Buy a Christmas Book Date

Good Thursday morning!

The Christmas Virtual Tour continues in the Gallery this morning. I will be sharing a few more of my favorite Christmas things over these next few days.

OBSERVATION! OBSERVATION! OBSERVATION! - When I receive a comment in the Comment Section of the blog, 99 times out of 100 I respond to the comment. However, I usually respond IN the Comment Section of the blog.

I posted a comment on a friend's blog the other day, and I thought to myself, "I NEVER go back to the Comment Section of someone's blog to see if they respond to MY comment." So I'm thinking you (the Commenter) are probably just like me. You have no idea I respond to your comments 99 times out of 100.

I will try to do better responding via e-mail or Facebook, as well as in the Comment Section.

KILL THE FATTED CALF! KILL THE FATTED CALF! KILL THE FATTED CALF! - The Boy is coming home TODAY for the holidays. He'll be home for almost a whole MONTH! Can you hear the angels singing? Hallelujah!

And don't worry. If I did have a fatted calf, I'm pretty sure I would be attached to him/her by now and he/she would be named "Spot," "Bessie" or some other appropriate fatted calf name. I would not be able to kill, cook and serve Spot or Bessie.

Instead, we'll be having pizza because there's a basketball game tonight, and Austin is coming to watch Roxie play. (We'll have the obligatory celebratory dinner tomorrow night!)

ANNOUNCEMENT! ANNOUNCEMENT! ANNOUNCEMENT! - A Simple Life was chosen as one of the "Top Must-Read Blogs" in the State of Alabama for incoming college students by Online Schools. A Simple Life was one of 22 blogs chosen.

"As a resource dedicated to providing students with the best information, we've decided to bring clarity to the unfamiliarity of beginning college life in a new area. We're doing this by pointing them to the best blogs to read, and your blog is one of them! Your blog provides the most vital information that every new college student to the area must read."

There's a special "Recognition Badge" I am supposed to put on my sidebar, but as of this date, I have been unable to figure out how to do so. (I know. I'm pathetic.)

I was very excited about the news, but didn't know how to share it without sounding "braggy." As you can see, I overcame my doubt and uncertainty... and decided to totally go the "braggy" route.

If you're wondering if I will still speak to you when I pass you in Wal-Mart, please know I am still the same humble, grounded, non-braggy (most of the time) Enchanting Belinda I've always been. Nothing has changed... except I am now the proud owner of a Recognition Badge I CANNOT FOR THE LIFE OF ME FIGURE OUT HOW TO DISPLAY ON MY SIDEBAR!

See. I'm exactly the same.

RANDOMNESS - My Christmas cards are here. I'm addressing them and mailing them out over the next few days. I would be happy about it, but I put a little something on the card for a joke, and now I am regretting it. And I can't take it back because it would be too expensive.

I feel silly. And that's saying a lot for a woman who has a Giant Santa Penguin in her yard, a lit outdoor lawn ornament deer in her son's bedroom (he's going to freak out when he comes home, by the way) and a Big Gold Van decked out with two antlers and a giant red nose.

Lesson for the Day - Don't press the "Place Order" button on your computer after 11:30 p.m. when ordering your Christmas cards... when you've added a little something extra which made you chuckle... because it was late and you were tired... and your keen sense of humor wasn't what it should have been. Just saying.

Blog Linkage - Okay. I'm sharing two "must-reads" today. Again, I don't want to "overwhelm" you with too much reading material, but this is good stuff.

1. Click on Nitty.Gritty. under My Blog List. Go to the post entitled "His happy little world," dated December 4. If you are feeling overwhelmed this holiday season, this post may help you gain a little perspective.

2. My friend, Dana Sorensen, has a beautiful blog. After you gain perspective about being overwhelmed this holiday season from reading Jody's post, go to www.engravedinhishand.blogspot.com and read Dana's post entitled "Treasure" dated December 8. Beautiful!

Buy a Christmas Book Date

Under our tree each Christmas, you will find a basket filled with Christmas books. Everything including little Golden Books (The Nutcracker), Disney books (Mickey's A Christmas Carol), religious books (The Crippled Lamb), funny books (The Best Christmas Pageant Ever) can be found in this basket.

When the kids were younger, we would let them take turns each and every night in December, and we would read a Christmas story under the Christmas tree before they went to bed.

And, every year, we would add a book or two to our growing collection.

Today's date will include your child while selecting this season's new Christmas book.

After dinner one night, take your date to Books-A-Million, Barnes and Noble, LifeWay Christian Book Store, etc. and browse through the dozens and dozens of Christmas books offered. Let your child pick a book to buy.

If you are at Books-A-Million or Barnes and Noble, sit down for a few minutes and enjoy a cup of hot chocolate and a snack before heading home to read your new addition before bedtime. If you go to a bookstore that does not have a special place to sit and eat, head to Chick-Fil-A for a Peppermint Shake or McDonald's for a little ice cream.

It doesn't have to be a very long date, but make it fun. Make it festive. Make it a memory!

Transition Tradition - As the kids have gotten older and outgrown the Christmas Book Basket, we enjoy watching as many Christmas movies during the season as we can (Elf, A Christmas Story, etc.). Age appropriate, but still festive and fun!

Have a tremendous Thursday. Hopefully, you are NOT like me and you have everything bought, wrapped and under the tree. If not, I'll probably see some of you out and about today! Visit again Friday for Weekend Happenings, the Christmas Virtual Tour - Part Four and much, much more.

Take care, and I'll talk to you tomorrow.

Sincerely,

The Enchanting, Humble and AWARD WINNING Belinda