Monday, October 27, 2008

Chillin' Out

I got up at a little after 6 this morning, took my shower, ready to go shooting some of the fall colors we're finally getting around here. Marshall asked me if I had noticed the weather report, which, for the first time probably ever, I had not. We had a wind advisory this morning as a cold front moved in. I was excited about the cold front, but as you can probably imagine, it's hard to shoot leaves that are blowing like crazy in the wind. So, that ended my plans to go shooting.

I hung out with Kandi all day. We had a great time just chillin' at her studio. We had lunch at the Purple Daisy Picnic Cafe, which is stinkin' adorable. It's near the Incline, so you should try it out if you live here. :)

I'm SO, SO ready to start my Christmas shopping. I wish my wallet was ready, too. :) Normally, I hate shopping; you can't drag me to the mall. I'm just not a shopper, never really have been. BUT, come Christmas, I'm ready to rock and roll. :) There's nothing I love more than watching my kids on Christmas morning; watching them open gifts, laughing, just BEING together. It thrills me to the core.

Not only am I ready to shop, but I'm ready to put the tree up. I'm ready to put all my decorations out. WHY can't Christmas last longer? I think the celebration should at least (at least!) last for three months. And the music...ah...the wonderful Christmas music! Speaking of music, Harry Connick Jr's "Home For the Holidays" cd is wonderful.

When our kids were little, we didn't buy them a lot of toys throughout the year, so at Christmas, we would always go a little nutty getting them lots of presents. And I'm certainly not saying that giving gifts is what it's all about. It's about GETTING gifts.... ;) No, I'm totally kidding. Hee hee! Anyone who knows me in "real life" and not just "blog life" knows what Christmas means to me, just ask 'em...they'll tell you. I love it. LOVE it. All year long. :)

I love knowing that we celebrate our Savior's birth on this day. I love spending time with my family; Christmas Eve at my in-laws, their house so full of presents and family members that you can barely even walk without stepping on someone or something! I love bows and ribbons, laughter, and tears, remembering our loved ones who are no longer with us... I love memories of Christmas past...

Then there's Christmas breakfast with my Dad's family, and listening to my grandfather bless our food, and saying my own thankful prayers, happy to be who I am, and with all those who I'm lucky enough to have as aunts and uncles and cousins--and believe me, I AM blessed!

Christmas dinner...seeing and smelling food you don't eat all year long just so it will be more special on THIS day! And the glorious tree and it's lights. Special decorations, like reindeer antlers made out of brown pipe cleaner...and JUST the antlers, because the ball that made the reindeer's head was broken long ago. :) Still, you cherish those antlers.... :)

Anyway, that's what *I* see at Christmas. I'm not sure if everyone else sees those things, but that-- that's what *I* see.

:) Night!

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Rachel I hated how fast it took my two children to open their gifts so I would play games with them. One game I wrapped their gifts and hide them so they couldn’t find them. I put clues in small boxes and wrapped them and placed them under the tree. So Christmas morning when they got up they had to unwrap the gifts under the tree and take the clue to find the real gift. That has been about 5 years ago and they still talk about how much fun that was. Another game I played was I put my daughters name on my son’s gifts and his name on hers. That was fun because they would shake trying to figure out what they had and it wasn’t their gift to start with.

dawnia said...

I'm looking forward to the holiday season with Rowan...NOT the over abundance of gifts (I'm not that kind but grandparents will be) but the learning about different beliefs, traditions and other non-Christian holidays that happen in December. I can't wait to see it all through her eyes! I'm just tickled that I've figured out a way to "celebrate" the month of December and not be disloyal to my own beliefs. That was one of the first things I worried about when I found out I was pregnant.

As for you and your Christmas fetish... it is a little over the top I hope you know. Christmas music! Now! In July even? You are so special. I'm so glad you are my friend. I loves you so much.

rachelpennington said...

Anon~:) Great ideas! Thanks for sharing them with me.

D~I hope you'll also teach Rowan about God and let her make her own decisions.

Dawnia said...

Oh, I will. I'll teach her about all gods. I'll teach her ALL about the Christian god. She'll be able to be who she wants to be. I can't wait to see who she becomes!

Kinda like when Z joined ROTC... we were terrified he'd be recruited and want to join the military (we were also dumbfounded as to why he'd join ROTC). If he had went that route, I'd have been supportive. I wouldn't have liked it much (not at all actually) but was all hey doll... it's your life.

I like what anon said too... my dad did that to my mom one year. It was great fun to watch. Another year, he got her a certificate to a gym. Tiny business card thing. He wrapped it in a box about the size of our living room. Actually, he wrapped it in several boxes, nesting inside the other with bricks inside so it was heavy. She had no idea what was it in. It was fun.

Anonymous said...

Your Christmas sounds wonderful!