Christmasssssss 2010 (& New Year's Too)

Alrighty, here is a rundown of Christmas (& New Year's 2010/2011), in the opposite order of occurence:

This, my friends, is a French Press. A beautiful thing. We actually received this as a wedding gift (yes, in July---thanks Mark & Katherine!), but I've been too afraid to try it out til now (new things scare me). Going out of town for Christmas meant we needed some coffee supplies and this is the best way to have coffee while you travel! I LOVE this thing. It made me awake for Christmas morning, and it made me a hero the day after Christmas (at least with mom and Danni). I'm on my second cup of coffee from this thing this morning (it's SO good!!!).

This is the once beautiful pot of Christmas flowers Casey got me (see picture below), that I've somehow already managed to kill. I've been reflecting on this, and my former limited experience with pets (two dead goldfish, and one dead hermit crab) and really hoping this has no bearing on my parenting ability.

This is the AMAZINGLY beautiful two-days-after-Christmas sunrise outside our apartment. We spent Christmas Eve and some of Christmas Day in Roxboro. It started snowing there early on Christmas afternoon and didn't stop til the next day. We headed to Burlington Christmas evening and brought the snow with us. It stopped midday Sunday and we built a lovely snowman with gingersnap eyes, which Casey said was cruel because birds would come eat them. We headed back here Sunday night, and it was still snowing in Raleigh!!! Beautiful.

Me & Case did our Christmas on the Wednesday night before Christmas because it was the only night we both had off. Here's all the fun things he got me, including that once-beautiful pot of flowers. I ate all but like two of those delicious cookies by myself---I think he's trying to fatten me up. My personal favorite in this pile---the 64 box of Crayons. It has a sharpener people!!!

Here's Casey stash from me. He hasn't put this book down, and he went to that game wearing his new shirt yesterday afternoon. He called after the game and said "Yeah, it was a close one." Me: "Oh, really? What was the score?" Casey: "Like 103-52." Okay smartie Carolina fan. You've had your fun beating previously unknown teams...let's see what happens in conference play ;)

Us in front of our little baby tree (aka my parent's former TOP of an artificial tree) with my homemade ornaments, a few of my growing-up-years ornaments, two mini pairs of Chinese minority shoes, and a couple ornaments that friends made for us. Call me Charlie Brown, 'cause I love this humble little thing.

This is from that icy Wednesday a couple weeks ago, that unfortunately didn't get me out of work, but was beautiful with all the coated trees, and this pinestraw hanging off our neighbor's roof.

And, finally, early December out-of-the-blue-couple-inch snowfall that happened during a short trip to the mall with Erin for Christmas gifts. Love it! Merry Christmas 2010, & Happy 2011!