Mmmm...

Last night was Aaron's (my brother) birthday and Christmas with my parents! It was very delicious to say the least. Look what I made for the first time ever:

Mmmmm. It was my favorite! It's chicken fried mushrooms. They were outstanding, if I do say so myself. Aaron got this graphic novel signed by the author for his birthday, he was pretty excited.

How cute, right? His birthday was fun. Food was great. Presents were great. Then we all moved to the living room and opened our Christmas presents. It was exciting! I LOVE presents. It doesn't even have to be me opening them. I always want people opening presents. I also don't think Ian had ever eaten so much food in his entire life. He actually had a belly for once. Not only that, but it was hard. Ian had a hard belly. It was ridiculous looking.

Remember yesterday when I said that we get to open pajamas on Christmas Eve, we got to open pajamas yesterday...

That has to be the best pajama shirt in existence.

Blog out.

P.S. It was way easier to write blogs when I wasn't a stay-at-home mom.

Ten on Tuesday

And we're off for another Ten on Tuesday! (Deana, I really hope to see yours this week.)

1. When do you put up and take down your Christmas decorations?
Well, we got our tree late this year, and it doesn't have a stand, but it's coming in today. You better believe we'll leave it up until New Years! We do have mini tree up though. It's awesome. And Franny and I hung snow flakes up all over the ceiling. We put blue lights up, put all kinds of things up in attempt to make this a white Christmas for Stephen, remember, he's homesick.

2. What do you do to simplify the holiday season?
SIMPLIFY?! I magnify it. Does that even make sense? I don't simplify it. I don't think I do. I did send out a Christmas card. Is that simplifying?

3. What do you do to remind yourself and your family what the Christmas season is all about?
I'm sure the Christmas season is a little different to everyone. To me, the entire winter season is all about love. I definitely feel that during the Christmas season. I try to be thoughtful with all of my gifts and I send out love (Christmas cards) to those I love. We also decorated this place because Stephen missed his white Christmases, though I know it's not a white Christmas. Maybe someone can bring me some snow from Chicago.


Speaking of Chicago, my cousin got accepted into the University of Chicago!!!

Now she awaits the decision of the other schools. Snaps for Sydney! (Sorry, just watched Legally Blonde 2)

4. How do you spend Christmas Eve and Christmas Day?
Christmas Eve we ALWAYS open our pajamas that my mom gave us. Then, we sleep in them and open presents from Santa in them the next morning. This is going to be the very first year I do not do this. It's a little sad. :(

5. What is your favorite Christmas tradition?
The one I mentioned above! I LOVE getting new pajamas! And I love waking up to presents. I've been thinking about some traditions that I want to start with Ian. (I want to see people's responses to this question). There was one blog I read where the parent's convinced the kids that Santa wanted wine, not milk. How creative is that!


I also love making cookies during the Christmas season! I hope Santa gets some this year... that would be nice.


6.  Did you do the whole Santa thing growing up? What do you like/not like about continuing the 
tradition?
Yes. Even last year I still requested that my mom have all the gifts separated like Santa usually does. She did. I like the surprise.


And yes, we will continue that with Ian, probably next year.


7. What is your favorite Christmas cookie?
My mom's sugar cookies, nobody elses. Nobody can make them like she does, even with the recipe. And peanut butter cookies dipped in chocolate. Delicious.


8. How do you take your egg nog?
I used to love egg nog. I haven't had it this year. Sad. I want it though. I have never had alcoholic egg nog.


9. What is your favorite Christmas carol and why?
Carol of the Bells, it sounds beautiful!


10. When was the last time you had a white Christmas?
The year we went to New York. We were driving to the airport Christmas morning in the snow, in Texas! It was ridiculous. That was my only white Christmas ever.


Blog out. Ian is losing it. I wasn't aware he had to already be attached to me before 9am.

Christmas Time Is Here

I don't have any pictures for today's post, that I took myself. I will steal one for the point of this post. I feel like one pictures is always needed! Remember yesterday, I said that Christmas can officially start now? For me, it has. I love the cold weather. This is cold weather in Texas! Last night, Stephen and I went to dinner with Aaron at this amazing Indian food place. I was freezing. I was wearing a shirt, a sweater, and a coat. Stephen had on a hoodie with the sleeves up. It was ridiculous. Stephen doesn't think it's that cold.

Taken from Luminous Landscape.

Stephen is Christmas-sick. Much like home sick. But, he's said that Christmas in Texas has never felt like Christmas. He wants snow. And not just Texas snow. But, real snow. The boy lived in Chicago. My first idea, was if we had a lot of money, to fly to Chicago and hang out with his sister in the winter. That would be a fun tradition to start! But, alas, we do not.

Instead, we are going to bake. We will make sugar cookies, traditional. We are going to make some other treat as well, I don't know what they're called. Stephen does. I've never heard of them. They are peanut buttery on the inside and chocolatey on the outside. We might throw in a few other treats as well. Probably not as good as snow, but eh, I'll try.

Maybe I should do a snow dance. One that will bring two feet of snow.

Could you imagine Ian in a huge snow suit?! Oh my goodness, adorable.

Ian's up. Blog out.