A Few of My Favorite Things

Here we are a few days before Christmas...is it just me or did it come FAST this year?  I just love this time of year though.  (It makes the cold bearable, lol!)  There are so many blessings in my life that make me incredibly grateful.  Maybe it's the holiday spirit, maybe it's being pregnant, or maybe it's a combination of both ; )  I've never in my life appreciated my family, my husband, my job, my home, or my health more than I do at this very moment.

Then there are those "less important" but nonetheless fun, tangible things that make me feel warm and fuzzy inside.  So, just for fun and in no particular order, here are a few of my favorite things right now:

These candles from Bath & Body Works that make our whole house smell like Christmas:

Our Christmas tree lit up at night:

 

This little blue box from Tiffany's that appeared tonight under the tree with my name on it...considering the hubbs never asked me what I wanted this year, I'm sure he did a great job!

Sitting in front of the fireplace with my new slippers - I LOOOOVE these! They are lined with fur and have cute sweater-knit ruffles.  They are one of the greatest pleasures for a pregnant woman's tired, sore, swollen feet:

This sweet little Hallmark Ornament that says "Our First Christmas Together 2010" that came in the mail today from some friends of Joe's parents -- SO thoughtful!!  (This is something that crossed my mind to buy for Joe and myself to commemorate our first Christmas together as a married couple -- but just plain forgot.  And I'm sure if I went out to buy one right now, they'd be sold out.  And then I'd get cranky and swear off ever setting foot in a Hallmark again.  I'm pretty sure I get that from my father!  Needless to say, I was overly excited when I opened this today!)

This little greyhound girl, even if she wouldn't cooperate for a holiday photo this year, lol!

And most of all, this ever-growing belly and the baby growing inside!  I can't wait to meet him or her in just 17 weeks!  Doesn't that sound SO much closer than April??  Plus, yesterday was the first official day of winter.  Normally, I would be groaning at this thought.  I HATE WINTER.  But stay with me here  -- the first day of winter means that each day of daylight from here on will get LONGER, meaning, we are inching closer to Spring!  Hard to believe with all the snow we've had (I know it doesn't even begin to compare to what they're getting back in Minnesota!)  So once Christmas and New Year's fly by, then it's Valentine's, then St. Patty's Day, and THEN winter is pretty much over!  See? 

Like I said, most of this is just "stuff" (OK, except my baby...I think I've called him/her an "it" too, so oops! Bad mommy!) but I hope we all take a moment to count our blessings, realize all that we have, don't focus on what we don't have, and see what's important this Christmas.  I hope everyone has a very Merry Christmas!!