Back from the US!

We are officially back, well we got back on Tuesday. Today has been my first opportunity to actually write in the blog about our trip home!

We flew to the states on Late Thursday night and the east coast was getting a snow storm. We took off and landed on time and to our surprise we figured out why. Sir Richard Branson, owner of Virgin Atlantic, was on our flight.

Friday we kept low key at my parent's house so that we could be a surprise at my best friend's 30th Birthday Party in NYC. We went to the city and saw the tree (below):

After seeing the tree, we headed to my brother's place and had a nice dinner then off to the bar to surprise my best friend. After all of the planning to surprise her, Scott walked in the bar just in front of her and was trying to hide but that didn't work out so well. I was in a different cab with my parents and cousin, so she already knew that I was there :-( Oh well. We had a great time at the party and Katie...Happy 30th Birthday!!!!!

Scott and his brother Ryan

Me, my cousin Kayla and my brother Chris

Friend Brendan and me

Brendan, best friend Katie and I

Me, Katie and Kayla

Saturday night my family had our annual Holdiay Party. We had a wonderful and it was so nice seeing family and friends that we haven't seen in awhile. It started to snow around midnight so the party ended a bit earlier than normal but was a fantastic time all in all!!!

So it is bakc to work and the normal daily routine that keeps the two of us busy!

Oh Christmas Tree Oh Christmas Tree..........

The Tree is up and yes as I said Scott and I bought it off of the internet. The tree came all nicely wrapped up, as you can tell from the picture below.

Bailey is waiting to see what this thing actually is:

We were a bit worried about Bailey and that she would try to attack and eat the tree so on Friday the tree went up

Saturday the lights and ornaments and tonight they are all still in tack and noting damaged! (Good Girl Bailey! I am sure Santa will be good to you!).

All decorated and ready for Christmas (oh wait....no presents).

Well now that the tree is finally up, the wreath is hung on the outside door, the stockings are hung we just need to wrap the presents.

So what is on the menu for Christmas Dinner:

1. Turkey Breast

2. Corn Casserole

3. Sweet Potato Casserole

4. Stuffing

5. Cranberry

6. some sort of green vegetable (maybe I will be forced to have brussel sprouts)

And dessert:

Scott's mom is going to as she says, "Whip up a pie" so not really sure what it will be but they are always good!

and then some christmas cookies!

Christmas in Full Effect this weekend!

Well I think it will officially his Scott and I tonight when our Christmas Tree gets delivered today and we can start decorating the house for Christmas! Yes for all of the US based readers here in London they do deliver your Christmas Tree. Funny story was when Scott and I were home for Thanksgiving we were talking about Christmas and telling them that our Christmas tree was going to be delivered they said, "What kind of shopping is that? The whole part of it is getting it home by car or carrying it...my expression was...yeah right :-)" So further on in the conversation I said that we won't know what it looks like though till it gets delivered and my mom asked why? I said we ordered it from the Internet. My dad's face was priceless. He says, "What is this world coming to when you order your tree online?" He then proceeds to call my brother and tell him. Meanwhile, my brother whom lives in NYC liked the delivery idea a lot but laughed at the fact that we ordered off of the Internet. There are some things that you do differently in each country in order to find the traditional American Christmas Tree. And for us this year it was getting a tree that would actually smell, unlike our tree last year :-(

All that being said, we are in full Christmas swing this weekend! Tonight the tree will go in the stand and let it sit there for the night (get Bailey used to it). Tomorrow will be wrapping gifts and finalizing any more gifts we need to buy. Saturday night is decorating the tree and meeting some friends out for dinner and drinks. Sunday is a holiday party that we have been invited to!

Last night, we hung the stockings and Bailey was excited to see she had one. So I guess this means one thing.

Santa we are ready!!!

December???

I can't believe that December is here already and that there are nearly 21 days till Christmas. Guess we need to get our act in gear since we are hosting Christmas in London to Scott's family!!!! Should be fun to celebrate in another country for the first time. Lots to do though:

1. Finish Christmas Shopping
2. Pick out the menu for Christmas Dinner (thankfully we are going out for Christmas Eve Dinner)!
3. Get the Christmas Tree
4. Decorate the house
5. Prepare the house for the family to arrive
6. Oh and we have to get Christmas cards out (need to go buy those)

This will definetly be a different Christmas for me as this will be my first Christmas away from my family. It will be tough but something that I will have to get semi-accustomed to since I am married now and we will be sharing our holidays with both sides of the family. I think the weirdest thing for me will be the fact that when we wake up on Christmas Day and open gifts, have breakfast, maybe stroll the streets of London for a little while and then come home and start dinner preparations the US will just be waking up. It feels as though I will not be a part of my family's Christmas. It is only one year being 5 hours (time zone difference) away from them but nonetheless it is still far away.

On the other hand, there are many things to look forward to this December:

1. Going home to the US in 10 days for a 3 day weekend!
2. Scott's family coming to London for 10 days!
3. Going to Brugge with Scott's family for 2 days prior to Christmas
4. My best friend Katie and my other good friend Allysen are coming for New Year's

So without further delay, I must get on with my Christmas duties and get some Christmas Cards and think of a Christmas Dinner Menu.

If you have any good recipes you want to share for a good Christmas Dinner please share!!!