*The Atkins Christmas*

Mike & I had such a wonderful Christmas this year! We started out on Christmas Eve--we went to the Christmas Eve Church Service at Lakepointe with Mike's Dad, step mom, 2 stepsisters & their spouses/child. It was an amazing service filled with Christmas Carols, a great message and as always ended with everyone lighting a candle and singing "Silent Night". THE BEST PART was the surprise that they had for us...Jason Castro (from American Idol) sang "White Christmas" solo and sang all of the carols with us!! It was great! I love him, maybe just cause he goes to my church and EVERYBODY is a HUGE fan, but it was wonderful!!
After church we went back to Mike's dad's house and we had the traditional filet dinner with very tasty wine and a great bottle of Dom Perignon! We opened gifts after dinner and came home around midnight!
The next morning we were going to Plano to my mom's house for breakfast so we decided to have OUR Christmas at midnight on Christmas Eve/Christmas morning (however you look it). So before we went to bed, we opened our gifts and had a great time together.
On Christmas day we woke up around 6:30am to get ready and head to Plano. My Mom, step dad, stepbrother and grandmother were there and an we enjoyed a HUGE breakfast along with mimosas. We of course opened gifts afterwards and stayed for a few hours before heading to our next destination!!!
Around 12 noon or so we headed over to Mike's aunt's house about 5 minutes away from my mom. This is his Mom's side of the family. Including Mike's mom and her husband there were about 12 of us. We had a HUGE dinner around 3 with turkey, ham, stuffing, mashed potatoes, rolls, a few casseroles...everything you can think of!! It was delish! Then...again...we opened gifts with them and headed home around 8pm. Just in time to unpack all of the gifts and go to WORK on Friday. Blah! We ended up closing early so it wasn't so bad.
I got so many wonderful things including a diamond & pink sapphire ring, a navigation system thingy for my car, a portable DVD player, ALL of the seasons of Grey's Anatomy, a WHOLE case of my favorite wine (Seven Heavenly Chards), 90-minute spa massage, 12-days of Christmas ornaments & tree from Crate & Barrel (LOVE them), Nordy's GC and many other small things...what a wonderful day to Celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ!!!

Luke 2:8 states: "And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."

Christmas Lights!!!!

I seriously LOVE to drive around and look at Christmas lights! We go just about every night that we are out during the dark hours and/or on the way home if we go out to dinner. Tonight we made a special trip out JUST to look at the lights. We bundled up in our hoodies and went through our whole neighborhood and our "sister neighborhoods". It was so fun!! There is one specific cold-a-sac that is FULL of amazing eye candy of Christmas lights!! Here are a few pics. Of course they don't to justice to seeing them in person. Also, I totally need a new camera or at least a lesson on how to use this one. Blah.
The last one is my favorite with an angel on every peak of the house!! How do they stay up there?!?!?!









MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

It's Christmas TIME!

Well, I decided this year would be my 1st year to make all of our Christmas cards by hand. I thought it was such a great idea! It took me awhile to figure out the design of the card and of course what it would say and what picture to use on the inside. Finally I decided to make little trees 3-dimensional (pictured below) which I thought was super cute (you can't really tell from the pic that they are 3-d). Anyhow, after spending wayyyyyy too many hours on all 62 cards I get to the post office to find out that instead of a regular 42 cent stamp that since they are "extra thick" that they won't fit through the electronic thingy--so they charged me $1.24/card!!! I couldn't believe it! I, of course, couldn't back out at this point since I spend many, many weeks making these things! Anyways, I'm glad I got them out last week and now it's all over! Here is a sample of the cards that I made--most of them were a little different than this one. When you open the card there is a picture of Michael & Me and also a little saying about Christmas. :o)




This weekend seems like it lasted forever...Mike & I took off work on Thursday & Friday and did alot of fun things...we went to see Four Christmases--since Mike insisted, even though I've heard it was horrible by 2 or 3 people. Just like every other cheesy, stupid movie...I hated it and he loved it! Ha! Opposites attract, I guess!
Thursday night a bunch of girls from my neighborhood had a Gift Exchange Christmas Party. It was so fun! There was tons of food, gossip, drinks and presents--we played the gift exchange game. I love those nights...I'm so thankful to meet such a great group of girls in my neighborhood!
Friday we went to our usual Happy Hour at the Harbor. Saturday I went to a Cookie Exchange Party at my SIL's house. Thanks again to Ters, I made the Fudge Crinkles--they were delicious and a big hit at the party! :o) Today, Mike's mom came over and we did some last minute shopping and went to lunch with her.
I totally don't want to go to work tomorrow. :o( I'm going to lunch with my BFF & baby on Tuesday! I can't wait! 4 more days till CHRISTMAS!!! YAY!! Oh, and tonight we are going to look at Christmas lights in our area--AGAIN! I love it! I need to get the hot chocolate started... mmmm!

Elf Yourself!!!

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

Seriously?!?...

SHE IS SOOOO PRECIOUS!! This is my niece, of course. Michael & I can't wait to have one of our own!! :o)

Makeover!

I gave my blog a new makeover! I had fun adding the Christmas touch to it--a few of my favorite Christmas songs, the cute red and pink background...
I love the Christmas season, shopping, coffee on a cold day, Christmas decor, looking at Christmas lights in my neighborhood, wearing scarves and gloves, peppermint bark and of course Christmas shopping.
I hope you are enjoying the season...I know I am!!

*Grandpa*

My Grandpa had a stroke the day before Thanksgiving in my Aunt's living room that resulted him in having a quintuple bypass surgery (FIVE bypasses!) today!! He is still in the recovery stage at this time and they expect him to be talking and walking around on his own tomorrow morning. Please keep him and our family in your thoughts and prayers! Thank you!


grandma & grandpa

Saturday, Sunday & Monday

Saturday Mike and I went to the Casting Crowns Christmas Tour Concert. They traveled with Avalon, Natalie Grant, Denver & The Mile High Orchestra, Michael English and pureNRG. The WHOLE concert was so amazing. It was at Nokia in Grand Prarie--totally far away, it seemed! But it was totally worth it! We worshiped, sang Christmas carols and enjoyed the Christmas decor of the whole place!



Casting Crowns


Natalie Grant


Avalon


Sunday Mike took me to Rafain--the same restaurant where he proposed and also where we had our wedding rehearsal dinner. It is always so special when we go there! Usually it's for a special occasion--we received a free bottle wine coupon in the mail--so we definitely had to go! :o) We dressed up and it was delish!

Today I went back to work. Ugh! I'm totally loving getting out of work at 4pm now! I totally miss the traffic and get home in 45 minutes although I feel kinda bad when I leave my co-workers there hanging...but HEY I'm there at 7am and I don't see their face until 8 (or after)!
Mike, the VP of HR of the company that I recruit for is retiring so my boss and I are taking him and a few of his people out to dinner & drinks on Wednesday. I'm pretty excited actually! Mike is one of the nicest guys ever!!! Love him!! We either going to III Forks or Bob's Chop & Steakhouse! MMMM, can't wait!!

Well, that's all for now, I'm going to finish my wine and continue my book.