Day 16: Christmas Tree Lane!

For as long as I can remember, my family has made it a yearly tradition to go down Christmas Tree Lane together. Hubsman and I have walked it many times with friends, but this however, was the first time the fam walked(we usually drive). Grams had so much fun and it thankfully wasn't too cold!

Day 14: Time with Family & Friends! Day 15: Holiday Creamers!

Day 14: Time with Family & Friends!

It seems that no matter what is going on in life, this time of year friends and family all take time out of busy schedules to make sure to see one another. Whether it be at a Christmas party, a school get together or a family celebration, its always good to make sure that we spend time with family and friends, even if it can only be during the holidays!



Day 15: Holiday Creamers!

Obviously, being a coffee lover, I can't wait tell the day companies start selling their holiday creamers in stores! We always stock up with quite a variety of flavors...they are ALL so yummy! If you haven't yet, please try some!

Day 13: budling up myself & giving some warmth!

Yesterday's post I wrote about bundling up my pooch, so today I thought I would continue that thought about how much I love it myself! Its such a wonderful thing, having the opportunity to be able to dress so warmly with scarves, gloves, jackets, boots, socks, etc.,when its freezing(in my opinion)weather! But while I was looking through my endless collection, it made me start to think about how I really have such a variety of each of these and how there are so many people out there who have nothing to keep them warm.
Recently I saw a Good Morning America episode, about Burlington Coat factory partnering up with One Warm Coat. I think this is a really great way to help people who are out there freezing, if you have the means. All you have to do, is go to their site and donate funds or type in your zipcode for the nearest Burlington store and drop off some sort of outer wear. I know things are tight for most of us, but even a little bit can go a long way and truly help someone who needs it!

Day 12:Bundling up my doggy daughter!

This is the ONLY time the hubs will let me play dress up with our doggy daughter and that's only because it is actually cold outside and she gets chilly just like us! In fact, she has been known to lounge in front of the heater for hours... She totally loves the extra attention and being all snuggled up(I'm actually not telling the truth-she hates the scarf!)Hubsman and I always have some fun adding commentary to her daily routines.

Our photo shoot below will illustrate her enthusiasm!

"How do you think I should sit and should I be looking AT the camera?"

"Hows this angle, is my neck fat showing?"

"Oh whoops!Sorry, I blinked-redo"

"Dad, you keep taking the photo when I'm not ready"

"Okay, now I think we're getting closer to my perfect shot"

"This ones soo it, even in black and white"

Day 11: Good Tidings from Rudolph?!

Its that time of year again!!!....for sending out Christmas cards! We absolutely love receiving them from all of our friends & family in the mail, so hubby buns and I always make sure to send out ours too! This year we did get a little behind on our card making skills-but ARE still planning to send them. SO if you have sent us one and thought we have forgot you, we did not!


I came across this site and thought it was simply the cutest idea:
For a bit of fun, consider sending your Holiday Cards from a Post Office with a Christmas related name and postmark! A fun holiday postmark is sure to surprise those on your holiday card list as they look to see where their card is from.
Just pick a post office from the authorized list shown below. Stamp and address your cards then package them all up and send them to:

Christmas Re-mailing
Postmaster
City, State, Zip (choose from one listed below)

Your cards will be individually postmarked and mailed from there. Although there is no charge for this service, it is best to mail them by December 10 to allow enough time for the postmarking, re-mailing and delivery.
Angels Camp CA 95222
Bethlehem KY 21609
Bethlehem NH 03574
Bethlehem PA 18016
Chestnut IL 62518
Evergreen Co 80439
Evergreen LA 71333
Frost MN 56033
Garland PA 16416
Garland TX 75040
Holly MI 48442
Hope KS 67451
Hope MI 48628
Hope MN 56046
Hope NM 88250
Hope ND 58046
Joseph OR 97846
Joy IL 61260
Nazareth KY 40048
Nazareth MI 49074
Nazareth PA 18064
Noel MO 64854
Patridge KY 40862
Rudolph OH 43462
Rudolph WI 54475
Saint Joseph IL 61873
Saint Joseph MI 49085
Saint Joseph MN 56374
Saint Mary’s PA 15857
Saint Mary’s WV 26170
Santa ID 83866
Snowflake AZ 85937
Spruce MI 48762
Star NC 27356

Wouldn’t it be fun to get Holiday Cards from Santa, Photo Cards from Rudolph or Christmas Cards from Bethlehem?

Since we sadly didn't make the recommended cut off date for doing this, next year we defiantly will plan to do this!

Day 10: Born is the king- true meaning of CHRISTmas

It really is soo hard not to get caught up in the gift-buying, the decorating, the busy hustle and bustle of the season-especially when I love those things. But I know the true meaning of Christmas is to celebrate Christ's birth that was over 2000 years ago. I want to try and embrace this Christmas with hope & laughter and also remember to experience the joy that is found in God being among us. Every Christmas, since I left home, I put up this nativity my mother got me. It is a daily reminder of why Christmas is even in existence.

Day 9: Warm Comfort Foods + Recipies, Yum!

When winter arrives, nothing hits the spot better then some good ol' homemade chili, soup, stew, or any warm yummy crock pot meal!...and lets face it, during the summer, that nice hot bowl of chili, isn't as appealing as it is during the winter months! So lets take pleasure in these warming meals while we can!

Below are 2 of my recipes we have been partaking in often this winter season.

Enjoy!

Day 7: Baking! & A Homemade Peppermint marshmallow recipie

So I'm pretty sure I could become a diabetic, just from all the sugar I eat in December! Baking sweets is one of my ultimate favorite hobbies and Christmastime is a great excuse to get to bake to my hearts content! Tonight, I baked some snicker-doodle cookies and also made some homemade peppermint marshmallows, with the hubsman! We thought we would share with you our delish little recipe...but be prepared to have hot cocoa every night for the rest of the week!You've been warned!

Day 6:"Chestnuts roasting on an open fire do,do,do" Last FM, 98.9 & 99.3!

I love that only in December/the day after Thanksgiving, you can walk into almost any store and hear Christmas music playing! I obviously listen to Christmas music when I'm driving...but I continue the second I get home...or go to work...its non-stop all month long!

On the hubsman's XBOX, I have a Christmas Tag Radio on Last FM, that is absolutely fabulous!!!(apparently he has been listening to his "own" festive music-Zomboy??)

I also prefer our local stations, Soft Rock 98.9FM and KJewel 99.3FM, that both play Christmas music the entire month.
Our Savior is born, this is a time to rejoice, celebrate and enjoy every moment of this season and I hope you are all getting to do the same!

Day 5: My Top 12 Christmas Movies! " Oh dear, did I break wind?" -Aunt Bethanie

This is the one time of year that I watch Christmas movies and no matter how many time's I've seen them, year upon year, and know their every word- they NEVER get old! Some of the movies are new, some of them are old, non the less, they each make me nostalgic and so hyped for Christmas day, that is so soon to come!

No particular order:
1. Home Alone
2. Santa Clause
3. The Family Man
4. Four Chrismases
5. Elf
6. The Polar Express
7. The Holiday
8. A Christmas Story
9. How the Grinch Stole Christmas
10. Christmas with the Kranks
11. Ernest Saves Christmas
& my personal all time favorite:
12. National Lampoons Christmas Vacation
-I think this movie reminds me of sooo much of my family, as much as hate to admit it! but I feel so connected to the Griswold's, in all the madness that goes on, everyone still loves each other. Plus, the movie just makes me laugh every time I watch it.

Do you have a favorite Christmas movie that you watch every year?!

The next 25 days... Day 1: Our Advent Calendar

We'll today did not go exactly as I had planned, so I am a little late at starting my 1st "25 days of Christmas" posts, but at least I'm getting it up now, right?! I plan to write about something everyday, for the next 25 days, that I enjoy or find special about this time of year.

Since today IS the 1st day of December- Nick and I put up our Advent calendar, we purchased our first Christmas married together. It's not just any advent calendar though, but one you can tuck goodies in... I choose to put a See's candy for each day and he chooses to put a Starbursts for each day(I think I obviously made the better choice here)...but we have now made it one of our little traditions and are going on our 3rd year doing it! and lets just say I know exactly where I gain one pound from this month haha... but its so exciting, to open the next day's box, even though I know what is going to be in there, just makes me feel like a little kid again! and its a guaranteed moment, every day, we get to take and enjoy our goodies together.