Christmas Morning

Our new toys!

Excellent Christmas morning!

The morning started with hugs and the realization that we are very blessed to have what we want and need, but we have our wonderful lives with each other. Listening to the morning radio, we reflected on the tragic events of the recent news. We shed some tears for lost lives and what seems like a world in despair.

A feeling of hope and love replaced the solemn, and we put on the Christmas tunes and coffee. This has been the best Christmas for us, personally. Just spending time with my husband is all I really want. (But I love my new Tiffany necklace!)

 We opened our gifts and ate a huge brunch. Belgian waffles, veggie sausage, Boar's Head real bacon, biscuits and gravy and eggs--I hooked it up! The best part of the morning was giving Bully his present: a "dinner plate" of squeaky stuffed toys. When I saw this at Target I had to. HAD TO. Not only do I love things that look like food (see above turkey towel and all those rice krispy turkeys I make), I love giving Bully stuffed toys. It's messy, but it's his favorite!

See how he enjoyed his dinner plate:

"Ohh a present! Papa, will help me open it?"

"Mmmm... corn!"

"Mmmm... turkey!"

"Have you any chives for my baker?"

"Pass the rolls, please."

"Mmmm, dinner rolls? Are these Sister Shuberts?"

"Well, I'm stuffed!"

 Merry Christmas! Wishing you all a warm, kind, and compassionate New Year.

Love, 

Shawn, Leilani & Bully

Christmas at our house!

Only a couple days left until Christmas. The weather has been a cool 60 degrees. We're pretty ready, this year- all presents, bought, sent. Cards are sent, and I only lost a few addresses. The tree looks plump. Maybe next year we wont get such a big tree. It makes our presents look a little wimpy!

This year we went shopping together to pick out all the things we wanted and needed. It was perfect, though there are no surprises. Oh well, I know exactly what's under that tree, but I'm practicing willpower for Christmas! 

Bully is in the Christmas spirit, too. Got his jingle bells on...

the lighted Christmas balls have been improved:

 and the kitchen has seen some action. I love this turkey dish cloth:

What a great year it has been. Shawn and I are grateful for everything we've accomplished this year and years leading up to this. We are somewhat settled, and the next step, well, we'll see.

More Christmas Lights!

We added 2 lighted balls per tree. There are 5 more on the floor that need to be chucked up there. It's not easy, as every ball must be connected to another strand. We bought ten extension cords that won't fit, so it's been trial and error. Our living room is littered with empty light boxes!

But our yard is so pretty!

Christmas lights: in progress!

We were so excited to put lights on our palm trees this year. OUR PALM TREES! Each of those three words is something we're getting accustomed to saying. So, to get in the Christmas spirit, we decorated today!

If you know Greensboro, North Carolina, where we used to live, you know of Sunset Hill's Christmas light balls. We tried to re-create those here. We watched the YouTube video on the lawn and got it right after the first ball.

and the lights...

with a few added balls

 I think we have a very tasteful light show. We'll add more balls, and suspend them from the foxtails. The magic is in the suspension, as they appear to float. Right now they look like coconuts, which is appropriate, too.

This house 2 streets down did a cool thing-fish!

and here is the video. The story is very heartwarming. It makes me nostalgic for this neighborhood and these huge trees. Shawn and I are determined to start in up our neighborhood, bringing the tradition with us. Hope it catches on!

Three years

Year three came to a close yesterday!

 I really didn't make a big deal out of it like our first and second anniversary. I even forgot to look up the traditional wedding gifts for the third anniversary. I really could have used some leather leggings!

Since we just came back from two major trips to Mexico and Illionois, work full time, and bought a house this year, we didn't need a big celebration. Does this mean we're old married news?

Actually, we've decided our gift to each other is another four point house inspection to protect our home owner's insurance, and Maria, our maid. That sentence was so mature, I almost didn't write it.

Since our anniversary fell on a Tuesday, and we were both free for the evening, we opted for the local weekly Food Truck festival. We can do a fancy dinner anytime. So we brought our dog and had an outdoor meal. Pizza, a burger, AND a chicken and waffle. (I'm supposed to be jogging not blogging  right now.)

Somehow I got Shawn's sick germs (and I haven't even kissed him for 3 days!). We came home and relaxed on the couch with hot tea and See's. Really, the best ending to a night. Well, if circumstances were healthier, I can thing of better things to do. But I have my sweet hubby here and we're playing tea.

These cute ring mugs were a wedding present. Cute bling addition to our stacks! Counting the ink, that SEVEN rings total.

A Celebration explosion of a weekend...

see Shawn's ring tat?

 I celebrated my birthday publicly for the first time in a couple years. In downtown Chicago. In style. In sequins to be specific!

My mom and my sister's "family in law" met us in the city for a night and sights the next day. These are just the pic's from Shawn's iPhone. I actually didn't bring my camera- out of character, I know. I had so many gifts in my carry on!

The next day we witnessed my sister & her husband get legalize their marriage with a judge and a little party. The whole weekend was a blast, and I'm seeking out pics from others. It was really great to be a part of a big family again. We've always felt far away from our families, but we're determined to travel more. I may have to look into first class after this last flight. I managed to sleep in the weirdest positions and woke up sore! Well, maybe window seats.

Congrats again, Otrezas!