Jeff Blogs

When I was considering going on a diet I carefully calculated the date when I would start. Initially I considered trying to lose weight shortly after baseball season ended last October. I expected that it would take 2-3 months for me to get down to the weight I wanted and that was being aggressive with the amount I would lose each week.

The problem I ran into was that if I started this diet in mid-October I would be on it through the first of the year. This would mean that I would be on a strict meal regime and exercise program through the holiday season. It would mean I would not be able to sneak into the kids’ Halloween candy; I wouldn’t be able to partake in the luscious Thanksgiving feast; and I would miss out on all of the delicious treats that are only available at Christmas.

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I am fascinated with the whole New Year’s holiday. For the life of me I cannot understand why we have decided to celebrate having to go out and buy a new calendar. I know there are other holidays that are just as confusing.

I never have understood how a furry rodent suffering from Sciophobia (a fear of shadows) was able to score not only a cool holiday like Groundhog Day but also a classic movie. And don’t even get me started on Columbus Day where we celebrate men who get lost and don’t stop and ask for directions. Seriously, who comes up with these?

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The holiday season is filled with all kinds of activities. There is of course the outside decorations, the Christmas tree, and of course the Nativity display. Each of these build towards the magic of the season.

Shortly after finishing the decorating, Trina will make a batch of her wonderful hot chocolate and we will stand back and observe all of the work. It is a wonderful time that fills your heart with joy and happiness.

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Christmas has always been special. From the giant stocking I gave Trina when we began dating to getting engaged, this time of year holds a special place in our hearts. Shortly after we began having children I decided our decorations were missing something.

The first Christmas after our second daughter was born I decided what we really needed was a train to go around the Christmas tree. I had always wanted a model train and this seemed to give me the perfect excuse.

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When I was a young boy, one of the chores I looked forward to every year was to go over to my grandparents’ house and help them with their Christmas decorations. My grandparents, especially my grandfather, were like a little kid when it came to Christmas.

His goal was to have the best and most decorated house in the neighborhood. It was not that he had a lot of decorations, it was the meaning he put into the decorations. His decorations started to get a little out of hand and grandma would have to reel him back in.

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