Sounds like you had a wonderful Dad! What great memories. Boy can I relate to your post! 'Cept for me... it's my mom that I miss. Mom always made the holiday season special. She had this very funny high pitched voice she would sing in when she was happy. Last night I found myself singing in that voice and couldn't help thinking of Mom. My kids think I am just as weird as I thought my mom was when she sang in that voice! Secretly...I always thought she was so funny when she did that. I have friends today who still remember Mom and her opera singing voice.

Your post reminded me of how often I think of her. In this week alone I had thoughts of Mom while:
-unpacking the dusty decorations as they came out of the attic.
-putting ornaments on the tree that she had given us.
-heading out to shop last night after dinner was cleaned up(she basically only went shopping at night during the holiday season and one of us got to go with her to pick surprise gifts for our brother and sisters.
-wrapping Christmas gifts and putting- FROM, SANTA in this disguised handwriting so the kids wouldn't know I had written it.
-shopping and saw this Christams tin with Hershey Kisses on it (they were her favorite chocolate candy.
-cleaning my Dad's apartment to get him ready for Christmas (I don't know how he lives there every day with all the memories of her.
These are just a few of the times I've thought of Mom this week. Yes, it is hard, but I'm grateful that I have such fun memories. I am also happy that she is in a better place.
Kathryn, thanks for the post...it made me take the time to think about Mom a little more. It felt great!