Friday, December 29, 2017

It's that time of year when you throw out the old to bring in the new

To make room for all your Christmas gifts you got to get rid of something to make room for it. It is perfect timing to the start of a new year. After that is done it is time to sit down and think about what you need to do to have a fresh start in the new year. Keep in mind if you don't do things differently then nothing will be different. It will be the same just a different year. That is what these last few days of the year are for. To sit down somewhere quiet to refllect on what all has happened this past year. You need to be honest with yourself about what you would like to be different in the new year. You may not like the changes you will have to make but nothing will change if you don't. As you think about what your new years resolutions will be make sure you aren't setting yourself up for failure. Don't make unrealistic expectations you really can't meet. When you achieve the realistic resolutions you made you will have the rest of the year to make more changes then you ever expected you could. Make things easier on yourself. Start the new year off by keeping things as simple as you can so it is simply easier to manage.




Wednesday, December 27, 2017

The leftovers don't taste as good after a couple of days

At all of the Christmas gatherings we had we enjoyed some type of delicious foods. Some of them you only get a chance to eat them once a year. After every meal I would put all the leftovers in tupperware and put them in my fridge. The day after Christmas I drag out the smorgasbord of food and we get to fill our plates with all of our favorites. There is something special about that first plate of leftovers. Then you pull it out again later for dinner then for lunch the next day. And we had eaten some awesome deserts  after every meal. But today digging through the odds and ends that were left out of the leftovers to eat for dinner made me say whatever is leftover after this has to be thrown away. I am ready for something to eat that I hadn't eaten in the last week. Soon the Christmas tree will be taken down and all the decorations will be packed away. Christmas ending signals that it's the end of another year. Soon we will ring in the new year that signals a fresh start. Make a new year resolution to leave the past behind you so you can have a fresh start. To keep your new year resolution remind yourself that if you bring what stunk from your past it will stink up your present life. You got to JUST FLUSH IT so you can have a fresh start in the new year.

Monday, December 25, 2017

Now the day is here we can finally say Merry Christmas

The kids have gone home with their bag full of goodies and a tired smile on their faces. Its been days filled with things to do and people to visit. It will take them a couple of days to open and explore the fun presents they received. The adults enjoy their presents too. Even yard work to try out your new tools is fun, well at least the first time. Everyone will be wearing their new clothing they got tomorrow. Of course we will all enjoy the boxes of chocolates we look forward to getting each Christmas. Luckily my husband kept that tradition going and got me a giant box of candy that I can enjoy for weeks. Now it's time to think about how nice the Christmas day was and how lucky you are to have those close to you to enjoy it with. Merry Christmas to everyone.




 

Friday, December 22, 2017

You never know who might drop by

As people are off for the holidays they have extra time to stop by and visit someone that hadn't seen in a while. You finally have the time to catch up with each other. A conversation with an old friend is a chance to relive old memories that you hadn't thought of in years. You had totally seemed to have forgotten about it but in an instant as you hear it the memory pops up clear as a bell front and center in your mind. Suddenly you get to relive a memory that you had forgotten. The memories need to be triggered to come up. The more time we spend with others is another chance to enjoy a memory together. Happy holiday to everyone.

Wednesday, December 20, 2017

Enjoy it you earned it.

After a busy couple of months its nice to be able to relax. Its been a good day to unwind as you enjoy looking at the  Christmas decorations and the colorful lights on the tree. In just a few days the smell of baking will fill the air. Just like on Thanksgiving you don't count calories on Christmas. These are holidays that you get to enjoy eating as much as you want. You know you will have to wait another year to get them again. You have to enjoy the moment you are in.

Monday, December 18, 2017

It wont be long now

After you have waited a month for it to come it is finally almost here. Time to put on that Christmas music to enjoy as you do some quick cleaning to prepare for your guest. Getting it all done now will give you a few days to rest before the baking begins. First its a Christmas eve dinner together full of food, fun and laughter. Then the moment comes Christmas morning as the grandkids arrive and excitedly tell us what Santa had brought them as we enjoy a Christmas breakfast together. Then we will gather around the Christmas tree and pass out the presents they have been waiting ever so patiently to open. The smiles on their faces just warms your heart and their joy fills the air. The hours of memories we will treasure as we spend this Christmas season together. It makes you say I wish everyday could be like Christmas. Time to declare more family holidays so everyone will make the time to be there together to enjoy them. Happy holidays to everyone.


Friday, December 15, 2017

A moment worth waiting for

Hopefully your shopping is done so you can relax. Now comes the fun part of adding the ribbons and bows that turn your packages into art. Under the tree they go. Now everyone has to patiently wait as they keep guessing what's inside. I can't wait to see the joy on their faces Christmas morning as the guessing game is finally over and they can finally unwrap them. Then one by one they want to try everything out. You may get tired but they woke up with the energy of the energizer bunny. Make a plan to get up early and drink your coffee and enjoy every moment you can playing with them while they are still young enough to want to play with you. Besides you know as soon as your family Christmas ends and everyone goes home you are going to be able to relax as you reflect on the memories that you created.


Wednesday, December 13, 2017

Sometimes its hard to resist

Christmas traditions are what make your Christmas complete. As my kids are older now gift cards taped on a box of candy have become my tradition. Only problem with that is I have opened two boxes of candy because I couldn't resist the temptation. Now I got to go out and buy 2 more to replace them. Perhaps when I am buying the boxes of candy each year I should not by my favorite candy. I had bought the kids warm clothes for Christmas but I ended up giving it to them early so they could be warm through the winter we are having leading up to Christmas. The winter chill in the air means that Christmas is near.

Monday, December 11, 2017

You saw it differently

When you live in a small town for decades you get to know the employees of establishments you frequent often. You feel as if you are close friends not just a customer. There are always a few who you share life moments with during those decades. But then one day they quit there job. You have no warning no time to say good bye. Suddenly the realization that you were just a customer tugs at your heart. There have been many that I will miss but to walk in and find no trace of Sheri not even her desk hurt more than she will ever know. I am sending her my deepest love and gratitude for all the kindness and joy she brought me and my family that made us feel like she was a part of our family. Merry Christmas to your family from our family.

Friday, December 8, 2017

Its getting closer and closer

It's getting everyone excited as they count down the days left untill Christmas. The presents are finally wrapped and under the tree. Well all but the candy gifts. They have to be kept up high because my dog Marlee will unwrap and eat it like she did last year. As I put them under the tree she runs over to sniff them all just to see if I had forgotten what she did last year. Now it's close enough to start making a grocery list and try not to forget anything. And to go over your gift list to make sure you had not forgotten anyone. We took a drive through the neighborhoods to enjoy all the houses that decorated for the Christmas season so everyone could swing by and enjoy them.

Wednesday, December 6, 2017

Recognize it for the joy it brings

Christmas joy starts the day after Thanksgiving. Its a holiday that brings us joy for a whole month. A whole month to feel the love and good cheer every day. The Christmas tree all lit up sets the mood making you holly and jolly in an instant. The excitement in the kids as they talk about what they might get on Christmas morning fills the room. You have to stop every chance you get each day to feel the joy that's around you. You could be surrounded by it yet go through your day at such a fast pace that you missed it. The only way to feel it is to stop long enough so you can. The fast paced world we live in has made us to busy to see the simple things in our lives that could bring us the love and joy to our lives. The old saying STOP and smell the roses, should be what we say to ourselves each and every day. Take the time to STOP and enjoy life while you are living it. 

Monday, December 4, 2017

If your expectations are too high then expect to be dissapponted

Making your expectations so unrealistical will cause you to fall. Some people think everything in life will be a bed of roses. But they forget even roses have thorns. They get depressed when in life they run into bumps that they never knew existed. Life is a roller coaster full of ups and downs. There is no such thing as a perfect life. Everyone has to deal with the good and the bad throughout their life. If your expectations are too high then you will be dissapponted. Learn to focus on the good when you are facing bad moments in your life to keep a positive outlook. And don't look for only what is in your view what life should be like and be realistic that life is full of ups and downs, that's just life.

Friday, December 1, 2017

Thank you, Grazie

It is so much fun for my grandkids to tell me every Christmas about their Elf on a Shelf that magically appears in their house every year right after Thanksgiving. They tell me each day where he was hiding every morning when they get up. It is a search and find mission every morning to see who finds him first and gets to put him back on the Christmas Tree. My favorite part is when one of them gets mad at each other they tell them they are going to tell the Elf what they did and he will tell Santa. It is always nice when the one who made them mad quickly apologizes so Santa doesn't find out. Whoever invented the Elf on the Shelf Thank you it has brought such joy and good behavior for a whole month.

I also want to say Grazie to the group of 76 from Italy who have been visiting to read my blog on such a regular basis. Since it happens at same time for all of them I have to assume it is a group. I would be honored to send your group a free set of my books. Just send me an address where I can mail them to. And tell me something about your group, I would love to know. My address is Billie Bob P.O. BOX 1493 Middleburg Florida 32050.