Christmas, Christmas time is here...

   Sing it, Alvin...It's hard to believe that Christmas is literally right around the corner. With all of the hustle and bustle of Thanksgiving (and working for our family business- which is a locally owned grocery store), I didn't have a lot of free time last week to blog. So, I apologize for the length of time between posts.  

   We started decorating on Friday- and this was my first year of picking out the tree completely by myself- and yes, I am proud of myself. Granted, it was more expensive than what we are used to- it was $45 this year, and we have been "spoiled" by only paying $25 in the past- but since we moved and had to go to a different place, I won't do much complaining. This is the first year that T will really be understanding Christmas, and I don't know if I am more excited, or if he is. He did not want anything to do with Santa this year, but he really seems to be picking up on the whole idea of things. 

   Why is it that as soon as Thanksgiving is over, we start rushing out and buying gifts for our loved ones? I was thinking over the weekend that the most memorable Christmases I have had are ones where I don't remember what I gave or what I received- but where I spent time with the people I care about most in this world- my family and friends. I want those same memories for our son as I had- the laughing until we cried, or it hurt, the warmth, the familiar faces, smiles, and scents of those we love, just being there in the moment knowing that's where you are supposed to be. To me, there is no better feeling. I want him to look back and remember that Christmas isn't about what you open or what you wrap, but about those who you hold near and dear to your heart, and being with them. 

      I am loving the way our lights look from the sidewalk!

          Our elf, Snowflake, came for his yearly visit 11/25/12

                 A work in progress, but it's almost done :)

Feeling kind of crafty

Here lately, I've been feeling really crafty. I'm not sure if it is because of Pinterest, my monthly craft group, or because it's become an outlet for me, but I have found a new favorite store- Hobby Lobby. I could spend hours aimlessly roaming the isles, looking for something new to get my hands on. From wreaths, to hair bows, and canvases to purses, my heart seems to just race. I get home from work, and drag everything out, typically making about 5-6 hair bows and 1-2 purses per night. And the bad thing- I have a boy who can't wear the bows! Luckily, I have a really good friend who works in a salon who has offered to try to sell the things that I make. (We will see how that goes....). It's been really exciting for me to see the things I can create. Hubby shakes his head, and T is just glad he can still watch his movie. 
I want to learn to crochet and quilt. Yes I know I am not an 80 year old woman, but I love doing things like that, and honestly feel like it is a lost art within our society since everything is machine made and at the tips of our fingers. Growing up Southern, quilts have been a big part of our heritage and lives. I have always enjoyed hearing the stories told while making the quilts, or the story of the quilt. 
Here are a few of the things that I have made this week. It's something new to me, so I will be the first to say that they are far from perfect. But I am trying, and coming up with new ways every day.

 

Standing out

Growing up, I always found it so much more fun to be original, and not a carbon copy of everyone else. Starting at age 6, I had an every day reminder of this in my room- A black and white poster of a dalmatian with different colored spots that read, "Dare to be different". As a kid, that was definitely not a hard task for me. If I wanted something, I did what I had to do to get it- work for it, earn it, etc. I never wanted to be like everyone else. What was the fun in that? Why try to blend in when it was so much more fun not to? As I grew up, I learned that while standing out was amazing, you had to do it the "right" way. Too much attention wasn't a good thing (although it wasn't always "bad" either). Standing out was not always the popular thing to do, which is why is was probably a good thing that "popular" has never been something I strive to be.

Looking back, I can see where I lost some of the individualism, but I am proud to say that it isn't all gone. I've never been one to "follow" and I don't intend to start now. I have my own dreams, my own voice, and my own ambitions. I am proud to say that I follow my heart, not what's "popular". I love writing, reading, painting, making things, and working in our family business. I love being able to do the things that I find relaxing. And I am glad that I get to help show our son that he is allowed to be different and doesn't have to be like everyone else. That poster, though it seemed small at the time, helped shape my life in ways that I would have never dreamt of at 6. Being different is more fun, anyway. 

Post Presidential election

With the 2012 Presidential election behind us, I have to vent. I am a Romney supporter, but I am not one to carry out a "woe as me" act. However, I am APPALLED- yes appalled- at all of the hateful comments I have seen from Tuesday on. I have seen people being called names for voting one way, expressing their opinions, the "racist" flag be thrown, and even as far as telling someone they  "forgot where they came from" just because they are black and voted against Obama. I am sick and tired of it. Yes, Romney lost and Obama won. There is nothing we can do to change it. All we can do is look to the future and pray for a better 4 years. There are so many other things that we should be focusing our energy on instead of hurting one another. We don't know what it's like to be someone else until we walk in their shoes. So, stop with the name calling. Stop with the blatant comments. Stop with the fighting. One thing our nation was funded on was to let us have a freedom of speech, and we have it and are allowed to use it. Otherwise, I wouldn't be able to write this blog, and you wouldn't be able to comment on it. So instead of fighting, let's join together. I am pretty sure it's going to be a rough 4 years and that we are all going to need plenty of support for one another.