Muppet Christmas Carol - Thankful Heart

A Holly Jolly Christmas

    

My personal celebration of the holidays never gets old, Especially when shared with kids! I have enjoyed babysitting, dog sitting and the occasional odd jobs this past fall, whenever I get to watch my buddy Joshua we have a great time! We toss paper airplanes, or climb trees, we look through the bug book and run through the sprinklers especially after a day at the ZOO. 
These last 4 years with him in my life has been so delightful, so energizing that I was sad in hearing he was moving away this week. So we made a big fun last event in hanging out at the holiday "Garden a Glow" along with his Mom and baby brother. The four of us had such a delightful time in the botanical gardens decorate in Christmas lights!
Joshua and I ran to the top of the hill while his mom Eranda sat with her baby boy Kite, resting and waiting for us to return. Eranda said my blinking lights on my hat allowed her to know where we were up there in the whole time. Joshua and I just stood a moment at the top of the gardens looking out across at Boise, Idaho. In the winter's darkness I said "Look at those city lights! I am so glad it's not so cold right now up here." Joshua jumped around from bench to bench saying "I won't be living here anymore.....and so we won't get to go to the zoo anymore." I felt sad as I thought about how much fun I've always had hanging out with this kid! 
I smiled back thoughtfully and half hugged him knowing it is always so hard when everything changes. When we saw a long line of kids waiting to ring the bell in the glowing gardens I asked Josh if we should go get in line he smirked "It's not worth standing in line forever....it's just a bell, I rang it last year anyway." I laughed at his response knowing so many times when we went to festivals or to parades if there was a crowd he would always say "This isn't fun any more lets walk over there where there is less people." I would agree proudly and we would just chat away in our own world. 
The Garden a Glow evening was truly fun and magical, we walked through the whole place and saw every display while goofing around together. As a going away gift I gave Joshua our well used bug book and his favorite rubber snake that we had played many pranks on each other with over the years! The magic of being a kid is such a huge world of wonders that I will always be so grateful for these years of hanging out with my buddy Joshua! I will be a bit sad too, I shall miss him so much for swinging and walking the railroad tracks or jumping over the irrigation ditch was made even better with him by my side, with him saying things like "This is CRAZY! We could get hit by a train!" 
OR in that moment when I swung him over the water only to fall completely in myself! We both were laughing so long over that moment in our many adventures!

It was a holly jolly night running around with Joshua under the Christmas lights even though I knew I would be sad when he left. Making it the best night ever in jokes and stories and laughter! Being friends is something that came so natural for us that I know we will always stay in touch, It's just hard to adapt to not having him around to show me new things like the lego movie or how to order from the new soda machines in McDonald's and Burger King. So instead I will keep the memories of dancing to all his Michael Jackson songs or putting old puzzles together as the best part of our holly jolly good times!

" O Holy Night " Josh Groban with lyrics.

When I went to church growing up THIS was my most favorite hymn at Christmas time, the emotional power of singing these lyrics so passionately made me tear up a bit at the message in how we have hope from our oppression in this world! Falling on my knees always made me feel so humble and so true to our natural calling to be grateful this time of the year for everything we have! This song still speaks to me in a much different way because I no longer have blind faith but instead I see the bigger message in this song as a metaphor for all things! for on December 25th the SUN is born again from that date on it becomes more light out later on in the day as the Sun grows toward the summer solstices and while religion takes the same story for it's own agenda I see in this song once again the hidden promise of hope returning after a long dark cold winter.......I'll always admire this song for the joy to my heart it brings! 

All is Calm

The waves of the ocean hit me in a sharp cold wind as I climbed over the slope unhooking my dog's leash. "WOW! What a Christmas morning!" he bolted towards the group of seagulls then happily return to me for his Frisbee and I walked for miles in true happiness this way.

This was my 30th year, there was magic in reaching age suddenly realizing my soul felt at home, maybe I was born 30 and now I can say everything is in balance with the universe,  ALL is calm.

My dog loves the ocean side for the overwhelming freedom to run as far as my eye can see before I call him back to me, "If your dog likes you and if your dog trusts you then they will always come back when you call them. So how you treat them, how you protect them will show in their behavior." The dog trainer made me chuckle as this could be applied to humans as well! I would never forget this power point presentation. My dog always came back calmly laying down like he wants me to carry him back to the hotel room now....and I would.

The soft cool sand covers my finger tips as I loved sitting and digging into the ground watching the sunset before me in a crystal masterpiece over the ever moving and breathing coast line. All is well, All is calm, All is magically set before me.....

I am grateful for every trip to the Oregon Coast, the best times are when my dogs are with me of course but sometimes just sitting on the drift wood all alone I am left in awe of such a place for my soul to rest and refresh. One day I shall die and I hope to float off on those white waves into another adventure for my spirit! All is calm when I arrive here, nothing matters anymore at the moment I smell the salty seaweed and see the endless picture of water moving towards the end of the earth!

The last time I stood there I said "I don't know when I will be back, but I shall carry your glory with me everywhere I go! It doesn't get an easier out there in the world, however it comes down to a choice in being calm, with a little help from YOU!" I nodded towards the blue water as it rolled on by my bare feet soaking into the dark wet hard sand and I smiled back as if the ocean understood me, it gave me the wonder in all things!

[Official Video] Little Drummer Boy - Pentatonix

The Little Drummer Boy

It's a holiday song that is fun to sing with kids as you march around pretending to be drumming, my father once said it was a stupid song because it never happened..."a drummer boy at the side of baby Jesus being born?!?" and I took his opinion into consideration back then and yet knew it was simply fun to sing! Now I chuckle looking back at the "splitting hairs" in the constant reflection of my childhood's magic being squashed in the name of so called reality and truths.....
In the bigger picture of Christmas being about the birth of Jesus everyone is struggling and reaching to make that an actual fact more then simply delighting in the beauty of it all, maybe or maybe not Jesus was ever born........ that's not the point for the holidays. I feel being together is the whole point for celebrating and IF Jesus was surrounded by music from a boy on his drum is still a lovely idea like with ALL fairy tales, all of history, in legends and in parables there is meaning if you look for it! I say take delight in whatever message you choose for the Holidays!

"Come they told me...." is a great united message I like it because it has such an emotional start, then there is this idea that a king is born to save them yet he is also poor like them so he will somehow help and save the world in the end for all....I think we are always looking for a new "Leader" to relate to our own current issues and injustices. 
It's a timeless message if you really think about it this classic Christmas song.

The best part of the song that always gave me goose bumps was the drummer boy sharing "He smiled at me...." such as babies often do, there is a refreshing thought for happiness prevailing when under oppression. And also I think over how maybe there is another hidden thought here about how baby Jesus is smiling because he already knew this drummer boy in this very moment of time. Like in a flash of depth full of spirituality and respect, these two come together wanting the very same things in this world and smiling in agreement over the wonder of it all!

I'll be home for Christmas

       

I think this is the most coziest month of the whole year! When my home is decked out in Christmas decor it gives way to a fresh new look!
My husband was in his study lost in hours of getting his first final down and so he never came out to the living room where I transformed the place top to bottom in Christmas magic! That first morning he exclaimed "OH MY GOD! Looks like ELF was here while we were asleep!" and I woke up laughing so proud of my creativity and likeness to ELF the famous movie with Will Ferrel for he has always been my favorite in relating to his honest holiday cheer for everyone near!
This is such a magical time of the year! I can't say that enough!
  

AND I think all my pets LOVE these many soft blankets I leave all around in my living room and bed. It gives them warmth and most importantly comfort in this cold season!
 My Christmas tree shines on just before bed while I cuddle and kiss my beloved pets simply admiring it's soft inspiring glow of this annual time with our tree here! 

I am proud to be home for Christmas this year and deeply enjoying this cozy comfort in being both romantic and relaxing! The holidays fly by way to fast so it's the whole month of December that has me enjoying every little thing, it's pure magic!