Today is December 25, 2008. In most of the world it is Christmas. At my parents' house in California it is just Thursday. Grandpa is in the hospital so we are not celebrating until he gets home. We visited with him in his hospital room for a few hours this morning, and will go back again later tonight.

So instead of a wonderful blog about Christmas and the mounds of presents that I have received, I am making a list of things that I enjoy at my parents' house.

1. 400 thread count sheets (I also like to sneak in to my parents bed to nap on their 600 thread counts!)
2. No snow!
3. Cookies...everywhere you look. Trifle dish on the counter? Check! Bag on the island? Of course! Stashed in between the boxes and boxes of crackers in the pantry? Giddy up!
4. My mom's new Christmas tree...as she says, it is dripping with ornaments.
5. Don't want to get up to turn the lights (fan, Christmas tree, driveway lights, you name it) on or off? No worries...they are all on REMOTE CONTROL!!!
6. Gloriously fluffy pillows
7. Dad's A-Maze-ing cooking. I have been here for a day and have gained 30 lbs.
8. Going through the stacks of Christmas cards that mom receives from old friends and family
9. Snuggling on the couch and having mom tickle my back/arm/feet/whatever area of my body that I can trick her into touching
10. Getting to visit with Grandma and Grandpa for maybe the last time (though we've been saying that for 5 years now)
11. Books, books and more books
12. Love