A Simple Woman's Christmas Daybook 2012

Just for today~Monday, December 24-25, 2012
 

Our lives pass swiftly by! I want to do something to remember

the everyday moments and my thoughts about them.  

That is what this daybook is all about.

Focusing on the little things that become my life.

One week at a time.

 

Outside my window...It is bright and sunny and cold.  The trees look bare that are not evergreens and the shake roof has brilliant, apple green moss and grass growing on it.  It is so pretty.  I love it when the moss comes out and then little blades of grass grow right on the roof of the cottage. It is kind of funny as it is the only place we have any grass actually.   I love this cottage we call home.  I could easily become a recluse for love of it.  I am happiest and most comfortable here.  Being a homebody is my thing.

I am thankful for...Christmas for the JOY of it, the fun of it, the traditions and the memories.  The endless memories of family gone before, of friends loved and lost, and loved that remain here with us still.  Christmas conjures up the best of times and the worst of times.  It brings life and love and longings and hope and faith to the surface for me.  I picked up a fancy dish to prepare for a dinner yesterday and I was flooded with thoughts of my Mom.  Saw a tiny girl and thought of our grandkids so far away and our own children once tiny and now grown.  As I set the table for our family dinner and looked at the Christmas plates I thought of all the loved ones that have eaten here with us in celebration of the Christ Child.  I gazed upon Jim's mom at the table and thought of his Dad who died the day after Christmas many years ago.  Looked at Scott, our nephew, who came here as an infant  and is a grown man with a beard now.  And my sweet cousin, Bob, who has known me my whole life and is the only person I know to be able to claim that.  And I looked at the empty chairs.  So many empty chairs with only ten here yesterday.  There have been years when we numbered well into the twenties nearing thirty.  The years our little home was bulging at the seams with love and laughter and little ones and a visits from Santa.  I am thankful for all the memories, and just a little blue.  Christmas without your children and grandchildren and parents is bittersweet.

From the learning room...You get to choose how you view things.  I think that all the above is good.  The happy thoughts, the missing of great people and their love adds so much to the richness of living.  Being with my Husband is enough.  Knowing we share the memories of 48 Christmases and we and we alone know what we miss because we both miss it...that is a special bond like no other.  To have been with him all these years on this special day is my joy.  The melancholy that is unspoken and shared equally is my comfort. Waking up with him on Christmas morning is my Christmas gift.  In all my missing of loved ones, my cup is very full.  Time and distance and circumstance are all peripheral to the love that sustains him and me as a family.

I am reading...scriptures, and family history things and some sweet Christmas blogs and stories.

From the kitchen...tons of left-overs from a great dinner last night.  Hallelujah!  And on our way shortly to Jim's cousins home so just making a big salad for today.  Yehaw!

 
I am missing...Everyone I love or have loved that is not here this moment.  I am emotionally driven, had you not noticed.  Hehehe.

Some spiritual thoughts I have been having...Thinking of Christ, his gifts, his life, his atonement in more detail than usual this lovely Christmas season has brought me great joy and peace.  Something new each day this month of December has been inspiring, like videos, music, stories and scriptures and good lessons in church yesterday have lifted me up.  The little book called, "Jesus Calling."  It has been so elevating and comforting.  Thank you sweet, Nellie!  I would never want to live any other way than with Christ as a focal point from which all good things radiate. 

I am hearing...beautiful instrumental Christmas music on my Bose docking station.  It sounds like the instruments are right here in the room with me.  So peaceful and cheerful at the same time.


One of my guilty pleasures...Christmas shopping.  I kind of love it.  Not all the time but when I am in the mood it feels very festive.

Pet Peeves...that all the good stores are in Utah when I want to do it!

I am going...on a secret date with Jim tonight.  It will just be the two of us...a rare thing lately.  I will tell you about it tomorrow.


I am quoting...Pinterest:

For you...

If I could change one thing it would be...that one moment can change your whole life.  If we could ease into our burdens and challenges it would be better.  Being blind-sided by something makes it so much harder.

An enjoyable movie we have watched lately...Larkrise To Candleford with Jim.  He has loved this series.  It has been fun to watch him watching it.  He has a mini-crush on Minnie, it is cute.


I am curious about...so many things it makes me tired.

Plans for the rest of the week...taking it down a notch.  It has been a busy, social three weeks.  I need some solitude and recharging of my batteries because I have 4 classes to teach in January and a talk to give at church this coming Sunday.  Sheesh.  Calgon...take me away.

One of my favorite things...mornings when I wake up full of enthusiasm and zest for the day ahead and nap time when I can recharge again.  So I guess one of my favorite things is sleep.

Some photos I am sharing this week...Our fun evening with our family last night.  Merry Christmas one and all. 

Our Candle Light Dinner

Christmas Eve, Eve

My brother Steve and nephew Scott
Leading the caroling and my brother's
 famous rendition of El Paso that he
 sings every single Christmas, rain or shine.
It has not one thing to do with Christmas...
except at this house!

We love it!

❤♡♥♡❤♡♥♡❤♡♥s, Bon