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Recurring Theme: The Olden Days One of my favorite Christmas memories is from my middle school days. My sister and I got up at the crack of dawn on Christmas morning to see what Santa brought us...after spending an hour or two playing and checking everything out and NOT waking up Mama and Daddy, I finished reading Anne of Green Gables, which I had started just a week or so before. It was so cozy and comfortable...all sprawled out on the couch, loot spread out around us, Christmas tree lights on, feeling kind of sleepy, knowing we were on Christmas vacation....

Of course, then there was The One Christmas. I'd been buggin' ol' Santy Clause forever for a Barbie Dreamhouse. Oh, how I coveted the Barbie Dreamhouse. This was the pinnacle of all Barbie-related paraphernalia to me. We had the beauty shop, the convertible, the Skipper doll, Ken, lots of clothes, the Jeep, a homemade boat - or was it an RV? - and yes, I said homemade. Out of boxes and white contact paper, with a string tied to one end, so we could pull it up and down the hallway, the porch, the length of the utility room...you get the picture. It was NICE.

So anyhoo. Back to this mecca of Barbie-dom. I was so excited...I had pushed really hard this one year for The House of All Houses. I go rushing around the corner into the living room, and behold! A Big, Pink Box. With a picture of a Barbie Dreamhouse on it. I was in fluffy heaven. I skidded to the box at the base of the tree, put my hands on it to lean it forward and take a better look, and...


(in the words of Jerry Seinfeld)

The box weighed nothing. It was flat. Flatter than a shoebox. It was...it was...a Barbie Dreamhouse Colorforms sticker game. Do you remember those things?

Oh, the disappointment. I think I may have even fainted with dramatic flailing....

Unlike playing with Colorforms sticker games, reading this book brings me so much comfort, I started reading it again after we came home from the hospital with Katie. When I was finally able to languish in the tub for seven minutes, the reading was ON!

I just realized that this is the second time I've mentioned this book on this blog.

I am so old-fashioned.

P.S. I just put all of the Anne of Green Gables movies on my Christmas List. Santa, are you listening?

P.P.S. Typing "old-fashioned" reminds me of my wedding day. We were all back in the Sunday school rooms, waiting for The Main Event, when my little flower girl picks up the skirt of her dress, twirls a bit, and announces: "I look like I'm from the old-fashioned!"
Posted by Stacey B. at 6:30 AM

