3 posts tagged “christmas”

This year for Christmas presented some "challenges"...First, I had out of town family on both my side and Taei's side. Both families celebrate Christmas on Christmas day, so I had to figure out a way to do Christmas with two families, who both do Christmas Lunch, and not go crazy! In the end we had lunch at my moms, opened gifts, hung out, played Rock Band....then when the in-laws were done with lunch and ready to open gifts, we headed on over there and opened gifts, hung out, had a dinner time snack, and then went home. ON TOP OF ALL THAT...Taei and I needed to have our own little Merry Christmas at our house, which meant waking up early to prep any food for the day and in between dishes opening presents and snapping pictures! It was a super fun day and we made it through in one piece! LoL!!

In past years we started a new tradition where Tiff and I exchange our gifts, we normally do the exchange SUPER LATE Christmas Eve!! Here she is opening up her gift!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

She had wanted that purse when we first stopped by the Coach outlet in Las Vegas, but some dude was clutching his so tight and we couldn't find another one! Luckily the Hawaii outlet still had them and I remembered the right one!!

House #1:

Opening gifts with my hubby!

This year were the usual suspects of gifts...Taei is the Imelda Marcos of Samoan Men and as such I got him yet another pair of shoes! He also got a basketball...again, cuz for some reason he's always losing them and the biggie this year was his new XBOX 360! Which was secretly a gift for me to play guitar hero!! LoL!! I got a couple of Coach purses! I really wanted a new camera cuz mine is giving me HEAPS of problems, so I'm still thinking about buying one with his charge card! LoL!!

House #2:

My mama's house!

Check out our lunch spread!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I forgot to catch a pix of the crab legs and garlic shrimp!! That was some good eating! LoL!! And of course, the food part is just the delay to PRESENTS!!

My mom's been on a mission to revitalize her yard and as such I thought that we'd get her a nice swing to enjoy her new yard.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So my mom and me got the kiddies an XBOX 360 as well and my sister Emily bought them the instruments to Rock Band!! Of course we had to break that bad boy in! It was fun cuz even the adults got in the mix!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

House #3:

Our last stop of the day...before I go into it, let me go off on a tangent. I lived with my mom up until 2 years ago when Taei and I got our own place. After living there for a few years, my in-laws bought a place about 5 minutes away...okay, that many parentals that close should be illegal!! Now we live safely 20 minutes away...just far enough where it's too out of the way to stop in, but close enough in case anything comes up!! I never appreciated the closeness of my moms and my in-laws more until today!! LoL!!

We didn't eat lunch at my in-laws, as soon as we got there it was time for presents!

After the gift exchange, most of the boys and kids went to play basketball and us girlies hung out and played guitar hero!! Check out Mike's Zelda impersonation!!

 

I don't know WHAT IS UP with this outfit...but it was TOO funny not to post!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Unfortunately when the guys/kids got home, they wanted in on our Guitar Hero!! LoL!! We need to set up some other system that includes more guitars and a continuous stream of players! LoL!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Look at these cuties!! LoL!! They kept us entertained with their mosh pitt dance moves for most of the night!! LoL!

All in all...a wonderful christmas day!!

So you've seen references to my nutcrackers for a few weeks now and now I will share with the world my love of nutcrackers!! They are more than decorations to me, but instead inanimate friends! lol!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I love my tree so much that I had to take a few more pictures of it!! I love that it has so many lights on it...thanks to my hubby, but actually more thanks to my niece Teyana for seeing my vision!! Now let me introduce you to the gang...

At the top of my tree is the inspiration to my obsession, the Nutcracker Prince, you will meet his evil nemesis, the Mouse King, a bit later. If you can't tell, all my ornaments are little nutcrackers. I've got all kinds long skinny ones, short stumpy ones, sports players, knights, and even Wizard of Oz characters.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And of course I've got the guards around the bottom of my tree!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And here we go...

 

 

 

Here we meet the evil Mouse King, nemesis to the Nutcracker Prince. Because the Prince is on top my tree, The Mouse King kicks it with two St. Nick nutcrackers!

I call the guy on the left a Nutcracker pimp because doesn't he look like one? He's got the top hat, the cane, the goatee, the chains...and which other nutcracker got a little guy in the palm of their hand?? lol!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And finally from all of us...

My collection is nowhere near complete...so if you see any nutcrackers, have any you wanna get rid of, or know where I can get more...just let me know!

I forced myself to wait until after the CRA to get my Christmas tree. Initially I wanted to get it Thanksgiving weekend, but I knew that if I did, I'd be obsessed with decorating it instead of studying...so I used all my reserved discipline to be an adult for a week! But here it is the day after and I promised myself that I'd get my tree if I passed the exam...so off we went!! My Chinese blood had me go to KMart first because I heard they had some 6-7' Douglas Fir's for only $25, but when I got there I was disappointed! I'm not knockin' them, just that I like BIG tree's I want to have to pull out a step ladder to reach the top! So we headed on over to Home Depot...it was already getting pretty dark, but I had to have my tree tonight!

Luckily there were only a few other families looking for a tree at the same time! We all had to share the one utility knife to open up our trees!! I always forget to carry one when I look for my tree! We went back and forth between the Noble Fir and Douglas Fir trees. On the one hand Douglas Fir's smell so delicious and really bring the Christmas Spirit in the air, but Noble Fir's are so handsome and sturdy...they last forever!! At last we got a Douglas Fir...we just couldn't resist the scent!!

You can't tell from this picture, but she really is a beauty!!

Oh and I meant my tree, Teyana!! lol...but she's a beauty too!! We also picked up one of the live wreaths from Costco!! $15, but so beautiful!! They're huge and they smell heavenly as well!

So we got her home and into her stand!! I was forced to wait a day before I could decorate her, but here she is!

 

Instead of a traditional star atop my tree I use a nutcracker. I like this one because it was a gift from my friend Nancy and he looks like the Nutcracker from the ballet! I've got a thing for nutcrackers, but trust me, that's it's own blog!!

Not the best picture, but here's one with her lights on!! She's a beauty!! I can't wait until Christmas!!