Merry and Bright

Trevor was really ambitious and did put up all our lights on our house this year. I had absolutely nothing to do with it, and I didn't even have to twist his arm to get him to do all the work he did! He even went all the way down our fence, so you could see our circular driveway. Considering that it is about to be taken down, I thought it would be appropriate to show you his handy work with the few pictures I have of our first Christmas as a married couple in our own house!

Merry Christmas

I know that I haven't posted any pictures in a while, but I really haven't had any to post, but today I will show you a little piece of our Christmas holidays this year. There was a light parade one weekend and Trevor's work decorated one of their trucks. Well, that is, he and I decorated one of his trucks. It may not look like it but we spent HOURS working on this truck! We even spelled the company name "blue hills" in blue lights on either side of the truck. My camera didn't take the best pictures of the lights, but you get the general idea. There were quite a few good floats. One of the local power plants built this train that looked like it could be the polar express. There was smoke and everything coming out of it. My little sister's 5th grade class also put a couple floats in the parade and my step-dad pulled one of them with a red tractor that he decorated with red lights. He was so proud of his tractor, he was waving all big and smiling. We just loved it. You wouldn't know from the look on his face that he was freezing!

One of my fav' Xmas stories

In light of this time of year, I thought I would share one of my favorite stories. I hope you enjoy! Merry Christmas!

A CHRISTMAS ORANGE

By Fred C. LeMon 1920-1973

However impossible and elusive the Christmas message may seem some years, I always take a great comfort in the story of a little orphan boy, whom we shall refer to as “Jake” for want of more variety in the matter.

Jake was a resident of an orphan’s home. One of ten children supported by what contributions the home could secure on a continuous struggle. There was very little to eat. It was seldom very warm in the wintertime, for fuel was expensive. But at Christmastime there always seemed to be a little more to eat and the home seemed a little warmer, and it was a time for more than the usual enjoyment. But more than this, there was an orange. The only time of the year that such a rare item was provided—and it was coveted by each child like no other thing they ever possessed. They would save it for several days. Admiring it, feeling it, loving it, and contemplating the moment when they would eat it. Truly it was the “piece de resistance” to the Christmastide, and the year, for many would wait until New Year’s Day or later to eat it. Oftentimes it would start to dry out and shrivel before they would eat it in order to salvage what they could.

This Christmas Day Jake had offended the rules or authority of the home in some manner and his punishment was loss of the orange privilege. After a year of waiting for this rare occasion, and this most desired of all rewards, it was denied. Plaintiff impleading was to no avail. Although the offence was rather minor, still it was an infraction of rules that must govern in regulated society. Jake spent Christmas Day empty and alone—it even seemed the other children didn’t want to associate with a person who didn’t have an orange.

Nighttime arrived and this was worse of all. Jake could not sleep. There was no love in the world. There was no forgiving. And certainly there could be no God that would permit a contrite little soul to suffer so much by himself. Silently he sobbed for the future of mankind; and the world perhaps, but mostly because he didn’t have an orange like the other kids had.

A soft hand placed on Jake’s shoulders startled him momentarily and an object was quickly shoved into his hands. The donor disappeared into the dark of the room leaving Jake with what he did not immediately identify as an orange. Not a regular run-of-the-orchard, but one fabricated from segments of nine other oranges. Nine other highly prized oranges that would of necessity be eaten this day instead of several days hence.

MAY THE GOOD LORD BLESS AND PROSPER YOU THIS DAY AND ALWAYS!

Kids say the darnest things

One of the English teachers in our building is working on poetry with his class. He was once my teacher, and I remember when we had that section to do, and I HATED it. I have not one single creative bone in my body! Today he came in with a poem written by one of the seventh graders, and I felt that it should be shared.

The Perfect Man

The perfect man is someone who you know loves you.

That you will know your love is always true.

The perfect man is willing to do any thing for you.

The perfect man will:

Clean your house,

Vacuum,

Dust,

Clean your room,

Scrub the bathroom.

He will even clean your backyard.

The perfect man is romantic

And buys you stuff

and does...

WELL FORGET the perfect man because he's gay.

Hahaha! Now how come it was so hard for me to think of stuff like this? We have had a good laugh all day long because of this seventh graders poem. Just thought I'd share some of the laughter!

No news is good news, right?

Nothing much is going on in our little world. Nothing exciting at least. We got a huge propane bill, but who really wants to know that? I went to Julie's baby shower on Saturday, and it was fun to see all the cute (or in some cases, not so cute) clothes she got for her little baby. Bailey came with me to the shower and I held her little Brody pretty much the whole time. It was really fun to see them. Babies are being born all around us these days! But today a lady told me, "Just don't drink the water." haha.......no babies for us yet!

Let it snow! Let it snow! Let it snow!

That's right! It snowed in St. Johns. Miracle right? I think last year we only had snow like 2 times. No joke. Normally St. Johns is known as the hole in the sky, because whenever there is any sort of moisture, whether it be snow or rain the whole surrounding area gets some, but we don't. We got snow this time though, maybe less than other places, but we still got some of it. Yay. I am not a big fan of snow usually, but there is always something so exciting about the first snow fall. We did get a few of the problems that come with snow though......slick roads, cars that don't want to start, and worse of all frozen pipes. I have never had that happen, but yesterday morning when I got up to take a shower, there was no hot water! It was such a mess. Luckily none of the pipes broke. All is well.

Congrats to my cousin, Jaymi on her new baby GIRL! Welcome to the world sweet girl. We thought she was a boy, but we are so happy she's here and well.