our first christmas

we had our own first christmas morning together as mr and mrs nielsen.

my favorite gift from my husband was a snow globe with our picture inside.

sweet bob looking festive as she watched us open presents with the nielsens.

we wore our matching pj's for christmas dinner.

everyone wore pj's!

chuck bbq'd our christmas hamburgers in the pouring rain.

the lovely christmas dinner table. 

and now i have to wait a WHOLE year more...

the eve of christmas

We spent christmas eve this year at the Moore's home (my sister michelle married logan moore, and we are all good friends with the family) The salisburys and some of the schroeders were also there. we ate a lot of good food, shared stories, and sang christmas songs. it was a good time!

Dyanna had us all share a fun christmas memory.

Alanna laughs so hard she cries since being pregnant.

Michelle laughs so hard at Alanna that she cries too.

steph jumps on the love sac.

chuck does too.

we think it's fun.

Dyanna played piano while we sang christmas carols.

the schroeders (minus a couple) sang to us.

and that's how the night before christmas went. 

christmas eve eve

christmas bells are ringing!! we're going to the temple tonight to hear the schroeders sing, then off to christmas card lane to see the wonderful lights. (anyone wanna come?? text me!) i work tomorrow morning and then tomorrow night santa finally comes (SANTA!! i KNOW him!!) and we get to spend the evening at the Moore's beautiful home...i love it, it feels so christmassy and happy at their place! Greg and I plan to come back home to sleep and have our own little christmas morning together for our first christmas as married people. Christmas day we get to talk to chris in russia, and then family dinner at the Nielsens. I miss my family!!!! It just doesn't feel complete being here for christmas, but I'll make the best of it. home sick much? indeed i am. well folks...i hope you all have a merry christmas and a happy new year!!

bye buddyyy....hope you find your dad.
haha oh elf.

obsessive decorating disorder

thats what i have. i'm never satisfied with any one room in my little home. okay, so maybe i like the livingroom, but other than that...it's just not working for me. solution: redecorate. although this takes time, money and creative skills that i seem to be lacking these days, i am going to take on this challange and satisfy my eyeballs once and for all. i actually already started with the guest bathroom. bye bye yellow...hello red black and white. i am indeed pleased with the outcome. next tasks...our bedroom and the kitchen.  As for the bedroom, we are getting a new bed that i ADORE from the family i work for. i just feel like this new piece of furniture deserves a beautiful duvet from anthropologie. i am in love with what that store has to offer and they always have decent sale items.  fingers crossed for a little christmas money right? my kitchen is VERY white...anyone have any suggestions on what i can do to spruce that sucker up? i am fully in need of help on this one. thanks friends.

and they just keep on comin...

so, if you read my blog, then you know my husband is not very good with his words. Well i will have to add to his list of "gregisms" because they happen quite frequent and they always make me laugh. Today while sitting in sacrament meeting at church, he looks up at all of the christmas decorations and whispers to me "isn't that a nice harth?" i'm all...."a WHAT?" he points at the decoration he's talking about and repeats "that harth is really nice!" my eyes start to water from holding in my laughter...i whisper back "yes greg...thats a really nice wreath!" oh i love him.

remember...

that one time... i had blonde hairs on my head? weird.

Happy Birthday!

My sweet little Vivien Claire is 3 today!!

Gag Nog

So, the husband and I busted out egg nog tonight to be festive. Holy disgusting. yet another creation that triggers the ol gag reflexes. Its been years since i've had the stuff, and even more years without rum included so I thought i'd take another stab at it. no thanks, i'll stick with milk and cookies.

i'm dreaming of a white christmas...

just like the ones I used to know. 

Can you guess what I want? snow. call me crazy, but I grew up with white on the ground this time of year and this holiday season just does not feel complete without it. A light dusting would satisfy my needs just fine. I never thought snow would be included in the things i miss from home, but looking back... it seems like perfection.

best xmas lights award goes to...

The Richenbachers. hands down. Well done Richenbacher family. They live in escondido, and if you reside nearby, i highly recommend taking a drive by some night this month. They live on Anaheim street, which is right off of Mary Lane. (take bear valley, the same street that north county mall is on). you will not be disappointed, and these pictures do not do it justice.

oh christmas tree, oh christmas tree...

I'm not gonna lie, we definitely had our tree up the day after Thanksgiving but due to my severe slacker status, picture are just now available for your viewing pleasure!  We bought our tree last year after christmas when we were newly engaged, so thank goodness we went through with the whole wedding thing or we'd be stuck with joint custody christmas items.   Those after-christmas sales were hard to pass up knowing we'd need all the goods for our own little christmas together this year. (thank you dear mother-in-law for insisting we load up on these items while they were super cheap!) and here is the finished product...

krispy kreme for the sugar lovers soul.

there's nothing like a quality circle of pure sugar to ease the soul when in need. I truly believe that these tasty treats can turn any bad day into pure bliss. Here's to krispy kreme!

december has finally arrived!

well folks. we bit the bullet and bought ourselves an early merry christmas greg and nikki present. it's a camera. a good one, and we love it. A wonderful investment i would say. once we have littles we will want quality pictures of the darling rugrats....not that there is a little nielsen on the way, don't get your hopes up quite yet.

On another Christmas note (shocking right!?) here is the difference between my husband and I. In stores around the holidays we are given a bazillion opportunities to support one cause or another, and i can never ever say no to someone asking me if I'd like to donate to a hungry family at christmas time or what have you. SO...we were in line at the grocery store and at the checkout as Greg was about to pay, the nice cashier man asked "would you like donate a dollar to the children's hospital this holiday season?" Greg looks up, shrugs and replies "uh, no thanks. i'm good." WHAT? my jaw dropped. what a grinch!! I was laughing at how "whatever" he was about it, but i just couldn't bring myself to say no to something like that.