The Search is On

It's DECEMBER! Where has this year gone? I cannot believe that we are almost to 2012. Blows my mind. Now that we've officially hit December my holiday spirit has taken a turn for the crazy! I am just so excited or the holidays this year. I have our house completely almost decorated, I'm just finishing up a few crafts. Most of the Christmas presents are wrapped. So now we just have to find a tree.

Here are our requirements for the perfect tree:
-the right height
-the right fullness (no Charlie brown trees here)
-must be fresh
-needles that are long and not apt to falling
-Right assortment of thick and thin branches (needs to be able to hold the heavy ornaments too)
-a perfect smell

What are your tree requirements? Do you prefer fresh or fake?

Thankful

Happy Thanksgiving bloggers! I can't believe that it is already Thanksgiving, Time is truly flying by. I have always been very blessed, but this year has been especially good to me. I have so much to be thankful for!

1) My Husband - He truly is the most perfect man. I'm thankful for every laugh, every kiss, every snuggle, and especially every day that we get together. Today is a very special day for us and I plan to enjoy every minute.

2) Our Family - They love and support us so much. They're always there no matter what we need, whether it's a helping hand or a laugh or a hug. We come from very tight knit families and I wouldn't have it any other way.

3) Brooklyn Grace- This little princess is already the most amazing person in our lives. She brings so much joy and love, and we haven't even had the pleasure of seeing her tiny face yet. We are especially thankful for he ease with which God gave her to us. We know she is going to do amazing things in life.

4) Our Home- It s so nice to come home to a place of your own at the end of a long day. It's cozy, it's in a great location, it's a great size, and we created it together.

5) Our Friends- To say we are surrounded with some maxing people in our lives would truly be n understatement. We have people willing to travel to foreign countries just to watch us profess our love to eachothers. We may not have n insane amount of friends, but the ones who we are lucky enough to have are simply the best.

7) Our health and our jobs- In hard times like these you can't forget the basic things. We are so blessed to be happy and healthy. And our jobs are truly amazing. Plus I am super proud of my hubby's promotion.

What are you thankful or this year?

Hostess with the Mostess

The holidays are sneaking up on us, and for me the holidays mean one thing... visitors. I love visitors, but this being my first preggo holiday season I am anticipating moving much slower and being one tired mama. With that being said I am prepping now for future holiday visitors. Here are some hostess tips:

*Set the tone with your mood
If the hostess is stressed your guests can feel it, and will most likely feed off of that. It's very important that you make everyone feel warm and welcome to ensure that everyone has a good time.

*Prep, prep, & prep some more
Being as prepared ahead of time as possible is key. Although you're the hostess your guests still want you to be able to enjoy your party, and to be able to spend time with you. I usually make as many things as I can a few days in advance and freeze them, that way I can just thaw the morning of and pop them into the oven. I also find that list making helps a lot, like a timeline and a shopping list, but maybe I am just ocd with lists.

*The little details are very much appreciated
Hosting overnight guests? Try having a welcome basket in their room. I have two baskets prepped for when our moms come into town over the holidays. They dont need to be super expensive or extravagant, a sleeping mask, a bottle water, and a small treat will go a long way. Honoring someone for a special occasion? Display photos or serve their favorite dish.

*Allow People to help you
Dont be afraid to turn down offers of help, or ask for it if you need. Your guests will be more than happy to lend a quick hand, and it will save you time and stress from trying to do everything solo.

*Have fresh flowers
Pretty flowers go a LONG way to brighten up a room, and serve a super quick and cheap centerpiece.

*Enjoy Yourself
If you are having fun then guaranteed that your guests will be having fun as well.

And when all else fails, have a large supply of alcohol :0)

Happy Holidays