Getting the conversation started....

Christmas. The reason for the season is nearly lost among the commercialism of today. As Christians, how should we be approaching the celebration of a Christ-centered Christmas? Is any traditional addition (tree, lights, presents, etc...) to the holiday a detraction from its spiritual meaning? What goes and what stays in your home? Discuss.

UPDATE by Rodney: I'm adding my comment here in the meat of the post because, well, I can.

My view on this subject is wholly influenced by my upbringing.

I would describe my parents as very godly and Jesus Christ was and is at the center of everything they do. This enabled Christmas to be a special time complete with Christmas trees, ornaments, lights, presents, reindeer, carols, and even milk and cookies for Santa. It was never extravagant but my parents clearly stretched to make it a special time and get us things that we really wanted or would really enjoy.

I loved it and there was never any confusion about or need for belaboring "the real meaning of Christmas". Everybody knew Christmas was about Jesus being born (from the viewpoint of us kids) but the traditions of Christmas were what made that time of year so special—including being excited about Christmas morning. And that's the way it should be (according to my admittedly skewed perspective).

It's good to be home!

Our trip to Canada was great! AND Nattie slept just about the entire way there and back!

We visited with lots of family and friends of family. AND the weather remained above 40 F for most of the trip! That I could handle, much to the dismay of my brother-in-law, who was looking forward to seeing the animated expressions I had the last time I was there for Thanksgiving. Anywho....we had a great time and consequently have a million pictures.

PLUS, we had four generations too!

Sing with me... "Oh Canada...that big and empty land...."

Happy Thanksgiving!!

This year Rodney, Nattie, and I head to Canada to celebrate this glorious feasting holiday with folks who really know how to feast!

The whole Mitchell gang will be there...for the first time in something like a decade! Which will be AWESOME. A quick check of the weather tells me that today's temp for Manitoba is -13 C which translates to......ummm.....flippin' cold! AND it feels like a brisk -8 C.....well, thank you very much. My Californian blood freezes at 50 degrees so...... I'll be wearing lots of layers.


And with the feasting that is sure to happen, we'll be bringing some of those layers back with us.

Tipping off the holiday season...

The first Thanksgiving away from home means I will be missing the mayhem and "good cheer" that goes along with the day-after-Thanksgiving sales and the subsequent front page of the Sac Bee reporting the "good cheer" spread by those standing outside of the local Wal-Mart duking it out over some lame door prize. Okay, okay, I won't really miss those things, but the thing that I really will miss, that kicks off the holiday season and gets a chuckle out of me every stinkin' year: the 24-hour TV marathon loop of Jean Shepherd's classic, The Christmas Story. A treasure trove of good times!


Ahhh....who doesn't like Ralphie? And mama's little piggy?

C'mon.....they're great!



Ok, I concede that perhaps not everybody feels the same way about Randy and Ralphie as I do (like most of my family)......so, indulge me....if not The Christmas Story....what? And Nicole, if you say It's a Wonderful Life so help me....

Anyway, Happy Thanksgiving and thanks to the Durans, Nevins, and Ro for helping us out while we are gone! Love you guys!

Making memories with Grandpa Mitchell

Counting down the days until we can play with the rest of the Mitchell fam!!!

Off to the polls

Well, we are headed to the polls to vote the old fashioned way! We are armed with all sorts of hot info (see previous election post) and are sure to cancel out the votes of our neighbors. Do the same and tonight like real political nerds we'll be glued to the TV watching the returns....well, until HOUSE...we'll break for HOUSE....but then back to the returns!

For Rosario