Christmas time is here!

Christmas Eve 2009!

Ugly Sweaters!

And the winner is.....

Collette had an ultrasound earlier this week and she could find out if she was having a boy or girl, she decided that she wouldn't have the nurse tell her what it is, just to write it on a piece of paper. Collette took that piece of paper and 2 outfits (1 for a girl and one for a boy) to a friend so she could wrap the outfit, and on Christmas Eve Noah opened the present to find out if he was having a little sister or a little brother. Before he opened the present we all made a guess on who thought it was a boy and who thought it was a girl, then Collette would pick a name from the winning group and they got a prize.

Its a GIRL!

and Travis won!

All bundled up!

Meg and I in our matching headbands!

Noah singing Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer before bed!

Christmas Morning!

We started the morning at 7:30 at Collettes house to open presents!

Brinlee loves the Tutu I made for her!

Then we went to Josh's parents house to open presents and eat brunch!

I love Christmas!

Most people know that I love all Holidays! I have lots of favorites, but Christmas Eve is my absolute favorite! I just love the holiday season and most things about it.

My favorite tradition of the holiday season is going to "The Forgotten Carols". We have been every year as a family since I don't know when, I just love it. I was so excited to take Josh this year, he knew the story and had heard the songs but had never seen it. There is always the strongest spirit there, its so special. When I warned Josh that I cry all they way through it I don't think he understood that my crying starts as soon as the music does. :)

I just wanted to take some pictures of the Christmas decorations at our house this year for our first Christmas together!

I got a few decorations for bridal showers but I also got some of my moms decorations too.

Our tree has some of Josh's ornaments that he got every year from his mom, some ornaments that my mom had, snow flakes I made (they were supposed to be for some other project that i never completed), and some ribbon and jewels from our wedding! Our tree has character!

My mom made this advent calender, I couldn't wait to put a light up everyday in December when I was younger.
This is one of my favorite decorations, I got this as a wedding gift. It is beautiful!

I am very big in Christmas music, I try to start listening to it after Thanksgiving, but it always starts before. The Oakridge Boys Christmas is a album we would always listen to while decorating the Christmas tree while i was growing up, so I thought I would continue the tradition in our house. It brings back so many good memories!

I am so excited to share "The Christiansen Family Christmas Eve" with Josh! We have always loved Christmas Eve. We have a big dinner, including crab legs and shrimp for the seafood eaters and steak for Nicole and Dave! Then we get all bundled up to go downtown and walk around Temple Square to see the lights, when we get back home we open our Christmas Jammies and all change in to them, even if it is only 7 :) Then we eat goodies and play games. It is so fun. My mom had a special "Christmas Eve" laugh when we played games, you knew she had enough sugar and was about ready for bed once that laugh started! I think that is what makes Christmas Eve so special to all of us, being so close as a family and doing something that my mom loved, its hard not to feel her around us.

I will be sure to take lots of pictures tomorrow of our Christmas Eve festivities (including the Ugly Sweaters!)

Santa babies!

They are so cute!

Black Friday

I had promised myself that I would never attempt going out to shop on Black Friday (and that didn't take too much persuasion), because nothing is worth it. I am pretty sure the only person that could talk me in to going is Josh and he did this year.

Our game plan:

Alarm set for: 3:15 am
Call Michael to wake up: 3:35 am
Leave: 3:40 am
Sears: 4:00 am
Sports Authority: 5:00 am
Home Depot: 6:00 am
Sleep: after

That did not happen....

Michael ended up texting Josh at 1 am because he didn't feel good so he wasn't going to come. At that point Josh put his phone down somewhere in the bed. So when he alarm went off at 3:15 am he just turned it off and went back to sleep. Somehow we both woke up for some reason and I said "Did the alarm already go off? because I kinda remember it going off." Josh looked at his phone and it was 5:22 am. So we got ready and took off to Home Depot (since it opened at 6 and it had the most important idem of the day), when we got there, there was a line but not a very big one, we stood in line for like 15 minutes until they opened the doors, and the craziness started. Once we got inside all the workers were yelling "Shop-vacs straight back" (thats the reason we were there and obviously everyone else was, but a $100 shop-vac for $20 is a pretty good deal) so everyone was racing for the pile of shop-vac, someone even climbed on top of all the displays in the middle and crawled to get there. I did a little pushing to get there but I got one and Josh got one (we got one for Michael). Right after we grabbed ours they were all gone. Some guy grabbed 6. I was even brave enough to go get a cart all by myself (even though it was so crazy) and wait in line by myself, while Josh grabbed a few more things. I was very proud of myself!

Once we got to Sports Authority there were very many people there and what Josh wanted was still there, so we got in and out of there quick. Sears on the other hand was still packed and stinky , and nothing we went for was there.

We got home at 7:30 and Josh tucked me back in bed and he left to get my Christmas presents! Yay! I don't know where he went but he said they were still way crazy.

I still don't like Black Friday, but I feel like we had a pretty successful one!

Happy Thanksgiving!

I am thankful for....

My Family, Friends and The Temple (all 3 in 1 picture:))

My Husband!

The beach!

This baby!

My Mommy!


and many many more that I just can't think of because I am way too tired... and if I am getting to Sears at 4 am, I better go to bed soon. (Ay ay ay)

First Date!

Today has been 1 year since our first date! I can't even believe it, what a great year! It feels like this year has flown by but also, I feel like I have known Josh my whole life! Both Josh and I didn't expect the date to go so well, and as soon as it started I could tell it was going to be different then any other first date i had ever been on. There was still awkwardness and everything that comes with first dates but it just seemed different. Sure enough it was the last first date we will both ever go on, THANK GOODNESS! I am so glad that he called me to go out, even though he didn't trust his mom's judgment :) and I am so happy that he didn't give up on me when I had to reschedule our first date (our original first date was planned on the day Brinlee was born so we moved it to the next weekend)! I am happy that he promised me a second date! I am so glad that he drove home to Draper from Logan every weekend to be with me. I am so lucky to have him. We were made for each other in every way. We would be lost with out each other.

I love you Joshy!

One!