Stephany Writes

Categories: Holidays

Holiday Week: Confessions

Last year, I did my own little holiday confessions. I haven’t done a confessions post in a while so it was definitely time, and after seeing Nora and Lisa post about theirs? Well, I just had to!

1. I have never seen the movie Love Actually. I hear it’s one of the best movies to watch at Christmastime.

2. We are having a warm Christmas this year (high of 81 on Christmas Eve and high of 75 on Christmas) and I love it! I am a true Florida girl.

3. When my nephew came over on Saturday, we had to hide all our presents in my closet. It’s been four days and I still haven’t moved them all back under the tree.

4. This is the first year that I’ve actually kept up exercising & (somewhat) healthy eating habits throughout the month of December. And last Saturday, I got on the scale to see I had LOST a pound since the beginning of the month. There’s a first time for everything, I guess!

5. I still can’t sleep on Christmas Eve night.

6. Two of my must-haves in my stocking are the Snickers nutcrackers and a chocolate orange.

7. I haven’t listened to much Christmas music this year. Usually, I’m all over that and I’m not sure why I’ve been so meh about them this year. Maybe the spring-like temperatures?

8. Not spending a December entrenched in finals and finishing up coursework is very weird. Awesome, but weird.

9. I really, really, really love receiving presents. (What? You’re lying if you say you don’t as well! If we didn’t love receiving gifts, why would we give gifts? Hm…)

10. My dad wasn’t much for holidays so it doesn’t bother me too much that he’s not around for another Christmas. It’s more of the little everyday moments that bother me more.

11. The only time our lights stay on all night is on Christmas Eve.

12. Speaking of lights, I’ve been bad at even turning them on this year. There have been more than a few nights when they don’t go on at all. (I *swear* I’m not a Scrooge!)

13. I think the peppermint mocha and/or frappuccino served at Starbucks is nasty. After a while, it just feels like you’re drinking toothpaste.

14. My mom has already seen one of the presents (a big one) she’s getting. That’s what happens when you shop at Target together.

15. I didn’t stay anywhere near my $200 budget for Christmas gifts.

Categories: Holidays

Holiday Week: A Christmas Meme

1. The Christmas song I can even listen to in June is…
Anything! While it’s weird to listen to Christmas music in the summer, I love this time of year so much, I don’t mind it. Plus, this year? It barely even feels like Christmas with our hot temperatures! (I’m secretly hoping it will be warm enough on Christmas Eve to go to the beach.)

2. Hot chocolate, egg nog, or mulled wine?
Hot chocolate for sure! Egg nog is way too sweet for my liking and I’ve never heard of mulled wine. Is it different than regular wine?

3. When do you put your decorations up?
I like to put them up the weekend after Thanksgiving. I would put them up sooner if I could.

4. What are you having for Christmas dinner?
Honestly? No idea. My mom and I will be having my brother, sister-in-law, and nephew over but we’re not keen on the idea of cooking another big meal as we did for Thanksgiving. We’re thinking of something easy but hearty we could cook in the Crock-Pot but not sure what yet. (Ideas?)

5. What’s your favorite Christmas tradition?
I love our tradition of waking up early to open Christmas presents. It’s a pretty ordinary one but I love the anticipation Christmas Eve brings! Also, stockings. My mom fills them so full, they have to lay on their side on the table or propped up against presents under the tree. And they are always filled with such goodies!

6. Have you ever gone carol singing?
Never. And I don’t think I ever want to. Not my thing!

7. When did you discover the truth about Santa?
“I was three. Christmas came. No Weenie whistle. That’s when I stopped believing.”*

No, actually, I was in second grade, so around seven/eight. I had suspected but was laughed at by my “friends” when I said I still believed. Kids are cruel.

8. How do you decorate your Christmas tree?
It’s a process, to say the least. My mom and I always end up having a terrible argument. This year, we have a pre-lit artificial tree. We thought this would make the tree decorating process easier. Welllll… no. Two parts of the tree burned out (we bought the tree LAST YEAR!) so we spent a ridiculous amount of time trying to get it to light. No dice. We tried wrapping tinsel around the tree to make it more festive but we didn’t have enough and it looked stupid. So now, we have a tree that lights up in three areas with our mismatched ornaments: some homemade, an insane amount of snowmen (my mom LOVES snowmen), and a small collection of gingerbread men (she now LOVES gingerbread men). It’s not pretty, but it’s our tree. I’m hoping 2012 is the year we can decorate the tree with no issues. I’m not holding my breath, though. 😉

9. What’s the best thing about Christmas?
The presents? I’ll admit it: I’m really looking forward to what’s under the tree for me! I love giving gifts but come on, receiving is pretty sweet as well. I can’t wait to see what others think of the gifts I gave them, as well! I tried hard this year and I think I did a pretty good job picking out presents.

10. All I want for Christmas is…
Other than a Kindle Touch, a new bedspread, or some of those delicious Snickers nutcrackers? I would like for my dad to call me and want to restore our relationship. That? That would make this Christmas the best one ever. That would be the best gift anyone could ever give me.

How old were you when you discovered the truth about Santa? Any ideas on what my mom and I should make for Christmas dinner? (We don’t much care about being traditional…)

*Only a quote from the best Christmas movie ever. Yes. Ever.

Categories: Holidays

Holiday Week: Memories

Last year, I completed my first Holiday Week on my blog. I got the idea from Nora. A week of holiday posts, writing about whatever your heart desires. Beginning my second year with a list of memories from Christmas past that fill me with utter joy and glee whenever I reminisce about them.

> Staying up an entire Christmas Eve night/Christmas morning with my brother when we were in middle school. I ended up falling asleep at 10:00am the next morning, but we were so proud of ourselves because we had tried to do this for so many years. The key was to watch loud, action movies. They kept us awake and our minds busy.

> Waking up one Christmas morning to seeing two bikes parked in the kitchen/dining room by our sliding glass doors. Mine was pink with pretty sparkly streamers. I can still remember how surprised and excited I was to see my bike.

> Waking our parents up at 6am to open presents and my dad tiredly saying, rubbing sleep from his eyes, “Happy Christmas and Merry New Year.”

> Going to the mall one evening in December with my brother when we were in high school to buy her Christmas presents. Coming home and stealing away to my room to wrap the presents. Coming out with the wrapped gifts to place them under the twinkling tree. Annnnd forgetting to throw away the bags everything came in so she saw the stores we bought things from. (Talk about a major joy killer!)

> Finding a mysterious large box in my walk-in closet that my brother and I grilled my mom about all throughout December. She insisted it was a gift for my cousin my uncle had asked her to keep. Turns out? It was our very first computer. Best gift ever.

> The anticipation of counting down to Christmas, whether it be in my classroom (we usually made paper links) or with a Christmas countdown at home. Getting to the single-digit days was exciting.

> Dressing up the Christmas tree with mismatched ornaments, many created by my brother and me.

> Creating the most hideous Christmas cookies with as much frosting, sprinkles, and M&M’s as we could.

> Being given the “Toys R Us” catalog and circling all the toys I wanted.

> Waking up on Christmas morning to see the cookies and milk my brother and I left for Santa gone, and a letter written by him in its place.

> Candlelight services at church. They never fail to fill me with Christmas spirit and remind me of the real reason this time is so special.

> Making my first gingerbread house, even if it was put together wrong and a wall began caving in minutes after I finished decorating it.

What’s one holiday memory that you have from your own childhood?

Categories: Holidays

A Christmas Wish List

I’ve never done one of these Christmas wish lists posts and to be honest, it feels a little weird. But I’m still posting this because I’ve loved reading what others are wishing for this Christmas. I absolutely love Christmas and creating a wish list is part of that excitement. I mean, what other time of the year do I get to lay out a list of things I’m currently coveting?

Without further ado, here is my list!

1. A new cover for my Kindle
When I got my Kindle this Spring, I bought a hot pink cover to go with it. After 7-8 months with it, it’s getting worn out and I’m a little sick of looking at it. Amazon itself has nice covers, but I’ve had my eyes on a few cute designs from Etsy.

2. Running capris
I’ve been coveting fitted running capris for a while now and I think I need them in my life since I’m running (ha!) more regularly. The pair below is from Lululemon, the Run: Inspire Crop II. They are $86. I do not believe I need a pair of EIGHTY-SIX dollar pants that I’m just going to sweat in. (Unless, of course, they will cure my ankle pain to help me run longer and faster.) Target offers a similar pair for under $30. I like that option better.

3. A new pair of boots.
I own a pair of Fuggs (fake Uggs). I love my Fuggs. And while Florida has been HOT lately (it was in the 70s for Thanksgiving), one always needs to be prepared. And I need some nice boots to wear to work on those (infrequent) cold days.

4. An umbrella
Umbrellas are those purchases you never think to make until you need it (read: a rainy day). And goodness, what kind of boring Christmas wish list is this? An umbrella? I guess I really am turning into an adult. This one is my favorite.

5. Frames for my diplomas
My wish list is getting very boring. But these are things I NEED and never think to buy for myself. So these are going on the list.

6. Vera Bradley
I have a slight obsession with all things Vera Bradley and really could care less if you think her designs look like something your grandmother would have.

7. Amazon Gift Cards
I feel like gift cards are “cheating” for Christmas but seriously, I could put these to so much good use. I use the “1-click” button on Amazon frequently.

What’s on your list this holiday season?

Categories: Holidays

Christmas 2010

I’m not sure I could sum up Christmas Day in one word. It was definitely a rollercoaster but I must say that our first year hosting Christmas (albeit with a small crowd) was a success.

Christmas started at 7:30am when my mom and I exchanged stockings and then gifts. We spoil each other every Christmas, but since it’s the only time of the year we do so, it works for us. I think I did all right in the gift-giving department with her. Among the many gifts were a new armband for her iPod (to replace her old one that still has blood on it from her accident, despite washing it.), tons of clothes, and a new Vera Bradley bag and wallet.

And she totally spoiled me.

After the presents were unwrapped, it was time to stuff the turkey, get it in the oven, and prepare for Christmas dinner! We were busy putting the apartment back together, showering, decorating, and cooking but there was such an enveloping sense of peace about this day. Even though we got hurtful news about something a family member attempted to do, we knew we were spending Christmas Day with the four people we loved the most and who loved us the most.

My brother, sister-in-law, and nephew came over around noon, and then it was on to more present opening! Since my nephew was sleeping, we left his presents for later while my brother and SIL opened theirs. A customized 49ers jersey for my brother, along with more clothes and candy. And a Bath & Body Works gift set in my SIL’s favorite scent (unbeknownst to me! I’m just good like that.), a travel mug, as well as Mario Kart for Wii (which I badly want to play because Mario Kart used to occupy my brother and me for hours when we were younger.)

My mom was finishing up cooking dinner when my nephew woke up. He is definitely his father’s child in that he usually wakes up a little grumpy and just wants to cuddle for a long while. He eventually warmed up and opened some of his presents. But since he’s only two, he doesn’t quite understand the concept yet. He would open a present and only want to play with that one so eventually, we had to open up presents for him and show him all the cool stuff. True to form, we spoiled him greatly for Christmas with a soccer set, a baseball set, a wagon, tons of clothes, and a doctor’s set.

He was more interested in playing with his toys than eating dinner, so we all sat down to eat some yummy turkey, delicious mashed potatoes, green beans, fluffy dinner rolls, and the best stuffing in the world. Oh, gosh, was dinner delicious! My mom is forevermore hosting Christmas dinner.

And then it was onto playing! It’s so much fun having a child around for Christmas because we get to buy him FUN things and there’s such pure joy in his eyes when he’s playing. Next year will be even more exciting when he understands who Santa Claus is and I just can’t wait!

All in all, this was a very successful Christmas. I’m so glad my mom and I decided to host it at our house because it was calm, peaceful, and relaxed. (Well, as calm, peaceful, and relaxed as you can be with an active two-year-old!) I’m sad this magical day is over but I’m looking forward to what 2011 will bring for me and my family!

And for my giveaway winner! I was so excited to do this and I couldn’t believe the response so thank you! I will definitely have more things to give away in the future. I used Random.org to pick the winner so a huge congrats to Kim! Shoot me an e-mail with your address and I’ll mail off the prizes ASAP.