A Christmas Greeting

Hope you all had a wonderful time celebrating the birth of the Savior!! 

Feels Like Christmas

It's Christmas time and these last few weeks, the Foremans have just been doing your normal holiday stuff.  Like....

Getting Halloween costume pictures made and developed:

Captain Jack Sparrow and Alice in Wonderland

 

 Having a wedding shower:

John and Jennifer's Shower

 I made the "K" out of pictures from their engagement that I took through a window while I was spying on the big moment. These two have dated off and on since high school - a LONG time so this was a much awaited moment.  Here is one of the pictures:

Is that not the BEST engagement picture EVER?? :)

 These are all my Pinterest shower ideas:  Caprese Salad appetizers; cranberries and greenery (cut from my Christmas tree in jars I already had = cheap and easy); and the frame was another idea that didn't work out so I did this instead.

Looks like Jen had fun to me:)

Got ready for our Children's Choir Christmas Musical. These two are too young for Children's Choir, but they do love some gold and dress up.  WOW, right?

Went on an overnight vacation to stay in a hotel as part of my parent's Christmas present to Jack (one of the few things he asked for).  We took some toys with us - a fairly NORMAL choice for a night at the beach:

FINALLY went on an anniversary night out several days after our actual anniversary when Ben got home from work.  Jack took a picture of us before we left.  That kid is so helpful:  

Got to the movie theater and sent this picture back home to Jack:

Jack loves some Underworld (that is absolutely NOT allowed to watch)

Watched this:

 And this:

Two movies in one day = a husband who knows the way to my heart.

Gave these sweatshirts to some of my favorite kids:

Alabama vs. LSU:  BCS National Championship game 1/9/2012

 Our great friends, Hannah Grace and Joel are two siblings who live in Alabama, but their Dad is a Lousiana native.  Joel pulls for LSU like his Dad, but we have influenced Han to the point that she's a Bama girl.  It is pretty wild that these two teams from the same conference in the same division are in the National Championship game together and will likely NEVER happen again.  Due to that, I couldn't resist getting them these shirts to wear home to Louisiana for Christmas.  AND, I think it shows that I'm a better sport than most thought buying that LSU shirt for Joel:)

And, remember this ornament I got as a surprise in the mail from my friend, Karen:

It was such a great surprise and I still love it.  Well, her brother, Aaron and I were having a little back and forth fun on facebook.  He went on a little rant about not caring for picture Christmas cards (which is exactly what I sent to him and his family) and how people get upset with him for using Xmas instead of Christmas, etc.  He posted a unique Christmas greeting on facebook that went something like this:

"Money is tight and times are hard so consider this your Merry Xmas card!"

I jokingly replied something like, "I appreciate that, A.J., but this facebook greeting just won't suffice.  I'm going to need you to send it thru the mail and please spell out Christmas."  

I didn't think much more of it, but I got this in the mail yesterday:

 

 Isn't that hilarious?? These siblings definitely get the award for best Christmas surprises through the mail.

And speaking of cool Christmas cards... I got this one from my friend Misty and her family: 

She can't get her boys to pose for Christmas pictures so she sent this one. If you knew this family, you would know how wonderful this is. I'm trying to get Misty to blog.  Don't you think the woman that sent this Christmas card should be blogging??? Seriously.

I also got a winner to the My Memories giveaway. Congrats to Kim at Pair Slices.

So, like I said, just the normal holiday stuff.... And today, we are going to celebrate Ben's birthday but staying in our pajamas and playing video games and watching movies.  YAY for the holidays. What are you guys doing to get ready for Christmas??? Did you get any fun cards this season?? Let me know cause that's what makes it feel like Christmas.  Well, that and Halloween pictures and a Twilight movie of course:)

My Memories Giveaway

I am so excited to share this great giveaway with all my blogger friends.  My Memories Suite has allowed me to try out their wonderful digital scrapbooking software.  I have only just begun to explore their site and have found it fun and easy to use.  I've always enjoyed scrapbooking and have tried to make Jack a scrapbook for each year since he was born.  But, honestly, who has the time?  I'm WAY behind and this site has helped me find a new, easy, fast way to capture all the fun the Foremans have:)  I'm planning to move parts of my blog over to the scrapbook software for a cute and easy keepsake for me and maybe Jack one day.  You never know about boys, though, right?? :)

Not only is My Memories allowing me to try out their great product, but they are giving one of my blogger readers the same opportunity.  If you would like a chance to win My Memories software for FREE, it's easy to enter.  Just visit www.MyMemories.com and leave a comment on this blog post with your favorite digital paper pack or layout.  That's all it takes.

For additional entries:

1.  Like My Memories on facebook.

2.  Follow My Memories blog.

3.  Follow My Memories on twitter.

The giveaway will end on Friday, December 23rd at 12:00 a.m. central time.  Explore this great site now and enter for your chance to win.  Happy Exploring.  :)

Brown Paper Packages Tied Up With String...

These are a few of my favorite {Christmas} things:

This little guy - our elf named Pinocchio. Well, he's actually not a favorite of mine, but more of an inconvenience having to remember to move him every morning, but Jack likes him a lot. He's fairly mild and boring compared to all our friends' elves, but we like him.

Like Jack, he can appreciate a bad guy every now and then - like Blackbeard.

My Alabama Christmas ornament collection.  They have a new one every year and we have one from each year that we've been married.  I heart them.

After our Christmas tree wars last year, this real Christmas tree that didn't almost split our family is a favorite.  And yes, I got another real tree after I swore I never would again.  Apparently, Christmas trees are like childbirth.  As time passes, all you remember is the joy the finished product brings.

 Anytime you can put Christmas and Disney World together, it's a fave on my list.

Homemade Christmas ornaments - especially when they have this cute face on them.

VeggieTales nativity set - I just think it's funny and the version of "Little Star of Bethlehem" it plays OWNS me.

Christmas cards - of any variety - are one of my very favorite things about Christmas, but these with cute kids on them to help decorate my Charlie Brown Christmas tree are tops.

Pictures from our wedding to remind me that our first Christmas together was extra special.

 And my new FAVORITE ornament (and I do mean FAVORITE) from my sweet friend, Karen.  It says things that are so special to our family and I think she got all the high points.  She even put movie previews on there for Jack.  This is one of the best surprises I've ever gotten in the mail.  LOVE it.

Pictures with Santa from years past

And one last favorite thing:  getting my camera and realizing my son has taken about 120 pictures - like this self-portrait: 

What are some of your favorite Christmas things??