gingerbread and holly

oh, i cannot WAIT for christmas!! it is my absolute favorite time of the year! it is starting to get rather chilly here at night .... we definitely need jackets once the sun goes down. probably a big disappointment to those of you who think florida is all sunshine ...... it's still beautiful here, just with a chill breeze in the evenings ....

and i LOVE that chill breeze because it makes me so excited for the holidays! there is something so beautiful and sweet about christmastime. i love everything about it!!

this will be my third christmas this year!! for those of you who do not know, i had amnesia in october of 2005. so my "baby's first christmas" was when i was 17 years old!! let's just say i was extremely overwhelmed and confused that year. but i got much more into it last year, and now i am super pumped for december 25 this year!!

i cannot wait to walk in the crisp, cool air. i cannot wait to listen to christmas carols. i cannot wait to sip hot chocolate. i cannot wait to read the Christmas story from the Bible and reflect on what we are celebrating. i cannot wait to buy gifts for all of my friends and family. i cannot wait for the excitement and cheer that fills my heart at this time of year. there is just something about christmastime that makes everything so happy ... so wonderful ... so amazing ... so pure ... so beautiful.

this will be the first christmas i will not celebrate with my family back in oklahoma. and i believe this is the first year my family will not be complete on christmas day. with it being only my third christmas, i don't really know better, but i know it will be different for my family to not have everybody there. yet i know we will all be together in spirit.

i am so thrilled about christmas that i broke out a christmas movie when i got home from work this morning. and i am going later today to buy some christmas cds. it's about time we got some holiday cheer in this place!!!!


merry christmas to all!!!

ring pop candy

whoever designed ring pops? the motion of holding your knuckle to your mouth like that is not really a natural one ...

it makes more sense to hold something IN your hand WITH your fingers to eat it rather than sticking it ON your fingers ....

but kids love them. i loved them when i was younger. all that stuff ... ring pops, candy baby bottles, candy necklaces, everything! i remember the days when the only worries i had were if i would have the blue raspberry flavor or the cherry flavor.

oh, the good ol' days ......