Christmas 5 for Five!

Merry Christmas to everyone who celebrates! And to those who don't, happy Tuesday! Sorry everything's closed - you didn't need to shop though, did you? The stores will be more normal again starting tomorrow.

Good Christmas weekend! Busy Christmas weekend... It was my first time handling one with two families to take into consideration. I think I did okay with it... Some flaws. I'll work on them next year!

Friday I ended up taking the day off because I had to finish shopping and wrap up all the gifts -- except my own. Told the boyfriend I would wrap all of his stuff but not my own present. It's the principle of the matter, yea?

A Friday well spent! Seriously, when did I expect to do this stuff?

On Friday night the boyfriend and I met up with a friend of mine who moved away last year and her husband. They'd heard about the boyfriend but hadn't met him -- they moved away about a month before I started dating him. We went to Ninfa's on Navigation -- the original Ninfa's in Houston! And now the only Ninfa's in Houston... The other locations are now Maggie Rita's. It was so good. I love their queso. I love their fresh tortillas. I love their fresh tortillas rolled up and dipped in queso! My boyfriend ordered something I seriously have to try next time -- fajita burger. It's, you guessed it, fajita meat on a burger. Delicious!

I joked that they seated us in the perfect spot -- by the pun wall. Have I mentioned Chris loves puns? Like, almost unhealthily?

You read that right. Fleece Navidad!!

And then Chris and I spent a very romantic evening bagging his cards for his multiple expansions of Dominion so he can actually carry it with him and play it. Seriously, it has about 8 expansions! He got the newest one for Christmas from my sister and brother-in-law.

So many little baggies....

Saturday morning we drove down to my parents' house to meet up with my family for Christmas lunch and present exchange, and played some games with my parents and siblings.

Merry Christmas to my kitchen!!

That night we had a party to attend with some friends. I made my Funfetti dip and Chris made a cheesecake and we brought some presents for a white elephant gift exchange. Chris was feeling under the weather so my sister went with me. I've played white elephant gift exchanges with various house rules and I don't think the ones we did on Saturday is my favorite version.

1. #1 goes first, picks a gift. #2 can pick a new gift, or steal #1's. Pretty standard here.
2. After the third steal, so the fourth owner (not necessarily the fourth UNIQUE owner, just the fourth owner) the gift locks.
3. After the final person goes, #1 has another turn. All gifts unlock for them and they can swap presents with someone or keep what they have.

Here's where it gets different. The way I've played in the past the game stops there. But the way we played this weekend, #1 stole the present from someone at the end and they then had the chance to steal or keep what #1 had. So then it became a circle of stealing... Just different house rules than how I've ever played. I think of this more as a Dirty Santa? Just part of the fun!

We came back late afternoon on Sunday and yesterday we went down to Clear Lake to hang out with some of Chris' friends early in the afternoon and play board games. And then around 6 headed over to his uncle's house for a big family dinner. He actually just left again for Clear Lake for a big family gift exchange, that he found out about last night. I had to bow out... I feel bad but I had to. We originally planned to do nothing but hang around the house all day Christmas Day. I don't have presents for anyone so I would feel awkward just sitting and watching everyone open gifts but more so, I have such a busy week... no, month really, ahead of me at work I just need to take some time, the only time I have, to relax and breathe and just stop. Take a nap if I want! I already did all morning. :) Clean if I want! Organize some of the presents, out with the old in with the new. Read a book.  Make some cookies. Eat some cookies. Do some Wii Zumba. What does the rest of the day hold for me? No idea! After I finish blogging I'll find out!

No Sunday confessions for me this week. It's already Tuesday! I will do an update for the 5/Five though.

Last week's goals:
1. Finish up Christmas shopping.
2. Wrap up Christmas presents. 
3. Zumba once!
4. Do laundry.
5. Vacuum. 

Successful week! Even if I did have to look up if I made it to Zumba or not. I totally did. Not on the day I was originally expecting to, but it doesn't matter. I went!

New list!
1. Put away Christmas presents - new fan, new blender/processor, new pots and pans. 
2. Go to Zumba twice. 
3. Strip the bed and remake it with fresh sheets. 
4. Keep your schedule how it is now... open. Non chaotic. All I really have on it this week is exercising, a party on Saturday night with the single's group. Maybe get one more use out of a Groupon I bought at a hot yoga place. It's good for 10 sessions, it expires 12/31. I've been... once. Whatever. Hot yoga's a pain.
5. Just... make it through the next few days. I hate the end of the year at work -- SO MUCH to do!

And where am I on my long term goals?
1. Organize books and movies.
2. Put up wall art.
3. Go through clothes.
4. Go to Goodwill.
5. Buy fake book boxes for the table near the TV. Did this yesterday!! Combined errands with the boyfriend. He needed to go to Hobby Lobby sometime to get more craft bags that are sized right for his Dominion cards, I knew that Hobby Lobby had the book boxes I wanted. Bingo! Went to one in Clear Lake on the way to his friend's place. Go team!
6. Revisit the shoe cubby idea.
7. Figure out how to make Thai tea.
8. Measure table and hit up Target on 12/26 for clearance holiday table clothes. Actually did this already! I went to Target on Friday with a friend, before we had lunch, so I could buy gift wrapping. We were walking in the holiday tableware section and the cloth napkins and tablecloths were already on 50% so I just did it then. Didn't even need to measure the table - bought a round one that says the measurements and says the table would seat 4-6. Mine seats 4 so took a chance. Perfect fit! So now I don't have to go near Target the day after Christmas. YAY. I do need to go to some store before Saturday night though to get more tissue paper and one more thing for a white elephant gift.
9. Buy my iPad. Done!! Did this on Tuesday with the boyfriend on our way to dinner with his family.
10. Clean my car. Partially done... used a shop vac at my sister's house to vacuum out the floorboards and sides next to the driver and passenger seats. And while I was doing that... lo and behold, I found the phone I lost a month ago. That I already got replaced. Sigh.
11. Reorganize the pantry. Seriously. There's no rhyme or reason to the order it's in now.