He's A Mean One, Mr. Grinch

As you read in Christmas Randomness post, I related all my Christmasy favorite things to a holiday song. I finally got that post posted and then hit my head against the keyboard for leaving Grinchy out. No worries because Grinch deserves a post all to himself.

It is no secret that I like my Christmas decor fairly simple. No red and green and classic, white lights outside. There is an exception to every rule...

Gangsta' Grinch and Max

Gregg laughs at how sometimes the littlest, silliest, things make me shout with sheer joy!

This is not the best pic ~ our 11yr old neighbor took it. Notice how Paigey is giving the reindeer some holiday love.

The Grinch has always been a favorite of mine. When the Jim Carrey version came out, I couldn't get to the theatre fast enough and then I bought the DVD when it came out. That next Christmas I opened a Grinch DVD from Gregg. I'm thinking, "fool, we already own this movie." I ate my words because there was a gold bracelet inside (oooohhh, the days before children). He was still cracking up at that story even today of how he fooled me.

I've never thought I'd own an inflatable character. Kinda goes against anything classic. But, we love to look at lights several nights a week and will practically spend a tank of gas searching for a house that has a Grinch. So, I suggested that we just buy one and see him whenever we want! There's the logic on that one.

Except when Grinch is deflated and Paigey goes, "uh, oh Ginchy, uh, oh" (repeat, repeat)

Mr. Grinch is not for everyone. Some people these days prefer this...

Macy says that Santa riding a motorcycle hurts the reindeer's feelings.

We are off on a road-trip this weekend and Grinch is already in the truck DVD. You can guarantee that I'll be whittling myself between the two car seats to watch the feast of the roast beast!

Parade of Lights

Last weekend we joined some homegroup friends at the Arlington Parade of Lights. Thanks to our police officer friend, we were able to get some great parking and seating to watch the parade.

Macy and I had a date earlier that day (our first Mommy date!). We went to lunch at the mall and to see Enchanted. It was so much fun and I loved walking hand-in-hand with her everywhere. It was warm that day so we both had on long sleeves and jeans but no jackets. By the time we left our house and got to the parade, the temp had drastically dropped. I should be more prepared for this Texas weather! I had one jeans jacket in the truck for the girls. It was Macy's jacket but I gave it to Paige to wear. I borrowed my girlfriend's jacket and Macy and I shared it. But I wasn't worried about Macy because she is hot natured and she was running around playing.

Can you believe this is the first parade ever the girls have been to??? I believe this would be a good new tradition for us city-folk. After the parade, we went to Mama's to join our friends for a late dinner.

What's with the scrooge on the right???

Oh, wait ~ that's Gregg!!

Randomness ~ Christmas Edition

If you've been one of my followers, then you'll recall my randomness post from my old blog. Well, at Christmas time I can be really random as well. I've been planning out this post in my head for about a month now ~ thinking of all of the things I wanted to include. But just last night, I thought I'd tie it together with Christmas songs. Some of the content is random and some is just traditions. Bear with me ~ this is a long one!

Oh, Christmas Tree ~ We put up our tree on Thanksgiving night. We have a pre-lit 9' skinny tree that fits perfectly in this house. I do not decorate any part of my house with red and green. I do all burgundy and gold which originated from Gregg's Aunt Beth's tree. Her tree looks like it belongs in a dept. store! And if you know Beth, she is one to emulate (beg, borrow and steal from ~ which I do every chance I get). So, this is my version of Beth's tree (which I think is 12')!

Gregg does all of the ribbon weaving and beads while I busy myself with something (I don't have the patience for such tediousness!) until it is time for bows and ornaments!

Pretty Paper ~ I have a love affair ~ with boxes. Seriously, nothing excites me more as when I get "a good box". I get excited around September because it is finally close enough to Christmas that I can start the massive box collection. I do this because I like different shaped boxes under the tree and a good box makes things easier to wrap. Then if the kids jack with the boxes, nothing happens to the paper. It is not an easy to attempt to wrap a kid's toy without ripping the paper all up. So, I go to my collection and carefully choose the right box for the gift. Now, I'm not as crazy as my friend, K, who has been known to assemble and put batteries in all of her little one's toys so they'd be ready to play with Christmas morning. I leave anything involving a screwdriver to dear husband.
It makes my heart leap just looking at it!

I do all of my paper and ribbon in green, gold and burgundy. I like abundance and options (really in all aspects of my life). I kid you not ~ at a recent shopping trip to Michael's, I had 29 rolls of paper that I painstakingly narrowed down to 9. And no, I do not save my ribbon and reuse it from year to year.
I love wrapping presents!

Do You Hear What I Hear? ~ It's no secret that two of my favorite artists are Kenny Chesney and Martina McBride.

O Holy Night is one of my top 5 favorite Christmas songs and Martina can sing it like nobody's business. Oh, and Kenny, well he could sing the phone book and I'd be happy. But I especially love Christmas in Dixie sung with Alabama. Back when I was a kid, it was tradition to play the Alabama Christmas tape while trimming the tree. I also love Kenny singing He's Just A Kid.

We Wish You A Merry Christmas ~ I love Christmas cards ~ not necessary the making of the Christmas card ~ but receiving them. I love looking a people's kids and reading holiday letters. I do like getting my yellow tablet out and listing everyone I'm sending a card to. When the cards arrive, I take my yellow highlighter and highlight who sent the card to keep track of the importing and exporting. So, if you don't send me a card, I know. No really, cards and stamps are expensive these days so I know alot of people just don't do it anymore. (Believe me, I have become the queen of the e-card). The highlighting goes back to me still being the little girl who likes to play secretary. Growing up, it was my job to keep the address book updated when the Christmas cards rolled in. I do love cards though and I attempt to get them out the very 1st of December. Oh, we are going to really attempt to follow through a cool tradition I heard about a couple of years ago. After Christmas is over and you don't know what to do with the cards, take one out a day and pray for that family before a meal. So, if you think you might be needing some prayers come Jan. 2008, then send us a card!

I write all of my envelopes using a Ultra Fine Point Black Sharpie.

It's The Most Wonderful Time of The Year ~ I do love shopping of any kind. I start in September and start stashing in the closet. We also pick out Hallmark ornaments every year. We did this growing up and have carried on to my girls. The girl's each pick an ornament and Gregg and I choose one together for us. Macy chose Barbie Island Princess, Paige chose "Belle" and we chose the fridge (which I can't get a link to). Seriously, I have a refrigerator hanging from my tree that lights up when you open it. It has been the year of the appliance around here (shall we say, the week of? That is a whole 'nother post) and due to slim pickings at Hallmark, I chose it. It was time to get out of the store anyways b/c the cart fell on top of Macy when she was climbing up the side of it and I had to move fast! Luckily Gregg was there to haul two screaming kids out of the store! Good times.
I buy these candles every Christmas!

Jolly Old Saint Nicolas ~ We went to visit Santa at the mall on Wednesday afternoon. Paige wouldn't have anything to do with "Ho Ho" (yes, she called him that to his face) so I had to jump in the picture with the kids. Gotta do what you gotta do. Pics with Santa are one of things that are tradition. Oh, I'm anal like this ~ my girls will have different outfits on for holiday portraits, the Christmas card, and Santa pics. It's just how I roll.

Paigey showing me Ho Ho.

What Child Is This? ~ Macy drew "Baby Jesus in the manger" last Christmas and I just treasured it so much that it found a good home in one of my many junk drawers. I pulled it out recently and asked her if she remembered what this picture was. She said a "hot potato." It'll always be Baby Jesus to me and is safely in a frame that I'll pull out 'till I'm old and gray and remember my three-year old Macy.

Away In The Manger ~ I love, love, love this nativity. We only pull it out at Christmas. Two Christmas' ago, Macy insisted on sleeping with Baby Jesus every night. Macy still likes playing with Jesus, Mary and Joefus ..And the angel says, "Fear Not!"

Up On The Housetop ~ No reindeer... just Gregg hanging lights. We always enjoy driving around looking at lights so we make sure our house is lit too.

You can imagine Gregg's joy of me taking a picture of him through the window! All for the blog, honey!

This was taken tonight with Gregg and the girls on the sidewalk. Gregg still wants to hang the wreaths on each window and maybe add lights around the flowerbed the reindeer are in.

Frosty The Snowman ~ Last Friday night we went to Casa Manana to see Frosty The Snowman. We went last year as well ~ a fun, cultural tradition that the girls will never outgrow.

Barbie came too.

Santa Claus Is Coming To Town ~ Macy told Santa at the mall that she will be leaving him apple pie and chocolate milk for his snack at our house. I don't know where she got that idea but Gregg happens to agree that Santa might enjoy that. On Christmas Eve, the girls choose one present from under the tree to open. Santa leaves his presents and stockings filled unwrapped by the hearth.

I'd love to hear everyone else's Christmas randomness and traditions. If you have a blog, I tag you or feel free to comment! Merry Christmas everyone!!!!!

Aye, Aye Captain!

This morning I got the girls all dressed before Macy went to school in hopes of knocking out the dreaded Christmas card pic. A battle every year, not usually with the kids so much but between dear hubby and me.

It was going fairly good until I realized Macy was wearing only one earring. (She brought it to me first thing this am ~ it had come off somewhere between bedtime and 7am). I remembered it after we were WELL into taking pics. I attempted to quickly take the other one off but Macy started squealing so I hurriedly put the other one in. Dear husband called me insane saying no one would notice such a thing in the picture.

I beg to differ. Women notice details. You better believe that if you send me a Christmas card pic, that I'm studying it. I'm nosey like that.

So, this picture didn't make the cut. Because we are not pirates.

The picture I DID choose, we'll it's not the best. It's very cute but if you study it ladies, you'll notice Pumpkin with wet boogies coming out of one nostril. Gregg swears no one will notice and hopefully he's right.

And by the way, Macy's new saying for "yes, ma'am" has been "aye, aye Captain!" (with a salute thrown in for good measure)

Interruption

This blog will be interrupted tonight by the CMAs. I may not get to listen to the radio very often b/c kiddie movies are always playing in the car. I don't own an ipod or care to. But, every fall when the CMAs are on, I am glued to the tv. It was something that I always enjoyed doing with my dad growing up. We'd watch it together every year and I'd get to stay up late past bedtime to watch it. When I went to college, we always talked on the phone about it at some point of the broadcast. But, gracious ~ this music is nothing compared to the music in heaven! I'm back to the couch with a smile on my face...