Thanksgiving's "Facebook Wall"

One of my favorite commercials shows an elderly lady with her "Facebook wall" covered with printed photographs. She obviously doesn't "get" technology. And at one point says she's going to "unfriend" another lady who tells her "that's not how it really works."

While it's a funny example of how technology can be misunderstood, this commercial also makes me wonder about our "paperless" future. Instead of pouring over photo albums, like I used to do with my grandmother, our family records are being replaced with digital images on computers and smart phones. This method does quickly streamline and organize photos, but there's still something special about sharing our recorded history with printed photos.

Thanksgiving can be the perfect time to connect families through actual photographs. One of my nieces thought of a brilliant plan to make this happen! She's gathering printed photos from each family in the Baker clan. This should be a lot of photos from this large family, which includes my husband's mother, five siblings, their spouses, and 13 grandchildren (a Baker's dozen!) My niece plans to display a collage of these family photos on Thanksgiving day.
Gathering at our family's large cabin in the woods is a happy - and loud - holiday tradition. And this year, we'll enjoy reminiscing and laughing at past good times at the family's camp. We've all watched the property grow from a circle of tents to a large cabin surrounded by a pond, garden and orchard. And this Thanksgiving, we can also see how our children have grown and changed at this special retreat.
It's an easy tradition that you can also create. All you need is a few photos stuck on a fake "Facebook wall." Then enjoy the fun of sharing actual family photos over the Thanksgiving holidays!

Halloween Candy Leftovers?

Besides devouring it, what should you do with extra Halloween candy? 

Halloween Candy Leftovers by lgb321 featuring gift packs

Freeze it! Frozen chocolate is great, plus you'll eat it slower. Divide it! Put a few candies in ziploc bags, then slowly give it out as small treats or in lunch bags. Re-gift it! Children and adults would love receiving candy and a gift card as birthday gifts. Bake it! Use melted chocolate in cupcakes and crush hard candies to use as sprinkles. Donate it! Many drugstores accept leftover candy to donate later. Or you can bag it all up and take to homeless shelters, soup kitchens, hospitals, or nursing homes. (And, of course, always throw away any home baked goodies or candy in opened wrappers.) It'll take some willpower, but these ideas should help save a few calories as we go into the holiday season!

Closet Confidence

Creating a new fashion look can be a real challenge. Recently, I've tried to update my wardrobe with some new accessories. And I've learned new "trends" (fun but not always age appropriate) on the Polyvore website. It's allowed me to be creative and think of new ways to use the clothes I already own.

But sometimes I feel like I'm in a "fashion rut" and have been looking for ideas to improve my wardrobe.

Here are a few tips I recently saw on Redbook online:

1. Look in the mirror. Think about how you want to present yourself and how you can update your look. Maybe add some new colors or accessories.

2. Clean out your closet. Clearing clutter lets you assess what you need - and appreciate what you own!

3. Find a fashion mentor. Ask friends about their fashion ideas. Go shopping with friends or family, but if you're alone ask for ideas and advice from a store clerk.

4. Experiment. Step outside your wardrobe "safety zone." Some new things might work and others might fail miserably. But you will find new elements to make your own style.

5. Don't give up. And if you don't love it, leave it! Take back that new shirt if it doesn't look totally right when you get home. As your new look develops, you'll gradually see the clothes and makeup that are better for you. Develop your look and build your confidence!

In future Delight in the Sunlight posts, I'll be adding a few new "outfits" from my "Polyvore closet." It's become a fun hobby that challenges my design skills and fashion ideas. Plus, I get to see outfits created by other women (and some men) from around the world.

Of course, fashion can make you feel good about yourself, but true beauty comes from the inside out. I need to remind myself that fashion and makeup can take me only so far!

"Charm can lie, beauty can vanish, but a woman who fears the Lord should be praised." - Proverbs 31:30

"The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart." - 1 Samuel 16:76