Our Christmas

I hope everyone had a great Christmas.

Like posted earlier, we started out our Christmas in Chicago. Once we got home, I was in full cooking and baking mode. I decided to make a baked ham with sweet holiday glaze and dozens of cookies to pass out to family, coworkers, and friends.

Yummy Ham

 Making cookies

Covered in flour

COOKIES!

This year was a little different as we decided to camp out in front of our tree on Christmas Eve. We made hot cocoa, used our awesome moose Christmas mugs, put every blanket and pillow in the house on the living room floor, and turned on "It's a Wonderful Life" -- a Christmas movie that I had never seen before (shocker, I know). I passed out within twenty minutes of it being on, but the new "camp out in front of the tree tradition" is definitely a keeper.

Like every year, we went to Grandma Holtz in Edgerton and celebrated with Matt's mom's side of the family. There were hundreds of laughs, a white elephant exchange, ten dollar gift exchange, Secret Santa, and the old beloved Wright's Family Christmas Game (which is the gift passing game for those who've never played). Lots of yummy food and wassel coupled with Grandma's awesome knitted gifts made our Christmas Eve as special as the past.

The following morning, we woke up in front of the tree (I woke up at like 7am and made Matt wake up), made some coffee, and exchanged gifts. Santa treated us well. Apparently, we were good this year. Along with several other gifts, my loving husband bought me a pearl pendant necklace with matching dangly earrings and pearl stud earrings to match. I'm so spoiled and I love him so terribly much.

Cuddles with Ernie

Lulu chasing a laser

My beauties

Ornament gifts from Santa Claus

This year, I made it my mission to old man-ify my Babyface Fennel. After all, it was his 30th celebration just earlier in the month and I figured was a better time than ever.

How to old man-ify your husband:

Buy him a robe

Buy him slippers

Buy him flannel pjs

Buy him a smoking pipe

Buy him overly expensive whisky

The cherry on top:

A blue coffee mug for whisky. For the future Christmas mornings -- so our future, little Fennels wont know Daddy is drinking whisky.

^ This is something that Grandpa Fennel (who recently passed away) did every single Christmas. While Matt's dad was younger, his brother, sisters and him always thought their Dad was drinking coffee in his infamous blue mug on Christmas morning. It wasn't until years later (as adults) that they learned that the blue mug never had coffee it in. Just some of his ol' cough syrup to keep him warm on a cold, Christmas morning.

Matt knew exactly what I meant by buying him a blue mug and I truly think it was his favorite gift. Very sentimental and definitely in honor of his passed Grandpa Bert Fennel <3

Ernie and Lulu received the most gifts out of everyone in this household. It was ridiculous. And I need to learn how to STOP shopping at some point. Matt got so frustrated with me during the Christmas season for over buying for E & L, but they're my babies and I love them. So there.

After opening all of our gifts, we loaded the car with the hundreds of gifts and drove down to South Beloit to celebrate with the Mullranins. I love seeing my nieces and nephew on Christmas morning. The magic in their eyes makes Christmas so special and it makes me so excited for the day that Matt and I will have our own. Going to see Santa, doing the Elf of the Shelf, the advent calendar, making gingerbread houses and Christmas cookies, and putting the cookies and milk out on Christmas Eve for Santa -- just to watch them run down the stairs and see the belief and surprise in their face and the pure happiness in their eyes. Such a magical time. I can't wait.

My parents got Matt and I (along with other gifts) a HD Camcorder so we could record all of our special family moments in the future and my sister bought me a POTATO MASHER!! (Remember this post about practicing for Thanksgiving?) BEST.GIFT.EVER!! I never asked her for it. She just simply read my blog and remembered. She's awesome. I also got a cool family heirloom cookbook that I can add family recipes to and a couple other things. Above all, she reassured me that she will always be there for Matt and I -- no matter what -- said some incredibly caring things -- and made me feel more loved than I ever have on Christmas morning. We had an excellent time at the Mullranins and before we knew it, it was time to leave so we could go celebrate with Matt's parents.

Now this year was monumental at Matt's parents house. For five years now --- I have watched everyone in our family have a Christmas stocking knitted for them by Grandma Holtz. Once the personalized scarf was made, it hung above Matt's parents' fireplace -- along with every other family member's stocking. I couldn't wait to get my own. And this year was the year! Finally, I was legally and seriously part of the Fennel family! Even though they felt like family within months of knowing them, this year (and our wedding) made it official.

I had my own stocking. 

Whoop whoop!

Along with the Christmas stocking Grandma made me, we also got an awesome old fashioned movie theater popcorn maker, movies, cds, playstation games, and !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ahhhhhhhhhh!

Mastering the Art of French Cooking

Written by...........

JULIA CHILD!!!!!

Oh my gosh! I was thrilled.

Now I'm determined to successfully cook some of Julia Child's recipes --- its so intimidating. But so exciting at the same time.

We finished off the day by watching "It's a Wonderful Life" <-- a first time for me -- second for Matt within 24 hours. The movie is so so so so so so good. And its a must see and the black and white makes it even better. Again, magical. 

Like I said -- Christmas was amazing.

Christmas went by far too fast and before we knew it, it was time to take down the tree (after much convincing for Matt -- he'd keep it up all year round if it were up to him). 

Sometimes with all the "magic" of Christmas : the tree, Santa, elf on the shelf, cookies, gingerbread houses, lights, Christmas songs, and so on -- we forget the real reason for celebration. I'm not saying that these can't be done. After all, I love them all so much, too. But next year, I will absolutely be at the church service on Christmas Eve (that we couldn't make it to this year). I will be going to church every Sunday (like I "promised" I would before -- no matter how busy I am) and I'll continue to remind myself that all of the things earlier mentioned isn't the real reason for the season.............

This is. 

"Fear not: For behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy that shall be to all people. For this day is born unto you a Savior who is Christ the Lord"

Luke 2:10

Merry Belated Christmas Everyone!

Christmas in Chicago

Happy New Year everyone!

Its only customary that I'm two weeks behind....

As I'm sure you all remember, Matt and I planned an exciting, fun trip to Chicago on December 20th to jump start our Christmas celebration. We made reservations at the Drake hotel, made plans with Courtney and Lubo and Heather and Shawn, and had a full day of plans scheduled that included ice skating, seeing the Willis Tower sky deck, drinks on the 95th floor of the John Hancock, and a horse carriage ride. Being the OCD type A person that I am, I had a schedule for all our plans: take the red line here, go here first, go here second, get lunch between the hours of 11-2:30pm because that's when the 95th floor is open for lunch, blah blah blah blah blah........

We arrived on Friday night and grabbed a quick bite at SUPERDAWG --  the best hotdog place ever!! We had never been before but had seen it multiple times on Food Network and couldn't wait to check it out. And all I have to say it next time you're in Chicago, go eat there. Its amazeballs.

 We met Courtney and Lubo before checking in at the hotel. Matt opened his belated birthday gifts from the Boris' -- LOVED the moose mugs from Christmas vacation (BEST GIFT EVER) -- then we cabbed it downtown to the hotel. We checked in, saw our room, got ready, and went to Untitled.

The Drake was beautiful. Very vintage and grand. Everything that I would expect from a fancy-schmancy hotel. We loved the Christmas tree in the lobby and posed for pictures along with everyone else (and their mom) in Chicago.

The room was better than expected. After all, I booked a room with two twin beds (HA!). Look ya'll! I waited until the last second to make reservations. While booking over the phone, the gentleman told me that the twins were "European" twins and big enough to sleep an adult and small child. Matt's response was, "Who does he think I am? Michael Jackson??"

Very funny, dear. 

I figured Courtney and I could pass for small children -- if not our body type then definitely our maturity level. So I went ahead and booked the two twin beds hotel room and nervously wondered how "big" these European twins really were. We were pleasantly surprised.

Matt and Lubo so excited to party.

We cabbed it to Untitled and were seated immediately (thanks to our reservation). Matt thought it was absolutely ridiculous that they had a dress code, but I think after he realized how awesome the bar was -- he had no issue wearing his black dress shoes (even with how much he hates them). Within twenty minutes, Matt suggested that we should open a restautant like it in Madison and I knew we made the right choice to go here. All of us had never been before and we liked the "speak easy like" atmosphere of the entire restaurant and bar. There was a blues band playing on stage and we were sat right up front so we could see the entire show. When the band went on break, a bourlesque dancer came out and stripped down to nothing but boobie tassels and a thong while dancing to jazz music.

The whole restaurant screamed "Matt and Jaclyn" -- whiskey, jazz music, speak easy era, and sure --- bourlesque dancers -- we loved it! Matt was even handed a candy cane from the dancer during her little routine. Oh la la! We will definitely be back. The place was awesome.

Following Untitled, we stumbled to the nearest grocery store, bought some Rumchata and Baileys, had Matt's name called over the intercom -- "MR. FENNEL -- Please meet Mrs. Fennel at the check out lane" and bought a sandwhich, donuts, and wine for a questionably homeless guy that hung out around the corner. Courtney accused him of smelling like "mari-ju-wana" and he nervously laughed and walked away. Hmmmmm....

We went back to The Drake -- watched TV -- and passed out on our twin size beds around midnight.

We're -- so -- cool. 

The next day, I think God was laughing at me for being so type A and OCD. On the ONE day that I decided to go stand in one of the tallest buildings in the world (after living in Chicago for three years), we we woke up to FOG and RAIN. Needless to say, there was no point to stand in a sky scraper because we wouldn't be able to see 100 feet in front of us. Some view, right?. I swear if this wasn't a lesson from God, himself, to stop being so paranoid, OCD, and type A then I don't know what it was.

What are the chances?! 

Fog and Rain...... ON DECEMBER 20TH IN CHICAGO?!?! 

Where is the snow? 

Where are the freezing temperatures?? 

Maybe one day I will learn to stop planning every second of our life. If only I would learn.

The good news was that Heather wasn't called into work which meant her and Shawn could come out with us. Heather and Shawn met the four of us for breakfast and Courtney and Lubo dropped us off after at Millennium Park after. Poor Shawn. It was raining. And cold.

Soooooo very cold. 

And the poor guy didn't have a hat, gloves, or barely a coat on. We stood in line (in the rain!) for about 30-45 minutes before we were able to go inside to rent our skates. After putting our shoes and purses in a locker, we went back outside and skated around the rink. By this point, Shawn was freezing. Oh, I felt so bad for him. We skated around the over populated ice rink a couple of times before they announced that it was time to clean the ice and for everyone to exit the rink. Of course! Shawn was probably more than thrilled -- I seriously don't know how he did it.

We went back inside -- were treated incredibly horrible by the people working there  --- (BOYCOTT MILLENNIUM PARK!) --- thanked them for their "wonderful holiday spirit" then walked across Michigan Ave to the Starbucks nearby so we could warm up. After yummy coffee and great conversation -- we decided to part ways. Heather and Shawn decided to go home and Matt and I (as determined as we were) attempted to go complete at least half -- heck, one -- of the things we had planned.

We got about two blocks down Michigan before we decided that this was absolutely ridiculous. Cabbed it back to Heather and Shawn's, talked for hours over wine and caught up with our amazing friends.

Even after all the broken plans, the rain, the fog, the freezing temps, and the un-used schedule, we still had a fabulous time. I was able to see my two best friends, the city I love so much, and jump start our blessed holiday with Christmas in Chicago.

Oh, and I got a promise from Matt that we can go back for dinner on the 95th, a horse carriage ride, and Willis Tower sky deck for date night. I'm holding him to it.