Christmas "Wrap" Up (Hee Hee)

I hope everyone out there had a fantastic Holiday yesterday! We definitely had an action packed couple of days in my household! Brace yourself: this is a long one...

During the day on Christmas Eve, my family, Antonio and I headed over to my brother and sister-in-law's for Christmas lunch and gift exchange. Since my brother is a firefighter, we sort of have to just have Christmas whenever he's not on duty at the firehouse. This year it worked out really well to be on Christmas Eve! Anyway, all the food was delicious and I think the kids were very pleasantly surprised with their gift from Grandma and Pop Pop. My parents get each grandchild a new iPod Nano, in their favorite color, with their names engraved on the back! My brother recently adopted his stepson, as well as changed his last name to ours, so my new nephew was very excited to see his new name on the back of his iPod! By the way, did you know those things take pictures AND videos AND sync up to live radio these days?!?! I was amazed...

When it started to get dark outside, Antonio and I began our trek to Virginia to visit his dad's side of the family. In case I haven't mentioned it before, Antonio is half Bolivian, on his dad's side. There are a TON Of Aunts (Tias), Uncles (Tios), and cousins, so any holiday or get together with this side of the family is definitely a little crazy, to say the least. Throw in everyone speaking Spanish and a bunch of spicy (but delicious) food, and you can imagine the party I was headed for! I had a good time joking with his Tias and cousins, and playing with oen cousin's new puppy, but I had to leave pretty soon after I got there so that I could get home to church with my mom and Aunt Toni.

My family doesn't usually do the whole church thing on Christmas but since this was our first year without my Mom Mom, and the candlelight service was something that she looked forward to every year, the three of us went for her. It was difficult, to say the least, to sit through the service, knowing she wasn't there. But, having my Aunt and my mom with me made it just a little bit easier. And, it may sound silly, but I'm pretty sure Mom Mom was there watching with us too. When the service ended, I felt a little lighter, like a weight was removed somehow, and the three of us headed home to wait for Santa!

Christmas morning, we woke up, opened presents, and my dad prepared his traditional HUGE Christmas breakfast for everyone. I made my mom and Aunt Toni some really great pieces of jewelry that they both seemed to love! I also gave my Aunt some "trendy scarves" for her upcoming trip to London and Paris. For my dad, who is the hardest person to buy for EVER, I ordered a 3 month subscription to Netflix, and he loved it! He already has about 15 movies in his queue to be sent! Antonio had been wanting a Wii system for months, and I had him pretty convinced that it was too expensive for me to get this year. Well boy was her surprised when the scavenger hunt I set up for him revealed a Wii at the end! I love it when I can find the "perfect" gifts for the people I love. I was also lucky enough receive some amazing gifts, which I want to take a minute to share with you now!!

New Vera Bradley goodies! A small case for inside my purse and a new All In One wristlet/wallet

A couple of comfy, cozy sweaters for work...

Three great pairs of jammies and sweatpants! Antonio ordered me a Ravens fleece pullover to match the jammies he got but it hasn't come in yet. Oh how I love sweatclothes...



Every year, I get cute little socks in my stocking. Here are this years'! Don't the ones of the left remind you of when the house lands on the Witch of the East in The Wizard of Oz??



Speaking of my favorite movie of all time ever, my Aunt found some AMAZING Pez dispensers!!



My parents paid for the gear rental for my upcoming snowboarding trip, so my mom thought it was funny to type up a pretend "Used Gift Card" from the store we rented from

My parents also bought me a new hat and scarf combo for the trip and Antonio gave me goggles and heavy duty gloves, so I am all prepared for this trip. (Minus the part where I've never even held a snowboard in real life before... Minor details...)

I'm alsot a little obsessed with my Pandora charm bracelet and this year I made out with FOURTEEN new charms! I'm so spoiled... I tried to take pictures for you but they didn't turn out well, so I'll just tell you a few of my favorites; a teeny tiny beer can, hibiscus flower, zebra printed, a hand showing "I Love You" in sign language (from Antonio, of course), a best friend heart and an Aunt heart from my neices and nephew, just to name a few.

I also got a few really meaningful ones in addition to the silly ones, like the beer can and hibiscus. My Aunt gave me a monkey, representing my deceased cousin's favorite animal, another Aunt charm, and a blue and green bead, representing my deceased Uncle and cousin's favorite colors. And most meaningful to me, my mom gave me an Angel charm and told me that it was my gift from Mom Mom this year, so that she'll always be with me. This was definitely a very difficult Christmas for me. I had never woken up on Christmas morning without my Mom Mom, or eaten Christmsa breakfast without her, and it was just not the same. Spending so much time with the people I love, didn't make it easier, but it did make it better.

I hope everyone else had a loving, joyous holiday, full of laughs and great gifts!

Blankets, Bottles, and Babies... Oh My!

Lately, it seems as though everyone around me either has, or is expecting a baby! As I told you all before, my Phi Mu little is expecting her first little girl in January and another one of my Phi Mu sisters just had a little boy in November. And one of my coworkers, who actually shares a 1/2 wall with me (I teach in an open space school, so there aren't any real walls/doors/etc.) is going to be having a beautiful baby girl in May! So, imagine my surprise when in early November a good friend of mine from the (ahem:: AWFUL ::ahem) restaurant I worked out throughout high school and college collected our group to announce her pregnancy!

As I said, a little over a month ago, my good friend Adrienne asked myself and our other two friends, Megan and Katie, to dinner, we assumed it was a typical Hef (what we like to call ourselves... don't ask) get together. However, when she arrived, we could tell that she was ready to burst with something. In late October, Adrienne found out that she would be delivering a bouncing baby boy... in MID JANUARY! Needless to say, this little miracle wasn't exactly planned, but definitely an exciting addition to our little group!

We scrambled to get things, and a baby shower with the help of Adrienne's sister, together for Adrienne and baby Boy. Last weekend, we were able to spend an afternoon together, celebrating the new life that Adrienne will soon be bringing to us! We played some fun games, ate delicious food, and OOOHed and AHHHed and AWWWed while Adrienne and her boyfriend opened at least 25 adorable baby boy outfits.

Earlier this week, before the Storm of the Century hit in our area, The Hefs got together at for our annual Christmas dinner. Every year during dinner, we talk about the things that have happened and changed in our lives this year, as well as the things we're hoping for in the year ahead. This year, we had a TON to talk about: Megan got married in September, Katie is engaged and will have her wedding in July, Adrienne will be a new Mommy in less than a month, and I finally landed my dream job as a real life elementary school teacher! It would be selfish to say that I was a little bummed that my "big change" had to do with my career, rather than my love life or a new family, but on the other hand, I saw a dream I've had since I was a little girl come true this year. A big accomplishment if you ask me (even if it doesn't include a diamond ring...)

At the end of dinner, we contemplated whether we might have two babies (or at least one more on the way) at our next Hef Christmas dinner, or if Adrienne or myself would be the next to get hitched. I knew for sure that I was so happy for all three of my friends for the amazing lives they've created for themselves, and their new families.