Christmas {2011}

Merry Christmas! I hope everyone got as spoiled as I did this Christmas, because really, that is what Christmas is all about? Getting awesome presents, right? ha  Juuuuuuuuuuust kidding, but it certainly doesn't hurt.

Christmas morning started off the right way, by going to church and remembering our Savior and his birth. We were lucky that Christmas was on a Sunday this year because it made it so much easier to remember the true meaning of Christmas as we sang hymns of his birth and were able to reflect on all our blessings that come from the Savior. 

However, after church came the presents!

This Christmas, I didn't have any "surprise" gifts, but that didn't matter because the anticipation of actually being able to open and use my gift was all I needed for me to get giddy several days prior to the big day. Pat got me my dream lens: A Canon 24-70mm f/2.8. 

It was the first gift opened on Christmas day so I would be able to use it ASAP. 

Here is the first picture taken:

I know what you thinking, because Pat said it himself, "I can't even tell the difference." But trust me, there is a huge difference and I am so happy about it. 

I don't know if you know this, but Santa doesn't deliver gifts to adults. I thought this was a shame and decided to start a tradition where Pat and I buy each other stocking stuffers. On Christmas Eve, Pat and I headed to Target and went our separated ways for a half hour while we each picked out $15 worth of stocking stuffers for the other person. (Side note: As we were walking home from the Target in East Harlem in broad day light, we saw an ambulance pull away from the sidewalk we were walking on. As we approached the area the ambulance departed from, we saw a huge pool of blood that we actually had to walk over in order to pass. At that point I started to re-think our decision to walk home). Anyways, my stocking was filled mostly with my favorite things, candy and food. However, there was also a pack of chap stick (which I am in constant need of because I usually lose it on the first day of purchase) and a Rudolph nose. Pat's stocking had Super Hero drinking glasses and a book of games. This is definitely a tradition that will stick for years to come. 

Next was Pat's big gift, a leather jacket--also not a surprise, 

but he was very happy to finally be able to wear it. 

I also got beautiful pearl earrings from my in-laws. The amazing thing is, is that I have been really wanting and needing new earrings. I always buy the cheap H&M earrings that seem to tarnish after a few days, so I am super excited about having some nice pearl earrings that go with everything. 

We both received other gifts from my parents which, as always, was SUPER generous. However, the prize for my most unique gift goes to my brother Justin and sister in-law, Jannah. 

You see, I come from a family with 5 kids, so buying gifts for each person would be a little fiscally difficult. To remedy this problem, we pick names every year of the family we will give gifts to. This year, we were lucky enough to be picked by Justin and Jannah and we were blown away by what they got us...

ROLLER SKATES!

It turns out when you give someone roller skates you not only give them something to put on their feet, but you give them an experience! And that is exactly what we got. As soon as we could, we headed out the door with our new skates. Apparently, we have a street hockey rink a few blocks away that worked perfectly for us to show off our God-given-roller-skating-talent. 

We also found out it's a little hard to take "timed" pictures of ourselves while on roller skates.

Merry Christmas everyone!