Mama Likes to Jitterbug

Way Back Wedsnesday: Gifts of Christmases Past

Today while I was up in the attic putting away decorations, I decided to pull out some of my mom's old photo albums to see if I could find evidence of Christmas gifts from Christmases past.  It's been bugging me that I couldn't remember more than the green stove and brass bed.  I uncovered some great memories.

This photo was taken just before I turned two and my brother turned one.  Obviously I don't remember receiving that little record player (it's the toy by my feet), but I do remember playing with it later on.  It had its own special plastic records that played music.  A vintage iPod.  LOL!

 

Here we are with my mom and our new trikes.  This must have been our house in Temple, before we moved to Houston the next year.

   

This picture is from the Christmas before I turned three and my brother turned two.  I *think* I remember that writing table.  DEFINITELY remember the plastic polka-dotted toy box that you can barely see on the left-hand side.

 

These next pictures are from the Christmas just before I turned four, maybe five.  There are no dates on the back of the photo.  This is the first Christmas that I really remember.  In fact, it was very surreal seeing this photo.  I can totally picture walking into the living room that morning and all of my presents set up exactly like they are in this picture.  I LOVED that Snow White and The Seven Dwarfs mirror and the portable doll house.

 Guess we know where Grace gets her vanity.  LOL!

  

Finally, here's the green stove that my Aunt Jay (yes, Aunt) made for me. 

 

One of these in every color, please!

Grace spotted these shoes at Nordstrom's (I could spend an entire paycheck in their kid's department.  And not that hard to do.  Adorably blingy outfits that are all soooo Grace.)  Upon spotting the shoes (from halfway across the shoe department, mind you), she informed me that she haaaaaaaad to have them.  They were the best shoes EVER, Mama.  Pleeeeeease.  LOL!  

I'll never forget her first day wearing them to school either.  And her nervousness in the back of the car on our way to drop off.  "Mama, do you think the kids will like my new shoes?"  "Of course they will Gracie."  "Really like them?"  "Yes, Grace."  (Can you believe it starts this early?  Caring what the other kids think.)  Later that day when I picked Grace up from school, she ran out to me with a huge smile on her face exclaiming, "Mama, they liked my shoes!  You were right, they REALLY liked my shoes!"  Awwwwwh!!!  She had obviously waited all morning to tell me that.  And then of course there was tonight when I found her putting a thermometer in her shoe and asked her what she was doing.  With which she replied, "I'm taking care of my new shoes."

I'll take one of these in every color, please.  :)

My Point of View

Today while one friend emailed me asking for a link to the template I used to document the kid's Christmas gifts, another directed me to a blog with this written about my original post:

As I finally make my way around my favourite beloved blogs and read up on everyone's Christmas ...I do not like, nor encourage, a verbal listing of 'gifts got' from my children, and whilst adults are adults and can obviously do as they wish, especially on their own blogs, its nice not to see a look what I got entire list kind of post. Sure, tell me {'me' as in the whole world out there} about a funny gift, a super amazing extra special gift, or whatever, I love reading/hearing about them. but dont brag, dont brag on your childs behalf....blurgh, dont you hate that? I do , and that - not via my camera but via my blog- is my point of view!....seriously, I rock dontcha think? LOL LOL........

So yeah, I know the person that wrote this (at least through cyber world), and yeah I'm 99% sure it was directed at me.  Sadly, this same person has been mocking me on her blog for years about everything from the scrapbook pages I used to create, to the birthday parties I throw and favors I make, to the pictures I'm learning to take.  She wrote pretty much the same thing last year after I posted the kid's 2007 Christmas wishlist.  And here's something she wrote the day after I posted my picture of Gracie's gymnastics equipment:  

I hate the flash so much, - on camera or off,  that I stuck to just my trusty 50mm lens all day with no flash. medium ISO, sometimes higher. As a result not all my pictures are crisp sharp. I dont mind. I like this in fact. I love movement blur and real natural light.  Its all back to my mantra of 'its all about the everyday'. not posed, not set up, and not perfect. Because it wasnt like that, it was loud, busy, crazy, crowded, silly, and FULL so why should the photos show it any other way?

I wanted to reply that I didn't use a flash, on camera or off, also stuck with my trusty 50mm lens with no flash, medium ISO (sometimes higher - LOL) and that the basement wasn't posed or set up (for anyone other than Gracie).  That's really how our basement looks.  All the time.  But I didn't say anything.  And I usually wouldn't acknowledge her insults, especially here, except that I thought if there was someone else out there who thinks listing Christmas gifts on a personal blog is "bragging", I'd set the record straight.

 

This blog is my own little place in cyperspace to share the daily lives of my children with our friends and family.  Many Most of who live very far away.  If it sometimes comes off as bragging, so be it.  Besides, is that so wrong?  I'm incredibly proud of my children and am not ashamed of the fact that, by the Grace of God, they're smart, healthy, talented, beautiful, and we have good jobs that enable us to provide them with (most) of the things and opportunities they want.  The people who this blog is intended for actually *do* have an interest in knowing what Santa brought and wouldn't be jealous by it. 

 

Additionally, documenting the gifts is a great way to remember what everyone was interested in this year.  I would LOVE to know what I got for Christmas as a child.  Sadly, the only things I remember are a green wooden kitchen set my aunt made for me and a brass bed that I BEGGED Santa to bring me.  This blog is my own way of trying to document those sorts of things for my children and share them with others, no matter how rose-colored my glasses may be.  I just can't imagine living life through eyes where everything is so negative and filled with hate...under the guise of being "all knowing" and so "enlightened".

Christmas Cards Received

I live for the mail during the Christmas season.  Especially photo cards.  This year we received approximately 50, and they're all proudly (and strategically) displayed on our kitchen wall.  Loving this view! 

 

And what the parents got...

Gracie and Sean weren't the only ones who had a great Christmas.

For Me:  A polka-dotted slip case for my laptop, a pink wireless mouse, and private photography lessons.

   

For Steve:  A Slingbox (This is really a gift for the whole family.  Soooo cool. We can now watch our TV/DVR on our phones or any computer around the world.  Subway riding just got a whole lot more fun.), a snowboarding coat, and an iPod docking station.

And a gift for the whole family.  ANOTHER printer.  We need another printer like we need a hole in the head, but this one was purchased after I thought my big, fancy photo printer from last Christmas died while printing calendars.  Turns out, none of the Epson printers like to handle more than one piece of double-sided matte paper at a time.  We decided to keep this one because it has a copier and scanner built in, and our old scanner was waaaaaaay old.

   

What Santa Brought

Gracie - Hair Styling Head, Gymnastics Bar, Sparkly Lelli Kelly Shoes, My First Purse, Pink iPod (filled with all of her favorite music and videos), Gymnastics Beam, Strawberry Shortcake Bandaids, Puppy Playhouse, Medical Kit, Tumbling Mat, Incline Mat, Pink Vanity, Uggs, Puppet Theater, Hand Puppets.

  

Sean - 12Volt Two-Seater Baja Vehicle, Gas Station, VMotion Console and Games, Mini Air Hockey Table, Count Your Peanuts (and lots of other board games), Handy Manny, Manny's Talking Tool Box, Train Table and Train Set, Remote Control Bumper Cars, Yo Gaba Gaba Stuffed Animals, Puzzles, Adventure Pack, Bathtub Fishing Set, BrainQuest Workbooks, Activity Table.

Our 2008 Christmas Card

The Day Before The Night Before Christmas

Twas the day before the night before Christmas,

And preparing to depart the house,

Was a stressed out mama and an overworked spouse.

The presents were hidden in the basement with care,

In hopes that the children wouldn't venture down there.

When out past the kitchen there arose such a clatter,

That we sprang from our packing to see what was the matter.

Away to the basement we flew like a flash,

To find Gracie standing there, her mouth a gasp.

When, what to her wondering eyes should appear,

But the gymnastics equipment she'd wished for all year.

With a story we made up (surprisingly quick),

We convinced her it must be the work of St. Nick.

He'd asked for permission to empty his sleigh,

Since we'd be in Vermont on Christmas day.

I winked at the spouse as we walked out of sight,

Not the way we had planned it, but it worked out all right.

 

2009 Calendar

Snowed In

After a third straight day of snow, I'm not sure what's more of a mess, the outside of our house or the inside.  We're all going a bit stir crazy over here.  However, the views from our windows are absolutely gorgeous.  And even though we've got some serious catching up to do on our Christmas shopping, there's nothing like being surrounded by a winter wonderland to get you in the holiday spirit.  Here's a picture looking down our driveway.

 

One looking out our front door.

 

And the final count when all was said and done.