You Know Christmas is Coming...

... when there are sneaky children abound! (Sorry about the font size, I can't seem to get it back to normal for this entry!)

Today as I was working on some homework, I became so involved in it that I neglected to pay attention to my boys, who were ever-so-angelically playing together quietly. As I worked, sitting on the couch beside the Christmas Tree, I hum-drummed away, but became uncomfortable. I decided to take a break and only then did I notice that there was silence, and no boys to be seen. Where were they? Hmm...

I checked their bedroom. Nothing.

The laundry room, kitchen, dining room. Nothing.

The bathrooms were empty. Where could they be? I went back to the living room and stood in the middle with my hands on my hips, thinking I'd have to start hollaring and call hubby home to set up a search party. Then I heard something.

Giggling.

And crinkling. And more giggling. And then, I saw the tree wiggle, as if it were dancing and mocking me in my motherly pursuit. Hmph! I bent down, looking under the tree to see four little feet poking out from underneath it. I sat down on the couch, as I had been when I was working on homework, and leaned over the arm to peek behind the tree. There were the two heads of my two little boys, looking up at me, now laughing hysterically. They snuck under the tree with a package of graham crackers and thought they were just so clever! I hurried and snapped some photos, they were just too cute. And then I pulled them out and tickled them til they begged me to stop. Serves them right for scaring me, sneaky little stinkers!

And now for the fun Christmas Meme passed on to me by Noelle and Keke...

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? I use both. I prefer wrapping paper, though. I absolutely LOVE to wrap gifts!

2. Real tree or artificial?: We have had an artificial tree every year, but I prefer real ones because I grew up with them. I loved watering them and the smell... oh, so good. :)

3. When do you put up the tree? We put ours up the day after Thanksgiving.

4. When do you take the tree down? Usually we take our tree down the week after Christmas, before New Years Eve.

5. Do you like egg nog? I love Egg Nog! I love egg nog toffee, too! (I had to mention the toffee. It was my new discovery this year!)

6. Favorite gift received as a child? A Pony Surprise. I had a pink horse with a white main and tail. I taught myself how to french braid on that pony's tail. She had two babies, a pink an a white one.

7. Do you have a nativity scene? I have a nativity scene painting that is hanging on my wall. It's a beautiful print signed by the artist, Lynne Millman-Weidinger, who is a friend of my family's. My mom gave this to us for Christmas last year. It's a treat because we know the artist and the sentiment of the painting is unique to the season but so family-oriented that we keep it hung up all year round.

8. Hardest person to buy for? My brothers and brothers-in-law.

9. Easiest person to buy for? My boys! I love watching their faces light up when they see something they really like. Observing them makes it easier to pick things that I know they'll enjoy a lot.

10. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? Nothing.

11. Mail or email Holiday cards? I prefer to send mine snail-mail, but I enjoy receiving them any way they are sent.

12. Favorite Christmas Movie? I'm not sure it counts as a Christmas movie, but I always watch it around the holidays. A Beautiful Life. It always makes me cry and it is by far my favorite Christmas movie, even if it wasn't meant to be! It just has that 'Christmas Season' feel to it.

I love the classics, like Miracle on 34th Street and It's a Wonderful Life, Rudolph and Charlie Brown, too.

13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? I will pick a few things in October, but usually I start in November.

14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? Hmm... not that I can recall. I am not opposed to re-gifting, though. I'd rather someone give something away that they the can't use or don't necessarily like than to have it sit unused or be thrown away. I honestly can't think of a Christmas gift I've regifted, though.

15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Gingerbread cookies and Hot cocoa with marshmallows and peppermint candy canes swirled into it. Can't forget Egg Nog and Kringle, too!

16. Clear lights or colored on the tree? I prefer white lights on my tree, but Bruce prefers the colored lights. We compromise and have white lights on the tree and colored lights around our balcony. :)

17. Favorite Christmas song? Little Drummer Boy

18. Travel for Christmas or stay at home? We stay home for Christmas, but usually travel to my in-laws in the afternoon and back home again that evening.

19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeers? Of course I can! Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner, Blitzen and Rudolph!

20. Angel on the tree top or a star? We have one of each. The last few years it's been an angel, but I found a cute rustic star last year, so we are using the star this year. I like both!

21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? We open one gift each on Christmas Eve (usually new pj's or slippers for the kids) and the rest we open on Christmas Day. One year I begged and begged and begged so my hubby let me open one Christmas present for the last 5 days leading up to Christmas. Bwahahahaha. I am terrible! I can't stand surprises when I know about them, so I'm awfully impatient when I know there are gifts waiting for me to rip them open! :") It's torture to give me gifts that can't be unwrapped until Christmas Day, and I'll tell you so! "You're torturing me!!!"

22. Most annoying thing about this time of year? It goes by too fast! I want it to slow down so I can take my time with everything. :)

23. I love most about Christmas? I love all-things Christmas!