Sooo—I don’t know what your Christmas holiday preparations look like, but here’s a peek at mine—The good, the bad and the ugly. Today has been full of wrapping up of loose ends and daydreaming (creative planning) for future projects. I’ve spent a couple hours scanning historical 100 year old photos for a business client. Then, dropped off a big plate of delicious homemade fudge and Christmas wishes at their office.

 

Home to get ready to apply a second de-stink treatment to our young dog who had a recent run in with a skunk and still stinks! Prep treatment, leave dog to think all is well and there’s no bath on his horizon. Head off up the valley to deliver a children’s workbook to the winner of yesterday’s FaceBook giveaway. Thanks for sharing your Christmas memories! Then, home to catch pup and administer the de-stink bath. Oh, and did I mention my washing machine broke the day after he got sprayed the 1^st time? And the part is on back-order? Well, I’m thankful I have more than one set of clothes-ha!

 

While he marinates for 30 minutes I can’t help but see the humor and absurdity in today’s schedule and thought I’d write about how thankful I am to be alive and be able to experience all these things. This month has also brought the joyous wedding of my son and precious time with my family.

 

There is much to be thankful for.

 

This afternoon will see working on an article and beginning to line out some memoir coaching classes for the new year. I’m also developing some new printables to help you tell your story a bit at a time. My online shop will be up and running soon and you’ll be able to find these in that section as well as gift baskets, journals, workbooks and a variety of other useful and intriguing items.

 

Then—when all is quiet this evening I’ll pet the cat curled up on the couch, start a fire in the fireplace, light some beautiful candles and make a double batch of  Christmas sugar cookies. No, mine won’t look like they belong in a magazine, but they’ll taste just as delicious and my family will enjoy them and relish the tradition.

 

Here’s hoping you find the joy and humor among whatever your holiday preparations bring. Life is a gift!

Karen

Santa brought me an early new toy– a cookbook template I’d love to fill with your favorite recipes, photos and memories surrounding your family gatherings. Graduations, pre-Christmas parties, weddings and friendly pot-lucks are already gearing up early this month and every one of them has wonderful food. Party chit-chat often involves traditional family favorites or new dishes people want to try. We love those treats! Our desire to eat three times a day drives a creative enthusiasm around the topic of delicious food.

 

As you gather with those you love this holiday season collect those recipes and stories or memories surrounding your meals and holiday traditions. Take those scraps and bits and bobs of recipes from Aunt Leta, Grandma and Uncle Joe’s fabulous BBQ sauce and bring them all together in one place. I’d love to craft these together into a one-of-a-kind personalized cookbook for you and your family. What a meaningful, unique gift that everyone will cherish and add to over the years.

 

The first five people to help me test my new cookbook template will receive a 15% discount on their project. Offer expires on 12/15 so get in on the goodies now!

Karen

We love to hear our elders reminisce about holidays. Their memories help tie families together and strengthen bonds. These gatherings  sometimes bring challenges but they sure do stick in our hearts and minds. The topic of holidays is great material for story gathering, especially for the younger generations who’d love to know what your childhood was like. So much changes over the decades, world events, technology, customs — open up the door for a sneak peek into this part of your story. Make sure you add in some of these details as you go through the following questions. You’ll all be glad you did.

 

The book Recording Your Family History  provides some great prompts for recording your childhood holiday memories:

 

 “Think back and describe who would be there

around the table and what it was like for you on that holiday.”

 

Here’s a few questions to start with:

Can you describe in detail one particularly memorable year?

What type of food would you eat?

What was your favorite tradition?

What was it like?

Were there special religious festivities as part of your holiday celebration?

Did you ever receive or give a gift with especially great meaning?

How about now, what do your holidays look like?

Do you still make special recipes handed down in your family?

What holidays have you celebrated that carried forward from your ancestors? Tamales? Lutefisk? Baklava?

 

I’d love to hear about your holiday memories, drop me a line.

Karen

Celebrate Agriculture! Whatever language you say it in, shout it loud this fall. I’ve been crazy busy this week getting ready to celebrate the 100th Anniversary of an irrigation district in southern New Mexico. It’s  fun to be part of telling the story.  I’ve been immersed in great photos old and new of hardworking people building, farming, irrigating and otherwise engaged in the age old struggle to produce food, clothing and shelter. It’s humbling and awe inspiring.

So this harvest season my thanks and appreciation to all who make this happen. Remember your agricultural roots next time you sit down to some enchiladas and pecan pie.

As long as you’re breathing, seize life, choose joy!

We need to be reminded of the power of ordinary conversations and their ability to encourage. This morning I interviewed a colleague at a local business where I do some public information writing. She is professional, friendly and extremely competent. Before today we had only visited on a surface level for a few minutes at a time. But today was different. We sat and just talked. Yes, I was interviewing her for the company newsletter, but I was also just listening to her story. She spoke about resilience, about choosing joy in difficult circumstances, about loving your children and valuing your work and friendships.

Her face lit up when she shared about some of the amazing adventures she’s had that bring a sense of fun and a zest for life that inspires her. She is generous hearted and inspires her adult kids by scuba diving, learning to fly a drone for work, challenging herself with weightlifting training and rescuing abandoned furry friends, giving them a new home.

She spoke of the power of unexpected surprises as God watches out for you. Of all the people who have “got your back” that you weren’t even aware of. Her delight in choosing to live a full and interesting life is contagious. I left our visit inspired to live life more fully, reminded to choose joy and kindness when life is hard.

 

Over the next few days, choose to go a little deeper in the conversations you have with those in your life circle. Make the connection, human to human, you’ll both be the richer for it.

Karen