Oh Christmas Tree, Oh Christmas Tree...

**insert Charlie Brown singing**

Ohhhhhh its my FAVORITE time of the year - thats right- Christmas time! I LOVE this time of year - I don't know why really - maybe because something about it just feels... magical? The only thing i don't like about it how RUDE people get. Sometimes you can find a glimpse of the kindness and giving that this season is truly about - but more often then not, you run into people who are in a hurry, to busy to listen, look or pay attention. A sweet friend of mine Andrea just did the most amazing thing - You can read about it on her blog but something similar (okay not really but almost!) happened to me a few days ago...

I stopped at Panera to get a coffee. There was a BIG line but i figured, hey its okay i'll wait. The place was packed people couldnt move - you would have thought it was the last meal they were ever going to serve. But I waited anyway. While in line -given that i was standing by the door - i held the door for everyone who came in or was going out. No big deal right? wouldn't anyone do that? apparently not - as soon as the line moved up - i didnt see a single person behind me open or even hold the door for a stranger. so sad. so then i was finally up to the front and the manager jumped in - 'Can I help you?' she asked. "I'd just like a medium coffee to go please" - she was so funny! Her response was "You waited in that big long line JUST for a coffee to go?! -- You're all set - no charge -have a great day!" I was so grateful and must have said thank you 100 times. Maybe she was just having a good day - maybe she was just trying to do a good job at what she does - or maybe she just wanted to speed the line up!? :) Whatever it was, it made me smile - it made me want to go do something nice! well as luck would have it - an elderly woman was trying to figure out the coffee station - I asked her if she needed some help and I poured her cream and coffee for her - she was so sweet and so grateful . It's such a nice feeling to GIVE - isn't it?! I only gave her 2 mintues of my time, but i know she had been standing there for 10 minutes before I stepped up - had nobody seen her? did nobody want to help her? so sad. Just as she was about to leave, I put a few dashes of cinnamon in my coffee - she shreiked "You put PEPPER in your COFFEE!????" haha.. we both had a giggle when i told her what it was - she was just a sweetheart. Well the day up until those 15 minutes in Panera was chaos - running from one place to another until I was forced to slow down and REALLY look around. It made me so sad to see just how many strangers walked by situations where they could help. If you could help a stranger would you? do you? do you notice people who need help? Generally, I really try to pay attention to strangers around me - especially lately, after all this is the season of giving, right!?

Whoa, tangent. :)

Back to the blog - At any rate - its the holiday season and I'm so excited. I LOVE the smell of our christmas tree and wreath on our door. Theres nothing like it :) Second to that is a funny little boy named Jackson walking around the house saying "Ho, Ho, Ho...." hahaha... its going to be a fun christmas!

Here are a few shots from picking out our tree this evening -- I can't believe he is big enough to pick out our tree this year!! Last year he was perched like a bird on our shoulders :) hehe.. wow time flies.

Happy Holiday season -and when you're out there at crazy hours shopping or trying to find a parking spot -- try to remember what this is really about anyways!


Daddy and Jackson


Have to wear the Santa Hat!


Look at that little face! Dirty Dirty but still so cute!


Checking things out...


"Hmm... is THAT the one?!'


Muah!


Hugs for Mommy!


"I bet they can't see me over HERE!"


"Let me check things out down here.."


"Hmm this feels about the right height!"


"Hey Mom and Dad, I found our tree!!!" (No Joke! Thats the one we bought!!)


one more lap around just to be sure....


Thanks for stopping by!

Holiday Blessings to you......

Hugs,
K