This Christmas vs. Last Christmas

Last Christmas we spent here in Arkansas. This Christmas we spent with my family in Arizona and California.  We also did an early Christmas with my in-laws the weekend before.

We were living in a little rent home that was rather drafty. We’re now snug in our own house, very warm and toasty…and with two fireplaces.

We drove up to Northwest Arkansas to get a live Christmas tree and a few ornaments. We took a quick trip to Heber Springs to get one.  The one this year turned out ugly, so we’ll probably cut our own down next year.

Our ornament that year was “Our 1st Christmas Together”. We bought a house ornament at Silver Dollar City to represent our new home.  And my parents got us a “1st Christmas in Our New House” ornament too!

Since it was our first Christmas together, we had to get pretty much everything, which was expensive. We hardly had to buy anything this year.  We even had outside lights all ready to go!

Our stockings (which I made), were laid on our arm chair, since we had no fireplace or anywhere to hang them. This year we have a mantel to hang our stockings on!

I gave Andy a nice sport coat. I have lots of ideas this year.  The blu-ray player was our main present, but I also got Andy some nice leather gloves, a movie, and some golf supplies.

He gave me a ton of office supplies (and a new printer!). In addition to the blu-ray player, Andy got me a new camera (I was desperately needing one).  He also bought us a tablet computer!

Our puppy (still an inside dog then) even got a few treats in her stocking. :) Both the cat and dog are outside animals now.  Andy was sweet and got them some stocking stuffers anyway. :)

We spent Christmas Eve and Christmas Day with my in-laws. This year we spent with my family out west.

My BIL and SIL drove down from Missouri for Christmas Day. Our early Christmas with the in-laws was up at my BIL and SIL’s house in Missouri.

The day after Christmas, my mother-in-laws birthday, we threw a surprise party.  Unfortunately we missed her birthday this year…we’ll have to try to make it up!

The day after that, Andy and I took a spontaneous three-day trip out to North Carolina and had a blast. We were still out West this year, so no spontaneous trips!  We did get to go to Disneyland though.  Woo-hoo!

New Years Eve I drove down to Little Rock, despite tornado weather (eek!), to pick up my sister from the airport. New Year’s Eve we’ll be home in Arkansas, with one of my sister’s visiting.

New Years Day Andy dropped my sister and I off at the church at 3:30 am to leave for Passion 2011.  No, we didn’t stay up til midnight. We might stay up late this year.  We don’t leave for Passion until January 2nd.