I never remember what presents I've been given for Christmas from one year to the next. At least not all of them. So, I wanted to make a log of some gifts I received this year.
Let me begin by explaining how Rob and I spent our Christmas. We woke up and exchanged gifts. Well, sort of. My gift to him this year was getting his wedding band re-sized. It has been one full size too big since I bought it in 2009, and has been gliding off of his finger for that long. He knew about this present, and we took it to the jeweler a couple weeks before Christmas. Not a package to open, but something he really needed. Sidebar: We do small, budget friendly Christmases. This is the first year he has even received anything from me. This was the first year we went and picked out a tree together. (Although it was scantily clad the whole season through.) We're working on celebrating holidays. Maybe next year, stockings and holly and decorations. The next, Christmas cards. We will always keep it low key, I think. But I want to participate in the decorating and traditions a little more each year. Anyways. He gifted me with black TOMS shoes. Yay! I love them, and they were exactly what I asked for. (I love my earthy shoe collection: TOMS, Clarks, Chacos, Birkenstocks.) He included a big package of Ghiradelli special dark chocolate. He knows me. After we woke up and celebrated together for a bit, we went to my mom's house for breakfast. After my Dad and Brother woke up, we opened gifts. Then, we had lunch. (This year, duck was included as part of the meal. Kind of interesting.) At four or so, we moseyed on over to Rob's parents house with his sister and her husband meeting us. We exchanged gifts there. A couple hours later, we drove over to visit Robert's Grandmother, MiMi. I have been going to Mimi's house for Christmas with Robert for four years now. All of his cousins from his Dad's family came, too. I love each and every one of them and I felt so blessed to be related to beautiful, sweet people. This year, we added two people. Rob's sister, Christina, got married December 10 to Charlie Alderete. And Rob's cousin, Jonathan, got married in November, and added Dessa to the family. There are now five of us female cousins all about the same age range. I adore being around all of them.
We end the night conked out and spoiled, in case you were wondering.
The presents I received:
My mom gave me a myriad of gifts, and I am sorry to report that I actually told her a few things I wanted instead of responding, "NOTHING" when she asked me. (But my brother, Ben, told me to tell her what he wanted. Just Saying.) She gave me two collared shirts in blue and that lovely pastel purple color I love. She also gave me a scarf and gloves to match the purple. She gave me brown mascara, and several new make up brushes, as well as some eye make up items. She gave me big scented candles. Oh, and she basically unloaded her pantry in a box and gave it to us. Read: pasta, rice, canned beans, etc. Her months of couponing extra items paid off. I thought this gift was funny and laughed about it. But it works out because I don't buy canned foods very often and my "pantry" was basically empty up until now. Thanks, Mom. She gave me GA TECH flip-flops. A Chick-fil-A calendar (she knows me as well.). One thing I asked for was Cardamom, a spice used in baking that is almost ten dollars a jar. She included it in my stocking along with socks (a traditional Christmas gift). Oh, and there was the underwear. (Another traditional gift.) Please don't judge me for my writing style and for telling you about the underwear. Or do judge me. My gift to my mom was the DVD "The Help." (Have you read it? Have you watched it? I've done both.) We spent Christmas day watching this movie, and I have watched it at least twice since then.
Ben gave me TOMS, too! In navy. He also gave me Susan Boyle's new CD. I love her stuff. But...onward...
My dad always gives us gift certificates to the bookstore. This year it was to Barnes and Noble. Can I just say that this was the first Christmas without Borders and it was rather sad. Borders closed down this past summer, and it was so far superior to Barnes and Noble. But Alas, it will do. I have already been in and purchased a One Year Daily Bible with my card.
My most favorite gift was two gift certificates to Passages: Experience the Bible Like Never Before, a museum exhibit about the bible in Atlanta. This was from Rob's parents. I am looking forward to visiting this place. Rob's mom also gave me scented candles from the Yankee Candle Company in cinnamon, Christmas cookie, and home for the holidays. I love candles, and they were exactly what I wanted. Melinda also gave us each square buckets in place of stockings, which I thought was a cute idea. She filled them with candies, nuts, gum, and clementines. Charlie and Christina gave me a loose leaf tea pot, which is great because I have some loose leaf tea Stan brought home for me from England. I have been wanting to try it out. The tea pot also came with tea buds, which flower inside the boiling water. I can't wait to see how that works.
Rob's Grandmother, MiMi, gave all of the married cousins a George Foreman Grill. Exactly what Robert has been wanting.
Next year, I really want to give Robert a package to open, fully decorate a tree and my home, get an advent calendar, go caroling at a nursing home, make some stockings, contribute to the family meal, and maybe even send out awesome Christmas cards.
More about our New Year's Eve to come...
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