Top Two Tuesday! Top Two Favorite Christmas Memories.

It's that time again for Top Two with Tay over at The Undomestic Momma.

It's been a while since I posted, and I feel just sick abput it. Just trying to get through work, crazy lately, and not having a computer. I haven't picked up my camera in two months. Just stuck in a slump, I guess.  No computer, too cold to go outside, and our house is not quite picture friendly.  Considering just going back to a point and shoot and giving it up.  Ahh well. But it's Christmas, and things are tight around here, but Merry none the less.  Hoping Nik gets a little excited for Christmas, though I still don't think she has grasped the concept yet.

I have so many wonderful memories of Christmas as a child, young adult, adult, and then as a fiance, a wife, and a mother: Christmas Eve at my Nana's every year since I was born, followed by Church, reading Christmas stories, Christmas with my Grandma and Aunt and Uncle Christmas Day, Christmas in Arizonia with the hubs and his family, Christmas in Chicago at my Brother/Sister-in-laws when my sis-in-law was on bedrest.

The #1 memory I have at Christmastime is:

1. Baking Christmas Cookies with my Mom

My mom and I on Christmas Eve would make Iced Sugar Cookies and Peanut Butter Balls.  I can still remember the flour, the bakers cloth, the rolling pin, the cookie cutters, picking the icing and sprinkels for each cookie, dipping the peanut Butter in Chocolate, and opening the Christmas Tins we would store them in. We would usually be listening to Christmas music, with "It's a Wonderful Life" or "The Bishops Wife" on in the background.  And then, leaving the cookies for Santa, with carrots for Rudolph, milk, and a letter for Santa.  I still put cookies out for Santa, always have.  Nik and I just made Peanut Butter Balls Sunday, and we are going to make Iced Sugar Christmas Cookies Christmas Eve.  Yeah!  Can't wait!  I wear my Christmas Apron, and she has a little snowman apron that is too cute!

and

2.

The Windows at Marshall Fields/Having lunch at The Walnut Room in Chicago with my Mom and Brothers
My mom dragged us every year around Christmas to see the windows at Marshall Fields in Chicago, and to have lunch around the Big Christmas Tree in the Walnut Room.  We took the train up usually, and we went no matter what the weather. Rain, snow, freezing temperatures. She told us we'd look back and remember this, and be glad she dargged us, and she was right. Thankfully Macy's is continuing the Tradition, and we were able to take Nik last year, though we have not made it there with her yet this year. Hopefuly, after Christmas:)

 and
I have to mention...

 Christmas Mornings

The magic of Christmas mornings was what I loved best. The magic and joy of running down the stairs to see if Santa had come and put something under the tree and filled our stockings.  Stockings are my FAVORITE thing!  I am huge into stockings!  It was less about what was under the tree, and more about the magic of believing in Santa.  I have many memories of my brother sneaking into my room early, early Christmas morning to wake me up, and we snuck downstairs together to see if we could catch Santa.  We were always caught!  My world was crushed when a little girl in my class told me about Santa. I still choose to believe, and every year, I still wake up, and run to the tree, wondering if there will be a mysterious gift under the tree...hoping...

There is nothing like the Magic of Christmas!

Merry Christmas y'all!