I cannot believe Christmas is already over! A mere 5 days ago, I was asking M if he could believe it was almost Christmas Eve. These past few months have definitely flown by.
I could hardly grasp that I had to go to work this morning when my obnoxious alarm startled me awake. Say it isn't so!
We had a great weekend and even more wonderful first Christmas together. M and I started dating at the beginning of December last year, but it was definitely too soon to spend Christmas together or money on gifts. We went ice skating and to a hockey game and talked on the phone on Christmas, but it was low-key.
Thursday night after work we grabbed a bite to eat at our favorite Mexican place (and it was divine!) before running our last-minute gift errands. After dinner, we headed to Kroger to get M's step-dad a gift card to Bass Pro and while we were walking toward the store, we ran into my brother in the parking lot (he works in the Suntrust inside Kroger.) We suggested going to grab a drink at the bar around the corner (conveniently called "Cross Corner.") Drew had a Christmas party to get to, so after one drink we went our separate ways. M and I (**Side note, it cracks me up when I type M and I because I abbreviate his first name, but ironically enough, my name ends up being abbreviated, too, even though I'm just typing an article) hit up the liquor store to get a bottle of wine for each of our dads and some wine for Christmas Eve dinner (plus some vodka, cause we were out, and we're addicted to dirty martinis.) From there we ran quickly into Kroger, but decided while we were there would should go ahead and get dinner supplies for Xmas Eve dinner with his dad. Then we ran to Border's to get a gift for his mother. He got her a book of old Nashville photographs and a Jack Daniels vintage poster thing. I got her a Paula Deen (I <3 her!) book and a magnet.
I also bought myself a couple of magnets. Anderson Design Group makes these really neat Nashville prints, mugs, magnets, coasters, etc. with historic Nashville landmarks. I bought her the magnet for the old Belle Meade theatre, which she loved. We already had Vandyland and Union Station, so I bought us the Nashville Farmer's Market and this cool Nashville magnet (pictured on the left). They definitely spruce up our fridge and also help to display the 908234+ Christmas cards we've received from friends and family. Ok, it's not that many, but our fridge is covered to the point that we didn't have enough magnets to hold all the love we received (and didn't send in return, oops!)
Thursday night was low-key. We wrapped the gifts and took it easy. Friday morning we woke up and got ready to head to M's mom's house where we had brunch with her and Larry. We opened gifts with them. M got a light fixture to replace the hideous fan in our kitchen and some ornaments, Macy's and Home Depot gift cards and some other things. We both got a college football mug, so we can be rivals when we drink coffee on the weekends. I got some kitchen-y stuff including a bacon press, a wine rabbit (my old one broke), and a measuring cup. I also got Miranda Lambert's newest CD. After some wonderful, quality time, we headed home because I needed to make a cheesecake for Christmas at my parents the next day.
M built a fire in the fireplace, and around 4:00 we started working on dinner about 4:00. We bought a positively divine beef tenderloin at Kroger which M grilled (it was so.freaking.good!) and we had salad, green beans, sweet potato casserole and garlic bread. We had a nice time and then did gifts with his dad.
Once he headed home (it was starting to sleet) we opened our gifts to each other! It was very special and we each got some surprises we weren't expecting. Among my gifts was Dierks Bentley's newest CD (What is up with me?! Two years ago, I would've never asked for 2 Country CDs!) We enjoyed the rest of M's wonderful fire and went to bed.
I woke up around 5:30 not feeling very well and couldn't fall back asleep, so I waited patiently for M to wake up so we could ready and head to my parent's house. When I looked out the window, I saw a white Christmas! Apparently we haven't had one since 1993 (which was the year we had a bad ice storm.) The roads were clear for our drive and breakfast was waiting for us when we got there. Some breakfast casserole, cinnamon rolls and mimosas later we were ready to open gifts. Traditionally we open in a round, one at a time, but mom decided that with M being there, it would take all day to open them. We altered it a bit and decided we'd do rounds, but we'd all open at the same time and then see what everyone opened. It seemed to speed things along without detracting from seeing people's reactions to the gifts you gave them.
Everyone racked up with what they wanted. Mom got lots of kitchen stuff (for her kitchen that was re-done and finished the week before the Nashville flood, she almost had a heart attack when the water got a few inches from the back door) and books. Dad got wine, golf balls, cds, clothes, and money toward his gigantic dream tv. Drew got clothes, books, and a couple board games he'd been hoping for. M got a Vandy wind-breaker and golf towel (which he loved), a can crusher, a coozie you chill in the freezer, and some other little knick-knacks. I got what I'd hoped for: a 5qt KitchenAid stand mixer in silver. It's positively amazing. I haven't used it yet, though, because we've got sweets crawling out of our ears at the moment. I also got some cookbooks-including Pioneer Woman's, regular books, a rolling pin, cheese grater, kitchen shears, and pie carrier (for my cheesecakes!) It was a great Christmas. When we got to our stockings, it was booze-mania. I think we each got 5 airplane bottles of liquor (I think my mom's trying to tell us something...) Also, she likes to find obscure gifts for our stockings. One year, my brother got a red reflector that could flash. Two years ago, my brother and I walked into the living room to see pvc pipe sticking out of our stockings. Once we opened them we still had no clue what they were, until my mom gave us each a bag of mini-marshmallows. We of course had a war with our marshmallow guns! This year, M, Drew and I all received Bugs. They're the strangest thing. You turn on the switch and they move all over the place. We placed them down in my pie carrier and they would bump into each other, race, change directions, etc. I took a video and will try to figure out how to upload it on here (I'm not tech savvy.)
After present time, and watching A Christmas Story at least twice, we laid around like slugs playing with our new toys and cooking. For dinner we had a pork crown roast, green beans, new potatoes, waldorf salad, and yorkshire puddings followed by a decadent dessert (my chocolate ganache cheesecake) which was absolutely delicious.
M and I left pretty quickly after dinner, and we were glad we did.--the roads were starting to freeze over.
Sunday was spent being extremely lazy at home. We cleaned up a little bit, and I went shopping at target because my gift card was burning a hole in my pocket. We met up with our friends Brittany and Jimmy who were sans child because he was with his grandparents. We ate at a delicious Italian place in West Meade and had a splendid time!
Yesterday I was off work, but M wasn't. I got sushi with one of my best friends from college, and then spent the afternoon with another best friend shopping. I scored some cheap jeggings from Gap, a necklace and some heels for New Years (which are currently KILLING my feet), some kitchen stuff, and gifts for M for either Valentine's or his birthday. Last night we ate leftovers and tried to stay warm!
It's predicted to be 60 degrees on New Years! Go figure, Tennessee weather. White Christmas and light jacket New Years.
It was a wonderful holiday spent with wonderful family, good friends, and delicious food! I am very blessed. Hope you had a safe and happy holiday!
