Figgy Pudding

I really have no idea what figgy pudding is and I've certainly never tasted it before. I just think it's fun to say and didn't know what else to call this Christmas post!

It has taken me a long time to get there this year but I think I'm finally starting to feel the Christmas spirit. I'm getting excited about leaving soon to go see family and friends. I truly do love Christmas: I love decorating, baking, gift-giving, and why we celebrate. This year it has been hard because it's just plain been a hard year. But I feel that old familiar Christmas cheer building up as it gets closer and closer, and I'm thankful for that.

Yesterday we had such a peaceful afternoon at home. We went to church and then came home and decided to have our "Christmas" with each other. Chuck has to work today and tomorrow and then we leave town on Christmas Eve and won't be back until New Year's Day. We figured Sunday would be a good day for us to exchange our gifts before things got crazy.

I struggled this year with what to buy for Chuck. He usually has a long wish list of power tools and other "guy things" I don't know much about. It's hard to surprise him with anything. Eventually I decided to go clothes shopping for him, and that worked out really well this year. He needed some new clothes and I found some great stuff for great prices. He was so happy with everything I'd picked out and I know he doesn't love to shop for clothes, so I did him a favor too. I also bought him a new CD he'd been wanting, as a stocking stuffer.

For a few weeks there has been a kinda big box under the tree with my name on it. I really couldn't guess what was in it. Oh yes, I had ideas about what I HOPED was in it but I was pretty unsure. It turned out to be exactly what I wanted - a new laptop of my very own! Chuck had hit a back-to-school sale all the way back in July and he'd kept the box hidden from me until now. Needless to say I was pretty excited. Since I've started blogging I've had a very strong desire to have my own laptop with only "my stuff" on it. Really the desire has been around for even longer because I'm a scrapbooker. When I'm holed up in my scrapbook room I always think how great it would be great to have a computer in there to do my journaling or to look up the date on a digital picture, or countless other things. Blogging, though, has definitely meant much more time spent on the computer for me. It was truly a sweet gift, and Chuck went above and beyond as he usually does. He had already opened it up and put all of my own personal settings and favorite programs on it. It made me cry when I turned the computer on and he had my big yellow lily photo (the one I use on my Blogger profile) as the wallpaper. It was so special. We took a nice Sunday afternoon nap after opening our gifts, then went to a Christmas party at our pastor's house. It was a good day, and it helped to begin to warm my heart toward the holidays.

Things will be picking up now as we are getting ready for another trip home to Louisiana. (Fortunately I should be able to at least keep up with e-mail this time, and maybe even a few blogs!) Tomorrow night we'll visit some friends here in Texas, then we'll leave Wednesday morning to go to my in-laws'. I believe this year is my 13th Christmas Day spent with hubby's family - a tradition we started when we were still dating. We will visit a few dear friends also before heading down to my mom's house on Saturday. It's always fun to pull into the driveway there and know that our arrival means Christmas has begun! Sunday we are planning to go visit my dad's side of the family and we'll also see Chuck's grandparents in that part of the state. The rest of the trip we will spend at my sister's house before we return home on January 1st. We can't wait to spend quality time with our nephews while they're out of school!

You will all be in my thoughts this Christmas. I'm so thankful for a year that included so many new friends. Chuck and I wish you all a very happy holiday season!