Christmas 2013

This past Christmas was the first one without my mom. I knew it was going to be a really difficult day to get through (and it was). While I was thinking about what to get Matthew for Christmas I was reading a book about mourning through the holidays and one of the suggestions was to spoil someone else and make them happy. A few days later I saw an article for the actual cost of the traditional 12 days of Christmas, and then a light bulb went on, what if I were to make a 12 days of Christmas themed gift for Matthew?

The more that I worked on these gifts for Matthew, the more happy I felt. I was actually becoming excited about Christmas! Granted, the pain and sorrow was still there (it probably will always be there) but instead of dreading each day that brought Christmas closer, I had something to look forward to everyday with finding ways to give Matthew his gift for the day. I started giving him the gifts so that he would get day 12 on Christmas day.

Matthew loved all his gifts and was really happy that I wasn't moping around being a Scrooge. Let's be honest, the saying 'happy wife, happy life' exists for a reason.

Day 1: A new iPod touch (his old one accidentally got put in the washing machine, oops)

Day 2: Two tickets to see The Hobbit: the Desolation of Smaug (part 2 of the Hobbit trilogy)

Day 3: Three screen protectors for the new iPod

Day 4: Four hours of frustration while installing a new hard drive for his computer

Day 5: Five assorted meats and cheeses

Day 6: Six undershirts

Day 7: Seven pairs of new underwear

Day 8: Eight reasons I love him and think he is the best husband

Day 9: Nine chocolate truffles

Day 10: Ten pairs of socks

Day 11: Eleven packs of gum

Day 12: Twelve months of pre-planned and prepaid dates for 2014

Business Trip

Matthew has started to take more business trips for work, which is especially nice when I get to go as well. Last November, right after Thanksgiving, he had to go to Fresno. Me being the California girl that I am begged to go too. We made a nice little vacation out of it.

 We left on Friday and spent the weekend in my hometown, Hollister. We drove some scenic routes to visit our favorite wineries. 

California may not have trees that change color with the season, but the grapevines do.

On Sunday we got to see this lovely couple get married in a small, super cute, backyard wedding, with their dog as the best man.

We drove to a place outside of Fresno on Sunday so we could spend Monday at the Sequoia National Park. 

Ancient pictographs on Hospital Rock drawn by the Native Americans. 

The sequoias of Sequoia National Park.

The General Sherman Tree is the largest known living single stem tree, by volume.

We even got to see some wildlife while there.

Matthew had his meeting on Tuesday in Fresno. I went shopping while he was occupied. We drove back to San Jose after he was done and flew back home early Wednesday morning. I'm enjoying his business trips since it is an easy way for us to take a mini vacation. He has a convention in Toronto next month, which I'm really looking forward to. We're talking about spending the weekend at Niagara Falls.

New Camera!

I got a new camera! I've been wanting to get a DSLR camera for awhile now, so I finally bit the bullet and got one, a Canon Rebel T3i. So as soon as it came in the mail I had to take pictures of my favorite test subjects, the animals. Hopefully I learn how to use it well and take some better pictures.