Christmas Memories

I wanted to take a moment to blog about this Christmas. As I mentioned before, this Christmas is in some ways the end of one tradition, and next year will be the beginning of new traditions. This was G3's 2nd Christmas, and I'll echo a thought a friend said to me last year: "The first one is always memorable, but they definitely get more fun each year." Between G3 systematically removing all the bows from the presents (and placing them on Shelby's head) to his pure elation over a pack of "horsey" stickers, it was definitely a fun morning.

I also need to mention that part of writing/blogging for me is being able to look back and say, "Oh yeah, remember THAT?" There are SO MANY little things I don't want to forget--this is also part of the reason that I take so many pictures. An good example is that a few nights ago I was reading through my old pregnancy blog, and I kept stopping to tell Gabe something or show him a picture. Apparently, we received snow that April, and when I saw the post I had written about that, I totally remembered that day, what I was doing, and how I was feeling. I never would have remembered otherwise. And so by the same token I want to be able to look back and say things like, "Oh yeah, remember on G3's second Christmas he...." So, without further ado, highlights from Christmas 2008...

Food: I think it is safe to say we all ate our weight in cookies and other delicacies. Well, except my mom and Gabe. They have more self-control than the rest of us. It should also be mentioned that G3 had his first lunch at the Kind Cafe (although I think he's been there for coffee with Grammy and Grandad before...) And Gabe and my mom did a bang up job on the Christmas Day meal...

Weather: Despite my worries, the weather did not foil our plans, though it could have. The Christmas Eve "storm" was mostly freezing rain...but that left Gabe at home stuck in the house as the driveway was a sheet of ice. For an extra treat, we were without power. Eventually Gabe managed to get out after calling Kellie to inform us he was in "survival mode". Survival mode apparently forced him to decide to bag work for the day and he ended up arriving at my parents house on Christmas Eve at around 2pm, which was very nice.

Entertainment: As usual, evening television viewing is poor during holidays. On Tuesday night we rented "A Christmas Story" (despite the fact that it would start airing continuously the following day and for the next 48 hours...) Christmas Eve Kellie and I got sucked into shows like "Help! I'm A Hoarder!" and "The 627lb Woman" on TLC. Christmas Day was spent watching a marathon of The Duggars "17 Kids and Counting" (a show which really deserves a blog post all in its own). The entertainment standout of the holiday was, of course, "Marley & Me", the movie that Kellie and I went to see Christmas night. If you've read the book--go see it. If you haven't read the book but you have (or had) a dog...go see it. But a word of warning...TAKE TISSUES!! Kellie and I were both choking back sobs and doing the ugly cry...along with the whole theater. A grown man next to me was wiping his face with a tissue for the last 45 minutes of the movie. It was decided that our Mom would not be allowed to view the movie in public--she would never survive!!

Traditions: This Christmas was true to form in that our traditions of the last few years or so stood solid. Christmas eve around dinnertime, we trekked over to the Bickharts as we've done in many recent years. The next morning we got up, and once the late sleepers (aka Kellie and Gabe) were roused, we headed into the living room to attack the pile of presents which, as my dad said, "Would embarrass most people." Stockings were opened first, and then we moved onto presents, one by one. As usual, my parents' sensitive English setter Shelby could not handle being banned from the room and so she pushed her way through the barricades and joined us by taking up half the couch. After presents were done, my mom and Gabe went to work on the turkey and my grandparents and Aunt Nanci and her boyfriend Dick showed up around 2. Later on, we made a quick visit across the field to the Rice homestead to say Merry Christmas to Erin, Shaddon, their boys, and Tut and Beth. It was a quick visit this year, but its one of my favorite parts of Christmas, and one I will miss when we aren't in Selinsgrove on Christmas Day.

Gifts: Despite the fact that we're in a recession, and despite the fact that Gabe and I didn't exchange and my parents and Kellie and I all agreed we'd "go easy" this year...there were tons of gifts. Add those to the monstrosity of toys G3 received from the other side of the family, and you can see how quickly we've become a branch of Toys R Us. I'm not quite sure how at the age of 17 months my son already has toys being packed away. About half of the toys I am putting away for now--they can be brought out later, as Easter presents, as birthday presents, or just to spice life up if he gets bored with what he has now (is that possible??) In any event, gifts are a fun part of Christmas, and some of the favorites were: Lost Season 4, the Sookie Stackhouse boxset (Lindsay), a rain barrel (Gabe...don't ask), and for G3 a doctor kit, lots of books, a magnadoodle (surprise hit!!), an easel, puzzles, toys, a train table from Grammy H...I could go on and on. His favorite gift? A pack of "horsey" stickers. He was so excited by them he kept hugging them to his chest and crying out in delight, "Horsey!! Horsey!!"

One More Mentionable Event: On the way to see "Marley & Me" Kellie and I realized her windows weren't working (side note...its about 20 degrees out.) After some fiddling, my window cracked, and for unknown reasons I touched it and the whole thing crashed down into the depths of the door. We drove to the movies with freezing cold wind, and packed the contents of Kellie's car into my purse lest it all be stolen. After the movie, we entered the car with tear streaked faces and swollen eyes, half laughing and half crying about "Marley & Me". Somehow, before we even exited the mall parking lot, the entire window-crashing-into-door-frame scenario happened AGAIN with Kellie's side of the car. So we were now forced to drive home 7 miles with wet faces and 2 windows down in 20 degree weather...2 windows down is WAY worse than one!! We arrived at home frozen, with splotchy faces and wild hair. Fun fact? Kellie had to drive to North Carolina the next day, and for some reason we found this hysterical (my dad did not.) The good news is she got her windows fixed and made it to NC by 11pm last night!

So, overall, a wonderful Christmas. Although I'm sad its over (because I LOVE Christmas, in case you didn't get that by now) I am excited for the next holiday, New Years Eve, which we will spend in Avalon, NJ with friends as we have done for the past 8 years or so...another tradition:)