Ugh, Winter

Am I the only one who thinks winter really blows? And if you live in Iowa, the winter literally blows. I don’t remember this kind of wind when I was growing up. Not only do we have cold and snow and frost and ice, we can now add wind to the mix. And to make matters worse, we have to have a "feels like" temperature that is several degrees lower than the already craptastic temperature. Thanks a boatload mother nature. Ugh, winter.

The Midwest has four distinct(ish) seasons. Which I love. I would miss three of the four seasons if we did not have them. Let’s start with spring.

Spring
Brown everything turns into beautiful colors and fresh blooms. Heavy winter coats get tucked away for light jackets and capris. Perhaps a pair of open-toed shoes or flip-flops? Life is good. You begin to come out of hibernation. And then a miracle happens. Summer arrives. Hooray!

Summer 
Summer = perfection (minus the mosquitoes of course). You can be outside anytime, for approximately three months you can go to the pool every day. The sun shines. It stays light later. Our family discovered a love for camping, canoeing and boating last summer. So many great memories from summer. Life is great. And just when you’re starting to get sick of the heat (notice I said “you” and not “me”...because I never get sick of the heat) fall makes its way into your life.

Fall/Autumn 
While summer is awesome sauce, fall is pretty cool too. But it is also a weird season. Sometimes October can be 90 degrees or 50 degrees. Very unpredictable. But inevitably, you can start to get out your chunky cable knits, go on long road trips to look at the leaves changing and visit apple orchards. Football season. And a crisp evening sitting in the driveway enjoying adult beverages with your neighbors? It doesn’t get much better.

Winter
And then the sh#$ hits the fan. Winter arrives and is usually pretty pissed off. Everything turns brown and dreary in an instant. And to make matters worse, the time change makes it pitch black at five o'clock in the afternoon. So kids can only play outside for a hot minute after school and then are quarantined to the house with me (more wine? Yes, please). What a downer. In central Iowa, it gets cold first. Not a pretty snowfall with mild temps to gently introduce us to the new season, but zero degrees. Or (hold me) negative. WTH is with negative weather? It makes no sense and just sucks.

I’ve always been prone to being cold, but the last several years I’ve never been colder. Does anyone else feel this way as they age? I honestly don’t hate (don’t hate does not equal like for the record) the beauty of a fresh snowfall. I don’t hate driving in winter conditions (I grew up in northern Iowa...these central Iowa peeps have no idea what extreme winter driving conditions are). But the cold. Holy sweet mother. I came across this meme a couple of years ago:

Preach little depressed alien man! So much truth to this. Every outside winter activity is dead to me for this reason. Why would you want to spend time outside when the air hurts your face? There are so many warm inside spaces to spend your time in the winter! You might see me bundled up in boots, snow pants with a heavy winter coat and hat, smiling and building snow forts with my children. But I’ll let you in on a little secret...I’m dying inside. I despise playing outside but love my children so they win. Sidenote: what is with the stench that comes from children and their gear that have been playing in the snow? (insert dry heaving)

Wow, this turned out to be a depressing blog. I apologize for that. However, I do not apologize for my aversion to winter. The struggle is real people! Ugh, winter.

Just to end on a high note I’ll give you a few things about winter that I like (tolerate):

• Christmas
• Fireplaces
• Flannel pajamas
• Cute winter hats
• A hot drink on a cold day
• Warm sweaters
• Chili
• Valentines day
• Warm weather vacations
• The end of winter

What do you like about winter? Shed some light on this dreadful season for me!

Until Next Time,
Neko

What I Love About Christmas

Christmas...besides the dreadful midwest weather, Christmas is such a wonderful time of year. Celebrating the birth of our Savior - the light that saved us for all eternity - it just doesn't get better than that. Jesus truly is the reason for the season.

There are a million things I love about Christmas. Jesus is my #1 reason of course, but there are so many other things I look forward to this time of year. In no particular order…

C - Cards. I love receiving holiday cards in the mail with all of your lovely faces. Last year we started a new tradition where we keep the cards all year (very out of character for me) and each night choose a card randomly and pray for that family. Isn’t that a great idea? In reality, we started strong and ended very, very weak. But I’m excited to give it another shot this year!

H - Holiday music. Whether it is our worship band singing at church or holiday music on the radio, I just love it. Such good messages and so many memories while listening to the same songs I grew up with, maybe sung in a slightly different way. However...once December 26th hits, I am D-O-N-E with holiday music and ready to move on with my life. Can I get an amen?!

R - Ribbons, bows and wrapping paper. I love to wrap presents. Since the number of gifts I buy every year keeps growing, I don’t take the time to make them as pretty as I used to. I am kind of sad about that but don’t worry about me, I’ll be fine. I am also pretty particular about wrapping so letting my girls “help” me has been a real challenge. The struggle is real people. I also rarely use gift bags for Christmas because it is just so much fun to tear open a gift. Why does wrapping a gift feel old school these days? Bonus tip from my father-in-law many years ago. He wrapped each of his grandkids gifts in the same wrapping paper so he could keep them straight. So now every year I let the kids pick out a roll of wrapping paper and I wrap all of their gifts in "their" paper. Cool idea, huh? Feel free to steal it. Sorry about the stock image below, I forgot to take a pic of the gifts under my tree and now they are mostly gone.

I - Iowa. Okay, so I am pretty vocal about my dislike of the cold. But you can’t deny the beauty of a fresh snowfall on Christmas morning. A white Christmas. There is nothing like it. Once December 25th passes, snow is my arch nemesis. Snow = cold = I am miserable. But back to Iowa, there is nowhere else I’d rather be. Four seasons, close to family, Midwest nice. Iowa rocks.

S - Sleepwear. You know, pajamas (there is no P in Christmas people!) We started a tradition in our family years ago that our first gift of Christmas is opened on Christmas Eve and all of the kids get matching pajamas. A couple of years ago we included cousins too! It was definitely a challenge to find sizes 3T to 12 this year, but when they all wear them at the same time the cuteness is overwhelming! Oh, and of course, I’m wearing new flannel pajamas on this cold Christmas morning. Doesn’t get much better than sleepwear on Christmas!

T - Traditions. As a child, we had so many wonderful holiday traditions: baking and decorating sugar cookies, Christmas Sunday school program at church followed by driving around and looking at lights, getting a special ornament each year, going to the Christmas tree farm, gatherings with extended family and so many more. And it has been so much fun to start new Christmas traditions, a blend of my childhood and my husband’s childhood. Things my children look forward to every year. We do everything above (minus the tree farm, that only lasted a couple of years until we went artificial and never looked back) and have introduced new things like movies we watch as a family, our Elf on a Shelf (hold me), advent calendars and Christmas pajamas.

M - Mom. Being a mom for Christmas was a holiday game-changer for me. It is one thing to celebrate the holidays with your family, but when you have your own family and get to experience the joy of seeing your children wake up on Christmas morning - big eyes and bigger smiles? There is nothing like it. It is a lot of work for us Mom’s...getting the right present in the right color or the right size - not for the faint of heart. But so worth it. And a shout out to my mom who always made Christmas special for us. I had no idea how hard of a task it was until I had kids of my own!

A - Anticipation. There is just something so sweet about the anticipation of Christmas. Kids opening their advent calendars every afternoon and wishing the time would go by faster. Parents wishing time would slow down so you can squeeze in all you have left to do. But it’s also a time to fully appreciate the season and the anticipation of the celebration of the birth of Jesus. P.S. We are missing one of our advent calendars in the photo below. Last night the little man destroyed his trying to get his final piece of chocolate. It promptly went in the garbage.

S - Spending time with family. I just love spending time with family over the holidays. My family is totally awesome (obviously) and so much fun to hang out with. I also scored in the in-law department too. Each of our family gatherings are so different, but so much fun. Laughs, food, sweets, more laughs, more food, more sweets. Holidays spent with family are some of the best memories I have. This is a photo of how we spent Christmas this year on the Kleckner farm, with 13 baby mini golden doodles! Never a dull moment on the farm.

I hope you are having a blessed Christmas. Thank you for being so supportive of my new blogging passion. It is awesome to get feedback from you and I love reading your comments! Look for a new Facebook page early 2018!

Merry Christmas!

Until next time,
Neko

Part 2: Why I Will Watch...

The moment you have all been waiting for…part 2 of my riveting series of television shows I won’t watch and will watch (if you haven’t been waiting, please be nice and play along).

If you remember in part 1, I shared four television shows I refuse to watch (click here to see my post). I’ll be honest, it was much easier to write about shows I won’t watch because there are a lot of them. I just don’t watch a lot of tv in general. I used to judge people who said that but now am one of them. Watching anything online does not really appeal to me, it seems like too much of an effort. The network shows on now (besides the few below) just aren’t appealing to me (if a show has an obnoxious laugh track it is dead to me).

However, I do have four favorites that keep me tuning in week after week. So without further ado, I bring you…

Part 2: Why I WILL watch…

The Bachelor/Bachelorette - ABC

I watch “The Bachelor/Bachelorette” because I’m a bad person. You don’t have to tell me, I 100% recognize this character flaw in myself. Let’s just call it my one guilty pleasure show and move on, shall we? But seriously, I was able to steer clear of this reality series for thirteen years. Until Chris Soules...dear Chris Soules. Breaking news in 2014: foxy Iowa farmer on this season of The Bachelor! I was a goner. Friends were posting on Facebook that they saw him at the Iowa State Fair and indeed, he was (is) foxy. We are hard pressed for celebrity in Iowa if you weren’t aware. And I was all in. If you are not familiar with the franchise, you watch one season and then they typically choose one of the rejected contestants as the next Bachelor or Bachelorette. So you are immediately invested in the franchise. Brilliant strategy producers of “The Bachelor”. But it pretty much stinks for everyone tuning in because it is impossible to stop watching this disaster of a show. Why didn’t someone tell me that before I tuned in?! The good news for me is that the new bachelor is a rejected contestant from a season I did not watch, so I’m using this as my opportunity to wean myself from the franchise. Exit stage left. We shall see. Farewell “The Bachelor/Bachelorette”!

Modern Family - ABC

My husband and I have watched “Modern Family” from day one. It is endearing, hilarious and relatable. The show follows the Pritchett families (father, son, daughter and their spouses and children). Three families that couldn’t be more different but always come full circle at the end of the episode. It is also filmed “mockumentary” style which is hilarious. The family members are “interviewed” as if they’re in a documentary and always have something funny to say. Although lately I’ve been disappointed in the sheer amount of plastic surgery the actors have had, I’m willing to see past that as long as they still make me laugh.

I’m not exactly sure how it happened, but “Modern Family” is the show my family always watches in bed when we stay in a hotel. The kids beg for us to find it on tv. There is some inappropriateness (is that a word?), but overall, we just really enjoy it. And for all five of us to agree on the same show, that’s a miracle in and of itself! Unfortunately, it looks as though when the current season nine is over, there will be one more season and the show will be over. Thank goodness for re-runs! Farewell “Modern Family”!

Fixer Upper - HGTV

If you are not in love with Chip and Joanna Gaines, there is a pretty good chance that a) you’ve never seen the show but -obviously- plan to watch it in the very near future or b) you are not a real human being. These two are what every married couple wants to be. They are (clearly) talented at what they do, they are kind, they are giving, they are baller parents and they appear to be very much in love. Chip and JoJo for president!

Anyway, I love this show so much. They help families choose and renovate homes. And the finished product. I. Can’t. Even. I would pay Joanna good money to decorate my home, she’s a genius and her style is everything I want mine to be. If I could just have an hour in her warehouse of home decor goods for staging the homes, my life would be complete. Am I overselling it? I tend to do that. Bottom line, it’s a fun, light-hearted show that my husband and I can watch together. While we’re watching we commonly yell things at the tv like: “That needs a fresh coat of paint!”, “She’ll definitely want to knock down that wall!”, “Remove the popcorn ceiling!” and, “That’s cute!”. Because the hubby and I are cool like that.

I know what you are wondering, am I devastated that they filmed their last season? Short answer, of course. Long answer, of course, what kind of a ridiculous question is that? However, I love where their heart is. They know they are overextended and needed to be more present for their children. Huge respect for that. The good news for me? I have a pretty bad memory so I can start all over with season one on Netflix and it will be brand new to me! Farewell “Fixer Upper!”

New Girl - Fox

This is another show that my husband and I have watched from the beginning. The characters are so different, so unique and  - dare I say it twice in one blog - endearing. We tend to laugh hysterically at least once per episode and have to look away at least once per episode. (Sidenote: do other people do the “look away” thing when a scene is super awkward or is it just us?).

Zooey Deschanel plays the lead character, Jessica Day, and is just as quirky as you think she’ll be. (Another sidenote: since you probably have recently watched “Elf” - tis the season - did you know she plays the character of Jovie?)

Again, it looks like “New Girl” is ending soon, too. Sad, but I feel like it’s time. The four main characters are not even living together anymore and their lives are heading in different, less hilarious ways. Farewell “New Girl”!

Scandal - ABC

This one may surprise you because I hate violence and I hate suspense. A few years ago my kids were at their Grandma’s for a week (yes this is a thing, and yes, it is one of my favorite weeks of the year!). I made it my goal to spend the mornings working on cleaning and projects and would reward myself with downtime in the afternoon to relax. Well, downtime turned into binge-watching Scandal. A friend recommended it and I couldn’t stop. President Grant was played by Tony Goldwyn and I found him dreamy. Oh, and Scott Foley is a lead character also (from Felicity fame I’m told, I didn’t watch it) and is also pretty dreamy. And of course Olivia Pope. Wow. Holy girl power Batman!

I will admit, there was at least one season where I lost a part of my soul and felt bad about myself after watching an episode. OK, maybe two seasons. No more than three seasons. But for some reason, I keep coming back for more. My name is Neko Kleckner and I am addicted to Scandal. Guess what? Scandal is just finishing their last season. Another one bites the dust. Farewell “Scandal”!

Is the universe trying to tell me to read more at night? I really need to find some new shows! Now that we are best friends and you know everything about my viewing habits, are there any shows you think I would love? Suggestions?

Until Next Time,

Neko

Who Was Mary?

Mary. What words come to your mind when you think of Mary, the mother of Jesus? My kids had their Sunday School program this morning so I took an informal poll at church. These are the words I heard: Christmas, Jesus, holy, Mom, nice, kind, faithful, virgin, gentle and positive (with many of these repeated). I stopped the little girl who played Mary in the program and asked her what word comes to mind when she hears the name Mary. She said, caring, because she’s always taking care of her kids and husband. Bless. Her. Sweet. Heart. Mary means so many different things to so many people. So let’s chat about this mom of all mom’s. The mother of Jesus Christ. Who was Mary? Worthy. Mary was worthy. She was young, poor and a very average woman. Unremarkable. But God chose her anyway to carry out one of the most important tasks ever given to a human being, to be the mother of the Messiah. To raise the Son of God. She was not the daughter of a king or a high priest. She was Mary. She could be you or she could be me. Mary proves that no one is excluded from being “used” by God. Are you worthy? Has God chosen you? I’m writing about Mary today because God nudged me to. Believe me, I fought it. I pushed the urge away for several days. It felt too big and too deep for me to write about. But I couldn’t shake it. So here I am. Pounding M&M’s and furiously turning the pages of my bible and writing at my kitchen table. I’m no Max Lucado or Lysa TerKeurst or any other famous Christian author. I’m a young (ish) average woman tasked with writing to my friends about Mary. What has God chosen you to do today? Are you worthy to do it? Yes, yes you are. Who was Mary? Chosen. Mary was chosen by God. This does not mean she was an instant celebrity and her Instagram following tripled overnight. Maybe the opposite. She was carrying Jesus in her womb but was also faced with many, many obstacles. First, the disbelief of her husband Joseph. Without the intervention of an angel telling him it was okay to marry her, he planned to break their engagement because of her alleged unfaithfulness. Second, she had to watch her firstborn live a life of pain and rejection and sorrow. He did so many wonderful things for so many people, yet had to endure disbelief. And finally, she had to watch Jesus go through the cruelest death. Unimaginable. Unfair. Knowing without a doubt it was God’s plan for her son, but it did not lessen the pain she felt watching her son on the cross. Are you chosen? Your life may not be easy. You may feel pain that is unmistakable. Maybe it does not feel like you are chosen. But guess what? Despite your pain or suffering, you are here. You are reading this. You are being led by God. You are chosen, and you will grow in your faith through your journey. Pray through it. Ask God how you can be used. Who was Mary? Trusting. Mary was trusting. Imagine you are checking your tweets in your recliner one night and hear a voice. It is an angel of the Lord telling you that you will conceive a baby out of wedlock. Would your response be, “May everything you said about me come true.”? Ummm...guessing not (especially for my male readers). Mary trusted. She asked how it would happen (because she was - in fact - a virgin so that’s a legit question). Otherwise, she said, let’s do this! And accepted the challenge of raising The One who would change the course of existence. It may be a stretch to say an angel will come to you with news of your impending conception, but let’s think of examples slightly more realistic. Do you trust the Lord? Have you felt gentle nudges to do something and trusted those feelings? Have you prayed over those feelings? God wants to use you, He has big plans for your life. Can you trust Him to lead you to fulfill His purpose for you? Who was Mary? Faithful. Mary was faithful. She was given her task, to carry the son of God. She faithfully took the job. Imagine the nativity scene. Mary had just given birth in the side of a cave; dirty, unsanitary, less than ideal conditions for this mighty King. She wrapped Him in cloths and put him in a manger (feeding trough). She did not have a Norwex EnviroCloth to clean the manger, she did not have Dreft detergent to wash the cloths she wrapped her newborn son in. It may not have felt glamourous at the time, but Mary did not care. She knew who this baby was and what it meant. Slowly, visitors trickled in. Shepherds and wise men, confirming what Mary already knew, that this little baby lying in the manger was the Messiah. Sent to us from heaven to save us. She was filled with faith. How is your faith today? With Christmas quickly approaching, it is the easiest and hardest time to be filled with faith. On one hand, you can think of Mary and the birth of Jesus - a game changer. One sweet child changed everything. On the other hand, maybe you are a mother like Mary or a father, or a daughter or son, and Christmas is filled with Jesus and hope and....gifts and gatherings and lists and stress and stress and stress. Let’s change that today. Let’s refocus today. Without Christ, there is no Christmas. Enjoy your gifts and gatherings, but above all things, let your faith rule the holidays. It is because of that sweet baby, that you are living the life you have. Be Mary this season… Imagine what God did through this one woman. And what that has done for us. Be Mary. Be Worthy. Chosen. Trusting. Faithful. Be the change people need today. Be the hope people need today. Make this holiday season about love and joy and promise. Live the life Jesus created for you. Mary Christmas :-) Until Next Time, Neko

Our Favorite Family Holiday Movies

I know you are all DYING to hear what I actually watch on tv after I destroyed your favorite shows on my “Why I Won’t Watch” post. Patience is a virtue, my friends. Coming soon. My daughter inspired my holiday movie blog post today in one quick sentence. She saw a Good Housekeeping article online that listed the most popular holiday movie the year you were born. She said to me, “That stinks, the most popular new holiday movie the year I was born was some random movie called ‘The Holiday’”. I gasped. If you don’t know me, I am obsessed with a good rom-com (romantic comedy). “The Holiday” is in my personal DVD arsenal and I love it with all my heart. Cameron and Kate are brilliant. Jude and Jack are adorable. When it is over, my soul is full and my heart is happy. I gave her a brief synopsis and I could tell she was suuuuuuper impressed (note sarcasm).

That disappointment aside, I’ve decided to write about our family’s favorite holiday movies that we watch every year (in no particular order and sadly, “The Holiday” is not included). And forgive me for not including any Hallmark movies. Because I do not watch them. I will not watch them. OK, if there’s one I HAVE to watch, let me know and I might think about possibly watching it if I have time. Here we go!

#1 Elf

Pure comedic genius. Will Farrell - who is always a spazzy, overactive, child-like actor - actually gets to play this role as the lead character in the movie. He plays Buddy the Elf, a human who as an infant in an orphanage crawled into Santa’s gift bag and was carried back to the North Pole to be raised as an elf. He also has no idea he isn’t an actual elf. When he finds out this information, he heads to New York City to find his real dad and hilarity ensues. When I type this out, it sounds like a pretty ridiculous premise, but I promise it is insanely funny!

We watch this every year as a family. Except for this year, my dear, wonderful husband and my parents chose to watch it with my kids WITHOUT me! Come on! I was getting my beauty sleep to prepare for a busy day of Black Friday shopping and they watched it without me? How dare they! Don’t panic people, they will watch it with me again. Because it’s “Elf” and it never gets old. No hard feelings (ish).

#2 The Polar Express

Tom Hanks is the voice of dang near every character in this book-made-into-a-movie so you know it has to be good. Because Tom Hanks. Come on. The legend. Anyway, it is an animated story about a little boy who is questioning Santa Claus. Does he believe? Not believe? Christmas Eve, he hears a loud noise, looks outside and sees a train. He runs outside and is invited on the train to the North Pole. Hello?! Stranger danger?! But the conductor’s smooth voice (Tom Hanks obviously) wins him over and the boy starts on an epic adventure to the North Pole. Also, a ton of great songs for the entire family (minus Dad because he’s a fun-hater) to sing along to. When I type this out, it sounds like a pretty ridiculous premise, but I promise it is insanely heartwarming!

When my kids were tots we used to take a “Polar Express” train ride in a nearby town where they read the book and served hot chocolate and cookies while on the way to a constructed North Pole. After a few years, they got in trouble for reading the book and replaced it with singing carols and listening to stories and jacked up the price. So we created our own tradition where we get comfy, start a fire, watch the movie and drink hot chocolate and eat cookies. It is so much better and everyone loves it.

#3 Home Alone

Kevin is the youngest boy in a large family. His extended family is staying at his house the day before they leave for a Christmas trip to Paris (wait, that’s a thing? I want to take a Christmas trip to Paris!). He’s being a total pain in the rear so is sent to the attic where he is sleeping since the house is full of people. Storm at night. Electricity cut. Morning alarms don’t go off. Chaos ensues when they realize they are late for their flight in the morning. And they forget poor Kevin is sleeping in the attic. They discover their mistake mid-flight with his mom yelling “KEVIN!”. Classic. Meanwhile, Kevin revels in the idea of being home alone. Until two ragtag burglars decide to target his house because they think the family is out of town. Lots of shenanigans and a couple of heartwarming encounters with the “scary” neighbor, a couple of scenes with Kevin’s mom and John Candy, burglars in jail and family reunites. All is well. When I type this out, it sounds like a pretty ridiculous premise, but I promise it is insanely adorable and heartwarming.

We took the kids to this movie two years ago at a theater that was showing throwback Christmas movies. The kids laughed hysterically and we have added it to our list of favorite holiday movies. Warning: the movie is outrageously unrealistic. If you let yourself, you will pick the movie apart down to every scene. So don’t do that. Just enjoy it for what it is.

#4 National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation

Is this movie appropriate for little kids? The DVD version? No, not by my standards anyway. However, if you DVR the movie from tv, they cut out the swearing and *some* of the inappropriate scenes. Oddly enough - as my husband pointed out - they leave in “ass” in a couple of spots, but bleep Wild Turkey and Jack Daniels. Weird. The tv version is still a stretch but my kids love it so I am gifting them with the opportunity to watch it. You are welcome, kids.

This movie is your classic story of spending the holidays with your extended family with unrealistic expectations. Clark and Ellen are hosting their parents and (unexpectedly) cousin Eddie and his family. Chevy Chase plays Clark Griswold and gets into all sorts of trouble as Chevy/Clark always does. Christmas lights stapled on the roof too close together (makes my husband shudder every time), interactions with cousin Eddie are always hilarious, buying Ellen a gift at the lingerie counter, sledding, and his Christmas bonus that he is planning to use to buy a pool and the many shenanigans surrounding that storyline. It’s almost impossible to write a brief synopsis of this movie. At the end, their house is completely destroyed - and I mean completely.  And there is no way they would be able to afford a new pool - with the Christmas bonus or without - after spending the money to repair everything. When I type this out, it sounds like a pretty ridiculous premise, but I promise it is insanely hilarious and will provide year-round movie line quotes. With our favorite being, “You serious Clark?”

So there you have it! These are our family’s favorite holiday movies. Honorable mentions include: A Christmas Story, How the Grinch Stole Christmas (Jim Carrey version) and It’s a Wonderful Life (not true but it makes me feel like a better Mom to put this on the list). We also love to watch all of the classic television shows: A Charlie Brown Christmas, How the Grinch Stole Christmas (cartoon version), Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and Frosty the Snowman (Frosty Returns is dead to me after wasting an entire 30 minutes I could have been watching paint dry.)

If you are anxious because I listed our favorite family holiday movies in “no particular order” and you really need them to be in a "particular order", here are our #1 favorites:

Me: Elf (but really "The Holiday")
Husband: National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation
Oldest daughter's favorite: The Polar Express
Middle daughter’s favorite: Elf
Youngest son’s favorite: The Polar Express

Until next time,
Neko

P. S. The movie for the year I was born was “Rudolph’s Shiny New Year” -  that’s one you can be disappointed in my dear daughter!  Here is the link if you want to see what yours is: http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/holidays/christmas-ideas/news/g4880/christmas-movie-year-you-were-born/

P.P.S. What are your favorite family holiday movies that I should introduce to my kids?

What Is the Real Meaning of Christmas?

Christmas is nearly here. You see it everywhere. Christmas trees are up and decorated. Lights displayed on the outside of homes. Shopping malls are bustling. Stores are displaying swimsuits (isn’t that how it works? Christmas in summer and summer at Christmas?).

After my last post about buying Christmas gifts, I had a real Christmas tragedy strike. Like, a legit tragedy (sarcasm). My husband and seven-year-old son were helping a friend move a couch. Father and son were side by side as my husband opened the back of his truck. Seven-year-old was eye level to his “main” Christmas gift (get it? I’m trying to write in code in case little believers read this). He squealed with excitement to see the gift. But the little man was also confused as to why his “main” gift was in his dad’s truck. Husband froze (why can a Mom come up with a lie in a hot second and husbands freeze?). When I heard about this catastrophe, I was in the middle of a lovely Target trip. I stopped in my tracks. “He found WHAT?” I yelled into my phone (I really don’t yell, it was more of an elevated tone). Months of planning and coordinating all ruined in seconds. Now what? Christmas was ruined.

But was it really? And then it hit me. The real meaning of Christmas.

Is it about gifts? Gifts are great, but not the real meaning of Christmas.

Is it about cookies and candy and eggnog? They are great (especially eggnog: only AE brand please), but not the real meaning of Christmas.

Is it about Christmas trees and garland and stockings? Decorations are great, but not the real meaning of Christmas.

Is it about holiday parties at work or visits to see Santa? Both are great, but not the real meaning of Christmas.

Christmas is the celebration of one of the greatest events in human history – the birth of Jesus Christ. Jesus is the reason for the season. I don’t want to get into a long discussion about Jesus vs. Santa. A Christian holiday vs. a non-Christian holiday. Remember my vow to keep this a happy and light-hearted blog that won’t offend anyone? (If not, here’s a refresher).

Let’s together vow to make this holiday season the best ever! Forget the gifts, forget the pressure of hosting, forget meeting expectations (please forget about meeting expectations - it’s an impossible dream!). Experience the kind of Christmas Jesus would want for you. Celebrate this advent season with expectation and joy. Spend time with family discussing the birth story. Volunteer at an organization that needs people to serve or people to donate. Do things that fill your soul, not deplete your checkbook (do people have checkbooks anymore?)

Hear my heart. I don’t want you to abandon your traditions. Please buy gifts, the Three Wise Men brought gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh to the newborn son. Gifts are an amazing way to connect and show your love. And please gather with co-workers and friends and family. The nativity scene was a gathering of people. Community is where it’s at folks. Please bake, because Christmas without my mom’s caramels would be...I can’t even imagine what that would be like. Let’s talk about something else so I can calm my breathing.

Think about Jesus this holiday season. Be grateful for all you have. Involve your children, please involve your children. It is so easy to get caught up in the consumerism of the season leaving children with a want-want-want attitude. Like I said before, gifts are wonderful ways to show your love. But do you know how to love on your kids more than with gifts? Teach them about Jesus Christ. When they are asked what their favorite part of Christmas is, what if they said it was celebrating the birth of Jesus?! Mic drop. It is an invaluable gift that will last them an eternity (instead of the gift you just gave them that they lost interest in after 30 minutes - hold me).

During this time of expectation, spend time with Jesus. Pray. Read your bible.  Let it sink in, the beauty of life and the beauty of this season. Go to church, be with your community. We belong to a very large church. In fact, the church has grown so much that they rented a large event center (think: Garth Brooks and Ed Sheeran concert sized). I’m wildly excited to be a small part of this gathering of Jesus lovers. The power that will be in that space is undeniable and contagious and just downright spiritual. Whether you attend a Christmas service in an arena with 50,000 of your closest friends or at a church surrounded by twenty complete strangers, you are just where God wants you to be. God wants for us to join together in community to celebrate the birth of His Son. Gather your loved ones, your neighbors, your friends, complete strangers. Grab anyone who will (willingly) go to church with you this holiday season.

Jesus is the reason for the season! So let’s put Him front and center. Starting now. Take a big, deep breath with me folks. We can do this together. Get inspired. Get close to Jesus and let him lead you through the last couple of weeks before Christmas. Experience fully the real meaning of Christmas.

Until Next Time,
Neko

P.S. Please let me know if you’d like more info about our church service on Christmas Eve. There is room for you and I promise, it will be worth it!

Christmas Gift Goal

Every year my goal is to be done Christmas shopping by December 1st. Black Friday shopping and then Cyber Monday shopping and then December 1st...done. Sounds easy, right? Every year I fail. Every. Single. Year. But this year I’ve determined it’s not my fault and it’s an unrealistic goal. Here’s why:

#1 Neverending unplanned gifts

Just this week I found out I have to buy three gifts I wasn’t expecting. One last week, too. Listen to my heart on this one. I don’t mind having to get the gifts, in fact, they are well-deserved gifts (and I enjoy shopping, bonus!). I also don’t mind spending the extra money for the gifts, I’m happy to. It’s 100% about me. I made a pretty little list of the people I had to buy for, crossing names off one by one. These four gifts were not on the list. How can I close the chapter on 2017 Christmas shopping when new gifts keep popping up? These things I have no control over and could never plan for. December 1st is unrealistic.

#2 I’m at the mercy of people getting me their lists

I could buy them something I think they would like, but I would rather buy them something I know they would love. I was complaining to my husband right before Good Friday about not having everyone’s lists. He said, Neko, it’s not even Thanksgiving yet, why would people get their lists to you before Thanksgiving? Touche husband, touche. Just because my goal is to be done by the end of November, doesn’t mean everyone else shares the same goal. December 1st is unrealistic.

#3 My kids change their minds a hundred million times

Kids can’t seem to make up their minds. Or they see something new and shiny and change their mind. Or they hear of something their friend is asking for and they want the same. Their lists are constantly changing! For example, when my youngest was making his Christmas list (before Thanksgiving) he said I really, really hope Santa gives me Minecraft blind boxes in my stocking. No problem, check and check (#blackfriday). Three days ago youngest says to me, “I really hope Santa gives me Crossy Road blind boxes in my stocking!” I calmly replied with, “I thought you wanted Minecraft blind boxes?” He said, “Nope, I have waaaay too many of those, now I want to collect Crossy Road.” Serenity now. Save your receipts people. And if you want to know what Crossy Road is you’ll have to google it. December 1st is unrealistic.

#4 My husband is impossible to shop for

Seriously. I know this man better than any other human being on the planet. In fact, I found a shirt I thought he’d love at Target yesterday. He did love it in fact, because it was already hanging in his closet from when he bought it this summer. So I know him well. But for Christmas shopping? Why is this an impossible task?! Well, for starters, he really doesn’t need anything or want anything. But Christmas morning would be very sad if he had nothing to open. If you have any great gift ideas, send them my way! And please don’t ask me to make (aka craft) something for him, I’m not that kinda girl (this includes making a homemade coupon book….ew!). So because he is impossible to shop for and I am usually looking until December 23rd for creative ideas, December 1st is unrealistic.

To summarize, I have determined that my 2018 Christmas gift buying goal is (drumroll please)...

I will be 90% done with Christmas shopping by December 1st.

Phew, I feel so much better! That will allow me to maintain my sanity for the last minute gifts that pop up. Next year. Do you have gift buying goals? What are they? Do you have suggestions for a new way for me to structure gift buying in 2018? Keep in mind I’m type A so “no goal” is not an option.

Part 1: Why I won’t watch...

First of all, thank you for responding to my online poll about television shows you love and shows you don’t. After reviewing your answers and completely disregarding them, I’ve compiled a list of shows I watch and won’t watch.

Part 1: Why I won’t watch…

Stranger Things

I scare easily. I am a scaredy cat. I can’t stand watching shows where the music builds, people are making bad choices and not looking behind them (seriously! Always look behind you!). I don’t think it’s worth my time to have my face covered with a blanket most of the time in anticipation of the scary part coming. I blame my older brother for this fear. He used to chase me up the stairs pounding on each stair and scaring the $%#* out of me. He also used to hide under covers and jump out at me. Typical big brother things. I’m pretty sure he single-handedly made me a jumpy scared person with an irrational fear of going up stairs (aside from that he was a pretty great big brother).

I do love that it is set in the eighties, I can get on board with that. The one episode I did watch, the child actors were all great. I truly wish them a long and prosperous career. And I love the cool “Stranger Things” graphic tees they sell at Target. Can I wear one when I refuse to watch the show? Anyway, I know what you are going to say because I’ve heard it before...Neko, it’s not that scary! Just watch a few more episodes...it gets better, I promise! Nope. I have nightmares. Can’t do it. Hard pass people, life is too short.

Game of Thrones

I hate getting dirty. When I garden (that makes it sound like I garden a lot...I don’t) I have to wear gloves because I hate the idea of dirt under my fingernails. Oh, and I’m terrified of worms so if my actual skin ever grazed a worm I would instantly drop and fetal position until someone finds me and cuddles me for a minimum of 30 minutes. Anyway, I hate getting dirty and almost as much as I hate being dirty, I hate seeing other people dirty. Game of Thrones is full of dirty people. It’s super gross to watch. I can almost smell them from my living room. That’s my first issue.

My second issue is that this show has deeply wounded me not once, but twice. The first time I watched “Game of Thrones” (and by watched I mean I walked through the living room and glanced at the tv) two people were engaging in inappropriate behavior in a tower. They were discovered by a little boy who was in the window of the tower (why was a little boy in a window of a tower?!?) Then the dude pushed the boy out of the window. HE PUSHED A LITTLE BOY OUT OF A WINDOW!! What the?! And the second time I walked through the living room while they hubby was watching it, there was a very inappropriate scene involving a brother “selling” a sister to a super scary Goliath looking dude. Sister was distraught. I was distraught. In case you don’t know this about me, I internalize things. I’m super empathetic which is a blessing and a curse. Poor, poor sister. Poor, poor little boy who was pushed out of the tower by a dirty man. My husband tried to convince me that this could be “our show” and that the scenes I walked in on were not typical of the show as a whole. Which is a lie. And he knew it. So I threw him a “I hope you know you are a worse person for watching this” line and “Game of Thrones” was dead to me. Hard pass people, life is too short.

This Is Us

Oh, “This Is Us”. The new “Parenthood” (which I didn’t watch either). It is everywhere. The cover of magazines, on my Facebook feed, in conversations, clips shown in sermons at my church. First, I did actually watch the first episode. It was good. But for me, it felt like a mini movie and at the end, I was satisfied. It felt like the circle was closed in that one episode so it was done for me. I felt good about that.

Second, remember that empathetic thing? Yeah, that’s a problem with a show like that. Even though they are characters in a show with a made up storyline, it would cut me to the core. I’ve watched three or more separate clips of the show at my church and 95% of the women in church were crying. Including me! And again, I don't even watch the show or know the characters and I'm still grabbing for a tissue...over a 3-minute clip of a television show! People post on Facebook that “‘This Is Us’ got me again, I can’t stop crying!” Really people? Really? Is that what you need in your life? To feel emotion over a fake story so much that it brings you to legit tears? (I hope you can’t tell that I’m scream typing…) I’m sure it’s a good show, but I really don’t want to feel that emotion and cry. Give me a comedy where I laugh/cry any day of the week. But my heart can’t handle internalizing the emotions from a fake storyline. However, if you are watching it just for the Justin Hartley eye candy, I give you a free pass for watching. But for me, hard pass people, life is too short.

So there you have it! My top three shows I refuse to watch (that apparently you all love!).  I welcome any feedback just keep in mind, it’s personal preference people!!  And I STILL WON’T WATCH “THIS IS US”!!!

Stay tuned for Part 2 coming up whenever I get a chance to write it...

A Sample of My Devotional

Many of you have been asking about the Christian devotional I am in the process of writing. This was something God (not so subtly) put on my heart. I had a particularly hard week this summer, just wasn’t feeling it (whatever it is!) My church life had taken a backseat to a busy summer schedule and I just felt a disconnect from God. Don’t panic folks...this all sounds very dramatic, but it was so worth it, I promise. In those few days I was just in a good space for God to meet me. Feeling down, even when it appeared on the outside that everything was fine. It’s in those low moments that God tends to meet us, right?

So I prayed, fiercely prayed for guidance and direction and that’s where God met me. He started guiding me on this journey with gentle nudges to meet with people, talk with people, read, journal and of course...write. The nudge to write was actually not so gentle, it was dropped on me like a bomb by my friend Liz Nead (check her out on social media or liznead.com, she rocks!). It just clicked for me, instantly, I knew it was what I wanted to do and had to do. Speak truth through my words.

I have a long way to go with this devotional, but it has been such an amazing faith journey. Diving into His word and letting Him guide me to write what He needs me to say to live out my God-given purpose. With that said, I’d like to occasionally give you a preview into my book. Please keep in mind, these are rough versions, I will just copy and paste the words from my google doc into a blog post. Very raw.

Each devotion is intended to ask questions, to guide you to search your soul to answer them. Each title is a question and ends with an activity/question to reflect on and bible verses to dig deeper. So I invite you to do just that!  Here we go (as I type with sweaty palms)!

When Have You Made a Moment?

Life moves fast. In the blink of an eye, the day is over. The week is over. The year is over. And it feels like the older you get, the faster life passes by. You never hear a child say, it’s Christmas already? But you consistently hear adults say, how is it Christmas already (maybe it’s because the stores have Christmas decorations out mid-July, but that’s a conversation for another time). How do you slow life down? Unfortunately, I can’t answer that question but if you find out, let me know! What I can help you with is some advice for your journey. Make a moment. Make a million moments. But start with one.

What exactly do I mean by this? In your daily life you have so many opportunities to create moments that just pass you by. Distractions, devices, work...so many things to take your eye off the prize. God wants you to be present in the moment. To spend time with the people you love and make a moment. It can be as simple as a hug held a little longer than usual. A second game of Go Fish. Surprising your child at school for lunch. Not all moments are cherished forever, not all moments are happy, not all moments are worth remembering, but you can make some that are.

God is with you in every moment of your life. He is willing and wanting to make a moment with you, too. If you let Him in, your life will be full of moments with your Heavenly Father. I had a moment with God that shifted my trajectory in my career. I was driving in my car, praying about my current path, if it was the right one, was I wasting my time? How would I get a book published, who am I to even be writing? And then I posed the question, should I start a blog for more visibility? And just then, God and I had a moment, a huge moment. I was filled with the Holy Spirit and brought to tears (happy tears!) At that moment, the pieces started to come together and I could see my vision. Things keep falling into place, but I needed to have that moment with God to take the next step. Have you and God had a moment lately?

Make a moment today, make a hundred moments today. Make a moment with God, too. Pray and listen. At the end of the day write a few of your moments below.

Digging deeper: Ecclesiastes 5:18-20, Ephesians 5:15-16