Christmas 2010 Re-cap:

Christmas Eve we had dinner over at my mom's for the annual Strickland Chili dinner. It was nice to see family and hang out for a bit!
We decided, early on the day, we were going to just spend the night with Josh's family. We normally do Christmas morning at his parents' house and then make our way over to my family's house later on in the afternoon.
It was after midnight before we left my moms and we arrived to Josh's parents house about 1am. I was tired, but the adults were still up and putting Christmas stuff together. We helped out a bit before falling asleep on the couch close to 3am. The last 4 years (Our 1st Christmas was spent in the Mountains) we have done Christmas morning at his moms. It was always enjoyable because he has younger siblings and a niece, so seeing kids still get so excited about Christmas makes it fun to wake up early and open presents. Josh's family also does "Santa" gifts. Which I never heard of (My mom didn't really do Santa with us growing up). Santa has his presents that are all laid out by the fire place that are unwrapped, and then all the wrapped presents are from mommy & daddy and everyone else. Another thing they do "different" is they sort everyone's gifts and start from the youngest to oldest, who opens up all their gifts individually. I guess this s so everyone could see what that person got. It was so strange for me the first time I did this. It was nice though, but it does take a long time! His mom always make breakfast for everyone and then we enjoy a family lunch later on!
We went to my mom's house later on in the day and I was excited this year, because my nephew is 3 and finally understands Christmas and how to open presents! lol!I was excited to see his face light up with each present he opened.
My mom always lays the gifts out and they fill the living room floor (and sometimes they will consume part of another room). Unlike Josh's family, we dive in them all at once. It's crazy, but fun! One thing our families do alike is there are always TONS of presents. Our parents go way overboard every Christmas!! It nice to enjoy each family and their own traditions. Makes me excited for when we have kids and start out own traditions.
We loaded everything up around 10 and headed home. I was exhausted! We also decided to open our presents from each other when we got home, so we still had that to do...then sleep!
So needless to say our Christmas was wonderful and we were very blessed! I'm sad that it's over, but looking forward to the New Year that is coming!
I pray you all had a wonderful Christmas and that you will have a cheerful New Years!

My Christmas present is starting early...Josh has been working the last few days on Our Christmas present, a driveway! It is starting to take shape and looks real good! We thought we were going to have to wait until after the New Year to pour the concrete, but it looks like the concrete company we are using isn't to booked, so they may be able to come a few days after Christmas, yay! I am so excited! I never thought I would be so excited about a driveway, things sure do change when you get married (like when you get a new vacuum).



I decided to do some Christmas baking the other day (which carried on to the next) for our neighbors Christmas presents. I made my special Santa's Surprise Cookies and tried a new recipe for Peppermint fudge. They turned out nicely and are wrapped and ready to give away.
The last few days I have been "stuck" home with Laryngitis, and thankfully work saw it pointless to bring me in since I had no voice and could not talk to anyone, so they covered my shifts for this week. Basically got a whole week off, awesome! Although it hasn't been fun not having a voice (and I really mean, no voice I could barely whisper) it has been so nice being home. I got to spend the day yesterday with my mom and sisters and we finished up some last minute Christmas and stocking stuffer shopping, then caught a movie at the theater!

I'm so excited for Christmas! Today I will finish wrapping the gifts Josh went out and got last night for the fellas in our family...Tomorrow night is our annual Family Christmas Eve party my mom throws ever year.

Christmas morning will be spent at Josh's families house and then we will head over to my family's house for the rest of the evening.

It's a full weekend, but I am hoping it doesn't go by too fast, please!!

Christmas is almost here!

Is Christmas really only 6 days away? Part of me is real excited, and the other is kind of sad. I'm excited to spend time with family, enjoy each other and watch my nephews excitement when he tears into his gifts! I'm sad to watch the Christmas tree come down and its aroma leave our house, the lights come down and no longer light our house up at night. I just LOVE Christmas! I guess I have 6 days to enjoy it a little more (or a little longer, because we won't be taken this stuff down until after the New Year).
I have accomplished almost all my shopping. I have to get Josh's step dad something else (We got him a few small items) and then pick up my brother in laws gift (thankfully we already know what we are getting him, just got to go get it. Oh, I just did remember I have to get my sister something else. oops! I have tomorrow off, so I guess I will finish shopping for these people!

Last night I stayed up until the wee hours of the night wrapping presents. I didn't want to do it too early, because I am a little afraid the dogs are going to get into them, thinking they are chew toys. Thankfully, they haven't broken any ornaments, however, I did find one on the ground I think they were chewing on, but it wasn't broken. Let's just hope the presents stay nice and wrapped. I still have about half to wrap and put under the tree!
Oh, and my dilemma about my last Christmas blog was solved, about my husband's gift (thanks to all who gave m ideas). I ended up just getting real serious and told him I needed to know what he wanted...haha, it finally worked! I always would ask him, but he would always reply, "don't get me anything." I think this time he could tell I was a little stressed, so he gave me some great ideas. I have gotten everything, kind of went over budget, oh well!


Our Christmas Tree
The Fire Place
Christmas table
Christmas Village
New Addition: Rudolph

5 Years ago

2005: I woke up early and headed over the Gin Creek with my family. The hair dresser and my friends were there waiting for me in a little log cabin. It was overcast and most likely going to rain, but I didn't care. My girlfriends and I talked, laughed and relaxed in the Jacuzzi. We were pampered with snacks and such. It was time to start getting ready. I slipped a sparkly white dress on and a veil over my head. The photographer came and was ready to take some photo's of the day I would never forget. I sent over a friend of mine with a gift to the man I was soon going to spend the rest of my life with: a small ring. My parents had given me this ring when I was 13,a commitment of purity. I was ready to give it the man I had promised this to. Soon after I was given the same gift. His sign of commitment and purity.
The anticipation was rising. I was as ready as I could be. My mother had left to go be seated, my girl friends left to go walk down the aisle before me. For just a moment it was just me on the little cabin porch. It was raining, but I didn't even notice. A little white carriage pulled up, with my daddy in it. I got in and we were taking to the wedding site. There was a long aisle and everyone had white umbrella's and the music was playing. My dad took my hand and we walked down the aisle for the last time as a single girl. As soon as I saw him I felt the peace of God all over again. There is was in a white tux, he took my hand when my father kissed me on the cheek. The ceremony was beautiful. We cried and laughed and cried some more. Everything and everyone was a blur except the man I was staring into. The moment was coming...MY FIRST KISS! Not only my first kiss, but the first kiss we would share! The preacher said those sweet little words "You may kiss your bride" and sweetness filled my lips. It happened so quick I'm sure, but when he took me in his arms and put his lips to mine it felt like a lifetime :)

We walked back down the aisle as husband and wife, walking down the aisle of our new life together and the journey of a lifetime!

Present: 5 years ago I married my best friend and we started a new life that little did we know would bring us lots of bumps, trials, joy and laughters ,disapointment and love. These last 5 years have been, wow, I don't think I even have the words for them.
I am so amazed at where we are now in our life, not exactly what I pictured, but I couldn't be more blessed! Marriage is WORK, and if you don't think so, then you 1.aren't married or 2. aren't working at it :) I have to say the hard work over the last 5 years have paid off! We still aren't a "perfect" married couple, and I know we never will be. We will always have to work at our marriage, but it's sooo much more natural. My love for this man is so deep, I can honestly say I love him more than I ever have in my life. I am content in his love, and know that I am his Princess!
I am so excited about the next 5, 10, 15, 20+ years together with this man. He is so remarkable and our marriage is so unique.
Thank you Lord for blessing our marriage. For showing us what real love is!
To my husband, thank you for loving me and treating me like your princess.
I love you more than flowers love the rain.

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

1 Corinthians 13: 4-7

5

This week...

....I have a big week; thankfully not with work. I have a performance tonight with the studio I am teaching with and then another performance on Thursday. The studio I am teaching with doesn't follow the tradition of the Nutcracker every year, thank God, because I can only watch so many nutty, nutcracker dances :)We are doing a ballet called "I'll be Home for Christmas." She wrote the story herself, about a family that is awaiting the return of their brother (son) from war. He comes home just in time for Christmas, it's really cute and is based in the same year of the story," Little Woman." I have two dances, but she also asked me to do a guest artist piece, but wanted it to fit around the theme. I am doing the song "I'll be home for Christmas" by Josh Groban. I kind of created my own little story (since my piece isn't in the story) about a woman waiting on her man to come home for Christmas, but in the end you realize he actually isn't coming home. Sad, I know! But, I secretly dedicate it to all the families who won't have their soldiers home for Christmas this year, or maybe ever again. The song is so beautiful and no how sad, so I figured it would be to morbid..haha! I just like to dance about emotional pieces I guess...

Anywho, So that is my week full of prep performance, and performances, and I love every minute of it!
Thankfully my work load has been somewhat light, so I have time do to all the dance stuff I need to do!

This week I also kind of got conned into watching Josh's friends kid. I now conned is kind of harsh, but his friend has a 4 year old boy that lives in the Bahamas and he is staying with him over Christmas, of course he still has to work and didn't really make any plans to have someone watch his little boy. Josh asked me if I had anything to do before I left to go later in the afternoon for dance, and once I told him no, he sort of gave me the will you watch...." So that is what I mean by "conned." haha! Oh well, good thing I like kids.
I will write more later.. "My" little boy for the day has arrived. haha!

ideas please...

I am about 80% done with my Christmas shopping (yay!). Last year at this time I was only about 50% done. Sometimes I envy people who have small families, because I have sooo many people to shop for, and well, the hubby doesn't really like to shop, so it's on me. My family alone I have 6 people (plus 2 little ones. Josh's family has 7 people, plus we have a few friends we buy for and the grandparents we get a little something for. That is about 20 people we buy Christmas presents for. YIKES! I try and budget what I spend on each person (and make it fair), but it does get hard. The time it takes to buy everyone something is a lot, plus I don't like buying people stuff they aren't going to like, so I try to search for the best gift that suites the person. Yeah, I like to make it hard on myself apparently.
Josh and I had decided not to do gifts this year, because we are going to be putting a driveway in and finishing the landscape (that's our present). Well the other night we were talking and I suggested us at least getting some stuff to fill our stockings with, then he comes out with, "well, we can still do gifts, let's just set a budget." So, that makes 20 people plus my husband to shop for, ahhhh!! My husband is easy to shop for, except everything he wants is over $200. Since we set a small budget for each other this year, I seriously have no clue what to get him. So, I am writing here and now, IF YOU HAVE SUGGESTIONS, I will take some!!!! Even just some ideas on what you are doing for you husband, sons, whatever.
This is the first year I seriously can't come up with anything (except a few things) that don't cost way out of our budget. Last year he got a PS3, yeah that was a lot!

So, I'm open to any ideas.
Besides him I only have about 4 out of those 21 to shop for, and we have 17 days until Christmas.

That time of year again!

Is it December already? Time sure does fly when you get older, haha!
I'm going to jump back into November for a bit: Our Thanksgiving was great. We had our traditional girls "Wine Wednesday" at my mom's on Wednesday. I think this is our 4 year doing this! We always get new wine glasses and enjoy a nice lunch, wine and cooking!
We actually made plans to leave (like last year) on Thanksgiving day for our annual girls shopping trip! We had family Thanksgiving at my mom's on Wednesday night and then left Thursday afternoon after all the other family things. I love Thanksgiving! My mom made every Holiday extremely special for us girls, but something about Thanksgiving and Christmas is always the best! I remember watching the Parade's on television and getting ready for family to come over. This year I actually got to sit in bed and watch a little bit of the parade and it definitely made me remember doing that when I was a kid.
Our girls shopping trip took place in Orlando once again! They seriously have the best shopping! Last year we decided to do our Black Friday shopping in Orlando, we were really scared on how crazy it was going to be, but it ended up being the greatest thing ever! It makes sense too: the city has like 5 Wal-Mart's, targets and every other store you would want to go to. We didn't have to wait in lines at all. We decided to go ahead and go this year. It was just as fun as always. The traffic was a little worse than we remembered from last year, but the stores weren't packed and we found some GREAT deals! I think I got 50% of my Christmas shopping done there.
We also decided to go see a dinner show. We had wanted to do it last year, but wasn't sure what the best deals were. This year we just decided to do it. We went to the Arabian Nights. Overall it was pretty good.
I hated to have to come back, but I came home to my house decorated in Christmas lights (Thanks to my amazing husband).
So now that I am back to reality, it has been busy, busy! Work has kept me, well working, a lot. The holidays are the biggest time for the portrait industry . Thankfully these next few weeks they don' t have me scheduled as much. This week I have two Christmas dance performances I am in. It's a busy time of the year for us, but I LOVE everything about Christmas time. To make it better, the weather has been amazing, it definitely feels like Christmas!