The Most Wonderful Time of the Year!

Today my son managed to bring a smile to my face and a tear to my eye. 'No change there then', as his Dad would say.

I was driving to over to Southam to collect some books and took my Andy Williams Christmas Album with me. It's not he first time that I've had it on but the first time that Brett has been in the car with me (this year at least!). Brett seemed to quieten down quite quickly on our journey. I even wondered whether he had gone to sleep. He faces forward in his car seat now but i can only see him briefly if i glance round which i inevitably do from time to time.

He was still playing with his toy dashboard but quietly moving his head from side to side in time with the music and had that look on his face that said he was taking it all in.

I only bought this CD last Christmas but without a doubt mum and dads taste in music, particularly Christmas music has definitely rubbed off. I have no time for the predictabley tacky sounds of Slade, Wizzard and the like but find the warm tones of Andy, The Partridge Family, Barry Manilow conjure up a happy and exciting time. I'm guessing this will indirectly rub off on Brett but it won't do him any harm.

So don't forget Christmas is 'The most wonderful time of the year' and 'Seeing isn't believing, believing is seeing!'

Happy Thanksgiving

'Thanksgiving is the 4th Thursday in November, and is meant to commemorate that time, at the founding of the country, when the pilgrims celebrated their first harvest in the New World.

Nowadays, with families spread across the country and beyond, it's come to be THE traditional time to get far-flung families together for a family get-together and a Thanksgiving meal. It's interesting that it's one of the few American holidays that AREN'T associated with consumerism and presents.... it's about people and food. :-)We'll be travelling to my parents' house on Cape Cod this Thanksgiving, as usual. As many family members as possible will congregate there. Kids come home from college ... it's one of the biggest travel times of the year here.

We'll watch the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade on TV from NYC in the morning, while a giant turkey is cooking in the oven. If there are high-school-aged children in the family, there's usually a high school (American) football game in the morning pitting two local rivalries together. The meal always includes a roast turkey, with all the trimmings, which vary regionally. We usually have turkey, bread stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy, cranberry sauce, green beans, and sweet potatoes of some sort. Dessert is traditionally pies: pumpkin pie ALWAYS, sometimes also pecan pie, apple pie, mincemeat pie, etc.

Everyone eats too much and then falls asleep in front of the TV watching American football games.

In the evening, we bring out the leftovers ... hot turkey sandwiches, pie, etc. People eat leftovers for the rest of the weekend. :-)

Holiday decor is centered around harvest themes in autumnal colors ... autumn leaves, pumpkins, gourds, corn stalks, raffia. Here in New England, the trees are putting on quite a show to compete. :-)

Then, of course, it wouldn't be America if shopping didn't enter into it somehow. The Friday after Thanksgiving is known as Black Friday, the traditional start of the Christmas shopping season for those so inclined. The malls and stores hold HUGE sales and are packed full of bargain hunters.

I, personally, avoid Black Friday shopping like the plague, and just enjoy a long weekend with family.'

This was written by a friend of mine who lives in Massachusetts. I met her on the net and she kindly agreed to let us in on what Thanksgiving means to her and her family. Like alot of holiday traditions for the most part we do what we do cause that's 'what's done' i think its good to know why occasionally. Thanks to Kelly for taking the time out of her busy schedule to share with us her forthcoming celebrations. Happy Thanksgiving :-)

Thanks also to my Mum, she designed the Thanksgiving picture especially to accompany this piece :-)

I Believe That We Choose Our Parents

'Each one of us decides to incarnate upon this planet at a particular point in time and space. We have chosen to come here to learn a particular lesson that will advance us upon our spiritual, evolutionary pathway. We choose our sex, our colour, our country, and then we look around for the particular set of parents who will mirror the pattern we are bringing in to work on in this lifetime. Then, when we grow up, we usually point our fingers accusingly at our parents and whimper, 'You did it to me.' But really, we chose them because they were perfect for what we wanted to work on overcoming.'

This excerpt is taken from 'You Can Heal Your Life' by Louise L. Hay. This book was recommended to me by a good friend of mine over two years ago. I went straight home and ordered it. I have read it several times and found it so inspiring that i raved about it to anyone who would listen, some of which bought it. This particular excerpt i found intriguing both then and more so now as i am a mum.

I could ask myself why Brett would have chosen me to be his mum, life has been far from fun since his arrival but that said i feel i have plenty to teach and share with him and he has provided me with many opportunities to smile and laugh. he is a happy child who probably spends more time smiling, laughing and singing than he does being grumpy or crying so i must be doing a good job.

So my point is maybe we have more to learn from them as well as the lessons they have yet to learn through us.

Btw i might add, i am not bringing up Brett alone, his Dad is a big influence on him too but this is my viewpoint on Louise's philosophy.