December 2012 Chronicle

We are about to say good-bye to 2012. I will be leaving the year feeling more blessed than ever. This year was intended to be intentional toward gratitude and I can honestly say I've grown significantly. I will forever be a lifelong student, however. This month is no exception on gratitude. With the holidays I feel it even stronger.

+ I gave myself a special treat this month and joined in Jennifer's Love Notes Project.  Since I love mail this was a lot of fun.  I sent out and received three different post cards this month, and I learned a great deal about Joette since I was the recipient of her handmade postcards.

+ Santa came to town on a fire truck. Literally, he came driving through our neighborhood with the lights blazing and horns screaming.  The children in our neighborhood were mesmerized with his presence and I loved feeling the magic.

+ Every year we host Salvation Army Angels and give money to our employees to go shopping. It is our way of sharing the love we have for children with others. Our special Angels this year were Patrick and Josephine, a brother sister pair. I thought about them on Christmas morning and hoped they felt warmness in their heart.

+ My nephew, Tucker boy, celebrated his birthday this month. I found him the cutest wooden train set.

+ We traveled back out to Wintergreen Farms and cut down our Christmas tree. We had a local Leyland Cypress this year.

+ Not being a fan of shopping during the holidays (crowds make me crabby) I did most of my shopping on-line. It was nice to see so many etsy artisans and small businesses earn our business. Though most times I wish we did not have the technology we do, I am thankful to have access to artists that do not live in my community.

+ I decorated my entire house for Christmas, including exterior illumination. I relished in doing it this year because I knew I would have family in my home this month that would enjoy it.

+ My paternal grandmother is taking a turn for the worse and my thoughts and prayers are with her. She spent most of the month in the hospital with broken vertebrae from a fall. She will be turning 90 in January. Can you imagine what you might see in your lifetime if you were 90?

+ My sister, Sarah, came for a visit mid month. It was a non-agenda weekend filled with Top Golf, shopping, and laughter.

+ Not happy with conventional daily planners, I decided to create my own. I am starting to experiment with book binding and my second project is my 2013 planner.

+ We gave **** the 12 days of Christmas gifts this year. Each day they received a note about the meaning of the day in relation to the birth of Jesus and a special gift. We kept it secret until the last day. They thought it was a neighbor friend so they were truly surprised when they discovered it was us.

+ Annie has had her share of downs lately but we received good news from the doctor when she went for her follow up visit. She had been on bed rest because of her hips. She was starting to act out from lack of exercise and she was full of pent up energy. She was cleared for moderate exercise and we are slowly getting her back. We are all a happier family when she can go outside and run around!

+ I had dinner with a good friend that I have not spent any time with in quite a while. We had a long dinner and good conversation.

+ cc's sister is about to have her first child and we helped host her baby shower.

+ I hosted the first annual baking extravaganza with my friend BR at my home. We made sugar cookies, Texas snowballs, chocolate covered peanuts, trail mix, puppy chow...

+ My neighbors received goodie packages because of our baking day.

+ I sent my first ever indigo 26 Christmas cards. I have had so many wonderful artists spotlighted this year on my blog and I wanted them to know I appreciate them.

+ Jonathan, my nephew, has officially been adopted by my sister and brother-in-law. Best Christmas present ever!

+ I participated in Besottment's Reverb 2012 this month. Her questions covered a broad range of topics.

+ My parents came down for Christmas. I had the best time preparing for their visit. We went to Top Golf, took a carriage ride to view Christmas lights, and ate way too much. I will never forget their visit and I am thankful they allowed me to spoil them this year.

+ I received many wonderful gifts this year. As I mentioned, I am unreasonably spoiled this year. I have to say that my favorite is probably the handmade quilt that came from my maternal grandmother's aunt Jenny. It is rich with history and I am looking forward to learning more about it.

+ Unexpectedly we had a white Christmas. I was anticipating rain, and it stormed all through the night of the 24th, but slowly during the 25th it started turning to snow. It was magical.

+ This change in weather meant we also had a fire roaring in the fireplace. I think that is when I feel the most secure, around a warm fire.

+ I am ending the month, and typing this to you now, from our fireworks stand. It is our seasonal business that cc started over 20 years ago. Every NYE we tromp out here in all manner of weather and sell a little joy to anyone wanting a little sparkle to ring in the new year.

Happy new year to you, friend.  Thank you for being a part of my world this year and leaving positive words of encouragement.  May you find lessons and love from your 2012 and walk into 2013 full of light. See you next year.