We just got back from a dreamy vacation in Red River, New Mexico! Nate's parents planned a trip for my birthday and it was the best time!! I love to recap a trip by numbers, so that's what this post is dedicated to. I think it's such a fun way to look back on a trip! Maybe I'm just a numbers person?!
IT SNOWED!!!! It freakin' snowed in Texas. Sure, we knew there was a chance, but when you live in the Lonestar State that chance is more like a 'haha fat chance' type of thing. Texas is a really big tease if you didn't know. We woke up to a light drizzle but saw the temps were going to drop and that drizzle would turn to snow. Still, it was an "I'll believe it when I see it" kind of morning! Not too much later, Keri texted me and said that they were getting snow at their house only about 25 minutes away! This is when I started getting excited! A bit after that, Keri texted me again and said she was getting snow in town. Her work is only about 8-10 minutes from my house. This is the point where I started checking out the door every five minutes! I'm sure my behavior echoed that of a child on Christmas morning! There is just something so magical about a snowfall (especially in Texas) and I pray that is never lost on me. Finally, a very light snowfall started. Nate and I had a couple of errands we needed to run and decided to do it early just in case the roads got bad. Again, we live in Texas and all we know is ice. We took the Jeep and I asked Nate if we could get some pictures of it in the snow before we got home. Of course, he is amazing and obliged! We drove down to our private lake to capture some photos.
Nathan's birthday is just five very short days after Christmas. Usually, we are out of town either camping or up in the mountains playing in the snow. However, this year, we are heading to the mountains a few weeks later than normal. Nathan actually worked a full day of OT on his birthday. His company gets Christmas shut-down for a couple weeks around Christmas, but they are invited to work if wanted/needed. Nate was invited to work some of the shut-down. Triple time? Yes, please!
I've made it to our last and final Christmas post {I think! ha}. The Saturday after Christmas we celebrated with my family at my parent's house. We did a "pajamas and pancakes" theme and it was amazing!! We not only had pancakes, but we also had every other breakfast item that you could think of. Pajamas and breakfast foods just happen to be two of my favorite things!
Time for my favorite link-up!! Currently with Anne in Residence! This month we are sharing what we are currently beginning, feeling, organizing, resolving, and wondering.
After we finished opening gifts at our house, we went around the corner to Nate's parent's house. It is a tradition to spend Christmas Day/evening at their house. It is usually us, Nate's parents, Nate's middle brother and his family, his younger brother and his wife, Nate's Grandmother, and Nate's Aunt. We were so grateful that NeNaw (Nate's Grandmother) was able to join us this year. There was a recent Covid positive resident at her assisted living and they had been on strict lockdown. Because of that, we weren't sure if she would be able to join us. We are so thankful they let her come! Just to be safe, we all wore our masks the entire time she was with us (unless eating). It is so special to be able to spend Christmas Day with her. What a gift!!
The first few hours of Christmas Day are always spent at home! Just me and my boys!! We usually try to sleep in as long as Mason will let us, but this year we were up and at it at 8 am. And not by Mason's choice, but mine! I was already awake and ready for him to see his gifts. I just couldn't help it. Plus, I knew that we had to be at the Halls around 10ish so I wanted him to have plenty of time at home to actually see and open everything.
This Christmas Eve was probably one of my favorites yet! All three of us were home and made the sweetest of memories together. And, we were able to stay home in our pajamas for most of the day. That's a good day if you ask me!
What a blessing it was to be able to see the Christmas Star this year! I kept reading about it on Facebook and knew that I couldn't miss it!! I didn't get that great of pictures because I was so busy just soaking it in!
For Christmas this year, Nate's brother and wife bought us a Magnolia tree! How sweet, right? It was such a thoughtful gift and we love it. I have been wanting more trees around our home and this was absolutely perfect. All of the trees on our property are all at the very back of our land. Anyhow, when Mason saw our tree he said, "Can we name her Maggie the Magnolia?" So, meet Maggie...
Mason's elves brought him a Gingerbread cookie decorating kit on the morning of 12/20/2020. Nathan worked overtime that day but got home early. So we decorated the cookies together as a family. We had the sweetest little time!
A few Saturdays ago my sister in love invited Mason and me to coffee at a new shop in town! My mother in love and brother in love also joined us. Nate wasn't able to come because he was working overtime. We went to Vita Coffee House, which is owned by a friend from high school! It was so delicious and decorated so perfectly. I loved the Boho farmhouse-ish vibe of the place.
Silly as it might be, putting these antlers and Rudolph's nose on the Jeep makes my heart so incredibly happy! I love to see the reaction of little kids when they notice it. It's the best! And it just looks so dang cute!!!
We had our annual ladies' baking party on December 13th. This is a night where all of the ladies (well, a lot of them) on my mom's side of the family come together for a Christmasy night! We eat, we bake lots of amazing treats, we play games, we exchange gifts, and we have a blast! Circumstances almost kept us from having this party this year, but we were able to work it out! I'm so glad that we did. It never disappoints. Actually, it's one of my favorite Christmas traditions!!
On Friday, December 11th I met my coworkers in Arlington to celebrate Christmas. We ate at Cane Rosso and had some delicious pizza. Then we walked right down the road to Board and Brush. This was our second year in a row to do Board and Brush. In previous years we have taken cooking classes and did Painting with a Twist. We always try to plan some kind of activity and I love it.
Hi!! I am Crystal. Daughter of the One True King, wife to my high-school sweetheart Nathan and Mama to a 13 year old boy named Mason. We're the Halls and we love to travel around Texas {or anywhere, really}. I blog about our daily life, traveling, DIY'ing, and everything in between. Welcome and thank you for stopping by!