I'll be home with bells on...

Trim the tree and wrap the presents, turn the Christmas music on...

I am soo excited to go home this Christmas!  I miss my family being so far away, and I can't wait to see them all.  My immediate family (and espeically my sister-in-law Kelly's baby belly!)

 (this was two years ago - so we look a bit different I am sure!)

And my Grandparents...

And my Mama Sue...

 

I just can't wait to be home!  : )  Not too much longer now!

Beginning to look alot like Christmas....

I love when that happens...

 Christmas Dog

 

 Christmas in the living room (handknit stockings hung by the chimney with care)

 

 Christmas in the Hallway

 

 Christmas Tree all lit up...

 

And the nativity set my mom gave me last year - all aglow from the tree! 

And this weekend...Christmas Cookies!  (another BK and Nikki new Christmas Tradition)  Yea!

Christmas Traditions

Since living in the South for awhile now (over a decade including school - can you believe it?) I have had find new traditions since my family is so far away.  In college my BFF's family always took me in as one of their own for smaller holidays when I didn't get to go home and it was soo nice to have 'family' to be with.  They still treat me like family - and its so great to have all these sisters now (after growing up with only brothers around).

The first year Eric and I lived in our house, Brandy (the BFF) invited us to go Christmas tree hunting with her and Dave.  They live just over an hour away -so we met them in Gilbert and hunted our Christmas trees.  Then we did it again last year, and this year we pretty much cemented it as a new tradition.  Pictures of her growing family (with our dog!) and each family in front of the coveted 'tree of the year' for their household.

Josie and Wes last year with Mason

 
Josie and Wes this year with Mason

This year Brandy's sister Erica and her husband Matt joined us too!

 

(aren't they just too cute?!?  They got married the weekend before Eric and I and are already expecting baby Houston in January!)

We searched a bit longer (b/c in true Moore style we WERE of course late)...

(Jojuice helping her daddy read the map and tell us where to go)

Reindeer Josie

Last year it was Reindeer Wes

Its always fun to compare the pictures from year to year - and see how much the kiddos grow (and Brandy shrinks!  :)    Last year....

 

and this year...

Eric and I didn't change too much (neither did Mason)

Although this year, I did finally give in to the 'Southern Christmas Tree' (or bush - lol!) and get a Leyland Cypress.

Which was fun for Eric b/c he got to cut it down.  Last year we just pulled it out of the tent (lol!)  Not exactly what you drive an hour to a Christmas tree farm to do!  In true "A Christmas Story" fashion, Eric made us time him cutting down the tree (its kinda his thing after taking down most of them in our backyard!) and had the whole thing done in a matter of seconds (even with Dave pushing the tree the wrong direction trying to slow him down! - See!  It really is family - giving each other a hard time!  :)

I love our new traditions and having such amazing friends to make them with.  We are truly blessed.

Loving the Christmas Season and new traditions.  Merry Merry!

More Wedding Details...

The morning after the wedding, I had a bit of a surprise for Geordie - another wedding gift in the form of some of Mama Sue's pumpkin cookies!! :)   I think they might have been a bigger hit than the card even with cash!  lol!  He asked me if he had to share them with his now wife... I told him I was pretty sure that's how it was going to work from here on out - sharing with his wife!  But he was allowed to tell her they were awful and he was only eating them b/c I gave them to him!

And I neglected to mention before that Eric was there - and he had a great time.  Sorry hun!

(ha ha!  with the hat!)   They had a PhotoBooth at their wedding (SO MUCH FUN!) - and even had crazy hats and props to go with it!

Eric (as always) wanted to make a serious face - and it worked out great for our message in their book from us!  You can see all of them here - but check us out below!

Congratulations Again and thanks for all the fun memories!

Next up...Christmas!  Yea!  (well Christmas trees and decorating anyway) "Its the most wonderful time of the year..."

Mr. and Mrs.

Congratulations to the new  Mr. and Mrs!!

It worked out fantastic that while we were in Orlando for Thanksgiving it just so happened that I had to be further South in Bradenton for a wedding on that Friday.  I was soo glad to get to be there b/c Geordie and I grew up together - he is my 'other brother' :) 

 

 

As you can see Geordie was a happy man to be marrying Lacie and the wedding was really fantastic (lots of fun, just enough ceremony and tradition - but not too much - and lots of really great people!)

 It was a little chilly in South Florida - but it was still sunny and a nice day for a wedding.  The church looked gorgeous with the Christmas tree all lit up.

Geordie awaited his bride...

 

They vowed to love one another forever and ever...

Then there was the great kissy-kissy part...

bubbles and grand exits...

And then just a whole lot of celebrating the happy couple!

Congratulations Geordie!!  I couldn't be happier that you found someone to make you happy and spend the rest of your life with!  I am soo glad I could be there to share your day - and I love ya like a brother!  Muah!

Nikki

 

Thanksgiving

Well - it was a week ago today - but I guess that's not too far behind...

For Thanksgiving this year we were still in Orlando with Eric's family (after his sisters graduation).  So we cooked up quite a storm in her little apartment kitchen, but everything turned out okay.

Eric carving the turkey - see his mother hiding behind him - telling him that he isn't a man unless he knows how to carve a turkey.  Lucky for me - he knows how to carve a turkey!!  :)

All this made in the little tiny kitchen - it was all really good!  But honestly, his mom and I were up early cooking (and Eric and Lauren both sleep until almost 11:30 - they got up in time to shower and eat...) and we ate around 1 - but most of the day (and our vacation) was spent like this...

 

Guitar Hero!  Lauren was really really great at it - and Eric got better as the week went on.  I don't play video games (okay, we did Wii bowl a bit) but I am not very good at them and don't really like playing them.  But that left me plenty of time to work on my knitting and sewing my binding on my quilt - so it worked out fine.

But another great advantage of being in Orlando for Thanksgiving (instead of any other American City) is that after the turkey and before the shopping, there normally isn't much to do.  But instead of going to a normal ho-hum movie as most do, we got to go back to Universal and see the Blue Man Group!!

It was AMAZING!!  Totally and completely awesome, interactive and FUN!!

And that was just Thanksgiving!  We attended a fantastic family(ish) wedding on Friday - so much more to come!!  

Coolest Graduation....Ever!

How awesome would it be if you graduated here?!?  That's right - at the Hard Rock Cafe?!  Well - my SIL did!

 

Graduation at the Hard Rock Cafe - In Universal Studios!!  We had a good time - it was quick, to the point, in a great location and we are very very proud of her!  Now off to make a name for herself in Hollywood (well not exactly Hollywood yet - but the Hollywood-type business.  She got a degree in Sound).

We took the photo op in front of the big Universal Sign too - It was the start to a nice Holiday Weekend!

Our first but not our last time at Universal Studios for this trip!  :)