It's Beginning to Look A Lot Like....

CHRISTMAS!!

Tea tights in origami Lilly pads (red, reminiscent of poinsettias) lined the walkway to our Open House last Friday night.

The regal reindeer graces us with his presence again this year.

Giant origami snowman!

Xee and I don't have an established Christmas tree tradition. Some years it was up just days before Christmas and was left for the entire month of January. Timing has varied, but we have not ever put it up before Thanksgiving....until this year.

Xee was a little anxious to get the tree up early this year. He was bugging me to put it up the first week of November! I finally caved in two days before Thanksgiving. I had come home from my Pilates class to a magical surprise of being surrounded by snowflakes. While I was busy exercising, Xee and Phoebe had been busy snipping away with their scissors to create our own little winter wonderland.

So I couldn't resist. I told Xee to go ahead and get out the tree. (Of course, it sat there for two days before I got the gumption to start the trimming.) Now, over the years I have been bothered by the increasing commercialism of Christmas and the decorations popping up at department stores as early as October. But maybe the excitement and anticipation of going back to California got us all into the spirit a bit early this year. And since we had plans to jump on a plane mid-December, I was happy to oblige Xee's request.

Phoebe and I hit the beach for one last day in the sun this afternoon. Phoebe said, "Mommy, the beach is going to miss us." Yes, we will miss you too! But we are so exited about being home for Christmas and it may even turn out to be white (if we can get there, it will be Phoebe's first time seeing snow). Since my sister moved back to California, it will be the first time in years that we will be together for the holiday. Though it will surely not go unnoticed that we are almost all there.

With our busy lives and the distance, Christmas was usually the one time we were sure to see my Dad. As the day approaches, I am already missing his strong affection for eggnog, his totally infectious laugh, the way he oohed and awed over my mom's desserts...still, all these years after they divorced. And most of all, the look on his face as he took it all in, cherishing each moment with us, loving those around him, joy shining through in his eyes.

My dad had a few nervous habits. Most of you know that he smoked. He also jingled his change and his keys in his pocket. He moved around a lot. They are just quirky little things that made him...well, him. I will feel their absence as well. It will be wonderful, but it won't be the same.

We leave at 6:30 tomorrow morning. We are packed and ready for our trip. I don't know how much I will chime in here in blogland, if at all. Things will be super busy. We will be visiting family and friends in Orange County, then heading up to Fresno for a few days, and back to Orange County again. For those of you who don't know, they are about a 5 hour drive apart...and I still have to address and send out our cards!

So in case I don't get back soon, we wish you all a very Merry Christmas and we pray that you will be keeping Christ at the center of your Christmas celebration. For He truly is the Reason for the Season!

Oh boy, I'd better get some sleep...