Pre-Christmas Memories 2013

How can it be December 23rd?!? This business of there being less than four weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas is just NO GOOD. I feel like everything was so rushed this year. Anyway, we've still managed to squeeze in quite a bit of Christmas fun in these few short weeks.

Last weekend, some of the girls {and most of the boys stayed this year, too!} in my family got together for our annual cookie baking day. This is when we all go to my mom's house to bake and decorate {and eat} *tons* of Christmas cookies.

I'm pretty sure that in this picture I was laughing at Daniel's interpretation of a gingerbread man. Think red polka-dotted pants and purple puffy boots. Yes. :)

Christmas cards are another thing I love about the holidays. I decorated our mantle this year, so I had to come up with another place to display them. I printed out my "Joy" burlap banner, hung it on our pantry door, and added the Christmas cards as we got them. I love how it brings a little Christmas cheer into the kitchen. :)

Here's our Christmas card this year. I am already excited about adding cute baby pictures to our card for next year!

We also celebrated the five year anniversary of our first date last weekend. We went to this little Italian restaurant in Homewood called Gianmarco's. We went to a place called Leonardo's on our first date and went back for our first three anniversaries, but they closed a couple of years ago so we had to find a new anniversary spot. Gianmarco's is definitely our new place! It's small and family-owned, and the food is amazing {the SAUCE!!}.

One of our Christmas traditions is to buy a special ornament. I love remembering all the special moments when we decorate our tree every year. This year, we ordered this sweet "expecting a miracle" ornament from this Etsy shop. I just love it. I know it will make me smile {and knowing me, probably cry} every year!

Tonight, we're planning to cross another tradition off the list when we do our annual "Jammy Cocoa Christmas"! We've done this for a few years, but decided to call it "Jammy Cocoa Christmas" after reading this fun post over at Mix and Match Family. I mean, how cute is that name? I can't even imagine how much more fun this tradition will get in the next few years when we have a sweet baby with us!!

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Wishing everyone a wonderful Christmas Eve and Christmas Day with your families!!

"For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given, and the government will be upon his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace."

Isaiah 9:6