Back to the Grind?

Ahhh, Christmas weekend was just wonderful. And I'm so sad that it is now over. So much great family time, fun presents, but most of all the family time. And for me and my husband, celebrating the birth of our Lord Jesus. This time was truly magical.

I think my favorite presents were my new purses, a lovely china tea pot set that my in-laws found at an antique shop (my favorite!), and a china teacup and saucer that they bought on Prince Edward Island that has a picture of Green Gables artfully painted on it. For those of you who don't know, it's from Anne of Green Gables! One of my favorite movies! The best part is they actually bought it while they were there on a vacation earlier this year so it's really something that can't be replaced. Love it.

Any special or favorite gifts received??

Christmas Eve

"God grant you the light in Christmas, which is faith; the warmth of Christmas, which is love... the all of Christmas, which is Christ."
~Wilda English

Christmas Fun

Okay, here we go.... :)

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags?
Depends on the present... but when I use wrapping paper I like to use pretty ribbon and bows to make it festive (although sometimes I get lazy or am in a time crunch so I'll slack a little bit). :)

2. Real tree or artificial?
Well, I prefer the real trees because nothing can beat that smell, but we haven't had a real tree in 3 years, or even a normal sized artificial one. We have a 3ft fiberoptic tree (it's actually quite pretty) that we put on our hearth and that's our Christmas tree! (Although once our girls get bigger we're probably going to get a full-sized artificial one so we can start the family tradition of decorating it together).

3. When do you put up your tree?
Not Thanksgiving weekend but the one right after.

4. Do you like eggnog?
Love it! I also love it with rum, but I'm obviously not drinking it that way this year. ;)

5. Favorite gift received as a child?
I can't remember but one thing that is sticking out in my mind is something that my younger sister got for Christmas when she was 3. One day we were at the department store and for some strange reason I told her that if she was really well behaved then Mom would buy her this cute little patent leather purse for Christmas. She became so excited about it and was the epitome of the best-behaved child in the land. I started to feel really guilty so I told my mom what I'd said and showed her the purse. So Mom, being the great mom that she is, went and paid for it while I distracted my sister. So she did get the purse for Christmas and she LOVED that thing! Carried it with her everywhere for at least a year. It made me feel good that she was so happy about it and that I took a bad thing I had done and made it right. :)

6. Do you have a nativity scene?
Of course! A lovely porcelain one with hand-painted gold trim that sits on our mantle. Very pretty.

7. Hardest person to buy for?
Probably my dad. During the year, if he wants something, he buys it. This makes things tough for everyone else!!

8. Easiest person to buy for? Whichever sister I get in the name drawing. Girls can be so easy to buy for!

9. Mail or e-mail Christmas cards?
Mail. I know people probably don't keep them but it's still nice to get "fun" mail!

10. Favorite Christmas movie?
A Christmas Story and White Christmas (love those classics!)

11. When do you start shopping for Christmas?
Whenever I see something that I think will be right for a particular person... but not seriously until sometime in December!

12. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas?
Do I really have to choose? Umm, probably all the Christmas sweets, like sugar cookies with buttercream frosting, the mint sugar cookies my aunt makes in the shape of a candy cane, her espresso cookies, gingerbread....

13. Clear lights or colored lights on the tree?
White lights, for sure! They are just so pretty! Reminds me of the stars. Although the colored ones look nice on other people's house, too.

14. Favorite Christmas song? O Holy Night. Just a beautiful song.

15. Travel or stay home at Christmas?
Stay local. We do Christmas Day with one family and then "Christmas" again the next day with the other family, and we trade off each year so it's fair. And the out-of-town siblings always fly in because the parents on both sides of our families live here.

16. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer?
Yep!

17. Angel on tree top of star?
A pretty star.

18. Open presents on Christmas Eve or Christmas Morning?
Christmas morning, for sure. There's nothing quite like the excitement of going to bed on Christmas Eve and then waking up, knowing it's Christmas morning and we get to open presents! Since being married hubby and I always go to the parents house that we are spending that day with in our pj's to do Christmas morning the way we did when we were kids. So we get up in the morning, get ready to leave (which means I brush my teeth, wash my face, and put on just a little makeup [powder, blush, and a lightly tinted chapstick] to keep from looking sickly, get dressed in either cute track suit or jogging outfit, or a cute pair of pajamas) and load up the car with presents and our change of clothes. Then, before we head over to Mom and Dad's we do our Christmas presents to each other. Such a special time for us on Christmas morning. Then the rest of the day is spent with family!

Christmas Cookies!

I love just about everything about this time of year... the lights, decorations, festivities, fellowship and good times with friends and family... and I really love all the food! Especially the delectable treats. My family has a tradition of baking sugar cookies in all the fun shapes and then making the scrumptious buttercream frosting from scratch, then the best part - decorating!

We set up the kitchen table with all the cookies, the different colored frostings, sprinkles, and other items to artfully top each cookie. My sisters and I all sit around the table and spend hours carefully decorating each and every cookie, adding fun designs and even goofy ones (like using the yellow frosting instead of white to frost a snowman). ;)

So this year, feeling a little more domesticated with babies on the way, I decided to also do it myself at home. Not feeling like making the dough from scratch though, I bought the Nestle tub from the store (which is yummy, by the way) and then made my own frosting, etc. and just had a ball decorating everything! I did sugar cookies and also gingerbread. And as much as I love gingerbread, sugar cookies with the homemade frosting and sprinkles is just the best!! One of my holiday favs!

What are your favorites??

I'M AN AUNTIE!!!

This is super exciting news... my younger sister just delivered her healthy baby boy yesterday morning, so now I'm an aunt!! The only sad part is that she lives in Boston, and being almost 7 months preggo myself I'm not allowed to travel so I don't get to go and see them. She texted me a picture but for some reason when I try to e-mail it to myself so that I can upload it and add it to my post it doesn't work , so unfortunately I have no picture to show you yet.

But praise God that her delivery went went well and Jonathan Lull Wood is a very healthy boy, weighing at 7lbs. 13oz. He was named after our dad so I think that's pretty cool. And cooler still, she and her hubby decided not to find out what they were having so it wasn't until yesterday when I got the text message saying, "Hi Aunt Jekika (what my sis called me when she was really little), my name is Jonathan" did we know that she had a boy! Very exciting stuff!!

He is the first grandchild on our side of the family, with my girls to follow in a few months, so needless to say my parents and are beside themselves with joy. :)

My sis and family are hoping to visit next summer when Jonathan's a little older and my girls will be about 3 or 4 months old themselves. I can't wait!

Christmas Card Photo

Every year my husband and I do a photo Christmas card. I used to do the regular cards but not only it it more expensive to buy those nice ones, it takes a lot of time to fill out and sign each one, plus I also love getting the photo cards from my friends, so one year I figured, why not? we had a great picture that was taken of us outside a restaurant so we used that pictures, got tons of compliments, and we've been doing the photo card thing ever since.

So each year we have to choose a photo, and sometimes we stage it on purpose just so we can get it done in time. This year was one of those times. Here it is Sunday and only FIVE days till Christmas, and we don't even have a picture we can use, let alone ordered the cards. So we decided to do it outside in front of some of our Christmas decorations so we could get the pretty white lights in the background. I set up my camera on the tripod, set the timer, and viola! There you have it!

I think it turned it pretty well, especially for doing it totally last minute. And the best part was that I uploaded the photos and ordered the cards within 10 minutes of doing it and the cards were ready at 12noon the next day, so I was still able to get them out in the mail on the 21st, arriving to almost everyone before Christmas. Whew! Glad we made that work!

By the way, notice in the pic that my nails are a lovely shade of autumn berry red? I had taken my old nail polish off earlier that day with the plan of doing a complete manicure later, but once we rushed outside to get the picture done before it got too dark and I realized that my nails weren't done and it would show in the photo (I know, I'm SUCH a girl!), I ran inside and did a quick coat on just my right hand because I knew that would be visible in the picture - ha! So yes, for that Sunday evening I only had one hand painted red.

My husband didn't even notice but when I pointed it out to him and told him what I'd done and why, he totally laughed and said, "Funny, but I'm not surprised." :)

COACH COACH COACH!

I'm a girl who likes nice things. Designer sunglasses, purses, you name it. So I have quite a collection of Coach handbags but lately, really for the past 3 years, I've been "over it" and haven't even set foot in a Coach store, let alone bought one. There are just so many other great desginers out there to be explored! Why settle for only one brand??

So explore I did and have added numerous other designers to my handbag collection - which I love! But then my two sisters in Boston decided they both wanted Coach purses for Christmas this year so my local sis and I went to their store to pick out new bags for them. And we did find a great bag for each of them that I'm sure they will love, BUT, while there I also found, not one, but TWO bags that I really liked for myself!

Sis: "Mom and Dad haven't gotten you anything for Christmas yet, have they?"

Me: "No, not yet."

Sis: "It's only 6 days until Christmas! Have you asked for anything?"

Me: "Not specifically. I was thinking of asking for baby stuff since we're going to need so much with having twins."

Sis: "But you're having THREE baby showers! You're going to get everything you need from your showers and this is Christmas. You should ask for things just for you for Christmas."

Me: (Silent)

Sis: "I think you should get them both! Mom will reimburse you like she always does, plus she'll be glad that some of your shopping is out of the way. And it's not like you'll be buying stuff for yourself once the babies arrive."

Me: "Good point. Okay, I'm getting in line."

So... I bought them! And they're from my parents for Christmas! (And Mom was pleased she had less shopping to do). ;)

The first is this one, except instead of being the gray with black signature it's the dark black with black signature and the leather is a fun shiny patent. I love the slip pocket on the front and it fits so comfortably under my shoulder. I was actually inspired to get this bag because it so reminds me of a cheap one that I had many years ago that was this same shape, style, etc. It was such a comfortable purse but I got rid of it because the "leather" on it wasn't even real, was poorly constructed, and it just needed to go. So now I have a much better version of it!

The second one is not this bag exactly (couldn't find a pic of it) but it is this exact color and is also in patent leather. It's a bit smaller, but has a slip pocket on the front and the signature "C" pattern is embossed all over the leather. Very bold and not for everyone but I love it!

So after coming home and seeing my great purchases my hubby decides we should get a Coach bag for his mom for Christmas. Great idea! She doesn't have one and would LOVE it if we got her one! So yesterday, back to the store we go. After searching and searching and finally finding one that we know she's going to love, I get in line and the hubby says he'll wait for me at the entrance.

I finish paying and am on my way out when my husband says, "Hey Babe, look at this one!" I look at what's he's pointing to. Ohh, very cute... I actually really like it. I sit down on the bench next to the shelf it's on and start carefully looking it over.

Me: "I really like this bag. The vintage horse and carriage pattern is so cute. And I love the detachable long strap and the pocket on the front" (Can you tell I like exterior pockets on my purses?) ;)

Hubs: "You should get it."

Me: "What? No, it's too expensive, plus I'm already getting some new ones."

Hubs: "Don't worry about it, you deserve it. We're getting this one, so Merry Christmas!"

Girl browsing nearby: "Where I can get one of him?" pointing at my husband. I know, he's so sweet, right?

I smile, give him a kiss, and agree, so back to the register we go to pay for my third Coach bag this Christmas! Here it is:

Not bold and flashy, but cute and functional. The best part about this is I can totally see myself pushing a double pink stroller with this bag on my shoulder, and when I'm trying to pick the babies up and don't want the bag falling off I can wear it cross-body. That will definitely come in handy!

*Sigh* So much for my avoidance of Coach. And while I will always continue to explore other designers, it does feel good to be back. :)

(Any other Coach fans out there??) :)

BIG NEWS!!!!!!!!!!!

Okay, so it's been many many MANY months since I last did a post, and many things have happened since then. I have to mention that the biggest reason I stopped writing for a while is that I was very sick and in the hospital and then it took about 3 months for me to really recover. That being said, I have FANTASTIC news....

I'M PREGNANT!! And even better... I'm expecting TWIN GIRLS!!!!!! I'm already 6 1/2 months along now (26 weeks) and doing great! The whole reason I was hospitalized was a rare and awful early pregnancy complication - I actually found out I was pregant while in the hospital! (And I was hospitalized just a few days after that last post that I wrote). But after that awful thing resolved I've been having a great pregnancy ever since. Praise God!!!

Both of the girls are growing right on schedule, I'm feeling really good, not having any weird pains, cramping, bleeding, heartburn, headaches, bloating, swelling, chest hair, nausea, or anything else! My doctor even said that I have a "model twin pregnancy". Doesn't get much better than that, does it?? Besides, I figure that if my little girls can survive what I went through in the beginning then they must be little fighters that can survive anything. :)

My husband and I are more excited, thrilled, thankful, blessed, and overjoyed than words can say. What an amazing miracle for us!

It definitely feels good to be writing again and I will keep you all posted of my progress. Lots more to come!