Has it really been so long since my last post?! I know that I need to get better at this, but in my defense our lives have been pretty chaotic, and right when I think I may have a moment to document our lives something comes up to draw my attention away. But here I am ready to conquer what at times seems impossible. So since this blog is mostly for me I am going to travel back to the great month of December and journal all the wonderful things that make me love that sweet month.
DECEMBER
Chris and I are always like two little kids filled with so much anticipation on the days leading up to the BIG day... Christmas Day. Discussions are always started early on what our plans are going to be to help us get into our child like selves and we set forth on ways to make the most of this holiday season. The first thing we did was go and pick some names off the Angel Trees, one small little girl, a young boy, and a teenage girl. We had the best time shopping for these little "Angels" and our hearts were soaring when we were finally done and went to drop all of our gifts off. Our only regret walking away was that we couldn't be there to see there faces when they were opening them.
The next fun activity planned was our traditional going to pick out the Christmas tree. We haven't given in to purchasing a plastic tree yet, and I hope we never do. Although every year we go through some sort of struggle with our real tree, I would miss not having the fresh pine scents floating throughout our house, and the simple memory of being bundled in our winter clothes to find the most perfect tree to bring home and decorate in our most precious ornaments. We go back every year to the same place we bought our very first Christmas tree. Our first tree was the cutest little 4 foot tree ever and ever since the purchase of our house we have come back with monster size trees. I think our biggest ever was 9.5 feet and this year we scaled back a little and got an 8 foot tree. It was perfect. Full and beautiful and the most brilliant shade of green. We nestled it right into our corner in the living room and prepared to dress it in our finest, green, red, and gold decorations. I love our Christmas ornaments! Besides the green, red, and gold balls (most of which are from our original tree) I don't have very many other ornaments. But all the ones I do have all represent something in our lives together. When we pull them out to place on the tree it ignites memories in us that then spark conversations of our past travels, our very first Christmas together, and the first Christmas spent in our very first house. In a way it is like looking through a photo album. I love it and wouldn't trade it for anything.
Next up for our pre Christmas celebration was a wonderful weekend spent in Salt Lake. This was part of my Christmas present and I couldn't have asked for a better one. Chris got us a room at the Hilton which was a couple blocks from Temple Square. And we filled our days with shopping and our nights with wonderful dinners and a trip to Temple Square to take in all the lights. And then before we settled in for the night we would go down to their huge pool and swim, swim, swim, to our hearts content. It was a perfect trip, spent with the man I love and I couldn't have asked for a better getaway. Thanks Babe!! XOXOXO
Something that I have been wanting to do for a while was build OUR house out of gingerbread. I have never made homemade ginger bread and I just didn't think that I would have the stamina to do it. But with Chris' gentle coaxing he finally got me to take the first step and get the dough made. While I was busy in the kitchen doing that, he was at the table designing the cutouts. So a full day later, the cooking and the assembly was finely complete (Chris' favorite part). Now the fun could begin... it was time for decorating (my favorite part). The process was long and hard, but it was so worth it. Chris and I had a great time working on it together while watching Christmas movies and I must say it turned out so awesome. We even went a step further and made ourselves and Twinkee into gingerbread. How "sweet" is that?
The final Christmas tradition we have is on Christmas Eve we go and look at Christmas lights. We started this tradition the Christmas before we got married and have done it every year since. We put on some Christmas music and drive to find the most impressive houses ever. Sadly though, it seems that every year more and more people turn into Scrooges and don't even bother to put out lights and so our little tradition is being cut shorter and shorter. But we still enjoy it and will look forward to doing it again next year.
I loved our Christmas Eve night, it is usually spent with Chris and I in separate rooms scrambling to get our last minute items wrapped for each other. Then with the tree illuminated in all its glory and the all the presents nestled underneath it, Chris and I settle into a little make shift bed on the floor by the tree and fall asleep while snuggling up close and watching one of our favorite Christmas movies.
Then finally, the day has arrived. Oh, what a glorious day it is too! Chris and I love it! This is where the little kid comes out of us. I have to say, Santa has to be in love with us, because he gets us the best things ever! It is glorious! Our stockings are always overflowing with little goodies and sweets and he always knows exactly what we wanted because it is sitting there wrapped in its pretty ribbons and bows and everything is just perfect. Christmas is just perfect.
Chris and I are lucky enough to have both our families here in town. It seems hectic at times going back and forth, but we still love it. We had a simple, quiet Christmas morning at Chris' parents. We enjoyed the lively tunes of Christmas music from Chris' youth, while sipping hot chocolate, and slowly unwrapped the presents that we all had. Then it was off to my mom's house for our little family gift exchange. It was nice in much the same way as the one previous, wonderful Christmas music filling the background and a cup of hot chocolate warming between our hands. Next up... Christmas "lunch" at my Grandma's. We go over there for every holiday and I love it. I love that no matter how many people she is serving we always have our dinner on her fine china and that we are all set at one table. Well, it is more like 5 tables set end to end, but none the less, it is one continuously flowing table. It is always such an elegant set up with delicious food and wonderful conversations. After a few rounds of games there, we said our goodbyes and set off to finish the evening at Chris' Grandma's house. I had never been to her house for Christmas dinner so I was very excited to try it this year. And it did not disappoint. The food was fantastic and the hostess and other company were so sweet. And again, after a few rounds of games, we set off to go finish our Christmas night in the comfort of our house.
It is always a sad time when Christmas day comes to an end, but I am always set at ease knowing that it will come back again next year. I love our Christmas traditions and I love having a husband that gets into the season almost as much as I do.
