Christmas

Lorie’s List for 12/20/2013

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To get us in the Christmas spirit, this week’s List is made-up of three of my favorite holiday videos. They’re black-and-white stop-animations from the 1950’s, and they’re a bit of a tradition in my hometown. People used to wait for them to come on TV each year and gather around each time they came on. When VCR’s were in every home people would rush to record them and then send the tapes to family members living out-of-town.

Today the station posts the videos on-line each year for everyone to enjoy. I am sharing them with you.

I find Hardrock, Coco, and yes, Joe, absolutely adorable. And if you are anything like the me, you’ll catch yourself humming Suzy Snowflake’s little theme song for days! Enjoy!

If you have any ideas or if you’d like to Guest Write The List, I would love to hear from you! Send me a note here and we’ll get you on the blog!

Merry Christmas Everyone!

 

Lorie’s List for 12/13/2013

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This week I’m only highlighting one story because it tickled me so much. I’ve taken classes and learned sign language on-and-off over the years, then a few years ago I worked with a great graphic designer who happened to be deaf. She was a lot of fun and was really patient teaching me sign language so we communicate.

We talked about work, kids, I even explained the technicalities of music to her once. She told me how frustrating it was attending school events not wanting t,o but occasionally needing her kids to interpret for her. It was a lot of pressure and a lot to ask of a child. Which is part of what makes this little girl so special.

  • This KODA (Kid Of Deaf Adults) Signed Her Christmas Concert for her parents while the rest of the kids in her kindergarten class did all the cute little hand motions they learned. She’s adorable too! No one knew she was planning on interpret the songs for them, which makes it even more special, she just wanted to make sure her Mommy and Daddy enjoyed the show as much as everyone else did. I’m sure they did!

I think the next time they’re looking for someone to interpret for the deaf at a state funeral, they know who to call!

If you have any ideas or if you’d like to Guest Write The List, I would love to hear from you! Send me a note here and we’ll get you on the blog!

Have a great weekend everyone!

 

Share Stories with Your Family this Holiday

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We’re all way too familiar with the tragedy of the last few weeks.  Between devastating storms and heartbreaking violence many of us our coming together at what we traditionally seen as a time of peace and feeling lost. I humbly encourage you to share stories at time like these. Stories help make us feel warm inside, and closer with one another. They can comfort us when we experience loss and prevent us from regretting the stories we didn’t hear.

Like when you wish you would have asked Uncle Bobby to tell you himself about his date with Marlin Monroe instead of hearing about it from his brothers (that my friends is a true story I regretfully will never hear). Or the stories you were too busy to take time to listen to your grandparents tell about what it was like when they were your age. And even, sadly, sometimes the ones you put off listening to your children tell because there are dishes to do or laundry to fold.

So as 2012 comes to a close take a little times with those that you hold dear and share some stories. Listen. Laugh. Cry. Remember. Love.

Have a safe, happy and wonderful holiday filled with amazing stories!

RebeccaChristmasCard

New Year? New Stories! Tell Us Your Stories Tuesday!

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It’s a new year, that can only mean one thing…that you’ve got a LOT of stories about all the crazy, funny, touching and unbelievable things that happened over the holidays! Let’s hear them!

This is YOUR chance to tell us your story. Telling stories is more than entertaining. It’s sharing a part of you with the world. It’s about making connections with other people. Storytelling is about touching another life by sharing your experiences.

I’ve shared a couple of stories so far, and I know people are following along so  it’s your turn again. Tell me a story. It doesn’t have to be long. It doesn’t have to be funny. It doesn’t even have to be good. Just take a few minutes to put thought to keyboard and tell me about something you experienced over the holidays.

Did your parent/kids/in-laws/neighbors/family do something that even YOU can’t believe? Were you surprised by a gift? Did you manage to surprise someone? Did your kids have a great reaction to Santa’s visit? Did you miss someone this holiday season who’s wasn’t there to celebrate with you? Tell us about it!

As with any good endeavor, there are some ground rules.

The Ground Rules:

  1. Be nice! Constructive criticism is fine, but this is strictly a “No Troll Zone”

    Troll free zone.

    Image via Wikipedia

  2. Keep it clean! This site is for folks of all ages, anything not suitable for a PG audience will be removed (sorry, but my kids can read this blog and my 6 year old is a great reader – there are just some things I don’t need her sounding out!).
  3. Keep it fairly short! This isn’t the place to write the next great novel. Let’s see how short stories go before we move into long form writing.
  4. Nothing Copyrighted Please! Please make sure that you’re telling your own story and not someone else’s.
  5. No bashing other people/companies/political parties/ethnic groups/sexual orientation/career choices/physical appearance or ability/musical tastes! Again, this is a “Troll Free Zone” – leave the mean and nasty at the door. It’s one thing to have a funny encounter in a strange situation or a strange encounter in a funny situation. Using your story to insult others is another thing all together.
  6. I reserve the right! This is my blog and my face to the Internets, I reserve the right to change the rules, or remove content that break the rules. Sorry folks, but I’m sure that if you can find someone willing to let you post a story about a liberal Republican that walks with a limp and listens to Yani while sheep herding and why you hate them. I am not that someone, and this is not the place.

Grab your quill and pen. Or your mouse and keyboard. Spend 5 minutes telling us a story. Don’t be shy!

Go ahead – tell me a story!
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I’m on holiday break this week, but wanted to take a moment to wish you all a happy, healthy and magical holiday. I hope that you get to tell your favorite stories, and make a few new ones.

Christmas tree with twinkling lights

May all your lights twinkle bright in 2012

Holiday Memories – Tell Your Story Tuesday

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It’s the most wonderful time of year. Chestnuts are roasting, sleighs are dashing, candles are flickering and dreidels are spinning. People everywhere are filled with memories of holidays past…

And I want to hear about them!

As my regular followers know, I’ve been challenging people to tell me a story on Tuesdays. I haven’t found anyone brave enough to do it…yet…but maybe this is the inspiration they need. Tell me a story about your favorite holiday memories. They can be good, they can be bad. They don’t actually need to be yours! Just tell me a story.

I’ve told a few stories of my own (and a tall tale of sorts), and I’m willing to do it again to get the ball rolling.

Christmas was always a really big deal when I was growing up. A tree with lights and tinsel, and a train running through a snowy village underneath. As a kid I thought it was pretty magical. I guess I still do.

Christmas Eve, chromolithography

Image via Wikipedia

One of the best parts of Christmas was coming back from Christmas Eve services and getting to open one present. My mother would carefully look through what seemed like mountains of presents and to pick out one each for my brother, sister and I. We would carry them out to the living room and sit in front of the tree. While my dad filmed (8 mm back then) or snapped pictures and my mom looked on we would rip into this first taste of the presents to come.

It took years for us to realize that those Christmas Eve presents were always pajamas. Every year. Eventually my mom told us it was because she wanted us to look nice for the pictures Christmas morning. Every year she picked out three sets of holiday themed jammies and wrapped them up for us to open, and wear, on Christmas Eve.

I have to admit. At first, I thought it killed some of the magic. Those first gits we looked so forward to were all for show – and pictures.

Today, I’m the mother of two. At my house we have two post church service traditions. The first is the girls getting to each open one present containing, you guessed it, new PJ’s to wear to bed. (My husband even surprised me with my own new PJs the last couple of years). The girls know all about the pajama conspiracy and look forward to seeing what kind they’re going to get.

The second tradition is sitting down in front of the fireplace, eating a cookie or two, and reading “T’was the Night Before Christmas” while their daddy records video and snaps some pictures before joining us.

And, for a moment, we make our own Christmas Eve magic.

It’s your turn. There are some rules. You can find them, and other vital information here in my original post.

Now…tell me a story…

 

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