a WEEK from now IT all starts.............

and I can NOT wait for all the festivities!!!

the best part of this Christmas....

is this guy :)

LOOK at him last year........aaaaah

He makes my heart happy and he will be sooooooooooo much fun this Christmas!

Merry Christmas to you and yours from the Dirnbergers :)

Traditions

Every family has traditions and mine is non the less! I thought Christmas was great before children, but having Tucker has only gotten me in the spirit more to keep traditions and start new traditions!!!!

MY Traditions

The week OF Christmas:
This is baking week. I have all my Christmas bought and wrapped and its time to make holiday goodies!!! On my list:
Oreo balls, sugar cookies, Chocolate Chex Mex, Snicker cookies and several others!
I also make cheese balls, buffalo chicken dip and a couple other things!


Christmas eve:
I cook all day and make my breakfast casserole for Christmas morning!
We start it off right with Church at 4. This is a beautiful mass and it makes your heart feel warm inside. Then its off to my parents. (5 mins away) We eat, open presents and watch the "Christmas Story" for 12 hours straight! We get two of the same presents every year...... PJ's to wear and a new board game! We then play games and drink coffee till wee hours of the morning!

Christmas morning:
We grab the video camera and wait for Santa. We eat breakfast casserole and enjoy our little family of 3 while watching the "Christmas Story" for another 12 hours! ha
Christmas day is spent with my in laws and their extended family. We enjoy a big lunch and big supper all the while opening more presents and spreading more cheer!

The day after Christmas:
I am lucky to enjoy soooo many Christmas parties with soooo many family members. We eat out with my grandpa and grandma and enjoy a White elephant Christmas after eating! This is a day of relaxing and soaking everything up that just happened the last two days. Its a busy time but a great time and always goes way to fast!

My favorties

I am doing ALL my Christmas post this week because next week I will NOT be blogging but taking time to reflect on the reason for the season, my family and baking! I think its important to take a break and soak it all in and I encourage you all to do the same. So lets play!

My favorites!

My favorite footwear in the winter is none other than UGG boots. I wear a pair every single day almost and sometimes I don't want to take them off to go to bed!

On any given day during winter you will see me dressed in UGGS and ALWAYS in a scarf. The rest of the outfit is optional but these two items are for keeping warm!!!!

Favorite movie you ask?....Well I love love all the Christmas Classics. Now that I have Tucker to introduce these movies too its even better! BUT my all time favorite holiday movie is ELF. I can't help it......it is laugh out loud funny. You either Love it or Hate it.

One of my favorite things about Christmas time is running home to check the mail box. I have always sent out Christmas cards and I know a lot of people aren't doing the same, but my tradition will NEVER change. I sent out around 60 this year (we have a BIG family). I love getting home and opening the mail and seeing who is spreading the joy as well!!!

Of course all my Christmas lights are burning in the evening time inside and out BUT its not complete without the burning of a holiday candle! Yankee candles have always been a favorite (I did work at Hallmark in college) and I have to have a Christmas scented one every single year!

And we can't forget about all the goodies that come with the holidays. Next week is what I call baking week. I make ALL my favorite holiday cookies and treats next week and I take a plate (or usually a bucket full) to every one's house we visit. Here is one of my favorite things to make and everyone looks forward to me bringing them! OREO balls!

And here is the recipe:

And Christmas wouldn't be complete without making a list and checking it twice!!! MY favorite spot to do most of my shopping is Target!!!! I love that store and don't know what I would do without :)
So what are your favorites???

The long weekend

To say we had a blast at the Colts game is an understatement!!! It was GREAT quality time with the husband I feel like I never get to talk to as well as a big WIN for the colts! It was an experience and we plan on going back to a game EVERY year. We hope we can just get some our friends to becoming football fanatics with us :)

I would like to tell you that I got to meet Peyton Manning...BUT I didnt'. This was as close as I got BUT its closer than I have ever been!

This was from our seats...a little zoomed in BUT we never had to watch the big screen to keep up with the game so we had GREAT seats!

The rest of the weekend was spent with snow, shopping, wrapping, baking, Christmas music, cuddling, chili and Christmas lights:)

Its getting sooooo close to the BEST holiday EVER!!!!

Here I COME

Today I am off work. This morning I am spending time with my baby boy and at 11 am I am headed here..........AND I will be 20 rows up from this guy...................

I am soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo excited!

This is my first NFL game and ya'll know I am a HUGE football junky! We are tailgating early, watching the game and staying the night in Nashville. IF I am lucky maybe Nate will let me swing by the mall?? Either way I am hoping for a WIN....lord knows we need it right now!

Watch for me on TV....the NFL network Thursday night football:)

I am behind....

I am so behind on blogging. BUT thats because all my Christmas presents are wrapped, the house is fully decorated and we are sitting around drinking LOTS of spiced coffee.

Lets start off with last weekend. I threw my great Aunt a 60th birthday celebration! It was a suprise party and a GREAT one at that. Now, most people have aunts, some people have great aunts BUT nobody has the support, love, friendship and loyalty that I have with my great aunts. They are my second mothers and some of my best friends. SO when my best great aunt Donna turned 60 I knew we had to celebrate the right way! And we did....from 6pm to 2:30 in the morning. The food was beaming, the wine was flowing and the dance floor was hopping! YES I said dance floor. My mom's sunroom was a dance floor all night long. I laughed, I cried and laughed some more. BEST PARTY EVER!!!!!

The cake was beautiful!!!! This was ONLY her 2nd birthday cake of her entire 60 years....yep..soak that one in.

Another exciting post coming tomorrow!

A bit of cheer

So Tucker wasn't CRAZY about meeting Santa, but he was a good boy! This picture is on my Christmas card this year and I love IT! He never smiled for him but at least he sat. ENJOY