It's Almost Christmas!

I can't believe this is the week before Christmas already!  Where does the time go?!  This I will never know.  I can remember being a little girl and thinking Christmas was never going to get here, and now...I can't slow it down enough!  By the time we actually get our tree up and gifts wrapped, it's practically time to take it down.  If only we could figure out a way to stop time, just sometimes :)

I haven't blogged in a while b/c we have been busy with getting news about my dad, holiday parties, shopping for gifts, and even relaxing a little :)

These past few weeks, we've...

1.  Hosted my parents for several nights as a pit stop to and from Houston.  We had lots of fun and one night they helped decorate our Christmas tree :)  My dad also decided SP and I needed a fire pit (I mentioned wanting one) so he got us one for Christmas.  It came to our house while they were still staying here, so they were able to put it together!

2.  Were guests at a holiday dinner party with a few couples that SP works with.  We had cocktails and appetizers at The Cotton's house first, then headed to Pappadeaux's for some yummy seafood!

3.  Attended a Christmas party with the Chicago Bears football watching crew.  Every Sunday during football season, SP, Jack and I head up to Dublin Square to cheer on the Bears.  One couple, Nick and Stephanie, always have a huge holiday party at their house.  It is one we typically have way.too.much. fun at.  Needless to say, this year was no different.  We didn't make it home until four a.m.  Yes.  You read that correctly, 4am.  We had a great time and even, somehow, made it to the Bears game at noon the next day!

4.  Spent a week recovering from the above party.

5.  Made pepper jelly from the peppers out of our garden!

6.  Got ELFED!  It's a fun little neighborhood game.  Our neighbors elfed us, which means they leave you a small gift, a note, and an elf.  You are supposed to in return do the same for 2 new people, and also place your elf somewhere to be seen so you don't get elfed again!  So fun to figure out who might have elfed you :)

7.  Had SPs Ebby Halliday Christmas party at the Trophy Club Country Club.

8.  Made our Christmas cards and got them in the mail :)

9.  Made homemade pizza.

10.  Wrapped lots of gifts.  I chose to wrap my gifts in newspaper.  I can remember my grandmother always wrapping our gifts in the Sunday comics.  I have to say, other than the black getting all over your hands, I think she was on to something.  It wraps so well.  The corners and everything turn out perfect!  Well done, Maw-Maw.

11.  Had Fire-pit Friday with the neighbors this past weekend.  We have coined this phrase for our neighborhood Friday nights :)  We sit out front, watch the kids play, drink holiday beverages, and warm up by the fire!!  It has become one of my favorite evenings.  This past Friday, we used our new fire-pit!  It looks so pretty all lit up.  And we made the best red beans and rice ever, followed by a few vodka shots w/ pickles :)  It was a lot of fun, the only downside is that we all still smell like that fire-pit smoke!

12.  Ever heard the term "...hair of the dog that bit me"?  That's exactly what we did on Saturday.  It was a perfect day outside!  We cooked a yummy, proper Saturday breakfast of eggs over easy and hash browns.  Then, we refused to let those vodka shots keep us indoors, so...we grabbed a beer (hair of the dog!), some tunes, and enjoyed our afternoon in the sunshine planting plants and hanging out with a few neighbors again :)

13.  Sunday...you guessed it...BEARS GAME!  We woke up Sunday feeling great!  Had an amazing, lazy, Sunday morning.  Then made it to the bar for the game by noon!  We stayed until SEVEN!  Oh my!  It was another perfect day full of football, beer, friends, and corn-hole :)

14.  Today, is Monday.  Can I go back to bed :)

We leave for Arkansas on Friday.  Always look forward to another trip to the mountain :)  Hope you have a perfect holiday!

xx
C