Dana Edwards’ Blog

Well, it’s now a few days after Christmas and the kids have switched toys again. The first big hit was the Splatball, then it was the board game Trouble, and now, we’ve moved on to our Zhu Zhu Pets.

Santa brought 4 total – two for Brennan and two for Claire. Claire calls both of hers “mousy” even though their given names are Chunk (white) and Jilly (pink). Brennan is fine with respecting the manufacturer’s wishes and call his Num Nums (grey) and Mr. Squiggles (brown).

The toys don’t do too much but they do more than you would think. They have sounds indicating they are moving like roosters or boings. They zip forward, spin around, and shoot off in another direction.

The kids love them and treat them like they are their kids. In the picture shown, the Zhu Zhu pets are at the movies but tomorrow they have hamster school. Very fun.

- Dana

I was in the kitchen to see this and then hear someone ask “Where did all the egg nog go?”

- Dana

Every year, we buy our kids toys based on what they request, what the “hot” toys are, what looks educational, and what we think looks fun. In addition to those items, we’ll randomly pick up a couple of things. Regardless of how much thought we put into it, the toy that the kids like best is typically one of the random toys.

This year, the instant hit toy was Splatball. As usual, it is a super simple toy. It looks like a tomato and is a liquid filled thing. All you do is throw it and when it lands it looks like a tomato that splattered on the floor. After about 2-5 seconds, it reforms into a little tomato. It costs about $2.99 and the kids’ grandma bought it at Harris Teeter.

It was very cool. Be careful because if you use excessive force, it will indeed break.

- Dana

We have six Christmas Trees at our house. When I say “Christmas Tree”, I am talking about trees that required assembly and putting lights / ornaments on it. There are multiple Christmas tree shaped things or decorations that somehow resemble Christmas Trees but I am not counting those. My neighbor was proud that he had two and I was impressed also until I started walking around the house counting ours. I will need to follow up with him tomorrow to understand if he meant two was a good small number or it was a big number. If he somehow worked his house down to two, I am now more impressed – I think but still not sure.

The first tree you see coming to our house is the white one, which is outside. In the kid’s playroom, we have one with a bumble next to it. I love the Bumble. We have a traditional one. At the top of the stairs, we have a small one with a Santa doll thing next to it and this is newly decorated in ornaments from Rudolph, including a Bumble. Finally, Brennan and Claire each have one in their rooms – these are not pictured because they are sleeping and I couldn’t get photos right now.

Is it normal to have this many? Keep in mind this excludes any other Christmas Tree looking things that may or may not have lights which are all over the house.

- Dana

I’m pretty late with this update – oh well. The family had a blast hanging ornaments on our tree. Jill had to go buy extra lights before we could start because the tree is about a foot taller than we normally get – 9ft this year. Mom and I enjoyed egg nog as usual. Anyways, here are the tree pictures and thanks for reading.

- Dana

Everyone in the Edwards Family is super excited for Christmas and now we have our tree! I think it is about 8ft tall and we’ll very soon begin decorating it!! Our family photographer will soon be getting photos out!

- Dana

In early November, Moviefone published its Top 25 Christmas Movies. Their list is down below and is touted to list in order the “best Christmas movies ever”.  I wish they had listed their criteria but until they do I will assume it is just another qualitative list given by a source that should be an expert in the topic.

The movie I enjoy the most and most people can rally around is Christmas Vacation so it is #1 on my list.

I will add my own qualitative list to the mix of expert listings as I too watch a lot of movies:

1. ‘National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation’ (1989)
2. ‘A Christmas Story’ (1983)
3. ‘Elf’ (2003)
4. ‘Scrooged’ (1988)
5. ‘Bad Santa’ (2003)
6. ‘The Muppet Christmas Carol’ (1992)
7. ‘Gremlins’ (1984)
8. ‘The Santa Clause’ (1994)
9. ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ (1946)
10. ‘Miracle on 34th Street’ (1947)
11. ‘White Christmas’ (1954)
12. ‘A Christmas Carol’ (1951)
13. ‘The Polar Express’ (2004)
14. ‘The Nightmare Before Christmas’ (1993)

Moviefone’s top 25 Christmas Movies list:

1. ‘A Christmas Story’ (1983)
2. ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ (1946)
3. ‘Miracle on 34th Street’ (1947)
4. ‘Scrooged’ (1988)
5. ‘White Christmas’ (1954)
6. ‘Elf’ (2003)
7. ‘Christmas in Connecticut’ (1942)
8. ‘Home Alone’ (1990)
9. ‘Babes in Toyland’ (1934)
10. ‘National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation’ (1989)
11. ‘A Christmas Carol’ (1951)
12. ‘Holiday Inn’ (1942)
13. ‘The Nightmare Before Christmas’ (1993)
14. ‘The Bishop’s Wife’ (1947)
15. ‘Love Actually’ (2003)
16. ‘Die Hard’ (1988)
17. ‘The Shop Around the Corner’ (1940)
18. ‘The Dead’ (1987)
19. ‘Bad Santa’ (2003)
20. ‘The Santa Clause’ (1994)
21. ‘Gremlins’ (1984)
22. ‘Joyeux Noel’ (2006)
23. ‘The Muppet Christmas Carol’ (1992)
24. ‘We’re No Angels’ (1955)
25. ‘The Polar Express’ (2004)

- Dana