Thanksgiving Week!

I love this time of year! First, Thanksgiving and then Christmas...so much to look forward to. This year is extra special for me and Zach...not only are we fortunate enough to get to spend Thanksgiving with one of our families, but with both...AT THE SAME TIME! I am so thankful to have two amazing families that not only love me, but love each other as well. Ever since Zach's parents and my parents met, they hit it off great. So for Thanksgiving, Zach has to work on Thursday and then we head up to Berry to meet everyone. Our families are celebrating the feast on Friday. My family will be coming down Friday morning. Chrysti and the girls get to come too! I am so excited for all the kids to get to see each other. They had so much fun at the wedding. Everytime I talk to Julie or rather any of the girls...they always talk about how excited they are to see Carly and Katie Beth and Ian. It is so sweet. Last night, Kaitlin told me that Ally said that Ian is her best friend and she can't wait to see him. I love it! I really don't think anything in this world makes me happier.

Then, THE IRONBOWL! Saturday, the families are all heading to T-Town to tailgate and enjoy the Alabama vs. Auburn game. I am so excited for everything. It should be a really great time!

I hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving and ROLL TIDE!

Christmas is coming!!!

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags?
I would say wrapping paper even though I suck at it

2. Real tree or Artificial?
REAL all the way! I never once had a fake one growing up....the smell is part of what makes christmas so special!

3. When do you put up the tree?
I haven't really decided yet ono when Zach and I will put up the tree....I don't think I could ever put it up before Thanksgiving...but I can't wait until the week before. Growing up we had a tradition to put the tree up on Christmas Eve as a family and decorate cookies. It was such a fun tradition and I will always remember the amazing memories, but I think I will make a new tradition for me and my family

4. When do you take the tree down?
The Christmas Season lasts for, I think, 12 days after Christmas.....somewhere around there I guess.

5. Do you like eggnog?
YES...but it is so awful for you that I try to convince myself otherwise

6. Favorite gift received as a child:
Every year growing up I got a new teddy bear wrapped in the same teddy bear box. It looked forward to it every year and those were my favorite gifts

7. Hardest person to buy for?
When I do buy presents for everyone....i never really have a problem. I love giving gifts so I can always think of something

8. Easiest person to buy for?
My sister Kaitlin....last year I gave a good family friend 5 ideas for her for christmas...they got them all for her....and she loved every one. She is so easy.

9. Do you have a nativity scene?
Not for my house yet...but my mom has one that I loved growing up...she has had it forever. She would have all the characters (sheperds and wise men) travel to every room of the house leading up to christmas and then on christmas morning she would put baby Jesus and all the figures in the manager scene...I loved it.

10. Mail or email Christmas cards?
Mail...I love getting pictures of everyone so I will def be doing this every year

11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received?
hmmm....It is not that I got something bad it is that we didn't get them. My mom does matching pjs every year and she didn't one year...I was not pleasant. Not that I needed pjs but I love the traditions and to not do it one year....it just didn't feel right to me.

12. Favorite Christmas Movie?
Love Actually

13. When do you start shopping for Christmas?
I am done already...I start really early

14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present?
No

15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas?
Hashbrown Casserole.

16. Lights on the tree?
Yes...I like the white ones

17. Favorite Christmas song?
All I want for Christmas is You/ Mariah Carey

18.Travel at Christmas or stay home?
Growing up we always stayed home and everyone came to us...now we will probably be traveling every year

19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer?
Dasher and Dancer and Dooner and Blizen, Comet and Cupid and Doner and Blizten...Rudolph....No I tried

20. Angel on the tree top or a star?
Angel is my choice but I don't have one yet

21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning?
Christmas Morning

22. Most annoying thing about this time of the year?
Absolutely nothing

23. Favorite ornament theme or color?
Every year we would get one new ornament and then get one whereever we traveled to that year. My mom then passes them to us when we have our own tree...so I get all mine this year. Zach and I have collected from our trips but we will probably carry on the same tradition

24. What do you want for Christmas this year?
Spend time with family
25. Who is most likely to respond to this?
My sister Chrysti loves these things...I don't know who else

26. On a scale of 1 to 10, how many lights (like the Griswalds) do you put up outside at Christmas? I don't know

27. A Santa memory?
Finding out that my mom bought Chrysti her cordless phone...and it was her SANTA GIFT...:(

28. Can you name the gifts "my true love gave to me" in the song "Twelve Days of Christmas"
Nope

29. If you could make one Christmas wish what would it be?
That Zach and I have a blessed year and so does our family and friends

HAPPY HOLIDAYS EVERYONE!
God bless you and your families!

It has Arrived!

Our sectional is here! Zach went and picked up our latest purchase on Wednesday. He let me know when we move...whenever we move...that this couch can go in his "man cave" along with the pool table and we will get another sectional then....Ya Right! Wishful thinking :)

Twilight!

Tonight...Twilight is playing at Midnight and I am going to try my hardest to convince Zach that we should go. I don't know how well that will go over...but if it doesn't...I guess we will go Friday night. I am so excited to see how well they did with this movie. In my past experiences, the movies never live up to the books...but we will see. The book was so great though...I don't know how they could do better!

Camping

Our nephew, Ian, loves to go camping. For Ian, camping is blowing up a mattress and spending the night on the floor in the living room. You can not resist when he asks you to "go camping". Actually, you can't really resist when he asks you to do anything....he is so cute. But, Zach built an amazing fire last night and we decided to "go camping". We blew up the mattress and got settled in to go to sleep. It was so great going to sleep to the sound of wood popping and the smell of a burning fire....I love it! Because the fire was giving off so much heat, we only got a sheet and a small blanket to cover up with....bad idea! Once the fire died down....we both FROZE! I got up and got another blanket for us....still freezing...hours later...or maybe minutes...I don't remember...Zach got up, turned on the heat, and brought in the comforter. After this we both slept great....I wish we had done that in the first place. You live and you learn. It was fun though :)

St. Margaret's Dedication

This weekend was the dedication of the new sanctuary at St. Margaret's, the Church Zach and I have been going to. It was absolutely BEAUTIFUL! I didn't realize how big of a deal it was to dedicate a new church, as it should be. The Archbishop of Mobile, Archbishop Bodi, celebrated the mass with the church. I learned a ton about all that goes into a Catholic Church; that I am sure I learned at some point in school many years ago but never paid attention to. There are so many traditions that take place that have been passed down over the centuries. One that I thought was really great was the dedication of the altar. Every altar is blessed with relics from the Saints and anointed with oil. I had no clue that these things were done. It was fascinating to me and I am glad I was there to take part in the celebration. Zach really enjoyed the Mass too, or so he says. He even sang along! After mass, St. Margaret's provided lunch for everyone, over 800 people. It was so good! We sat with my boss, Sherrie's, family at the luncheon. It was so crowded. But it was an absolutely perfect day!

The Shack

I have been having a lot of trouble sleeping again...this seems to happen every couple of months. I was extremely sleep deprived before the wedding which I am sure was due to my mind never stopping for a couple weeks. What is really weird this time though is that I am not tired in the morning....I feel completely rested. So this leads me to believe that I am just going to bed to early or getting up too late...and that I am getting plenty of rest in between my 3 or 4 wake ups in the middle of the night. To help, I have started to read before going to bed to calm my mind. I didn't want to read a book that would keep me wanting to read and read and read....like Eclipse, the third book in the Twilight series that I haven't started yet. So, I chose The Shack by William Young. Well, so much for not wanting to read and read. This book is amazing and I am not even halfway done yet. It has great messages in it and it is based on a true story. I love it and can't wait to read it every night before bed. Plus, I slept a lot better last night going to bed around 11 rather than 9. YAY!