Just checking in... real quick

Merry Christmas!!!

I wanted to stop in and say hi since it's been a while since I've blogged.  Farmboy and I just got back to my apartment from his family's Christmas Eve get together.  In the morning we'll go to my parents' to open presents and eat breakfast.

Future posts:

Vegas trip
Snow, ice, slippery mess that I love
Christmas goodies!

Hope you all have a safe and happy holiday!!

Christmas Survey

Cee at Curiosity posted this survey, so I stole it!

1.Wrapping paper or gift bags?

Wrapping for the family, bags for coworkers and that sort of thing

2. Real tree or Artificial?

 Artificial tree!  I can't handle the needles and the sneezing!  Actually to be technical I have no tree, it's up at FB's house.

3. When do you put up the tree?

     We put up our tree at FB's the day after Thanksgiving.

4. When do you take the tree down?

     I usually take mine down right after New Year's day.  FB informed me that it won't come down until middle of January after the story of Magi Sunday.

5. Do you like eggnog?

    I like a half of a glass once a year, that is usually just enough.

6. Favorite gift received as a child?

     One year Dad built a fort with swing and slide and rope ladder and cool stuff like that.  He had built it at a neighbor's house and somehow got it into the backyard in the middle of the night.  So we could see it when we first woke up.  Of course at the time, I thought Santa brought it.

7. Hardest person to buy for?

     Farmboy, because I want it to be the perfect gift.

8. Easiest person to buy for?

    My mom, she usually tells me about ten things she'd like.

9. Do you have a nativity scene?

    My mom has collected the Willowtree Nativity.  It's so pretty!  FB and I talked about the need to get one for his house/my future place. 

10. Mail or email Christmas cards?

      This is the first year I've done cards for lots of people, and I'm mailing them.  They're also save the date cards, two birds one stone... that's my style :)

11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received?

       I honestly can't think of any really horrible gifts.  We've done white elephant gifts from time to time, and those are intentionally bad.

12. Favorite Christmas Movie?

      National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation is by far the most hilarious ever!

13. When do you start shopping for Christmas?

        My routine changes from year to year.  This year I've done quite a bit online, so I'm almost done.  I'll finish when I get back from my mini-vacay.  The day before Christmas Eve.

14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present?

      Yes, I do that some with coworkers and acquaintances that think we should exchange presents when we really don't need to.  Do yall have those people?  I just don't get exchanging presents with all of the people I know, I would rather simplify and spend more on those that truly impact my life.

15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas?

      Christmas brunch

16. Lights on the tree?

      We have a white prelit tree.

17. Favorite Christmas song?

      Carol of the Bells

18. Travel at Christmas or stay home?

       I like staying around home, but sometimes we go to Kansas City to see extended family. 

19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer?

      I think so, it may take a little while for me to remember all of them.

20. Angel on the tree top or a star?

      Growing up we've had both throughout the years, but this year it's a multicolored lit star.

21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning?

       We usually get to open one present after Christmas Eve service, so technically they're all opened on Christmas day. 

22. Most annoying thing about this time of the year?

      long lines and traffic and people who are rude

23. Favorite ornament, theme, or color?

      My ornaments are all blue and silver and glittery.  I also really like looking at all the ones from when my brother and I were babies.

24. Favorite for Christmas Dinner?

       We do Christmas breakfast.  It's different from year to year.

25. What do you want to do for Christmas this year?

       I'm excited to spend most of the day with my family on Christmas, then most of New Year's with FB's family.

26. Favorite Christmas tradition growing up?

       Christmas Eve service at 11:00.  It's candlelit, so by the end of Silent Night the whole room is lit with candles.  Everyone has a candle to hold up high for the last verse.  Then after the service you leave and it's Christmas and you can be the first to wish each other Merry Christmas.

27. Favorite tradition now?

      Going to everyone's house for Christmas to celebrate and see people you haven't seen in a while.

Christmas Shopping

So I was really worried and dreading the shopping, but it was not so bad.  Academy was good, we got what we needed without much hassle there.  Lowe's was great!  There weren't even lines at the check out there.  Then we went to Walmart, this is where the evening began to unravel a bit.  It was a zoo!  However, we did run into my mom who was getting some pictures printed for her Christmas cards.  Then it got worse at Kohl's, I couldn't find what I wanted in the whole store.  Even if I'd found what I wanted, the lines were all so long I probably would've given up!  Overall it wasn't too terrible, so I suppose we'll call it a success. :)

This lil piggy went to market...

And this lil piggy will probably run all the way home crying "Wa wa wa wa wa"

We're going Christmas shopping tonight.  As you can probably see, I'm not super excited!  I'm kind of the opposite!  There will be tons of people in not a lot of space.  But I'm going to try to get in a Christmasy spirit!  I think I can, I think I can...

I'll let ya know how that goes for me!

Picture of the day

OK so there's more than one picture of the day today.  We got the CD from our photographer, so I've been looking at all 294 of them!  My photographer rocks my socks off!  Other than a few with us making weird faces, there is not one single bad picture in the bunch!  Her photography is great in all of them, even if we weren't quite cooperating.  Anyway, I've got the save the date/Christmas cards ordered.  Hopefully I'll get around to sending them all off soon, so they're not too late. :)

I'm not particularly fond of the way I look in this picture, but I love it when FB kisses my head like that!

Really like the background in this one!

One of Farmboy's favorites.

We're at the lake!

You may think this makes me crazy, but I really really love the lake this time of year!  Well anytime when it's too cold to do the typical lake things.  Right now there are maybe 3 other condos occupied, it's so quiet!  Plus look at the view this morning!

This picture doesn't do it justice, there's a haze coming off the lake, and the sun's just coming up over the hills.  I'm really glad we got to get away.  The reason we're here is to build FB's brother's Christmas present.  FB's best friend lives here and has all the needed equipment.  If we ever move to this area I must insist we have lake view!  That'll go over well, the insisting... hehe

Hope y'all have a great weekend planned as well!   Oh, did I mention this lake has a major outlet mall?  Yea, Christmas shopping here I come!

More Engagement Pictures

Just posting these cuz.... well cuz I wanna. :)  I heard from my photographer's mother, whom I work with, that the picture CD should be done soon!  Yay!

Tell me do you like the second one here, or the first one in the earlier post??  I need a good up close picture for all the save the date and engagement announcement stuff.