P.S. to Oh, Christmas Tree

Well, I decided to buck tradition and do a table top tree. In fact, I did three, one live and the other two tiny ones on each side are fake. I like it. It is different. It looks nice against the mirrored wall. I was able to go and buy it myself and it fit in my car.
"Never worry about the size of your tree. In the eyes of children, they are all 30 feet tall."
Unless you're Abigail. She looked at it and proclaimed, "That's not a real tree. It's just too small, Grammie!"
Sorry, Abs. It will have to do this year.

Jack Claus

Not sure if he is channeling Santa or Si from Duck Dynasty. Either way, this photo just makes me smile. This kid is fun, spirited, kindhearted and funny as hell!! He always has a comeback line. He is the first to question, "Why?" and really listen to your answer. He knows the value of a good laugh. He thinks people and their feelings matter.
He is wise beyond his years.

Oh, Christmas Tree

 I am struggling this year about the Christmas tree. For 11 years, we had this huge, 10 foot fake tree that I loved. I could bend its branches any way I needed to accommodate the ornaments. It didn't have any bare spots or flaws. It was perfect. My family HATED it!! No smell, fake is dumb, it's TOO perfect!! My husband swore like a sailor every time he wrestled to put the thing together. When it finally died (area three just would not light up anymore!!), they rejoiced. I grumbled. We got a real tree last year and yes, it smelled and it was pretty but not that interesting, and certainly not 10 feet!
I had a creative brain storm that this year. I would buy a mix of small fake and real trees (2, 3 and 4 feet tall) and create my own little forest on top of a table. The gifts would go under the table. It would be different. It would be interesting. You would think I had announced I was going to walk naked down Irvine Blvd!!!! My family, loudly, let me know that was the dumbest, ugliest idea I have had in all of 2014!! So, as of today, we have NO tree in the house. It's usually up Thanksgiving weekend. I am still torn about what to do. Indecision IS a decision!
I like to read. Maybe I should make a tree of books like the one pictured above.

I like wine. Maybe I should create one like this. Now that would be a challenge...maybe!!

I always thought an upside down tree was fun and funny. Maybe I should make my husband wire one from the ceiling. Nah, never mind. He'd just start swearing like a sailor again.
We remain treeless! Sigh.

Bless Us, Oh Text

Is this what we have come to as a society?? Although funny, it is also a little sad because it is probably pretty close to the truth. We are a world moving forward with our heads down, gazing into our phones as if they hold all the answers of the universe. Well, I guess with Google or Suri they kind of do!
Is it too much to ask that we leave the phones away from the Thanksgiving table? Can the score, the text, the update, the post wait for the 20 minutes it will take us to consume the food that took four hours to make? Can we try and look at each other when we converse? Can we remember that all the technology in the world cannot make up for a kind word spoken, a hand held, a pat on the back or a hug?
Happy Thanksgiving...unplugged!
 

Oh, Jack

"To my grandson: I love you, not only for what you are, but for what I am with I am with you. Keep being you."
This boy...hard to put into words how I feel about him. I love them all, no doubt, but this boy is such a special, kindhearted gift from above. He had just gobbled down and PB&J and had a little jelly on his face (look closely) in this photo. I was struck with how old he looked in the picture and told him so. He immediately hugged me and said it was okay!
When did the child lead the adult? How quickly the roles reverse! How lucky I am to learn from this beautiful soul.

What's on Your List?

I was just having a discussion with a friend this week about this very idea and then came across this sign. Oh, there's loads of things I want, most of which I really can just go and buy for myself, but when someone asks me, "What do you want for Christmas?", I am hard pressed to give them a good answer. Age has a way of diminishing "things" you desire. How do you wrap health? How do you wrap family harmony? How do you wrap less stress and more peace? How do you wrap living in the moment?
One of the best Christmases I ever had was the year I told everyone I wanted "nothing to dust". In other words, no more "things". I received wine. I received a gift certificate for a massage. I received gift cards to restaurants. I received movie passes. In other words, I received "experiences" instead of "things". As I get older, I realize the idea of creating memories is more fun than getting one more trinket for my already filled house. I realize that doing something with the people I love will leave me feeling happy and content longer than another pair of shoes (and I really like shoes!). I realize there is a finite amount of time left to store up as many of these beautiful memories as I can.
What did you get for Christmas last year? Might be tough to answer.
Remember how we laughed when we went skiing at Copper Mountain and somebody thought my husband was Mel Gibson in the elevator?!?! So easy to remember and smile one more time.
Yeah, nothing to dust is a pretty good idea.

Let Go

You know how, every once in awhile, you read something that feels like somebody smacked you on the forehead? Well, when I read this proverb this morning, it did just that for me. I am pretty sure each of us has  something in our life that we'd be better off if we'd just let it go.
Hard to do, but worth the effort.