Tumbleflump Dancing-Baubles

Hello Friends!

I hope everyone has been staying safe and warm!

These past few days have been such a blessing and I want to fill you in on some of the special moments this holiday season has brought me.

On Tuesday, December 22nd my mom and I set out for some last minute shopping for the girls of the Berea Children's Home. We purchased DVD's, pajama pants, hairbrushes, headbands, chapstick, body spray, scarves, gloves, some candy and a partridge in a pear tree (kidding about the partridge of course!). We brought it all back home and added it to our collection of tote bags, fleece blankets, manicure sets and Bath and Body Works hand sanitizer and began assembling the gifts. They turned out really cute and I was excited to give them to their deserving owners the next day!

(I am a fashion disaster in this photo, please do not hold that against me.)

So, on Wednesday my mom and I hopped into the car and made the hour and fifteen minute trip up to Berea to drop off our eight little gifts. I met with the girls and explained to them that I was Miss Greater Cleveland, a little detail that gave way to millions of questions. We spoke for awhile and then I distributed the packages. They were all so grateful and excited and I promised that I would visit soon and we would have lunch and next time I would bring my crown!

Christmas Eve was spent with my family watching the traditional, The Christmas Story, along with some other holiday movies. A few hours later it seemed, we were exchanging our presents and then heading to the place we have been going for about 12 years, The Brown Derby Roadhouse. Since I was nine years old my parents, brother, and occasionally aunt and uncle have been making our way to the banquet room of this local restaurant. There we serve the less fortunate a hot Christmas meal that includes turkey, mashed potatoes, dessert, and a plethora of side dishes. The opportunity to enrich others lives on such an important day has really shaped my life and helped me realize the importance of community service and, more importantly, it has taught me generosity and love. The family that owns the restaurant donates all the food that is used to serve the hundreds of people that come through the door. The volunteers donate their time that they could be spending with family and friends. The individuals that are perhaps down on their luck, without a family, or in need of meal bless everyone that is helping with gratitude and appreciation. The day is a beautiful mixture of thanks and benevolence, there are people who are genuinely thankful for what they are receiving and people who are happy to be able to give. My family and I finished up our day and came home to leftovers and more movies, a perfect Christmas day.

Since then I have been enjoying time with my family and bracing myself for my next semester at school. I have also been teaching snowboard lessons at my local ski resort and practicing driving in the snow (I have SO not mastered this skill yet so if any of you have any tips please fill me in!).

I hope all of you had a wonderful holiday and I will be sure to update soon!

P.S. The title of this blog is the name a Christmas elf name generator created for me. You can now call me Tumbleflump.