Rose's "Third" Christmas

Blogging Friends.... I hope that you all enjoyed yourselves a wonderful December 25th!! I most certainly did!! This was, for me, a Christmas of surprises, as I only received two items from my wish list!! Two!! Which, was quite fine!! Surprises are the best kind of Christmas gifts!! Oddly enough, both my Mom and sister thought alike this year regarding my gifts as though they planned it!! But, since these two women have so much in common, it was not surprising!! From Mom: My stocking contained this set of adorable metal dog-shaped cookie cutters!! A black paw print. One white bone. A red doghouse. And one light brown sitting puppy. As a gift from my sister was this dog treat cookbook!! Expect some recipes posted on here in the near future!! As a gift from Mom--and Dad!!--was this cute clear plastic container with black paw prints painted on its outside. Do I detect a theme here? Hmmm....

I love Christmastime!! From reflecting on the miracle of Jesus' birth. To seasonal festivities. To shopping for gifts. To singing songs both traditional and new. To ingesting home-baked cookies. There must be something in the air at Christmastime for me, something joyous, and cheerful!! I just cannot help but be happy this time of year!! I get almost high on Christmastime--perhaps due to the chocolate!!--and then once it is over, I'm experiencing huge withdrawals because those songs that we sang are still within my head!! Stubbornly so!! It is the same experience for me every year!! Seriously!! Not to state that I am a Grinch about this magical season for 365 days, I'm just "in the moment"!! Because around here, Christmas is over!! We have been celebrating with gusto ever since November 1st. Now it is over!! Time to move forward. Enough said. Rose had a merry little Christmas--yes, that song has now randomly appeared in my head!!--perhaps even better than mine!! I filled her fuzzy red/white stocking with chicken-flavored Rachel Ray "Just 6" crunchy dog biscuits, "Beggin' Collisions" bacon/peanut butter treats, a plush Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer--I'm trying very hard not to hum that song!!--and this holiday-themed stuffed Lamb Chop toy!! Plus, I gave Rose my "Santa Paws" home-baked "cookies", as well!! Those are nearly gone already!! I attempted to fill Rose's stocking on the other side of our house, but she bounded toward me before I could even finish!! My girl enjoyed her "Just 6" biscuits. They are vanilla wafer-sized, so I allowed Rose two!! She also enjoyed her "Beggin' Collisions". The inside of its package smells like peanut butter!! I split one and gave her half!! As for the toys? Well.... Lamb Chop was a pain-in-the-butt to pull the "I squeak!" sticker off of her fuzzy body. Ugh. I do not understand why dog toy manufacturers even apply such stickers to plush critters!! Do they think that we are all stupid idiots? If you want to see if some dog toy squeaks, then press it!! I do!! With nearly every dog toy I pick up at stores to the annoyance of those around me!! But then again. I do the exact same thing with boys' superhero action figures!! I have all of Iron Man's electronic "lines" memorized!! So. As I hunched over our great room table, my fingers tried to pull that sticker off. In vain!! All the while tossing Rudolph to an impatient Rose!! Finally, I found a pair of scissors, and ever-so-gently cut that sticker off!! Guess what? Lamb Chop is now Rose's very favorite toy!! I do not blame her. She did have to wait for it!!

                   Merry Christmas, Rose!!