Christmas in the land of palm trees

Oh Christmastime.  Is it just me, or did it not feel a bit like Christmas? Don't get me wrong, I love Christmastime, but not for the presents and gifts and candy and food, no, no.  I love Christmas because it gives me a chance to learn more about Christ than I knew before! I had a really good experience last night when we were reading the Christmas story.  My dad read to us and throughout the story he stopped and told us new bits of information about it that he'd learned from reading Jesus the Christ.  It was by far the best Christmas story I'd ever heard!

This Christmas I get to spend time with my family in California!! It's so nice being back together again for a little while.  I can't wait until we are all in the same place together for good! It'll be so great! But until then, I'm loving this time with them.

Now... I know most of you (or at least half of you) expect your Christmases to be white and snowy and, in my opinion, horrendous.  To me, however, Christmas is palm trees and sunshine and 65 degree weather.  I'm almost 100% sure I'm not going to live in Utah the rest of my life.  No sir.  Winter lasts far too long, and as much as I wish I loved the snow, I just don't!! I'm a sunshine and palm trees girl at heart, born with sand in my blood... mmmm...

My good friend Markuth posted a really funny Christmas poem that I wish I could take credit for writing, but... I obviously can't.  Here it is:

A Spanglish Christmas Poema

Twas the night before Christmas and all through the casa,

Not a creature was stirring... caramba, que pasa?

Los ninos were all tucked away in their camas,

Some in long underwear, some in pajamas.

While mama worked late in her little cocina,

El viejo was down at the corner cantina.

Living it up with amigos, carracho!

Muy contento y poco borracho!

We had hung up the stockings with mucho cuidado,

In hopes that old Santa would feel obligado.

To bring all the children, both buenos y malos,

A nice batch of dulces and other regalos.

Outside in the yard there arose such a grito,

That I jumped to my feet like a frightened cabrito!

I ran to the window and looked out afuera,

And who in the world do you think that it era?

St. Nick in a sleigh and a big red sombrero,

Came dashing along like a crazy bombero.

And pulling his sleigh. instead of venados,

Were eight little burros, approaching volados!

As I watched as they came and this quaint little hombre

Was shouting and whistling and calling by nombre.

"Ay pancho! Ay pepe! Ay cuca! Ay beto!

"Ay chato! Ay chopo!, maruca y nieto!"

Then, standing erect with his hand on his pecho,

He flew to the top of our very own techo.

With his round little belly like a bowl of jalea,

He struggled to squeeze down our old chiminea.

Then huffing and puffing, at last in our sala,

With soot smeared all over his red suit de gala.

He filled all the stockings with lovely regalos,

For none of the ninos had been very malos.

Then chuckling aloud, seeming very contento,

He turned like a flash and was gone like the viento.

And I heard him exclaim... and this is verdad,

Merry Christmas to all... y Feliz Navidad