a very contrary christmas.

ah, back to the grind.  luckily this is a three-day work week for me, but even so, i am still exhausted from our trip home, not to mention i think i might have caught whatever my dad has, because i am miserable.

all-in-all, our christmas holiday was fantastic.  you all know how much i love being with my family, and especially hanging out with my sisters.  we spent a lot of time together on friday, doing last minute shopping and running errands for our mom.  we knocked those out in the morning and when we got back from the stores we started baking sugar cookies and wrapping presents.  luckily mom and dad were out and about doing last minute shopping of their own, so we were able to put their presents together and get them wrapped without worrying someone might walk-in and catch us wrapping their gift.

we opened presents as a family on christmas morning (we usually do them on christmas eve with my dad's family), and i think this was the first time that ernest was there with us to open them.  my mom really enjoyed that, and so did i.  he is a part of the family and i think once we move home it'll be easier for him to transition into that, because right now when we go home, we're both pulled in different directions, as everyone wants to see us.  it was also nice to open presents alone, without any other family members around, because it was just us and we were able to really pay attention to each other and enjoy each moment.

because we are going to orlando soon, and both of our parents are always needing new clothes because they keep losing weight (especially dad) we decided to buy them each a few items of clothing, so they would have something nice and new to wear on our trip.  my dad got a new pair of jeans (he's a 32 waist again!) and three shirts, plus a really stylish jacket.  my mom got a new blazer, black skinny jeans (which look like they were made for her), a scarf, sweater and her favorite moisturizer.  she also received a beautiful dress from my dad, and she gave him an e-reader (which is blasphemous in our household, but dad needs it for school.  so proud that he's continuing his education!).

my sisters and i each received one gift from our parents, which we weren't expecting but were very grateful to receive, because our actual christmas present is the trip to orlando.  my sisters both got watches, which were really pretty and stylish, and i got the ring i've been begging for since my first one was stolen when my parents house was broken into three years ago.

ernest and i might have spoiled each other a little bit.  we usually do.  when he asked me what i wanted for christmas, i mentioned this wallet, not really believing i would actually get it, since it's so expensive.  but my honey is an adoring one and made sure i not only got the wallet, but also a blu-ray copy of "pearl harbor" (i looooooove the costumes in that movie), which i had asked for recently (among other things).  oh, and we both must have wanted mariokart, because we bought it for each other!!  i like shopping for ernest, though, and i try to buy him things i know he won't buy himself (i think he does the same).

my sisters received the Toms they wanted from ernest and they bought me the shoes i wanted and maybe may have hinted at, more than once!  we always buy each other clothes, and shopping for them is so much fun, especially since they each have very distinct styles.  i'll post pictures of everything as soon as i can.

what was really nice about christmas, though, was that i finally got to (re) meet ernest's dad.  i met him once a long time ago, but it was at one of ernest's basketball games and we didn't chat much.  this time we still didn't chat too much, because i'm pretty shy and he seems pretty reserved himself, but it was nice that i finally was able to meet him, and we watched the dallas cowboys game with him on christmas night.

and seeing my grandpa the day after christmas was really special as well.  he looked very stylish in his flannel shirt, i wish i had gotten a picture of him!  it was a small gathering, just my sisters and i, dad, aunt cyndi and uncle vinnie, and grandpa and gloria (his wife).  our other aunt showed up with our cousin madison, and her fiance, greg, and his son, michael, just as we were leaving.  i enjoy going to my grandpa's house.  he lives about 45 min out of san antonio, in the country, and it's really quiet there.  we watched a little football, laughed at a few stories and ate spaghetti!

i don't think i could've asked for a better christmas.  being near family is always nice, and having ernest there definitely made it special.  when i have good holidays like this, i start to get excited about moving home.  it's happening, so very, very soon and i am seesawing between being being ready and not being ready.  but, it was a very merry christmas, and i'm looking forward to a very happy new year!!