christmas past

i intentionally did not place the appropriate apostrophe in the title due to the nature of this entry. it is one that is a) long overdue and b) a reminiscence of this christmas for myself. being a college student, i am not afforded the luxury of the sweet smells of christmas, such as the warm spritz cookies baking in the oven or the fragrant aroma of the christmas tree in our living room. i also miss out on the hustle & bustle of the shopping malls (i actually do enjoy this), as i am instead cramming for finals or cranking out final projects as my semester draws to a close.

one of the things i look forward to the most about my first year of teaching is the notion of the christmas spirit. being around children, one cannot help but find their excitement contagious. i cannot wait to start the christmas countdown on my chalkboard, decorate my classroom (and home!) in full christmas decor, and simply take time to enjoy the holiday season. i know, i know, shame on me for allowing college to be an excuse, but sadly it is. although i remember the true meaning of this holiday, i do not nearly take enough time to reflect on what it means and how special it truly is. i hope that you and yours had a wonderful time enjoying the season and celebrating the birth of our king!

and now, some cheesy, super-early morning shots of our christmas that was spent in delaware this year with my grandparents. (matt, ali & wyatt- we missed you so much! it certainly was NOT the same and we are already looking forward to having you with US next year!)

grannie & pop pop's stockings, hung by the fireplace with care :)

a new l.l.bean sweater, a quintessential item for living in blacksburg

my grannie, with a new ornament for her tree

and i got bean boots!

my mom specifically picked out these pj's- color, size, print and all. as you can see, she was really excited. :)

dad and his hunting gear


i had booked a flight to boston for this break to see my best friend, myra. sadly, a mandatory orientation for chesapeake public schools forced me to forfeit my trip :( this luggage was something i had asked for specifically for my boston travels. (vera luggage doesn't quite cut it in the airports, so i've heard!) don't worry though, i'll be heading up to the bean town as soon as i am done in may and will put these to great use then!


everyone loves getting new clothes, even pop pop


with holly, my pop pop's baby of a beagle
(and don't you love how this is the only picture where i am actually showered, dressed, and my hair is not a disheveled mess?!)