Simple and Relaxing

We have no big extravagant plans for News Year's Eve tomorrow and I am so excited about it! We will have my hubby's son Nate {who we have every other weekend} so we are planning a nice relaxing evening over at my sisters house, yay!

The boys plan to grill steaks {in whats left of the snow} and we'll have all the fixings...I am so very excited about it! I am not quite sure how the boys plan to grill steaks outside in the freezing temps, but I am sure that they have some sort of plan in the works, ha! I love hanging out over at my sisters house. We always have a super fun and silly time, plus the kids {she has 3 that love to play with Nate} always have fun when they get to get together and play!

I can remember when I was in my early twenties {yikes} and New Year's Eve was always such a big deal. The special occasion called for serious planning of the evening as well as a new outfit especially for that night! We always had a ton of fun, but by the end of the night we were always exhausted from the crowds and all the festivities.

It's funny how things change...when I think back on all the parties here and there and the celebrations that always took place, I think "why did I ever think that was fun?" I feel like I am more content now than I have ever been. I am totally content with just hanging out over at my sisters house and just having a low-key night and I couldn't have imagined that for myself just 6 short years ago. Do you find yourself feeling the same way?

I absolutely love that I am spending the holiday with all the people that mean the most to me. I can't think of a better way to start the new year than with my wonderful husband completely surrounded by family. What plans do you have for tomorrow night? Whatever your plans are, I hope that you have a wonderful time...I am so excited to ring in 2010!

I know that God has a perfect plan for us {and you too} and I can't wait to see what blessings unfold for us in the New Year! I will continue to put my trust in Him because only He knows my heart!

Happy New Year's Eve lovelies!! Let the countdown to midnight begin...yay!

Natalie

Excessive All the way Around

Does anyone else think that this is a tad bit excessive? Coffee, tea {unsweet of course} and more tea! By the looks of things I am pretty sure you would think that I was seriously parched and this was all just while I was at work!

The Starbucks cup that you see...I am completely obsessed with it! My best friend Tennyson got me this cup for Christmas and I do not joke when I say that it was probably one of my favorite gifts received! It is an insulated cup so it never sweats and I am definitely not a fan of a sweaty cup, ha! If you don't have this cup you might have not known until just now, but you desperately need it! It is not only super cute, but also fits perfectly in the car.

Which reminds me...I have to bribe my handsome hubby to dig my car out of the ice/snow from the Christmas Blizzard of 2009 {as the news appropriately has dubbed it} for work tomorrow. My car has not moved since Wednesday of last week and this is her current state of snow covered oblivion...

I think that the weatherman has predicted more snow/ice this week! You would think that we were in Montana by the looks of things around here, but no it's just Oklahoma. You never know about the weather around here, it was 60 degrees one day last week then snowing the next! In fact they have a saying that if you don't like the weather in Oklahoma, just wait 5 minutes, ha!

Natalie

In All Her Glory

I thought that before December ended I should probably admit that I am a total procrastinator post pictures of my Christmas Tree, ha! I sure do love how she turned out this year, so without further ado...here she is in all her Glory!

I don't know if you can tell or not, but the tree shirt is actually toole that I bunched around the base with a strand of lights placed underneath. The idea for the lights under the toole was from my sweet friend Brooke, we have the same sense of style and I just love her!

Here is a picture of one of my favorite ornaments...

My tree just isn't complete without the accent of some glittery gold curly-q's...

A little touch of some zebra ribbon placed here and there...

And of course a crown of glitter and jewels placed on top!

Well, better late than never I suppose...I hope that you enjoyed the pics! We are still trying to dig out of the Christmas Blizzard of 2009 around here! Who knew dreaming of a White Christmas could get you a full blown blizzard, ha!

A Very Merry Christmas to You!

We have had a lovely white Christmas here in Oklahoma, in fact a blizzard of a snow storm moved in yesterday to grant my Christmas wish for snow. I absolutely love, love, love when it snows and there sure was plenty of it!

I don't think that my car will be able to move out of the driveway for a couple of days, but thankfully my hubby has a truck that we have been on the move in all day. We had to make Christmas at his Grandparents with all the fam and it sure was fun!

I hope that you have had a wonderful time with your family today celebrating. I am so thankful for my wonderful hubby, family, and friends but I am most of all so thankful for Jesus!

An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord." John 2: 10-11

Happy CHRISTmas Eve, Eve!

Make a Smilebox invite

She's off the Market...

Did you hear the news?? Oklahoma's very own Carrie Underwood is engaged!

I just think that Carrie is so super cute and always so very fashionable!

She was flashing her new engagement ring at a hockey game this past weekend while watching her fiance at work.

Her Canadian hockey player beau is Mike Fisher...looking very dashing here in his suit and tie!

I have to say that I think they make a pretty cute couple.

Just look at how cute she is here at a hockey game, just watching her man, she is such a beauty!

I hope that you girlie's are having a super great week so far! I can't believe that Christmas is only 3 days away, I am so excited.

I still have not even started wrapping presents which I take great pride in, but I think that I am going to save that until Christmas Eve since I am off work. I still have yet to post a picture of my tree, so hopefully I can get that done tonight!

Natalie

Advent Calendars

My church is doing something really uplifting that I wanted to share with you.

They have created a fabulous Advent Daily Devotional Calendar. Aside from the time that we spend in prayer and in the Word each day, this calendar will provide you with a daily Bible verse as well as a thought/question for the day in preparation for the birth of Jesus. As Christmas time approaches it is important that we remember exactly what we are celebrating...the best Gift ever, Jesus!

There are two calenders that you can choose from. There is an adult calendar as well as a calendar that you can do with the kids as a family. I have added the links below to each calender for you to print out. I made a paper chain out of our devotional...I printed our calendar out, then cut each daily devotional into a strip, making a circle out of each strip, then linking them all together by date. You could make your paper chain more fun by printing your calendar on alternating red and green construction paper, how cute would that be?

Click here for the Adult Calendar

Click here for the Family Calendar

I hope that everyone is having a fabulous day!

xoxo Natalie

HP Giveaway!

This is for sure a giveaway that you don't want to miss out on! Head on over and visit BooMama's Giveaway page and register to win this...

{picture from BooMama's Blog}

That's right friends...a brand new HP Touchsmart 600 computer! Wow, what a prize it would be to win this beauty! Oh and just by heading over to the Blogher site you can enter yourself for 4 more chances to win this lovely HP with 4 other bloggers...yippie!

Merry SITSmas!

{this is my tree from last year...we are headed to the Christmas Tree Farm this weekend}

It's time for the annual Merry SITSmas party today over at The Secret is in the Sauce and you have to check it out! It will be so super fun for sure! They are giving away a different prize every hour, wow!

As a SITS girl we are all about some comment love, so I will be sure to visit as many of my Sitstas as I can today to wish everyone a Very Merry Christmas! While you're here, you might want to watch this hilarious video of me and my handsome hubby...I elfed us, ha! Thanks so much for stopping by my blog and hope to see y'all back very soon.

I hope that all you girls have a wonderful Holiday season, Merry Christmas!

XOXO,

Natalie