Christmas caroling- So much more than just singing!

Tonight was our second annual Christmas caroling night. Last year, I planned it very last minute and there were only a few of us that went. We still had a fun time, though. This year, I thought about it earlier so of course we had more people. We all met at my house and I had mexican hot chocolate and desserts for everyone. Different people brought candy canes, lighted toys for the kids and even hand sanitizer!! Lol. You can never have too much with kids around! Even our church Missionaries came along, Elder Clayton and Elder Green. My Aunt Lucy and her husband Joe joined us. Also, their daughter in law Yvonne and her son, Jr. My cousin Gloria and her son, Isaiah. Her sister, Joanna, and her son, Andres (he's the baby in the bear outfit.) Their mom, Estella (my mom's cousin) also came. My friends from church, Jennifer and Sasha also brought their families. Jenn, her husband Dean and their 2 daughters, Audrey and Gabby. Also, Sasha and her 4 kids, Kai, Hali, Roxi and Daisi. Our neighbor Jeanette brought her 2 kids, Arissa and Madison and Jeanette's grandson, Freddy. They also brought along a friend from school, Mariah. Another cousin of mine, Gloria, stopped by with her husband Leo and their daughter Carina. Me and my 3 boys were here, of course, and Mori and Marquesa joined us after her volleyball practice.

So, after eating and drinking and the kids running around the house and me yelling at my boys to get their stuff together and get outside, and everyone else dropping chocolate brownie crumbs everywhere, lol, we went outside and took this pic.

Our caroling band of misfits! Lol.

We then headed out around the neighborhood, armed with just 3 songs. Last year we had a bunch and I thought that it would be easier to only sing a few. We sang Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer, Jingle Bells and Feliz Navidad. We did try a couple of different songs, but failed! I don't think any of us knew all of the words to Frosty the Snowman!!! Lol. Most of the neighbors seemed grateful. Maybe 1 seemed impatient, but smiled and said thanks. We sang our songs and wished everyone a Merry Christmas or a Feliz Navidad. 

I live in a predominantly Mexican neighborhood and a lot of the original people who built these houses in the 70's are still here. Of course in seeing the older folks, I was reminded of my Grandparents, Nemecio and Sara Munoz. They have both been dead for a few years now, but I still miss them every day. When we came up to the house of one of their best friends, Arcadio and Natalia. Arcadio came outsid and he was so happy to see us. He started touching and hugging the kids. His son and his wife came out with Natalia, who was in a wheelchair. I remember her and my Grandma sitting at our table or at Natalia's table talking about all of their kids, their labors (and who's was longer and harder! Lol,) their jobs, the joys and pains in their lives, etc. They endured so much more than any of us have. I am so grateful to have been around long enough to hear their stories. I cherish them to this day. So, as I'm standing in their driveway singing, I started crying. I was thinking about how much I wished my Grandparents were still her. I was happy to see Arcadio and Natalia still alive and happy. We used to walk over to their house with my Grandma and the boys. They would play on their swing in the front yard. Natalia always had Madeleine cookies for the boys. They LOVED them! It's funny how they always remembered her cookies! One of the boys even asked me tonight if she had any. Lol. So we finished singing and moved on. I got to give them both a hug and wish them a Feliz Navidad. That was definitely the best part of the night. 

Grandma Sara a few years ago around Christmas time. I miss you Grandma!

We moved on and finished caroling around the neighborhood. Mostly everyone went home, except for a few kids that stayed for more hot chocolate and brownies. After they went home, I cleaned up and we started working on homework, dinner, bedtime routine, etc. I don't get on the computer until the kids are all asleep, so it's usually pretty late. Time goes by so fast when I'm sitting here typing away. I have the Christmas lights on and Christmas music playing on Pandora. In writing things down, I'm remembering how much fun we had. I can't sing AT ALL, but I was singing loud tonight! Lol. I'm grateful to all of my friends and family that came out to join us. Before tonight, I was thinking that maybe every year we could carol in a different neighborhood, but after tonight, I want to do it in my own neighborhood. I want to bring Christmas cheer to my neighbors and see the older folks smile. 

I'm trying my best to remember the true meaning of Christmas, which to me means Jesus' birth and remembering his life. It's so much work to have a job, be a mom, take care of the kids and the house, etc. Who really has extra time to be of service to others??? It's work, it takes time and sometimes it isn't that much fun. Well, tonight, it was fun. I felt happy and grateful. I hope that everyone else did, too. Next year, it will be even better. We'll have glow sticks and necklaces for the kids. We'll have a couple more songs to sing. Hopefully, we'll have more people to join us. Maybe we'll hand out candy canes and oranges to the people that we sing to. They used to do that every year during Christmas time. The fire dept. would come around with Santa on a fire truck and he would hand out candy canes and oranges to all of us kids. Those were the good ol' days! 

I'm heading to bed now. I hope that all of you can celebrate our Savior, Jesus Christ, this month. Find something to do in your community. Find someone to serve. Make it fun! I'm already wondering what else we can do to bring smiles to others before Christmas is over with. Any ideas??????

Do you see why I called my blog IF YOU GIVE A MOM A BLOG, kind of like the story IF YOU GIVE A MOUSE A COOKIE. My thoughts lead from one idea to the next to the next, until I finally make it back to my first thought.....but only after telling a long story in between!

Night all!