It's Christmastime in the city

A few weeks ago, when we were planning our holiday, Mckay volunteered to plan Christmas Eve for us.  On Thursday night (the night before Christmas Eve) he said he had a present for me.  I unwrapped my 2011 planner, and was a little confused, until tickets to the Radio City Christmas Spectacular slipped out!  So Christmas Eve we spent most of the day in New York City.

We weren't allowed to take pictures inside, but it was honestly one of the best shows I've seen out here.  The Rockettes are amazing & so entertaining.  About half way through the show I thought to myself, "This is really fun but it's sad that no one focuses on Christ at Christmas time anymore."  Right after I thought that, the curtain opened to a scene of a family reading the Christmas story out of the bible together. For real.  The next thing I know they are reenacting the entire Christmas story (angels, shepherds with live sheep, wise men with live camels, Mary, baby Jesus... the whole nine yards) to beautiful, traditional Christmas music.  It was so touching and I was pleasantly surprised.  It's good to know that even in NYC Christmas is still celebrated as the Christian holiday it is, not just the commercialized frenzy it sometimes becomes.

After the show ended, Mckay told me that he'd found us a French restaurant to eat at.  Boy, did he find us a French restaurant to eat at.  La Bonne Soupe is now on my favorite list.  I had the onion soup (Americans read: French onion soup!) & it was absolutely divine.  I cannot convey how cute and perfect this place was.  Everyone around us was speaking French, & we needed a little help navigating the menu-it was loads of fun.  Must go back often.

After our lunch we decided to check out the Top of the Rock, an observation deck on the top of the Rockefeller Center (66 floors!).  It was really neat...and bright!

After we left the city, we headed straight to our friend's home for delicious homemade soup and desserts. We then joined 1,000 other people from the area to sing Christmas hymns gathered around the town Christmas tree.  It was wonderful.  We ended the night with homemade lemon poppy seed muffins, scrabble & stocking stuffing.

100 days

We've been married for 100 days today. 
Is that a milestone? I remember in kindergarten we had a sweet count up (essentially the opposite of a countdown) to 100 days of school & then we had a party.  We also counted to 100 together that day; it obviously made a big impact on me because 16 years later I did a count up to 100 days of marriage. And I'd certainly say we partied today.  Love being married, love being married & having our first Christmas together. 

[picture taken at the "Top of the Rock" at the Rockefeller Center yesterday]

[his head is really not that tiny]

stockings hung by the radiator with care...

I had the best of intentions to make stockings for us this year... Sadly. I never got to it.  Mostly because I don't have the sewing machine or the confidence.  But I have serious aspirations come next year. 

(Isn't my socking cute? My Mom made it for me when I was a wee babe.) 

  This year we're staying in Connecticut for Christmas, and even though we'll be missing family, we're excited to have our first Christmas just the two of us.  I just thought his wrapping job was too cute to not take a picture of.  He's really good at drawing hearts, better than most men I'd say.

 Our presents from the Craven side came today, along with a second box of goodies.  Mostly, the cedar chest stuff she saved for me for "when you get married".   

At our wedding, instead of having guests sign a guest book, we had them sign fabric swatches & my Mom pieced a quilt together for us. I loved it even more than I anticipated. 

 Mckay's favorite square, it's from his nephew Dallas, he's 11. "Good luck Mac daddy!" :)

 I love that we can keep the sweet words and thoughts as part of our decor all year round! 

 My favorite thing she sent me?  My blessing dress.  I've always been so in love with it, but this time, peeling back the tissue paper was a little more sentimental and emotional for me.  My Grandma McAffee (who died two weeks before we were married) made it for me and my Great Grandmother made me the booties.  Now that she is gone, I have a whole new level of gratitude and love for this tiny dress.  When I hold it, I think of her & I love that when we bless our daughters in it, a little piece of Shirley McAffee will be there.

Merry Christmas Eve Eve!

Our bedroom got a facelift.

holiday party.

Last weekend was Portfolio Advisors' annual end of the year holiday party!  It's always held in this beautiful mansion in the park, which is one of the reasons I like to go.  It was a little magical to watch the snow softly falling through gorgeous (almost) 100 year old windows.

Last year, on December 11th we went together, I was so elated to be going to a fancy Christmas party.  I maybe bought a whole new outfit from JCrew just for the occasion. It was one of our first big dates.

2009:

& this year: (we had to do an after the party car picture again... & my camera is stuck/broken on 1.5zoom, awesome!)

Last year I went as the girlfriend and this year I went as the wife. What a year.   

Thanksgiving & after

-Thanksgiving was a hit this year.  We quite enjoyed our turkey, rolls, and coconut cream pie.

-We counted our blessings for sure. I am grateful to be married to my love, a perfect feeling.

-We saw The Next Three Days with Russel Crowe and really liked it.

-Mckay pulled his hamstring playing football the morning of, I cooked all day & tried to stay calm in the kitchen.

-We both came through alright.

Why I love December:

our tree in our bedroom
handmade popcorn strands to decorate said tree

Christmas Eve

Christmas morning
shopping
holiday parties
Christmas cd's

stockings

a real, delicious tree

crackling fires in the fireplace (one day)

old movies
homemade caramel
Christmas hymns on Sunday
mistletoe
candles

decorating
celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ

Why I don't love December:

hate the snow (lucky it hasn't come yet)

budgets

it's FREEZING

when the tree dries and needles make a mess

too much sugar/too much food