christmas

Life Lately

Hello! I haven’t posted a life lately post since June, so I thought it would be fun to share everything going on in my neck of the woods.

First and foremost, happy December! I love this month. It’s bustling and joyful and special. With that said, it can also be incredibly overwhelming. Something I especially try to focus on in the month of December is keeping my priorities straight.

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Christmas is all about celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ. Period. There are celebrations, gatherings, people to see, cards to send, and things to do. The one thing I want to keep at the forefront of my mind and life is Christ.

Making time each day to read my Bible and have quiet time with God is an absolute priority. After that, I can truly have perspective on this season. I can then serve and give and truly value the relationships I have with loved ones. Basically, giving myself room to breathe and find joy in this season is all about knowing what I value and keeping my priorities straight.

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Okay, onto life lately! I’m going to share a few bullet points and pictures to keep things simple 🙂

  • There was a bird inside one of my pet sitting client’s houses and I had to call Jimmy to come over and trap it. He got it into a cardboard box and set it free. He’s the best.
  • This week is a busy one for me at my regular job because the family is having a Christmas party on Saturday. Lots of extra cleaning, food prep, and more. I am beyond thankful to have a job I love. It’s unconventional, but I wouldn’t have it any other way.
  • Seven of Hannah’s 10 (!!) bridesmaids went dress shopping a few days after Thanksgiving. She let everyone choose their own dress and we are all going to wear the same shade of purple. Hannah is so relaxed about her upcoming wedding!
  • My parents took Jimmy and I furniture shopping last weekend. They’re awesome and some of the most generous people I know.
  • My father-in-law and his girlfriend came over last Friday night to watch Gold Rush and have dinner. My FIL was so excited and even ordered ribs from a local BBQ place to bring over. It was such a sweet evening.

How about some pictures?

furniture-shopping

We had a blast going to three (!!) different furniture stores. We ordered a sectional and then canceled the order because the sectional was too big for our living room, LOL.

My father-in-law relaxing after dinner at our house. He and Malcolm have a special relationship... haha.

My father-in-law relaxing after dinner at our house. He and Malcolm have a special relationship… haha.

The bridesmaid dress I chose! Hannah said as long as it had lace, she was happy. Also, she's having all the bridesmaids wear cowboy boots!

The bridesmaid dress I chose! Just imagine it in light purple. Hannah said as long as it had lace, she was happy. Also, she’s having all the bridesmaids wear cowboy boots!

One of the treats I'm making for the Christmas party the family I work for is hosting this weekend. Can't wait to make these!

One of the treats I’m making for the Christmas party the family I work for is hosting this weekend. Can’t wait to make these!

What’s going on in your life lately?

Our Christmas

All in all, our Christmas was lovely.

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Jimmy and I headed to church on Christmas Eve to celebrate with our congregation. We watched Hannah along with all of the teens and kids in our church sing and play music. It was absolutely beautiful. Afterwards, we headed to my parents’ house to exchange gifts, eat cookies, and catch up. My brother was with his wife’s family and Hannah was with her boyfriend’s family, so it was just Jimmy and I with my parents, and of course the dogs!

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Jimmy and I headed home from my parents’ and were both excited to sleep in on Christmas! I think we slept until 7:00 a.m., a treat for us 5:00 a.m. waker-uppers. I think sleeping in gave me a headache, though. Nothing a little coffee and Advil couldn’t fix ;). We exchanged gifts after having breakfast and Jimmy played with his (a drone!) while I started preparing the house for our guests to arrive in the evening.

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We had Jimmy’s dad, siblings, and dad’s girlfriend over for dinner and to hang out. We all exchanged gifts and enjoyed chili, broccoli cheddar soup, corn muffins, and challah.

Every time Jimmy and I host a get-together, we are hyperaware that we don’t have a lot of seating in our home. Our couches were given to us by different family members (which is why they’re all mismatching), our kitchen table seats two, and someone usually ends up sitting on the floor. You know what, though? It’s cozy and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

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After exchanging gifts, we played card games, drank smoothies, and watched Gold Rush on the Discovery Channel. My father-in-law and Jimmy are avid Gold Rush fans, and they like to tease me because Jimmy and I watch it every Friday night and I fall asleep halfway through the episode.

We’ve been watching Gold Rush for years, and I looked back and saw the first time I mentioned it on my blog was in 2012! One of the people on the show got a black lab mix a season or two ago, so I’m always excited when I see the dog. His name is Dozer, and every time he’s in a shot, I’m like “LOOK JIMMY, IT’S DOZER!!” and he’s like “Yup…a dog..” haha.

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After everyone left, Jimmy and I tried to stay up a little longer and watch a Harry Potter movie, but we were tired from all the fun! Christmas 2015 was absolutely delightful. Jimmy and I were so happy he didn’t wake up with the flu like last year, so we felt extra felt blessed that we were able to celebrate Christ’s birth surrounded by family and friends. I hope you had a happy and healthy holiday as well!

Tell me about your Christmas!