So today is the first day of December and I must admit, I am not feeling it yet. I've packed up most of my living and dining room to make room for Christmas decorations, but I have yet to actually get those decorations out. Much of my hesitancy is that I really wanted a real, live tree this year. I've never had one. I had grand dreams of packing up the family and heading to the tree farm to pick out the perfect tree. Unfortunately my dreams are continually interrupted by visions of a more Griswold family experience. I've already experienced the tree being too big. The Christmas before Josh and I got married my friend Sabrina (who got married 2 weeks before me) were out at Micheal's looking for wedding stuff. I don't remember getting any wedding stuff, but we did find beautiful 7 ft. Christmas trees on clearance. Y'all, we did not have a place to live or a piece of furniture at that point, but we had a Christmas tree. :)
Turns out, 7 ft. Christmas trees are not really designed for 900 sq. ft. apartments. We actually only put up half of the tree our first year of marriage. If I'm lyin' I'm dyin'! We only had room for the front of the tree. But, it was our first Christmas and we were in love and we could have decorated a cactus and that would have been fine with me. I mean, not that we are not in love anymore, but now we have a family and I have visions of grandeur...
Again, those visions are interrupted by the idea of a dog and a two year old competing for the tree's water source. So, I will keep you updated about this tree drama. I know you will be waiting on pins and needles. :) Oh yeah, that's the other thing. I hear the pine needles are a pain to clean up...
I thought I would work myself into the spirit of the season by remembering some of my favorite Christmases from the past. And I have to say, it is probably because I have such a bad memory and can't remember much else, but last Christmas was one of my all time favorites. First, it was my first Christmas in 5 years that I was not in school or working full-time so I really felt like I got to enjoy the season a lot more. My sister and brother in law who were living in Alaska at the time also flew in a few weeks before Christmas and I got to meet my nephew, Luke, for the first time!
Here I am with Luke the Moose or Luke the Reindeer. :) I know one day he will join my children in discussing what a dork I am, but for now, he thinks I'm totally cool and funny! :)
We had so much fun going out to Pier Park to see Santa and ride the train. As you can see, Kate was so thrilled with Santa.
This was the first Christmas my family got to spend together in, um I'm not sure. Jenny and Dillon moved a couple of weeks after Eli was born, so it was a while! Josh couldn't get off of work so he didn't get to go with me. :( Y'all, I got up at 3:00 am and loaded up 3 kids and drove six hours by myself! We even drove home to snow!!! I consider it one of my great achievements in life. :)
This is my "little" brother Philip and my sister Jenny.
This was Jenny's first time to meet Kate and my first time to meet Luke! So exciting!!
All of the cousins
Me and my babies. Kate cracks us all up!
Our family pic last year. It is just amazing how much kids change every year.
Ta-Da! You should see the 50 pictures I took of her trying to get one of her standing still!
Sarah and Eli ringing the bells in the Christmas program
Christmas pj's from Nana. I obviously promised Eli something really cool to get that smile. :)
You just can't have enough pics of screaming babies at Christmas time. :)
Cookies for Santa...I think we may have decided Santa might possibly already be full by the time he got to our house. :)
Well, I've had fun remembering this Christmas past. Do you have a favorite Christmas?
5 comments:
I love Christmas with Jack, but Ben hasn't been home for Christmas since he's been born. My definate favorite so far was the year we got married. We were married on Dec. 11th and Ben had a whole THREE weeks off work. We got married; went on a honeymoon, and came home to Christmas. Such a special, special time!! I'm really excited about this being the first one in our new house since we intend to be here forever:)
Loved looking at all the pictures!
That does sound like an amazing Christmas Lori! And, I will be able to remember your anniversary because I was just looking at some pics from last year and realized Dec. 11 was the day Sarah asked Jesus into her heart!
I am so excited for you to have your first Christmas in your beautiful new home. The start of so many new memories and traditions!
I love the post and the beautiful pictures of your family. My favorite christmas by far (followed closely by the one that Santa made me a treasure hunt to the basement for my playhouse when I was 8) was last year... After a month of bedrest, 6 scary trips to the hospital, we celebrated Christmas with a 9 day old baby who was a month early. My presents were white strips for my teeth (Target brand), a small box of chocolates, and the book what to expect the first year but in my arms was the most beautiful gift the lord could ever give me... I'll never forget it... The poorest of Christmas's but definitely the most amazing and fulfilling!
Oh my gosh I can't believe how much Sarah has changed! Eli and Kate still look the same, only taller, but Sarah looks completely different. (BTW - I love the pic of you, Jenny, & Philip)
Favorite Christmas? Not sure. I remember pieces of each year, but rarely anything as a whole. I do remember Christmas of 2000 and being so thankful that my mom was there to share it with us (kinda the same last year.) I do remember the magic of Christmas morning as a child - I would look at the gifts from Santa, but not touch anything b/c I didn't want to spoil the moment!
Ann, I had a feeling that would be your favorite. :) The treasure hunt sounds fun too! I know this Christmas will be so special for y'all.
Karen, I so wish we were friends when were little so we could have played Barbies together. :)
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