Twelve Days Til Christmas...

The Gayla Pink Apple

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Twelve Days Til Christmas

IT'S CHRISTMAS TIME!  TWELVE DAYS TIL CHRISTMAS!  It's time to get serious about your Christmas holiday.  My blog posts for the next 12 days will be a Christmas thought or memory - there's no order - just random memory or story each day leading up to Christmas day. 

Traditions such as family or kids photos made for Christmas cards - cards signed, addressed, and stamped - ready to be mailed, if they haven't already been mailed.   Maybe this year you're not mailing cards.   Many people have stopped doing it because many now send ecards, etc.  But, I love getting cards with family pictures - enjoy seeing the changes from year to year - watching the kiddos grow and change each year.  Just this week received a card from relatives in TN with just their grandkids photo on their card instead of the family.  A nice little reminder of that little thing called age! But, whether it's a child or grandchild - small family or large family - I love seeing them.  

 

Blair, age 15 months!  Christmas Morning on rocking horse from Santa.  Look at that hair! Wild woman?  Bed head?  For me it's awwwhhhh good morning!

 

No photo with Santa yet! 
Ok Ok Ok - in a gift box - but NO to Santa!
Blair, 2 yrs.

 

She wasn't really OK getting her picture taken with Santa, but she did!

Westover Hills Preschool - Blair, 3 yrs

 

Still not keen on having her picture with Santa, but did!

Westover Hills Preschool, Blair, age 4 yrs.

 

Blair, age 5

We are into picture taking with Santa now!

But, perhaps because our little schnauzer joined.

 

We found Santa's reindeer for Christmas picture too!

 

Grouping displayed yearly at Christmas time.
 

I am ready for Christmas.  My house is fully decorated and now I count the days.   Time to sit back, relax, and reminisce!  The 12 days leading up to Christmas  starts  with me remembering my little family (little in numbers) listening to Christmas music - singing along with the Chipmunks Christmas CD - I still hear Alvin - A L V I N - getting ready to sing.  Each one of us has a favorite CD - Kenny G or Barry Manilow on the top of the stack for me.  I can vividly hear my husband say to my daughter "mommy has Kenny G going."  But they always seem to appear in the kitchen or wherever I happen to be to join in listening and singing.  Of course, they would change the CD to one of their favorites. 
 

Last Christmas before off to college

I could go on forever reminiscing about Christmas time at my house during the years my daughter was young - she is 23 now - my house is silent most mornings and evenings!  My heart smiles and breaks all in the same 24 hour span of a day.  My face smiles and cries tears all in the same 24 hour span of a day.   My mind races and jumps from when I was a little girl and holidays at my grandparents - to Christmas at my parents home as a child - to Christmases at my own home for my own child. 

Today, I focus on juggling Christmas schedules - the vision of my waiting and praying for the plane to arrive safely - my little girl, who is no longer little, to walk in the door with that huge smile on her face!  I envision closing my eyes that night - my child once again in her bed, in her room, in her childhood home, where she grew up and experienced the joy and love of Christmases for many years.  For just a moment, I forget she is not a little girl.  But, regardless of her age, she will be home for Christmas. 

 

Hope you are enjoying this Christmas season. Have you been naughty or nice?

Santa Claus is coming to town,

Gayla