number.2

We've now come to Christmas #2....Christmas morning. We decided this year to let the kids open their gifts and play with them as they opened them. Typically, we do more of a open-them-all-and-then-play-with-them-later deal. It worked well this year.

The first gifts were matching duck umbrellas. The girls have been wanting umbrellas for such a long time, but I never want to spend $7 on something that they won't use very often or something that they might break in 10 minutes! Thankfully, I found these at my new favorite it's-only-open-at-Christmastime store. That's right, people, $1.39 each. Actually, virtually everything in the place is $1.39. I bought a ton of stuff (American Greetings wrapping paper that totally rocked...double sided...included). If you live near me, you really need to go. If you don't know where I'm talking about, ask me later and I'll give out my source.

On to little Melia opening her gifts...oh, no, she decided to open Meredith's gifts instead of her own. Silly girl. She actually slept through a lot of the gift-opening time. She just wanted the ribbons anyway! :)

Meredith received one of her two new favorite books, Gigi. She received another one from Grandma Ice Cream, which is her other new favorite book. Thanks to Julie and Harper for getting us on the Gigi kick. The girls LOVE these books...we now have 3! Meredith and Gigi are like two peas in a pod.

And now, on to my absolute favorite gift of the morning. Does anyone remember my post about the missing Panda ornament? Well, let me tell you a little story about the ugly panda ornament. It goes a little something like this....

A long, long time ago when Josh was 8 years old, someone (probably his mom), gave him an ugly santa panda pal ornament. It looks like this. It entered our marriage with the Christmas ornaments. I complained about it every year when we opened the ornament box, and I always hung it on the back of the tree....always. It almost got the boot one year when I found it still hanging on the tree after the tree had exited the house. It wasn't even on purpose! Anyway, so last Christmas, we got out the ornaments, and I said, "Josh, where is the ugly panda bear with the santa hat?" He says, "I threw it away!" Me, "What do you mean you threw it away?" Him, "You hated that ornament and always complained about it!!" Me, "Well, yes, but it has kind of turned into a love/hate relationship. I can't believe you threw it away!"

So, this year we decided to only spend $10 on our gifts for each other because of the table and chairs. I completely thought of that ugly little ornament, and I went on an all-out ugly ornament hunt. One word, people: eBay. Beautiful site with ugly santa panda ornaments. For $0.99 and a few dollars shipping, you could own one as well! Let's just say that it's going to be on the front of the tree...right in the center, mind you...for the rest of our lives. This was, by far, one of the best Christmas presents that I've ever given to Josh. It was hilarious. I even videotaped him opening it. He loved it.