The Gift of the Magi (the worst gift ever...)

I can't believe I don't have this story written anywhere because I feel like I have told it thousands of times.  

But last night as I was retelling it for the umpteenth time to my oldest son, I realized it needed to be written.  

Because it is my favorite. 

It's a little like "The Gift of the Magi." 

Well not really, but kinda because it is about a couple's first Christmas, who are desperately in love, a budget of $120.00, and searching for the perfect gift.

The year was 1990 and we were poor college students. But true to Tom's nature he loved all things fashion and he had his eye on a pair of Cole Haan leather loafers.

He wanted them so bad....so the budget of $120.00 was decided.  No coincidence that this is the exact amount of the coveted loafers.

Now this should of been a no brainer because my love had not kept his wish a secret.

All I needed was to walk into Nordstrom and get the shoes.  I have a tendency to make all things complicated...always.

So I was no different as a 21 year old newlywed.

I wanted the perfect gift.

Were shoes the perfect gift I wondered?

Wouldn't it be better to have a sentimental gift?

A gift we would treasure forever and even start a tradition? 

So my search began and after searching high and low and hours of deliberation, I ended up with

the perfect gift.

A Santa Steinbach Nutcracker.

Of course that was it.

We would collect them and every year we would give each other one and we would have them all together and we would look at them and they would represent all our Christmas's together and how long we had been in love and we would smile and stare at them and hold hands...this was definitely the perfect gift.

No doubt...

and a hard earned $120.00 later, all I had to do was wait until I saw my love's face on Christmas morning when he opened up this amazing gift.

He would be soooo happy and it would be because of me and our amazing nutcracker.

Christmas morning finally arrived.

Tom was giddy realizing there was a neatly wrapped box under the tree, which happened to be the exact dimensions of a shoe box. 

With our two presents under the tree, Christmas was in full swing. Tom unwrapped the long awaited present and stared at his gift.  Written all over his face as plain as if he was speaking, were the words,

"What is this thing in my shoe box?"

When he gingerly took it out, I have never seen such disappointment on someone's face.  He was a five year old boy all over again and it was the worst Christmas ever.

I was horrified.

I tried to tell him how great it was and how we were going to collect them and how it would show all of our love in one present but he just confusedly asked, 

"Did you spend all of the money on this? This nutcracker was $120.00?" 

I had to answer yes and my heart broke. 

It was the worst present ever in the history of presents.

Fast forward 24 Christmas's later it was the perfect gift. 

And no we didn't collect them because one  bad gift was plenty and plus  it also took the Santa nutcracker several years to become sentimental.

But that nutcracker represents Christmas to us. 

It absolutely represents our love and yes when we see it on the mantle it still makes us smile. 

We tell that story over and over about our first Christmas and we laugh hard about Toms utter disappointment. 

And in the end 

It will always be my favorite story about my favorite person and the worst gift ever....

Some shots around the house for Christmas 2014

I don't like January

There i said it... I really don't like January. Everything about it is a little sad, gloomy and boring. I know it's not the months fault...I mean who would want to follow December. December is everything that January isn't. The whole month is dedicated to making everything a little more fantastic then normal. Even in our errands we seem to be in unison with the world as we celebrate Christ's birth and peace on earth goodwill toward men. I know it's not all perfect. There is more traffic and crowds but certainly above it all, most people as a whole, think of Christ more then they normally do. That alone makes it the most wonderful time of the year.

Because I am in my house 95% of the time, I am going to tell why December is so much better than January in my particular home. OK it all starts with Christmas songs blaring while the kids are making ginger bread houses and baking cookies. I don't bake that much, even though I like to, because we eat the batch of cookies the second they come out. That's bad for the hearts that live in my house and the waistlines so baking has certainly gone by the wayside over the years. But come December I could care less. Now while cookies are baking and the music is blaring, there is dancing and singing. Oh the dancing and singing. I can't hold a tune for beans but that doesn't stop me and the kids from singing at the top of our lungs, "For unto us, a child is born
Unto us, a Son is given." Everyone knows that you can't sing Handel without a great voice but I sort of forget that every December. When would I ever do that in January? Holy cow I haven't even touched on how fabulously stunning my house is. Tom transforms it into a winter, light, wonderland. There are lights, wreaths, bows and trees everywhere and my house literally glows. We find ourselves in my magical house cuddled up by the fire, reading a Christmas book and drinking hot chocolate. You give yourself permission to do exactly that and enjoy every moment of it. Why is that? Why can't I give myself permission to do that same thing even in my boring January house without Handel? Well I think starting right now at this very moment I am going to try. It won't be easy at first. The pull of the dirty laundry is going to be strong but in the end the fire, some willing children with a good book, and hot chocolate are going to win the internal battle.

Let the Christmas fun begin...

It's Christmastime in the city. San Francisco to be exact with the Doxey's. Now as fun as this day was, it is actually more fun looking back on it. Maybe it was the 1 1/2 hours it took me to find the parking space. Or maybe it was hitting the roof of the parking garage with my suburban and having the Santa running after me yelling. Or could it be that ice skating was sold out? No it has to be the three hours it took to leave the city and the 1 near fatal collision that had all of us screaming solid for 2 minutes. No but really Doxey's...good times.

Three cheers for Tom's 45th birthday. Not his favorite day of the year but absolutely hands down my favorite day of the year. Where would I be without the love of my life?

A complete 2010 highlight for me. Ann invited all of us to go to 'The Nutcracker" in San Francisco. I have wanted to go with Ella for years. I grew up going every year to Ballet West in Utah. Those memories of going to the ballet with my sisters and Mother continue to be some of my favorite Christmas memories of years gone by. Oh how I love that music. I still feel the butterflies of pure anticipation when I hear it. I close my eyes and remember what it was like to quietly anticipate the ballerinas next move. I would try and guess if it was the Russian dance yet or if the dance of the sugarplum fairy was next. Oh to be ten again...I have wanted my little Ella to have those same memories but alas tickets are a fortune. Thank you to sweet Ann for making that dream come true.

Sorry Julie I have a better picture of you. I must have hit the wrong one and in the blogging world once that is in... it is in.

Christmas Eve at John and Ann' house. The Doxey family, us and the John and Ann Call families all celebrating together. This picture seriously kills me. Charlie tried on John's glasses and I happened to catch that look. I love photography!

Acting out the manger scene

Ella and John

Madeline and John

Me and my Ella

Christmas morning 2010

Sweet Matt and Maria gave us this wonderful blanket to commemorate the Giants huge win! Best present of the year!

Here is a picture that I took right before we all sat down for our wonderful Christmas breakfast. See what I mean...its glowing.

So even though January is the worst month of the year, I need to go now because I am going to go sit by the fire, brew up some delicious hot chocolate for me and some awfully cute kiddos....Maybe January won't be so gloomy after all.