It’s odd that I haven’t posted since “Holiday Traditions.”  This past Saturday was the annual Hawks Family Christmas Caroling, but Mark and I didn’t get to stick around.  You might be surprised that the weather got in the way.  Instead of caroling with the rest of the family, we drove back to the Iowa City area ending up going 30mph from West Branch (even on I80).  The road itself wasn’t that bad, but when the front came through, it sure seemed like blizzard conditions to us.

There are a lot of people dealing with this weather, so I’m not writing just to complain.  In fact, I am trying really hard to just be okay with the weather.  I don’t have to be happy about it, but there’s no sense in wasting anger on it when I can’t change it.  Yet, I do have a specific frustration.  It’s the holiday season!  This is a time when I want to visit my family!  The weather makes it very difficult to do that.  We were originally suppose to go to my dad’s last Thursday, but the ice/sleet/snow (yes we got all 3) storm stopped that.  Then the weather again cut our plans short on Saturday.  Mark and I try to be as flexible as we can, but there’s only so much a person can do!  My dad makes a fine point, that we have to be safe.  The traditions mean nothing if we get ourselves killed traveling to see family.  Part of me wants to break down, yell “but that’s not fair!” and throw a tantrum.  The grown up in me will just vent on my blog and move on.

I hope that you are all more easily able to visit your families this wonderful season!

The holidays are in full swing and I couldn’t be happier about it!  Thanksgiving has past and we all seem to be preparing for Christmas.  As an old friend of mine pointed out, even God has put the Christmas decorations outside already (with a beautiful snowfall).  We’re hoping last year’s winter weather doesn’t become a tradition, but with the holidays now here, I’m looking forward to enjoying this season’s wonderful traditions.

My favorite family tradition is the annual Hawks Family Christmas Caroling.  My dad’s side of the family has gone Christmas caroling for over 30 years now (I never remember the exact number of years).  We’re not as good as the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, but we do manage 4-part harmony.  We travel around the Quad Cities (driving more than singing unfortunately) and visit family friends to share some Christmas spirit with them.  It’s part of the tradition to leave them with Hershey’s Kisses too.  And I can’t forget the lyrics for ‘We Wish You a Merry Christmas’.  Half the family sings it one way (”good tidings for Christmas and a Happy New Year”) while the other half sings it the other way (”we wish you a merry Christmas and a Happy New Year”).  Then just when you think you know who is signing what, they switch!  When we finish at my Grandma’s, she has hot cocoa and sweet rolls ready for us.  What could be better?

Some other of my favorites are playing Apples to Apples (although it hurts to laugh that hard in my state) and eating Mom’s Apple Pie.  Purrball’s favorite traditions is sleeping under the Christmas tree.  He’s a little upset that Hera seems to like it now too.  What are your favorite traditions?

I went to iTunes just now to find a specific Christmas cd. I ended up finding “Christmas Carol Cats” and learned that even I have limits. It’s horrible! My ears still hurt. I mean I love cats and I love Christmas music, but they should never be combined. They’re off pitch and off beat enough to have the nails on a chalkboard effect.

I’m well aware that I listen to Christmas music way too early. I wait all year to listen to this stuff. Some of my favorites:

• I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas
• O Holy Night (Josh Groban’s is good)
• Merry Christmas from Sesame Street (this is an album from 1978 not a song)
• Sleigh Ride by Boston Pops
• and of course the ever popular Manheim Steamroller and Transiberian Orchestra

So here’s the thing, when is the right time to start listening to Christmas music? When advent starts? Christmas Eve? I realized I have no idea.

I believe mother nature misunderstood when I said I want a white Christmas. I meant snow! Not fog. It is extremely foggy here today and appears to be white. It is misleading though as it is 44 degress. 44? December? I’ll refrain from starting my global warming debate.