Day 5: Favorite Holiday Movie/TV Show Special

Ick. Mondays are my least favorite day of the week, but at least it's one day closer to our Ornament party and Christmas!
My favorite Holiday Movies (because I cannot pick one) are "Home Alone" and "A Christmas Carol (the old one)." I am dying to watch these two movies, but it's a tad early still. I love to have a fire, drink wine and watch Christmas movies. Another reason, I love this time of year!

Day 4: Tips and Tricks for a Budget Friendly Holiday Season

I am good, but not great at budget friendly holidays because I typically wait until the last minute, however, I have become a huge fan of coupons. I have a Droid X phone, so I downloaded the coupon app. I check it periodically to see what new coupons are out there. There are ALWAYS coupons that I can use for various stores. With the app, you checkout and show the cashier the coupon...they ring up the coupon code...the discount appears. It's marvelous! I will be using my Old Navy and Academy coupons this Holiday Season. Also, I have begun giving my email address to stores I frequent often. I never did this before, but started and am so glad I did because you really do get GREAT deals. I get a weekly NY&CO coupon, Old Navy coupons, Groupon, LiveSocial, etc. You get the drift! With the internet becoming the #1 scene for coupons, it's totally worth two minutes to give your email or download an app.
As for decorations for the holiday season, I read an article about using fruit, Oak tree branches, leaves, pinecones, rosemary and thyme for holiday decorations. What a cheap, fabulous way to decorate! I really would like to string cranberries and put them on our Christmas tree...we'll see.

Day 3: Best Gift\Most Memorable Gift

Oh, how I love gifts anytime of the year, but of course with my Birthday and Christmas being neck and neck I typically get double the gifts, BLESSED.
I would have to say the best gift I ever received was the Barbie Doll Play House with Pool. I received this gift when I was probably 8 or nine years old. I loved this thing. I mean, who wouldn't? It had a stinkin' pool. I remember taking the "pool" to the sink in our bathroom and filling it up just to have it filled up. I would sit for about five minutes and play with the dollhouse and of course, get bored and move on to the next thing. A close runner up, would be my orange and teal 10 speed bike...you know the ones with the curled handle bars? Do people even buy these things anymore? Living in Austin, it seems like kids ride those trick bikes or race bikes or perhaps even beach cruisers. I loved that bike and rode it forever!
The most memorable gift I have received was actually last Christmas. My parents went on a LONG Mediterranean cruise. They visited Italy, Spain, etc. They went to a "cameo-maker's" museum in Italy. My father picked out a special cameo necklace and watched it be carved. I will cherish this piece of jewelry forever! It's beautiful! I will have to take a picture of it, but that will wait since it's hanging in my jewelry box. (I am afraid to wear it all the time because of the delicacy.)

Day 2: Black Friday Shopping Tips and Tricks

This one is a tad difficult for me because as a child and an adult we didn't do much shopping on Black Friday. My mom and I typically did our manic-crazy-i-want-everything shopping the day after Christmas. However, this year my parents wanted to buy us something for our house for Christmas, so we did shopping on Black Friday. The feeling this year was a tad bit depressing because you could see how the recession truly has effected the lives and pocket books of Americans. We went to quite a few stores and they seemed pretty empty. I was a tad bummed that we weren't out the door by 8am, but this year it didn't seem to matter. I guess my tip and trick would be to save and spend! Hit the stores early because most stores did have larger discounts earlier in the day. I love to shop, but will save my energy for the "Dillard" tradition of shopping the day after Christmas.

Day 1: Christmas\Holiday Traditions

My favorite childhood tradition was spent on Christmas Eve. As a family, we would attend church. After church, my mom would cook Bird and I a special Christmas Eve dinner with Egg Nog and all. We would spend quality time as a family by a fire chatting about what we thought Santa would bring us. My mom would read us the story of Baby Jesus' Birthday from the Bible and my Dad would read us "Twas the Night before Christmas." Of course, Bird and I prepared cookies and milk for Santa and my parents would then put us to bed. My mom and dad would have a candle lit dinner with just the two of them (Which I will do when we have kids) typically with steak and wine. They always thought they were by themselves until they would look upstairs and see Bird and I poking our head through the banisters hoping Santa had already visited our home. :)
Things have changed since I was a child, teen and young adult because I am now married and spend Christmas with two families. And, I am 100% ok with that.
As a married adult, my favorite tradition is that we get to have two Christmas'. My brother nor my BIL are married, therefore, we don't want to take the Christmas excitement away from them. So, typically we spend Christmas Eve and Christmas morning at one house then drive to the other Christmas afternoon. This year is going to be much easier on us because my in-laws moved from JC to Austin a couple of weeks ago, so the drive is only two hours rather than three. It's important to E and I to spend wonderful, quality time with our families, so this works best for us. Another tradition that I hope never goes away, is my Dad acting as Santa. After all our gifts are opened, we make drinks, pick up all the boxes and gift paper, my Dad puts on a Santa hat and presents us with our "Santa Gift." This gift is specially picked out by him. Sometimes, my mom gives him ideas, but other times she doesn't even know the gift. It adds a fun surprise every year!
What are your favorite Christmas\Holiday traditions?

It's The Holiday Season!

This is my most favorite time of the year. Thanksgiving, holiday parties, my birthday, cooler weather, Christmas lights, Poinsettas, Sweaters, Egg Nog, Scarves, Fires, Red wine, Christmas Eve, Baby Jesus' Birthday and New Year's! I mean, I am pretty sure I could continue with the list, but I will stop because I think you get the drift of why I wake up and go to bed with a smile on my face.
E and I are having our first "Joy to Ornaments" Holiday Party with a small group of dear friends. I cannot wait to entertain, feed and gather with some of the most amazing loves in my life. My dear mother is a shopaholic and loves, loves, loves to buy me things that she loves. She went all out on Christmas decorations for our home. I told her we were having an Ornament\Beer\Wine party and next thing I know she is bringing plates, napkins, punch bowls and platters. I am one blessed gal!
To celebrate the Holiday Season, I am going to join in on some blogging fun: 14 Days of Christmas! (I am pretty sure it's supposed to be 12 Days of Christmas, but whatever.) Here are the topics each day...It's fun, you should partake too!

Day 1: Christmas/Holiday traditions
Day 2: Black Friday/General Shopping Tips & Tricks
Day 3: Most meaningful gift/best gift you've received
Day 4: Tips/Tricks to a Budget Friendly holiday season
Day 5: Favorite Holiday Movie/TV Show Special
Day 6: Gift ideas (what do YOU want? We all have family/friends reading our blogs...so let them know!)
Day 7: Holiday Craft/DIY (If you don't make anything, what do you WISH you could make?)
Day 8: Least favorite thing about the Holidays
Day 9: Favorite Holiday recipe
Day 10: Favorite Christmas Songs/Caroles
Day 11: New Year Resolutions
Day 12: Show us your decorations (indoor/outdoor)
Day 13: Favorite Cookie Recipe
Day 14: Oprah's Favorite Things: What item(s) would you want if you were in the audience?

Happenings.

I can finally relax and breathe. My office move was a success! Thank Heavens. I worked long, hard hours the past month, but in the end it was worth it. It was worth it because I was a huge part of something that won't happen again for 10 years. I saw the project from beginning to end. The ups and downs. The scary moments, the angry moments and the happy moments. I was recognized by our President the first day of move-in. I received a hefty (So very thankful) bonus check and a President coin. The coin is similar to the military coin given out to our men and women who fight the good fight. I was shocked, but so very grateful for the recognition. I have given up the Facility Manager position to focus on being an Operations Executive Assistant to the second man in line. I will be able to learn the budget of the business, I will be able to grow into more of an Operations Manager and lastly I will not wake in the middle of the night worried about how the next day will pan out. The construction, move and stress are over and to that I say CHEERS!
Football season is in full swing and the Horns have totally sucked it up this year! Depressing. It's funny how die-hard one can be when a team is winning, but when they begin to lose it's so easy to lose interest in the team. We will stand by the Horns the rest of the season by drinking bloody mary's, beer and sweet tea Vodka because it could be a very, very sad ending to a legacy of winning!
I haven't been going to the gym regularly and um, I feel it. The past 2 weeks to month it's been very hard to motivate myself especially with so much stress. I went last night and will continue to get back on track. I just need to get myself to enjoy it rather than stress over going and not freak out when I don't go. It sounds so easy while typing, but yea, it's not.
Something else I need to get back into...PHOTOGRAPHY! I love photography. I love pictures. I love capturing events and special moments. I haven't done any of this since probably the Spring. Fall is a fun time to take pictures because I think everyone seems to be happier and the transition of green to brown is exciting. On the to do list...
I cannot wait for vacation. I cannot wait for cold weather. I cannot wait for Thanksgiving. I especially cannot wait until December.
Speaking of vacation...I need to take a couple of books on our trip. What are ya'll reading or have read in the past few months?