A Covid Christmas

To add to the poop stain in our underwear, Christmas is officially cancelled like everything else. Too dramatic? Not hardly, in my book. This is will be one of the only times I have never made it home for Christmas and the thought alone depresses me to no ends. Life is short and I want to spend it with the people who matter the most and due to the rising cases, the fact that I have a toddler and we live 2,500 miles away from my mom is some of the many reasons we can’t make the trip this year. I also can’t convince my husband to buy/rent/borrow/steal an RV and drive across the country to be there (that’s another story for another time). 

Nike Free TR8 in double black.

Socks. I don’t know if it’s just me or what but apparently I’m really hard on socks and get tons of holes in them. 

A pillow desk because I’m cool like that. 

LapGear Designer Lap Desk with Phone Holder and Device Ledge - Gray Damask -

HP Sprocket Select Portable 2.3x3.4" Instant Photo Printer

There’s also an entire amazon wish list I’ve got going with movies and books. There’s also a few tshirts I’d like and crystals because I’m totally into those with 2020 being the crap show that it is. But yes, other than getting in an RV and rolling across the country to see my mom these are the items that might bring me some joy. 

Hang in there everyone.

Christmas Wish Came True

In November, I told all of you that I wanted one thing for Christmas.

To Go HOME

Well guess what? We went to West Virginia for Christmas! We got to spend a glorious 8 days and 7 nights in my hometown. It was great to spend time with family.

Presley got to spend his first Christmas in my hometown.

We hit up all the local places to eat.

We opened presents.

And we just enjoyed being together.

It was the perfect first Christmas for Presley.

Last Minute Gift Ideas

This year I have been extremely lax on my Christmas shopping. I literally have two people on a list of about 10 people done. To say that I'm almost in a panic attack over it, would be an understatement. This weekend, I will bravely hit the stores and even the dreaded mall all while being 7 months pregnant. Thank the Lord for the invention of Amazon Prime because without that I don't know what I would be doing. Oh wait, I do know... paying an insane amount for rush shipping.

I've had some people ask me what I'd like for Christmas. Honestly, I don't know what it is about this year maybe it's because I can't go home for Christmas and spend it with my mom and husbandmaybe it's because I'm so pregnant and have had such a hard time with being sick but I haven't really thought about things I would like to have. I just don't feel as festive as I normally do because I LOVE this time of the year. Here's my attempt at my wish list.

1. To spend Christmas at my mom's house! 

I've only not been home for Christmas once (technically twice but my mom came to CA so I don't count that one). This will be the second time ever. I'm 33 years old people. This is a big deal to me. It's something about being at my mom's house with her live tree and the stockings and Santa's cookies. I just want to go home for Christmas. (PS I'm not going home because I can't make the long flight at this stage in pregnancy). Cue the tears. Last year with not my husband and my mom it was perfect to me. 

2. Amazon Gift Cards.

If I can't go home for Christmas, at least let me shop for free on amazon. I've got a whole wish list of Christmas decorations on there that will keep me occupied.

3. Anything Baby.

I'm so overwhelmed. We don't have the baby's room ready, we don't have any of the furniture yet. We literally have some blankets, sleepers, onsies and bibs. Hang in there baby. I'm working on it! Here in the next 2-3 weeks we will hopefully have a bassinet and a crib. We will also have the room somewhat ready. So anything baby related that's essential is a good thing. BUT hey, I've got my amazon registry done! Including the crib, changing table and dresser.

4. Books, Movies and Christmas Decorations.

 

 

I've got a giant list of movies, books and Christmas village pieces that I want. I've added to my amazon list all year long.

Wordless Wednesday

Just a little wordless Wednesday from Christmas in West Virginia

The Travelling Christmas Tree

Two years ago, I started our Travel Christmas Tree.

I had seen a purple tree and fallen in love with the fun color. I got a four foot tree that was only 20 dollars and was determined to turn it into something special. When my husband and I first began dating we went out of the country to Puerto Rico. While we were there we bought two Christmas tree ornaments. We were there in March but he knew my love of Christmas and we said that this could be our travel thing. Some people buy magnets or key chains or pencils.... we buy a Christmas ornament.

This is one of the two ornaments we bought in Puerto Rico. I use it as our tree topper since it's in the shape of a star.

The hummingbird was also from P.R. My mom and I have long history with hummingbirds so when I saw this, I knew I had to get it. 

The tree on the right hand side is from a local spot called Apple Hill. Set in foothills leading over to Lake Tahoe is a place where in the fall you can pick pumpkins, drink cider and eat fudge. Then in the winter you can cut down your own Christmas tree. We went a few years ago for the fall and had a fun time. This was a handmade ornament from a vendor there and it was perfect for our tree.  Then you'll see the two bears at the Palm Springs Aerial Tram. We were just there in November so this is a recent addition. Then of course there's an ornament from our Seattle Trip and a visit to Muir Woods...

 

We visiting Coronado and San Diego in July and found this hand painted ornament of the island.

We have our ornament from Dollywood, the Smokey Mountains and of course our favorite winery in Napa- Castillo De Amirosa also known as the Castle Winery.

I haven't been able to find a tree skirt that I love for this tree so this year I got a little crafty and bought some felt and made my own until I find one that I love. This one is all felt and I cut out the United States, California and West Virginia.

There's memento's from San Francisco, Great America, Las Vegas, Hawaii, Kings games and the Jelly Belly Factory tour.

The recent fires in Gatlinburg had me very upset. I've been going there since I was two years old so in June when I was able to take my husband there for the first time it was just perfect. We rode the famous chair lift to the top of the mountain and bought this ornament. Now they've had a fire and are currently out of operation.

While in Pigeon Forge we visited the Titanic museum. If you know my husband then you know he has a deep love of the Titanic.

So that's just a little bit of our travel tree. Next year I'm hoping to have the perfect skirt and even more ornaments to add to it! Maybe something from New York and overseas.

Our Wedding Tree

If you know me at all then you know that I am a huge fan of Christmas. It's by far my favorite holiday and I plan all year on the things that I want to when it comes to our decorations. So last year when we were planning our wedding, I wanted to incorporate as much Christmas as I could without it becoming too much Christmas and not enough wedding. One of the things that we did was instead of having a guest book we had guests sign ornaments.

Our videographer took this photo of our instructions to guests

 



We had multiple colors of ornaments and different color sharpies, set the baskets out and waited for the guests to fill them up. Our venue packed them after the wedding and they were boxed until this year. This year when we got them out of the box it was our first opportunity to see the ornaments. I thought this would be a fun thing to have instead of a guestbook that I honestly would probably only look at about once every 10 years. This way having the ornaments signed, we can take them out every year and look at them as we decorate the tree.

Our tree topper was actually our cake topper. I had it custom made on etsy and it worked perfectly as our tree topper. The ribbon was from a very large present we received.

Throughout the tree we have little wooden nutcrackers. These nutcrackers were a part of our wedding favors. We had these miniature nutcrackers on miniature champagne bottles. I kept a full set of the 8 different designs that we gave out.

I also included a copy of our program and our wedding invitation. Then I included ornaments that people gave us as presents. Everyone knows how much I love Christmas so you wouldn't believe the amount of ornaments that people gave us featuring our wedding date and names. I loved every one of them and I loved taking them out of the boxes. I'm sure I will for years to come.

I love how our tree turned out and I hope to put these ornaments on the tree for years to come. I'm trying to decide what to do for the tree skirt. I wish I had scraps from when they altered my wedding dress but the designer made it to my size and no extra material was available. I can't decide what to do for it. Hmm... any ideas?

Christmas Wish List

This year I'm happy to spend the holiday with family. I don't care one bit if I don't get anything. Being with them will be the best gift. However, my husband informed me this is how he buys things for me is by my lists that I make. So just for him here it goes....

1. Agenda Planner.

found here

I know that most people just use their phone but I'm old school. I like to write things down in a planner. I like to scratch things out, write in different color pens, etc. I like the planners that have the month view and then give the day to day writing option. I keep hearing amazing things about Erin Condren planners but I can't pull the trigger on a 50 dollars planner. That's a little too rich for my blood.

2. Books.

 

 

found here, here, here, here

 

I love to read. I could read a book in a day if I wasn't so busy. My favorite author is Stuart Woods and he has several new books out that I haven't read. I've recently got into the Todd Borg Tahoe mystery novels. I also get a kick out of reading the Mrs. Jeffries mysteries.

3. Department 56/ Lemax.

 

 

 

 

 

 

found here, here, here, here.

 

If you know me then you know I'm a huge fan of Christmas. It's my favorite time of the year. I love putting up our Christmas trees, wrapping presents, watching Christmas movies and decorating every inch of our home in Christmas magic. This year I put up my very first Christmas village. I had been wanting to do this for years. Last year I started collecting pieces for the village and the collecting will continue. The items pictured are just a few of the ones I want to add to my collection.

4. A Wallet.

found here

I had this amazing pink alligator wallet. I carried it around for a decade and then about 3 months ago it ripped. I think it's because I was trying to just hold too much in it. Well since then my purse has been a mess. My cards are scattered everywhere in my bag and I hate that. I need a new wallet with lots of card slots.

5. Gift Cards.

 

Oh the possibilities are endless. Clohing, Christmas items, shoes, purses, movies, cds, travel.