Merry Chirstmas Ya Filthy Animal

I'm back tracking here, but the holidays were so wild and crazy I had no time to update the blog with Christmas fun.

We kick off Christmas with a Holiday Dirty Santa/Birthday Bash for my friend, Whitney, at her lake house each year on the 23rd of December.

The only rules are: bring a Dirty Santa gift, show up ready to have fun, and DRESS FESTIVE in some way.

Costumes this year included: a cute little elf, a tacky Christmas Redneck,  a weird perv skeezer named Bobby, a candy land unicorn, Uncle Eddie from Christmas Vacation, and even Santa Claus.

A few weeks before the party I excitedly called Ryan to let him know that I had a grand idea for our Christmas outfits for the party.

We were Christmas Villains, in the form of Harry and Marv from Home Alone.

 

The WET Bandits

Dirty Santa always gets crazy! This year was no exception. I ended up with some Christmas Panties and a bottle of wine. According to our party hostess, Ryan and I also won the costume contest this year!!

The yellow flower had to be held by the person choosing a gift.

This fun evening is the perfect way to kick off the holiday weekend. Christmas gets so busy and this is the best way for all of us to get together before the madness of family fun sets in. It was definitely a rowdy night-- at one point fireball whiskey was being passed around and sipped straight from the bottle, which made things quite interesting to say the least.

Family Fun for the Holidays

This week I have been hard core into the Christmas spirit!

Christmas is the most wonderful time of the year... and family time only makes it even better! 

Tuesday night I went over to my grandmother's house to help my two cousin's, Kylee and Heath, create the most spectacular gingerbread house ever seen.

Look how perfect it turned out. Great attention to detail.

They were super proud of our little creation. We had to text pictures of it to their Gigi, Ryan and
Deidra.

Jump ahead a couple of days....

I wanted to show off my Christmas tree to my family so last night I invited my parents, grandparents and cousins (ten folks total) over for what I called the Holiday Christmas Tree Viewing & Dinner Party on McClellan Street.

Ahhhhhhhh!



Photo bomb by Maggie

We sipped wine and snacked on apps while also singing a few holiday songs (at Kylee's request).

Heath LOVED the appetizer portion. He snacked away on the Bacon cheddar dip I made.

Myself, my grandma, and my mom. Maggie is attempting to escape. Ha.

Maggie was bothered for roughly 10 minutes because I made her put on her Christmas sweater for our Holiday Party. 

After our rendition of Rodolph the Red Nose Reindeer it was time for dinner.

I provided dinner and my home, my grandmother brought homemade biscuits, and my mom brought dessert!

I love my family and any time we spend together is just perfect in my opinion! The only thing that could have made it any better would have been if all of our family lived in town and could have joined in on the fun.

A Nifty Little Thing

I got my dad, bro and hunky hubster a cool little prize, which I just knew would make all of their Christmas Dreams come true.

Then I forgot about the nifty little stocking stuffer and didn't give them to them until this week. I suppose it made their New Year's Dreams come true.

What this I speak of? Oh, well, and ice scraper built into a glove to keep your paws warm while scrapping away the ice left in the trail of night with Jack Frost.

Here it is:

Nifty, huh?

It's been cold the last couple of days and this morning I had to borrow Ryan's and put it to work!! Although Ryan should have been the one using it

About to go to work...

I will have you know my hand was awfully warm as I scrapped the ice away! Off to work I rode thinking to myself.... Christmas Dreams do come true.

Chirstmas Past

Well, Christmas has come and gone.

It is honestly a marathon for Ryan and I. We started with family stuff and the Friday night before Christmas Eve and did. NOT. STOP. until after midnight Christmas Day. It was intense. It was fun. IT WAS TIRING.

I'm kind of in a place in which I find myself wondering at what point do we draw the line or split ways for a few of the family gatherings. It's just that intense for us....

But don't get me wrong.... we had an awesome Christmas with family and friends.

I made lots of video and even took some family photos.

Enjoy a peek at our Christmas:

The pups didn't know what to think of Santa.

Word.

Opening Presents!

My dad is so tickled because when he opened his present he realized that he and my mom gave each the same thing.

Hope everyone had a Merry, Merry Christams!

New Year Post coming soon.

O.T.W. -- Wrapping Up Chirstmas Shopping

Friday night I met Deidra for wine and tapas in our little downtown area.

It was lovely!

Saturday I wrapped up my Christmas shopping. I might be random... who knows, but everyone has a Christmas prize and it's the thought that counts at the end of the day! Right?


I hate to ruin the surprise but Merry Christmas to Ryan!

After some serious shopping we decided that Mexican was in order as well as a good ole Margarita!

Shopping can really get you worked up!! Margarita's really take the edge off.

Saturday was also my Dad's birthday, but he had to work. Sad. However, we made up for it by feasting at a local BBQ restaurant in celebration on Sunday!!

When I say feast... I mean FEAST! Please note how much food came out!! No one left hungry.

Fun Times!!

Our Christmas tree!

Count down to Christmas is on at our house!! (which means Ryan had better work me out a Christmas gift because as of yesterday I had no presents under the tree).

Oh Hi, Friday! Good to See You!

Can you believe Christmas is in just nine days? I have got to get aggressive this weekend and finish up my shopping. I started out strong and then fizzled out.

On to more important matters....

Yesterday I was out of work, as I've been beat down by a serious cold. This is no fun, however, it did allow me to curl up on the couch for a day and half and indulge in Christmas movies and daytime television.

Yesterday morning the nominations for Golden Globes were announced. Nothing huge about that, however, what was awesome about it was Gerard Butler.

How handsome! Ryan was getting ready for work, and I found myself suggesting he grow his hair out like Mr. Butler's. And then that accent.... I watch P.S I Love You every time it's on because of this guy.

I think I have a thing for bearded men that look a little rough around the edges!!

Later in the day I realized I actually was quite ill when I watched an entire LIFETIME movie. I loathe Lifetime movies, yet in a drug induced haze I found myself engulfed in figuring out who the murder was, what his motives were, and why all those women were being killed?

It got weird.

After some serious TV watching I hit the web. This little snippet, "Shit Girls Say" cracks me up. I watched it earlier in the week and then again yesterday. It's so true. I say every single thing mentioned.

I mean, listen, can you do me a huge favor? Hilarious.

Then I found out that yet another Nicholas Sparks book, Lucky One, will be coming to theaters in the near future. The main star happens to be a celebrity crush of mine (one of many)!

It might be a good one... who knows.

That's all I've got for today...

...I hope you all are done shopping and can spend your weekend gazing at your Christmas Tree whilst sipping hot chocolate.  I will be fighting the holiday crowds to hook Daddy, The In-Laws and Ryan up with a Christmas gifts! No family member left behind!!!!

HO! HO! HO!

OTW... Gearing Up For Christmas

Around this Sanford Household this past weekend we were gearing up for the Christmas Season!! Love it!

-I blasted Christmas music while Ryan and I decorated our tree. 


Look at that sheer excitement on my man's face.



-I purchased Kourtney Kardashian's "Kourt is RED-i for a Pedi" for cheerful nails.

-I watched The Holiday while wrapping gifts... because that always gets me in the spirit.

I'm normally not the kind of person who takes the time to wrap gifts pretty. Usually, I throw some wrapping paper on with a pre-made bow. However, this weekend I spent a little extra time and I'm so grateful I did. Isn't my gift wrapping beautiful?

-Lastly, I made Maggie rock her new Christmas sweater just because.

It was a laid back weekend, but just what the doctor ordered since it's about to be a jammed packed holiday season!

Random Nonsense/Making up for Lost Time/A Reason to Google "Ryan Gosling Shirtless"

It's Random Nonsense Friday, crazies.

1. I made a Christmas List for my husband, family, and In-laws. I realize that makes me seem like an eight-year-old, but they asked me for it. I had a job to do and I did it.

Here are a few things I'm longing for this Christmas Season:

1 : 2 : 3 : 4 : 5 : 6

I'm going to be honest my list ended up being over 20 items which ranged in price.  I just love lots of things and all these blogs don't help matters. I justified the list by stating that I DO have a birthday and Christmas in the same month.

2. On a different note, I recently attended a movie night with friends and family. We ate chili and different types of dip, then settled in for the movie, CRAZY, STUPID, LOVE. Believe it or not my Grandma attended the movie night and selected the movie.

Let's say first of all, that Ryan Gosling is one sexy man. He had me at Noah but I loved him when the Dirty Dancing song dropped the beat in Crazy Stupid Love and he was standing there shirtless. I mean, goodness gracious.

I am hoping that one day I come home to the radio playing "I"ve had the time of my life..... " and Ryan waiting for me to run into his arms so that  can lift me over his head for no reason at all other than to welcome me home. {ryan work on this}

And last but not least I have a few other things to cover...

3. As the colder weather sets in sometimes the only thing that can warm our souls is lots of food, and maybe a little bit of candy. So let's not watch the Victoria Secret Runway Show and become discouraged. I mean, yeah they have super hot bods, but after reading this little diddy over of Day Old News I thought myself... no wonder I don't have that hot body... I only worked out once today and actually ate three meals.

4. When I read this post over on Pink Lou Lu I laughed out loud. It's a list of drinks and what they 'say' about you.

For the most part I'm a beer drinking kind of gal. According to the list it means I'm a laid back gal who can hang with the guys. I will agree.

But I laughed out loud at the Vodka Gimlet, which stated You're a huge dork, but you hope sort of in a cool way?

Lacey got me started on those one night at Julianna Tokyo. I should have known she was leading me to love of a drink that portrays that I am a huge dork. ha.

And all this time I thought I was cool when ordering the ole Vodka Gimlet.

See you next week. Hope this random, all over the place post makes up for the lack of posting that's been going on here.

Word to your motha!

A White Christmas

We survived the rush that is the holidays! I love Christmas with my whole heart. I hate when it's over because, in my opinion, after the holidays we don't have much to look forward to. I find myself longing for January and February to scoot on by and for warm weather to ease back in.

I think I can safely say that everyone in my family had a wonderful Christmas. We had a few folks fighting colds, but other than that it was splendid!

Not that Christmas is about presents, but I got some great ones!

Ryan went over the budget we established and hooked me up with this:

A Nikon D3000. I am in heaven. I have been day dreaming about actually learning how to use it and becoming a part time photographer. Maybe in due time...

My parents hooked me up with a NOOK (Barnes & Noble's take on the kindle). It's touch screen and bad ass. I have already downloaded several books. The Help will be the first one I take on. So long real books... I'm saving the forest!

I also got lots of other fun prizes... i.e. several things of OPI nail polishes, PJs, a Hobo wallet, perfume, a gift card to my favorite restaurant, MAC make-up...

The only thing I can conclude is that I was really, really nice over the past year!

But don't worry... Ryan was apparently nice too!

He got a Sirius Radio, a new iPod Shuffle, clothes, a new watch, PJ's, a Brita Water Filter, and a Wii Gaming System!

Let's just say we have tore down on the Wii. I am so sore from all the games we've played (which is a lame thing to admit... but I like to keep it real).

He also got some great Auburn memorabilia:

An autograph copy of Pat Dye's latest book.

As well as an autographed photo by Auburn's Heisman winner, Cam Newton!

Ryan and I are so blessed to have families that love us so much! I couldn't ask for a better family or for a better set of  In-Laws.

To make this year's Christmas even more magical, a rare and unusual thing (at least in the south) occurred. It actually snowed on Christmas Day in good ole Alabama. It was the first white Christmas in these parts since 1930 (or so said the news). I don't have any great pictures of this event because I was too busy with the video camera capturing the moment. I have plenty of shaky video of me saying, "Oh, look at the snow falling. It's a white Christmas. So pretty! Look at the house covered in snow. Look at Maggie running in the snow on Christmas Day."

This is the only still shot I have.. this was around 3:00 Christmas Day.

I'm always so sad for the Christmas season to come to an end... it's just so magical. Christmas music, family, food, surprises for all... it just makes my heart swell!

And for those of you who are wondering... Yes, Maggie had a lovely Christmas too!



It was so much fun it wiped her out!