What Christmas Means To Me

Christmas is near and dear to my heart, as it is to lots of people. Have you ever thought about why it's so important to you? Or thought about your most memorable Christmas?

Number one reason it's celebrated is because it's Jesus' birthday. Jesus is the reason for the season, as I say every year.

It's also about spending quality time with my family, friends, loved ones. It's about smiling from morning til night because we're alive, and we're here, and we are all full of joy and celebration. It's about celebrating love and health, and life. It's about giving the gift of joy. It's about giving. It's watching someone open a gift you spent hours making or shopping for, and seeing the joy across their face. It's about hope. Hope for another year of good health.

 (Pictures from 2010)

Every year as I begin preparing for another joyful Christmas, I reminisce of the past. I reminisce about the life size doll my grandmother gave me as a child and I miss her greatly but know that she is watching us from Heaven. I reminisce about my childhood and still remember the feeling of my heart fluttering as my brother, sister, and I lay in a giant bed and heard the bells of the reindeer and Santa on our rooftop. I reminisce about coming to the top of the stairs in our home to see the gifts that Santa ever so gracefully placed under the tree, in order for Jason, Josh, me, and sister (Josee). I reminisce.

I cry for kids in orphanages and for homeless people every year. Every year, I donate to Toys for Tots and most years I shop for a family for Christmas and I'm not announcing that to get praise, I'm announcing it because I truly want all the children in the world to feel that joy that I felt, every year, every 25th of December, every Christmas.

Jen's Baby Shower

A few weeks ago, my sister, mom and, I through a baby shower for one of my best friend's Jen, who will be having her baby McKayla very soon. She is 32 weeks today, so I thought it was fitting to blog about her baby shower today.

Her nursery is Winnie the Pooh themed, so together with that theme, and lots of pink, we created a sweet, beautifully chic baby shower. So pretty.

Here are some pictures of the adorable decorations: {Thank you so much sister and mama for the help & to sister for taking the pictures}

The cupcakes had the cutest pink diaper pins on them that read "baby". I even was able to use my wedding cake stand as a stand for the cupcakes. Perfect.

We had 2 round tables where the guests sat and played games. At each table setting, we had a favor in those little chinese take-out boxes. The boxes were filled with candy and little mints that had 'baby girl' packaging. The centerpieces went perfectly with the theme and balloons.

 The diaper cake was made by yours truly, and was made using nearly 50 diapers. The center was filled with a Winnie the Pooh bottle and rattle. The outside was adorned with Winnie the Pooh pacifiers and pacifier clips.

And there were lots of gifts for baby McKayla:

And then it was some time for some pictures of us with Jen and how cute is Kate's new babygirl (bottom left)? Her name is Mickaela, too.. and she was just 3 weeks and so perfect and beautiful. My beautiful sister, mom, and me (top left) Jen and mama (top right) and myself and Jen (bottom right):

I created cute gifts for the winners of the games and Mama won 2 of them! Way to go, Mama! She's always so great at games/competitions. :) Isn't my mother gorgeous?

We had such a fun afternoon celebrating and we can't wait for baby McKayla to arrive! She is one loved little girl already. :)

Simple Joys.

-Dakota getting so excited he can't stand it whenever he sees me, even if it's been 2 seconds since he last saw me
-Chatting with sister and mama about anything and everything
-Talking to hubby in bed about our dreams and memories of the past
-When hubby calls me turtle, bunny, & babe
-Pepsi with lots of crushed ice
-Big ugly cute sweaters and boots
-Getting texts
-Reading the note I wrote hubby on our wedding day and crying about it
-Crafting something that turns out so cute
-Mcdonald's mushroom and swiss wrap.. yummy
-Women's Day magazine
-Shopping with mama & sister
-Lunch dates with my parents
-Getting catalogs in the mail
-Pretty fabric, doilies, scrapbook paper
-Cute striped socks
-Reading fun blogs
-Mountain Dew slushes


...to be continued. Remember to wake up and smell the coffee! Don't overlook the simple beautiful things this world has to offer and really focus on what makes your heart sing.