Every year at Christmas there is something that gets lost in the shuffle. Because 8 years ago on Christmas Eve Thomas and I were married. The events swirling around my wedding made that an interesting time in my life. When I imagined my wedding as a little girl growing up I imagined the usual. White dresses. Flowers. Everyone smiling and telling me how beautiful I was. You know, a Bridezilla’s dream come true.

But fantasy and reality are two very different things. So when I found myself at the tender age of 22 eloping to Jamaica over my Christmas break from college with no family or friends around me you can see why I was understandably freaked out. No one wanted us to get married. And by no one I mean NO ONE. Everyone wanted to talk us out of it. It was, according to people we knew and loved, a not so great idea. We were a not so great idea.

The thing is I’m nothing if not bull-headed and stubborn so I, of course, refused to listen to everyone. I plowed on ahead and didn’t look back. We were getting married on the beach in Jamaica all alone on December 23rd and I didn’t care what anyone else had to say. That is until December 23rd. Actually, until about 2 hours before our scheduled wedding on December 23rd. Then, suddenly, I cared.

And that would be the moment I freaked out and called off our “wedding.”

Officially our wedding was called off due to rain. That was my story. Rain.

Unofficially, I was freaking out. I was scared. We were broke. We had no family to count on. No friends to support us. And it was all so very, very sad. I didn’t have a suite of attendants helping me get into my dress or with my veil or with my hair. In fact, I distinctly remember painting my own nails before we were supposed to get married and doing a terrible job of it. I didn’t even put my veil on right. Truly, I must have looked pathetic to the resort wedding planner and the random witness they pulled out of the kitchen to stand with us. It was just an all-around pitiful day. December 23rd, 2001 was a very difficult day for me. But, considering he got jilted at the altar I suppose it was a more difficult day for Thomas.

Our whole trip was like that. It wasn’t exactly a fairy tale. Or maybe it is exactly the stuff fairy tales are made of. It was just the yucky part before the happily ever after. Because after lots of crying and gut-wrenching conversations, the next day I got it together, got dressed on my own in my pretty white wedding dress, and met my husband (barefoot) at the altar. The extra day gave me a chance to remember why I was there. I remembered who I was there with and that it didn’t matter whether anyone else thought we were a good idea. Because we knew we were a good idea.

So, on December 24th, 2001 Thomas and I got married at the beach in Jamaica. He in his $12 Goodwill suit and me in my disproportionately overpriced wedding dress. Both of us barefoot. And both of us with no one in the world but each other to lean on.

Eight years later, we have reconciliation with family, rich friendships we can count on, and a life that is more than we could have imagined. Every day isn’t perfect and every day isn’t easy, but every day we go through it together. And at the end of a long day where some things have gone wrong and some things have gone right, having someone to curl up on the couch with who knows who I am, where I’m weak, and where I’m strong is my own version of a fairy tale.

And this, I guess, is the part where I say the that we lived happily ever after. Because, after all that, we did.

Thank you, Thomas, for sticking with me through the good, the bad, and the crazy. I look forward many, many more anniversaries spent putting toys together in front the Christmas tree. I love you.

Can I just say that Christmas gets better with each passing year? I think that our Christmas experience is better a) the more kids we have and b) the older these kids get. I am loving Christmas more and more.

This post is one of those posts I write so that my kids will have a recap in 20 years. So, bear with me a moment as I recap the Loving family Christmas of 2009:

Christmas WIN:
Sending out Christmas cards.

Christmas FAIL:
Sending out Christmas cards on December 23rd.

Christmas WIN:
Keeping our Christmas Eve eve tradition alive. Per the usual, we had a sack of Krystal burgers in a picnic on the floor while watching cheesy Christmas movies. It’s why the girls call Krystal burgers “Christmas burgers.” And it is one of my favorite Christmas traditions.

Christmas FAIL:
Planning to make delicious homemade bread and butter as gifts for friends & family and then coming down with the plague the weekend before Christmas. That will teach us to wait until the last minute to do those things.

Christmas WIN:
Our church set out on a mission to encourage the congregation to commit “Intentional Acts of Christmas” throughout the holiday season. It made Christmas so amazing and it is a habit we’re planning to continue throughout the year. Our Intentional Acts of Christmas were as follows: provide 3 days worth of food for 6 families who are suffering from food insecurity, pay for the food of the stranger in the drive-thru behind us, leave a tip for our server equal to the amount of our bill, bring doughnuts to our local fire station. By the end of the month, the kids were looking for ways to help people all around us and it caused them to think of everyday places and experiences differently. It caused us to look at the world around us with potential kind deeds in mind and I we’re going to turn this into a tradition of committing Intentional Acts of Kindness throughout the year.

Christmas FAIL:
Feeling guilty about finally having the “simpler” Christmas I’ve been wanting for years. We finally had a Christmas with fewer presents and less waste. And while I should have felt relieved not to have extra crap all over the house, I mostly felt like I didn’t love my kids enough to buy them tons of stuff they didn’t need in the first place. Which should show you how deeply entrenched I am in the whole commercialized/materialistic/presents=love mentality. And that is a little scary.

Christmas WIN:
My kids on the other hand? They didn’t notice a thing. The only thing on their Christmas list (I kid you not) was a snow globe so when they had piles of presents under the tree they were thrilled. Then they discovered Santa brought them kittens and, well, it was the best Christmas in Loving family history. So, go us.

Which brings us to…

Christmas WIN/FAIL:
Kittens. On the one hand, it is nice to have snuggly warm kittens playing all over the house. On the other hand, more animals?!?!?!? And also, they started climbing the Christmas tree two hours into Christmas and I can’t imagine what insane hijinks they’ll be up to next. I think Thomas secretly thinks I agreed to kittens because I realized that it could potentially provide tons and tons of good blogging material.

So, was it the best Christmas on the books for the Lovings? I think so. It was simple and peaceful and filled with good friends and family. And, really, what more could you ask for?

Naughty or Nice? from Land of Lovings on Vimeo.

I could say I’m swamped with holiday plans (I am) or busy baking and spending time with my kids (which I also am) but the truth is even with all that going on I’d still find a way to sneak online and blog, Twitter, and Facebook while everyone was sleeping.

So why aren’t I blogging, Twittering or Facebooking like a mad woman? Because Ivy spilled chicken noodle soup all over our modem thus ending our internet service until it gets fixed.

So, until they de-noodle my modem I’ll be confined to blogging/Twittering/Facebooking from my Blackberry. And I’m thinking I’ll use this as and excuse to unplug from the internet and enjoy some uninterrupted famly time…

Yesterday was Kai’s kindergarten Christmas party. The Christmas party that I apparently signed up to organize on my own. I must have been drunk that day. Or insane.

But, in charge I was. And I made the best of it. I was nervous since (despite being a homeschooler myself) I am totally terrified of other homeschool moms. They seem so smart. And organized. And not at all the type of people who would go out in public without a bra on. But, I put on my big girl panties and went with it. I even picked up adorable and appropriate penguin cupcakes and not the baby Jesus in the manger cupcakes I wanted to make when I found out it was a “No Santa Allowed” party. It was (shockingly) a success.

I will say, though, that class parties are rife with blogging material. That’s right, I said it. Rife.

Because yesterday in the middle of the party I had a most unexpected encounter. It was, in a word, spectacularly stunning. Okay, that’s two words. But, still. It was.

I was standing by a couple of the kid’s tables and holding Traveler when a very sweet, very well-dressed, and very WASP-y mom came over to fawn over my boy. I smiled when she came to see him. Fawning women is part of the territory when you have a delicious and cuddly little boy.

Very WASP-y mom with an “old money” Southern accent: “Oh my Lord. What a precious little boy. May I hold him? Will he let me? He is just too cute not to cuddle.”

Me: “Of course! He loves to be held.”

Her: “What a cutie. Such pretty skin. You know, my daughter just keeps begging and begging me to adopt a black baby. A black baby! How funny is that? She wants one so bad. I think she thinks it would be fun to play with an afro. And there are plenty of them out there to be adopted. But, I just can’t convince my husband.”

Me: (Stunned silence.)

Her: “I just love those eyes and skin. Seriously, he is a doll.”

Me: (Wondering if I really just heard her talk about getting a “black baby” for her daughter like I talked about getting a kitten for the girls for Christmas.)

Her: “Here you go. Enjoy that sweet boy!”

Me: (No, seriously. Did she just say that? Out loud? To me? I am so blogging this. And also I may be too shocked to even be offended. Maybe. Maybe not. But either way I am so blogging this.)

I honestly didn’t know quite what to say. But I do know that next time I go to a school party I am totally wearing a wire.

Guess who found their reflection? And from the looks of it he’s pretty in love with what he sees…

The first Christmas is the hardest one for me. I look forward to it. Shop like crazy. And build it up in my head as the best Christmas ever. Inevitably, all of my children have ended up sleeping through the present opening and being completely disinterested in everything I got them. So, this year I’m trying to think a bit simpler about Trav’s first Christmas. I’ll be picking up a few little toys and some more practical items and hoping that I can actually get the combo right. And in case you’re interested in what a total non-expert is picking up for her baby’s first Christmas, here is my guide to (my) baby’s first Christmas presents:

1. Something to sort, play with, and chew on. Aren’t those a baby’s three most favorite playtime activities? It’s definitely my baby’s three favorite playtime activities. So, here a few of the chewy, sorty playthings he’ll be getting this year.

Playskool Wheel Pals Racing Fleet, $18.99 — I got the chance to try the garden themed version of these out a couple weeks ago and Traveler loved them. They’re simple and chunky and perfect for little hands. Plus, I love that they feel very boyish since this is the first time I’ve ever gotten to buy boy toys!

Toss ‘n Play Crazy Ball, $26 — I love this ball! It’s soft, colorful, and made by a momprenuer. What’s not to like? I think it’s going to be a great little toy for Trav to play with!

Egg & Cup and Peg & Cup Montessori baby toys, $10 — I love these little toys. They are so simple and are great for developing fine motor skills.

2. Something to sip on. When I did a totally informal Twitter poll of what other moms give as a baby’s 1st Christmas present sippy cups were high on the list. And I think it is a pretty great idea and I’m totally stealing it for this year. I’ve been researching good BPA-free cups and here are a couple that look like they’d be good for a transitioning baby.

Thinkbaby Trainer Cup, $8.99

NUBY BPA Free Flip-it Straw top sippy, $6.99

3. Something to wear. Babies (my babies, at least) are always in need of cute clothes. And for the 1st Christmas I like to take advantage of the limited time period when I can able to buy them clothes as a present without them complaining. So, Trav is getting a few cute things to wear this year. Etsy has a ton of great sellers who have the most adorable baby clothes. Not the least of which is this cowboy onesie from bambinamia. You have to check out their store because they have the most adorable things for babies and toddlers!

Six Shooters Onesie, $18

Yoda hat, $25 — Okay, so Trav already has this, but if you’re looking for an adorable hat for your little one you have to check out this Etsy store. It is hands down my favorite! Not to mention, every where we go people stop us and tell us how much they love this hat. And if you’re little one is more the Princess Leia type she’s got one of those hats, too!

So that’s it. My not-so-revolutionary gift guide to a baby’s 1st Christmas. Stuff to chew on, stuff to sip from, and stuff to wear. We’re keeping it simple this year. And I like it better already.

(Dear FTC, all items in this list are things I have picked out on my own for Trav’s 1st Christmas. I did receive Playskool Wheel Pals to try beforehand and have since purchased a set on my own. I was not paid for any reviews in this post. Love, Me.)

With the holidays just around the corner I’ve been shopping Etsy again. ‘Cause, y’all, I love me some Etsy. Seriously, I’m becoming just slightly obsessed with the cool things I’m finding on there. Here are a few of my new favorites…

I love the look of this felt magnetic alphabet set from Etsy seller MiChiMa and I’m thinking it would be a really great addition to the homeschool room. Anytime I can avoid colored plastic and have something cute and educational I consider it a win.

I found this double-sided wool playmat from Etsy seller MuddyFeet when I was looking for some cool things for the girls for Christmas and I just had to share it. I think it is too adorable. I’m a sucker for woodland themed toys and gnomes and faeries so the look of this little set made me want to sit down and play with it.

Now, enough about the kids. It’s time for my favorite things for me. Thomas has kind of gotten me into the whole Steampunk aesthetic lately and so I’m loving this necklace by Etsy seller birdzNbeez. It’s so pretty, feminine and unique. I think it’s totally adorable.

It’s funny how much I love the jewelry on Etsy considering aside from my really simple wedding band there is almost no jewelry I wear. Ever. Mostly because I’m lucky to be able to take a shower most days let alone pull out my fun jewelry. But, still I love to look at jewelry. And I think this braille necklace from Etsy seller Celula is really fun and would be a really cool Christmas present for someone who likes unique and different things. You can have it personalized with your (or your friend/relative/favorite blogger’s) name in braille. So cool.

So, there you have it. My new favorite Etsy finds. Do you have any to share?

I haven’t had a chance to brag publicly about my super cool rock star sister, have I? Y’all, she is the bomb. The bomb. I’ve gotten a chance to listen to the songs she’ll be releasing after the first of the year and I can’t wait to share them with everyone.

And just in time for the holidays she’s got some great FREE Christmas downloads on her site. Head over to Eddysthename.com and check out  her music. Download her free Christmas music and be sure to check back after the first of year because she’s got something really cool in the wings. You won’t want to miss it!

Because there is some law against us having even a single dull moment around here, we made a trip to the ER last night. Kai decided last night around 6:30 that she’d attempt flying. From the top bunk of her bed.

Actually, she was leaning over the side to see if she could look into her sister’s bunk and she flipped over the side. And onto her head. She managed to bust her face up a little and hurt her neck and back, too, so we headed out to the ER to rule out any head injuries. It may have been overkill but falling onto her head from a 6 foot high bunk-bed made me just a little nervous. I’m a bit overprotective that way.

I was pretty nervous about what they’d say since she looked like I’d just socked her in the mouth but they were super nice and apparently see this thing an awful lot. Kai got introduced to the wild world of X-rays and CAT scans and was just fine. At least she was until our third full hour in the ER when she realized she was starving because we hadn’t had dinner and she spent the last 45 minutes crying “OMG.OMG. OMG. I’m starving, starving, starving.”

I know they say these things happen in three’s but I’d love it if we could avoid that outcome. Call me crazy but the ER isn’t exactly my idea of a good time.