Where has the time gone...

I can't believe it's almost Christmas, and I haven't posted in SO long. Here's the scoop... life has been so busy with Kyle working crazy hard to finish up his first semester well. (Yes, I'm going to totally brag my hubby up: he doesn't have anything lower than a B *third year engineering, that's amazing!... He gets up super early and drags his butt to school to study every possible chance he has, and he hasn't missed a single assignment). Kyle is so much better at time management with school than I ever was, and I am so incredibly PROUD of him. I can't wait to see him walk across that stage in a little over a year!! 

I've been busy too: leading youth band and singing in choir at our church, keeping our house running smoothly, trying to prepare for Christmas (failing slightly, I have to get my butt in gear!)... going to the gym as often as I can, working full time. This pace is busy, but in such a different way for me. I am so used to being in school mode and it's nice/bizarre/sad/weird to be in the full time work mode now while Kyle finishes. I'm not sure if I will ever go back, I might one day... right now I'm just focusing on encouraging Kyle to do his absolute best (read: he's rocking it). 

One thing that we have done to prepare for Christmas (a little early)... was putting up our tree! When I was little, we always (or at least as I remember) had a real tree. This year, with the height of our apartment ceiling, cost and white carpet it just wasn't feasible. I was a little disappointed at first, especially when I saw the lack of affordable/nice selection at stores when we went shopping. In a last ditch effort, we stopped in at Home Depot...and there it was! A tree that fit perfectly in our apartment (with room for an Angel of course!) and didn't look like a sad little Charlie Brown version. It's red and gold themed*, and I found out that Kyle is super picky traditional when it comes to decorations! I love it so much, when we were putting it up and finally plugged it in to see the first glimpse I almost burst into tears. Who am I turning into?! A little puddle, that's who...couldn't be more happy to finally be Kyle's wife for our first Christmas! 

Our first Christmas tree: Just missing an Angel and a tree skirt! 

Things that I want to do this Christmas: 

- Put up our first Christmas tree: CHECK

- Decorate our house with a few decorations (Yep, I'm going to turn into a decoration collector just like my mama. I am not ashamed... I LOVE it)

- Make our annual gingerbread house. (And if you think that super easy and fun...oh it's fun, but it becomes a lot more complicated when you are married to an engineer and he insists on helping *mind you, any gingerbread house we ever make will never, and I mean never fall down!

-Do some Christmas baking! (Again, not going to attempt the levels my mom usually does...that woman can out bake Paula Deen in her sleep)... But I would like to bake some cookies for work colleagues and friends. 

-Get our Christmas shopping done by at least the 15th... oh geez. I need to start shopping year round (I seriously say that every year, and I never do it!!). 

-Buy our first Nativity scene to put up! 

What family traditions do you have? Have you made any new ones since getting married or having kids? 

*sidenote, I can't WAIT to babies one day so we can do fun Christmas traditions with them!

*note, if you are thinking "what a weirdo, who themes their Christmas tree"... the answer is: this girl. I grew up every single year having a themed Christmas tree. Eg: Color themed, Santa, old fashioned ornaments etc. 

Well if you got through that post of me rambling... kudos. Happy Friday, and Happy Christmas preparations. 

*Post's to come: -Protein, and how it's saving me/ Thank you for the four years/ Gym & fitness update...