yes it's Christmas time...

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

Sadly, it has taken me a very long time to get excited about Christmas this year...but I finally think I am there now. Ever since I have lived in AZ, Christmas just doesn't feel the same. Maybe it's the lack of snow, or even the lack of cold. It wasn't until the Branch gift exchange on Monday that I finally allowed myself to believe that Christmas time is here. And I love it!

I apologize for slacking in my blogging duties lately. Life has been slightly crazy, but I am grateful for the craziness because it means I have a life. Woohoo! So, a lot has happened the last little while: there have been Christmas parties, trips to Utah (I didn't take a single picture while there...that is why I never blogged about it), baking, work insanity, etc. And then this happened:

Let me tell you a little story about this picture. You see, I decided that I wanted to make a whole bunch of homemade Christmas gifts this year for my family and friends. The slice on my middle finger is a result of that. I can't tell you what I made yet (because the gifts haven't all been opened), but a lot of glass was handled, and several slices were created in my fingers. That one in the picture above is just the worst. And then, to top things off, I made some cute little treat baskets to hand out for my friends here in AZ. As I was making the presents, sitting at my kitchen table, I decided to scoot myself forward in my chair. However, this chair is broken and the seat part is actually not attached to the chair. So in my force to move forward, my pointer finger got smashed in between the seat and chair part. Ahh!!! It took everything inside of me not to say a naughty word or cry. I wanted to do both. Anyway, an immediate bruise formed under my nail. This picture was taken a day after the incident, and the bruise had dissipated quite a bit by that point. But I am happy to report that my finger is now back in full use and the bruise is visible, but almost gone. The nail is still sore to the touch though. So, I may never make homemade Christmas gifts again...

Last weekend, after my work party, my co-worker and I decided to bake our little hearts out. Last year we got together and made all sorts of Christmas goodies to hand out to friends and neighbors, so I am thinking this will have to be a yearly tradition now. It was so much fun hangin' out with Joey. Here is a little peek at some of the goodness we made:

Some of the treats were given to co-workers, some were eaten by me, but the majority went toward my AZ friend gifts. Call me lazy, but I invited everyone over to my house a couple of days before Christmas for a pre-Christmas game night...but really it was a simple way to hand out Christmas gifts without having to make any effort and/or leave my house. Hehehe!

Here are the yummy treats I made to eat while playing games:

And here are the little treat bags (courtesy of my amazing aunt) for my guests to take home with them:

Game night was a good time. I love hangin' out with my branch friends! The only sadness of the night was that we played The Great Dalmuti TWICE! Here are some candid shots (that Daja took) from the night:

{Merry Christmas everyone!}