This the first year Joel and I have been away from our parents for the Christmas holiday.  Even when Joel was living in Colorado he made it home to Wisconsin.  We are fortunate to have the Tenniers close by in San Jose, only two hours away.  Last weekend, we attended Louis' church Christmas program.  They came by late on Christmas day to enjoy a fondue dinner and some family time in Sacramento.  They stayed with us and we watched the Packer game on Sunday afternoon (yes, it was on locally last week).

On Christmas Eve, Joel and I attended church as I mentioned in a previous post.  After church we exchanged our stockings.  My family is big on stockings, so Joel and I try to continue the tradition with our family.  My parents seem to be very good at getting the right things to fit in the stocking.  Joel and I both thought our stockings were a bit bigger then they were and had to set some of the items on the mantle.  Yes, Molly did have her own stocking this year.  For those of you who are quilters or sewers, it will interest you that my mom made the stockings to match our tree skirt which she also made. 

One question I do have for my mom and dad... how did you pack up the stocking for the other person without giving away what was in it?  Do you have a stocking tradition or memory?

The music was wonderful and is that good every week.  The first man that speaks is the pastor, Ray Johnson, and is the main speaking pastor.  The second man to speak is the drummer.  We were at the service when Fox 40 (the local Fox affiliate) was filming.

And a couple photos I took from my cell phone...

It is worth watching the whole thing... enjoy!

• From our 2008 Christmas tree.How to Take Great Photos of Holiday Lights from NYI Photoworld: Some very good tips about taking photos of Christmas lights and other holiday festivities.  I enjoy photographing Christmas lights and have done a bit of experimenting, you can find more of my photos on flickr and previous blog posts.
• Gadanke, Celebrate Your Story: Katie, the designer behind Gadanke, creates journals that inspire people to write about their life.  I often want to write my life story, but often find that I don't have much to say.  I realize my life is not going to have a published memoir that thousands will read, but the historian in me believes that someone someday will want to read about my day to day life.  So, I think about journalling and sometimes I actually write things down.  These look like the type of journals you can't help but write in!  Also, check out Katie's blog, as she tells her story.
• Five Stress-Reducing Strategies for the Holiday Season by Erin on Uncluterer:  These seem like common sense, but I know I don't do them all the time and they are easy enough to make a part of daily life even after the holidays!
• Nuclear Attacks 'More Surviorable then Most People Think' Say Government Officials by Adrian Covert on Gizmodo: I am always a sucker for these type of posts.  I like reading apocalyptic fiction and thinking about if some sort serious natural disaster or apocalyptic event occured--would I survive? Would I even want to?
• Wally One Indoor+Outdoor Living Wall: This looks amazing and would bring so much color and life to a room.  Now is there anywhere I can put it my house?
  
• Policies aren't really policies if you don't enforce them by Jessamyn West on librarian.net:  Amen sister!  West and another blogger reflect on enforcing policies in libraries.  While I understand it can be a bit of challenge, I do agree.  In my opinion, this should be said for every public place, not just libraries.  A personal pet peeve of mine, is when it is clearly posted that dogs are not allowed in parks or on trails, yet walking right through or sitting at a park bench is a person with their dog.  You all know I am a dog person, but my problem is I follow the rules and don't bring my dog where they are unwelcome... I leave them at home, I board them, I do whatever I have to do to follow the rules.  Why does a police officer walking through the park not say anything to the pet owner sitting on the park bench?  I understand this is not high on the priority list of policemen, but is it too much to ask them to leave the park.  I want to go to the park with my dog, but I don't.  Fortunately, since we have moved to Sacramento, we have discovered that there are a lot more dog parks and dog friendly people parks.  Ok, I'll get off my soap box now.

I've been having a really hard time getting in the mood for Christmas.  The weather feels more like October, but really it is December.  I've been playing Christmas music and looking at photos of snow.  I think Molly and I really need to make a trip into the mountains (we've both been missing the white stuff).  This past week we finished up the Christmas decorations.  Here's a peak at our place...