Christmas #1

Matt and I celebrated our "just us" Christmas last night. Last year we decided that we wanted to exchange our gifts with each other at home just the two of us. Since we travel for Christmas, that means we have to do it on an alternate day, which I still wanted to feel special and have traditions.

So, we repeated last year's "gourmet breakfast dinner" last night. It included this delicious, amazing baked french toast (you use french bread and let it soak overnight, so you get these thick slices that are just barely crispy on the outside and soft on the inside), bacon, sausage, biscuits, hash browns, and lots of syrup. :) We use our china and crystal and just make it a special time. Last year in the apartment, I gathered all our Christmas decorations with candles and lit them all around the "dining room." This year in the house, our candle decorations are SO spread out that I didn't do that. I'll have to find a compromise for next year, because I missed that (probably because my mom does the same thing). :)

First we opened stockings--we just get a few little things for each other. I gave Matt an ornament and a book he wanted (The Power of a Praying Husband). He gave me an iTunes giftcard. And Sammy got pizza flavored treats that look like mailmen and cats, some other treats, an ornament that has a dog holding two little placards ("Puppy's first Christmas" and "Sammy"), and one of those loooooong stuffed dog toys like you see on the PetSmart commercial.
They're normally $8-$10, which is more than we spend on dog toys by a long shot. Then this little place near us had Christmasy ones (a green dog with a red Santa hat and black boots on) marked at $5.99--a little better--but the rack they were on said $2.99!!! I double checked at the register, and it was indeed $2.99! That's a really good price, especially for that toy. So, I got it. It has two squeakers. A "normal" one in the dog's muzzle and a grunting one in its tummy. Sammy loves it! :)

Then we opened gifts under the tree. Matt got new salt and pepper mills (our pepper hasn't worked particularly well lately; he really wanted a new one), another book he wanted (the new John Eldredge), some clips to hold the rope light on the lanai that he asked for, a Willow Tree figurine (I asked for one for my birthday, and when he went to get it he saw one he liked), a certificate to get his car's windows tinted, and a few other little things. He gave me a cute little ornament, The Power of a Praying Wife that I wanted, a beautiful sweater from Ann Taylor, a fireplace screen for the family room, the Xbox 360 game Viva Pinata (I started it last night... it's SOOOO fun), and an amazing dressy watch (it has bead set diamonds around the face--totally not expecting that. In fact, he says I sat there just looking at it silently when I first opened it, which worried him, of course). It completely coordinates with my e-ring and wedding bands!

It was a really sweet time together. :) The best part of it all was being together and knowing after work today we get 11 days together. :) I love him so much!

We hope you have a very merry and blessed Christmas. And may our hearts be in tune to the One we truly celebrate. :)

Blessings,
Becca