This holiday season looked a little different since we were in the midst of wedding crunch time and I was out of PTO, but we still were able to spend quality time with the family and make great memories during our last Christmas before we get married. One highlight was finally having a place of our own to decorate and host for the holidays! We especially had so much fun picking out our first (real) tree!
The festive fun started off the second weekend of December as we traveled down to Sea Island to stay with Brad and Melissa. The Cloister always puts me in the Christmas spirit from the beautiful lit-up angels lining the entrance, the homemade gingerbread house in the lobby, and countless trees scattered throughout the property. We had a great, quick weekend of R&R with friends!
Some other highlights leading up to the big weekend were hosting this year's Christmukali and my first annual "Sip and Swap" ornament exchange, having the Walkers/Malchows come stay with us, a Christmassy bridal shower hosted by Mrs. White and Mrs. Jackson, the Harper's annual Goodwill Christmas, my Trinity Secret Santa brunch, and a double date with Ellie and Blake visiting the Christkindl Market and then driving around looking (more like critiquing!) Christmas lights.
Christmas Eve weekend started off with Cousin Christmas that Saturday at Mom and Dad's. Everyone was able to make it this year, and we had the best evening playing games, eating some delicious soup, and enjoying great fellowship. We all spent the night and woke up on Christmas Eve to do our annual Christmas Cookies! Since the wedding is right around the corner, we took it easy on Christmas gifts this year and decided to do a "Favorite Things" swap with the Avery adults. We did the exchange and enjoyed our fun grit bar for breakfast. For the exchange, I brought a Barefoot Contessa cookbook and cute cocktail napkins and Charles brought a head massager, back scratcher, and massage balls. I ended up getting Sarah's gift of mini glasses and Charles got a TJ Maxx/Marshalls/HomeGoods gift card, nuts, and hot tea from Mom. Dad gave us all cash, which was a nice surprise!! Once we finished up with gifts, Charles and I headed to Augusta and arrived just in time for lunch with his parents at Takosushi. That afternoon we just hung around until Greyson and Marshall got home with the kids and we got ready for the Malchow's annual Christmas Eve dinner. We came home, put the kids to bed, and then got to work assembling toys while watching It's a Wonderful Life (which I quickly fell asleep to!)
We woke up on Christmas Day and enjoyed watching the kids open all of their gifts. We did a Secret Santa swap with his family, and I gave Mrs. Walker a pair of earrings she had but lost. I also received a pair of pretty earrings from Mr. Walker, and then Charles got a cool fancy chess board from Greyson. The Malchows hosted Mass at their house, so Charles, Sassy, D, and I went to their church while the others did that. When we got home, we prepared a delicious Christmas lunch including dressing, turkey, Brussels, collards, rolls, sweet potatoes, and cranberry salad. We spent the rest of the day napping, playing outside and kids' charades, and then trying to watch Miracle on 34th Street.
Marshall flew out early the next day, but the rest of us stayed to celebrate Mr. Walker's 71st birthday!! It was pretty rainy, so we had a low-key morning and then finally went to Augusta Country Club for some drinks. Then, we came home and had a yummy chili dinner followed by The Family Plan movie (which only Sassy and I stayed up for).
Charles drove back early the next morning to make it back for work. Even though it was a laid-back holiday season, we had a great time spending time with our family, especially the west-coasters we don't get to see very often! Now it's the final countdown until wedding weekend!!
No comments:
Post a Comment