Christmas 2012

We celebrated Christmas in Minnesota on the 16th. Ed got me the Northface jacket I had been wanting. I got Ed some dvds and clothes he had been wanting. Of course Mav couldn't be left empty-handed, he made out with a large candy cane shaped bone and a new stuffed toy....to de-stuff :) A few pics from around the house for Christmas!

Mav by the tree

Stockings by the chimney

My snowman table!

Mav and his new bone

Mav loves his new toys

In keeping with our tradition of traveling for Christmas.....we headed out to Michigan/Indiana this year! It was a little snowy the day we were supposed to leave so we stayed home that night and relaxed and then got a jump start at 5 am the next day. We ended up making good time and still got to Janet and John's by late afternoon. After 9 hours in the car, Mav was ready to play. Luckily so were Max and Sam! We had a relaxing rest of the day. The next day everyone arrived! There were 10 adults, 2 kids, and 5...yes FIVE dogs. It was crazy, chaotic, and SO much fun! We loved every second we got with our family. Due to the distance between us all we rarely see our nieces so it was so fun to get a few days with them. We went on a long hike with them through all the dunes with all the dogs in tow. It was a perfect idea, when we got home it was nap time for all the pups! The rest of us watched movies, played games, and then Janet had a birthday cake to celebrate Ed's 30th a few days early.

Mav running on the beach

Mallory walking on the Lake Michigan shoreline

Headed towards the Dunes

Mav says "So you're saying you DON'T want me to go for a swim?"

John, Andy, and 4 of the dogs on top of a small dune

The next day was Christmas Eve. We opened gifts in the morning, baked Christmas cookies, played with our new gifts, and eventually headed to Eds Aunt's place to see extended family. While there it was more food and games! We played apples to apples with all the kids...I had my 5 year old niece on my team and let her make all the choices.....somehow this adorable little girl actually won the whole game....twice!!! Maybe I should think like a 5 year old when I play it :) She was so excited to have won both games, it was adorable. Keeping with tradition shortly after dinner, Santa came to the house to give all the kids a gift. I absolutely love this idea and can't wait till Ed and I have kids of our own to do this with.

Mav navigating through all the gifts

The girls gettin ready to pass out gifts

Making Christmas Cookies

Grace's Creation

Mallory working on her Cookies

Cadence passed out on the couch!

Janet's Tree

Grace and Winnie snuggling

4/5 dogs waiting by the treat closet for Grandma :)

Mav and Max playing tug of war

My happy boy in his Christmas collar!

Family Picture of the Geary side....and all 5 dogs!

Les & Nate....guys you look lonely without a dog....hint hint :)

Ed, me and Mav

Courtney, Andy, Mallory, Grace, and Winnie

All the girls!

John, Janet, Max, and Sam

Kyle, Marghi, and Cadence

For Christmas day we drove down to Indiana to see the Collin's side of the family. We played a really fun trivia game that I totally sucked at but it was still fun :) We opened gifts and then had a delicious meal. Shortly after all that Ed and I headed back to Michigan since we had to get up early for the "fun" drive home the next day. We made it back to Michigan in time for a fast walk on the bluff before packing up everything.

The Collins' side of the family

Walkin on the bluff

Look Mom, Polar Bears!! :) Haha

We got out of Michigan early enough on Wednesday that we hit virtually no traffic on the drive home which was great. It was a fantastic Christmas. As always it is always hard only seeing one side of our family for a holiday but we sure enjoyed the family we did get to spend it with :) Can't wait till our next Christmas!!

Holiday Parties and Elf the musical!!

Well got a little behind on the blogging with all the holiday craziness and then Ed's birthday and then Eds surprise birthday party! So I figure I better this updated or I'll never do it :)

Back in December we had the first Christmas party with my new job. It was SO much fun!! They had it at a very nice country club in Edina. They provided free drinks and appetizers for cocktail hour. After we had a delicious meal and amazing chocolatey fudge cake. SO good! Around 11 as the party was wrapping up we went out for an after party. We ended up at Bunny's which was a really fun bar to have a few beers and hang out with my co-workers longer. Here are a few pics from the night:

Some of the nurse's and PNPs

Love these girls

Some of the girls

Having so much fun

Hanging out at Bunnys afterwards

The next day after nursing a slight hangover we met my sister and brother in law in St. Paul for an afternoon showing of Elf the musical. The inside of the Ordway was decorated very Christmasey, it was gorgeous. They had tons of Elf souvenirs so clearly I needed a tshirt that said "santa I know him!" The musical itself was great! They didn't quite stick to the storyline and my two favorite songs from the movie weren't in it (Baby its cold outside and Santa Clause is coming to down) but I still really enjoyed it. Then again, I'm easily amused!! After we took a few pictures then walked down the street to try a new restaurant for dinner. It was really good. I love trying new places! The chili was seriously to die for! We will be going back there sometime soon!!!

Decorations inside....love how festive!!

Ahhh Santa! So cute in the tree

Les and Nate! So So So happy to have them back in Minneapolis

Ed and I after the show

Well I think that's it for tonight! Will try and post about Christmas tomorrow and all of Ed's 30th birthday festivities soon!!!

Christmas traditions

Ever since we've been engaged Hubby and I have tried to do start some Christmas traditions.....well besides our tradition of driving 8+ hours every Christmas to be with our families! One of the ones that has stuck is picking out a new Christmas ornament each year. This weekend we went out looking for the 2012 ornament. We finally found it! It is from Nightmare Before Christmas. Kind of a fun theme for both of us. My high school dance team danced out the story (I was the fat prisoner kiddo that helped kidnap santa clause). Hubby just loves the movie! So here it is! (Also bonus pic of Mav bc he's a nosey dog and had to inspect the ornament!)

Thanksgiving

I can't believe the Holiday's are already here! I was supposed to be working Thanksgiving this year and was so sad about that....and the fact that it would throw off the holiday rotation we have....BUT then I got an awesome new job and holidays are not not an issue :)

Ed and I headed to Illinois the Tuesday before Turkey day. It was a long and incredibly foggy drive. Mav did AWESOME in the car and slept the whole way (jerk). I tell ya there is nothing sadder then being squished in the front and tired after working all day then looking in the backseat to see 80 pounds of love all stretched out and comfy 100% unconscious. Thanks for rubbing it in Mav :) We made a pit stop in Iowa City and got Caribou for us and a dog treat for Mav. I love how they give dog biscuits out! We made it to my parents close to midnight!

Wednesday I got up and had coffee with my mom and ran Thanksgiving errands while Ed stayed at home to work (lucky him). Ed met us and my dad and little bro for lunch and then we all split up. Dad went back to work. Jeff and Ed went home. Me and Mom went shopping. I had to swing by Apricot Lane (new favorite store, SUCH cute stuff!) to pick up 2 cardigans I had ordered online and exchange a necklace. Luckily for my credit card there was nothing else that I wanted there! Wednesday night my other bro and sis in law came to stay the night. We exchanged Christmas presents with them since we won't see them at Christmas. I got an awesome wine bag that chills wine in 10 minutes (HELLO PERFECT GIFT!) and some bowls I had been wanting from Crate and Barrel for like 5 months.  That night we all relaxed and had my favorite pizza and drinks.

On Thanksgiving mom was hosting the whole family. There were 18 people and 2 dogs. Talk about a full house! I was a little nervous about how Mav would do with that many people so I took him on a 3 mile run to exhaust him. It worked, he was an angel. No jumping on the grandmas and no barking! He just layed in the living room and chewed a bone, I was so happy he was good. It was awesome to see my entire family. Literally everybody but my cousin and her husband were able to make it. It was loud, crowded, and SO FUN! My mom of course made all my favorites and it was delicious. I found a new favorite wine thanks to my aunt Cindy. By night time we were all in a turkey coma...and as Thanksgiving passed.....we crossed the line where it is socially acceptable to listen to Christmas music!!!! (Dont get me wrong its totally been on in my car since Sirius XM launched their station but now I can't be judged for listening!)

Friday and Saturday were spent with more family time, more eating, and lots of shopping. Sadly I did not get any good black friday deals, but it was still fun going out :) Friday I did try to hunt down a vacuum for a black friday deal. How sad is that, now instead of looking for deals on clothes I am getting home appliances....I feel so grown up now :( I did not have luck with the vacuum, but I did get a steam mop I'd been wanting for 50% off at Target so I guess it was a successful day. I also got a few books to read. Our annual Christmas book and then Gone Girl. I have heard SO many good things about Gone Girl and can not wait to get it started!!!

Saturday we took Grandma to lunch, to a few stores she doesn't get to on her own anymore, and then home.  We helped my brother and sis in law with some yardwork then headed back home. That night we celebrated Christmas with my parents. We made out like bandits :P Afterwords we went to the country club for dinner and even got a pic of mom by her parking space she won over the summer for being the country club champ in womens golf! That night we watched basketball and went to bed early so we'd be rested for our "fun" drive home the next day. As always our trip home went way to fast. So thankful we got to see so many family members and have so much time with mom & dad :) Already looking forward to our next trip to Illinois....or mom and dad's next trip here, whatever happens first!

Putting their new ornament on the tree....Go redbirds!

Modeling her new clothes

Ed got his video game.....yay for him...booo for me!

Dad in his new ISU gear

Mavs toy from Grandma



Yay new clothes!

Mom in front of her parking sign at the club!

Now....bring on Christmas!!! Posts of our very decorated house to come :)

Girls Weekend!

I love all the time I get to spend with the hubby, but every now and then a girl needs a girls weekend :) In the beginning of November I was lucky enough to have one with two of my favorite girls from grad school. I don't know how I would have gotten through grad school without them. We had been trying to find a weekend for over a year but between work, weddings, and babies it was not working out. In July we finally looked out far enough to find the lone November weekend we all had free. We locked it down and then I waited impatiently for almost 5 months for it to get here!

The girls got in late Friday so we ordered pizza, opened a few bottles of wine, and popped in Magic Mike. There was lots of laughing and catching up! Hopefully we weren't too loud for Ed and Mav :) Saturday we went to my favorite breakfast place in Blaine. It has THE best pancakes ever. Everything is homemade there and I love taking all our visitors up there. After we high tailed it to Mall of America and let our shopping spree begin. A few coffee breaks, snack breaks, lots of shopping, and about 6 hours later we left with aching feet and empty wallets.

The Saturday night we took on downtown Minneapolis. I took the girls to Hells Kitchen which is my current food obsession. They have awesome live music and the food is amazing! I went with my standard bison burger and sweet potato fries....I know what you're thinking...bison burger? I thought that too the first time, I mean why would a burger loving girl like me venture from beef?! Ummm b/c it is the most tender delicious meat ever! Oh and its healthier so thats a perk. After eating we went to my new favorite bar, Prohibition. It has gorgeous views of the city as its on the 20 something floor of a hotel. Its very swanky and has over priced drinks....but they were delicious! A few martinis later we headed home and had a dance party with the kinect :)

Jenn, Me, and Nikki at Prohibition

Delicious Martinis!

It was a perfect and much needed girls weekend!! Special thanks for the Hubby for putting up with us!! Was sad to see the girls go but can't wait to do this again!! Love you girls, thanks for visiting!!!