Meet Mr. Frost

Introducing Mr. Frost

Favorite Things--Day 4

Snow pants!! How fitting since we got our first snowfall of the season last night. Actually I think it is still snowing. My hubby can tell me when he gets home from sitting in his tree stand. Alas, I had to agree with him early this morning when he said "I'm really kind of crazy, aren't I?" I've digressed...snow pants! When I was growing up...many years ago...when you had to walk 2 miles uphill to school....I didn't have snow pants. I'm sure they were around for skiers or those who lived in snow country. They were probably even around where I lived, but I didn't know anything about them and I don't think my friends did either. When it snowed, we simply layered up. We would put on enough layers that you could barely bend your legs...at least 2 or 3 pairs. Then we would head out to build whatever creations we could dream up in the snow. Well, fast forward a few years to my eldest's preparations for kindergarten. On her supply list for school was snow pants. Snow pants?! was my immediate thought. Then I chalked it up to living in Iowa and trudged off to the store to purchase a pair for her. It wasn't until she wore them at home during one of the first snowfalls that season that I realized the marvel of snow pants. They keep you completely dry, you can bend your legs, you stay warm and they dry fairly quickly. Wow! Where have these been all of my life I kept thinking. So, yes, I love snow pants and if I didn't have other priorities for my money I would totally buy myself a pair simply for when I go out to shovel snow. You might see me making a snow angel or two as well.

A hint for all you moms out there who have yet to buy snow pants...buy black! Then any child can wear them as you pass them down from kid to kid. John wasn't real excited about the powder blue ones I wanted him to wear last year.

Favorite Things--Day 3

Shopping. Yikes--that sounds like I've commercialized Christmas, doesn't it? I'm not talking about the actual payment of goods that gives me a special high. I'm talking about the process of looking and joining in with hundreds at a store at the same time. Thanks to my parents, Joe & I were able to go shopping on Black Friday...just the two of us. And we had the best time. I love going on dates with my husband and this was the most fun that we had had on one in awhile (and we have a lot of fun on our dates!) We left my parent's house at 5am (keep in mind this was 4am our home time) and headed out with the masses. I got to chat it up with the clerk at the local gas station while Joe made sure our tank was full and I made sure I was full of caffeine. Then we hit the stores. We didn't have a specific item that we had to have. We had our list of likes and were able to browse...a lot. There is just something about joining others...including strangers...in seeking out that perfect gift for someone special. There is such community in it. I saw groups of women who had matching shirts made just for their day. And I saw families enjoying some family time together..interacting and plotting as they planned to surprise someone. It is those carefully chosen gifts that remind me of the most wonderful gift that put this whole holiday in motion.

Favorite Things--Day 2

Christmas music! I love this aspect of Christmas so much that I wouldn't be surprised if it shows up again before Christmas. If you've ever been in my home for any length of time, you are aware that I just love music generally and at all times of the year. Here are some of my favorites to listen to this time of year:

Third Day--Christmas Offerings
George Winston--December
The Three Tenors--The Three Tenors Christmas
The Letterman--For Christmas This Year (ahhh, this brings back so many childhood memories)
Michael Buble--Let It Snow
Chris Rice--The Living Room Sessions--Christmas

It is also not a rare experience for me to have klove.com live streaming in my house. This year, in addition to their normal music station, they are live streaming all Christmas music.

Favorite Things--Day 1

In an effort to celebrate this wonderful month, I decided I do my own kind of countdown to that special day. And this will also give me an opportunity to try a little more consistency on this blog that I truly love posting to (when I get disciplined about it). I was going to start on the first so I'm already a little behind. But I was under the weather yesterday so we'll just double post today. I am sure it won't be the first time it happens this month.

So my favorite for today...countdowns to Christmas (fitting, don't you think?). I do love counting down and the experience of Advent. My all time favorite memory of Christmas as a child was lighting the advent candles every evening, sitting in a candlelit room and reading that night's scripture as a family. I am sure we missed nights, but in my memory it happened every night after supper. I loved it and have desperately tried to create similar memories for my own kids. We have an advent wreath and try to daily remember what this crazy month is really about. We also have some additional ways we countdown. We have a calendar that the snowflake moves on everyday. Two of my kids' stocking hooks are countdowns. And one of my kids favorite traditions are the kisses. We string 25 Hershey kisses together and hang them with their stockings. Each night after supper, they trade a kiss on the cheek to their mom or dad for a kiss off their string of kisses. (Yes, there are 25 in each strand. They are each strung a little different though which is what creates the different lengths. This obviously is disturbing to a couple of the ordered children. I'm not sure how many times the kisses got counted yesterday.)