Late, but Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
The holiday season is always such a great time of year for me, not only because I get a break from school, but also because I really get into the spirit. Even though I couldn't afford gifts this year, I embraced the season and helped wrap others gifts and looked at lights. The holiday season passed in the blink of an eye, mostly because I couldn't really start celebrating it until December 18th when I finished school. Now I am looking at my continually drying Christmas tree with a little sadness in my heart because I as soon as I got into it, it was over. Tomorrow is the day I have finally decided to do the thing I dread most every year; take down my Christmas decorations and put them in boxes until next year. I felt that although I am very late posting this blog, I should a least write a little about Christmas and New Year before getting on with my other blogs.
Although I am in finals from Thanksgiving until Christmas, it is also a great time of year that fills me with such cheer. Maybe it is the sparkling lights that light up our neighborhood that is otherwise dark and cold in the winter. I have to say, one good thing about moving to Sugar Land is that our neighborhood, in particular, has the best lights! We saw a house with lights set to music and a santa roller coaster. Looking at lights on Christmas Eve was a tradition that my parents, who I have always thought do the best Christmases, started when we were younger. I have since carried that tradition on, not on Christmas Eve, but whatever night Matt and I choose to open gifts. He acts like he doesn't want to, but when we have the music on and start seeing the sights, I can tell he gets a little into it. This year he even told me that I always have so much Christmas spirit that it seems to spread to him more...I like that ;).
We headed our separate ways a few days before Christmas...little did I know I was headed to a soon-to-be blizzard. We really tried to cherish this Christmas because we know that next year things will be a little different and since our families do not live in the same states, there is a good chance that one of us won't see our family for Christmas. The day after I got to Norman, I started my shopping with my dad and brother which was quite comical considering we went to Victoria Secret together of all stores. I kept wondering what we looked like walking in together and as Jake walked by a rack of bras he said, "This is the bra Kristen wants..."haha. He later was trying to get her size from me secretly, but I misunderstood what he was saying when I kept hearing, "B20?"....bingo or vitamins?
Unfortunately when I heard we were getting snow the next day I thought we could still shop in it like in Houston. When I woke up on Christmas Eve I was amazed at the amount of snow and ice and the hurricane force winds.We couldn't finish our shopping so we relaxed together and stayed in our p.j's.
After doing the Christmas thing, we made our way through the conditions to Dawn's house for a Christmas dinner complete with a drum solo, games, and strep throat (we discovered two days later). The rest of my time in Norman was spent just enjoying the fam and hanging out. I had a good time this year and wish it wasn't over so quickly. I had to get out in my small window of no snow, but didn't make it all the way out before I hit the snowfall around Dallas.
Nice to see when I returned home, that Matt had missed me while he was there working and I was gone (doesn't happen often). I gave him his stocking full of candy and gifts from my family and we enjoyed one last night of Christmas.
Matt with his gifts...please ignore the pants...he found them and loves how comfortable they are. They look like highwater/ European men's capri pants in sweatpant form...not too attractive. ;) Now we know what to get him for mext Christmas!
I usually hate New Years...I find it to be extremely over-rated kinda like Valentines Day. I was excited last year because I was with friends and had a lot of plans for the following year, but this year has been a pretty good one for the most part and I did not want this coming year to go in reverse.The past three years we welcomed the New Year in New Orleans with friends which was amazing, so this year when Matt had to work the day before and I had just gotten back, we had no clue what to do. We only had ONE friend in town so I just thought we will probably stay home. Matt's sister, Layla, called us New Years Eve and told us she was coming to visit out of boredom in Lafayette. This was a good thing b/c it forced us to plan. Matt's friend got us into a private party at a bar that wasn't too crowded, had free champagne, and a breakfast buffet in the morning. Maybe making no plans helps you have a better time when it surpasses your expectations! I got ready right before with a necklace I got for Christmas, a dress I pulled from the back of my closet that I hadn't worn since high school, and a new pair of shoes for a good price. Hopefully this awesome outfit that fit perfectly together is a sign of a good year ahead haha. The night turned out to be a lot of fun and by the end Matt had convinced me not to think about the bad, but look forward to the good...Happy New Years Everyone! May this year bring you good health, wealth, and a general sense of satisfaction with you life...and as I kept telling our new cop friend from that night... I'M GETTING MARRIED THIS YEAR! :)
