

The first year I move to Michigan the local paper had a feature on how to survive (and even enjoy!) a Michigan winter. Item one was: Buy good boots. Item two was: Wear the boots. I don't remember what else the article said, but this stuck with me.

I have found this to be very good advice. I found a style of boots that were easy on and easy off, and have made a practice of wearing them whenever conditions warranted. The same wisdom applies to coats, gloves, scarves, and tires. I can't say it has made me really enjoy winter, but it has helped.

Loving December #5

I love those days after a big snow when the sky is bright blue, and the snow is fresh and white, and everything sparkles. It feels like everything is right with the world.

Loving December #4

I love those days in December when I don't have to go anywhere, and I am cozy at home working on a project, and the snow is softly falling, piling up on the fences and the trees.

{In December, it's a novelty. In February and March, not so much.}

Loving December #3

I love hearing from old friends. I received my first Christmas card on December 1st this year from one of my oldest and dearest friends. We went to school together from first grade on. (No kindergarten in Idaho, back in the day.) I may have actually known her from Primary before that. She conveniently lived right next door to the school. She made the 12+ hour journey in her car to come to my wedding. She is 25 days older than me, so she gets to test the waters when we have those big birthdays ending in zero and can let me know how it is.

That's one of the things I love about December.

Loving December #2

Something I love this December is a McDonald's radio spot. It is a woman's voice saying that she can be spontaneous, she has it all planned out! (and she goes on to talk about her list and spreadsheet...ha!)

That is so me!

I Shall Always Love December...

Ok. That's not really true. Sometimes I despise December. Usually it makes me crazy. At best...well, there is rarely an "at best" in dealing with the month of December, at least not right away; not until about noon on the 25th.

But I decided to blog this month about all of the things I do love about December. Really!

So, to begin...I love the lights. I love that when the year is the darkest, people put up lights...on their houses, in their windows, in their yards. It's like being given lemons and making lemonade! Here, take that, Mother Nature! It is a show of optimism in a dark world. It is a lesson I should incorporate more often: Focus on the light, not the dark.