I love that it's Christmas time. Really, really, love it. I secretly wanted to listen to Xmas music last month but I didn't want to burn my family out on it so soon. Now I listen to it every chance I get. I love that I can turn on the radio and there it is! I walk into the grocery store, and there it is. In the grocery store bathroom, there it is! Christmas is everywhere. And people are nicer for some reason. I'm nicer for some reason. I know hard to believe I can get nicer right? :) I just feel such joy and contentment with everything.

I awoke this cold NC morning to little flurries of snow!! I was so excited. It took everything in me to not run outside and lay in the grass and make a snow angel. Yes, I know it would not have been much of an angel beings that nothing was sticking. In fact it's been "snowing" all day and not sticking. Kinda bugs me. i feel like I'm being teased a bit. This west coaster is not used to much snow and I love that it snows just enough to enjoy it but not enough to make you hunker down in your house for weeks at a time. Is "hunker" a word?

Well, I used this snow as an excuse to make hot chocolate and chocolate chip cookies with pecans. Mmmmm. I will share something with you. Warm homemade cookies are my weakness. Not my "one" weakness, I have many of those, but that is a big one. And I get almost as much joy watching my kids eat the yummy cookies as I do eating them.....Not. That was a total lie. That would be just pure torture to watch them and never have one myself. But I do have to be careful because I like the cookie dough just as much as them baked and sometimes there's not much dough to bake, ya know what I mean? I do admit though, it was very entertaining watching #4 eat his chocolaty cookie with such...glee. I did however want to lick his face afterwards, he wasted so much chocolate.

I left church early today. #4 has a bad green nose. He's had it for a couple weeks now and isn't' able to go to nursery. And since I didn't have to teach today like I thought I did, I left early so I wasn't roaming the halls chasing after #4 for 2 hours. I think my family secretly likes when I come home early because they know things will be cleaned up and a little something to eat will be ready on the table for hungry tummies. Today I made open faced toasted sandwiches. #1 requested this. He is a funny one. Very particular about his food at times. Not so much picky, more like he has a sophisticated palate. He knows what's good. He's like the Rat on Ratatouille. He doesn't want to eat garbage. (This of course excludes hot pockets, corn dogs and top o ramen) Anyhow, it was simple today but tasty. I buttered thick sliced french bread with garlic butter then topped some with turkey and various cheese and I usually serve with a variety of spreads. the other day it was turkey, butterkase german cheese and cherry spread. So good. I made a vegetarian one for myself today. It was more like a hot bruchettta. Tomatoes, artichoke hearts, red wine vinegar dressing and blue cheese. Toast and drizzle with a balsamic glaze..mmm On a few instead of blue cheese I used fresh marinated mozzarella. I think I ate one of each! It was so fresh and tasty.

Why didn't I take a pic and post it you may ask? Because I really want a camera that does my food justice. My pictures of food always look hokey. always. And I have a lot of pics of food. But I never post anything because the pictures stink.

I have asked for a camera and photo shop for Xmas but I'm not holding my breath, I know those are big things. So today I told Dr. Van that if he didn't want to get me my first choice, then I'd be happy with an electric blanket...I don't know if I really meant that though....I wonder if it's too late to take it back....One time,( and Dr. Van will probably say I should just "let it go") he got me a mop for xmas........................a mop. That he bought while I was working at the same store he bought it at...on Xmas eve..........?????..................................... that same year I got a frying pan for my birthday. It only took one year of him buying me presents to learn what was acceptable or not. Poor guy. He was so confused. It started with our first Xmas. We had just gotten married 5 days before. I had made him a "goody basket" you know, romantic stuff, coupons (which he still has because I forgot to put an expiration date on them...stupid of me I know.) Chocolate body paint, that I don't think we ever used...anyway you get the idea. So we are at his parents house just home from our honeymoon and he is so excited to give me my present....he is sitting at my feet on pins and needles. "This must be really good" I think. "maybe we should be alone when I open it" I wonder.... "I hope I don't get embarrassed, like at my bridal shower when I opened a box and it was a single big red bow...to wear on my honeymoon".....I slowly tear the carefully wrapped package.....My pitters are getting sweaty everyone is watching me. Dr. Van's eyes are dancing with excitement he can hardly contain himself. I know he wants to rip it out of my hands because I'm not going fast enough but he resists. I finally have the parcel opened and I'm staring at a Franklin Day Planner.."Oh, that's so nice" I say. Dr.Van takes it from me and starts flipping thru it with gusto. He's showing me how I too can be organized and productive like him. Oh how in sync with our schedules we will be. I can tell he is imagining us sitting down planning our weeks together and coordinating special events and work schedules. But then he looks disappointed, because I didn't react the way he had envisioned. You have to understand that the Vans are very....excitable people. And, they like practical gifts. The only time Dr. Van raises his voice is when he's excited about something, in a good way. I later realized just how much my reaction probably disappointed him when I saw a home video of his mom opening a present from Dr. Vans dad. She had wanted a certain porcelain doll I think, and when she opened it, you would have thought she was opening a box with a million dollar bills in it. "Oh my gosh!!!, It's beautiful, oh I just love it!!!!" and then she opened a sweater "Oh, it's gorgeous!!!!!! Oh it must have been so expensive, I love it!!!!!!!!!" even his sisters sitting nearby watching mom open her presents were just as excited as she was..Hand to their mouths anticipating the actual opening of the package..and then shrieking with joy along with their mother....It's quite a video, I may post it someday. IT's actually kinda exhausting to watch. Anyhow, it put my mundane reaction to shame. But I have since learned to show more emotion and Dr. Van has since learned to not give lame gifts. I didn't want practical. I wanted something I wouldn't normally get myself. I'm getting better at appreciating practical gifts...hence, the electric blanket. I would even take a new washer and dryer....

So, live and learn huh? I love Dr. Van and I have to say he's sooooo much better at gifts now. He puts a lot of thought into them and listens to me. He doesn't really shop Xmas Eve anymore. That always bugged me. I know the guy is busy, but really there was no other time to shop??? I know, let it go....

Moving on. Today I was hesitant to get dressed. Not that I was contemplating running around nakie all day, but I was in a "comfy clothes" mood. Yesterday I wore my "Jogging suit" so I couldn't wear that again, but i wasn't wanting to be in jammies just yet, so I carefully selected some leggings and a long fitted shirt. I do not love leggings. I have always been self conscience of tight fitting clothes, but I was feeling a little confident today so I wore the dang leggings. Who was I trying to impress. Now the thing is, they weren't just your run of a mill stretchy pants. They were "Jean Leggings". So 80's right??? I can't believe I bought them in the first place. But really I was trying to go for comfy and something to wear with my slouchy boots. And I knew Dr.Van was going to comment on them!! He came home from church and was changing and I laid on the bed talking to him and then he snuggled up to me. It took about 2 seconds to make fun of my pants. "What are you a rock star with these tight pants?" "No, their jean leggings, their supposed to look like jeans but... their not? Their stretchy see?" I lift my shirt to show him the waist band. Big mistake. "Are those maternity??" He has this exasperated look of disbelief on his face. Fat head. I knew I should have gone with the jammies. I later asked #2 about my pants. "Their cute, don't ask dad what does he know about fashion?" Ahhh from the mouths of babes....I knew I could count on her. And I knew I didn't like leggings. Awhile ago I tried talking my self into believing I was allergic to spandex, so I wouldn't even be tempted to go down that road. I now own several pairs of spandex pants that I often run in! Now everything is bouncing in my spandex. Oh well, shake what your mama gave you right?

I'd better get to bed or at least try to, the wind is howling outside and Dr.Van is talking on the phone in his loud phone voice like he's in a storm or something and the person on the other end can't hear him. The funny thing is, this is his normal voice. He's just loud, and excitable like I said. And I know without even going into the other room where he is, that he is talking with his hands and pacing the floor....I love that guy and his quirks. Even if he buys me frying pan gifts and makes fun of my 80's come back pants.