I wanna go back and do it all over....

Do you remember that song by Eddie Money, "I wanna go back...go back...and do it all over..."?  That song came to mind yesterday after talking to my dad on the phone.  My dad lives twelve hours away from me so we are no-where near one another on Christmas Eve.  My mother and step-dad are also hours away as is my sister.  The idea when you are a kid celebrating the holidays at home with your mom and dad, sisters &/or brothers, seemed then, the way it would always be.  Who knew I had to grow up??! Haha.

At Christmas and all through the holidays I go back to the days of being a kid.  My memories are warm and very close to the surface at this time of year.  So restful & relaxing to think about.  Yesterday my dad and I agreed those days were the best!  Wonderful memories, we made together.  Here are some of my all time favorite things I reminisce over...

I lived in an old farm house, a two story, white with black shutters farm house.  During the holidays the front door was encased in those big old Christmas bulbs of the past that glowed through frost cut designs, frozen and etched into the glass.  A Christmas tree was placed in the picture window of our dining room next to that same front door.  Every window ledge in the house was lit by a single orange bulbed candle or a trio of the same type candle light.  At night my parents would turn off all the lights in the house.  We would bundle up, my mom, dad, sister and myself and go outside to walk together and look at the house at night.  It was always so pretty.  I can see it, "just like that," clear as the day in my mind. 

Christmas break from school was an exciting time too.  The idea that you didn't have to be in school because Santa was coming soon to bring you toys, doubled the fun.  I lived across from my school.  I also lived in front of one of the best sledding hills ever.  It was named, "Tidal Wave" because it went down a steep slope, then up over another lower slope, before it would spit you out onto a long flat stretch of field.  Going down, and UP, Up,..Over the next slope, the "Wave" was much harder to do than you might think.  Often I would be on a tube that 5 or more people had jumped on. Bodies laying over and across one another, legs dangling off all sides, being one of the youngest and the lightest, I tended to get thrown right on top. 

Exhilarating, the rush from being launched off the pad at the top of the hill, the cool breeze, the smell of fresh snow, the spray of wet snow shooting off the hill straight into your face, the speed, the wave, the flight high above the tube, the return to the, ???? Wait, where is the tube.....???  The landing into the snow, laying there watching and laughing at those who also didn't make it, hearing the laughter of those who had made it safe and sound to the other side, still going, yep, knowing they are still sliding, still sledding.  The rest of us, just laying there, exhausted from the excitement, scooping snow off the ground with our mittens and trying to eat the snow, and only the snow, not the fuzz off our mittens.  This was a daily event.  It was hours of fun.  My dad used to mow those hills all summer long.  It was crazy to see him try to push mow those hills.  All so us kids would have the best possible, smoothest possible, sledding hill ever.

I would naturally invite everyone to come to my house for Hot Chocolate after.  My mother took out stock those winters  in, "Swiss Miss."  Everyone was invited regardless of mom's permission.  I just towed them in.  We'd dump every soaking wet or frozen stiff article of clothing that we'd been so happily wearing moments ago in the mud room. Then we'd take over the big round table in the kitchen and warm up. Cold faces, red noses, red cheeks. Lol.

Some nights after my dad came home from work and we had eaten dinner together, we would get into our snow suits.  All bundled.  We'd head out to the sled hill.  We had a toboggan.  Guess who sat in front.  Little me.  Because I could fit my little legs under the front curled over lip that defines a toboggan.  Then my sister, my mom and finally my dad who gave us all the big, Heave Ho!!!  Boy did we fly down that hill.  This was not the Tidal Wave hill I spoke of earlier, this was the sledding hill beside, Tidal Wave.  It went down, down, DOWN, a huge drop at the end.  That drop could boost our speed and get us all the way straight out across the stretch of flat field, into our neighbors drive-way. It was amazing!  It was dark, yet the sky always glowed from the city lights, it was silent, until the screams from the big drop!  It was snow piling into my lap, it was my little face sprayed frozen by wet flying snow. It was the best!

Christmas was always special.  It was a flood of love provided by my parents, grandparents and loved ones.  It was snuggling together in a warm old farm house & remembering the birth of Christ.  Nothing could be better than memories and sometimes I do catch myself singing, "I wanna go back, go back, and do it all over, but I can't go back I know."  As I may have mentioned before I often live and think in song. Lol.

Having said that, I'll close this long post. 
I hope you are making memories like these today in your, "Winter life". 
I hope when you sing that song by Eddie Money, you smile. 
Life moves swiftly.  The waves that roll are gentle or full of vigor, choppy or calm.
But those waves, moving swiftly hold with them memories that carry on and on.
Never crashing into any shore, just splashing around in the motion of emotion in your mind.

Have a wonderful, fun filled holiday. 
Enjoy your memory making, and memory reflecting. 
Remember Love is the most important gift you can give or receive. 

Wishing you the best, always,
Sarah.