WOO HOO!! Actually have a 5 question Friday on a FRIDAY!

Wow! I actually made it here on the right day!  Awesome.  That makes me feel good about the new year that is about to show its face!!  Here we go!

1. How long does your Christmas tree stay up?

 

Our Christmas tree usually stays up until after our Anniversary, since we got married with Christmas decorations on the altar.  Our Anniversary is January 12th...this year, we will celebrate 20 years!!!  Amazing how fast it went by.

2. Do you have plans for New Year's Eve?

 

Yes, I have plans to go to my parent's house...not sure how late we will stay.

3. Do you have any New Year's resolutions?

 

To be more fit, spend more time with my hubby, save more $$, live more frugally, to be free of credit card debt.

4. How did you spend New Year's Eve when you were younger?

 

I would be at a relative's house, usually, or have people over.  Usually always with family. :0)

5. What was the best way you've ever spent New Year's Eve?

 

The best way I've spent my New Year's Eve was the year we were in Ecuador for New Year's.  It was so amazing to see the way another country celebrate their New Year's Eve.  It was almost like Halloween, in that people dressed in masks and did funny things, like throw pots and pans out the windows.  It was wild....kind of scary, too.  They have scarecrow like "Viejos" (like old man...signifying the old year) and they dance with them, parade in the street, dress up like old women, beg for money...it's crazy.  I am grateful my parents took me to see it all in person!

For a better description, click here: http://www.examiner.com/international-travel-in-boise/new-year-s-eve-ecuador

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!

Loudly yours,

Alicia

Blizzard!!!!!!! The great time halter....

Every year, we usually get the chance to be snowed in for at least one day.  I have to say, that I truly look forward to these days for many reasons.  Firstly, to take a true break from work,  and to get a chance to leisurely go about the house and deep clean closets with the kids or to organize parts of the house.  It also serves as a great reason to put all the electronic individualized distractions away and come together for a family movie.  This Christmas break has been nice in that we have had the time to squeeze in 3 or 4 movies in between family visits, (which thankfully, are very local.)  I am so grateful for some "down" time.  Now, for me, down time is relative, since my down time might be a full work load for others, due to the size of our family.  I am just happy not to be on a time schedule that has me running, running, running. Snow is good for that...slowing down everything.  Death has a way of doing that as well.  Did you ever notice, that when someone close to you passes on to the other side, nothing else matters and everything literally stops?  Rightfully so, it just stops. Nothing else compares to the immediate obligation to hold anything else routine and your only goal is to take care of what matters....the other person and everyone else left behind.  Another great reason to stop and linger a little more with the ones you love.

Happy Blizzard.

Loudly yours,

Alicia

Merry Christmas, everyone!

Christmas afternoon.....ahhh....the craziness is over, the clean up begins (and never seems to end!!)
It's hard to believe that one day I might actually miss all this craziness, but I think there is a chance I just might.  PLEASE note....I am not an expert at filming, so please forgive me for I am still learning!!  The unsteadiness of the camera adds to the craziness of the morning and gives you a feel of what its like when you are actually there!! :)
Loudly yours,

Alicia

On the Day before Christmas....

 Christmas is almost here.  The shopping is done. Baking is still a happening thing.  We are one hour from chaos time and its eerily quite.  I know its coming, but I love the little quite times, like right now.  Do I love the craziness? Yes and no.  Part of me is looking forward to it being all over, but the joy that the season brings, makes me want it to last forever....so you could say I am torn.  Torn that life always proves that it must have the good with the bad and that the good only will come all the time when we are eternal friends in heaven.  So, craziness, give me your best shot!  I can take it and look forward to a whole lot more.  

Merry Christmas everyone...and a joyous holiday season, too!

Loudly yours,

Alicia

Goober: our newest Christmas family tradition!

GOOBER is our latest family tradition; so in honor of the jolly, little elf, I will welcome him with a little acrostic poem.

G is for the name the children chose for you

Obviously one I would not choose

On top of the tree or on the shelf you sit

Bursting with joy, secrets from a happy kid

Everyone trying their best in your sight

Really glad to have you here, you're a delight!

I think the hardest thing to do is remember to help Goober move to a different spot and to make up an excuse as to why he did not move!! Usually, I would blame one of the kids for touching him and tell them that I would ask Santa to restore his powers.  (they are not allowed to touch him, lest his powers leave him)  Of course, my 14 yr old, not buying any of it, taunts me by touching the little elf right in front of the kids.  Coal in the stocking for that one!! Ugh!  Thankfully, the kids survived and their belief did not wane due to the loss of his power, as it was magically restored.  One of the tough things about having 7 is trying to cater to the different age groups. It's like I have 2 different sets of kids; the first set, which I practically grew up together with, (my first three, all boys) Then the 2nd half, my daughters and one little feisty boy in the midst. It's quite the sight. Thankfully, I have the help of one little elf to make the kids settle....a little.  Who can help being excited before the birth of the newborn king?  New life is always something to be excited about...just ask my Sis in law, whose baby is on the way! ;0)

Loudly yours,

Alicia

Tradition: Part two: The Advent Wreath

The advent wreath has been one of my favorite traditions.  I had an advent wreath as a child and I am happy to pass it along to my children.  This year, we tried something new and used tea lights in a tea light holder in place of the taper candles we usually use.  They are both beautiful and safe! It is fun to light the candles every night at dinner in anticipation of Christmas.  I also add a devotion from a blue book we get every year from church. It has a relevant story of the day followed by a reading from the bible.  Usually, the kids will get easily distracted, but they have come to settle down now and even the older kids take turns reading from the book.  It is a nice tradition I hope my kids will take with them when they leave the "nest".

Loudly yours,
Alicia

Tradition: part one: The Jesse Tree

Traditions are a favorite here at the Bozza home.  Christmas has to be one of the most traditional holidays there are.  I don't want to bore you all at once, so I am going to post them a couple at a time. Today's installment starts with the Jesse Tree. 

The Jesse Tree is an interactive tribute to the lineage of Jesus from the creation of the world to the birth of Jesus.  Each day has a reading that goes along with a symbol which is hung on the tree each day.  Every day, someone reads the reading and a Bozza kid gets to put the symbol on the tree. Each day is different; for instance, the 10 commandments are pictured at the top of the tree in the picture below. The reading is from Deuteronomy (in the old testament) and tells of how the 10 commandments were given by God.
The tree allows the kids to understand the true meaning of Christmas and see the Family Tree of Jesus.  I took shinky dinks and copied the symbols from a couple of different sites online in a thin permanent marker, then the kids helped me color the symbols.  I added the reading passage numbers, punched a hole in it and popped it in the oven to shrink. The little tree was purchased at a craft store or wholesale garden center. 


I detailed more of how it is done on this page;
http://www.ehow.com/how_4706474_jesse-tree.html
Be sure and see the RESOURCE page as it has the patterns there.


It's not too late to start this new family tradition yourself!

Loudly yours,

Alicia

Another 5 questions...

Hey there!  In a time crunch today, so in order to save time, I am yet again stealing the 5 questions from none other than Amy!

Here they are:

1. Do you open presents on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day?

Depends.  On Christmas Eve, we open our presents from my parents, usually at their home and 

on Christmas Day at our home in the morning, then at Grandpa's in the afternoon.

2. What is your favorite Christmas cookie (or candy)?

I love the cookie cake Christmas cookies that my Sis in law Christina usually makes. They are so yummy!!

3. What’s the worst Christmas gift you’ve ever received?

Probably a grab bag gift of some sort....it was bad enough not to remember.

4. Christmas song that you love?

Oh, my gosh, there are so many....It came upon a midnight clear, Go Tell it on the Mountain, O Holy Night....I can name more, but I will not bore you...

5. How many trees do you put up?

We put up one big one, that has the lights built into it (the best investment, ever!!) and our Jesse Tree, which I will tell you more about in my next entry...hopefully tomorrow~

Loudly yours,

 

Alicia

5 questions....

Here is a fun format I borrowed from my Sister in law, Amy.

1. What’s on the top of your holiday wish list and why?

The thing at the top of my holiday wish list is a flip cam so I could capture the kids and record songs for my Cherubs choir so they could rehearse at home.

2. What is your favorite Christmas gift from the past?

My parents used to be able to find a way to get me most of what I was wishing for at Christmas, so nothing comes to mind as a kid opening  up gifts, but my favorite memory of a Christmas present was the year I started working and could afford to get my family a DVD player with a couple of DVDs.  I think I was more excited to have them open up their gift more than any other gift I have ever opened up, with the exception of my Daughter, Vianne, who was born on Christmas Day.  She was, hands down, my best Christmas gift. :0)

 

3. If you had life to do over, what would you be when you grow up?

If I had life to do over again, I would be a professional singer, singing on Broadway as a young person, then have my family and find a way to blend both my family life and my singing career together.  I am lucky enough to have venues in which to sing on a weekly basis.  Honestly, I did it backwards from what I would have liked.  I have my family and I am singing professionally, but not as big a venue as I'd like, but I am happy just having the chance to share the talent loaned to me from God.

4. When do you put up your tree?

Right after Thanksgiving. It allows us to enjoy the tree longer.  We usually keep it up until our Anniversary in January, in honor of our getting married with the Manger at Church.

5. What is your favorite Holiday?

My favorite holiday is Thanksgiving since it is a time to be grateful, and it is not as stressful as Christmas.  Christmas is a close second, but with all the kids, it can get crazy, so Thanksgiving comes first. :)

 

Loudly yours,

Alicia

More or less.....

The other day, the kids and I took a little detour to peek at a house decorated to the max, similar to the one above.  I had to chuckle at the house next door, which was completely dark, not even a light on in the house. It was ironic, that the one house was over-done and the other empty.  The scene stuck with me and made me think about how sometimes, life is just that way.  

Driving near the street this morning, Vincent asked; "Mom? Why did you laugh at the house that had no decorations?"  I quickly turned down the Christmas tunes playing loudly on the radio, and explained that I was not laughing so much at the house because it had no lights, as to how one was over decorated and the other not.  I told him that maybe the family who lived there did not celebrate, or did not have enough money to pay for all those decorations;  how maybe that family did not like Christmas.  Vianne chimed in...."What!?  Who doesn't like Christmas?!?" I explained to her that they could be Jewish or that Christmas did not bring happy memories to some people...they hate Christmas because it makes them sad.  She was still confused, but I think my answer satisfied her for a second or two.  I told her that she was very lucky to have a family, Grandparents, Aunts & Uncles who loved her...that there are some little girls who don't even have a family.  

Its funny how life sometimes gives us a lot of "decorations" in our lives....how some have what looks like overabundance and others have none.  It would have been nice if the one decorated house on that street shared some lights so they both could shine. It would be a good lesson in sharing....but maybe the house wants to stay dark and I guess that's ok too.  Every house has its purpose, and maybe that house is not lit to let the other one shine. 

Loudly yours,
Alicia