So, I am sitting here, not feeling very good, my house is not picked up and my daughter is napping, still in her pajamas...with no energy to really care right now. I decided to do some blogging and catch up with my family and friends.
Maybe it is the season...that I love so much...but I am feeling a bit lonely. This time of year is for families to be together, right. Although I am thrilled to start my own family traditions with my little family of three, I am really missing my sisters and brother. And my parents, of course. I have been reading their blogs and emails and just reflecting on our Christmases past. Growing up, we traveled a lot, in the military and my best friends were my sisters.
Let me just share with you some of my favorite Christmas memories. I wish we could all be together every year for the holidays. (I know what you are thinking, Mom...I shouldn't have moved away, I put this on myself)
1) Sledding down the hill in our backyard in Massachussetts. Then building a snowman together.
2) Rolling down the large hill in Maine on our trips to see relatives.
3) Making gingerbread houses and stealing a bite of candy when mom would look away.
4) Waking up in the middle of the night (potty break), in Belgium and swearing that I heard Santa putting gifts under the tree.
5) Putting our shoes out on the night of the 5th of December, in Belgium, to be filled with treats.
6) Wearing our Candy Cane striped pajamas, that all matched.
7) Going to see the Big Star (I mean like the size of a house) in the Piazza in Verona, Italy.
8) One of my favorites...Making our homemade "secret sibling" gifts. We all wanted to give to our little brother once he was born. Or better yet, we all wanted to receive from little brother, it was often a sweatshirt that said, "I am the big sister of EJ", with some darling hand prints, usually in the most inappropriate position on the shirt.
9) Acting out the Christmas Story on Christmas Eve with the newest baby in the family playing the part of our Savior.
10) Eating Clam Chowder for Christmas Eve dinner.
11) Exchanging our "secret sibling" gifts after Christmas Eve dinner. These used to be called "secret sister" gifts, until the boy was born. Love that boy! By the way, the tradition continues!
12) Waking up Christmas morning, having to make our beds and then go into the kitchen for breakfast. Always a holiday treat...Mom's deliciously homemade cinnamon rolls and hot cocoa. If the tree was in view of our breakfast table, Santa would drape a sheet over the door so we could not peek.
13) Seeing our Santa gift layed out in front of our stockings, filled and neatly positioned on the couch in order of age of children.
14) The many years that Mom and Dad surprised us with a great family activities as one of our gifts in the stocking. My favorite, a sleigh ride in Sun Valley.
15) Being with my beautiful sisters and brother, and sharing each memory with them. Thanks Mom and Dad for making my childhood memorable and almost a FANTASY!
Merry Christmas to all those I have met, loved and shared a memory with. Its time to make my children's lives a memory they will never forget...if not a fantasy.
10 comments:
Some of those made me quite nostalgic, but it is funny we remember a few things a little differently, I wonder if it was age and things changed. Great list of memories/
That was wonderful to read. Thanks for sharing such special things. It is definitely hard to be away from family this time of year, especially when your fondest Christmas memories are with those special special people.
I thought I had heard all the stories at least 6 times each, but there some new memories and stories you haven't mentioned in detail. Great post.
Good times. We really did have some great traditions growing up. Mom and dad know how to make holidays wonderful. I try to think up my own traditions to start for my family and I just want to do everything the same the way I was raised because it was so great and so much fun! What a fun post to read, Paula. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks so much for sharing Paula, this post almost made me cry because I have been thinking about how different holidays will be for Carson and I next year when we move away for Dental school. It will be fun to start our own traditions, but I will miss being with our families. Thanks for the reminder to make every moment count. Make ever memory special. And never take it for granted.
Sorry to hear you are lonely and homesick. We're going to miss you at Christmas. However, this is a great post. Brought back some good memories for all of us. Hang in there!
Paula this post is from your Mom. I am on Alicia's computer. Wow, I'm thrilled that you have such good memories. It brought back a lot of happy thoughts as I read your memories. By the way, you did go sledding, but if I remember correctly it was down Alexander's driveway into the street. It was a steep driveway, lots of fun and I was scared that a car would come along and hit one of you, but you were all safe and sound. The sleigh ride was fun, if I remember it was lots of fun. Thanks for taking me back in time from a child's perspective. (I know you are an adult, but the memories are from a cute little blond who looks/looked at the world through rose colored glasses.) Great post.
I know it is hard to be away from family-especially around the holidays. You are awesome. I think your little girly is super cute in her big red dress.
This is a great post. Kia is so cute. You must be very proud. However, she and Rianne both have very interesting morning hairdos. I will have to take a picture sometime so you can see.
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