December 2011

As the holiday season seems to go, our December was pretty hectic, not to our surprise.  I decorated for the most wonderful season of all the day after Thanksgiving.  It always makes our house so magical to be filled with beautiful Christmas lights.  It's kind of like you don't even need to cut on real lights when you have a room filled with Christmas lights.  We picked out our tree at Boulevard Flowers - an annual tradition.  We learned our lesson the first year that if you think a tree is big and bold, it is probably TOO big.  We have learned to scale down and it makes our room look so much better.  Another year, another gorgeous tree.

There she is!  On the way to her new home

I turned 25 - kind of a big milestone when you think about it - a quarter of a century.  I had some time built up at work so I was able to take off my birthday (Daniel included!) and a few extra days.  I really enjoyed some time to spend with family and in my craft room!  We had dinner with some family that came into town (actually, a huge debbie downer, but I'm over it now).  The other big debbie downer about my birthday was the day before, there was another shooting on Tech's campus.  Whenever I hear about bad shootings that happen, my stomach drops, and it makes me feel so sad for everyone involved.  When I hear about a shooting at the same place where my whole world changed forever by a shooting, the emotions are beyond explainable.  Every single memory and feeling returns.  It's hard to be a normal person and function when you have such turmoil distracting you.  Fortunately, it was an 'isolated' incident.  Sadly, a VT police officer was killed, but to look at the silver lining - it was only one individual.  Not 32, but horrible, sad, and upsetting just the same.  Okay, I'm done.

We had some family photos done (I'll upload some pics in another post).  I think they turned out pretty good considering I woke up that morning feeling like a bus came and ran me over in my sleep.

Christmas was amazing per the usual.  Everyone loves the gifts (and if you say that you don't, you're lying), but I honestly love all the festivities that surround it.  Family is together, happy and making memories.  I love that Daniel and I have set aside time on Christmas Eve and Christmas to spend time alone before the craziness ensues.  I received the most amazing gift-

An amazing vintage #25, Frank Beamer jersey!

I un-decorated on December 26.  Call me a scrooge, but when it's over - it's over.  And besides, I had to do a 180 into major baby-shower-mode.