Finally, a Christmas post!

Above: My little reindeer :)

(That stayed on all of... five seconds)

So finally, here is my Christmas post, which will primarily be pictures...

Our Christmas went like this...

Christmas Eve- Grandpa's house

Christmas Morning - Mom's house

Christmas Dinner - Mom's still

Christmas Evening - Dad's house, then Dad's girlfriend's house

So we were a little all over the place, which I'm not crazy about. I felt a little rushed in general this holiday season. In fact, the other day I turned on the radio and realized, I missed the Christmas music! I never sat down and enjoyed it or sang along this year, or really even heard my two favorite songs (Santa Baby - the Marilyn Monroe version, and Baby it's Cold Outside). Not to mention, we didn't drive around to look at lights or anything.

I hereby vow to not be swept up in the consumerism frenzy next year of just buying things for people last minute. I say this every year... but I really am going to make an effort next year.

So next year, you guys better hold me to this!

That being said, we really DID have a nice Christmas. It was just busy is all.

My Grandma came into town and stayed at our house, so it was also nice to have some company. And I will say, Russ and I truly got spoiled rotten. Not only did we get a ton of other things that we wanted (like my favorite perfume, my Shu Uemura eyelash curler, tools for Russ, Shop Vac for Russ).... well... you know that computer that I complained so much about?

It's out of here!

To make way for a brand new Hewlett Packard computer that my mom and dad put their money together to buy for Russ and I!!! I honestly couldn't believe it! It even comes with a new wide screen 19 inch monitor! It is HUGE!

So here I am, uploading pictures faster than ever, so I officially have no excuse now! LOL

Without further ado, here are some pictures from our Christmas!

Christmas Eve at Grandpa Mel & Bev's (my Step-Grandma):

Rob and Kristina

My Mom and Rob

Kyle and I

Kyle, Mom and I


I really think red might be his color!

My Grandpa and his wife, Bev

My favorite perfume! Sui Dreams by Anna Sui. I have worn this one for years, along with many others, but seem to always love this one the most. Kristina (my younger step-sister) used to always ask for some of mine, and now she has one too :)

Okay... so you know those houses that just have an insane amount of lights? The one people stop in front of and line up around the block for? Yeah, that's my Grandpa's house. I snapped some pics towards the end, so not everything was on (including the whole front portion and blow up things), but here is some of it...

Christmas Morning and Day at my mom's house:

Being attacked with kisses

Russ' new BASS fishing ornament (from Mom and Rob), he loves it!

An annual tradition, Mom gets me a Shu Uemura eyelash curler every year. This is my favorite curler, and they are supposed to be replaced once a year. They don't even make refill rubbers for them, so hence our tradition!

Everyone wants socks, right?

And finally, at my Dad's girlfriend's house:

Finally, my dad and I, which is a rare picture indeed. In fact we were supposed to go out to a joint Kaileigh/Kyle birthday dinner (we are both December babies), but since Kyle went on a road trip, I have been "blown off", if you will. That seems to be a constant with my dad. Some things just never change.

So anyways I think I am off to clean a little bit and just veg on the couch with Russ and possibly watch The Notebook :)

Sounds good to me!

Hope you all had a very Merry Christmas, and if I don't blog before, a Happy New Year!!!

-K

Gift-Exchange-Eve.

Sorry that my blogs have been lacking “substance” lately (not that they had any to begin with). Not much has really been going on.

Today at work we decorated our office and all had a little lunch together, which was very nice! It was a lot of fun, as well; I really love where I work and the people I work with. It was just a nice little time and really gets you into the holiday spirit. Not to mention, the tree looks beautiful and has just about inspired me to get a move on and get our house ready for the Holiday. Granted, I am at work more than home, so it’s nice for work to be decorated too!

Tonight I went and shopped (feels like I’ve been shopping every night, which isn’t as fun as it sounds, even for me!) for our gift exchange. Gift exchanges for some reason, are just so difficult to me, and shopping for them is probably the hardest part. The limit is (supposed to be) twenty dollars…

I ended up getting a Bath and Body Works gift set of Warm Vanilla Sugar. It smells nive and warm and a little sweet, which is what I love to smell like in the winter. I hope someone enjoys it.

I guess the reason I’m not crazy about gift exchanges is because I feel like I’m socially awkward with things like this (well, most things, really). I hate opening gifts in front of people. I worry too much about my reaction which makes me seem fake, and I swear that’s not even it. I’m just very self-conscious. Now opening gifts, in front of strangers, then exchanging for one I like more (generally the rule in gift exchanges that I’ve been to)? Wow… talk about feeling uncomfortable. I don’t want anyone to think their gift is any less important than another’s, and the same for whatever gift I bring!

I still have this horrible memory of a gift exchange at youth group at my church. To set the scene a little, I went to church alone every Sunday, because my parents didn’t care to join me. So, I was the girl who went alone to church, sat alone, left alone. I was a fourteen-year old redheaded chubster with curly hair, braces, and zero confidence. I was uncomfortable in any situation, really. I summoned up the courage to go to an event at church that wasn’t the regular service; it was a youth group get together before Christmas.

I brought a nice gift for the gift exchange, and while we went about whatever rules apply with such events… I found myself with a small, rectangular present to unwrap. As I peeled back the paper, I felt my heart stop for a second and the blood rush to my face. Beads of sweat emerged as I realized I had to continue tearing back the paper and raise the gift for all to see.


Buns of Steel.


The exercise video Buns of Steel, I’m sure you all know which one I’m talking about, we’ve all probably had a giggle about it at one point or another I’m sure.
But when you’re the girl described above… well, I wasn’t giggling, I felt like crying.
Of course, it was only intended as a gag gift, and nobody could have known that I was going to be the recipient of said gift, but well, that’s just my luck. Thankfully, everyone had a good laugh over it, and someone even “stole” (part of the rules of the gift exchange) the gift from me, jokingly claiming they would put the video tape to good use at home.

Maybe they sensed my anguish, or maybe they simply craved buns of steel.

Of course, I do of course find it pretty funny now. Long story short, gift exchanges mess with my nerves a bit, and we’ll just have to see how it goes tomorrow.

We’re having the holiday party at the nearby Cheesecake Factory restaurant, which should be very nice! That part I am certainly looking forward to!

Here...there...everywhere!

Above: My morning drive on Friday

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas! Well... okay, to me at least. The mornings have been especially foggy, and I guess for me that's winter! So my mom's birthday surprise for me on Friday was AMAZING! We drove to a little spa called Harmony and she treated me to a pedicure, a facial, and a massage!!! I have never had a facial or a massage, and it was absolutely wonderful. I haven't felt that relaxed in a long time.

Friday night Russ and I went to the Old Spaghetti Factory for dinner, and then went and saw Four Christmases. Well, it wasn't as bad as I expected, we had a few laughs and enjoyed the sweet parts of the movie and just overall getting into the spirit of Christmas.

On Saturday we went to a Christmas parade with our Dachshund meetup group, and afterwards went to our friend's store for snacks and just to hang out with friends and our dogs. Because the city was geared up for the Christmas parade, they also had a "Santa" in the store available for pictures, which I ended up mostly taking of people. Not that I'm complaining, I love taking pictures, especially ones that will put a smile on their face!

It was a lot of fun... If you haven't ever checked it out, Meetup.com is an awesome site to go find local clubs. My mom started our Dachshund meetup, and there are over a hundred members now. We do fundraising for local animal rescue and also just socialize with people who have at least one thing in common with us (though generally more)! I also found my amazing book club on meetup, and am having the best time with the girls I've met there!

Well, we wrapped up the weekend on Sunday doing some work on the house (me on the inside, Russ outside). Russ topped off our side planter with bark (gosh, what a cheap and easy improvement), and started on our Christmas lights. I will most likely post some pictures of our lights once they are up!

Hope you all had an amazing weekend!

-K