A Christmas Surprise!

Click twice on the play button to watch Danny's reaction.

Our Snowy Christmas Eve

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Track Santa in Real Time!

http://www.noradsanta.org/en/home.htm

The newest Hot Link is for NORAD's (North American Aerospace Defense Command) official Santa tracking web site. They use state of the art satellite GPS and radar systems to follow Santa's movements around the globe starting on Christmas eve day. Top-secret defense survelliance captures video of the big guy at strategic locations. We'll be watching his progress at our house! Enjoy!

Before you go, be sure to weigh in on our Christmas movie poll on the right! Your vote counts!

Christmas Past - Pennsylvania 2006

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O Christmas Tree (or, "This Would Have Been Easier at Home Depot")

I grew up in the country. We didn't have a farm, but we passed cows everyday.

When I became a young adult in Pennsylvania my friends and I celebrated the great outdoors at Christmas by hiking out through a tree farm to cut down the perfect evergreen. We would bundle up because the weather was always frigid. Whoever had to lay down in the snow or frozen mud with the saw ended up with frozen fingers. Ahh, but it was worth it. We had the perfect, fresh Christmas tree. Nothing beats the smell, the tradition and the experience.

It has been 15 years since we lived in Pennsylvania. We've always had a real tree, but it came from a tree lot.

This year Brad found an ad for a tree farm in Pungo. That's the redneck, I mean rural part of Virginia Beach. Having a rare Saturday with no obligations, we decided to make a family memory. So we drove thirty minutes to Pungo to give our children the priviledge of finding our own fresh tree.

Well, it wasn't exactly like the tree farms of our youth. The weather was quite warm, probably 65 degrees. The farm was really, really small. It was so small that one of the two types of trees they raised was actually sold out. So that left us with a small field of white pine. White pines are not my idea of a Christmas tree. They have long needles and are very sticky. But we were determined to have a great time anyway so we tromped through the acre or two of fluffy white pines to find the perfect size and shape tree.

The boys were not impressed. Daniel's take on the whole situation was "This would have been easier at Home Depot." (I thought that was hysterical!) So much for an idyllic family memory. Most of our occassions are marked by Daniel's unique perspective and we'll treasure those memories just as much.

So we settled on a nice 7 foot tree and I have to admit it is the prettiest Christmas tree I've ever had. White pines aren't bad after all. But next year we'll probably be back at Home Depot.

Things I am Grateful for this Christmas (in no particular order)

1. The decorating is done, all but the tree. The tree comes later because it will be real
2. Shopping! Even on a budget, there is a thrill in the hunt.
3. The beautiful weather in Virginia. It may be 45 degrees today, but it will be 70 again next week!
4. I can walk and I’m NOT pregnant! Last year I was down – literally, with a bad back. I had to sleep on the floor and take a lot of meds. And the year I was pregnant with Dan I was on the couch with an I.V. pole. I definitely missed out on a lot, so I really appreciate being healthy for Christmas.
5. Brad. I can’t be too specific as this is a family-friendly blog. ;) Counting the years we were dating this is our 19th Christmas together. I could not be more grateful.
6. Geoffrey. What a light show! Check out the link, week two is posted now.
7. Daniel. He can hear the bell from Santa’s sleigh and he believes. No one lives the excitement, anticipation and joy of Christmas more deeply than children.
8. Girls’ Night Out – you ladies are TOO funny!
9. Target. And chocolate covered pretzels.
10. Running the bookstore is so much fun at Christmas! I swear people will buy anything!
11. Old friends and new ones. I love writing out Christmas cards and sending them out all over the country! Friends are treasures collected throughout my whole life. To you dear friends in PA, NY, FL, CA, VA and TX, Merry Christmas!
12. Our families. No one ever made better grandparents than Pete & Sue and Bob & Bev. They truly spoil the boys. Everyone needs a little spoiling.
13. Jesus. As a Christian, I look for something new each year, something about God and Christmas that I never realized. This year I’ve been struck by God’s humility. Jesus was there at the creation of the earth. He made everything that there is. He designed the atom and the cell. All of mankind can barely grasp the intricacy and the profound genius of the construction of life. But when it was time, He came down here to save us. Then He had nothing. Not even clothes. How can that be? How can He love us that much?

A whole Elfin family

http://www.elfyourself.com/?id=1120643232

Click on the link above. You won't believe how corny this is. Just goes to show you the lengths we will go to to amuse our family at Christmas!

The 12 Days of Christmas according to an 8 year old who has been waiting for an hour in the car to see the Holiday Lights at the beach

My Brother Gave to Me...

On the first day of Christmas my brother gave to me a Monkey on a Brain.
On the second day of Christmas my brother gave to me 2 Swaying Flags.
On the third day of Christmas my brother gave to me 3 Pairs of Glasses.
On the forth day of Christmas my brother gave to me 4 Icecream Cones.
On the fifth day of Christmas my brother gave to me 5 Ear Drums.
On the sixth day of Christmas my brother gave to me 6 Grilled Bolognas.
On the seventh day of Christmas my brother gave to me 7 Movie Tickets.
On the eighth day of Christmas my brother gave to me 8 Super 8's.
On the ninth day of Christmas my brother gave to me 9 Fat Punchs.
On the tenth day of Christmas my brother gave to me 10 Swimming Pools.
On the eleven day of Christmas my brother gave to me 11 Street Lights.
On the twelve day of Christmas my brother gave to me 12 Spanking and Wedgies.

The best thing about living with boys:

1. There is always someone around to kill spiders (or worse!)
2. They eat anything I make (well 2 of them do)
3. I get to be a soccer mom
4. No one cries when they comb their hair
5. No ruffles anywhere – ever
6. They can do yard work
7. No one borrows my clothes, makeup, shoes, jewelry
8. Testosterone is less volatile than estrogen
9. They fix stuff, (well mostly computers)
10. No one asks for new clothes
11. Field trips
12. No one begs to go to the mall
13. They never outgrow Legos
14. They forgive
15. Can decorate both bedrooms with the same blue paint

Why I write in lists:

1. I have a compulsive need to organize. If I can break it down into small, manageable pieces, I know I can handle it. Whether it is a grocery list, errands to be run or people to call I feel better if I make a list.


2. I think, therefore I write, in sound bites. It started in my college press writing class. Then began to take hold when I had PR jobs and had to write press releases and event fliers. Then I wrote the church bulletin for a while. Now I write elementary school newsletters. No one who reads my writing has an attention span over 2 minutes. It's quick. And it seems to be irreversible.


3. My world is full of wonderful things I want to remember. But my mind is so full of things to do, I can't store them all in there. I need something more permanent.


4. The world is spinning faster and faster. I can feel it. The chubby baby I had just 5 minutes ago is taller than me and making the honor roll in high school. The sweet blond baby that came next is tall and skinny and almost too big for my lap.


5. Mrs. Crowther, my 8th grade English teacher encouraged me to write. When I was a painfully shy teenager she took the time to say nice things about me. And I believed every one of them.