While Walking My Dogs

• My December Daily journal entry will be about wrapping gifts and getting ready for Christmas at my mom’s.
• This picture is my entry for the iHeartFaces Photo Challenge.  Today’s topic was “wrapped”.   All wrapped and ready to go.
• For “Journal Your Christmas”, today’s journal prompt is all about the reality of Christmas.  Where we find ourselves right now.  So with that in mind…

  Currently, I’m
  sipping hot cocoa with marshmallows
  so excited to see my nieces and nephews over Christmas
  hearing the soft snores of doggies sleeping
  finding it hard to believe that Christmas is almost here
  appreciating how wonderful my husband is
  reading “Harry Potter:  Prisoner of Azkaban”
  beginning to start my list of goals for 2013
  lighting candles around the house
  listening to Mike practice his trombone for our Christmas eve service
  making knitted gifts
  prepping all the ingredients for Yorkshire puddings

• 25 Christmas movies.  Mike and I had to make a last minute substitution because “A Charlie Brown Christmas” is on a very long wait with Netflix and won’t make it in time.  A couple of observations:  In 1988, gasoline was 75 cents a gallon in Los Angeles and little did they know when they were discussing the ingredients of Twinkies that 24 years later they would be gone forever (maybe some of those 24-year-old Twinkies are still good).  All in all, a really good Christmas movie.  Maybe it should be put on our permanent list?

Until tomorrow, 

“Are our gifts in that pile?”

• My December Daily journal entry will be about shopping for Jessie’s gift.
• This picture is my entry for the iHeartFaces Photo Challenge.  Today’s topic was “furry faces”.   I was faced with a dilemma today until Mike suggested I take a picture of him WITH the dogs. Not as easy as you would think.
• For “Journal Your Christmas”, today’s journal prompt is all about the thought we put into gift giving.  This has been a really special Christmas because I have had the time to really give some thought to the gifts I want to give.  Some folks will still be getting gift cards, but where appropriate I have spent time thinking about the person and have had the time and space to put my creative juices to work.  I have particularly loved my niece Jessie’s list this year.  One item she wants is a drawing of a tomato.  You better believe I’m trying to come up with the best rendition of a tomato I can get, especially considering I lack any and all artistic ability.  Should be fun!
• 25 Christmas movies.  Mike and I watched “A Christmas Memory”.  Buddy, a boy abandoned by his parents, goes to live with some older cousins and develops a friendship with Sook. They have many adventures together, including baking 31 fruit-cakes which they give as Christmas presents.  Mike announced during that part of the movie that he’s not a fan of fruit cake to which I replied, “I know.”  We really do live on the edge!

Until tomorrow, 

“So what thoughts were going through your mind when you spotted this baby in the store today?”

• My December Daily journal entry will be about finishing making some gifts for my family.
• This picture is my entry for the iHeartFaces Photo Challenge.  Today’s topic was “light”.   Ellie found a sunbeam.
• For “Journal Your Christmas”, today’s journal prompt is all about where we’ll be spending Christmas.  We are always in town at Mike’s folks house on Christmas eve.  We used to go to my mom’s on Christmas day with my family, but in recent years we’ve started a new tradition of meeting the Saturday before Christmas so we can all arrive rested and enjoy the whole day together.  We discovered that trying to cram all our Christmas celebrating into a day and a half was stressful and exhausting for everyone.  This way we get to enjoy each other, spread out the feasting over a few days and breathe.
• 25 Christmas movies.  Mike and I watched “The Search for Santa Paws”.  Suffering from amnesia (after being hit by a New York cab), Santa is separated from his beloved dog, Paws.  Paws is rescued by a couple of orphans who help him reunite with Santa.  This movie had all the ingredients for a real tear-jerker … and it delivered!

Until tomorrow, 

“OH man that was a great nap.  A good sunbeam does wonders for ya!”

• My December Daily journal entry will be about finishing up gifts for friends.
• This picture is my entry for the iHeartFaces Photo Challenge.  Today’s topic was “it’s cold outside”.   Dog walks in the winter require gloves, a scarf and a warm hat. Today I could have used some earmuffs, but the pair I had met a quick demise thanks to a couple of vigilant canines.
• For “Journal Your Christmas”, today’s journal prompt is all about the Christmas dinner.  My family always has a traditional roast turkey with stuffing dinner with Yorkshire pudding, roast potatoes and vegetables.  I remember being about 10 and getting up early to help my mom prepare the stuffing by grating pieces of bread by hand.  I was relieved the day she bought a food processor!  She and I still work together to prepare the meal, but the job of making the Yorkshire puddings has been passed onto me.  Here’s a picture of last year’s Yorkshire puddings.  She’s still in charge of the turkey.  One of these days I’ll have to give that a go.
• 25 Christmas movies.  Mike and I watched “A Christmas Story”.  Such a great movie and a wonderful reminder of how imaginative kids are and their perspective of life, especially at Christmas.

Until tomorrow, 

“Feel free to practice cooking a turkey anytime you want.  We’re very good taste-testers!”

I feel a bit back on track today.  I thought I was coming down with a cold, again, but a good nap was all I needed.  Sleep can really restore.

• My December Daily journal entry will be about making Polar Express Hot Cocoa.
• This picture is my entry for the iHeartFaces Photo Challenge.  Today’s topic was “comforting”.  A hot cup of cocoa with marshmallows. Perfect while watching the Polar Express.
• For “Journal Your Christmas”, today’s journal prompt is about reviewing your lists of things to do before Christmas.  Only one week to go.  I only have a couple more gifts to get and then I’m going to settle into enjoying my family and friends.
• 25 Christmas movies.  Mike and I watched “Polar Express”.  Love the Hot Chocolate Song.  Here are the lyrics if you’re interested.  And I recommend drinking a cup while you’re watching this scene.
  Hot! Hot!
  Oh, we got it!
  Hot! Hot!
  So, we got it!
  Hot! Hot!
  Yo, we got it!
  Hot chocolate!Here, we’ve only got one rule:
  Never ever let it cool!
  Keep it cookin in the pot,
  You’ve got- Hot choc-o-lat!

Until tomorrow, 

“Only one week before Christmas!  Those two presents you still have to get don’t happen to be ours, do they?”

Okay, my intentions are far outweighing my time.  Huge apologies.  I took all the pictures, but need to write the post.  I should be caught up tomorrow, but I hesitate to put that in writing :-).

• My December Daily journal entry will be about Mike and his brass quartet playing at a local church tonight.  His mom and dad and aunt and uncle came to see them perform and we ended up at his mom and dad’s for homemade turkey soup.  A really nice evening.
• This picture is my entry for the iHeartFaces Photo Challenge.  Today’s topic was “hands at work”.  This is Mike working on our backyard.
• For “Journal Your Christmas”, today’s journal prompt is about Christmas entertainment.  We saw the children’s Christmas musical at our church today.  They did such a wonderful job and kept us in stitches the whole time.  It was great to see some new faces and to hear their lovely voices.  It brought back wonderful memories.
• 25 Christmas movies.  Mike and I watched “Miracle on 34th Street”.  Best line: “Christmas isn’t just a day, it’s a state of mind.” – Kris Kringle.

Until tomorrow, 

“So now that dad played his trombone at church tonight, does that mean he won’t be practicing at home anymore?  It really bothers our ears.”

You’ve probably noticed the lack of Pinterest365 posts, but never fear, my friends, I will catch up tomorrow with FOUR, yes count them, 4 Pinterest pins.  I’ve been working on projects, but running out of time to write the posts.  Then we’ll be back on track.

• My December Daily journal entry will be about spending the day with my mom and Emilie, my niece.  Mom and I had hair cut appointments and Emilie played with Sandra’s dog Marty and new kitten Randy.  We also went to Raley’s to pick up our turkey for Christmas dinner.  Pretty normal stuff, but we had a lot of laughs and a fun time spent together.
• This picture is my entry for the iHeartFaces Photo Challenge.  Today’s topic was “something yummy”.  Emilie’s drink – chocolate milk with ice and whip.
• For “Journal Your Christmas”, today’s journal prompt is about decorations other than the tree.  I feel as though I’ve exhausted that topic so I’m going to do another Right Now… list
  Seeing… Mike preparing his Sunday School lesson for tomorrow.  We’re in the book of Luke.
  Hearing…complete silence.
  Smelling…wet dog.  It’s been raining.
  Tasting…Chipotle (dinner).
  Feeling…tired.  Need an early night.
• 25 Christmas movies.  Mike and I watched “A Golden Christmas: The Second Tail”.  Okay, I reported that the acting was bad for “A Golden Christmas” and it didn’t improve much with this sequel.  Jake, the golden retriever, who was a puppy in the first one is paired up with some adorable puppies (same script, different cast) to save a relationship.  Let’s just say, I was lured in by the cute puppies in the stockings.

Until tomorrow, 

“You really are a sucker for cuteness.  Which explains why you brought me home, but why did you get Ellie?”