Christmas 2014

This Christmas Ryan and I decided to stay home and celebrate with just the two of us. We were expecting him originally to work through the holiday and when we found out he was off we decided to not stress with travel and stick with our original plan of staying home. As much as I missed seeing my family, it was nice to have this memory together. I worked Christmas Eve and then met Ryan at church on base for mass. It was beautiful in the church but outside it was pouring rain all day. At least it was warm, a balmy mid 70s for Christmas... very unusual for this Jersey girl!

 

After mass we went home and had a nice dinner (care of Honeybaked Ham Co to be honest!) that we just had to heat and put out. It was delicious and the Dup was begging at our sides for most of it.

After we ate we watched some TV together and I learned my husband had never seen It's A Wonderful Life. It was naturally on TV so I made him watch even though we missed part of the beginning. That is a classic that must be watched! We then exchanged one present for that night.... mainly because Ryan got me some cozy pajamas he wanted me to wear that night and for Christmas morning. I gave him the tablet he knew he was getting since he picked it out! He spent the rest of the evening adding his coursework to it and being geekily excited about the entire thing.

 

 

Christmas morning we had some left over ham and biscuits and exchanged presents. First we spoiled the Dup who was very excited (if not a little confused) about getting treats and presents. Her giant bone became her prized possession and she carried it around for three days before she realized she could eat it... then it vanished! Her stocking was full of stuff for her to destroy and only one toy survived the Christmas shredding, but she was occupied all day with them at least.

All of that kind of wore her out (overly stimulated much?) and she napped the rest of the day in a sun beam!

 

 

Ryan and I did the presents thing, he enjoyed his super large coffee pot and 24 hour vacuum sealed thermos I got him (as well as socks and exotic jerkey plus his stocking) and I cannot wait for my spa day he customized for me! I also got more pretty pajamas and a stocking with plenty of chocolate in it.

 

We spent most of the day watching A Christmas Story but then watched A Muppet Christmas Carol and White Christmas to break it up. Then my friend Donna came over, we ordered Chinese food and we opened a bottle of champagne to watch the Doctor Who Christmas Special. So it was a different Christmas for sure, but still very very enjoyable. I hope you and yours had a fantastic holiday and have a Happy New Year!

 

 

Christmas Decorating

Last year for Christmas we didn't really bother to decorate. I think I did our mantle, but we didn't have a tree or anything like that. Ryan returned home from Afghanistan last December and we spent Christmas in South Carolina with his family, so it seemed like added stress to get a tree and do all the large scale decorating knowing we wouldn't even be home. This year we knew we had to decorate... or at least I did. Ryan is starting his SDA/B-Billet and we actually were told he would be working through Christmas. I was bummed, especially since we initially planned to go to New Jersey, but then we found very recently he actually can take leave. We did a lot of soul searching and thinking and decided to stay home this year, just the two of us.

 

We had Thanksgiving at Ryan's family's house, but my family was there too, so we saw everyone in our immediate families. We also plan on driving to my parents' house for New Years since it is less of a drive than New Jersey. It was a very hard decision for me since I really treasure any time I get with my Babci and Poppy... but with Rylie I am worried about her knocking them over. Seriously. Plus it is a long drive (11 hours or so) and I don't have a lot of vacation days, especially knowing I need a week or so in the near future for my gallbladder surgery. So, stress and practicality won out and we will be spending Christmas in our own home this year. Now, onto the decorations!

 

Our stockings are hung by the chimney with care.... along with my Christmas village from my Babci and Poppy that I got to take some of.

Our other stockings adorn the picture window. I won the knitted ones last year and they took the place of our little cheap felt ones! I didn't have the heart to throw them away (especially the Dup Dups!) so they are incorporated elsewhere.

 

 

My nativity set... which I love so much. I also sadly broke one of the wise men this year, both his hands broke off, but nothing some super glue couldn't fix.

 

I have had this advent calendar for ages. It used to hang on the door to my bedroom growing up and it is now in our dining room.

Ryan got us some poinsettias and they nicely compliment our advent wreath. Ignore the fact that I still had our fall placemats on the table, they are wintery now!

 

 

And of course, an overall panorama effect. Our tree is up and decorated (now complete with star since we broke our old one two years ago) and our house even has lights up outside. Perfection.

 

All decorations... and fires... are Dup approved

 

Note: I am a bit behind blogging, as per usual, but I feel like not many people are out there reading at this point any way. It is a little disheartening. I will keep writing, even if it is just for me at this point. There used to be so much life and activity here... now I am lucky if I get a single comment on an etnry. So, if you are out there, thanks for sticking around. - A



Merry Christmas

From our family to yours; Have a very Merry Christmas and a healthy, prosperous and happy New Year!

With Love,