This year I made up some cocoa for friends and also the people that work for my dh. I was all set out to make some homemade cocoa. I had all the stuff in my cart and the items were already adding up to over $25.00. That powdered milk ain't cheap, and have you seen the price of cocoa, $5.00 a can here. So I decided to doctor up my own concoction. I call it Merry Minty Christmas Cocoa.

So here is what I did. I bought a few cans of the store brand regular cocoa mix w/o marshmallows. They were 2 for $3.00 and I was making 5 gift recipes. Then I bought bagged mini marshmallows and some Andes Mint (baking) peices. I also had some Peppermint baking bits left over in my pantry. So I mixed 2 cups cocoa mix with 1 cup mint bits. (I did some jars in peppermint and others in andes mints.) I added in 1 cup of marshmallows and about 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper. (This will not make it too hot for the kids.) I mixed it up just by stirring it up and then put it in decorated jars. You could layer it, but it will require the person making the cocoa to dig. I also mixed us up some for ourselves.

I put a gift tag on it giving the directions. Use 3-4 T per 8 oz boiling water. I add some extra marshmallows and to my own cup just a pinch of cayenne. Of course I like whipped cream and chocolate syrup on mine as well. If you never tried cayenne in your hot chocolate it is wonderful especially with the mint. (But just a little....)

Dh and I were talking the other day about the Christmas season in general. You know what I love most about it?

During this time of year and over the whole month of December -Christ and the gospel message is lifted up. More than any other time of year-around the whole world the message of God's perfect gift is told and retold. More people hear about Christ during the Christmas season than any other time of year.

People are more giving to others than any other time of the year. (Even myself).

People call and write other people more than any other time of the year. (Me too).

Charities and companies and individuals give to others especially to those in need more than any other time of the year! (Yup me again.)

In fact I blogged earlier this year about Samaritan's Purse being aloud to take gifts into North Korea this year! God is good! Doors have been opened that have been closed for too long!

Yes, the Holiday has been commercialized alot, but we just have to remember that God's plans still prevail! In the midst of the commercialism and all the other things that tend to get us down about the season, we need to keep our eyes focused on Him and His goals.....Getting the message of Hope -and forgiveness -out to a lost and dying world that needs so badly to know HIM!

For this Christmas we decided to treat the kids to a Polar Express type night. Only this is called the Christmas Express. The the kids wore their pajamas, we had cookies, and snacks, cocoa and cider. We got to meet the conductor, see Santa and each of the kids got an ornament gift from him. 

We had a great time. And it was a great experience. The trip is 11 miles and lasts 90 minutes. The tracks follow the river in Knoxville so there is plenty of good scenery to see at dusk along with a beautiful sunset. The return trip was pretty dark and it was great fun to hang out in the outside car, and feel the nip of the cool air.

The ride was much more rocky than I thought it would be. Here is something really cool I learned about this train. It is called Lindy. The three coach cars (we were in) were built in 1932-33 for us along the Reading line in Pennslyvania.The metal Caboose -Desire was buit in 1950.  The open air car we are pictured in several times was built in 1940 as a flatbed to haul freight before adding walls and benches.

I was just thinking today about all the things we do to prepare for the season and celebration of Christmas. These things involve decorating our homes, decorating trees, setting out nativity scenes, making advent wreaths and calendars, baking, our pagents and works of charity. But it reminded me of the fact that as Christians we are celebrating God's wonderful Gift-of sending us Jesus our Savior. (What He did for us.) But we also have much more to celebrate. (What He is going to do for us in the future.) He promised that He would come back again to receive us.  He will return for all those who are longing to see him and have placed their trust in Him.

His promises to us:

He is preparing a place for us:

John 14:1 Do not let your heart be troubled; ^]believe in God, believe also in Me.

"In My Father's house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for ⁾I go to prepare a place for you. "If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that ⁾where I am, there you may be also.

He will return to gather us.

1 Thesalonians 4:16 For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage each other with these words.

We also now prepare for His 2nd coming by being the holy people he has called us to be, and helping to spread the gospel which will result in the salvation of others.

2 Peter 3:8  But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.

 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare. Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming. That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat. But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness.

 So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him. Bear in mind that our Lord's patience means salvation, just as our dear brother Paul also wrote you with the wisdom that God gave him.

So we managed to get our Chrismas Tree up and decorated today. I also got my breakfast bar and eat in kitchen table decorated. It was great to listen to some Christmas music. O changed my blog tunes to more Christmasy type tunes. My friend Candace had some great picks on her Fine Tunes that I went searching for as well. O Tanenbaum by Nat King Cole.

And if you like The Monkeys -you have got to check out Riu Riu Chiu.

And I just love Elvis and Dolly Parton's Christmas albums.

So tomorrow I will focus on the dining room and entry way. Dh will probably hang some garland for me.

I love this song and the lyrics are so fitting especially during this season of Thanksgiving.

Give thanks with a grateful heart
Give thanks unto the Holy One
Give thanks because He's given Jesus Christ, His Son (repeat)

And now let the weak say, 'I am strong'
Let the poor say, 'I am rich
Because of what the Lord has done for us' (repeat)

Give thanks

We have been reading and studying about the Pilgrims all month. They endured many hardships. Many their main goal was religious freedom and a better future for their children. We read about some that even left their children behind with relatives or friends until they could get established.

I can only imagine how hard that must of been. This is a poem we came across, the children liked it and I thought I would share it.

Pilgrim Poem

 The Pilgrims came across the sea,

and never thought of you and me;

and yet it's very strange the way

we think of them Thanksgiving day.

We tell their story, old and true

of how they sailed the ocean blue,

and found a new land to be free

and built their homes quite near the sea.

Every child knows well the tale

of how they bravely turned the sail

and journeyed many a day and night,

to worship God as they thought right.

Author Unknown