I’m looking at Christmas in a new light this year. My kids are teenagers now, and while they haven’t lost all of their magical appreciation for the season, they do have a very frank understanding of Santa which significantly alters the gift-giving angle. After all, the reason for the season isn’t gifts, its God. Jesus.

Makes a gal feel kind of superficial and materialistic focusing on the shopping business. So I won’t. This year isn’t going to be about finding the perfect gift, the one that lights up their faces on Christmas morning. Nope. There will be gifts Christmas morning, but greatly reduced. I’ll carry the sentiment through Christmas dinner. As hostess for the family gathering, I’ve asked the relatives to dispense with our customary gift exchange. It only adds chaos to the evening, anyway. I mean, we’re talking 25 people for dinner and my house is far from a mansion. Trust me when I tell you it gets a little crazy. And to exchange gifts right before we’re serving a home-cooked meal? Double the chaos. We need all hands on deck to carve the turkey, make the gravy, toast the marshmallows atop the sweet potatoes, warm the veggies… The list goes on.

Recently, I discovered that one family in our community celebrates the season without gifts. For themselves, that is, including their kids. Instead, they wrap a gift box, cut a slit in the top, then deposit money into it throughout the month. A week before Christmas, they take the money and buy food for the hungry, clothes for the homeless; wherever they see a need, they fill it.
I like it. It embraces the charitable spirit of the season and reminds me it’s time to focus on the basics. Family, friends, charity, hospitality, song and prayer. How about you? Any changes this season to your celebration?

I am LOVING the holiday spirit a bit more than usual this year and not sure why. My children are growing older and the magic is dimming, but still, the holidays feel fresh and new. Special. Maybe it’s because we’ve been spending time with family and friends, or maybe it’s all the wonderful scents and tastes of the season. We put up our tree this weekend and the smell is divine, as are the twinkle of lights and glittery ornaments.

We been looking for some water heaters that don´t need storage and he happily found it at portablecnerd. Yaaay

Then there’s the food. From cranberry-orange bread to pumpkin pie, to a decadent new recipe for cookies and cream truffles my daughter discovered recently, I love to EAT this time of year! Am I alone? (I hope not. I don’t want to be the only in the gym, come January!) The cranberry bread freezes well and makes a great teacher/neighbor gift. For recipes, check my garden blog:

Cranberry-Orange Bread

Pumpkin Pie

Sweet Potato Pie

I’m posting the link to the truffle recipe on my Bloomin’ Warriors Private Group Facebook page!

How about you? What’s your favorite holiday recipe?

Okay, I’ve heard of some stranger-looking creatures in my time, but upside down jellyfish?  I mean, talk about going against the flow—these guys have it locked! But is there a point to their existence I’m missing?

Life can be hard enough as it is.  I couldn’t imagine mine spent stuck at the bottom of the ocean—or an aquarium in Chattanooga, TN—trapped in a sea of confusion.  Odd.  Beautiful, but odd.  And speaking of odd, check out this narrow passageway we traipsed through on our visit to Rock City.  Couldn’t have been more than a foot or so wide in some spots.  Is it any wonder it’s known as the “Fat Man’s Squeeze?” 

It’s no wonder my friend’s father snagged himself in between these gems of nature and remained stuck for a good hour.  And he wasn’t hefty by any stretch of the word but this passage isn’t wide by any stretch of definition, either.  Talk about vacation killer, I think that one takes the prize!  

Speaking of prizes, in the very same neighborhood of Chattanooga, deep within the caverns of limestone we found a gorgeous waterfall.  It’s one of the premier attractions called Ruby Falls and for good reason. 

Located hundreds of feet below the surface and half an hour walk into the core of Lookout Mountain, it’s a wonder anyone found it in the first place.  But adventurous souls like Leo Lambert longed for such thrill and while excavating for an elevator shaft, discovered a swift gush of air.  Lo and behold, they found it.

As our guide was explaining to us why we shouldn’t attempt to drink the water from the falls, I chuckled and thought.  Now there’s a logo for some boxers:   “Don’t drink the water at Ruby Falls.”  High content of magnesium.  Trust them when they say you won’t make it to the top in time.

This photo was captured when the lighting from above showered the falls in shades of rich lavender.  My kids were amazed by this extravaganza and threatened to drink said water to which I kindly replied, “Go ahead, pumpkin.  I too would like to see if our tour guide means what she says.”

Children live in a constant state of temptation when it comes to challenging authority, don’t they?  This time it would have served them right, albeit a stinky lesson to be sure.

Ugh.  All in all the kids enjoyed their trek up to the mountains.  Not only fun, it was educational.  I mean, we listened to Gone With The Wind on CD the entire drive north and south.  Is there anything one need know about the Civil War that Margaret Mitchell didn’t capture in that book?

Though I did find myself longing to see Scarlet stop torturing herself so.  “Oh, Scah-let dah-ling…  How do you suh-vive?”

The kids enjoyed hearing Stone Mountain referenced in the story, as well as a few other towns we drove through along the way.  Brought it all to life for them, knowing that the Civil War was carried on in this very part of the country.  From the memorials at Chattanooga to the last standing Atlanta, our journey crisscrossed that of Scarlet O’Hara’s.

Now that’s drama come to life.  As were the high wires and tight ropes they walked at the park, the laser show that danced across the stone carving.  All in all it was a great week.  How about you?  Any summer plans you’d like to share?