Wednesday, December 24, 2008
Sunday, December 14, 2008
Yes, Zachary, there is a Santa Claus......just not what you think...
It was a heart breaking conversation we had with our son. When asking him what he wanted for Christmas, he wanted to know why we needed a list. Didn't Santa Claus give us our Christmas presents???
I have always told my kids that anyone can be a Santa Claus, it's something we have always talked about around the holidays. He said he understood this, but he believed there was still a Santa Claus.
Without getting into too much detail, our son was crushed.
He said we had lied to him. I told him that with all of the evil in the world today, children need something good to believe in.
I also told him that long ago someone wanted to give gifts to people anonymously, and that was how Santa Claus came about.
We talked about Christ and his birth and how his life represents giving.
This was all good and fine, but when a childhood fantasy is put to rest, a tear or two are often seen.
I read the newspaper article that Virginia wrote to the editor.
Here it is..
"DEAR EDITOR: I am 8 years old.
"Some of my little friends say there is no Santa Claus.
"Papa says, 'If you see it in THE SUN it's so.'
"Please tell me the truth; is there a Santa Claus?
"VIRGINIA O'HANLON.
"115 WEST NINETY-FIFTH STREET."
VIRGINIA, your little friends are wrong. They have been affected by the skepticism of a skeptical age. They do not believe except [what] they see. They think that nothing can be which is not comprehensible by their little minds. All minds, Virginia, whether they be men's or children's, are little. In this great universe of ours man is a mere insect, an ant, in his intellect, as compared with the boundless world about him, as measured by the intelligence capable of grasping the whole of truth and knowledge.
Yes, VIRGINIA, there is a Santa Claus. He exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist, and you know that they abound and give to your life its highest beauty and joy. Alas! how dreary would be the world if there were no Santa Claus. It would be as dreary as if there were no VIRGINIAS. There would be no childlike faith then, no poetry, no romance to make tolerable this existence. We should have no enjoyment, except in sense and sight. The eternal light with which childhood fills the world would be extinguished.
Not believe in Santa Claus! You might as well not believe in fairies! You might get your papa to hire men to watch in all the chimneys on Christmas Eve to catch Santa Claus, but even if they did not see Santa Claus coming down, what would that prove? Nobody sees Santa Claus, but that is no sign that there is no Santa Claus. The most real things in the world are those that neither children nor men can see. Did you ever see fairies dancing on the lawn? Of course not, but that's no proof that they are not there. Nobody can conceive or imagine all the wonders there are unseen and unseeable in the world.
You may tear apart the baby's rattle and see what makes the noise inside, but there is a veil covering the unseen world which not the strongest man, nor even the united strength of all the strongest men that ever lived, could tear apart. Only faith, fancy, poetry, love, romance, can push aside that curtain and view and picture the supernal beauty and glory beyond. Is it all real? Ah, VIRGINIA, in all this world there is nothing else real and abiding.
No Santa Claus! Thank God! he lives, and he lives forever. A thousand years from now, Virginia, nay, ten times ten thousand years from now, he will continue to make glad the heart of childhood.
What I say is Long Live Santa Claus, no matter the shape or form he takes...... I love this time of the year!! We all need something fun to believe in.....
I have always told my kids that anyone can be a Santa Claus, it's something we have always talked about around the holidays. He said he understood this, but he believed there was still a Santa Claus.
Without getting into too much detail, our son was crushed.
He said we had lied to him. I told him that with all of the evil in the world today, children need something good to believe in.
I also told him that long ago someone wanted to give gifts to people anonymously, and that was how Santa Claus came about.
We talked about Christ and his birth and how his life represents giving.
This was all good and fine, but when a childhood fantasy is put to rest, a tear or two are often seen.
I read the newspaper article that Virginia wrote to the editor.
Here it is..
"DEAR EDITOR: I am 8 years old.
"Some of my little friends say there is no Santa Claus.
"Papa says, 'If you see it in THE SUN it's so.'
"Please tell me the truth; is there a Santa Claus?
"VIRGINIA O'HANLON.
"115 WEST NINETY-FIFTH STREET."
VIRGINIA, your little friends are wrong. They have been affected by the skepticism of a skeptical age. They do not believe except [what] they see. They think that nothing can be which is not comprehensible by their little minds. All minds, Virginia, whether they be men's or children's, are little. In this great universe of ours man is a mere insect, an ant, in his intellect, as compared with the boundless world about him, as measured by the intelligence capable of grasping the whole of truth and knowledge.
Yes, VIRGINIA, there is a Santa Claus. He exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist, and you know that they abound and give to your life its highest beauty and joy. Alas! how dreary would be the world if there were no Santa Claus. It would be as dreary as if there were no VIRGINIAS. There would be no childlike faith then, no poetry, no romance to make tolerable this existence. We should have no enjoyment, except in sense and sight. The eternal light with which childhood fills the world would be extinguished.
Not believe in Santa Claus! You might as well not believe in fairies! You might get your papa to hire men to watch in all the chimneys on Christmas Eve to catch Santa Claus, but even if they did not see Santa Claus coming down, what would that prove? Nobody sees Santa Claus, but that is no sign that there is no Santa Claus. The most real things in the world are those that neither children nor men can see. Did you ever see fairies dancing on the lawn? Of course not, but that's no proof that they are not there. Nobody can conceive or imagine all the wonders there are unseen and unseeable in the world.
You may tear apart the baby's rattle and see what makes the noise inside, but there is a veil covering the unseen world which not the strongest man, nor even the united strength of all the strongest men that ever lived, could tear apart. Only faith, fancy, poetry, love, romance, can push aside that curtain and view and picture the supernal beauty and glory beyond. Is it all real? Ah, VIRGINIA, in all this world there is nothing else real and abiding.
No Santa Claus! Thank God! he lives, and he lives forever. A thousand years from now, Virginia, nay, ten times ten thousand years from now, he will continue to make glad the heart of childhood.
What I say is Long Live Santa Claus, no matter the shape or form he takes...... I love this time of the year!! We all need something fun to believe in.....
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Kevin had a conference in Las Vegas last week and wanted me to go with him. Kass watched the kids while we went on our adventure.
This is the place we stayed at. It was a really nice hotel....
I did feel spoiled with all of the amenities that were available, turn down service with chocolates on our pillows every night....
This is a picture in the canal shoppe area. There were stores everywhere.... of coarse none that I felt I could venture into.....cost way too much!
There are cranberries in the water! Nice decor for the holidays
Another area where the shops were.
On our last night there, we ventured out....The M&M store was fun to go to as well as the Ghiradelli chocolate store!!
During the days I would either stay in the hotel, or go shopping....now I got directions to a mall and Target...
We ate every night at my favorite restaurant. The Grand Lux Cafe. It is a sister company to the Cheesecake Factory Restaurant. We went here in Chicago and I thought I would never eat at one again!!!!! Happy Day, was I excited to see it right there in the casino area!!!!
My verdict of Vegas, I really do not have a desire to ever go back.....unless it is once again an all expense paid trip to keep my husband company!!!!!
This is the place we stayed at. It was a really nice hotel....
I did feel spoiled with all of the amenities that were available, turn down service with chocolates on our pillows every night....
This is a picture in the canal shoppe area. There were stores everywhere.... of coarse none that I felt I could venture into.....cost way too much!
There are cranberries in the water! Nice decor for the holidays
Another area where the shops were.
On our last night there, we ventured out....The M&M store was fun to go to as well as the Ghiradelli chocolate store!!
During the days I would either stay in the hotel, or go shopping....now I got directions to a mall and Target...
We ate every night at my favorite restaurant. The Grand Lux Cafe. It is a sister company to the Cheesecake Factory Restaurant. We went here in Chicago and I thought I would never eat at one again!!!!! Happy Day, was I excited to see it right there in the casino area!!!!
My verdict of Vegas, I really do not have a desire to ever go back.....unless it is once again an all expense paid trip to keep my husband company!!!!!
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
Tagged
So apparently I've been tagged! This is going to be interesting...
5 things I was doing 10 years ago
1. I lived in Arizona
2. I babysat my cousins
3. I went to Sea World with Eric and Amy's Family
4. I learned how to make pomegranate jelly
5. I visited my grandpa 5 days a week
5 things on my to-do list
1. Clean out pantry
2. Organize food room
3. wrap presents
4. write Christmas letter
5. be nice
5 snacks I enjoy
1. candy
2. ice cream
3. chips and salsa and bean dip
4. cheez-its
5. Anything Yummy
5 things I would do if I was a millionaire
1. pay off my house
2. put my children through college
3. go on a lot of vacations
4. pay taxes!
5. and if any left, put in the bank....
5 places I've lived
1. Twin Falls, Idaho
2. West Valley. Utah
3. Mesa, Arizona
4. Gainesville, Florida
5. Payson, Utah
4 things I'm passionate about
1. Family
2. Religion
3. good deals
4. Eating good food!
4 things I say often
1. I'm sorry
2. because...
3. love you
4. Is your homework finished
4 things I want to do before I die
1. world cruise...stopping everywhere
2. pay off house....14 years left ...ugh!
3. travel with Kevin when the kids have all moved out!
4. I do have a long "bucket list"
4 things I want/need
1. I don't want for much....
2. Kevin to always have a stable job
3. Kids to always choose the right
4. to someday finish college....actually I don't want that, I just need to do it, someday
4 places I want to see/visit
1. Australia
2. Austria
3. Hawaii
4. fall colors in NorthEast
4 TV shows I can't live without (I can live with out these I just like them)
1. Office
2. Amazing Race
3. News
4. any CSI show
4 things you don't know about me
1. I don't like people dishing up my food, unless I am at a restaurant
2. I actually don't mind doing the laundry now that I have a new washer/dryer!
3. Did you all know I love going on vacations???
4. I really don't like confrontation......I get all shaky!!!!
Okay, now it is Glenna's turn and anyone else my girls did not hit!!
5 things I was doing 10 years ago
1. I lived in Arizona
2. I babysat my cousins
3. I went to Sea World with Eric and Amy's Family
4. I learned how to make pomegranate jelly
5. I visited my grandpa 5 days a week
5 things on my to-do list
1. Clean out pantry
2. Organize food room
3. wrap presents
4. write Christmas letter
5. be nice
5 snacks I enjoy
1. candy
2. ice cream
3. chips and salsa and bean dip
4. cheez-its
5. Anything Yummy
5 things I would do if I was a millionaire
1. pay off my house
2. put my children through college
3. go on a lot of vacations
4. pay taxes!
5. and if any left, put in the bank....
5 places I've lived
1. Twin Falls, Idaho
2. West Valley. Utah
3. Mesa, Arizona
4. Gainesville, Florida
5. Payson, Utah
4 things I'm passionate about
1. Family
2. Religion
3. good deals
4. Eating good food!
4 things I say often
1. I'm sorry
2. because...
3. love you
4. Is your homework finished
4 things I want to do before I die
1. world cruise...stopping everywhere
2. pay off house....14 years left ...ugh!
3. travel with Kevin when the kids have all moved out!
4. I do have a long "bucket list"
4 things I want/need
1. I don't want for much....
2. Kevin to always have a stable job
3. Kids to always choose the right
4. to someday finish college....actually I don't want that, I just need to do it, someday
4 places I want to see/visit
1. Australia
2. Austria
3. Hawaii
4. fall colors in NorthEast
4 TV shows I can't live without (I can live with out these I just like them)
1. Office
2. Amazing Race
3. News
4. any CSI show
4 things you don't know about me
1. I don't like people dishing up my food, unless I am at a restaurant
2. I actually don't mind doing the laundry now that I have a new washer/dryer!
3. Did you all know I love going on vacations???
4. I really don't like confrontation......I get all shaky!!!!
Okay, now it is Glenna's turn and anyone else my girls did not hit!!
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