Our First Christmas

Chris woke up before me and headed outside to do the morning cattle chores.

I awoke shortly after and headed downstairs to make us some hot cocoa using the recipe on the side panel of the Hershey's box (my family's Christmas tradition).

With our mugs in hand we made our way into our quiet living room and began opening our gifts to one another. I have to say that I do not remember a Christmas morning ever being so quiet, peaceful, and relaxing. 

left: Me standing next to our 1st Xmas tree;  top center: my brother opening gifts at dad's house; bottom center: the first picture I took with my new lens of my love; right: my fabulous antique trunk

We had promised each other that we wouldn't go overboard on presents for each other so I tried to keep the gifts meaningful and not so expensive as years past. 

A few Christmases ago I made Chris some small photo flip books with the help of snapfish.com. Those small, flimsy cardboard-covered books had made him so happy. Inspired by his prior reaction to such, I went to snapfish and browsed their selection of hard cover photo books and decided to make him one filled with our honeymoon photos. Well.. $88 later and 1 photo book finished, I decided that I might as well go ahead and put together another using our Northwest trip. 2 photo books, $211 later.. fast forward to Christmas morning.. Chris has tears in his eyes as he opens them = Priceless.  I don't think there was anything out there that would have been more perfect for him.

Of course, he didn't follow our "don't go overboard" rule either and bought me a new 50mm f/1.4 lens for my camera (which i am OBSESSED with!), a fabulously warm wool coat, and.. drumroll please.... an elliptical runner machine! I guess he was sick of hearing me complain and sob about my newlywed weight gain. 

left: the sewing machine stand table my dad made me; top center: our family dog, Rita, at my dad's; bottom center: dad opening up the wedding picture Chris & I gave him; right: details on the sewing machine stand

Chris's mom bought me the most fabulous, ornate antique trunk that I just can't stop staring at :)

Crystal hunted for an iron Singer sewing machine stand for me. Once she had one in her possession, dad sandblasted the frame and put a shiny new coat of white paint on it (the same paint code as he used for Chris & I's iron bed I found this fall). He then routed the edges of a slab of wood and secured it to the sewing machine frame stained it and... voila! I now have the most beautiful bedside table/vanity a gal could ask for. Crystal wrapped up a small tri-fold mirror that sits on top of the wooden table top and it is just so perfect. Dad had crafted one of these sewing machine tables for himself as a bedside table a few years back and I mentioned that I would be pretty okay with having one of them if he ever had the chance to make one. So here's to my dad's good memory!

I hope all of you got exactly what you wanted for Christmas.

Spending the day with family that we are so blessed to have and food that we are so thankful for made our Christmas a pretty perfect one. Well with the exception of the snowless landscape and 40 degree temperatures..
I won't complain about that for too long though because I know at any moment sweet Illinois will transform into the bitter winter hag that she does every year