Our Christmas Day

On Christmas day, Michael and I got up early so that we could go and see my family open their gifts at 8am, and have breakfast with them. Even though we didn't exchange gifts with them yet, we wanted to watch them open what they received from each other.

Then we headed over to the Magistro household to open gifts there and spend the day with them.

Because my brother and his wife, and my two sisters and their husbands, were all celebrating Christmas with their other families, we didn't give our gifts to my dad, JoAnn and David yet. All of my siblings, and their spouses were going to gather together and celebrate Christmas on New Year's eve. So, we had two Christmas'!

It worked out nice because then we could celebrate with Michaels family one day, and mine another.

Now here are some pictures! (there are a lot, but I held myself back and didn't post all of them)

David made out like a bandit.

My dad made this for JoAnn. It is so nice. She cried a little, and still she looks beautiful :-)

JoAnn really liked the ornaments my dad added to the top of her gifts. He is a very goof gift wrapper

And JoAnn had this clock made for him

Michael and I

My dad made David this lego table, it's really neat.

David loves it!

My dad and Michael playing with Michaels new toy

When we drove up to the Magistro house, we saw all these birds take flight. It was pretty cool

I don't want you guys to think I'm conceited, and like to post pictures of myself! I just wanted to show you guys the cute pjs Michael got me, and the hat and scarf his mom made for me. :-)

The gifts under the tree. I took this pic a little late, this was after all our gifts were out. The ones that are left are all the ones for the kids. They came a little later, so that we could open our gifts first. Once the kids came, it was a little crazy. But I loved every minute :-)

The beautiful tree that my mother in law decorated

Elisa handing out her gifts to everyone

Everyone in Michaels family gave us very thoughtful and fun gifts! They're so nice!

My mother and father in law. They're so cute!

Picture time!

All of Michaels sisters -Elisa, Marisa, Mia and Mendy (left to right)

Kai was showing Mia what he got for Christmas

Erina talking to Michael about the gift she made for him

Erina made gifts for everyone, they're so cute! This is a game she made for Michael

Maria modeling for Abercrombie

The kids all got Rudolph noses

We had a wonderful Christmas! We loved everything we got, and we had a ton of fun picking out gifts for others. We enjoyed the traditions, and remembered the reason for the season. I know this post is late, but I do hope everyone had a blessed holiday season, filled with love, and laughter.

Soon I'll post about our second Christmas :-)

The New Year Brings

Resolutions!

So, I still have some more Christmas blogs to post, but I wanted to write this entry first.

As is the fashion during the beginning of a new year, people try to gain a "fresh start." People make a commitment of sorts to a project, reforming habits, revamping their lifestyles, and in some cases, even trying to change who they are. I believe people make commitments with themselves that they see as being more hopeful, beneficial and worthwhile than perhaps they are used to in their normal every-day routines, and lives. I think the New Year brings with it a newer perspective and hope for a better future. I think that the New Year can present an opportunity, a chance to try and do the things that have been put off for years, because we've always been waiting for the perfect time.

I read about a resolution experiment conducted by Quirkology; their research shows that while 52% of participants in a resolution study were confident of success with their goals, only 12% actually achieved their goals. Men achieved their goals 22% more often when they engaged in goal setting, a system of small measurable goals, such as saying they will loose a pound a week, instead of just saying "I will lose weight." While women succeeded 10% more when they made their goals public, and got support from their friends.

I made a list of things I wish to improve upon during the course of this year, and so I'll make them public to increase my chances of success by 10% LoL

*Eat more healthy
*Exercise more regularly
*Put pictures up in our apartment
*Make our apartment more cozy
*Write more often
*Visit the temple more
*Catch up with an old friend
*Be more crafty
*Learn more about cooking
*Make a list of lifelong goals
*Be more patient with others and especially with myself
*Draw more often
*Write an anonymous uplifting letter to someone
*Keep reading a lot
*Write in my journal
*Strengthen certain relationships
*Let some people go
*Keep doing the "little things" for Michael
*Keep doing the "big things" for Michael
*Start a scrapbook about mine and Michaels life
*Stay on top of my blogging
*Start my new blog and keep it going

That's right. I also decided that I would like to start a new blog. For the few of you who read this, do not worry, I still intend to keep it! This blog is dedicated to mine and Michaels life together. It's a journal of sorts, and I have every intention of keeping it going. My new blog will be all about the things I see, and the way I see them. Things I like, things I don't like, my opinions, and my thoughts. My hope is to share beautiful things, and truths with the world.

In fact I wrote my first posts on it today! it's called http://mythoughtsandtreasures.blogspot.com/
I hope you guys enjoy it!

So what are your resolutions? What kind of things do you want to improve, do differently, learn, stick with and so on? I'd love to hear about them! Because remember, making them public will increase your chances of success by 1o% :-D

Decorating The Tree

Now that I have finally posted about picking out a tree, here is a post about us decorating it! We invited some people from work, and everyone made an ornament to contribute to the tree. We have a ton of ornaments. Literally. And how we got many of them was by having a Christmas tree decorating party and asking everyone to make and bring an ornament.

Katy and JoAnn looking at Kevin's homemade ornament -paper snowflakes.

The bin that holds all of the decorative goodness. It's always fun to see the ornaments each year. There are so many, so it's fun to remember where they came from

Amber handing an ornament to Dave. She handed all of them out to people, it helps to keep things organized :)

Everyone getting started in the decorating

Michael and Nicholas putting on some ornaments

Katy was given an Angel ornament... it's kind of decapitated. As you can see the head is attached to the body by a small string. Kind of morbid maybe, you're just lucky I didn't post the picture of her looking like she's about to lick, or eat it.

This picture makes me laugh! I love the facial expressions. David and Dave putting on some ornaments

Michael decorating the tree

Russ putting the cranberry ornament he and his wife made for us

JoAnn putting some snowflakes on the tree

Dad contributing to the decor

Amber, handing me something to hang on the tree

Dave, Russ, JoAnn and Russ' wife admiring peoples work

David and Tally. Tally had a reindeer ornament attached to her collar. It was cute.

David and Tally again. He loves having a dog :-)

Me putting some ornaments on the tree

My Dads brother, Uncle Ron, adding some decor to the tree

Annie and Jimmy discussing where to put some decorations. And Dave in the background is my favorite part :-P

I told Jimmy to look at me as he put his next ornament on. Doesn't he look excited? LoL

Michael and his work buddies, Pierce and Nicholas

This picture shows Nicholas and Michaels true feelings for each other

I think my dad was going to take something off the tree here? haha

Amber and David... I think I caught David while he was blinking

Annie, and Dave in the background again, putting stuff on the tree (yes I called it stuff. With so many pictures it's hard to think of new words for "Ornaments" and "Decorations")

My dad found a nice little spot by the tree where he could sit, and place things on the tree. It was convenient because my sister was right there so he didn't even need to get up to receive more ornaments.

Kevin is really excited and happy to be placing things on our tree.

Jimmy, Michael and David looking at the finished product.

What you wanted to see it too? Okay :)


Here it is! Our family tree! It has a ton of ornaments and lights and tinsel... I love it :-)