Most Wonderful Time of the Year

When I think of Christmas, memories of my childhood are what I recall.  In the days leading up to Christmas we would drive around and look at lights as a family.  We would go see Scrooge and suck on the ends of candy canes until they were pointy little tips.  Both sides of my extended family would get together for a huge dinner ~ sometimes there were games, sometimes there was singing but there was ALWAYS laughter.  I can still hear my aunts and uncles visiting as I looked around.

My grandmother used to live on Wapato Lake - her house was right at the end of the lake and we spent many summers there swimming and fishing.  One particularly cold year the lake had frozen over.  All the uncles brought out their ice skates, and all the cousins ran to the thrift stores to buy ice skates.  That year we skated and skated and skated until it was too dangerous to do it anymore.  We laughed and played and tossed snowballs at each other, by the end we were happy and rosy cheeked.

Now that I'm older I can look back at these memories and know that they would have never happened if it weren't for my parents dedication to giving my sister and I the kind of childhood that dreams are made of. I know I was lucky to have such a rich childhood.  Its almost reminiscent of what Norman Rockwell would have depicted.

And now I have a son of my own.  As my little family grows up we are setting the standards ~ creating the memories that Taylor will eventually look back on.  I hope this holiday season you have a chance to slow down and squeeze your family a little tighter.

This year my dad built Taylor a chicken coop for Christmas!  Taylor's eyes got very large as we explained that we would be getting chickens in the spring :) 

Silent night, Holy nightAll is calm, all is brightRound yon virgin, mother and childHoly infant, tender and mildSleep in heavenly peace,Sleep in heavenly peace.

Silent night, Holy nightSon of God, love's pure lightRadiant beams from thy holy faceWith the dawn of redeeming grace,Jesus, Lord at thy birthJesus, Lord at thy birth.

Silent night, Holy nightShepherds quake, at the sightGlories stream from heaven aboveHeavenly, hosts sing Hallelujah.Christ the Savior is born,Christ the Savior is born.