It's Beginning to Look Alot Like Christmas...

Hello All My Fabulous Blog Viewers!
Can I tell you a little secret?!?
I was feeling a little "Bah Hum Bug-ish" lately!
I'm not sure why exactly...
I love Christmas!
It's my favorite time of year!
But this year, especially, I was feeling a little blue...
I have a few theories...
1) My children aren't little kids anymore - heck, my baby will be 11 in a few days! I miss the wonder and magic of the holidays when you are with little, little children.
2) I'm so busy! My mother would say - "Too Busy!" and then my grandmother would agree!
3) There's no snow in Murrieta!!! It just doesn't feel like Christmas without snow!!!
4) Christmas has become so commercial! It's all about buying things and getting things...
Christmas to me has taken on a whole new meaning...
It was all a little depressing...
Then I went to church yesterday...
and what do you know...
the lesson was on how to bring Christ back into Christmas!
So I started thinking:
"Why do I celebrate Christmas and what does it mean to me?"
I went back to the reasons I was feeling so blue and looked at them another way -

1)My sweet Logan...he's 12, and he has a heart of gold!
We were walking through the store just a couple days ago and he saw some ornaments...
He grabbed my hand and said "Mom! Look at these! I think we should do the whole tree in just these colors! Wouldn't that look cool?!?"
I looked at him - those beautiful blue eyes twikled - and he was 5 years old again!
He was so excited!
So we bought some new ornaments!
He could hardly contain himself!
The excitement spread!
He got Michael to help him set up both our trees...
Then they had dad get down the ornament and decoration boxes...
Logan and I went through all the boxes and we set out the decorations.
Then we laid out all the new ornaments that we bought and added some we already had that matched the color scheme and we started decorating the tree.
Listening to Christmas music in the background as we worked...
We were about done, when Logan made an observation "Mom, it's so sparkly!"
He was right - it is very sparkly!
We'll be decorating the other tree tonight!
That's the tree that the special ornaments are put on!
You know the ones I'm talking about...
The ones handmade by four very special boys over the past 11 years or so...
The ones that make me cry, happy/sad tears every time we put them on the tree!
Even though my children are big boys...
They love Christmas, just as much as I do!
I'm so grateful to them for showing me that no matter how old they get, it is still a magical time of year!

2)Yes, I'm busy...and I feel that I've kinda let a few things slip through my fingers this year...
our family picture didn't get taken.
For the first time in my 15 year marriage...
my husband asked me when we were going to have our picture taken!
Normally I drag him kicking and screaming!
(not really, but it's almost as bad as going to the dentist for him!)
It's ok...I'm not stressing about it...I'm letting it go...
Deep Inhale - and long EXHALE....
We'll get it done while the kids are out of school for break!
And instead of Christmas cards...
New Years cards or Valentine's Cards!
I have also made a list for 2008 of things to do starting in July to help prepare for the Holidays...I'll let you know how that turns out!
I am reminding myself the Cub Scout Motto - "Do Your Best!"

3) Oh get over the snow thing!
Jesus was born in the desert!
And in a stable no less!
It's not what's around you -
It's who's around you!
Family and friends!
Celebrating the birth of our Savior!
And it's cold in the snow!

4) I was listening yesterday to some amazing ideas on how to help our family have a more Christ centered Christmas...
Some of our traditions are already in place to help with that...
But this year we are trying to find ways to serve others rather than thinking only of our selves!

So to conclude...
Christmas to me is to celebrate the birth of our Savior...
and to be with my family...
It means love - love of the Savior and love of my family!
I'm so thankful to my husband and children!
It's the little things they do that show their love for me!
I'm also so thankful to all of you - my friends, students and blog viewers!

Sorry I got so wordy...
But I have had a change on my outlook...
Like the Grinch...
My heart grew three sizes today!

Have a very Merry Christmas!
Hugs and Kisses to all!
terina