I'll be home for Christmas. Actually, tomorrow.

I'm very busy here not packing. There's a Blazer game on (one of those rare occasions where it's nationally broadcast, hooray) and frankly, I feel like procrastinating the pack. I usually do. I tell myself some lame little reason that makes me smile, like the longer I wait, the less wrinkled everything will be.

I'm thinking about fun things. Like seeing both of my families- the one I was lucky enough to be given and the one I was lucky enough to marry into, anticipating lots of yummy food and big comfy sweaters that disguise the physical result of consuming said yummy food, how to break it to Landon that I've had his Christmas shopping done for two months and have been secretly hiding his presents, and when I get to have more apple pie (nevermind that I ate half a pie earlier this week).

I love Christmas shopping. I'm very proud of the attention to detail and the personal ideal of my gifts. And for most people, I find things that just fit the person and it's over and done. However, my dad is one of the hardest people to shop for on the planet. So it is with him in mind that I pay close attention to all those commercials that tout their product/store as the perfect solution for that hard-to-shop-for friend/family member. According to these overly-confident companies, Dad will be receiving an "edible arrangement" and something from a fishing pro shop. Maybe a gift card.

For those of you that don't know my dad, trust me, that's funny.

It's the most wonderful time of the year!

I think the time from Thanksgiving to New Years is magical. It helps, in our house, that I married a Christmas junkie. Even with the knowledge that we'll be in Oregon for the last two weeks of December (yay!), we went out and got ourselves some holiday cheer in the form of a 3' tree. It is proudly decorated and displayed on our kitchen table. Good ol' Relief Society gave me the chance to make a few other decorations, so we're doing what we can here. Sadly, my advent calendar was left in Oregon, so for the first December of my life I am advent calendar-less :( But we'll bring it back with us after our holiday trip so we'll have it for next year.

It's kind of strange not having 20+ years of collected decorations at your disposal to put up around the house. But you have to start somewhere, I guess. And what we do have is about 4 solid days worth of Christmas music, which has been on pretty much non-stop since Thanksgiving. Time has been going by fast, and pretty soon we'll be on the road and off to see our families. I'm super excited!

Filled with new confidence after my apple pie turned out, I'm actually HOSTING a Christmas party next week- crazy, I know. I don't even like parties. But Christmas makes it different. So bring on the pies, desserts, and ugly Christmas sweaters- we're having a party.

Wish me luck!

Thanks giving

As this Thanksgiving day draws to a close, I find myself feeling a lot of gratitude for some of the little things that mean a lot, such as:

1. Landon and I finally got to spend a holiday together

2. My first attempt at making my very own pie was successful, even the home-made pie crust

3. Even though we were away from our families, a group of us coasties and wives came together to make our own kind of family for the holiday

4. Christmas music is now officially acceptable

5. Thanksgiving dinner was wonderful, and made by someone else (I'm glad I only had to worry about the pie!)


I am so grateful for where I am, for Landon, my family, my friends. Happy Thanksgiving.