Okay I'm here again

So, I didn't get back to posting those other pictures! I'll get to it eventually!

We had a good Christmas. EXTREMELY exhausting. But good.

On Christmas Eve, we went over to Aunt Terry's for ham dinner and family time and games. The boys LOVE it over there what with the game room above the garage and all. I love being over at Aunt Terry's just because I love spending time with them! Last year, I still had all my wrapping left to do and was up for hours after that to get it all done. This year, we thought ahead and so when we got home at 10:30 pm from Aunt Terry's we just had to get the boys in their Christmas jammies (which we opened up earlier in the day) and get them in bed. Then Jesse and I got out all the presents (half were already out) and put the stockings together then we got to relax and have hot cocoa and watch some of a movie! Then off to bed BEFORE MIDNIGHT.

Christmas morning, I woke to the sound of whispers in the living room. Xav and Tuck were up and we went in and woke Gunner up and the hours spent wrapping those presents were discarded in about 20 minutes! LOL ~ But SO. WORTH. IT. It was great. The boys got all that they asked Santa for, plus got more on top of that. Jesse completely surprised me by having bought me a "big girl camera". I was so excited. And COMPLETELY unexpected. I'll try to get a picture in the mirror with it, so I can show it off! I told him that that was probably the BEST present he ever got me.

Then we went to present-palooza at my father in laws and we spent the entire day over there. While us girls were getting the finger foods ready for the open house that night ~ I somehow sprained my wrist and it was all swollen, and it hurt! Then I started not feeling well AT ALL. when we got home that night, I just kept getting worse and Tucker and Gunner were also not well. So we spent all day Sunday resting, and trying to recuperating (which none of us are still completely well). I think my body still is not acclimated to frigid Northern temperatures.

So, that was our Christmas in a nutshell. Missed my family terribly. Hoping to possibly go there next year. But, it was a good Christmas.
How was yours?!

Merry Christmas

I know I have been super duper bad about blogging. So, here's my attempt!

Jesse finally got home and we are thoroughly enjoying it. He is working his shift now ~ 12 hours 6 pm to 6 am. He leaves about 4:30 pm and gets home usually no later than 7;15 ish am. He doesn't have his creds yet, so he is just going in in civies. and doesn't get his badge or gun yet, so he's quite disappointed about that. But very grateful for his job ~ he just went up a pay grade due to time in service! THAT is awesome!

Before he got home, it was a mad dash to get everything done, but I accomplished it and it looked like Christmas threw up in my house! Here are some pictures! before the Christmas tree.
This one is why he requested it mostly be done before he got home:


Here's some of the other decorations!

the piano all decked out

my corner hutch

the front entry way

my file cabinet

I've got lights in my front window, lighted garland in my living room over the door and in my kitchen above my cabinets. I love decorating for Christmas. SO. MUCH. FUN. Some (ahem, Jesse) say I over do it, but it's hard not to!

On Saturday, we got our tree. So fun ~ we went to lowe's and argued, Ilike this one, no I like this one and I went finally to the last aisle of live trees and picked one out and we both said THAT'S IT! It is beautiful and perfectly imperfect. It only had one bare spot, but we were able to fill it in with branches cut from the bottom to get it in the stand right!

Here's some pix of the tree and us decorating it. We used 7 strands of lights white and multicolored!

Jesse bringing the tree in:


Here's the ornaments on the table waiting to be used. This is only half of what we normally put on:


I have to jet off here now ~ later on, I will post pix of us decorating the tree and the final results of it! TTYL!
Merry Christmas!