Tis the Season to Be Jolly

Thanksgiving feast fit for three kings and three queens

Aydan enjoying ALL the food!

Maryn (in center) singing in her Madrigal group....

.....and doing a jazz solo with the jazz band....fantastic!Bret and Shawn looking for a good tree...

.....and Maryn excited about the choice!Aydan helps Bret in cutting the tree.Wow! It looks great.....all decorated...even though a little fat...Aydan "showing off" the entry way decorations in his hat...The Christmas toilet seat "project"...."Happy to see you, have a seat".........Whoa!!.....just a bit too much to share!Baking and decorating Christmas cookiesOur Christmas mascot....Carrot, Aydan's bunny...
"Sole, sole, sole cake, please good missus, a sole cake...an apple, a pear, a plum, a cherry, any good thing to make us all merry. One for Peter, two for Paul, three for Him who made us all..."

Aahhhhhh, christmas caroling....

I love this particular christmas carol and I LOVE singing it with my children.

A capella, of course, in three part harmony...each part coming in on a new verse. Then, that sharp emphasis on "an apple, a pear, a plum, a cherry..." ....the rythmn has to be perfect...

I love the snow, and the crisp air....

I love the playing of cheesy Christmas carols starting after Thanksgiving,
even though I can't stand that "Momma's New Shoes" one----that is just sick and wrong...

I love getting presents for my family....excited when they will open them and hoping that they will like them...

I love the nativity scenes in people's yards, even though everyone is always trying to take Christ out of Christmas...

I love going to cut a tree with my family...in the cold, and the fact that they always humor me and try to find a skinny, "Charlie Brown" tree, because those are the kind that I love.....(except this year, and they talked me into a fat tree---ooohhhh, so difficult to string with lights!.....I just call it the "fat pig" tree)

I love how people seem happier, on the whole, at this time, and really try to be patient in lines, etc.....even though there is always one jerk there...the rest of us just smile at each other and know that we are the cool ones and aren't upset by the wait...

I glorify in being a mother, wife and G-mom at this time of the year, as I think more of my blessings, and babies, and the Christchild, and the miracle of his birth...

I love leading the choir in church at this time...everyone comes out and I have a HUGE choir, and everyone sings so very well and loves all the music....its a good feeling...

I love decorating my apartment or house or where ever I am living at the time...
Everything looks better with lights and garland on it...and red is one of my favorite colors...

I love to go to the school "holiday" concerts, where I can see one of my children sing, and feel proud when Maryn does a fantastic job singing her solo! ....And I love it in New England because the choir teacher is not afraid to sing songs about Jesus....like in California... :(

I love how I get letters, Christmas cards, and photos from friends and family who are STILL sending them, and deserve to go into the catagory of "uber-perfect" person....as they still use snail mail....

I love the traditions of the season...going to get the tree, picking out a new ornament each year, adding a Santa to my collection each year, Christmas baking Saturday, (which was only Aydan and I this year...rather difficult), caroling with my children on the Sunday night before Christmas for at least four hours and loving it!.....and working with Aydan on our "projects" for Christmas presents, or for the house...(refer to the Snowman toilet cover above... :) )

I feel so blessed at this time of year to have a wonderful family, an awesome husband, and so many great friends......

Thank you all for your friendship, your constant support, and for just being you!

MAY YOU HAVE A VERY VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A GLORIOUS NEW YEAR!!