Tis the Season

Every year Christmas seems to sneak up on me. I end up frantically running around at the last minute to finish shopping. I put out my decorations so late its almost pointless. I quickly lose sight of the meaning of Christmas because I become so wrapped up in the stress of the unnecessary. This year I vowed to be different. 

Lillian is at such a fun and precious age, which makes Christmas so much more fun and meaningful.  Jon and I have really tried to focus on spending time as a family celebrating this special holiday.  We went and picked out our Christmas tree the weekend after Thanksgiving (in the rain might I add).  We had a lot of fun decorating it and even more fun watching Lillian help.  She would get so excited after hanging each ornament on the tree.  The first weekend in December we took a trip to Dallas for the Gift of Christmas at Prestonwood church.  It is always so entertaining and really gets you into the Christmas spirit.  The following week Jon and I ran in a Christmas 5k downtown.  The streets were decorated and lit for Christmas.  There were carolers along the course singing.  It was so much fun! About a week later we drove to Jefferson, TX one evening and rode a Christmas train.  It was not as exciting as I had hoped for, but Lillian really enjoyed it. After the train ride Lillian rode a carousel for the first time and loved it! (She keeps calling it a Ferris wheel) The following weekend we drive to Dallas again and spent time with Jon's side of the family. We went to the ICE exhibit at the Gaylord, where Lillian kept wanting to lick all the ice. We really enjoyed spending quality time with family we don't see often.  Somewhere in between all that we found time to put up Christmas lights on our house, Lillian had a birthday party for Jesus at school, and I sent out Christmas cards.  Lillian visited with Santa one afternoon and was so excited. She told him she wanted a pink helmet and a pink bike, some blue toys, and a banjo.  We still plan on baking cookies for Santa and a birthday cake for Jesus. 

Although I still have presents to buy and wrap, food to prepare, and a messy house, we have surely enjoyed celebrating Christmas. 

I hope to instill the importance of Christmas and Christ's birth in Lillian.  I hope she never loses sight of the real meaning of Christmas and always believes in the magic as well. 

The Lord has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy.  Psalm 126:3

Merry Christmas!

Christmas snuck up on me once again this year. It really does not feel like it should be Christmas already!  We just got our Christmas tree 2 days ago (yes, that's right, 4 days before Christmas day).  I have had my house decorated for weeks with all my holiday decor, but we never made a trip to get a tree.  Jon said he didn't think it felt like Christmas without a tree so he went Friday night and picked one out for us.  I told him that we will have to be more on the ball next year since we will be introducing a new life to the traditions of Christmas.  I will say that I do love the Christmas season.  Some of my favorite things to do during this time of year are...
-driving around to look at Christmas lights.  I love to get a mug of hot chocolate and jump in the car and check out all the houses lit up.  I will admit that some of the houses are quite amusing with the blow up decorations and the Clark Griswald wanna-be's.   We have been around a few neighborhoods a couple times this year.  I am looking forward to next year when we can dress Lillian in her Christmas PJs and drive around to show her all the lights.
-enjoy the music.  There is just something about Christmas music that makes you happy and want to smile.  Now there are some songs that become annoying after you hear them 25,000 times in a day on the radio, but for the most part all Christmas music is enjoyable.  For the past 2 years we have driven to Dallas to go to a Christmas music concert of sorts at Jon's uncle's church, Prestonwood.  It is a megachurch to say the least with an enormous choir.  They put on a wonderful Christmas program.  It always brings tears to my eyes and joy to my heart!
-going to parties.  Whether it's a tacky Christmas sweater party, a night with the girls, or an office party, it's always nice to get together with friends during this time of the year.  My work had our Christmas party this year at Zocolo.  It was a lot of fun and made me even more thankful for my job.  I really feel appreciated where I work and I am so thankful for that!
-baking goodies.  I like to bake anyway, but during this time of year it really is fun.  I made some treats and bagged them up for the people I work with.  This evening I plan on making even more yummies, like fudge, cookies, and a pie!  I hope everyone is ready for some sweets.
-spending time with family.  My sister made it in town yesterday and will be here for a few days.  It's always nice having her in town.  We are heading out to my parents on Christmas eve night to eat and spend time with my parents and grandparents.  On Christmas day we are having lunch/dinner at our house and Jon's parents and uncles will be here.  Then Friday we are getting together with Jon's sisters and their families.  To me the holidays are all about family and spending time with one another, enjoying each others company, laughing and just having a good time.  I know this will be even more important to me in the coming years, since Jon and I will have a family of our own.    Jon and I have been talking a lot about traditions that we want to start with Lillian, and just the thought of having her around this time next year brings so much joy to my heart!  It's crazy to think that we will finally meet her in 2 shorts months!  I've been saying all along that once Christmas gets here it will be just about time for her to arrive.  Well Christmas is here, now it's time to get myself in gear and get ready for this sweet baby girl.
I hope that everyone has a very Merry Christmas and that we remember what the season is really about.  Take the time to hug your friends, tell your family you love them, and thank God for the many blessings he has bestowed upon us!

New Year Traditions...

There are a few New Year traditions that people participate in to ring in the new year and start the new year off right.  I usually partake in most of these traditions, but this year wasn't quite the same.

On New Year's Eve it has become a custom to pop fireworks, especially at the midnight hour.  Jon and I had great intentions to do this.  We went to the firework stand and bought all the things we loved popping as a kid.  I think it made Jon feel like a kid again as he was picking out what fireworks he wanted.  We had plans to come home to our house after dinner and a few drinks and ring in the new year acting as children again, all giddy, popping fireworks...that didn't happen.  Instead we lost track of time visiting with friends and realized it was 11:55 when they were passing out champagne where we were.  Oh well, I told Jon that maybe we could just save the fireworks for July 4th and relive our childhood then.

Another tradition is to make a toast at midnight and drink champagne...we did partake in this.  We were at Vintage Wine Bar hanging out with friends and just before midnight they passed out complimentary champagne.  I do have to admit that it was pretty tasty (usually free champagne is super cheap and nasty!)

According to Wikipedia, failing to kiss someone at the stroke of midnight ensures a year of loneliness.  I don't actually believe in this superstition, but I did get a kiss at the stroke of midnight from none other than my wonderful husband!   Guess we have another year of not being lonely! ;)

On New Year's Day it has become a practice for people to have ham, black eyed peas, and cabbage for their meal.  The ham is to represent positive motion, because pigs root forward when foraging.  The cabbage symbolizes money, and the peas, since they swell when cooked, symbolize prosperity.  I also know that some people believe that you are to leave 3 peas on your plate in order to have good luck in the new year.   I will probably be broke, fail in numerous things, and move backward in 2012, because my New Year's Day meal consisted of a cheeseburger from Wendys.  Maybe the lettuce can replace the cabbage, the burger patty replace the ham, and the bread replace the peas (bread probably swells in my stomach after eating it?!)

People always seem to make New Year's resolutions.  I know that I have in the past and I can not recall one resolution that I stuck with throughout the year.  The new year gives people a sense of hope and new beginnings, therefore giving them the motivation to start doing something good or quitting something bad.   Although I never stick with these resolutions, I always seem to make them.  This year I only have two that I can come up with that I really want to be effective.  First I want to learn to set a budget and live on it.  I was never raised to set budgets, much less live on one.  Money was definitely not in abundance growing up, but my parents never (that I know of) made out a budget and stuck with it.  I know what I make and what I can spend, but I feel there is more to it than that.  Jon and I are really wanting to start paying off some of this debt we have ourselves in, and if we don't limit our spending, then we will never be able to get these balances to zero.  My second resolution is to grow in my faith and develop a closer relationship with God.  I pray often and I give Him credit for this wonderful life that He has blessed me with.  I want to go to church weekly without it being an option.  I want Jon and I to become active in the church and meet new people who will help us to grow in our relationship and faith. I will continue to pray, and will start to pray more because I am a firm believer in the power of prayer!

I hope that all of you had a wonderful and safe New Year's Eve, maybe some of you even practiced some of these traditions!  Here are a few pictures from our New Year's Eve...

*We joined some friends for dinner at Sushi Gen*

*Micaela, Jennifer, and Me*

*Me and the hubs ringing in 2012*

Here's to 2012...