the. favorite Christmas gifts. list

For this week's list, I thought I would spotlight my favorite Christmas gifts that Beckett and I received.  We got lots of great gifts but these three are my current favorites.

1. Beaba Babycook

There are things that I will do for Beckett and there are things that I absolutely won't do.  Cloth-diapering falls into the "no way in hell" category.  One thing I will do is make baby food.  It's cheaper to make it myself and I can make lots ahead of time and freeze it.  Plus, I will know exactly what he is eating and I think it will help him develop a more eclectic palette as he gets older.  This house does not need another picky eater.  The Babycook allows you to steam and blend food.  Then when you are ready to serve it, you can use it to defrost and heat the food.  I feel like we will be best friends.

2. Apple Macbook Air

Daniel gave me an Apple desktop computer two years ago and I have been an Apple convert ever since.  I had mentioned that a laptop would be nice since I very rarely have both hands free these days and sitting at the computer pretty much never happens but I never expected to get one.  I am in love with this computer.  It is light, fast, and allows me to browse and blog while I am holding a baby.  

3. The Jesus Storybook Bible

This was my favorite gift that Beckett received and it is my new go-to gift (sorry to ruin the surprise for any of my friends).  It is the perfect Bible for him.  It features different stories from the Bible and it really turns them into stories and breaks them down so children can understand.  Plus it has lots of bright, fun pictures that Beckett seems to enjoy.  He is getting a real Bible for his baptism but I know that we will get lots of use out of this one as well.    

Beckett's Christmas photoshoot

I have blogged a lot about my DSLR camera that I received last year and the practice I tried to get in before Beckett's arrival.  It has definitely paid off.  I have been trying to take lots of pictures to sharpen my skills.

I decided that we were going to a Christmas-themed photo shoot using the cutest reindeer hat I bought him on Etsy.  I love a themed anything.  Here are a few of my favorites.

I am definitely still an amateur but I am pretty proud of myself.  And just so you don't think the photo shoot was easy.  Here is how the majority of pictures turned out.

Beckett's first Christmas

I am finally blogging about Christmas!  I would say I've been busy but I'm not sure what I've been doing.  Beckett is really good at making the day go by super fast and leaving me wondering what exactly I've accomplished.

We had such a relaxing Christmas.  My family came to town which means that there was no traveling involved.  Beckett and I decided to stay home and let Daniel go to his family's celebrations solo.  Beckett is one of eight grandchildren which means there are lots of germs to be shared.  We still had NICU on the brain and he hadn't had any shots yet so we decided to avoid anywhere that could get us sick.  We are still avoiding children since flu is so bad in our area.

Staying at home meant we spent most of the day in our pajamas, which is pretty much our new normal. One day I will get it together and start dressing like an adult again.

Our celebrations started with a steak and crab legs dinner and midnight mass.  Beckett was a pro.  He fell asleep before mass started and stayed asleep until it was over.

Post-mass

Beckett's super cute outfit (Which was size 6 months.  They boy is long.)

We slept in on Christmas Day thanks to my parents and sister.  It is so nice to know that we will get a few extra hours thanks to my family.  They are often very needed.  My mom made blueberry muffins and I made a breakfast casserole.  Then it was time to open gifts.

All the presents

So big in his Bumba

We all made out pretty well.  Beckett had no idea what was going on but he got lots of fun presents that will hopefully bring him hours of enjoyment preferably not while being held.  We are still having issues with him wanting to be held.  All.  The.  Time.  

Some of Beckett's gifts.  Spoiled.

After lunch my mom started cooking and Daniel went over to his family's house.  This is what it looked like outside.

Miserable.

Beckett's first snow experience

I was definitely happy that we were staying inside.  I am all in for a white Christmas but I could have done without the 30 mph gusts.  However, we did take Beckett into our much less windy backyard for a photo op.

We had a late lunch and got to eat all our favorite things.  This lunch and the leftover that followed were my catalyst for Weight Watchers but it was worth every single calorie.

Then we had a post-dinner photo shoot.  The things you do when you have a baby.

The Browns

He loves a good photoshoot

And his aunt Shannon

I love this picture.  There is a funnier one but I thought I shouldn't post it.

I think Beckett had a pretty good first Christmas.  He may have had no idea what was going on but we have pictures to show him when he gets older.  We are so excited for next year when he can participate a little more.

Christmas at the Browns

It's Christmas Eve so I thought I would share some pictures of our decorations from this year.  I am a slow and steady type of gal when it comes to most things.  It took me about two weeks to get all of our decorations up and will probably take longer to take them down.  I also try to buy a few new decorations each year.  As much fun as Christmas decorations are, who wants to spend thousands of dollars on items you'll only have out for a month or so?  Not I.

I decided to display our Christmas cards in a new, Pinterest-inspired way this year.  I love getting Christmas cards and thankfully we get a lot.  I decided to hang ribbon and clothespin the cards to our kitchen cabinets.  I love how it turned out.  It's so fun to come into the kitchen and see all of our friends and family's faces!  After Christmas I plan on making a card album like I did with last year's cards.

Our new decoration for the kitchen was a Christmas-inspired floral arrangement that I commissioned.  Okay, I had it made but I have always wanted to commission something and it sounds fancier than saying I went to a local shop and had them throw it together. 

The family room is decorated the same as last year with garlands on the table and console.  I bought a painting of Santa Claus last year but I was never brave enough to face Hobby Lobby so it didn't get put out.  My goal for post-Christmas sale shopping is to find Christmas china.  I don't want anything too cute or too traditional so I have had a hard time.  Hopefully this year is the year that I succeed.

We decorated the living room a lot like last year as well.  The tree is different because I did it myself.  I am super proud of how it turned out.  It was my first year decorating my tree on my own because my friend Jennifer had a newborn.  We added a driftwood nativity.  A good, traditional nativity is also on my wishlist.  I would love a hand-carved one.  Maybe a Christmas market cruise is in order?  A final idea I stole from Pinterest was doing initials instead of gift tags.  I love a monogram in any form so I liked bringing that into our decor.  

Our tree at night

So that is our home this year.  I am so excited to see how it evolves over the years.  I have a feeling that next year's decor will be much more child-friendly since Beckett should be up and moving.  

Merry Christmas Eve from the Browns!

fill in the blank friday

It's Friday, which means I am hours away from the weekend, which means that Daniel will be home to help with the baby.  I have quickly realized that being a stay-at-home mom is a lot of work.  I am so thankful that I am able to stay at home but it is nice to have help in the evenings and on the weekends.  Plus, my mom will be back next week, so I will have help during the day.  Maybe I will be able to shower before 9pm.  That would be nice.

1.  When it comes to holiday shopping, I   do all of my shopping online, specifically at Amazon.  For the past two years, I have not bought a single gift in a store.  It is so much easier and I get two free-day shipping since I am Prime    .

2.  A few things on my Chritmas wish list are...  a baby food maker, a Le Creuset french oven, and season 3 of Downton Abbey     .

3.  An intangible gift I would like to receive is   a full night's sleep. That would be amaze-fest USA  .

4. A gift I would like to give this year is   to find the perfect gift for Daniel.  He is the hardest person to shop for.  No kidding, Today Show did a segment on technology-related gifts and he already owned every single item.  Maybe I'll just slap a bow on the baby and call it good  .

5. My Christmas will be spent  at our home with my family.  We are so excited that they are coming and even more excited to start some new traditions with Beckett. .

6. My most favorite Christmas gift of all time was  a Coach purse that my parents got me.  I wanted it so bad and I thought that there was no way I would ever get it.  It was the beginning of my love affair with handbags.  I also love my DSLR camera  .

7.  The best thing about the holidays is  the decorations and the general sense of goodwill among people .

Insta-update

We have a new nickname for Beckett. The Dictator. He calls the shots.

His newest passion is being held. He won't sleep unless he is being held. We let him "cry it out" for 30 minutes last night before I cracked.

It's hard to blog while holding a baby. Trust me, I'm doing it right now. So I thought I would share some of my recent Instagram photos.

Beckett had his first photo shoot

After two weeks of procrastinating, I decorated our tree

Beckett met Santa for the first time

And joined the Texas Tech legacy program.  Wreck 'em!

I mail merged, labeled, and mailed out birth announcements

And Beckett slept (while being held)

A belated Christmas craft (#27)

I started this project two months ago but you cannot rush greatness. I saw this idea on Pinterest, shocker I know, and I thought that it was the perfect way to make a keepsake out of all the Christmas cards we get. I always feel awful throwing away Christmas cards because I know how much money people spend on them. This is a perfect and super easy solution.

Begin by punching two holes in all of the cards. I did horizontal cards first and then the vertical cards, but it doesn't really matter. I am super OCD but even I didn't get too crazy about punching the holes symmetrically. Honestly, you can't really tell if they are perfectly straight so calm down.



After you get holes punched in all of your cards, stack them so that the holes line up. I didn't place my cards in any real order but you can. You could do family and then friends. You could even do favorite to least favorite friends but I guess that wouldn't be keeping with the holiday spirit.

So after you've finished ranking your friends, place a binder ring through each hole. It is seriously that easy. I made a cover for our little book with the year on it and then laminated it so it wouldn't tear. The plan is to the set the books out every year at the holidays. This is such a fun way to look back on how your friends and family have changed over the years and save some trees in the process.


The finished product


Ta da!

Christmas in the City (#7)

I get to cross my first official item off my 30 before 30 list! We fulfilled a life long dream and got to experience New York City at Christmas. We both like going to New York, but I probably like it more. I love everything about the city. All the people, all the shopping, all the restaurants, and the fast pace.

We left town right before a blizzard and arrived in New York where it was a glorious 50 degrees. The weather was in the high 40s to low 50s the entire time we were there, which was amazing. A lot of people asked if we were upset that it didn't snow while we were there, but I can see snow at home and it hinders my shopping experience.

We stayed at the Hotel Plaza Athenee, which is on the Upper East Side (or Blair Waldorf adjacent). It is my favorite hotel that we have stayed at so far. By city standards the rooms were HUGE plus it was pretty fancy and I love fancy.


The hotel - picture from orbitz.com


Our room

As soon as we got to our hotel, Daniel got called by work. He had installed some new computer equipment at a feedlot and the touchscreen went down and of course he was the only one who knew how to fix it. So I spent my first three hours in the city drinking in the hotel room. I'm not going to complain too much because if it wasn't for his job I would be working full time and we wouldn't be able to travel. I'm also not going to complain because I got a new Burberry purse compliments of his guilt.

I plan pretty much everything around food and there are so many amazing places to eat that it is super overwhelming. The first night we ate at Bistro Chat Noir, which was like two blocks from hotel. It was cozy and the food was great. We had truffle mac'n'cheese (which was almost as good at the Cowboys) to start and Daniel ordered the Black Cat Burger and I got Pappardelle BLT. Supposedly Christina Aguilera ate there the week after us. I'm sad I missed her because I feel like she could use a good pep talk.


Food at Bistro Chat Noir

The next day we went and explored Rockefeller Center and shopped. We went to Top of the Rock, which was pretty cool but also very cold and windy.


The Rockefeller Center tree


The postage stamp-sized skating rink


Radio City


Central Park from the Top of the Rock


The Empire State Building from the Top of the Rock

That night we ate dinner at Il Mulino and we are still talking about how good it was. I read that it was hard to get reservations but we got in and it was amazing. Everyone is Italian and as soon as you sit down they bring you food. I liked the appetizers more than the meal. They gave you fresh parmigiano reggiano, bruschetta, fried zucchini, bread, and salami. We also were sitting next to a group of Jersey boys, which made the experience more authentic.


Getting ready to experience Il Mulino

We finally got to eat at the Clinton St. Baking Company. I got their cookbook for Christmas two years ago and everything looked amazing. There was an hour wait, but we took that as a good sign. Everything was delicious and I would definitely go back. Their jam was almost as good as Mama's in San Francisco and that jam changed my life.


The front entrance


The Farmer's Plate, how fitting


City lights at night


This picture does not even capture how crowded Times Square was

On a side note, if you are ever planning a trip to New York for New Years and are thinking about inviting us, don't. I'm going to save you time and say there are a 101 things I would rather do. I can't handle that many people in such a small area.


I love me some Mary


The theatre


Waiting for the show to start


It's starting!

I give Mary Poppins a 6 out of 10. I am a traditionalist and I really loved the movie growing up and the musical is not the movie. There are new songs and different characters, and all I wanted was some Mary and Burt. The other thing that made me sad was that people do not dress up for anything anymore. It was crazy to see kids in sweatpants. Dear America, I love a yoga pant as much as the next person but it will not kill you to dress up and make certain events a little more special.

So that was our trip in a nutshell. I'm glad I put it on my 30 before 30 list and I already want to go back this summer.