What I love about Christmas

Here are a few things that I love about getting ready for Christmas:

Hot drinks! Not only can we finnaly snuggle up with a hot beverage, but we get to drink them out of special Christmas cups! Eeee!


Nativity scene. I love them! I have about 4 or 5, but this one is special because it reminds me of my mom's nativity scene.


Poinsettas! These were always around our house growing up, as Im sure they were around many people's houses growing up, and this year, Matt bought me one for a surprise! Love it!


Lights! What more is there to say?!


Woo hoo! What takes up the entire free space of your guarage/cubby hole/attic? Christmas decorations!


Christmas tree! This year is the first year we don't have a real one, but we still decorated the crap out of it! The theme is Noriegan. (You know, scandanavian. . . I have no idea how to spell. Sorry mom. I know you are cringing.)


Wall hanging! I don't know, I just like this thing. Wall hangings, wreaths, everything accounts as this.


Last but not least, LOVE! Christmas is all about love, so share it with everyone!!!

This free digital greeting card generated with Smilebox

Comfort moments

Id like to think everyone has them. It is a specific moment in time, normally in your childhood, that when you think of it, it always brings you comfort. It is a time of pure zen and happiness. (That's why I think all of my comfort moments are in my childhood. Much less stress then!)

My comfort moments differ from person to person.

My comfort moment with my mom is when I was probobly seven, and my dad and I had just gotten back from Christmas shopping. Mom was sitting down stairs in our little house getting out all the Christmas decorations with Lisa, who at the time was probably 4ish. She had the record player (yes, record!) playing with the carpenters Christmas hits. I don't know why this spicific moment is so comforting to me. After all, I wasn't really involved in it at all, but when I think about "the joys of Christmas" or "joy of childhood" this always comes to mind. And it always makes me very happy. If I am having a stressful day, it always gives my brain a break for a couple of seconds.

My comfort moment with my dad is when he was working on his old bronco. He was changing the oil, and again, I was just observing, but I really liked watching him.

A whole family zen moment was when we went for bike rides. More to the point, when we got HOME from bike riding. Let me explain.
When I was little, Mom only let us have 1 soda pop a week. Since she didn't want us staying up till God knows when during the weeknites, (well played, mom) we were only allowed it on either Saturday or Sunday.
Wondering what biking and soda pop have to do with one another?
When we got back from our bike rides, everyone would grab a soda. Mom with her Fresca, Dad with his mountian dew, and Lisa and I always had Hawiian punch. Yeeess!! The moment that I put that fruity flavor in my mouth was the best. We had just worked very hard from our bike ride, and now we were all panting and recovering with a family soda.
Sigh.
It was magical.