Which is Sweeter?

These...

Or the fact that I came home to find them waiting for me after mutual on Wednesday night.

Me: "How cute!! You went and got me gluten free cupcakes?!!! Where did you find them?"

Him: "I made them!"

I vote for option #2. :)

I could rave about the insane pile of presents he gave me, but 2 things pretty much say it all:

First, see the gorgeous pewter and turquoise damask paper behind the cupcakes. My gifts were wrapped in that. (Those of you who know me well, know how I am about cute paper and anything paisley or damask. Seriously. I took 15 minutes to open each gift, just so there was no ripping :))

Second... well... just look at this surprise.

Enough said. I may be an old lady, but I'm a spoiled, happy old lady with a hubbie who knows me WAY too well.

OH...and somewhat random, but along the same lines... thanks for the new gorgeous and oh-so-versatile foot ornaments mom and dad! Aren't they beautiful? (I know some of you out there will appreciate them. I'm not even that big of a shoe person, and I'M in love:))

A Carolina Christmas

We spent Christmas in South Carolina this year, and it was lots of fun. Pretty good that I can say that, seeing as how it was my first Christmas ever away from my family and I missed them! We must have been having fun!

The highlights:
*A gingerbread house marathon using Brian's mom's famous gingerbread. We made a ski lodge with a reindeer over the door, and a ski lift.
*Nieces, nieces, and more nieces. Have I mentioned I love my little nieces? They made everything so much fun. Miya (3) is going to be a ballerina when she grows up, and randomly enters rooms at the funniest moments, dancing and twirling, with her eyes half shut. Cracks me UP, and kept me quite entertained--she was pretty much glued to my side while we were there, and I couldn't have loved it more. Sienna (7) is an artist, and I was more than once impressed with her drawing, 3D castle coloring and jewelry making. Sweet heart. Lila (1) is so sweet and smiley, and the same age as little Tre and Londyn, so she was like a taste of home. Love her "no, no, no, nos"! Kinsey (1) is a hilarious, cute little ham, who loves smiling, and laughing, and teasing, and flirting. My favorite Kinsey-ism was watching her twirl herself around to music until she was so dizzy she staggered, with her eyes glazed, around the room. Just LOVED hanging out with all the nieces.
*Gluten free yummy-ness. Brian's mom took me out grocery shopping when I arrived, and we were stocked up with all kinds of yummy things for me to eat. I even found a gluten-free cracker that I'd never tried before that was scrumptious. Yay! I get crackers again!!
*I single-handedly jinxed South Carolina. Who says it doesn't snow there? I'm telling you, when you have a Utah girl who loves snow as much as I do visiting, anything is possible :) (Remember Virginia and snowmeggedon last year? I'm telling you...it follows me...)
*Games, games, games. Brian's family is big on games, and it was fun to play some I haven't played in awhile. (I think Beyond Balderdash may have been my favorite...)
*Zoo lights. The lights themselves were good, but the fun part was having little Miya and Sienna by my side, explaining all the animals, and posing like their favorite... the Meerkats. (Yeah...picture THAT one! :))
*A fun Christmas Eve program, with nativity and singing and...possibly my favorite... a chime playing adventure.



All in all, a Merry Christmas!!

I hope yours was merry and that you're enjoying 2011 so far! CRAZY!!

Merry Christmas from D.C.

Sometimes where we live just blows our minds...

(National Harbor & Gaylord Resort)

(The Botanical Gardens Railroad through the Wonders of the World, and

carvings of the monuments out of plants)

And sometimes, we blow the city's mind...

MERRY CHRISTMAS FROM OUR HOME TO YOURS!!!

Why do I love my husband?

(Besides the fact that he's a cutie batootie of course... :))

Picture a FREEZING cold morning (it's been brutal over here on the East coast). Brian's getting ready for work, and I'm realizing that I don't have the address for one of my clients--the album I was supposed to be mailing that morning so she would get her order in time to butter up her in-laws with a great Christmas gift. (Sounds like an oversight, but I had her old un-married address, just not her NEW one). Then I realize, with a sigh of relief, she mailed me something, and her address would be on the envelope. Then I realize, with a gasp of dread, that I threw the envelope away and Brian (being the very dutiful guy he is) probably took the trash out the day before.

I believe the exact words Brian heard were, "Crap. You took the trash out yesterday didn't you?"

Him (wondering if this was some bizarre, that-time-of-the-month trap I'm sure): "Yes? Wasn't I supposed to?"

Me (laughing despite myself): "Yes...thank you. It's just that I was dumb and threw away the envelope with my bride's address on it. Now shipment will be delayed a day while I wait to hear from her. Ah well."

He finished getting ready for work, I sent him on his way, and then turned on our light and started booting up the computer to email my bride asap. A few minutes later, I hear our front door opening. "What did he forget?" There stands a FREEZING cold Brian with the missing envelope in hand, telling me "Now...turn off the light and go back to sleep! :)". I know he was cold cuz the big thank you kiss I planted on him about chipped his nose off. :)

When you find a guy who will think to root through the recycle dumpster for you in freezing temperatures, I'm going to go ahead and say you've found a keeper.

I'm telling you...it's like Christmas 24-7 around here with this guy! Love you Bri! And thanks again... the client is THRILLED! And so am I, to have you!

Oh...and in case you're interested, here's the cause of the cute-ness:

Mid December? WHAT?!!!!

And I haven't posted since Halloween. I'm not sure where the past month and a half went. Is anyone else in disbelief that Christmas is in 12 days? Coming WAY too fast. Brian and I have big plans for the next week. We've got a lot of Capital City Christmas stuff to get in before we head off to South Carolina for a week! So I figured I better at least try and update the blog a bit before all the new photos come flooding in!

Thanksgiving break was lovely. The highlights?

*Hanging out with all the people I love most in the world... Bri-Bri, parents, and sisters. Who needs anything else when your biggest fans are all gathered around?! :)
*A delicious Thanksgiving meal. It had been a few years since I'd had my mom's traditional turkey dinner, and my-oh-my. I aspire to her level of chef-pertise someday, but doubt it will happen. Delish.
*A heated mattress pad
*Two adorable little one year olds jabbering away, toddling around, shaking their bums to music, and hamming it up (Every time you tell Londyn she has beautiful eyes, she looks at you and starts slowly batting her eyelashes! Tre is more of the rugged type, climbing to the top of step ladders and shaking them while he hangs on for dear life if the climb wasn't quite challenging enough. Man...the stories I could tell about those two....)
*Hale Center Theatre's Christmas Carole and dinner at the Mandarin after (only the best play and best restaurant EVER)
*Snow, snow, snow. There was LOTS and I'm so glad I got a taste of it during the Christmas season. I am definitely a white Christmas sort of gal.
*Eating lots and lots and lots of gluten free bread, rolls, english muffins...you name it (my parents always go a little hog wild at the gluten free store near their home when I come in town... I'm a wee bit spoiled. Against the Grain has the BEST baked-that-day breads...)
*Temple lights... beautiful, peaceful...COLD!
*Seeing a few friends and loved ones (although there's never enough time to see everyone in our short visits... we loved seeing those of you we DID get to see)
*Getting to see the world's best doctor, and actually having her order some tests that might do some good. Hallelujah! Hope is alive :) One day, with her help, I am fully convinced we'll get to the bottom of my weirdo-ness.
*After Thanksgiving shopping. Brian and I have carried on my family's tradition of going every year we've been married, but it was really fun to get to do it with my family again! And we got some killer stuff. Packing it all wasn't fun...but... worth it.

Could go on...but won't. It was a great two week break, that was over too fast.



Friday night, was Brian's work party. Holy Hannah. That's about all I can say. Picture a hoity-toity resort rented out. You enter by walking down a red carpet, then promptly get your picture taken green-screen style (we were in Times Square). Then the rest of the night you mingle with 1700 other people (lots of which are a little tipsy), and eat about everything you can imagine (well...if you're not gluten-free that is). There were, I think, 5 different rooms. A big ballroom, with dancing, a huge bar, an Asian bar, and a mashed potato bar. A lounge with live jazz music and cigar rolling (got our use outta that one as you can imagine). An outdoor big white tent, with a big gas fire, smore roasting and hot cocoa. A Las Vegas room, with a buffet and tons of gaming tables. A NYC room, with a huge Christmas tree, a hot dog and pretzel stand, and salsa dancing. It was an adventurous night, and just fun to be all dressed up, and out with my boy.

Saturday was the ward party: A Night in Bethlehem, and the gym was completely transformed. I got to work at a storefront selling jewelry with the young women to the mary-and-joseph clad people and Roman soldiers.

Throw in a few wedding album orders that I'm working on for Christmas, a sub-for Santa project, a business photo shoot & web redesign, mutual, Brian's busy work schedule... and you've got all the makings of a hectic holiday season :)

Goal of the week: Get in the true Christmas spirit while we're out and about the next few days seeing all the beauty DC has to offer.

Hope you're having an amazing holiday season so far!!