Favorite Christmas Traditions

Hey ladies!

I hope y'all had an amazing Thanksgiving full of lots of yummy food!

I know mine was.

We're still eating leftovers. 8)

To get into the Christmas spirit, I'm linking up to a Holiday Blog Challenge!

It's day two and the topic:

Favorite Holiday Tradition, Old or New

Christmas Eve Present

Growing, my sister and I weren't told about Santa.

We knew all along that our presents came from our parents.

So every year on Christmas Eve, we were allowed to pick one present from under the tree (excluding the big ones!) to open.

This helped with the anxiousness of wanting those presents now!

Christmas Cards

Growing up, as a family, my mom would send them out.

Then she stopped sending them but I picked back up in middle school.

Handing them out to everyone I know, with two mini candy canes to make a heart attached to the back.

Even now, Vito & I send out photo cards (which we started last year!).

I get excited every year sending and receiving them!!

P.S. I ordered ours this past weekend. If you want one, let me know in the comments & I'll add you to the list!

Decorating the Christmas Tree

Every year, my mom puts together the tree and puts the lights on it.

Putting on the ornaments is the "kid's job".

So my mom sits back and we all decorate.

Even though my sister has her own family and has moved out, they still come over to decorate the tree still.

Growing up, we were better at this but we use to get a new ornament each year.

We've been slacking lately but we still do this occasionally.

The Pickle

The most fun of holiday traditions at our house.

Since I was probably 10, my mom would get up early on Christmas Eve and hide a pickle ornament in the tree.

Every year, my sister and I (now Princess, Vito, and my brother in law too) search for the pickle in the tree.

Whoever finds the pickle receives an extra present.

It gets ugly and competitive in our house & I love it!

(even though I'm pretty much the worst one at finding it...)

Christmas Eve Night

Since Vito has been around, we started our own tradition for Christmas Eve night.

Once it gets dark, we go and drive around looking at the Christmas lights while listening to Christmas music.

At 10:30, we head to Christmas Eve service.

The candle light part is my favorite.

We then head home and it is usually 11:45.

We turn on Christmas music from the radio and dance to the light of the Christmas Tree until after midnight.

It has become one of my most favorite parts.

What traditions do you have?

Or head over here and link up your own post!

"Feeling Gratitude & Not Expressing It Is Like Wrapping A Present & Not Giving It."

Title: Quote by William Arthur Ward

Today I am reminded how thankful I am for:

My Crazy But Always Loving Family.

♥

A Roof Over My Head & Clothes On My Body.

♥

My Friends Around Me & My Bloggy Friends Alike.

♥

A Fiance Who Never Ceases To Amaze Me.

♥

Good Food Like Stuffing and Mom's Pumpkin Pie.

♥

Spending Time With Loved Ones.

♥

A Gracious and Forgiving God.

I hope y'all have an amazing Thanksgiving.

Eat lots of food.

Surround yourself with love.

Be Thankful.

& get working on that Black Friday plan of action!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

♥

Word-Filled Wednesday {38}

Just a reminder to be thankful at Thanksgiving,

as well as every other day of the year as well.

Happy Wednesday!

10 Day You Challenge {5 Foods}

Pretty sure this challenge is killing me with picking.

(I'm indecisive, I don't make choices!)

Today is foods.

5 foods.

How do I pick only 5 foods?!

CRAZINESS!

1.

Carbs

I tried to split this up but then I wouldn't have any other type of food on this list.

Carbs are my BFF.

Pasta, Potatoes, Bread.

All the bad stuff is soooooo good!

Does it get much better than pierogies?

Mashed potatoes inside of pasta.

Usually with cheese.

Nom. Nom. Nom.

2.

Soup

I adore soups.

I adore making them.

I adore getting them when I'm out.

I think I survive the rest of my life on different kinds of soups.

They are such a comfort for to me.

3.

Fresh Fruits

One of my favorite things about Summer is all the AMAZING fresh fruit it brings.

Strawberries, watermelon, peaches, cherries, raspberries, pears, kiwis...

Love, love, LOVE fresh fruit.

4.

Ice Cream/FroYo

This is another comfort food for me.

Ice cream and froyo?

Yes please.

With lots of toppings.

Usually including caramel!

Or fruit!

5.

Cheese

Pepper Jack, Dill Harvati, Cheddar, Parmesan, Mozzarella, Feta...

Yes, More, Extra, PLEASE.

Your turn: 5 foods and go!

The Cutest Christmas Cards

First, I am so, so, SO glad that so many of you are on my side for giving Thanksgiving some lovin' before it diving into Christmas.

I just love you all.

For serious.

Now that being said, even though I do not approve of decorating of listening to Christmas music before Thanksgiving, I do believe it early preparation.

Only when it comes to shopping.

I love starting to shop early for presents.

Makes shopping during the actual holiday season a bit less stressful.

This also includes getting my Christmas cards ordered.

I don't know about y'all but Christmas cards can be veeeeery expensive in my opinion.

I use to pick up a few boxes the day after Christmas and store them with the wrapping paper.

Still money spent.

Well, not this year.

The savior?

Tiny Prints.

They are graciously giving away 50 free Christmas cards to us bloggers.

All you have to do?

Write a blog post.

That. Is. It.

Does it get much simpler than that?

Negative.

The hard part?

Choosing which Christmas card to use.

Because let me tell you, I have over 30 cards a few marked as favorites on their site right now.

Let's just look at some of these, shall we?

Classy Plaque.

How pretty right?

Loving the ability to put in different pictures. & you can change the color if you don't like the red, they have 2 additional options.

& who doesn't like options?

Merry Making

One of my favorite things about Tiny Print's card collection?

The back is decorated. Not just plan white.

Adorably decorated to match the front!

Merry Intent

And if they didn't win you over yet, some cards even offer different layout options.

Like this adorable circle card that comes with ribbon.

I'm sure you can see now what kind of decision I'm up against.

So if you are interested in blogging for Tiny Print's Christmas promotion for the cards, head over here and fill out the form.

Do it soon as the offer is only for a limited amount of time!

And really, how can you say no to free ADORABLE cards?

Do you send out picture Christmas cards?

Also, let me know if you would like a Christmas card in the comments!

Dear Christmas...

We should talk about this.

I believe in equal celebrations for EACH holiday.

Usually this isn't a problem for people, as it seems others agree.

We don't seem to be putting out easter eggs before Valentine's Day.

No flags for 4th of July before Easter.

No Turkeys before Halloween.

But Christmas items before Thanksgiving?

Somehow this is okay for some people.

WHAT?!?!

Christmas music in the stores.

People decorating.

I just can't get behind this.

What about Thanksgiving?

I feel Thanksgiving is getting shafted.

He wants to be celebrated too.

So Christmas, back off!

Black Friday will be here soon and you will get a month of celebration!

Turkey Day is only asking for a bit of recognition too.

At least Nordstrom is on board with me.

Please tell me Nordstrom and myself not alone here.

Anyone else big Thanksgiving Day fans and believe in celebrating it before getting caught up in Christmas?

10 Day You Challenge {6 Places}

If you haven't noticed in many of my posts, traveling is a HUGE passion of mine.

As someone who wants to see as much of the world as she can in her lifetime, narrowing it down to 6 places is nearly impossible.

So, here are the first 6 places that come to mind!

6 Places

1.

Italy

2.

Greece

3.

England

4.

Ireland

5.

France

6.

Tahiti

Where would you go?

Happy Weekend!

Word-Filled Wednesday {37}

Because someecards never fails to crack me up.

And sometimes Wednesday need more laughter in them.

Happy Wednesday!

Results: Vanessa vs. Vito {Round 1}

I'm dragging here on this Tuesday morning.

Even my coffee hasn't brought me out of this fog I'm in.

Hence the lack of creativity in the title.

Fail.

I feel it has been long enough since I put up my poll that I should post which side it seems ALL of you are on.

Sheets then blankets.

This is the norm.

For Vito.

That's right, it seems I am the odd one out here.

Two words:

FUZZY

BLANKET

When I have the choice of touching a sheet on the soft, fuzziness of a blanket, I choose the blanket.

Every.

Single.

Time.

I bought a king sized fuzzy blanket at Target 2 years ago on Black Friday.

(Best purchase ever, by the way. $20 for every size. Every member of my immediate family owns one. Even Vito.)

I lay on part of it and wrap the other part around me.

Vito calls it my burrito.

So yes, I don't even sleep on the fitted sheet.

I also feel like the sheets make me colder than with blankets.

I only sleep with a sheet in the summer time because me and being hot do not mix for sleeping.

So for now, I will except defeat.

Vito wins.

I am not normal.

Please love me through it?

"But If Either One Exists Well That's Fine By Me"

Title: City & Colour - "Make Believe"

You know, sometimes two people get into a disagreement.

One person believes they are in the norm.

The other person holds the same belief.

They can't both be right.

Well friends, this is happening between Vito & I right now.

We both hold different opinions on who is the normal one.

How will we know which one is correct?

Well obviously, we take it to the blog for a vote.

Easy Peasy.

Now I'll give you to two different options.

Vito will not let me tell you which side we are each one because he thinks there will be bias.

Silly boy.

So when you crawl into bed at night when it is cold outside, do you:

Option A:

You lay down, pull a sheet on top of you and then pile blankets on top.

Or

Option B:

You forgo the sheet on top when it is cold out and cover up solely with blankets.

If you pick the wrong one, I will end our bloggy friendships.

Just Kidding!

Maybe... ;)

So let's here it!

10 Day You Challenge {7 Wants}

I'll just pretend here that it isn't November 1st (?!?!) and continue with the 10 day challenge!

7 Wants

1.

Win the Powerball

This would take care of the following wants & more.

2.

Pay off student loans

The amount of stress this would relieve from Vito & I's life.

Indescribable.

3.

Buy our first house.

I can't wait to share a house of our own.

That I can decorate however I want.

& host parties and dinners.

A place of our own.

4.

Have the beautiful wedding that we both dream of.

Weddings cost SO much money, even if you are trying to do it on a budget.

To be able to have the wedding we want without having to sacrifice eating for the next year or 3?

Yes please.

5.

Buy a DSLR camera

I LOVE taking pictures.

& I'd love to learn more about photography by shooting with a DSLR.

Because sometimes my point & shoot just doesn't cut it.

6.

Travel

There is so much world out there.

So much to see.

So much to experience.

It is calling my name.

7.

Finding the perfect job.

Now that I have a degree, I want to find a job that I enjoy.

One that lets me help others.

One that is rewarding.

Let's hear about your wants!