Our 2008 Christmas Countdown favorites

What a wonderful Christmas we had this 2008. Seriously, every year I think this is the best Christmas we have ever had and every year it gets better. Five and two are such divine ages. I do wish I could freeze my kids sometimes and yesterday was one of those days. So here are my most favorite memories from Christmas this year.

1) Mollie Jane trying to unwrap every present under the tree because she loves unwrapping presents. She really is not into getting presents but just unwrapping.
2) Jackson's random hugs all day long at the most unexpected times with the hugest smile on his face because he was having so much fun.
3) The best breakfast in the world that was in no way lo-fat.
4) That we had a house-full of people.
5) Jackson was especially thrilled that his great Aunt Jo and Arlo came in from Little Rock. Since they are about in their 80's I had told him that sometimes older peoples bodies get sick a little easier and they might not be able to drive. When we told him they were coming, he said "are their bodies okay?'
6) That besides my Dad, we were all in our pajamas until 4:45 (that was definitely my favorite).
7) We had brie for lunch (yum) and horderves and sweets and just ate all day for our lunch.
8) Jackson and Great Uncle Arlo playing the Wii.
9) Mollie Jane did not really eat her dinner because she was too busy "hamming it up" for the whole table but instead had three cookies from Aunt Jo for dinner.
10) Aunt Jo sharing with my father about her seizure problem and Glen being at a loss for words.
11) Mollie Jane as we are opening our presents going and getting all my random garage sale junky toys and games that we pick up throughout the year and dumping them all over the room. Why do I even bother buying her presents? She love the junk.
12) My husband who was not supposed to buy me a gift this year buying me a Wii fit because I feel he is secretly worried I will become a "porker" with this third pregnancy.
13) The two pack of dream catchers from our brother-in-law Joel the native Oklahoman!! HAHAHAHAHA. At least we gave you a "fart pen"
14) Alison thanking Aunt Jo for a pearl ring she had given to Mollie Jane a few months ago and her telling me that the reason she gave it to her was really only because she thought she was going to die so she wanted to start giving some things away. So should I offer it back to her????
15) Asking Jackson last night what his favorite gifts were this year and he said "his Wii and his slinky." Excuse, me a slinky??? Seriously, I think it was a quarter. Really besides a Wii the best gifts are definitely not the most expensive.
16) Aunt Jill brought a great red velvet cake for dinner and when we set it on the table Mollie Jane was looking all over the house for "Baby Jesus" from our nativity set to put on our cake. I couldn't figure it out and then she reminded my Mom in her two year old language that Christmas Eve we had a birthday cake and she is now thinking that every cake is a birthday cake for Jesus.
17) Of all the people in our house with that need to be playing Wii and Wii fitness it is not my five year old skinny son with a six pack yet he played it nonstop yesterday and got so hot he had to take his shirt off even though it was like 30 degrees outside!
18) That Jason did Wii fitness in the morning and weighed himself and then did it late again last night and he had gained 4.7 pounds and the Wii figure on the screen literally got fatter in front of our eyes on the screen. I almost peed my pants.
19) Jackson got his own plate last night and got in the serving line and said "I am going to get all my own food, okay Mommy." It is Christmas so of course anything goes. He did (Natalie are you surprised) get turkey, green beans, and sweet potatoes. He "wolfed it down" like the rest of this and with a huge smile on his face said "Mommy, I had three white rolls and they were so good."
20) My sweet husband who said several times yesterday what a great day we were having.
21) Jason's grandpa telling my Mom and Dad about all the laxatives he has taken and his bowel issues.
22) That Great Aunt Jo did not bring her stuffing this year which looks like brownies.
23) That Jason, Mollie Jane and Jill went to our awesome neighbors Franny and Bob's house last night at about 9:15 to take them some Christmas wine we had been meaning to take all week but hadn't gotten around to it. He literally got them out of bed watching a movie and when Dr. Bob came to the door in his boxers and saw Jason's pretty sister Jill at the door and not Mollie Jane or Jason he sort of did a startled jump. Then they both got up and were thrilled for visitors (as they always are) and visited with them in their P.J's.
24) That Jason has decided I don't really need a double oven cauz I can just walk next door whenever we entertain and use our sweet single next door neighbor Tracy's oven who is usually never there. Thanks Tracy, you saved me.
25) Winston passing gas so bad that my Dad and Mom could not stop laughing and Dad kept his nose in his sweater.
26) That my Dad came up to me and said how much he missed my sister and I being little and what fun memories he has of all our Christmas's and how I realize that in the blink of eye those will be my thoughts exactly.
27) My Mom feeding the pets all day so Jason or I didn't have to mess with the beasts. But wait she does that the whole time she is here!! She needs to come back because they feel truly neglected when she leaves.
28) My Mom cleaning and doing laundry. Entertaining is so much more fun when you have an extra set of hands.
29) Leftovers for several days after Christmas.
30) When you are a little sad after opening up all the presents cauz you think it is all over, I smile because the best meal of the whole year (except for Thanksgiving) is still waiting for me to eat and then I am pumped.
31) Watching Great Aunt Jo, Arlo, and Paw-Paw open up their gifts and just start opening them without reading the tags and seeing who gave them what.
32) Alison spelling Arlo's name on the Christmas tag on his present with a "w." I have been spelling his name "Arlow" wrong for like 12 years but not because I don't know how to spell it but because somehow I always forget his name does not have a "w." Seriously, what is my problem.
33) Mollie Jane randomly asking me several times yesterday (and she has not been doing this until yesterday) "Mommy do you have a baby in your tummy? A boy baby?" Then giving me a big pat.
34) Jackson (No, Pops it was not your fault) locking the keys in the car with it running on Christmas Eve and the "Pop a lock guys" came out for $27.00. So we were late to church but lets face it we were going to be late anyways!!
35) That I actually wrote these memories down. I have been trying to do this every year for my scrapbook and just to remember from one year to the next and I never do.
36) That my parents drove from Tulsa, rented a car, flew from San Antonio just to spend Christmas here with us. It is an awful lot of money and effort to see us but they do it so often and it means the world to my us and my kids.
37) Jackson made all the Wii people yesterday. Sue-sue, Jason, Mollie Jane, Arlo, Aunt Nedda, Big, Jill, Uncle Davie, etc... He was so pumped because on the Wii profile they had a hairstyle just like the way Pops has his hair. He also gave himself 80's glasses, a bun, facial hair and brown skin. Several other people had random features like that. What is up with that???
38) Realizing I had successfully potty trained Mollie Jane. What the heck was I thinking potty training the week of Christmas??? Nevertheless, it is done. Still need to work on the #2 thing a bit. Dry big girl pants and pull ups for 5 days.
39) When Jackson opened his OU T-shirt from "Uncle Poel & Aunt Buzy" as we refer to them the first thing he said was, "Mammy, Pops, you are not really going to like this."
40) Probably the best memory I have of Christmas 2008 is having the thought several times yesterday throughout the day that regardless of how crazy of a year it has been financially with this crazy economy that I have everything I really need. My family, my health, my Saviour. I am so blessed and every year does get better somehow. I give the glory to God. Only he can make that possible.