Grinchy moments

I don't want to blame this post on my husband, but if it happens, understand that is not my intent.  My intent is to share how complicated it is for our new little family to establish holiday traditions.  I love Christmas, like SOOOOOOOOOO much.  Yeah, that level of obnoxiousness almost covers how much I love it.  

Although Ryan and I grew up in the same hometown, we lived very different lives.  Sometimes it amazes me how little things add up to bigger complications.  For example, St. Nicholas' Day.  Some celebrate it, including my family back home, and some don't like how Ryan grew up.  If you don't celebrate it, it honors the Saint Nicholas who protected children and orphans and is the origins of the Santa Claus we know today.  It is tradition to leave shoes (or stockings) out so that he may fill them in the night.  Usually the kids in my family received ornaments and maybe other small items but it can be candy, games, etc.  It's kind of like a warm-up to Christmas.

For this St. Nicholas Day, I got Ryan two ornaments.  One was from Michael's, a beautiful white and red vintage airplane.  The other was from Etsy (yay small business) and was the state of Wisconsin shaped from a beer can (we keep it classy).  I was on alert for the night before St. Nicholas Day but gave Ryan the ornaments later on.  What was disappointing was despite my constant reminders, he forgot!

Now that wasn't something that I really got upset over.  The conversation was more like, "I'm glad St. Nicholas came for me but he didn't come for you..."
hahaha



The problem is that little situations like that add up.  My family grew up loving to look at holiday lights and holiday displays.  We volunteer to ring bells for the Salvation Army, visit assisted living homes, bake cookies, watch Christmas movies, have poinsettias around the house, and everything is really special.  Ryan is sometimes completely oblivious to all of this.  There will be Christmas specials on, aka movies you don't normally watch throughout the year, and he'll want to watch a movie he's seen four times.  *face palm* It's also not like his family didn't have their own traditions. He loved to bake cookies as a little boy and his dad won awards from our city for having the most decorated and creative yard for the holidays. 

Is your spouse or significant other like this?  What did you do about it or how did you overcome this?

Gifts for the Stud Muffin In Your Life

People know me for my exuberant smile

Smiling's my favorite- Elf

I couldn't come up with a better lead-in for a holiday post than recognizing one of my all-time favorite holiday films.  Therefore I'm breaking the ice on my holiday-themed blogging.

Ta-DA

I love Christmas.

Always have, always will.

However, this is the first Christmas that my husband and I will actually be in the same country and conveniently, it's our second Christmas being married.

Oh murr-age

In the magical land of Target commercials and Macy's ads, 

I would be the perfect spouse with stationary containing 

the most perfect ideas on what to get my husband for Christmas.

Truth be told, I have no clue.

Last year I got him numerous gifts throughout his deployment but focusing on Christmas,

I got him Walking Dead: Season 1, an iPod Touch and I'm sure other things.

If you don't know what I'm talking about, please refer to my care package blog post.

It all started to blend after awhile.

So I went straight to the source.

Kim: Babe, what do you want for Christmas?

Ryan: I just want to be with you (he's finishing up his USMC contract).

Kim: Well that's swell but seriously, what do you want?

...crickets

Ryan: oh idk

That's a text message, my husband doesn't verbalize text-lingo acronyms.

But you see my problem.

I went straight to the source with no results.

It's like shopping for my parents.

C'mon people, cut me some slack.

I think people like to challenge me but really, if you want something, just let me know.

He's been wanting a new computer since he'll soon be a new college student (yay academia!)

We're Mac people so I was going to get him a Macbook Pro but I already have one and so we could share for now but that's always a strong contender.

What about other ideas or the ever looming "stocking stuffer."

My mom Santa would leave adorable VS underwear and Bath and Body Works products in my stocking. 

Now thinking about it, I shouldn't have crossed out "mom." The thought of an old dude putting panties into a stocking for a high school girl is really not quite right.

So I could get my husband some new boxer briefs and socks.

Did anyone see the new issues of Cosmo and Glamour?

Dawson said that guys love receiving that kind of stuff so that they don't have to buy that themselves.

Gawrsh, I'm lost...help :/

Maybe I'll put together a great montage of gifts for newlyweds :)

xoxo