Welcome December!

When I started this post at the beginning of the week, I intended on making up for the last month of not keeping this blog updated with an end-of-the-month list of 30 things I'm thankful for; however, as started to write the post, I realized that my brain was far too much into Christmas to dwell in the past of November and Thanksgiving.  Don't get me wrong, I'm very thankful!  I have an amazing family, a wonderful boyfriend, a new apartment to call home, a job that pays the bills, my health (well, not right now) and fabulous friends - I am very blessed and thankful this year.

I had the day off today, so I've been thinking a lot about how I plan to spend the holiday season.  I did some more decorating today around the apartment.  My gift lists are complete, so now I just need to complete the shopping.  Dennis and I are working on the Christmas cards and baking cookies to deliver to special people from our families, work places and churches.  Thanks to Pinterest I am obsessed with the random acts of kindness lists.  Instead of my normal daily goals, I incorporated these.  I also made a holiday bucket list for Dennis and I to attempt on the few nights that neither one of us has work or a meeting.

Happy Holidays!

The Start of the Holiday Season

For me, the official start of the holiday season is the annual wreath party at my church.  Since I was a small child, this has always been one of my favorite days of the holiday season.  My sisters, friends and I would wear the red wreath party t-shirts and serve homemade cookies and cranberry tea to congregation and community members attending the party. 

After we had fulfilled out duties, Nancy Price, the wonderful woman who started and led this wonderful tradition at our church, would patiently teach us kids to make a wreath of our own to take home.  At the time, I think I found this more tiresome and boring and probably took making a wreath with Nancy for granted, but now I am thankful that I know how and refuse to purchase a wreath. 

As the years passed, my sisters and friends stopped participating as much but I still loved the wreath party and would rearrange my travel plans as life took me to different states just so I could be home for this special time.  There were many years I didn't make a wreath but that was fine because I was happy just spending time with the other volunteers and talking to participants.

The party has changed in the last few years...

...the red t-shirts aren't so red anymore and are getting vintage...

...not as many people are interesting in making a wreath when they can buy one (we used to fill three rooms with participants and have four sessions, we are down to one now)

...Nancy, who ran the wreath party, has passed and we miss her terribly...

 ...but the spirit of the holiday season and Nancy's presence is still very much alive as we sip our cranberry tea, eat delicious cookies, listen to holiday tunes and make beautiful, handmade wreaths. 

I haven't had time to make a wreath these last two years, so last night I made one for the back door of our apartment.  It was the first time I had made a wreath since Nancy died.  The first time I had made a wreath without help from all the wreath "pros."  And the first time I made one the hard way.  It's not the best looking wreath but I made it myself.

I know some of the other kids, who are all now adults, have made wreaths for their own homes and I hope Nancy is smiling down us and is proud that we are all carrying on her wonderful tradition.

Yummy Christmas Crack!!

Since I have my own kitchen, I can cook and bake on my own terms with out Martha Stewart (Beth) and Julia Child (Meg) looking over my shoulder.  When I was little my mom made this great cookie with crackers, brown sugar, butter and chocolate.  For some reason she didn't like to make it and has told me in recent years to make it myself.  Well, I did!  I found it on Pinterest and they were calling it Christmas Crack! Love it!  It is super addicting!  Dennis and I are actually going to make cookies to give to people this year!  Bring on the holidays!