Good Giving

Well Charlie Brown, the Christmas season is just about wrapped up with the exception of the Epiphany, or the day of the Three Kings, which is this Friday, January 6. Most of us know the story of the Magi - they came from the east by following a star to bring gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh to the baby Jesus.

While I didn't give any of those three things as Christmas gifts this year, I do believe I did present some good gifts to some special recipients. Here are three of my favorites:

3. Giving Tree Gifts: Each Christmas, we choose two tags from the Giving Tree at our church to provide gifts for families in need. This year, we chose a five-year-old boy and a two-year-old girl. We bought some toys on each of the children's lists, and we also purchased warm and cozy pajamas for them both. I believe all kids should have a pair of warm and cozy pj's for our cold Chicago winters.
* A bonus good thing about this year's Giving Tree tags - Miss O designed the winning tag for her age-group.

2. A handmade ornament: Because I like to think of myself as kind of crafty, I made an a special ornament for my friend and blogging partner, Brian. I wrapped it all pretty-like, enclosed a thoughtful message, and sent it off in the post. I do believe he liked it, no loved it, a lot! Well, maybe not as much as the Giordano's pizza delivered directly to his door, but just as awesome without the calories.



1. 2012 Calendars: Another gift giving tradition. Each year for quite some time now, I have made photo calendars of the kids for the grandparents, the aunties, T, and me, too. The photos feature the kids with witty captions, and generally capture the kids in all their cuteness during the 12 months prior. It's my hope that the calendars will make up for the fact that in the past decade I haven't completed the kids' baby books, nor have I documented their lives in creative scrapbooks and/or photo albums. (Don't judge me . . . you too, most likely, have photos tucked away in boxes, or since the dawning of the digital age still stuck in your camera.)

Giving tree gifts, a handmade ornament, and photo calendars . . . three good gifts this holiday season. Did you give or receive a special gift this Christmas? Do share in the comments section.

Life's a Beach!

If I had a gazillion dollars, I would live in a nice comfy place on the beach. It doesn't even have to be a huge, fancy beach house like you see in the movies. A small cottage in a pleasant pastel color will do as long as it is steps away from the sand, sun, and sky.

Wanting to squeeze a little bit more summer out of summer before the kids head back to school later this week, we loaded up the Subaru and headed out to what Brian calls the other west coast last Friday - the western shores of Michigan, in our case Warren Dunes State Park in Sawyer. The sun was shining and the temps were just right with a gentle breeze blowing in the air. And despite my frustration with not being able to do much on the beach 'cept plop my bum down and relax, I love the beach. Here's three good reasons why:


1. Beach reads: Magazines, newspapers, and books. I brought a book and the Chicago Trib along for my afternoon entertainment, second only to eating salty snacks and people-watching. Taking a gander at my neighboring beach-goers, reading is a popular beach activity especially among the 20 and over set.


2. Beach toys: Like most families, we had to drag a bunch of stuff along to keep the kids busy at the beach such as buckets, shovels, sand-castle building molds, Frisbees, kickboards, small off-road trucks, and one of T's favorites -the sand digging claws. Funny, I didn't spot a beach ball on the beach, but I did note a group of volleyball players, and one couple playing a paddleball game of sorts.



3. Beach features: The aforementioned sand, sun, sky, and of course water. Sand is not always good when it gets all into everything, but it's fun for kids (and kids at heart). I like burying my toes into the sand, and rumor has it that the sand will soften the skin on your feet, and make them all pretty-like. The sun shining brightly on the beach is good for warmth and for tan-seekers, too, but I prefer the shade of a big beach umbrella.


You couldn't very well have a beach without water. The kids and T enjoyed a few dips and frolics in Lake Michigan, which was pretty calm on Friday. I enjoy listening to the sound of the waves roll in and out at the beach as I'm not much of a swimmer these days.

Oh, and the bright blue gorgeous sky! Bonus: We were lucky to be around late enough to enjoy a beautiful sunset. A perfect pink and orange ball of fire fading from the sky into the lake. A good sight from God indeed!