I'm a Sucker

for the holidays. As soon as they start putting those decorations out in October, they have me hook, line and sinker. I get that warm, fuzzy feeling and start to smile for no good reason, other than the cute little snowmen in a neighbor's yard. I love it all. The music playing in the store, the overcrowded aisles of Christmas stuff, and the baking junk moved to the front of Krogers..it all makes me happy.

I start searching for the Christmas specials on TV. I love "Santa Claus is Coming to Town" and "Rudolph" and that one with Heat and Snow Miser.."I'm too much...Bah dump dump dump". Oh, and "Little Drummer Boy", when that lamb gets hit and sniffle, sniffle, its the most wondrful time of the year......

I start playing my Johnny Mathis CD and I think back over so many great Christmas memories, like when I got the Barbie Cruise Ship and the slippers with doggie faces on them. I remember how good the house smelled as my mom baked cookies and delicious, comfort meals and how we would get that long vacation from school and sled ride down the church steps by the ballpark.

No matter how old I get, I am 7 years old again at Christmas. The only difference is I get to give the presents and that makes it even more fun! Sure, it is stressful trying to even things out with the kids and all the worry over finances and junk, but it is so worth it to me.

My absolute favorite thing is the tree and all the ornaments over the years that the kids have made or picked out, those "baby's first Christmas" ones and all the little toy soliders, the log birdhouse one that Ryan insists on hanging every year.....it makes me wanna dig out the tree right now!

I see all those people that already have their decorations out and their tree in the window and I realize that I could never do it that early, but that first weekend in December, (Yee HEE HEE) I will be doing my own decorating and I can hardly wait. Johnny will be in the background singing.."Walkin' in a winter wonderland.....", my kids will roll their eyes at me as I sing along and I will be fine with it, cause Christmas is coming!!!