I always wake up Christmas Day with an excited feeling in the pit of my stomach. These past two days, it seems as if the night has just gone on and on and on. I mean, only days before Christmas does one look at the clock and think, "It's only 3:30?" I love the excitement and anticipation I feel around Christmastime. I saw so many tweets and Facebook statuses downplaying the excitement of Christmas, and so many people who didn't get into the spirit. I don't understand this, since it's never happened to me.
If I ever lose my childlike excitement over Christmas, I don't know what I'd do.
Therefore, I bring you Christmas! My mom outdid herself this year! (And I didn't do too shabby myself!)
Christmas came early with presents from the two girls I work with in my classroom:
A new planner from Stephani and portable scent-maker from Brittany. I love both presents a lot!
And then came the presents from my mom. Although I didn't get the Snuggie I wanted, I did get some very important items that I would definitely forgo the Snuggie over!
The whole series of 86 Bloomberg Place by Melody Carlson! I read the first book and I was a little taken aback at how real this series was. I found it in the Christian section but it doesn't fit the mold of any Christian chick-lit I've ever read. It's honest, raw, and real and I can't wait to read the first book over again and the other three books.
Lots o' movies for me to watch! I asked for the Bourne Trilogy last year and didn't get it. This year, I did it again and got the series! I watched the first movie with my mom last night and seriously just drooled over Matt Damon. The other two movies are seriously good with serious eye candy that I'm excited to drool over as well.
Oh, dear. I hoped. I prayed. I gave lots of hints. I even shook some packages. (OK, that's a lie. I promise, Mom!) So I was extremely surprised and excited when I opened this gift. An iPod Touch? The one thing I wanted more than anything? I'm already addicted.
Enough about me. Let's talk about my mom. Because she did pretty good in the gift department, if I do say so myself.
A beautiful, red crockpot from my brother. He actually "bought" her one when we were in middle school and she used that thing so much. I can't wait for her to use it again, to come home and smell a beautiful meal cooking, and to taste some delicious food. (And anyone who has delicious, healthy crockpot recipes are obligated to comment!)
(Don't be jealous of my awesome photography skills!) I got her this nutritional scale and it really should have been to the both of us, from Santa. I think I'll use it just as much as she will. We've both been wishing for a scale, especially when we eat spaghetti. (How in the heck do you measure 2 ounces of noodles? Impossible, without a scale.) It has a whole bunch of awesome features that I can't wait to try...er, my mom can't wait to try.
Lastly, a gift my mom wasn't expecting at all. A brand-new iPod. She has been using a piddly iPod Shuffle for the past 3 years. Sometime this year, she accidently dropped it in water and now it will barely hold a charge for longer than a day. So she constantly has to charge her iPod at night. And I thought she should upgrade to the Nano, since it would be so helpful with her running. And she deserves it!
Alas, don't worry. Dutch did not suffer. Mom bought him a Miami Dolphins collar. I bought him a little jacket that he looks so handsome in. And he also got some delicious gourmet treats that he's been devouring.
My mom and I also made way too many holiday treats. I'm so scared to step on a scale. On Wednesday, I made M&M cookies. On Christmas Eve, we made a gingerbread house. And Christmas, we made and decorated sugar cookies.
Our gingerbread house.
And our gingerbread house falling apart.
And our cookies. For once, we tried to make them look "too pretty to eat." These are much better than how we usually decorate them. I'm being serious.
And, I thought it would be interesting to vlog about the horrors of the gingerbread house. This vlog isn't one bit interesting but I thought I'd join the vlogging bandwagon. And if you make fun of me, I'll cry a lot and stop blogging. Take your pick.
And since I'm talking about videos, here's another one of my adorable nephew. I laugh every time I watch this.
