25 Days of Christmas....

I love the holidays! I know not everyone celebrates Christmas like I do and that is okay. We all have our own holiday to celebrate and it can all be a fun, loving and it's an exciting time of year!

It's a time to celebrate what it is that we are celebrating. With that, we take the time to be thankful and spend this extra time with those in our life we hold so dear to our hearts.....and then of course, there is the yummy foods to enjoy as well. Can't forget the food! *wink*

Anyways....with the end of November soon coming and the beginning of December just around the corner, I thought I would spend the next 25 days of December, each day with a holiday theme. If you like, you can join in and do your own post as well and link up.



Here is what you can expect for the next 25 days:


Dec. 1st: My top 5 Holiday "must haves".

Dec. 2nd: Post a picture of your Christmas tree or any Holiday decoration of choice.

Dec 3rd: Share your favorite Holiday song.

Dec 4th: Write about a favorite Christmas/Holiday memory.

Dec 5th: Write about a holiday tradition that you share with your family.

Dec 6th: Do you have your Christmas/Holiday cards ready? Share it with us!

Dec 7th: What is your favorite Christmas/Holiday treat?

Dec 8th: Write about your favorite Christmas/Holiday movie or cartoon.

Dec 9th: Have you made a Christmas/Holiday decoration that you are proud of? Share a photo.
Dec 10th: Share your favorite Christmas/Holiday recipe.

Dec 11th: Write a poem about the things you love about the Holidays.

Dec 12th: What does December look like in your neck of the woods? Share a photo.

Dec 13th: Write about 5 things you love most about Christmas/Holidays.

Dec 14th: Write about 5 things you least like about Christmas/Holidays.

Dec 15th: What's on your Christmas/Holiday wish list?

Dec 16th: Write a letter to Santa.

Dec 17th: What is your idea of a perfect Christmas/Holiday?

Dec 18th: What do the holidays mean to you?

Dec 19th: What are you grateful this holiday season?

Dec 20th: Write a holiday haiku.

Dec 21st: Do you travel or stay home for the holidays? Why?

Dec 22nd: What's your idea of a yummy holiday drink? Share a photo.

Dec 23rd: Write about your New Year's resolution?

Dec 24th: Santa is coming. What will you leave for him tonight?

Dec 25th: Holiday Wishes!



~~~

I look forward to a fun and festive Holiday season!! I hope you will join me!

Have a FABulous holiday season!

A Merry SITSmas!

{via}

Wishing you and yours a wonderful Christmas/Holiday filled with lots of love, laughter and many blessings for the coming year!

Warmest wishes for this Holiday Season!

Merry SITSmas,

The Phillips' Family

~~~

Now head on over to the SITStahs and join in the fun!

Six Word Saturday!

Heading Up To The Snow Today!

And Wait......Snowball Fights Are Coming!


Definitely, Some Snow Angels And Sledding!

~~~

Now head on over to Cate's to see who else is playing along.

Closing A Chapter...

After thinking long and hard for the past week, I think it's time to close a chapter in my life.

I've had a close friend in my life for the past 22 years whom at one point, genuinely called my BFF. I even considered her and her family, MY family.

But......things change over time. People change. People grow apart.

Not that I don't still care for them. I do. I just feel we have grown apart and there will always be a sense of uncertainty or drama if I continue to have them linked in my life. So I have ultimately decided to close this chapter.

Over the past year or so, I have reflected and even though at times I was bummed or saddened by the events that have occurred, I've come to terms with things and I feel good with my decision.

I try to teach my daughter that if there are things or friends in her life that bring her down or are negative, she needs to make a decision of whether or not she wants that negativity in her life. What kind of example would I be setting if I didn't "practice what I preach"?

I have people that are active in my life that I love dearly and they bring joy to me. There are four special friends (three of which I have recently grown very close to over the past year) and with all four of their friendships, it has made me realize what real friends I truly have in my life. For that, I am truly grateful and blessed.

So, here's to a new chapter and may it bring laughter, happiness and continued love!

Writing Assignment: Thanksgiving Edition

This week with Mama Kat, we are doing a Thanksgiving edition of our Writer's Workshop.

I've decided to do two promps. So without further adu....

1.) Interview your kids...what do they think Thanksgiving is for? What are they thankful for? etc.

So here I am, sitting here with my daughter (nickname, Nug Nug). Here's how the interview went:

Me: "So, what do you think Thanksgiving is for?"

Nug Nug: "For being with your family and umm...and it's a holiday to share the things you are thankful for."

Me: "So, what are YOU thankful for, Nuggy?"

Nug Nug: "I'm thankful for my family."

Me: "Uh Huh?"

Nug Nug: "My friends, school, church, God and Jesus, Ozzy (the dog)..

Me: "Is that it?"

Nug Nug: "Nope"

Me: "What else?"

Nug Nug: "A house, food, Santa, clothes, a bed and blankets, umm....a car."

Me: "Okay, is that it now?"

Nug Nug: "Ummm, ummm, NO! No no no no no no!" "Toys, umm, myself.

Me: "LOL"

Nug Nug: "Miley Cyrus, cousins, grandma's and grandpa's"

Me: "Okay, is that it?"

Nug Nug: "Yep! Oh wait...No!"

Me: "What then?"

Nug Nug: "A TV."

Me: "You goofball."

Nug Nug: "Okay, that's it. OH WAIT! A Wii, a DS, movies, CD's aaaannnd, memories (silence), a yeaaahh, yeah, that's it. WAIT! Hannah Montana, Shake it Up, uum, House Hunters, Diners, Drive-in's & Dives, Disneyland..."

Me: "Can't forget that!"

Nug Nug: "Disney World, my teacher, Marine World, Great America, my Uncles and Aunts, uuuuummmmm, my yumba, lol,"

Me: "Is that it now?"

Nug Nug: "Water World"

Me: "Ah geez"

Nug Nug: "Wait, what is that one place? Magic Mountain!"

Me: "That's enough"

~~~

Okay, so that is what Thanksgiving is about to an 8 year old and what she is thankful for.

Now....off to go take pics of what Thanksgiving looks like in my neck of the woods for the next part of this post. :o)

***elevator music while your bloggy host goes and takes some pictures***


2.) Share a photo of what Thanksgiving looks like in your neck of the woods.

Wishing each and everyone of you a wonderful Thanksgiving filled with lots of love, laughter and good food!

Will you be?

What will you be doing Friday? Or shall I say, Thursday night?

Will you be one camping out in your tents or chairs?

Will you be one of the many individuals fighting the long lines in the blistering cold?


And then one of the very many that are trying to be syphoned through the narrow doors with the rest of the cattle?


Not me!

I'll be sleeping. My sleep is too precious!

I've actually conquered that feat years ago and honestly, it's not worth my daughter or myself getting trampled on or the lack of sleep so I prefer to stay all warm and snuggly in my toasty bed and when I wake up....well? I wake up.

If you are one that will conquer those lines....BE SAFE!

Happy Black Friday Shopping!

Bragging Rights...

I just recently had a parent/teacher's conference. I already knew what to expect.

My daughter has been doing exceptionally well in school and it just amazes me that God gifted us with this special little girl.

She's always willing to seek new ways of learning

and she loves to read. She even takes after her dad in math.

The teacher said she is advanced in all her classes

and that she is a wonderful student


and all the kids like her.

She's my smarty pants!



To top it off, we were even contacted about putting her in the G.A.T.E. program.

We are very blessed and proud parents!

Did You Know?

Did you know...

• You're not supposed to follow close behind someone cause it's called tailgating?
• In order to avoid tailgating, there is the 3 second rule?
• You are supposed to move to the slower lanes if someone is driving faster than you to avoid traffic hold up, even if you are doing the speed limit?
• You should always make a complete stop at a stop sign and not a roll-thru called a California Stop?
• While merging onto a freeway, the vehicles on the freeway have the right of way?
• You should always use your mirrors?
• You should never look someone in the eyes during road rage for the other person may take it as a challenge?

This list can seriously go on too. You know why? Because my boss got a ticket and he is making me take his traffic school online for him. Not that I don't already know these things, hence the fact that he's the one with the ticket and not me {knock on wood} but I just thought it was a bit humorous that I'm getting paid to do his traffic school for him.

Okay...carry on with your day now!

True Love...

A couple days ago I had gone to Costco to have my 814 pictures from Disney World developed. Let me tell you, after having 5 coupons that allowed 100 free pics, each coupon, I only had to pay $34.30. Awesome, right?! I know.

Anyways, so upon leaving the store, instead of putting my Costco card back in my wallet, I did the next best thing....stuck it in my back pocket.

Well, when I was "briefly" {keyword, here} using the restroom at home later in the evening, as I was pulling my pants up, that's when my Costco card decided to jump ship in for a swim. That's right.....in the toilet it went.

Not to get crude, it could have been seriously worse, if you get my drift. *wink* ;o)

Instead of handling the issue by myself, I called my husband for help. He came in to assess the situation and left the bathroom. Just a few seconds later he came back with a screwdriver and a wrench of some sort. He was successful too!!

Now THAT is true love!

It Echoes...

{via}

It's so easy to get caught up in our every day lives.

When you're in a fresh relationship, you savor the newness of the love you are feeling. There's passion, sweetness, butterflies and kindness. You try and learn every little detail of the one you feel so close to. It's beautiful, special and uncontrolled by emotions. It's exciting!

As the days, months and even years pass by, that newness starts to dissipate. You become routine. You hear the words of love but it becomes a habit.

I know my relationship with my husband is a special one and I love him to the very core of my being. We have had our problems over the last 17 years but we have overcome them.



We tell each other we love one other several times a day. We give kisses and we are loving to one another. I know he loves me and I know I love him. However, I am always the one to express deeply my love in words. He on the other hand is a man and keeps his deep feelings at bay. Not sure what it is with men. Perhaps they feel less manly if they share their true feelings which in most women's eyes, it's a turn on.

Every now and then though, we will randomly and sweetly ask each other "Do you love me?" and my husband will reply "You have no idea". "You're right, I don't know". I just wish he would tell me. I do.

Then he did. Last week my husband nonchalantly and unexpectedly shared his true feelings, and to be truly honest, I feel like I have fallen so deeply in love with him all over again. It's the words, the combination of them that truly made the difference. It now echoes in my head daily and it makes me want to run to him. I also find it so profound that even after 17 years together, he feels the way he does.

I'm on a love high!



Remember....always tell your lover/spouse your true feelings. It could make all the difference!

Fun with Peanuts!

Well, hello there, Bloggy World!

I can't believe it's been 9 days since I last posted anything. I just haven't been feeling the need to put any thoughts out there. The urge or desire just hasn't been there.

My husband actually went to Michigan and Chicago for 6 days so I tried to "pre-occupy" my mind while he was gone. 6 days is just too long away from my honey. I missed him uncontrollably and well....I had to stay focused and sitting at home blogging wasn't going to do the trick.

So, what we did was just what I had mentioned. We had so much fun too!!

I've been wanting to go to The Charles Schultz Museum for some time now

but my husband kept putting it off.

He said "It's too late" if it were late in the morning.

Well, it wasn't too late for us while my husband was gone.

We left at 11:45am and still had plenty of time.

We looked at the galleries,


watched "Happy Thanksgiving, Charlie Brown" in the theatre,


made an origami,

the first one ever!

Colored the finishing touches,

and was proud of the finished product! We even texted a picture of it to Daddy!


We took lots of pictures,

then went outside,

to get some fresh air,

and run and find our way through

the Snoopy Labyrinth!

Oh the fun we had!

And even though I was suffering from one of my many migraines,


I was determined to have fun with my daughter!

Plus, I couldn't help wanting to finally see Snoopy,

Charlie Brown's famous curl,


and the whole Peanuts gang!!

Although we never made it to the Winchester Mystery House, we kept busy and that was what I wanted.

Good times, good fun and pictures!