Christmas came way too fast for me this year and I had a difficult time really getting into the spirit. I'm not sure exactly when it did happen, but I eventually came around to getting excited for Christmas.
Normally we have the whole tradition of going up to the tree farm and out to lunch at this little burger and shakes place but we just ran out of time. We had Kyle's cousins up for dinner one night at the beginning of the month and it was right after we got back from Whistler. That week Kyle was working long hours so there just wasn't time to get everything done in time for our company. So instead of taking an afternoon and going up and visiting all the animals
{kangaroos, walabies, lemars, etc.} and our family friends, we opted to go up the street at 8:30 one FREEZING evening and get one almost frozen tree in ten minutes. I started putting the lights on the tree at about 11pm that night and finished in the morning. I just didn't have the energy or motivation to put decorations on the tree but I couldn't leave it completely bare...so I just put minimal balls
{red and clear}, the angel on top and the skirt on the bottom and it worked for me. Kyle was a bit sad that we didn't have all of our ornaments on the tree, but this is the first year in the
{almost} 8 that we've been married that I just didn't do it. I'm sure I'll be back to myself next year
{hopefully}.
Anyway, so his cousins and their wives came up for dinner. We thought they were going to be here at about 6pm on that Friday evening but one of his cousins called at 6pm and said they were just leaving their house
{and they live about an hour and a half away}. Dinner was in the oven and going to be ready to eat in about 25 mins. Everything was a bit cold when they got here but we made it all work and just heated it up again. It was delish!
{Pork tenderloin...I completely forgot the sauce I had made to go with it when we were eating...oops...roasted red pepper sauce...we also had bread, salad, twice baked potato casserole, roasted asparagus and lots of yummy wine.} It was a lot of fun to get together with them since we normally only see them at the grandparents house and it's a bit chaotic there. Plus it's more natural conversation when we don't have "the adults" {ha!} there to eavesdrop.
Over the past a couple weeks I've been watching all the Christmas movies and then I started baking around the 21st, I think. I made five different cookies, peppermint bark and for Christmas Eve at my inlaws the gingerbread pumpkin trifle, again. I should've taken a picture of my kitchen. It looked like something had exploded in there! Hahaha!! But it was fun and it was probably the combination of the movies and the baking that got me in the spirit.
Christmas with my dad's side of the family was on the 23rd. There wasn't as many family members there like there normally is for some reason. It was at my dad's house this year when normally it's at my aunt and uncles. I guess because they had Thanksgiving at their house they didn't want Christmas too. Whatev. It all worked out and was nice to see everyone. I didn't take any pictures there, though.
Christmas Eve was at my inlaws house. They spoil us way too much!! The only thing that Kyle and I asked for was a new computer because our current computer is almost 10 years old and basically useless. We're able to do the minimum on it and it's so frustrating. So we were very hopeful that they'd at least give us money towards a computer...and they did!!!! We're not going to have to put very much towards it. I'm SO FRICKING EXCITED!!! I'll now be able to put photo software on it and I might actually be able to learn photoshop. I've
HAD it for at least 5 years but it's too big for our computer so I had to take it off a long time ago. Anywho, as if
THAT wasn't enough...my inlaws also got us more. Awhile ago, I was at Kohl's and I saw these awesome dishes. I was drooling over them but I knew that I couldn't afford them right then. So I took pictures of them with my phone and then I posted them to Facebook to clear out my phone
{because it sucks also and runs even slower if I've got much on it} and when I posted them I said "I won't argue if anyone wants to get these for me" totally joking. Well, my MIL went and GOT THEM!!! OHMYWORD!!! I love her anyway, but WOW!!!! I can't believe her.
This everything she got along with the silverware that I can't find a picture of. Each piece of the silverware has a different "picture". Like a cottage, a tree, etc and the handle looks like tree bark...Also a couple of moose-shaped plates that I couldn't find pictures of. But so so awesome!
The money towards a computer was
TOTALLY enough and over the top to begin with! Then the dishes and that's not even everything they got us either. There's a Seahawks player named John Carlson. So because he shares a last name with us, my inlaws are getting all of us his jersey!
{They've been trying to get them since November but haven't been able to yet because they keep running out...they're on a waiting list.} I told you, we're
SO SPOILED!! {And, of course, I love it. LOL}For some reason, I was feeling like Kyle wasn't going to get me anything this year. Normally he's out on Christmas Eve with all the other guys and I thought he was going to disappoint me this year. I sort had a little breakdown about it because he
WASN'T out shopping on Christmas Eve. I told him that I just wanted him to make me feel special for this one day a year because I do so much for him all the time. I wasn't wanting him to get me a lot. I would've been happy with a couple things for my stocking and a new pair of pj's. I just wanted him to put some thought into it and not get me crap
{like the spatulas I get in my stocking every. frickin. year. because he doesn't know what else to get me at the last minute when he's going through the aisles at Target.} I may or may not have thrown a coupon to Bed Bath & Beyond along with the debit card at him and stormed off. Nah, I'd never do anything like that. lol Anyway, after that little thing I may or may not have done, he said something about maybe he already had me taken care of...then when we were at his parents I knew something was up because he was asking his mom for wrapping paper
{like every year}. He always gives me something to open at his parents. Not sure why he does but it's kind of his "thing" I guess. I should know better by now. So the gift that he gave me at his parents was tickets to see Carrie Underwood in May.
SO EXCITED!!!Christmas morning I came out into the living room and Santa had definitely been to see us. ;0) I opened my stocking and almost everything in it was "school supplies". Haha!! Santa was getting me ready for school! Yay!! And, of course, there
WAS spatulas, spoons, ladels like every year
{and he WAS out shopping on Christmas Eve when I thought he was at work...they were supposed to work but the job wasn't ready for them}. LOL Dork! I had a couple of large gifts waiting for me. I had
NOT A CLUE what it could be. There was one thing for my stocking that Kyle told me not to open yet so I set it aside. I opened the smaller of the two gifts first.
HOLY CRAP, People!!! He got me a Netbook!! For school! I
NEVER would have expected that!
EVER!! And he bought it like two months ago!! The other, larger, gift was a new copier/printer/scanner. The one we have is O-L-D!! It totally grinds when you open/close the top of it
{when you replace the ink}. We got it for Christmas the first year we were married. I'm
SO EXCITED about my gifts this year!! And so, because I had been a brat, I had to apologize to my awesome hubby for underestimating him. Oh and the stocking gift he told me not to open yet was a mouse for my computer. heehee
I'm on my tiny little computer right now and I've pretty much been on it since I got it
{except for when we weren't home}. I love this thing!! And it's
MINE!!!Because this is already so long and I've probably bored you all to tears, I'll just leave you with a few pictures and update more tomorrow when I've got your attention again. LOL I haven't really
SAID very much the past few weeks so I thought I'd do a little updating along with the Christmas recap.
We got there and my mom was making breakfast for all of us. While she was busy doing that, I played hide and seek with Evan and Kingston. They're so cute! Kingston would stand by the door and cover his eyes "counting" and then he'd say "Here I am!" LOL So funny!
The boys wrestled and Kyle and Justin {BIL} hung out chatting about whatever.
A few weeks ago I was talking to my mom about finding the "perfect" purse. She told me she bought me one for Christmas and that I could have it then or I could tell her I didn't like it and she'd take it back. Well she gave it to me and I LOVE it! It's zebra print with burgundy handles/trim. So cute!!
She also put together a frame with some pictures from our trip to Ocean Shores for our 8th engagement anniversary {and one picture that was from a different trip but she didn't realize that. lol It's all good though}.
This plaque that Kyle's holding says: "On this site in 1897 nothing happened." Haha! Love it!
She also gave me a Costco size Nutella and Artichoke Hearts - Woohoo!! LOL My sister also gave me two sets of the moose dishes I mentioned previously. Awesome!! I waited till the very end of gift opening to give my sister her gift. She tried so hard not to cry, but the tears flowed. Haha!! She LOVES the DVD, which I knew she would. {See the tear on her cheek? lol}
Shortly after we opened gifts we had to head to my dad's house. We got there and hung out for a bit and I knit. Then we played Yahtzee with my sister and BIL while we waited for my step-sister and her fam to get there. After everyone was there, we snacked a bit and by then it was getting late enough that Evan and Kingston were needing to head to bed so we got the present opening started. My dad gave us a check and a collage-type picture frame. Fun fun!! My step sister gave us a GC to a restaurant because when she asked me for a list I told her I don't "do" lists. Heehee! Fine by me! I really hate handing out "wish lists" so I'm happy with whatever anyone wants to get us {or not}.
When Dawn, Justin and the boys headed out, we did too. Chewy had been alone all day. I always feel badly leaving him alone for too awfully long because I know he's gotta go potty and I don't want him to do it in the house because we've made him wait forever. lol
