Ho ho ho

I wondered why I was stuck in traffic on a few occasions and why there seemed to be a state of emergency with fire trucks everywhere. Then I realized that there is definitely more than one Santa Clause in my area...And they're out there on top of fire trucks all weekend! 

My favorite was the announcer today who sounded like a sports broadcaster as he proclaimed, "Heeeere comes Santa Claus!"

Two fire engines even came in my apartment complex! I rushed out to the balcony to see the jolly fellow flanked by volunteer firefighters (clearly a disguise from their normal elf attire) and he looked up and waved! Apartment dwellers might not have chimneys, but Santa Claus still comes to visit :-) 

Amen!

Christmas Balls

St. Francis' Prayer for Peace

My sister's wedding invitation

Greatest Gift

First Grade's present this year.

The children exclaimed over it for a couple minutes. Then the boys made the boxes into rocketships and private jets. And baby Jesus became a little toddler who walked around and said, "Hi, I'm Jesus!"

I still wish we had cows at school for them to milk and small game for them to shoot.

Little boys. Our God became one of them. Humanity. Real life. Amen. 

A very merry closet

Looking for innovative ways to dry your homemade Christmas ornaments and decorate your closet at the same time? Just insert a hanger between your other hangers and the hook acts as an Christmas ball holder! That bedazzled sphere'll be dry in the morning! 

"Hashtag" Pinteresty.

One note: Does it smell like potpourri? Not in your wildest dreams! Fresh paint? Oh you know our homegrown don't disappoint! Of course it does ;)

RRR-Elephants

I call them RRR-Elephants after my Mexican ancestors. OK... I'm not really Mexican-I wish I could roll my "r's" like a sweet señorita, nevertheless... all these little adorable elephants were made from "reduced, reused and recycled" fabric from other projects and donated clothes. And they're selling like hotcakes to children everywhere so I can fund a trip to Africa. Don don don...

Body Pump and Meatball Stromboli

I can't feel my legs. I can't feel my legs. And an eight-year-old girl is staring at me in the "body pump" class at the Y and wondering why I have microscopic saucer weights while she's holding pizza pies.

The adults were trained to focus on themselves in the mirror but the child could not stop staring at me. I even gave her a 15 minute break when I went to get a drink of water and rest, but her eyes were right back on to me when I entered again to clean up my equipment and leave class early.

As I left I thanked the gentleman who helped set up my backbreaking barbells and aerobic stepper (used for PUSH-UPS)  in the beginning of the class when I arrived five minutes late. He came to my rescue after I accidentally used another woman's equipment thinking that there were extra spots and everything was pre-set up. (That woman had gone on a water break herself.)

He heard me take leave and said, "Come back, it gets better!"

Sounds good... maybe after I take a nap drink a couple cups of coffee and eat a steak.

In any case my day rounded out nicely at the pizza shop where the owner now knows my name.

Amen.

None of us make it through this life on our own. Amen.

Velour

Today an elephant was born... A dream burst into life. I called it royal, majestic, a treasured plaything for a wonder-filled child to behold...

Where's dad's silk shirt? ...umm...I made it into an elephant. And where's mom's velour sweatsuit? Umm...I also made that into an elephant.

 

Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving jokes: 

My cousin asked me, "How does Moses make his coffee?" "He brews it!" 

Another cousin asked me, "What did the turkey say when he came in the front door?" "Nothing! You're going to eat it!" 

I asked my student his favorite part of Thanksgiving. "Eating the clam berry sauce." 

Jesus and the children. Amen.