Christmas Memories

Some of my favorite holiday memories of 2009
We loved the delight on Max's face when he saw Santa's presents--he gripped his broom, yes broom, and took his Elmo slippers to his Papa to put on him and refused to open any other presents for a while. (As I type this, he just walked by me sweeping his broom along the floor!)

All of Max's grandparents and his great-grandmother were here bright and early Christmas morning to see the excitement.

Making Christmas cookies was fun with all the grandmas. Max pat-a-caked the dough but didn't seem to care much for the baked cookies. The icing, on the other hand, was an entirely different thing.

Snow pelted the mid-section of the U.S. and we received enough to have a white Christmas. Although not everyone was able to make it though the storm, we hosted 20 family members in our home.

Playing Dirty Santa is always entertaining with my family. Plus, I lovelovelove my present of pottery this year! Garrett received the re-gifted, unopened Elvis dvd. I have a feeling we'll see that in the game again next year.

A local artist created two pastels of Max, which we gave to our parents for Christmas. Although completely unexpected, I think they both liked them immensely.

The office had a fun luncheon where we exchanged gifts and ate yummy food. They tolerated playing a Christmas trivia game. It's great to work with such nice people.

I'd never before chosen donated to the Angel Tree. While I was checking out at Walmart, my basket filled to the brim, I looked over my son's head at the tree, still filled with angels--someone's baby. I saw a child walking around the tree, looking at tags, and wondered if he searched for his name. He seemed satisfied and left. After dropping off our supplies at home and retrieving my husband, we all returned. On Christmas day, I kept wondering about our little Christmas angel and hoped she enjoyed her gifts. I definitely plan to do that again.

G, Max, and I built a snowman in the backyard. Max gleefully ran through the yard. Only when he landed on a patch of ice and couldn't get up did we realize he'd lost his right shoe. I followed his tracks in the snow--one Nike tread, one socked footprint--and discovered he'd lost it at the site of the snowman. His little foot was so cold, but he was having so much fun he cried when we brought him inside to warm him.

Seeing the Christmas lights in Branson with my parents as well as with Max who managed to stay awake in the car long enough to enjoy both viewings.

In all the hubbub of the holiday, Garrett and I forgot to open our stockings or presents from each other. When everyone else was asleep that night, we remembered and raced into the den to retrieve our gifts. We rushed back to the bedroom and opened them. It was a quiet, cozy end to a busy day.