Christmas 2012

Looking back and my most recent posts, I realized that I didn't talk about my Christmas at all. I believe this is the first year since I started my blog almost four years ago that I didn't talk about my Christmas on Christmas day.
   I don't know what I was thinking by not taking any pictures that day. I did quite a lot of filming, but I didn't use my digital camera at all. I am a little irritated at myself at the moment...
   The day started the way it usually does. I wake up early. It used to be that I would be the first one up, but the past few years I have been awaken by one of my brothers. Actually last year, it was my Dad...:p Anyway, this year Evan came in my room around 5:45am and woke me up. I remember thinking about going back to sleep because I didn't sleep that well that night. (I'm sure I'm not the only one with that problem the night before Christmas) But, I didn't go back to sleep. I pulled the warm blankets off, and pulled myself onto the cold floor.
    If I really wanted to, I probably could have fallen back asleep, because we didn't end up starting presents until about 45 minutes later. Every Christmas, mom makes coffee cake for breakfast. She was still working on it when I got up, and she wanted to have it in the oven before we started gifts. I waited in the living room by getting the camcorder set up to film.
     Every year we will film Christmas morning. It is so much fun to go back and watch old Christmas' from years ago. A few weeks before Christmas, we all sat down and watched Christmas 2008. That was the year I got my first American Girl doll, Kirsten. I think it's funny how much I have changed since then. I have kind of gone backwards in a way. At that time, American Girl was everything to me. I wanted to collected everything with the words American Girl on them. Even if it was just a pamphlet from a catalogue, I kept it. I have defiantly changed since then. I still do love American Girl dolls, I now own 10 of them. I have realized that I don't want to spend $100.00 on a doll, though. I have found another brand of dolls that I have come to like better, which is why I say I am going backwards. These dolls are the Disney Animator Collection dolls. They are the Princesses as toddlers...But, the fact that you can buy at least 4 dolls for the cost to buy 1 of the American Girl dolls, made it a pretty easy decision which doll collection I want to pursue.
   Anyway, back to Christmas. Once we started gifts, everything seemed to go by very quickly. We finished in a little less than an hour. Collin and Evan played with their new marble track, Cameron went to play his new Lego Lord of the Rings Xbox game, and I took my two new Animator dolls out of the boxes.
    Several minutes later, I put my shoes on, (while still in my pajamas) along with my coat, and went out into the cold, December Christmas morning to get into the car. (By the way, I have my Snow White doll with me.)
    There wasn't much snow on the ground, but that night it had snowed some, even though you could still see the tips of green grass above the white ground. I got in the car with my mom, and we went on a drive around town to find soda. We were having a gathering at our house later that day, and mom needed to get some beverages. Most of the stores were closed, but we ended up finding one convenient store open. As we drove, we listened to one of my mom's Christmas gifts, Jim Brickman play the Carpenters. Mom knew all the songs, while I only recognized one or two, including the ever famous Sing  which I only know because of Sesame Street.
   We then went back home where I put away all my new gifts, and started helping my mom get ready for guests. I made a Christmas punch from the Nancy Drew cookbook. (Which by the way, tastes amazing.) I kept getting distracted by the Disney Parade on TV. I did end up seeing the Princess Parade which featured Rapunzel and Flynn, plus a special musical performance by tobyMac.
   By that time, guests started coming. It wasn't a large group, just my mom's family. Once everyone arrived, we ate brunch, which consisted of fruit salad, french toast, egg casserole, and other food I can't remember. About an hour after we ate, we did gifts for a second time that day. I helped pass out the gifts to everyone in order of age. If I didn't know how old someone was then, I know now. That was a very hectic job, but I enjoyed it.
   Once everyone had their gifts, I opened mine. I was very happy with my gifts-A Jasmine Animator Doll, The Hunger Games DVD, Cinderella movie, and Once Upon a Time season 1, along with $20.00 to go towards a straightener.
   Once everyone had left several hours later, I was exhausted. I went off to my room, and took an hour's long nap. I would have stayed awake because I didn't want to sleep through Christmas, but I knew I would be miserable if I didn't. Once I woke up, it was about five O'clock. I got into some new clothes, and we were once again out the door to yet another Christmas party.
   This party, was for my Dad's family. Every year, we go to my Aunt's house for dessert. I was glad that nap, because we ended up staying until close to nine. We did our last round of gifts there. I had a great time, but I was happy to go home that night and fall back asleep.
   I had a wonderful 2012 Christmas. Like I said, I wish I would have taken some pictures, so I could remember it even more, but I think just by sharing it on here will be a good enough memory for me.

What was your highlight of this past Christmas?

~Samantha