Stories & Presents

Christmas was a low-key affair this year, especially in terms of our tree.  Each year we put up a big tree, usually a real one.  Our first year of marriage, I put up our gigantic fake Christmas tree while Michael was at work & surprised him when he came home.  It took hours!  As you may have heard, I've been dealing with some pretty debilitating morning sickness, so putting in all the effort of resurrecting, decorating, & then tearing down a Christmas tree was rather daunting.  Our solution?  These little trees that normally sit on our porch to either side of our front door.  We placed one on a small table & stacked the presents all around.  The other went on a plant stand in our bedroom.  They turned out really cute & aren't near the hassle!

Michael came home Christmas morning, & I had my attempt at Eggs Benedict waiting for him.  I say "attempted" because we didn't have any butter to make the hollandaise sauce - & Michael loves hollandaise sauce.  Lots & lots of hollandaise sauce!  Also, having never used an egg poacher before, I read a recipe that recommended placing the cooked eggs in warm water.  My thought went something like this, "Well, there's warm water in the pan they just cooked in, so I'll just leave them there!"  Only about 5 minutes before Michael's arrival did it occur to me that the water was more "hot" than "warm" & only then did I get a slight inkling that these eggs might not be "poached" so much as "hard-boiled".  Turns out, my inkling was right!  Michael was a good sport about it, though, & he was able to get that Eggs Benedict the next day . . . by his own hand!  ;-)

After opening gifts - topped off by a nap - we headed up to Beth & Chris' house & spent the rest of the day with them & the rest of the family.  I had my trusty "throw-up basket" on hand, & while everyone was eating, I just sat off to the side & participated in the conversation.  (I did eat later, & it was good!)  Later, we divided into two teams & played a game that Chris dubbed "Charades on Steroids".  Man alive, was that fun!!!  I have to say that, in my opinion, Bradley was the funniest player, & had us roaring with laughter!  So much so that I had to flee the room with my basket!  That game will definitely be a staple in our family from now on!

I wish we had pictures from our get-together, but - sadly - the only ones we have are of our presents & one that I really like of an ornament on our tree.  I hope you enjoy them anyways!  (One present that didn't make it because it was too big to photgraph was also the most unique thing Michael got for me - the Firedragon - because he knows how much I like to play with fire!  In a fireplace/pit, of course!  I just laughed & laughed when I opened it!)

Sigh.  Pretty. 

I always have a hard time deciding what I'm going to read because I have soooo many options!  I've decided that this year, I'm reading all the books that I got for Christmas - & some of Michael's, too! 

Michael got Inheritance for me earlier in December, & rounded it out with the rest of the series on Christmas morning.  Sweet T introduced me to "Anne of Green Gables" this past summer; loving the movie, I of course wanted the books.  Michael very sweetly obliged me! 

Some of my favorite movies!  Notice how "The Sound of Music" is BluRay?  Yeah.  We don't have a BluRay.  Michael says now we can get one.  Sneaky fella, huh?  ;-) 

I've wanted an ice cream maker for 4 1/2 years!  And, I just said in passing one day while we were in Bed, Bath, & Beyond, "Here's a cute cookie cutter!  I need to get some cookie cutters to make cookies with our little one."  I didn't think another thing about it.  Apparently, Michael did!  And I thought the round package must be a hat box!  ;-) 

We saw this in Kirkland's Home, but I didn't think Michael got it.  If it was just the black scroll, I wouldn't care for it as much, but the blue flowers give it just the right pop!

We hope y'all had a Merry Christmas, too!  Love to all!