This Christmas

Hi Everyone!

I'm back in the blogging world and glad to be here. I hope you all had a great Christmas. Mine was...interesting. Well, it was as good as it could possibly be under the circumstances.

I won't be writing a whole lot about it since I'm covering most of it in my other blog - my surgery coloring everything about this Christmas. However, I like the idea of recording what presents I received and gave to help me out next year when I'm trying to remember (I have a horrible memory sometimes).

Gave:
Dad: My younger brothers and I went in together and gave him a Blu Ray disc player. I'm excited to watch something with it since I've heard there's quite a difference.

Mom: Pampered Chef red stone pie dish and pot separator. I ♥ Pampered Chef's stoneware!

Kevin: Massage pad that can be used at home or in the car - I was jealous when he was using it, it looked so comfy! - and a foot water spa/massager.

Friends/Cousins: a box of mini, colored dice

Liz: Pampered Chef rectangle stone - did I mention I love PC?

Boss: personalized t-shirt and mug. The mug has his picture with "Awesome Audiologist". The shirt has a muscle man on the front with "Husband, Father, Bishop, Audiologist, Boss, AuD Student, Home Teacher, Geocacher" on the back.

Coworker: A bag of Pampered Chef goodies; apple corer, measuring cup, corn butterer, oil spritzer

Macey: Earrings and jewelry box - she loved the jewelry box and was in desperate need for one.

Porter: Checkers/Chess. I had bought him a DVD but then heard that his favorite recess activity was playing checkers. His dad told me that he didn't have his own set.

Brooke: I commissioned a tutu for her from Melissa - it was so cute! She loves it! Go here for more info and pictures.

Scott: red light saber and R2-D2 figurine

Received:
Mom - 2 bar stools that look perfect at my kitchen bar and shephards for my Willow Tree nativity

Dad - black tv stand, Sarah MacLaughlin cd, the next 4 books of the Hannah Swensen Mysteries series by Joanne Fluke (Dad gives us money, we buy our presents, then take them to him to wrap for us to open on Christmas.)

Kevin - IKEA stuff to make hanging "storage" for my kitchen. There's a couple long rods on which I can attach hooks and clips. Then I can hang a variety of kitchen items from these hooks and clips, including a wood cutting board from IKEA. I'm still not sure how it's going to work out, but Kevin got the idea from my mom who heard how much I liked Framed's kitchen hanging "storage".

Boss - three games (Zooletto, Hit or Miss, and Ticket to Ride) and money. My family has played the last two to-date and really enjoyed them.

Coworker - pomegranate candle and stationary cards.

Friends - original photographs, scarf, piano music cd, Pier 1 candle

Cousins - 10 black frames perfect for how I'm decorating my living room (Aly) and still a mystery (Cassie) - I like getting presents "late" as it keeps the fun going longer.

Liz and Jeff - apple cinammon scent diffuser that looks like a red crystal ball and a picture of red flowers on a yellow background - both are perfect for my planned living room decor!

Grandma - a Christmas book, a great tradition!

Please don't think I think Christmas is only about the presents. I do tend to get thoughtful gifts and I love thinking about what to get people, but presents are not what I think about when I think of Christmas. Spending time with my family (for good and bad), food, and parties with friends come to mind when I think of Christmas. This Christmas had most of these things (no Chex Mix, candy, poppy seed cake, or caramel corn for me this year!), so it was a good Christmas.

And, due to my surgery, I wasn't nearly as stressed as usual.

Woohoo!