Covington, WA

Well, the title says it all. I just love Christmas. December is my favorite month of the year. I love the lights, the carols, the baking, the shopping and wrapping!

And for those of you who love this time of year as much I do, I have a website for you to check out. It is called Santa Clause and Christmas at the North Pole. It is really for kids, but let's be honest - are we not all kids at Christmas.

There are games you can play, stories you can read, pages you can print off to color, recipes, and even a question and answer section. You know, things like, "What if there is no chimney????" Whew, for those of you with no chimney you will be glad to know that Santa's answer was: If a house does not have a chimney, then Santa uses some of his magic dust to make a chimney appear. Then the chimney disappears as soon as Santa leaves.

And if you you are living some place different than last year, another question that Santa answers is, "What if we move?" Santa is really smart. He says he knows how to find ALL children on Christmas eve. So you don't have to worry about him missing you this year - well unless you have been naughty???? You haven't been naughty have you?

You can make Santa and the trees dance, you can take a naughty and nice test, you can even have Santa send someone a birthday card - and it works (I tried it for my daughter's birthday!)

So if you love Christmas as much as I do - go check out the site and have fun! Happy holidays!

Wow, it is hard to believe that another week is drawing to a close. I hope everyone's week has been splendid.

Here is my selection of quotes for the week. Enjoy!! And I will see you again next week.

...geri

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I have learned that success is to be measured not so much by the position that one has reached in life as by the obstacles which he has overcome while trying to succeed. -Booker T. Washington

Sow an act, and you reap a habit. Sow a habit, and you reap a character. Sow a character, and you reap a destiny. - Charles Reade

And these my husband found in the paper, shared them with me and I would like to share them with you...

1. You cannot bring about prosperity by discouraging thrift.

2. You cannot strengthen the weak by weakening the strong.

3. You cannot help the poor man by destroying the rich man.

4. You cannot further the brotherhood of many by inciting class hatred.

5. You cannot build character and courage by taking away man's initiative and independence.

6. You cannot help small men by tearing down big men.

7. You cannot lift the wage earner by pulling down the wage payer.

8. You cannot keep out trouble by spending more than your income.

9. You cannot establish security on borrowed money.

10. You cannot help men permanently by doing for them what they will not for themselves.

By William J. H. Boetcker A Presbyterian minister in 1942

Over the past few months, many of you have started checking out my blog each week, to see my "Weekly Words of Wisdom." But if you missed my first post you may not know how it all began, so here it is again.

Enjoy, and I will see you again at the end of the week.

...geri

Weekly Words of Wisdom

For as long as I can remember, my daughter and I have both loved quotes. We have often given each other books of quotes for birthday or holiday presents. And it is not uncommon to see our favorites pasted about our personal spaces.

When my daughter got ready to head off to college I thought it would be fun to email her quotes every week. I thought this would be a good way to stay in touch, now that we wouldn't be living under the same roof, and let's be honest... it was a great way for "MOM" to still share her wisdom with her daughter. :) :) :)

So I would search all week to find a few quotes that I really liked and then on Friday I would email her a few with the tag line, "Weekly Words of Wisdom." As time went on it began to grow beyond just her and I. She had friends who saw the quotes taped about her dorm room, and when she would explained where they came from they would ask to be included. I would tell my friends and clients about it and they too would chime in.

So over the years my "little" email to my girl has grown to many. Now that I am blogging, I thought it would be fun to share my quotes on my blog as well. So my "Weekly Words of Wisdom" is now officially rolled out on to my blog.

If you, like myself and my daughter, like quotes, then book mark my blog and check it out each week. I will be posting a few of my favorite quotes at the end of every week.

Here was this weeks selection...

• One of the most tragic things I know about human nature is that all of us tend to put off living. We are all dreaming of some magical rose garden over the horizon instead of enjoying the roses that are blooming outside our windows today. -Dale Carnegie

• If you are patient in one moment of anger, you will escape a hundred days of sorrow. -Chinese Epigram

• A well developed sense of humor is the pole that adds balance to your steps as you walk the tightrope of life. -William A. Ward

• To have more than you've got, become more than you are. Unless you change how you are, you'll always have what you've got. -Unknown

Happy Holidays!

One of my favorite things about the holidays is all the traditions that abound. There are trees to be decorated, that favorite album to be played, cookies to be baked, stockings to be hung...

There are traditions that go back to our childhood or ones that we have made as the years have progressed.

Our family is no different. We have many things that are "must do's" during the holiday season and I would like to share one with you.

This tradition is fairly new for us, but one I am pretty sure will be with us for years to come. Several years ago our daughter introduced us to an group of musical performers called The Coats. She had heard them at an event while she was attending P.L.U. and she immediately fell in love with their amazing harmonies.

According to their website, "The Coats started on the street corners of Seattle's famous Pike Place market. Singing for tourists, locals, and fellow buskers, their humble ambitions of earning a few clams to fight off the tuition bills quickly evolved into a full-time international performance career."

One fall, our daughter heard that they put on a Holiday Concert and asked for tickets for her birthday. She received them, we all went to the show, and a tradition was born. Yep, we have been to the concert every year since - as a matter of fact I think this is our 5th year!

The Coats will be performing again this December, so if you want to enjoy some holiday spirit consider checking out one of their shows.

What: The Coats Christmas Show

When: December 11th, 12th, 13th and 19th

Where: Illsley Ball Nordstrom Recital Hall / Benaroya Hall

We will be at the show on Thursday so if you are there, look for me. And if you have any special holiday traditions in your family, do share!

Wow, another week has come and gone. Here are my quotes for the week, enjoy!! Have a great weekend and I will see you next week.

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Take rest; a field that has rested gives a bountiful crop. -Ovid

When solving problems, dig at the roots instead of just hacking at the leaves. -Anthony J. D'Angelo

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. -Nelson Mandela

Watch your thoughts; they become words.

Watch your words; they become actions.

Watch your actions; they become habits.

Watch your habits; they become character.

Watch your character; it becomes your destiny.

-Frank Outlaw