A Christmas Tag

What is your one favorite dish to see on the table at Christmas dinner? Grandma's Mashed Potatoes!


Do you have a Nativity scene or a creche? How many pieces does it have? Nativity Scene and lots of precious moment pieces :)
What is your favorite Christmas movie? Christmas Vacation or any of the Santa Clause Movies with Tim Allen
If you and your family could spend this Christmas in another country, where would you go? Germany :)

Does your grandmother usually knit you something for Christmas, or does she give you something different -- say, a Wii? They give us something different but nothing like a Wii, clothes and board games! MY FAVORITE!

Have you ever gone out of the house wearing a reindeer headband? What about a Santa hat? In Elementary School  :)
Do you usually make or buy your Christmas gifts? A little of both

When do you set up your Christmas decorations? When do you take them down? Sadly it depends on when we are all home and can find time...
What kind of activities does your church usually have at Christmas? Children's mass, Christmas Pagent, Decorating the Offices, & More :)
Did you ever believe in Santa Claus as a child? Yup I did

Which of the Gospels gives your favorite account of the Christmas story? It really depends on how perceptive I am!

Have you ever acted in a Christmas pageant? What part did you play? Nope =]

Do you buy Christmas presents for your pets? Yes :) Lilly has her own stocking and we wrap her presents because she loves tearing them open :)
What is your favorite Christmas tradition? Christmas Mass, Going to Grandma and grandpas after-dinner, presents family time, then coming home with the 5 of us, put on our pj's and open presents from each other :)

Man I need to UPDATE!!! :)

Hello Everyone! Life is CRAZY and I definately need to update you all since I did leave you at a little cliff hanger there!

Okay so Counseling...... started and I have had 2 appt since and I absolutely love my counselor! She is wonderful! There is a long road ahead with recent issues as well as my built up past, you if you could still pray for me that would be amazing!

Im on Christmas BREAK!! :) Woohooo!!! :) Off to Mass tomorrow, Grandma and Grandpa's and then home to open presents :) I am so excited to spend time with my family!! :) What's your favorite Christmas tradition?!

Sorry for the short post but I will leave you with some pictures as well as a youtube link to my new favorite song that is amazing!
God Bless,
Ashley

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oaO73cx4pn4

Must Read!

Please read this story and watch the amazing video!!! :)
God Bless and Merry Christmas,
Ashley

While at the mall a couple of years ago, my then four year old nephew, Spencer, saw kids lined up to see Santa Claus. Having been taught as a toddler that Christmas is the holiday that Christians celebrate the birth of Jesus, he asked his mom, "where's the line to see Jesus"? My sister mentioned this to my dad, who immediately became inspired and jotted words down to a song in just a few minutes. After putting music to the words, and doing a quick recording at home, he received a great response from friends. He sent the song off to Nashville without much response, except for a Christian song writer who suggested adding a bridge at the end of the first chorus. My dad then asked if I wanted to record the song to see what we could do with it. I listened to the song, made a few changes to the words to make it flow better, and we headed to Shock City Studios. It was at the studio where Chris, owner and producer, rewrote the 2nd verse and part of the chorus... with goosebumps and emotions high, we were all hopeful and felt like we had something special. The demo was recorded in just under 2 hours and sent off again to Nashville... still no response. Then 2 weeks before Christmas last year, my cousins Greg and Robbie decided to do a video to see what we could accomplish on YouTube. The first day we had 3000 hits and it soared from there. We received e-mails, phone calls, Facebook messages from people all over asking for the music, CD's, iTunes, anything... we had nothin'. After a couple of meetings with Chris following the amazing response, we got serious. We headed back into the studio this past spring... this time with guitars, drums, bass, pianos, choirs... the real deal.... and here we are today. Getting iTunes set up, a website put together, and loving that thousands upon thousands of Christians have come together... remembering the true meaning of Christmas. Out of the mouths of babes come profound truths that many adults can not understand. Hopefully Spencer's observation will cause people all over to reflect on the love of Jesus, and that one day we will all stand in line to see Him. We are most thankful to our Heavenly Father to have this chance to share our music with you. Merry Christmas everyone.




http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OExXItDyWEY

What you wanted to hear :)

Hey all! :)

On this poll you all gave me a definate answer on what you wanted to hear! That is..... CHRISTMAS! :)

First of all I cant believe that its already Christmas time! Yet alone the 22nd of December! Crazy! Life just seems to be flying by us isnt it?! This year Christmas in my family is going to be a little different :) Unfortunately i work the 24th, 25th and 27th from 8-4:30pm :( but after that i get to be with my family :) I will be going to Christmas mass with my family on the 24th, then going home to have dinner, just the 6 of us and opening all of our presents :) Then on Christmas day we are hosting my mom's family. So they will be over during the day and then we will eat when i get home :) I CANT WAIT! :)

For me Christmas is more that what it is portrayed. I find myself reaching closer and closer to the true meaning of Christmas instead of all of the gifts. Writing about this makes me think of something that i wrote last year around Christmas time... i sent it in as a letter to the editor and thought nothing of it, until my mom told me that i was in the paper :) Super cool! Here it is.....


I'm not sure what it is but it seems to be something about the holidays that makes me sad. I get so excited for the holidays to come and i cant wait to spend time with my family and i just want everything to be so perfect. But to me it always seem to fall short... and its really tough. Dont get me wrong i love my family dearly, i guess its just sometimes i wish i could have the best Christmas ever.




And I know i sound really selfish because there are people that are really struggling during these times and it just breaks my heart to think that some young child might not be able to feel that joy for what Christmas is. Maybe those families have something to do with the way i am feeling. I try to be the best person i can be and make everyone happy and want to see people smile, but i guess i am setting myself up for failure. Everyone deserves to be happy.



As a person i would really like to see a happy child on Christmas. Someone who has never experienced Christmas before to feel that joy. Jesus Christ is born in a Manger! That is the real miracle of Christmas. I see so many people who only think about the material things of Christmas but really in the end its about 4 people : Mary, Joseph, Jesus, and God. How much of a miracle the conception and the birth were its something i just cant wrap my mind around. So many people have tried to prove this who birth of Jesus wrong but the thing is THEY CANT! Its such a miracle!



I'm sorry i have rambled on and on. I guess its tough feeling this way. I want to feel that joy but it hard for me to just feel it when others don't. And when others don't realize what Christmas actually is. All they see are the presents and materialistic things. Please have a Merry Christmas and please think about what i have to say. You can make a difference in other people's lives, be the one to have them feel that joy.



Please comment i would like to know your thoughts. They comments would really help me. :D

With Hope,

Ashley
 
Thanks all! :) Hope you enjoy it! :)
God Bless,
Ashley
 
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