Christmas 2013.....

Dated:  December 25, 2013

I'll be honest.  The holidays are hectic!  I absolutely love the days leading up to Christmas and they sometimes even seem more exciting than the actual day of Christmas.  I have learned, through the years, that I need to start my holiday decorating, shopping and baking sooner than later in order to actually enjoy the festive time of year.   For me, the holiday season always starts out with my Christmas Tea, which I already blogged about here.  It's my absolute favorite day of the year.  Then, I try to get in as many Hallmark Christmas movies as possible!  My husband isn't very fond of them, but he is usually willing to tough them out, given plenty of cookies and hot cocoa with extra fluffy whip!  The movies get cornier and cornier....and I couldn't love them more! 

I try to fit in shopping here and there during the weeks of December, along with wrapping and keeping up with my Christmas crafting.  Having a full-time job is no fun during the holidays.  I'd rather spend my days baking cookies, shopping for bargains and creating fun holiday crafts!  Just dreaming a little. :)

This year, sadly, I felt very disconnected from the holidays...starting the day after (well, the night of) Thanksgiving.  My sister, Bri and my mom went with me to Wal-Mart for my first "Black Friday" shopping experience.  It was fun hanging out with them, but I had no gift ideas and really no money, so I just ended up buying things that I didn't need or that I didn't really like at all.  With the exception of a gift for my nephew, Brysen, it was an unsuccessful midnight shopping trip.  Next year I think I will just stay in a watch cheesy Christmas movies all night instead.  After that shopping trip, the impulse purchases continued throughout the month of December.  Nothing substantial was purchased....just a bunch of un-exciting junk. :(

When Christmas Eve was here....I had a cupcake order that was a no show.  It made me 2 hours late for my parent's annual Christmas Eve get together.  The rest of the night was good...although we were missing my brother, Robby, because he had just moved to Texas, as you have read in one of my previous blog posts.  I don't feel like there was a lot of Christmas spirit and that feeling...you know the feeling that Christmas gives you no matter how old you get...excitement, love, happiness..peace....well, it was almost missing for me this Christmas.  2013 wasn't the greatest year for me....so maybe it was appropriate....A so, so end to a so, so year.  

I don't want to fill this entire blog post with doom and gloom...so I will end it with my wishes for this upcoming holiday season.  

#1 Keep things simple!

#2 Enjoy the time of year as much as possible, instead of running crazy!

#3 Make more handmade gifts

#4 Write a Christmas letter to insert into my cards

#5 Bake more with my mom and sisters 

#6 Make more memories with my nephews

#7 Slow down and enjoy

#8 Find peace and harmony....

I was still able to snap some pictures from Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.  It was very nice to celebrate with my loved ones. 

Friends for LIfe....

Nothing makes me happier than to see my loved ones happy.  My family and friends are so important to me and I really love when they have happily ever afters.

My youngest sister, Bri, has a couple of best friends that have been in our lives since she was a little girl.  Those teenage girls with the matching Chuck Taylors and audacious personalities have certainly come a long way….but at the same time, stayed exactly the same. 

Gloria is the witty, driven, adorably petite one with a graduate degree and an infectious personality.  With her beautiful, long, dark hair, big brown eyes, red lips and fair skin….there’s no wonder why she is absolutely gorgeous.  She just fits in with us…there’s no better way to put it.  She’s sarcastic, hilarious and down to earth.  She’s one of the most intelligent people I know and has blossomed into an incredible young woman.  Her mom and dad are the sweetest people in the world and we are blessed to have such a wonderful family in our lives.   And most of all…she’s my little sister’s very best friend.

Jessica is the is the adventurous, smart, athletic, gorgeous model-like one with a free spirit and that “it” factor that you can never quite figure out.  She was definitely the more “wild” one in the group and no matter what…most just couldn’t quite keep up with her.  She’s educated, funny and has grown up into such an amazing young lady.  She carved out a little life of her own and what a life she has found.  She married a great man and they just welcomed their newborn daughter, Harper.  I couldn’t be happier for her.  Jessica and Bri grew up together, but, to me, into their adult lives is where they have really found their harmony together as best friends.

Bri is like the glue that holds this little group together.  She’s the one who will tell you how it is, no matter how harsh…but would give you the clothes off her back and go to the ends of the earth for you.  Just like Gloria and Jessica, Bri is a standout beauty.  She is a clever, 6’0 tall red head with gorgeous green eyes and a beautiful smile.  She’s the little sister that seems like the older sister a lot of the time, with her sound advice and unconditional support.  She doesn’t over think things.  She is who she is and if you don’t like her…she doesn’t let it get her down.  She’s the most generous, sweet, kind hearted person I know and what an amazing best friend she has been to Gloria and Jessica. 

The three of them were the girls in high school that all the teachers loved (well, most). They played sports, had excellent grades, ran for homecoming, set trends and really found their own paths in life.  With them, you’ve got a "class clown", "most athletic" and "most likely to succeed" on your hands.  But to me…I think they all have those traits and really share those “senior best” labels.

Bri and Jess went away to college together, to a small Juco in Kansas , on athletic scholarships.  Gloria’s brains got her an academic scholarship to a University in Maryland .  Eventually, they all ended up at colleges in different states from each other-- Bri in North Carolina, Jess in New Mexico and Gloria back in Arizona.  But, when they all ended up back in Arizona …the triple threat was more powerful than ever!  They had more responsibility, but more fun, too!  Jess got married, Gloria was going to graduate school and Bri had the pressure of deciding on exactly what she wanted to do.  But, that didn’t stop them from experiencing what twenty-something girls should!  They managed to get backstage at every concert they went to, on strictly their looks and charm, but they also played volleyball, cried on each others shoulders and started to meld into adult life with the support and love from one another.  Those three together…..could conquer the world.

When I started to write this post, I was simply going to tell you about Jessica’s baby shower.  The reason I decided to tell you about each of these amazing ladies, is because of how I felt at Jess’s shower.  Jess does a lot for herself and has really proven that fending for your self can be done with grace.  She has definitely accomplished that.  But, at her shower, it was an absolute joy to see how her best friends and family stepped up and gave Jess what she deserved.  It’s just the little things that I noticed…and yet they have stayed with me and inspired me to write this.  Just the way Bri wanted to make sure her shower was special and perfect and the selfless way that Gloria stepped up with a lot of the decorating and special touches.  Little things, yes, but that day…I just realized that all three girls had really grown up.

Enjoy the pictures below!  Jessica was absolutely glowing.  She was the pregnant girl that every pregnant woman wants to be.  Glowing skin, beautiful thick hair, no stretch marks and no baby weight except for the perfect little baby bump.  Adorable!

Here they are in 2006... :)

Another oldie... :)

Sweet Baby Harper!! :)

They've all grown up so much!!