Thankful Thursday: Christmas Edition Week 1

It's officially the first Thankful Thursday of the holiday season! This week i'm thankful for:

~Being done with my Christmas shopping! Last night's trip to finish up the kids was the last of it. I'm hoping that this means i'll really be able to relax and enjoy the rest of the season without the stress of shopping hanging over my head.

~Christmas decorations. I love that my house is decorated (except for the tree.) Whenever I come home it makes me happy to see the twinkling lights and whimsical knick-knacks scattered throughout our apartment. 

~Target. They have the best Christmas section, full of fun foods, gifts, movies, and household accessories to help brighten the season. 

~Christmas books. Stephanie and I snuggle up every night and read at least 3 Christmas books. She seems as enchanted with them as I am. (Be on the lookout for a list of our recommended children's Christmas books coming soon!)

~Christmas music. I love hearing it on the radio and listening to Stephanie sing along. We've been listening to it for so long now that she knows most of the songs!

~Mocha-mint coffee. Dunkin Donuts puts their bags of ground mocha-mint coffee out every year at Christmastime and I love it. It's just slightly minty and mocha-y, not too sweet and just...amazing. I always think I should stock up now for the rest of the year, but then I think part of why I love it so much is that it isn't available all year. 

I hope you are all having a wonderful holiday season so far! Let me know what you're thankful for, and link up if you have a Thankful Thursday post of your own.

*Thanks to Joanna from Baby Gators Den for hosting Thankful Thursday each week!

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Saturday's Top Five Laughs Blog Hop

I'm joining Melissa over at The Mommyhood Chronicles for top five laughs of the week!

1. We have a volleyball court right next to our apartment. When we were getting in the car this week, Stephanie stopped and watched the college boys playing with no shirts on. All of a sudden she said (very loudly) "Mommy, they NAKED!"

2. Stephanie loves listening to Adele's "Fire to the Rain" song. She can identify it as soon as the first three notes come on the radio. A few days ago, as the song came on, she said "Fire to the Rain! It's my song!"

3. A conversation we had tonight:
 
    Me: What's your name?

    Stephanie: Megan

    Me: No, that's my name. What's yours?

    S: Little Girl

    M: Well, you are a little girl. But what's your name?

    S: Cutie Pie!

4. Joseph has been babbling so much lately, and he has a very low, raspy voice. I told him once that he sounds like an old man. Now, every time he talks, Stephanie says "Jo-Jo sound like an old man!"

5. We've been going for a walk every day, and Stephanie always asks to go "Under the tunnel." (We walk under the bleachers of a football field. When you come out the other side, there's a giant Dunkin Donuts advertisement on a billboard.) When I asked Stephanie later where we went on our walk she said "To the Hot Coffee tunnel!"

I love the funny things that toddlers come up with, and love that joining in on this blog hop has forced me to remember and write them down (which I haven't really been good at...most of these happened yesterday or today!)


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Friday Fives: Christmas Songs

As I mentioned here, I absolutely love Christmas music. This week's Friday Fives is a list of my favorite Christmas songs.

1. Silent Night
    This beautiful, holy song embodies the true meaning of Christmas. Whenever I hear it on the radio, it immediately brings to mind an image of our darkened church on Christmas Eve, stuffed to bursting with parishoners. I remember the chills I get as I listen to the voices of the people who have come together to worship and celebrate. It never fails to fill me with a sense of peace and serenity, and I always pause when I hear it to let myself remember why we celebrate Christmas.

2. Christmas Shoes
    I was in High School when I first heard this song, and immediately fell in love with it. The story of the little boy who wants to buy a pair of shoes for his dying mother never fails to bring tears to my eyes. The line "I want her to look beautiful if Mama meets Jesus tonight" gets me every time. And at the end, when it's actually a child's voice doing the singing...I bawl. The song is a true embrace of the spirit of Christmas. (The book based on the song is a good read, too!)

3. Jingle Bells
    This is one of the only Christmas songs that I know every single word to. For that reason alone, I sing it all the time. Stephanie and I sing it together, and dance while we sing. I also like that it never specifically mentions Christmas, so I can sing it all winter long without getting yelled at by Dan for singing Christmas songs when it's not the Christmas season.

4. Christmas in Dixie
    For some reason, this song reminds me of my childhood. I didn't hear it for the first time until I was an adult, so I have no idea why it invokes that image. It's also not a very popular song; I actually heard it on the radio this year for the first time. (I know it from a Country Christmas CD that I bought a few years ago.) It's a song about a father who was laid off from his factory job, and is trying to make ends meet while also providing a happy Christmas for his little girl. The message is one of a father's love, and I think every parent feels a similar emotion. We just want our children to experience the magic of the season, without having to feel the burden of grown-up concerns.

5. Little Drummer Boy
    I think I like this song simply because of the catchy beat. It's easy to sing, and fun too. Stephanie loves it, which I think is why it made it onto the list. If I start humming it, she will sing along in her little toddler way: "pum pum pum, dummer boy!" It's pretty adorable. (She also sings O Christmas tree, and even has the tune right!)

Ok, all this writing about Christmas music has me wanting to listen to some, and since both kids are napping (!), I think i'll put on the radio and make a cup of Christmas tea.

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