Blessed

Merry Christmas!

I hope your family had a very Merry Christmas!! I have had a jolly holiday and I feel so overwhelmed with blessings. We spent Christmas Eve where we always do - at my Nanny and PaPa's house. We had a delicious Mexican food feast, and as tradition goes, we all ate way too much. This year, we added something new ... a musical performance! My friends, the Craguns, loaned me their set of pipe bells and a few of us performed "Jingle Bells" for the rest of the family. (They were so much fun, I really want my own set now.)
After dinner, we had our gift exchange. My cousin, Todd, had my name and I got an iTunes gift card (the best gift you can give, in my opinion) and a hat and mittens.

Christmas is always better with kids around!

My cousin, Shawna, and her cute little girl, Emily.

My nephew, Logan, and his new pair of boots.

Now that the cousins are all grown up and some have their own families, it's rare that everyone can make it on Christmas Eve, but for the first time in many years, we were all there and it made it a really special night.

On Christmas Morning, I went to my mom's house with two of my brothers, Ryan and Brad. My mom decorates her house so cute for Christmas and she still hangs all of our stockings from when we were kids.
Ryan received some new clothes ...

... and Rock Band 2!!

My brother, Brad, and his dog, KC:

(Brad's the one in the hat)

On Christmas night, my mom, Ryan, Jon, Nicole and I went to see "Bedtime Stories".

It was a wonderful day!

December has gone by in a flash for me. I didn't get everything done that I wanted to get done and I didn't have the money to buy as many gifts as I would have liked -- but I still think this was one of my favorite Christmases in recent memory. In addition to what I've shared so far, I had a couple other big blessings this year. First - I was given the responsibility of organizing our ward's "Giving Tree" project. Members of the congregation purchased presents for 13 families and I gathered the gifts and got everything ready to be delivered. It was amazing to witness so much generosity, especially during these hard economic times.

The other big blessing is more personal. On Christmas Eve, some anonymous angels gave a very special present to my family. We walked outside to find it right on the front porch. We were all in shock and my mom cried tears of happiness. We feel so blessed to whoever gave us such a generous gift. You have made this Christmas one that we will always remember and we feel so blessed to have friends like you. I hope you receive many, many blessings for your kindness. It truly was a Christmas miracle.

My Christmas Mix For You

THANK YOU for all who have sent me Christmas cards. I love getting them! I'm sorry that I am a bad friend and don't reciprocate. (HOWEVER - I may blog my Christmas Card this year, so stay tuned for that.)

I'm better at Christmas Mix CDs than Christmas cards. Most of my friends who have lived in the same city as me have been the recipient of one or two in Christmases past. I have a LOT of Christmas music (as most of us Christmas-lovers do). So I thought I'd spread some Christmas cheer by sharing my favorite (and not-so-favorite) Christmas songs.

First, I must say that it's a Crooners' Christmas for me. I'm all about Frankie, Dean, and Bing. There's just something romantic about their renditions that transport me to a winter wonderland. (I also love Ella Fitzgerald, Perry Como and Nat King Cole) So, unless I specifically list another artist, just know that I prefer the classics on these when available.

Let's start with the reason for the season.

Category: RELIGIOUS

• I Wonder as I Wander
• O Holy Night
• Who Would Imagine a King
• It Came Upon a Midnight Clear
• What Child is This?

Category: PROBABLY MY FAVORITE CHRISTMAS SONG OF ALL TIME

• Christmas Waltz (Frosted window panes, candles gleaming inside ...)

Category: SONGS FOR GETTING IN A HAPPY, HOLIDAY MOOD

• It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas
• I’ll Be Home for Christmas
• Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
• Winter Wonderland
• Home for the Holidays (Perry Como)
• Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow
• Baby, It’s Cold Outside (It's a draw as far as the Dean Martin or Johnny Mercer & Margaret Whitling versions)
• Cool Yule (Louis Armstrong)
• ‘Zat You, Santa Claus? (Louis Armstrong)
• A Holly Jolly Christmas (Burl Ives, of course!)
• I’ve Got My Love to Keep Me Warm (Dean Martin)
• A Marshmallow World (Bing Crosby) (This one ranks VERY high.)
• The Most Wonderful Time of the Year

And just for fun, let's add a few more categories.

Category: CHRISTMAS-TIME MAKES YOU WANT TO BE IN A RELATIONSHIP.

• All I Want for Christmas is You (One of the only Mariah songs I really like)
• Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) (U2)
• I’d Like You for Christmas (Julie London)
• What Are You Doing New Year’s Eve

Category: IF YOU’RE NOT FEELING JOLLY, HOW ABOUT SOMETHING MELANCHOLY?

• Hard Candy Christmas (Dolly Parton)
• Where Are You Christmas? (Faith Hill)
• When My Heart Finds Christmas (Harry Connick, Jr.)

Category: DOES ANYONE ELSE FIND THE WHOLE PREMISE OF THIS SONG DISTURBING?

• I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus

Category: I REALIZE THESE ARE SOME PEOPLE'S FAVORITES BUT I'M TIRED OF THEM AND PREFER NOT TO HEAR VERY MUCH OF THEM DURING THE HOLIDAYS.

• Rudolph
• Silent Night
• Jingle Bells
• 12 Days of Christmas

Category: NEVER WANT TO HEAR AGAIN. IT MAKES MY EARS BLEED.

• Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer

Okay, there's my list. Now tell me your favorite Christmas song(s).

You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch

Dear Grinch,

I realize that your heart is two sizes too small, but I want you to know that you broke mine this morning. JUST when I'd found my Christmas spirit, you came and stole it from me. Literally. I wonder, what will you do with the Christmas decorations you took from my yard overnight? Will you use them to decorate your own house? More likely than that, you will probably sell them to someone else to make a few bucks. Well, I want you to know that I think you're a bad banana with a greasy black peel!!

You probably steal from lots of people, so to refresh your memory ... here's what you stole from me: (I found this picture online but they look like the same ones I had.)I just bought those lighted presents last year. Why didn't you take the spiral trees that are 6-years old now and have a short in the cord? OH ... I know why. It's because your soul is an appalling dump heap overflowing with the most disgraceful assortment of deplorable rubbish imaginable, mangled up in tangled up knots.

Sorry. Your hatefulness is bringing out the grinch in me. I'm really debating whether to put up the rest of my lights now. What if you steal them too? But then again, if I don't decorate I guess I'm only punishing myself and then you win again.

In closing, the three words that best describe you, are, and I quote: "Stink. Stank. Stunk." And if you happen to read my blog, well that's just makes the whole thing even more disturbing.

Merry Christmas, JERK.
-Julie