Lesson 622: I Love Christmas

The countdown is on!

12 days until Christmas.

Eloise loves Christmas.

I decorated a tree for the woodland animals,

and it snowed on top of it!

There is nothing prettier than fluffy, December snow.

My house looks a lot like this.

I try to get outside as often as I can to clear my head.

I found this pin on Pinterest this week,

and couldn't help but notice how much it looked

like the house I grew up in.

The last full moon of the decade was this week,

and it hung around to bid us farewell in the morning sky, too.

As the full moon made its farewell,

Sammy made his chorus debut.

He traded his basketball for a bow tie

and joined 80 voices for a holiday concert.

Beautiful music!

Hazel continues to eat her way 

through the Christmas decorations.

She mistook the wooden star 

for a stale cream cheese cut out.

Santa got it Thursday night.

We sure are glad to have Ellen Louise back with us.
She made her triumphant return to Harborcreek
by landing her car into a ditch.

Natalie was excited to see Santa at Penn State Behrend.

We still are trying to figure out her request for
"sausa-rain."
She is patiently waiting for us
to figure out what she wants.
Natalie has learned to be patient with her frustrations.
When we do figure it out,
I'm buying three cases of whatever it is.

 In between
shopping and
wrapping an
baking and
waking early,




we have time for parties
and people
and dogs
and dances.

Eloise needs balance from the bustle.

That is why I like to read.

My sister got me this book.

It's on my bedside table 

next to Ellen's gnome project.

Eloise and Kenyan

highly recommend.

Here is a recommendation of a great holiday song.
Dim the lights,
sit back,
and enjoy this one.
It's extra special.

Lady Antebellum's blend of
Silent Night and Lord of My Life.

Merry Everything,
Eloise

Lesson 621: Lights

Eloise likes lights.

Lamp Posts are my favorite

I like lanterns, too.

I want to make this.

Well, 

let's get real.

I want daughter Ellen to make me this.

Maybe I like lights so much because my birth name

means torch.

Yes, new readers,

my name is not really Eloise,

although I do answer to it now.

I also think it's interesting that Elaine

is the French form of Helen,

my mother's name.

I'm not French,

but people often ask if I am

because of my married name.

I actually prefer 

Ray of Light

over torch,

because torch sounds more cavemanish.

It's nice to be thought of as a source of light.

The early morning light is when I catch the birds.

I found this flock in a tree on Richter's farm.

This flock I found a few moments later at the high school.

Light allows me to keep an eye out for the Last Apple.

The last of the original apple trees
 from when my parents originally purchased the land,
 was broken
during the Thanksgiving wind storm.

There are only a few apples left on the branches

and I want to see which is the sole survivor.

This coat that Sam is wearing has survived a long, long time.

It was my grandfather's coat--

from what we could guess,

it's probably 50 to 60 years old.

Yes, Teammate Tucker,

your buddy Sam is wearing a coat that old.

And after your school night basketball games

you still are responsible for doing your homework,

even with only 10 days of school left

until Christmas vacation.

Natalie is all ready for Christmas.
If you truly want to add some light to your life,

go to the Barber National Institute Christmas dance

and watch when Santa walks in.

There is nothing else like it.

We've had quite a time with the holiday lights.

The top set poofed upon lighting.

We got some brand new top sets,

and the bottom set wouldn't light.

Hmmm.
I wonder who may have had something
to do with that.
Hazel needed a snack
and flossed her teeth with the wire.

We even bought some lights
for the chicken coop/cat house today.
When we plugged them in,
only half of them lit!

I've got to take a day tomorrow to regroup.
Holiday time is busy at the Lamp Post.
If one isn't careful,
you can feel depleted during the season
rather than fulfilled.
as you should.



You may want to consider a new Wellness Challenge
that Erie Chiropractor, Dr. Krauza is offering.
Shifting Gears will begin January 12th.
Find Eloise if you have questions
and I'll point you to the people who can answer them best.



Three easy homework assignments for you this weekend.
Here is the Kindergartner who invited his class to his adoption.
Look at their little heads!
For the full story CLICK HERE!



I adore this commercial!

 For the full story Christmas Ad CLICK HERE

And here is one of my favorite
Chris Tomlin Christmas songs
from his album Adore.
It's a medley,
and Eloise thinks medleys are clever.

Enjoy your holiday preparations.
It is a glorious time of year.

Eloise