All I Want for Christmas

...is everything I got! And actually, they are not things. This Christmas, I received:

• Wonderful, meaningful, genuine time with my loving family- Christmas Eve during the blizzard (for those of us who have lived in Texas all of our lives- THAT was a blizzard) we went to Gunter to Jeremy’s sister’s house. We ate Mexican food and Albert made homemade guacamole just for me! Jeremy’s mom was so generous with her gifts; she always makes sure that those she loves are taken care of. My nephews were especially thankful for the gifts we got them, although AJ’s jeans were about 2 sizes too small. He humored us though and tried them on anyway; he didn’t care that he couldn’t even get them past his thighs. (Oh, note to self- I have to get him that gift receipt!) Then, in Phillips/Vandagriff Christmas tradition we watched the latest blockbuster – The Hangover- and filled the house with rip-roaring laughter! When we finally decided to leave, we had to pry open our frozen car doors and endure the icy drive home. Nice. A 20 minute drive home became a 50-minute drive home. We used the 4X4 in my car for the first time in six years. I knew that would come in handy! Oh, except the time when Grayson touched every button in my car and when I turned it on, the blinker was on, the wipers were on, the radio was on AM full blast, my brights were on and somehow he figured out how to turn on the four wheel drive before I even knew I had it. I had to call my dad and ask “Dad, what does the light mean that says 4X4????” I’m sure he rolled his eyes yet still humored that he had girls and not boys.
• A full belly that complimented my stretchy pants from a REAL Christmas dinner- and yes, I contributed. Deviled eggs don’t necessarily go with Mexican food, but the Phillips’ didn’t mind. Especially when I brought one of the only 7 things I can cook. My Christmas bonus this year was a ham. Yes, a ham. A very tasty, honey-glazed ham. So naturally, I volunteered to be in charge of the ham. Oh and deviled eggs, of course. So Christmas Day at my mother’s, I brought the ham, deviled eggs (which Jackson carried in sideways so it ended up being more of a deviled egg salad mixture) and pea salad. Enter Mammaw.
• Precious time with my Mammaw- she has been in a nursing home for the last year and is getting progressively worse. The last time I saw her was about two months ago when I visited her alone before one of my softball games. It was a very enjoyable visit, one that I want to remember for a long time. Since my last visit, my dad has told us stories about her seeing my grandfather (who passed away when I was 10) and her mother and aunt. This frightened me some and quite honestly had deterred me from seeing her lately. However, the boys have been asking about Mammaw and besides, I had to get her pea salad recipe. About 5 years ago, when her health started declining, she showed me how to make it. It has been my job since to make pea salad either on Thanksgiving or Christmas (which has now increased my list of things I can cook from 7 to 8). The boys and I stopped by Franklin’s first to get her some holiday flowers. The arrangement was beautiful and although she couldn’t see it, to me, it brightened her room. She was very alert and awake and the boys were especially affectionate with her. She was even able to tell me everything I needed to make the pea salad. I told her about the weather, how it was actually HOT outside and we talked about school. We are so fortunate for every minute that we get with her and this time was no different for me. I need to go see her again soon.
• Two full Christmas days with a hubby that I have had to share with the fire department the last two years- Two years ago, Jeremy worked on Christmas, which was ok, Santa just came on the 23rd. The boys didn’t know any different. But I did. Last year was a leap year, so, yep, you guessed it. He worked on Christmas again last year. Jackson wondered why Santa came on the 23rd and not Christmas Eve. Rut Row. Thankfully, this year, A Shift fell on the 23rd and the 26th. I got both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day with him! We did some last minute shopping, including a brand new crack-free windshield for his truck and we picked out our Christmas gifts to each other. That is the safest and best way that he and I give gifts to each other. No stress and both couldn’t be happier with what we had picked out. No surprises. If you know me, you know I HATE surprises.
• Material things in which I am sincerely appreciative- my mom HOOKED ME UP! I swear she out does herself every year. Since I was a little girl, mom always made sure that Lori and I got everything that we wanted (ok not everything, we weren’t spoiled little brats). She has also outdone herself on her grandchildren. I think she may have gotten more things for my boys than I did (including Zhu Zhu pets)! Among the things mom got me- a red crock pot, a family-sized griddle (which will assist in me not burning pancakes anymore, thus increasing the list of things I can cook from 8 to 9), a beautiful diamond necklace, a PURPLE wireless mouse for my laptop, Dallas Cowboys reusable shopping bags, a rotating speaker dock for my iPhone, a FEAR VANDY t-shirt (yes I’ll be rockin that out very soon) and I am definitely forgetting something… Now on to my dad- he was in charge of the stockings this year. In years past (I mean like 16 consecutive years) he has filled my sister’s, my mom’s and my stocking with a gift certificate from Merle Norman, where we all get out makeup. This year was no different. Except, he hooked us up with a little bit of candy and even picked out a lip pencil for Lori and I, I was a bit taken aback. I think he had a little bit too much fun shopping this year. He even went as far as to include Jeremy and Nick’s stocking. Something he hasn’t done in the past. He got them both an apparently, very valuable pocket knife. One that both guys were instructed to carry with them all the time- except to the airport. (One time, right after 9-11, my great uncle was in the airport and was trying to get through security with his very valuable pocketknife. He couldn’t, so he found a man in a cowboy hat- his exact words- gave the man his address and $10 and asked him to mail the knife to him. This also, was before they put those mailboxes in the terminals- to his surprise, the knife was in his mailbox waiting on him whenever he returned home).  *NOTE: Side stories are my thing.  Keep up.
  

I absolutely adore my family, love spending time with them and I love time off work even though I missed my precious second graders terribly!