Christmas Joy

I just spent about 45 minutes on iTunes, downloading oodles of wonderful Christmas music. It makes my heart sing! I love it! Especially the choral pieces I've sung before.

I am now officially in the Christmas spirit.

I took a break from perusing iTunes because one of the songs jogged my memory, and I wanted to tell you this funny story--it's one of my favorite Christmas memories (there are a lot), and it happened just a couple of years ago.

Nathan and I were spending Christmas with my parents and my brother, Ken. Now, Ken was in seminary and was about as poor as you'd imagine a seminary student to be. His Christmas budget was something like $2 per person, which none of us minded, because if you know Ken, you know that he will do something really good with that $2 and at the very least make you laugh.

Like the year he gave everyone--everyone, no exceptions--a t-shirt with his face on it. He was smiling with his mouth wide open, giving us a thumbs up. It made everyone laugh, and we all wear the shirt proudly (well, around the house, anyway). That's just Ken's humor.

So one year, Ken gave Nathan and me essentially the same present, so he asked us to open them at the same time. We each got a DVD from the $1 bin at Target and a $.50 plastic recorder. (I'm talking the flute-like instrument.) My DVD was "The Boy in the Plastic Bubble" (now we know what John Travolta was up to before "Saturday Night Fever"), and Nathan's was an old Godzilla movie.

But that wasn't the funniest part. The funniest part was when, immediately after tearing the newspaper wrapping off his gift, Nathan picked up the recorder and began to play "I Saw Three Ships." We all sat there gaping at him. It tickles me just thinking about it right now! Not only did he know how to play the recorder, but he had a song memorized, and it was a Christmas song, no less! What the heck?!

It turns out that they teach you how to play the recorder in elementary school in England. (Along with teaching you how to cross stitch--I totally have Nathan's sampler. I am not kidding.) And Nathan had freakishly remembered not only how to play, but how to play that song. It still cracks me up.

I want to hear your Christmas stories. Leave a comment if you'd like to tell one. (I hope you do! I want to read some good ones!)

Fun at the Playground

Yesterday, Nathan and I took Noah and Hannah (who we were babysitting) to the playground near our house.

It was a pretty cold day, so I bundled Noah up in his full winter gear. I mean, is this picture reminiscent of A Christmas Story or what? Check out those puffy pants!

Hannah had a good time running from thing to thing, sliding, swinging, climbing, and chasing dogs.

The funniest thing happened when Nathan walked up to her and said, "Hannah, would you like to go slide?" There were a couple of other girls near her, one of whom turned out to also be a Hannah, and she said, "Um, no. Where's my mom?" It cracked us up, and Nathan felt a little bad, but props to that little girl, who knew not to go with any man at the playground!

Noah loves the swing.

I love this picture. It just captures the pure joy of swinging.

And here's a great video of the two kids swinging. I started filming because Noah was laughing so hard at Nathan's antics.

Thanks!

Wow, guys, that was impressive. Fifteen comments!

Thank you for all your advice on matching ties to shirts. I learned a lot, as did many of you, judging by your comments.

Just so you know, Nathan and I agreed to return the tie but keep the shirt. We might find another tie to go with it eventually, but in the meantime, it'll look great with his brown corduroy blazer.

Thanks, guys!

I Need Your Opinion

NOTE: I really am asking for you to comment on this one! Don't leave me hanging! :)

Okay, so here is my little secret: I do not understand how men's dress shirts and ties are supposed to match.

I just don't get it.

I mean, they mix patterns (a big no-no when it comes to my own clothes), they sometimes mix colors in just the wrong way, according to Lauren, and so on. So I have always just avoided trying to pick out shirts and ties, and I always leave it to someone else. This is why about 90% of Nathan's dress shirts/ties are from before we were married. The bottom line is that I just need someone to tell me what the rules are.

Question #1: WHAT ARE THE DANG RULES?!

Question #2: Do these match?

Here's a close-up for you:

As I was Christmas shopping last night, I saw this shirt, and I was like, "Oh! I like that one! I'm going to get it for Nathan." I had his springtime job interviews in mind. Then, with great dread, I turned to look at the ties. This one jumped out at me, and when I put it next to the shirt, with an unprecedented thrill, I thought, "This MATCHES! I'm getting it."

Here's why I think it matches: it pulls out the blue stripe in the shirt, and the pattern is relatively similar (stripes).

But when I brought it home, Nathan said he didn't think it matched. He admitted to me this morning that he's picky about his dress shirts and ties, but he is bothered by the fact that there is brown in the shirt and no brown in the tie. Is this a rule? If it is, I didn't know. He keeps mentioning other things that rub him the wrong way about it, like that he likes gray instead of brown. I pointed out that the brown will look nice with khakis or brown pants.

Anyway, we have had so much back-and-forth about this darn shirt and tie that I need a little outside clarification. So I am looking forward to your comments. In fact, we are DEPENDING on your comments to settle this between us. Don't leave us hanging. :)

December Arbonne Specials

Arbonne Intelligence Travel Set for $30
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This month, enjoy SeaSource Detox Spa Purifying Sea Soak, box of 8 packets, a $60 value, for $48. Or benefit from SeaSource Detox Spa Renewing Body Gelée, a $47.50 value, for $38.

For Your Ideal Set Special - 40% Off
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Holiday Grab Bag for $25
With every $75 SRP order this month, enjoy the option to purchase a Holiday Surprise Bag, filled with up to $150 SRP worth of fabulous holiday products for $25. While supplies last.


Best,
Lauren
--
Lauren Benesh
Independent Consultant
Arbonne International

Magnificat

I was reading through a bit of Luke 1 yesterday, and the Magnificat really struck me. It's Mary's song, which she says after Elizabeth says to her, "Blessed is she who has believed that what the Lord has said to her will be accomplished!"

And Mary said:
"My soul glorifies the Lord
and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
for he has been mindful
of the humble state of his servant.
From now on all generations will call me blessed,
for the Mighty One has done great things for me--
holy is his name.
His mercy extends to those who fear him,
from generation to generation.
He has performed mighty deeds with his arm;
he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts.
He has brought down rulers from their thrones
but has lifted up the humble.
He has filled the hungry with good things
but has sent the rich away empty.
He has helped his servant Israel,
remembering to be merciful
to Abraham and his descendants forever,
even as he said to our fathers."
Luke 1:46-55

Giving Thanks

Before I move on to the Christmas season, I feel like I need to focus a little bit more on what I am thankful for. I was so busy with Thanksgiving preparations that I didn't really focus on the whole point of the holiday, and because there really are so many things to be thankful for, I wanted to write some of them down before I start thinking about Christmas.

I'm thankful for: being able to stay home with Noah; a great husband; wonderful friends in Boston, Texas, and a smattering of other places across the country; family; job prospects; all my handy kitchen utensils; Noah's face when he smiles or laughs; fall pears; dessert; a happy marriage; a festive tablecloth; our church; more perspective the older I get; and the wisdom in the Bible.