fourty-one.: snowy day!

" Baby, picture you and me. Hanging 'round the Christmas tree. Pretty lights and an angel up above, Christmas of love."

- The Grinch; Christmas of Love

Well, it's finally here! Our first snow, in New Jersey at least! Best part is, I have today off. :) It's so fun to cozy up with a cup of tea & Aladdin. Yes, Aladdin... great movie! It was on the Disney channel. Also, Mike's gift came today! 8:43am rolled around, and they walked right up. Now, after holding the secret in for two weeks, which is a REALLY long time for me, I have to stare (and NOT open.. or I'll get yelled at) this gift. I'll put some follow-up images after he opens it.

Anyway, this past weekend I finally started to get in the holiday spirit. I went home to see my mom and spent the weekend buying gifts, baking, putting up a Christmas tree and playing with babies! I mean - it really doesn't get much better than that. I got all my Christmas shopping done, except for Tonka. I can't believe that Christmas is only a week and a half away... no idea how that happened, or where this year went.

It's amazing how people really don't slow down. Ever. No matter what. That's one thing that gets to me about New Jersey. People don't even have time to put their carts back. It takes approximately one minute to take a cart back. No one really does that here. I think that's my next move. I want to move somewhere where people have time to put their shopping carts back. It's weird, yes... but it's the little things. It's always about the little things.

When I look back to where I was last year at this exact moment. I was graduating school. I was moving to New Jersey - a place where I knew NO ONE. Starting my career, or what I thought was my career. The financial markets weren't falling. I just bought a new car. I started to miss Happy Valley the moment I left. Now.. where I am.

I still miss Happy Valley more than anything. I have a dog. I have STUFF. Like.. actual house stuff. New kitchen appliances, a huge entertainment center, a freaking custom made dog litter box and custom bed, a WALK IN closet. I never thought I'd get one of those. My job has it's ups and downs - usually downs... but I've learned SO much. I found a boy (or he found me?) that I can honestly say I love more than life itself. I have a new niece that was born on Valentine's Day. My sister moved to Wisconsin (who moves to WISCONSIN?!). My Mom flew for the first time. I went to Bonnaroo! Laynie is talking. Megan is walking..... and I'm a grown up (ick).

Here are a few to hold you over. :)

Mike's House! This is what he spent all weekend doing.