While waiting for Christmas to arrive...

I hung out with my youngest brother and his fabulous girlfriend yesterday. And by the time we'd been together for, oh, I don't know, about 25 minutes, I already had a wealth of great quotes. So, here to amuse you (hopefully) as it amused me, are the quotes I just couldn't let die:

- High five, right pinky toe! - R
- I don't trust your game. - R
- Pretend you're a pirate leaning on somthing. - S
- Oh, come on! That's like one of the all-time quotes-best. - S
- Rah-darn?? - R
- They had milk cartons and everything. - R

Then we went upstairs, where my mom was listening to a cassette tape (yes, not video, audio) from Christmases when my brothers & I were little (think 1987 - 1990). Meaning that the first one she was listening to, I was about 5, D was 3, and S was 7 months old. Again, quotes I couldn't help remembering, including one interjection as we listened:

- Carebear chopstick!! (chapstick) - K, age 5
- Mom: Do you know what that is, D?
D, age 3: (very excited) No!!
- Processing... - S, now
Face loading... - R, now
- Well whaddya know! - K, age 5
- and then more of 'em came singing glory to God - D, age 4
- My name is 2!! - S, age 2

OH, the joys of children. Especially children (young or old) at Christmas. ;)

It's December 23rd.

Only 2 more days!

I just LOVE Christmas.

Christmas Week

Things that have thrilled me this week, so far:

- had a great lunch with some good friends/coworkers
- finished reading Harry Potter 7 for the 3rd time (ever, not in the week, i'm not that nuts...)
- baking TONS of cookies. I now have 3 types of chocolate chip cookies, 3 types of sugar cookies, puppy chow (pb, powdered sugar, chocolate treat), and snickerdoodles. yum.
- it has snowed for 4 of the last 5 days when i've been at home - even having to brush my car off several times hasn't made me dislike it yet!
- i am at my parent's house as of this afternoon - here for the rest of the week until after Christmas

and i am looking forward to:
- sledding with my brother and his girlfriend
- playing Lord of the Rings Trivial Pursuit with my brother, his girlfriend, and my dad
- watching funny parts of a couple movies with my dad
- Christmas Eve with my immediate family at my other brother's church
- seeing my other brother, my sister his wife, and my niece their sweet daughter
- Christmas day!!!
- music, games, laughter, good food and conversation
- being surrounded by those i love

and that's just in one week.
God is good and i am blessed.
oh how i love love Love Christmas.

Have you ever...

Opened a Firefox browser, just for the mere purpose that when you closed it (immediately after opening it) you could click "quit"?

I did.
Just now.

And now I get to do it again.

Surviving the crazy weeks

I have actually gotten through 2 of 3 crazy Christmastime weeks at work. (!)

The first one had moments, not lengths, of crazy. And I was foolish enough to think "hm, this might not be so bad this year!" Stupid to think that. I should have known better.

The second week was much more crazy. It had moments of peace. Actually, it only had nano-seconds. But that's ok. I still saw God working, and in the end, that's what it's all about. Completely. Plus, when it was all over (and I actually mean literally after the event was over on Saturday night - well, ok, literally after I was finished cleaning up for the immediately following service) I had several people saying "thank you" to our team, and expressing how much they enjoyed it and how great it was to have this event at our church. Bonus. Glory to God!

Now, I look forward to the last week. I know there will be moments of crazy. I am hoping that the craziness this week is limited to nano-seconds (reverse of last week). I actually think that may be possible. But I know that when this week is over, God's glory will be shown - through everything I'm lucky enough to be involved in. My job, my volunteering in the choir and the production they're doing this weekend, and all the extra time that goes with it.

I look forward to seeing family on Sunday, as well as friends, family, and more friends in the two weeks following, along with some time off from work. I look forward to going back after this break refreshed and ready to jump into the new year with new anticipation and excitement for how God is moving in our area, in our church, in our lives, in our hearts.

It's gonna be good. I can't wait.

In the midst of the craziness...

there is hope. there is friendship. there is (astonishingly) peace.

when you feel like things are at their worst, and you stop, and you pray, it is amazing what can happen. when you actually let go and let God - wow.

He puts friends around you just when you need them. He listens when you pray for each other. He gives you the strength you need to get through each situation. He brings help when you think you've reached the end of the line.

the most important thing to remember: He's got it all in hand; not one detail overlooked - and that is something that makes Him worthy of all our praise.

don't forget it.

My favorite movie. Ever.

I was watching White Christmas on tv tonight (caught the last ... three-fourths... of it while doing things around the house, and when it started over again immediately after the credits finished rolling -thank you AMC- I couldn't get myself off the couch) and I realized (once again) how much I love Danny Kaye. I have seen several Danny Kaye movies and each has its memorable moments. haha. Like this (start at :45 if you don't want to watch the intro). hehe. Oh how I love it.

Don't get me wrong, White Christmas is easily one of the best Christmas movies ever. I love it. And every year I watch it several times - probably more than most would ever be comfortable with. I love the songs. I sing them very loudly (usually when I'm alone) along with the movie,. I love the dances. Some of them would never work ever again. But I love them. They are amazing and wonderful and perfect - nothing else would be good enough for this movie. And you have to admit - these folks are all extremely talented. *sigh* Plus, you can never get enough of Bing & Danny doing the "Sisters" routine. Never gets old.

I hadn't seen it yet this year, and while watching Bing & Danny dance and sing, I just had to look up some details. ;)
Thank you, IMDb.

However, White Christmas is not my favorite movie. Even if you were tricked by it being fabulous, and the huge picture, and the title, and my effervescence on the subject. And I was reminded while I was looking at the many movies these folks have been in (while digging around on IMDb) - my favorite movie. And yes, it stars Danny Kaye.

Court Jester. Best movie ever. I am always a little shocked, and a little more saddened when people have no idea what this movie is. So many fantastic quotes. "'Get it?' 'Got it.' 'Good.'" "The pellet with the poison..." Mmhmm. And that's just a start. The joys!

Oh, and it also stars Glynis Johns (mom from Mary Poppins), Angela Lansbury (please tell me you know who that is), and Basil Rathborne (the best bad-guy and swordsman ever - even better than Errol Flynn; No, really - and he was 63 when he filmed this one).

If you haven't watched this movie, you need to. Great humor; good, fun story; fabulous songs; some interesting choreography; tongue twisters I have never been able to say quickly enough to count; and good actors. Again all I can ... *sigh* ... If you can't find it, let me know. I have it taped. (Well, my dad did. And it now 'lives' at my house.) And maybe, someday, if I'm really lucky, I may own it on dvd before my tape gets worn out. ;)

Anyone able to name any other Danny Kaye movies? Go ahead, try it. Good stuff. Watch out or I may make you watch quite the marathon. :)

It's December 2nd.

Only 23 more days!

I just love Christmas.