So In Love With The Holidays...

Merry Belated CHRISTmas Daydearest Blogger lovelies!

 I was trying to get all of this typed out early last night, but our power went out, probably due to all of our White Christmas accumulation, and it didn't come on until early this morning some time while I was asleep. I've been away from my blog for a few days now, but back I am with much to tell.....

This past Wednesday and Thursday I traveled deeper into the heart of the NC Mountains (where I live at) and visited with my bf Jared and both of his sets of grandparents. I had a wonderful time visiting...there's so much to talk about and tell you all! Can you tell I am uberously excited to tell you about my Holiday trip and gallavanting through the Blue Hills and all about my Christmas with my loved ones!? I think I'll just continue on with this post in Dear Diary Format, and then you can head on over to my photography blog to get a looksee at all of my Holiday pictures that I took while away in a Dear Picture Diary, okay? (You can find my photography blog button that will lead you to my other blog on my sidebar. I'll have the photos up within the next day or two.)

{Wednesday-Christmas Eve Eve Eve}

On Wednesday morning I drove deeper into the heart of the mountains to see my guy. (Jay was working delivering water for a little while up in the mountains and was staying with his grandparents while he worked up there during the Holidays.) The drive was there was so beautiful, and really it didn't take me near as long to get there as I thought it would have. It did rain a little bit on my way there, but it wasn't too heavy so I could see pretty okay through my windshield, thank the Lord!

I arrived after a little over an hour after driving through the mountain fog and light rain at the Fisher's Home....just in time for breakfast. Jared's two cousins Kylie and Lacie were though, and they just love me, so I was subject to being led around the house with my hand held in Lacie's for most of the time....she showed me how messy Jared's room was at the Fisher's house too (she tattled on him...hehe).

After talking and hanging out with Mammaw, Pappaw, Kylie and Lacie Jared and I headed out to the mall where we spent most of our day. It was really a nice time out at the mall, and usually I hate shopping or being in crowded places, but really it wasn't too terrible and I quite enjoyed mine and Jay's time together. All in all Jared and I spent around/over 5 hours at the mall. We bought new leather jackets that kind of match each other...hehe...Jay took me out to Sbarro for lunch (I swear they have the best pizza ever!) and then we headed to the B&N where we spent a good deal of time. I purchased a book on photography/how to use my new camera, and I spotted a copy of Dante's Inferno which Jay had been wanting and looking for for a while. Jay and I purchased our books, and then we headed to the Starbucks which was also located in the B&N. Jay grabbed a table and sat down with his book and I went and stood in line and got myself a Mocha Frappe and the both of us an Asiago Cheese Pretzel (if you haven't tried their pretzels you so need to!) 

After our day at the mall, full bellies, books in hand, coffee energy within me, lots and lots of laughter, and new leather jackets Jared and I headed to visit his other set of grandparents. All I have to say about the Bradley's is that they are indeed a precious couple! Pappaw Bradley loves to talk, about everything from brownies, to old western films, to the people in his life, to Oprah and the list goes on and on...he loves old cars and trucks too....he had my interest piqued there lemme tell you. After we left from visiting the Bradley's it started snowing lightly on the way back as Jay drove us back to the Fisher's.....just a glittering of sorts though really. It was still beautiful! After we got back to the Fisher home we talked for a bit about our day out together, showed them our books and then we talked about Dobro's. If you don't know what a Dobro is just type the word in on youtube and have a listen okay? =)

{Thursday-Christmas Eve Eve}

Thursday morning I woke up early and got ready for the unplanned adventures of the day. I knocked on mister sleepy head's door (aka my guys door) in the hopes that he was awake and as eager to get up and start our day together as I was. After Jay woke up and got dressed we ate breakfast with Mammaw and Pappaw Fisher which consisted of fruit with lemon yogurt (so yummy!) and cinnamon rolls with orange glazed icing over them....yumo! After breakfast and more talking I grabbed my hat, gloves and leather jacket and headed out the door with Jay at my side. We drove to the Grove Park Inn, to go see the National Gingerbread House winners for the 2nd year in a row. Last year Mammaw Fisher and Jay's younger brother Seth went with us, but this year it was just Jared and I. Jay and I had a lot of fun getting lost in the maze that is called the Grove Park Inn, and we had a blast looking at all of the creations by those artsy fartsy baker people that took a lot of patience and artistry to say the least to create Gingerbread houses like those. The grand prize winner was a Gingerbread "House" that looked like a set of Nesting Dolls. 

After checking out all of the edible "Houses" Jay and I started to get hungry so we stopped by the ye olde Mickey D's and ate lunch. After lunch Jared and I drove up on the Blue Ridge Parkway and went to the Folk Art Center (a favorite place of mine to visit when up there on the Parkway). We had so much fun driving and listening to, of all bands RED (which is funnier in more ways than one), while we were up on the Parkway.....and then it started to dust with snow again ever so lightly. I think Jay really had a good time looking through all of the different arts and crafts that the Folk Art Center had to offer. I am so glad my guy appreciates things like nature, simplicity, music, art, RED and just being ourselves as much as I do! It's truly a blessing to have found someone to love as great and as special as him! *blushes* =)

After driving up on the Blue Ridge I had the brilliant idea of driving downtown and walking around......it was freezing and the wind had a very bad temper as she bit our flesh over and over again. Walking around town was lovely and so much fun though. Jared and I found a used bookstore, Malaprops which was a bookstore I had heard about a few years back and had always wanted to visit and then we saw three men on the side of the street downtown and guess what.....one of the men was playing a Dobro! We had just talked about Dobro's the night before so it was very cool to hear one in person and to see the trio of musicians play together on the cold biting downtown city streets. We then found an art store, which was timely because Jay needed a new pocket sized sketchbook for his frequent ideas that pop into his head so we went in the store and he purchased what he needed. I am not terribly artsy, like sketching, painting, clay making, things of that nature but I am somewhat artsy and I could definitely appreciate the art store as much as Jay could I think.

................after two full days of bliss I packed up and made my room back at the Fisher's and drove on home.

{Friday- Christmas Eve}

I slept in.....and stayed in my pj's for most of the day. Momma and I (in our pajamas) ordered both of our Amazon Kindles, and we had a blast picking out our leather Kindle covers and our artsy gelskyns for them too. *I am getting a KINDLE!!!* Later on that evening my family and I headed up the hill to my grandparents' house (yes, my grandparents live next door) for Christmas Eve supper. Goodness, was the food and fellowship with family ever so nice, warm and full of laughter. The meal consisted of turkey, mashed potatoes, gravy, rolls, stuffing, green beans and for dessert we had the best pie ever: New York Chocolate Pecan Cheesecake. After we ate both dinner and then later on dessert we exchanged presents and then watched It's A Wonderful Life together......love love love my family and the precious times I have to spend with them while I am still a stay at home daughter.

{Saturday-Christmas}

I woke up around 8 am or so....and then I went into my sisters room to jump on her and her bed to wake her up for the family festivities. My sister Mary and I always open our stockings together first thing in the morning before we go and wake up our parents. So Mo and I opened up our stockings together and laughed and talked and took pics of each other next to the tree. Dad was already up and preparing breakfast so Mary and I went into our parents bedroom to get momma up.......and then I saw it.....out the window......we had a WHITE CHRISTMAS blogger lovelies, oh yes we did! (It's still all white outside too right now still....and it warms my heart to walk in it and glimpse it even though it is frigidly cold and the air nips at me.) 

After breakfast with the family we headed to the piano room to gather around our Christmas tree and exchange gifts. I got daddy a humorous cd, momma a set of 3 novels, and for Mary I got wild prismic eyeshadows and a Lecrae cd. I only had one BIG box for me under the tree and I already knew what it was, but I didn't care because what was inside that box was something I've been drooling and dreaming over for a loooong while now. My loving awesome parents bought me a Canon EOS Rebel XS 1000D, and I am in LOVE! The rest of Christmas day was just spent looking out at the snow...

~*~*~

So how has your Holiday Season been? What lovely moments did you share with the loves in your life?

 I love my SAVIOUR and I love all of you, yes you, my dearest blog readers,