Happy Kwanzaa

Today is the second day of Kwanzaa! http://www.officialkwanzaawebsite.org/index.shtml

Photo of my kinara

NGUZO SABA (The Seven Principles)

December 26- Umoja (Unity) To strive for and maintain unity in the family, community, nation and race.

December 27- Kujichagulia (Self-Determination) To define ourselves, name ourselves, create for ourselves and speak for ourselves.

December 28th- Ujima (Collective Work and Responsibility) To build and maintain our community together and make our brother's and sister's problems our problems and to solve them together.

December 29th- Ujamaa (Cooperative Economics) To build and maintain our own stores, shops and other businesses and to profit from them together.

December 30th- Nia (Purpose) To make our collective vocation the building and developing of our community in order to restore our people to their traditional greatness.

December 31st- Kuumba (Creativity) To do always as much as we can, in the way we can, in order to leave our community more beautiful and beneficial than we inherited it.

January 1st- Imani (Faith) To believe with all our heart in our people, our parents, our teachers, our leaders and the righteousness and victory of our struggle.

by­ Maulana Karenga

Pre-Holiday Updates

Christmas is almost here and as you can imagine, things are quite busy here! So far I've gotten most of my holiday chores out of the way, the only things left to do are bake my gazillion dozen cookies from scratch and wrap gifts. Gift wrapping will take place tomorrow, that way if I've forgotten anyone, I can make a mad dash to the store and then I'll do the baking on Christmas Eve like always!

This year will be Donovan's last Christmas as an only child, so I decided to make it a little extra special for him! I bought him a 3 1/2 foot tree for his room and let him decorate it and I let him help me with the big tree, too. I must say he was a very good helper! Since he's been a good boy, I think Santa will deliver everything he asked for this year!

Check out my big boy in front of our tree! This photo was taken last Saturday on my attempt to get him to visit with Santa...let's just say it DID NOT go very well! Donovan talked on and on about Santa so I planned to take him Sunday. We were at the mall Saturday and he kept asking to see Santa, I told him we would go the next day while we were shopping at the other mall. Sunday morning came and I got up bright and early and washed his clothes so he'd have something to wear and despite the fact that it snowed, we headed out to see Santa. As we were walking through the mall, Santa passed us on his break and Donovan just looked at him. We went on to the line and were the first ones! I explained to Donovan that he would have to take off his coat and smile nicely for Santa. Santa came back and the tears started flowing..."I don't wanna see Santa Claus, I don't wanna see Santa Claus"! I tried to walk him near Santa in hopes that he'd change his mind but he wasn't having it at all! He wouldn't look at Santa or tell him what he wanted for Christmas, he wouldn't even say thank you when Santa handed him a coloring book. He looked up at me and pointed to the gifts that were part of the decorations as if trying to let me know he wanted one. I told him that they were only for kids that had their photo taken with Santa and then marched his little butt right out! Oh he cried as we walked the mall and of coures all of the shoppers gave him the sympathy look. I just knew I was going to get a nice Santa photo this year, but nope and to think I went out in the snow!

Yes, that's a popsicle in his hand in the middle of December!!

A few close-up pics of the tree!

Can you believe that the year is almost over? If I don't chat with you before the holiday, I hope you and your family have a happy and safe holiday! Look up, you're under the mistletoe...MUAH!!