LoTs Of GooD "CHEER"...(ios!)

"The best of healers is good cheer."
-Pindar


"The best way to cheer yourself up is to try to cheer somebody else up."
-Mark Twain


"Children will not remember you for the material things you provided but for the feeling that you cherished them."
-Richard L. Evans

Here is BEAU in the CHEERIOS box yesterday!
Sharing some GOOD CHEER... (ios)!!!

Jana when she dropped Beau off here yesterday,
A good pic of the two of them.
 I had a balloon blown up and ready for Beau! 

I tried to get Beau to wear the SANTA hat...
but he is not havin it this year!!!
However he was very intrigued when I put it on.
He also learned how to say "HO HO HO" !

My brother Brian came over to share in a morning of
CHEER...and CHEERIOS!

Beau all snuggled in with the Christmas stuff...
Looking CHEERFUL and SMILIN! 

Beau spilled water down the front of himself,
so I had to get out some jammies
while his clothes dried in the dryer!
He looked adorable standing by the tree here,
(after his afternoon nap)
if I do say so myself...
and I'm hardly biased!

Mariah by her tree on Wednesday,
before her dance class.
She was watching the movie ANNIE
so wasn't really into having her picture taken here!

We got to have a sneak peak at Mariah's dance
on Wednesday's lesson...
She is 3rd from the right putting her
 BEST FOOT FORWARD!
She was the only one doing a front brush of her shuffle,
while the rest did a back one!
To me SHE always stands out in the crowd!!!

AHHHHHH....
if this photo doesn't bring CHEER... nothing will!
Nothing like a little DANCING HUG to bring some
HAPPINESS & TAPPINESS!!! 

From HAPPINESS.... TO TAPPINESS....
and straight to WRAPPINESS!!!
Here are some of my gifts all wrapped
and ready for under the tree...
I just added some friends around them,
for the photo shoot!


I have had a couple of fun days. Wednesday I picked up MARIAH for her dance lesson because poor little BEAU was sick and Jana was taking him to the medi clinic.

Mariah was adorable at her dance class, as you can see above, and she is always so animated in her class. To me she really stands out...
not just because she is often a beat behind the rest, but just because she has a little EXTRA!
And the difference between
ORDINARY and EXTRAORDINARY...
is that little EXTRA!

Beau felt so lousy on Wednesday, but it is amazing how fast medication works on small children. He didn't go to daycare yesterday due to his little cold, but he was like a whole new child yesterday from the day before.
He still had a little cough and a stuffy/runny nose... but he was full of CHEER and SPIRIT  when he spent the day here with me yesterday.
He was very gentle with all the nice Christmas stuff, and he enjoyed some of the musical things and CLAPPED along. He also learned to say "HOHOHO"!... He was so cute, and I was reminded how much I have missed him being here for a full day. He turned 16 months old yesterday and has been going to day care since he turned one.

My brother, Brian, popped by and
I made him  a batch of
NUTS & BOLTS
while he hung out with BEAU!
Beau played with the Christmas things a bit, and with Brian...but had the most fun inside a CHEERIOS box!
It is such a reminder to me... that it does not take much to amuze children...
Think of the money we could save if we just wrapped up cereal boxes for them at Christmas!!!!!!!
HEHEHE!

However ... that being said... we have actually got Beau and Mariah MORE than cereal boxes for Christmas!!! And I have their gifts wrapped and ready to put under the tree.
As always GRANDPA BRIAN feels like he is not done shopping... but I think we have plenty for them, as they do get so much at Christmas!
To me it is more about the LOVE they receive... than all the toys and stuff!

I was recalling a TENDER moment from last Chrismas.... I asked Mariah what she wanted
us to give her as a gift.
She wasted no time... put her hands on her hips and said very boldly...
"EVERYTHING!"
I replied to her...
"Oh sweetie, we can't get everything for Christmas, you have to pick only
ONE SPECIAL THING."
She then thought for a moment and said
"I think I would like a picture of
my GREAT GRANDMA MARILOU,
because she is an ANGEL up in Heaven."
Well that moment has played out in my head over and over,
and will always remain as a very
CHERISHED MEMORY!

I have certainly given lots of thought to the meaning of CHRISTMAS lately. I was brought up in a very generous family, as was my husband, Brian. We never went without anything. But the times spent with family and friends  around the holidays are what really stand out most in my memory.
I couldn't tell you about the gifts I received,
but I do remember all the LOVE I got!

I mentioned the Nuts & Bolts and
how they have been a family tradition for years...
and one of the ingredients in them is
CHEERIOS...
They, too, bring me fond memories...
and lots of GOOD CHEER!

Tomorrow my niece ROWEN will be turning 12.
I created a book of memories of her and Mariah together and gave it to Mariah in May on her birthday and will give a copy to Rowen tomorrow, too.
It is called
"The Adventures of RI and RO!"
HAPPY BIRTHDAY SWEET ROWEN!

So on that note...
from Happiness, to Tappiness, to Wrappiness...
Here is my rhyme of the day!

Once again it's that time of year...
When I extend my wish of good cheer.
With all my deeds and words of love,
With help from angels up above.
Although I never really get to see,
I know they're watching over me.
The generations live on and on,
To spread good cheer
when loved ones are gone.
Through traditions and spirit
I spread good cheer,
To keep our hearts warm year after year.