November 1st

I've already watched two Christmas movies and the Christmas music is blaring.

Christmas Survey Thing-A-Ma-Bob

This little survey thing is pretty fun and as a bonus it could win me the thing Kimbal wants most for Christmas (not like "I could really use this..." more like, he would literally pee his new Christmas pjs if I surprised him with this stuff) and a bunch more stuff we hadn't even thought to dream of!

TodaysMama and GameStop are giving away a sleighful of gifts this holiday season and to enter I’m sharing this meme with you.

1. What is your holiday wish for your family?

My biggest wish for my little family this year is to make some amazing memories and start some meaningful traditions. This is the first major holiday we'll be having with just the three of us so I'm really excited!

2. What is your Christmas morning tradition?

Our little family doesn't have one yet, but my family growing up had a few fun elements. We girls all got up and got ready together (pictures are taken, you don't want bed head), then we call my parents to make sure they're up. My dad calls downstairs to us with some playful taunting "Santa must have forgotten you this year..." and then lets us know when everything/everyone are ready for us to come up. I love it because we all rushed in to see the gifts and sparkling tree together. There was a lot of build up, but it's worth it!

3. If you could ask Santa for one, completely decadent wish for yourself, what would it be?

I can't think of one solely for myself, so for all of us... A home of our own (red brick with white trim, big backyard, lots of trees) or to have Kimbal's degree(s) done and over with or both, both would be nice.

4. How do you make the holidays special without spending any money?

Being the wife of a poor college student, I'm getting pretty good at "without any money". I'm making a bunch of our decor and gifts, I'm planning some free/cheap Christmas activities, and just keeping Christmas music playing makes a big difference in the level of spirit I have.

5. What games did you play with your family growing up?

We play a lot of card games; Progressive Rummy is our very favorite! We also played things like Scene It, trivia games, and a few PS games.

6. What holiday tradition have you carried on from your own childhood?

We're still at the stage of deciding what traditions from each we'll be carrying into our family, but so far we're doing similar goodies for neighbors, reading some of the same books, and taking a drive to see Christmas lights at least once every season.

7. Where would you go for a Christmas-away-from-home trip?

We're kinda "home for the holidays" kind of folk. If we were to go away though, we'd probably want to hole up in a cabin in the mountains someplace. I think Kimbal would really get a kick out of that and so far Logan adores the snow, so it'd be a good fit.

8. Check out GameStop and tell us, what are the three top items on your GameStop Wish List this year?

The Xbox 360 with Kinect is the top of our list (we actually spent at least 45 minutes playing with one in a store yesterday), I'd love a DSi for me, a Wii for all of us, and a bunch of games for each! My favorite games I saw were Zumba Fitness, Lego Harry Potter, and Epic Mickey respectively. Ok... That's way more than three. Forgive me, math is not my forte.

Merry Christmas To All!

Can I just say that i'm super stoked about Christmas this year? That's not surprising. I heart Christmas. The music. The decor. The presents. The wrapping. The feelings. I luff all of it!

This year is gonna be a little tough though. It's my very first Christmas without my 'rents and siblings. Ouch. I'm tearing up just thinking about Christmas morning without Dad taunting us that Santa may have forgotten us this year. Christmas Eve won't be the same without a pj picture cuddling Morg by the base of the tree. I'll miss getting pretty downstairs with my sisters before we come up to open presents (lots of pictures are taken at our house- you'd want to primp too.) and I'll miss green pancakes with red syrup on Christmas Eve. I'm already missing that big gorgeous tree in the living room and the stockings with our names on them. I'm craving seeing the snowman collection by the front door when I come home and treats on the bar in the kitchen. I'm even missing wrapping a million presents to Mom from Dad and the yearly debate on whether or not to make goodie plates.

But this year is the Joseph's turn to have us for Christmas and I really am excited. A little nervous to be honest... not totally up to speed on their family traditions for this time of year. I'm psyched to have snow on the ground, to see mountains, and to smell pine. I'm excited for Booger to spend time with his Aunts, Uncles, Grandparents, Great Grandparents, Great Aunts, etc. It'll be the big family event right out of a Norman Rockwell painting. And let's be real- Mr. Joseph hasn't gotten to spend Christmas with his family in three years. He's trying to play it cool, but I think he's really, REALLY excited about that. Plus it's Booger's first Christmas and even though he couldn't possibly open his own presents he still has the most gifts under our tree. I'm so excited to be able to start sharing the magic of Christmas with my little one.

thought For The Day

"Do what you can, with what you have, where you are."

-Theodore Roosevelt

Love that. Especially since I've been in a crafting mood lately. I think it's my own personal version of nesting. I'm using it to my advantage though because it's beginning to look a lot like christmas and my latest rounds of craft blog-stalking have turned up tons of beautiful ideas for gifts I can make on the cheap (my two fave craft blogs- Make It and Love It and Ucreate). Yesterday Mr. Joseph and I got all the stuff I needed to make something for my nephew and a few things for the thing I'm hoping to make for Booger for christmas (kinda doubting I'll get that one done though). I'm super psyched about Cam's present! I think it'll be awesome if I can get it to work out even half as cute as I'm imagining it. And all this awesomeness cost under $7 including some supplies that I'll be using for other gifts. Amazing.

'Tis the Day Before Christmas and all through the house...

I'm running around with stains on my blouse.
I chew on my lip, pencils shoved in my hair,
breathing as though I can't get any air.
"The gifts are not finished" my hubby had said,
"but nevertheless I am going to bed!"
I thought homemade gifts would be done in a snap
and they'd help us escape from the big buying trap.
"You're so good at crafts" my friends all did flatter
but now I'm facing Christmas looking paler than batter.
So in my last tries to give gifts with flash
I'm staying up all night though I'm sure I will crash.
Tonight these presents I've worked on below
will be wrapped 'neath the tree with hope and some show.
But what is the thing that right now I most fear?
That no gift from me will bring joy or a tear.
For some gifts were made badly, a little too quick
and some were found by a husband who's slick.
No matter the outcome the mantras are the same,
"it's the thought that counts" and "what's in a name?"
So on I keep working (though by noon I might fall)
to provide pretty presents for one and for all.
Oh yes I'll keep hoping, I really will try,
and pray that one gift will cause a smile or a sigh.
But now I must leave, and bid you adieu-
Who knows? I might be working on a present for you....

It's a Wrap!

I'm pretty much obsessed with wrapping Christmas presents. I love the feel of the paper, tying the bows, even dealing with the tape that inevitably isn't as "invisible" as the packaging claims. Most of all though, I love seeing something that gorgeous underneath the tree. Maybe it's because I was raised in a home where decorating for the holidays is sometimes a certifiable art form, maybe it's because it looks creative but it's really not that hard, or maybe it's just my OCD showing. Whatever it is I still love it. And tonight I got to wrap presents for my mom. It was fabulous! I'm quite jealous that she can afford the sumptuous velvet and metallic papers that I drool over in the stores, but I must say I did a dang good job with the dollar store wrap I got for mine. Hers still look better, but now the whole world knows that the true wrapping genius is yours truly so for today, I am satisfied.