12 Dates of Christmas - Date 1

E and i used to take turns planning monthly dates (awww/gag, i know). somehow between buying a new/old house, selling a house, and life, it fell by the wayside. i often think i really miss doing it. we would take turns, alternating months, planning something special just the two of us. it was fun to surprise the other and it ensured we made time for each other during sometimes crazy/busy/stressful times. it didn't have to be extravagant or expensive, it just had to be us. occasionally we say"oh i miss that, we should do that again" but somehow it was forgotten again.

well, no more my friends, no more. enter the 12 dates of christmas - dun dun da da!

i am totally stealing an idea from another blogger (dang, do i have any original ideas??) thingstodofortwo, and will be boring you all to death with how they turn out. we each get six to plan starting with me. so, without further adieu, the first date of christmas . . .

on the first date of christmas, i gave to E, picking out and decorating the tree. (sung to the tune "the 12 days of christmas" you get the idea, right?)

last night we found the perfect one,

brought it home and placed it in its stand while puppies snuggled all warm in their beds,

put up the lights,

and intended to decorate it but ran into a road block. apparently three strands of our christmas lights didn't survive the summer. one was totally dead and the other two were half out. that left us with a half lit tree.

so, first thing this morning, i got some new lights so we could finish the making the tree sparkle and decorate it! i went with the bird theme again this year i just love it so much.

we still managed to finish the evening off right last night with popcorn, drinks (gin and tonic for me, jameson for E), chocolate, and a good old fashioned christmas movie - it's a wonderful life.

life is good indeed. only 21 days till christmas!