Did you all have a wonderful Christmas? I hope that you all spent time with your loved ones and shared some love and laughter. That’s exactly what my family did. I haven’t shared this on my blog, but I lost my sweet Daddy a few weeks ago. He had suffered for many years with Alzheimers and his passing was bitter sweet. I am so thankful that he is now in his heavenly home, but we will surely miss him. It was my Daddy that created a family culture of fun and laughter, so that’s exactly the atmosphere that we continued to have this Christmas.
This note from Santa is a great example of the culture that my Daddy helped build in our family. My niece and nephew are teenagers now (14 and 16 yrs. old). Carson, my gorgeous niece, loves to bake and left Santa a plate of cookies before she went to bed on Christmas Eve. This is the note that Santa, whose handwriting strongly resembles my brother’s, left for them on their ‘uneaten’ plate of cookies on Christmas morning. …poor Blitzen!…
This is my pretty sister-in-law holding the ‘Texas sized stocking’ that my Mother prepared for each of us this year. 
Clayton (my nephew), my brother and I got a whoopee cushion in our stocking! My brother and I spoke at my dad’s funeral and both shared stories about my Daddy’s legacy. He could always make people smile. There was a period of time, when my brother and I were in elementary school, that my dad loved to leave a whoopee cushion under the couch cushions and ensure that laughter ensued when the guest took the ‘seat of honor’! I remember my dad having us sit down on the cushion to make sure that we had placed the cushion in the proper position… It was so much fun! He always said that he wanted sneak into church early on Sunday morning and put it under the pastor’s chair cushion behind the pulpit… We could only imagine what a scene that would have caused in our East Texas Baptist church!
I am so thankful for the joyous home that I grew up in! What does your family do to ensure joy in your home? Did you receive a funny gift this year that caused laughter?
I hope that your Christmas was full of all of the things that you love the most! You all bring me joy by reading and sharing the things that I find interesting every day. Thanks for adding to the joy and happiness in my life!
