Glittered-Glam at the Cambridge Christian Academy

Our good friend S.Elf has been hard at it the last couple of weeks getting the halls of the Cambridge Christian Academy in Keller, Texas ready for the Big Birthday observation!

What?  You thought elves didn't celebrate Christ's birthday?  Ours does.  If you'd like to dispute, you're welcome to, but it's only fair to warn you that our elf-friend is over six feet tall and if you give her trouble over her Christmas-activity, she's likely to get miffed and sparkle you!

Getting sparkled isn't so bad unless her miff-meter gets into the red zone.  Thennnn the sparkling also may include shrinkage.  In that event, you might find yourself being a Christmas ornament, hanging on a tree somewhere until she calms down and decides to release you.  She's hard pressed to make that decision because the kids do so love the rude-people-ornaments looking surprised amongst the other baubles on the tree.  Sometimes they even take them down and play with them.  That usually doesn't turn out well.  Just sayin' it doesn't pay to be a rude-Scrooge when S.Elf is doing what she enjoys the most.  My advice is stay out of her way when she's spreading Christmas cheer.

When S.Elf's not busy at the job that actually pays her money, she's busy with her volunteer job as a Christmas Interior Decorator for special folks.  Most of the deco is provided by S.Elf herself.  (I think that came out cute, don't you?)

Special folks are kids, of course!  When she described this year's motif, I asked her to please send me photos via email, which she managed to do, and it was no small feat.  S.Elf is somewhat techno-challenged but she pulled it off with determination and therefore, I'm privileged to post some of them here for you, so you can have at least a glimpse of what the kids at the Academy are enjoying during their buildup to the big celebration day.

This year S.Elf employed the help of another volunteer from work, Amy, her elf-in-training.  Between the two of them, and a few extra sets of helping-hands, this year's winter-wonderland (I use that description loosely because ARE in Texas, after all) had a feature-face lift, and it turned out great!

Something I much admire about S.Elf is her giving attitude.  It doesn't stop after the holidays.  She's always busy doing special things for others throughout the year.  She makes newcomers feel welcome in the office mix.  She ensures peeps on specialized diets are covered with items they can eat at office parties.  She'll take the time to teach someone interested in learning the art of crocheting, or looming or any of those other talents in artistic creativity she's been blessed with.


It pays to have friends like S.Elf, and not because she can do things for you.  Its because being around her can pretty much guarantee you a smile if you're willing to feel the cheer and wear one.

On a side note, S.Elf  speaks blonde fluently and is very good with directions, at least for "most" blondes. (I'll leave out names, but some of us are more blonde than others.  Thankfully, there are GPS apps on most mobile phones these days.  I use mine frequently.)

S.Elf is great to teach the kids how to make their own holiday decorations out of simple things most of them can find in their homes every day.  However, when she told me she was making snowflakes out of coffee filters, I nearly choked!  If filters are covered in glitter and filled with holes, how will anyone be able to make coffee with them???

S.Elf has assured me the U.S. isn't likely to run out of coffee filters any time soon.  But, for a few moments I was in a near panic with images of children all over the world cutting up this precious commodity which is often a necessary item in making one of my two favorite libations (the other being Monster Blue) when I'm away from home, and for which I have absolutely no addictive tendencies. 

If they ran out of coffee filters, what might they request to make use of  next?  What if they got it in their little creative minds to ask me to donate my winter flannel lounge pants with snowflakes and snowmen print that I sleep in and inherited from my dad!  Kids DO those sorts of things!

Yes, for a few moments I envisioned myself in a stand-off with a bunch of children at my bedroom door demanding that I hand over my goods so they could cut them up for next year's winter project.  See?  Yet another reason all coffee sippers should invest in a Keurig!  You'll never have to worry about running out of filters to make your favorite bean brew.

In fact, if you prefer to do the roast-and-grind-your-own thing (which I would if I could find the time for it), Keurigs even come with a handy-dandy reusable filter for just that purpose.  See?  Keurig's got you covered!

I was happy when I noticed my boy Rudolph, the former underdog-reindeer didn't get neglected in the festivities.  If you'll notice, he's in the lower right quad of the Flight School board, and even has his own special muffler to match that luminescent nose of his.  I always was one to appreciate individuality.

If your little one is in the DFW area and is attending the Cambridge Christian Academy, they're part of a lucky group who'll be getting to enjoy S.Elf and Amy's enthusiastic and creative talents.

And, while I was editing the photos for re-size, I was reminded of some truly magnificent memories of my own childhood Christmas decorating events.  In my family it really was an event, and for my sister's family it still is.  That's one of the many reasons I tend to have critical bouts of homesickness this time of year.

Luckily I'm surrounded by loving folks who help take the edge off of the holiday blues that sometimes threatens to knock the cheer right outta me.  My thanks to them for that, because I truly hate feeling dreary!

If you happen to spot that other elf, you know, the fat one in the red suit with the big bag over his shoulder who's constantly stuffing himself with cookies and milk?  Please put in a good word for S.Elf and Amy by letting the big guy know they've done a great job this year and should be commended for it!

Gotta run for now, so my thanks to you for stopping by and having a read with your coffee, or whatever it is you might be sipping while you browse.  Maybe eggnog?

Hmmm .... eggnog flavored coffee .... hmmmmmmm ......

Gotta go!!!!

God bless, see you next time and don't forget to thank a veteran should you happen to pass by one today!

As always, comments are welcome!

femme