1. I have a funky nativity scene that my friend Susan gave me about 8 years ago. It is pretty strange-looking - I don't know if I actually like it but I always put it up each year and it has become a family tradition, so I guess I like it just for that reason. It is a bit miraculous since it has actually survived this long - it's made by Mikasa and is fine china. Not a good construction for life in this house!
2. I buy Katie a nutcracker every year. When we had our first Christmas as married folks, we had nothing to decorate with. I thought it would be cool for her to have a collection to take with her when she gets a home. I try to find one that defines her for that year. This year's is a fairy, but don't tell her because she hasn't gotten it yet!
3. Rick buys me a Hallmark ornament every year but my favorite (of all 12 - he hasn't missed a year) is the first one he gave me. It has 2 squirrels roasting acorns over a flickering fire. The boy squirrel is burning his acorn because he's not paying attention to it - he's too busy mooning over the girl squirrel!
4. Last year I set up the tree in the kitchen to protect it from Micah. This year, it's back in the living room but there are only about 25 ornaments on it to save my sanity! So far, it's still standing. Knock on wood!
5. My mother in law (who is wonderful in every other way) makes a strawberry jello frozen salad-type-thing every year at Thanksgiving and Christmas that the whole family loves. I finally got the courage this year to tell her I don't like it. We had a good laugh about that. It was just too hard to keep up the act! 12 years is a long time! One great thing, though - my mother in law gave me a Christmas journal the first year we were married. It has a place for a family picture and lines to write in what we did that year, who we spent time with and what special gifts we got. I love it and have updated it every single year.
6. My mom makes some things I don't like either, but my favorite cookie that she made when I was younger and that I make now is the little oatmeal balls rolled in powdered sugar. They always taste a bit better when mom makes them, though. My favorite Christmas gift from my dad was a stuffed raccoon, named Racky, which he gave me when I was only 6 or 7 or 8. He said he picked it out and it had a place of honor in my bed for a long time. Wait, that's 2 facts. Sorry. Just had to get that one in.
7. When we were littler, my mom had a funny igloo with penguins that went with it. She always set it in the bay window at Christmas time. Unfortunately, the igloo was made of styrofoam and the penguins had sharp beaks and we pecked the igloo to death. It was too iresistable to jab those beaks into the styrofoam. I still miss that igloo.
8. We also had a great advent calendar that my bratty little brother asked for when mom and dad moved a few years ago. I started making one in about 1998 - it's not moving too quickly. When I'm at my brother's house this Christmas, I will probably steal that advent calendar if I see it out.
9. I do love my family and Rick's family. Being with all of them at the same time is fun but it gives me a stomachache most years. I think it's the rowdiness, combined with close quarters, sitting too long and too much to eat. I wouldn't trade the time but I am prepared for the cramps. Does that happen to anyone else?
10. I don't pretend that all the gifts come from Santa. Maybe I'm just selfish, but I want my kids to think Mom is cool too.
11. Rick is slowly recovering from his Grinch-er-osity. This condition resulted after working in retail jewelry for 9 consecutive Christmases. He doesn't ever Christmas shop with me but I really don't mind. I actually prefer shopping alone (or with kids if I have lots of snacks.) I think that makes me a bit of a freak!
12. I don't really care about having a white Christmas. It would be fun to see my kids play in snow but I don't care when that happens. I live in the south for a good reason and I am not envious of you snow-covered, freezing-in-your-beds, wearing-puffy-coats-just-to-check-the-mail northerners. Ya'll hear that? But merry Christmas all the same!
Fact #7 really made me laugh as I typed it out. I bet my brothers remember that igloo.
You might not have wanted to know about #9. But it's a fact!
Okay. Now I tag Brenda, Philip (since you don't have anything else to do this week!) and Heather M (not Heather Jo - like you are going to update your blog any time soon! You might have gotten this done by next Christmas!)
1 comment:
Cool! Now I get what you were talking about at breakfast! I'll have this done within the week! I figure I can post some of my Christmas recipes with it. This is already bringing back fun memories :-)
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