Christmas Recap!

I'm alive. I swear! I was going through my camera and as you will see, I hardly took any pictures over Christmas - but luckily it was because I was enjoying myself and my family too much to stop and take pictures! :)

I drove home last week on Wednesday after work, and came home to a yummy home cooked meal of Stew and Dumplings that my mom made. It was so delish, but I ate it a bit too fast and ended up not feeling so well haha.

After dinner we went to go look at lights at a local Deacon's house who has a crazy amount of lights in his yard.

After that we came home and watched The Hangover and then went to bed!

On Christmas Eve we woke up and got ready and headed to my Grandparent's house (dad's parents). Every year my grandma gets a pinata for the grandkids...

... and one of the uncles dresses up as Santa. This year it was my dad because my brother and I are old enough to know what's going on haha.

After a nice night at g-mas we headed back home so we could wake up to Christmas at home in the morning.

On Christmas Day we got up (scratch that: my dad woke Clay and I up - I think he was more excited to open presents than us) and my parents had made a big breakfast and then we opened presents! My best gift was money to get the Jetta's windshield replaced! Haha Believe it or not, but it has had a HUGE crack in it for two years, and it is time that the Jetta got a new set of spectacles haha.

After presents we left to celebrate Christmas with my mom's side of the family at my aunts house. Clay was super excited because he found his old Game Boy Color (circa 1998?) and was playing it on the way there, the game you might ask? Pokemon of course haha - pure nerd.

After we got back that night my mom instantly passed out on the couch, in her Christmas Shoes of course.

Then I headed to Josh's parents house to exchange gifts with them. It was so great because I had the WHOLE weekend off! I spent some time at my favorite mall on Saturday, a bunch of time with Josh's family, and a bunch with mine. It was so great to be home and especially for more than a day. Thank god my boss gave me 4 days off in a row - even though she tried to call me in on Saturday - but we won't talk about that haha.

It's been fun reading all of your Christmas posts! Happy Holidays and Happy New Years Eve!!!

Tootles 2009! It's been okay, but I'm really looking forward to 2010!!!!

-Katie

Christmas Decorations!

FINALLY! I am posting pictures of our Christmas Decorations! :)

Our living room is pretty decked out!

We even had to have overflow parking for the presents that couldn't fit under the tree!

Joshy's stocking, from PBK haha

My stocking :)

Our cute present stocking holders and a neat little reindeer I picked up at PotteryBarn!

Our Christmas Advent Calendar from PBK of course! Don't mind the ghetto wire hanging (story to come some time soon I promise)

Fun Christmas table runner with festive candy bowls and of course a candle/jingle bell centerpiece that I put together with my interior design instincts/skillz.

Even the end tables have fun decorations, and of course a Christmas Card from a fellow blogger! :)

The Tree! In all of it's tiny glory! I got this tree when I was in college for the apartment I had with my friend Bridget, we opted for a fake tree because both of us were too busy to keep a real one alive during finals. So Joshy and I still use it because it is cute, pre-lit, and already paid for! haha

A picture of it in the dark so you can see the lights!

Some of our fav/funny ornaments! For whatever reason Josh picked this one out last year - so I have to hang it, but I must admit it is growing on me.

Cute little snowmen

I got this neat metal Santa Claus Decoration which is actually a votive holder. And since he is metal it works great because I can put him by the fireplace without him melting or catching on fire! haha

The Mantel (with out all of the Christmas Cards on it)

Fun little letters I got at Target. I may or may not have gone through two packages of these and mixed and matched the letters out of both to make one perfect set without any flaws.

And last but not least, the wreath that I made last year! :)

I am SO FREAKING excited for Christmas, but honestly it doesn't even feel like it for me yet because I have been working the last 8 days straight! Only today and tomorrow and then by the grace of god I was given Christmas Eve off! Yay!! Tonight I work until 10pm then I have to come home and pack because I am heading to my parents house right after work tomorrow.

I feel like Christmas has come so fast, and I know it will be over in a flash, so I'm just going to try to take it all in and enjoy my 4 days off this weekend! Hallelujah! haha!

Happy Holidays!

-Katie

iPhone Foto Friday

Wahoo! Week 2 of iPhone Foto Friday!

This little lovely was a pretty random happening. Last week while I was getting some of my Christmas shopping done I was at the mall and I was riding the escalator when this old man came speeding up the escalator behind me so I moved aside figuring he was in a hurry. Well when he got to the top of the escalator he turned around and rode the other one going down, and I was thinking "wtf? he was just in a hurry to get to the top!". So as I'm walking along I'm watching him and when he gets to the bottom of the escalator he runs up again!

When I worked at Pottery Barn Kids it was in an indoor mall, and there was a group of older people who would come walk laps around the mall before it opened because it was a nice temperature and level ground, but NONE of them ever used the escalator as a stair master! haha Old people are so funny.

-Katie

Ugly Gingerbread House

Last night Josh and I FINALLY made/decorated the gingerbread house kit we got from Costo! And let me tell you it looks NOTHING like the one on the box. haha

All of the pieces...

Joshy and our mess

our ghetto little gingerbread house haha.

And our creepy gingerbread people...

So now we have our ugly gingerbread house made of nasty tasting frosting and gross candy sitting on the kitchen table. I'm not sure what to do with it now, perhaps run it over like we did a few years ago?

-Katie

we came, we saw, we frosted

My attempts to bake and decorate Christmas Cookies this weekend failed miserably due to work and life - of course. But alas, we got them done on Monday night!

all of the ingredients!

Once the dough was made it was time to get to work! Thankfully I had my trusty helpers by my side!

Joshy!

And Steph!

Here are a few of the ugly cookies Josh and I frosted. There were so many, so we were focused on quantity not quality.

Meanwhile Stephanie was creating miniature works of art...

really!? did you just spell things on an x-mas cookie!? skillz for sure!

Josh was fading fast

But a ton of frosting, some good x-mas tunes, and a few glasses of milk later we got them all finished!

Have you done your holiday baking yet? It is such a huge task, but it was so worth it! Yummm :)

-Katie

Gym Freak of the Week

Finally! After quite a long break, I bring to you a Gym Freak of the Week. Although for my own safety and well being, it has been nice going to the gym and not having any freakish encounters - but lets be honest, it was only a matter of time before one crossed my path again...

So yesterday while minding my own business I happen to notice an old man come out of the locker room. Now I have seen him before and I've always pondered (from afar) if his "swim trunks" are really swim trunks or if they are actually underwear. And today my friends, I got my answer.

As he strolled past me on the swim deck (within a few feet) I had the opportunity to verify my curiosity, and I was right, he in fact was NOT sporting swim trunks, but instead boxers - and because I am ever so lucky, he happened to be wearing them inside out so I could even see the lovely white tag hanging out of the back.

What makes the situation even more gross/more awkward, is that before you use the pool/spa at the gym you have to shower, so this nasty old man with stringy gray hair is wondering around in boxer shorts dripping wet (imagine a wet t-shirt contest: old man style). I swear if I had been at ANY other angle I'm sure I would have seen something that would have taken the term gym freak to a whole new level.

So there you have it, there is an old man using the aquatic facilities at my gym in his skivvies. No joke.

-Katie

WINNNNNNNNEEERRRR!!!

Yay! The time has come to announce the winner of my 200th Post Giveaway!!

Congrats to SARAH ANN
from Misadventures in Matrimony!!!

Thank you to everyone for following my blog and entering my giveaway! I'm so thankful for each and every one of you!

Sarah Ann! Email me your information, I'm pretty sure you already have my email, but if not let me know! :)

-Katie