KUWK Christmas: Days 14-20

Christmas is rapidly approaching!! And I'm officially on Christmas break! 

And what am I doing on my first Monday of break? 

Well, I'm up early. Currently I'm blogging (and accompanied by Christmas coffee and Hallmark), and I'm making my list and checking it twice - because Jeff is meeting me at my house this morning and then we're tackling last minute Christmas shopping. Call us crazy. We know. 

But more on that later - right now we're recapping Days 14-20 of my KUWK 25 Days of Christmas! I can't believe Christmas is in 4 days. How on earth is it already here?!

So, if you recall my weekend on my Days 7-13 recap, you know that I was pretty dead on my feet come Monday morning. As in, I was falling asleep at work. So - on Monday I started my day with Christmas blend coffee, listened to Christmas music all day at work, and fell asleep watching Home Alone. And that is the extent of my Christmas. What do you want from me!? I still think it counts. Even elves need a little down time every now and then :)

Tuesday night was date night with Jeffrey. We originally planned to do a little Christmas shopping, but I had to work later than originally planned, so it turned into dinner and a movie. And because Jeff is completely flabbergasted that I've never seen National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation (I still think that title is WAY too long), that was his movie of choice. And I will say, I got a few good chuckles in :) 

I told you on Friday that I don't like the movie Elf- so I was certain I wouldn't like this one either. But I quite enjoyed it! I don't know that it'll be on my yearly Christmas movie tradition list - but I'd see it again :)

Day 16 was a traditional night! When I first moved to Dallas (back in 2011), Lisa lived in the apartment complex right across the street from me. During Christmas we started the tradition of getting hot cocoa, piling in the car, turning on Christmas tunes, and driving around Highland Park looking at the Christmas lights! We missed last year since she moved to Canada Addison, but this year we made a point to start it up again. Because you can't have KUWK's 25 Days of Christmas without this night!

[disclaimer - not a good picture of us, but a mug selfie is a requirement]

So each year we drive around Highland Park, but really, our goal is to find this one corner house that is the epitome of a winter wonderland. As in people get out and take pictures type of winter wonderland. So, naturally, we were no exception. :)

...I mean look at this!

Oh and you can't forget the wreath as big as your....self. 

Loved this Christmassy night with this favorite girl of mine :)

Thursday night, Kelsey and I had plans to go to the Dallas Arboretum, but due to Kelsey completely having no voice (no really, none at all), we decided to postpone. See Day 20. So since there isn't much to do with a roommate who can't speak, we decided to bring a date to the party: Mr. Jude Law. Day 17 consisted of wrapping presents and watching The Holiday!

Day 18 makes me laugh. This was absolutely a Friday night fail. So Jeff and I originally had plans to go to West Village for a patio dinner among the lights and do a little Christmas shopping. 

Then Jeff got sick.

So then I call Lisa and we decide to make gingerbread houses after she stops by a birthday party. 

Then Lisa lost track of time at the party. 

So on Day 18, I addressed Christmas cards, drank hot chocolate, and watched the Santa Clause marathon on TV. Which wasn't a sad thing - because I'm slightly obsessed with those movies and have been since I was a kid! #ihearttimallen

Saturday morning I woke up early and headed down to Midlothian to bake/decorate Christmas cookies with my sweet niece! We started this last year when she was two - and let me just say we have a learning point of improvement each year. Last year we learned that one really should bake cookies BEFORE Christmas (ya know, for Santa), and this year we learned that the cookies need to be thin, or the cute little Christmas shapes you make in dough form will turn into giant blobs once baked. Maybe...just maybe...we'll perfect this by the times she's six. 

But as a three year old, I think she had a great time. I mean why wouldn't a kid have a good time putting a pound of sprinkles on one cookie and sucking the frosting out of the tube? #kidwin

And don't judge the decorated cookies. I'm a firm believer that pinterest uses photoshop. 

Sunday morning we went to our church's Candlelight Service - and it was A.MAZING. If you have some down time, missed it, or attended it and want to see it again (raises hand), you can watch the service here. The amount of chills (and tears) I had during this service were almost impressive :)

And last night, Kelsey and I finally made it to the 12 Days of Christmas exhibit at the Dallas arboretum. PS - Kelsey and I were trying to figure out why there are only 12 days instead of 25...? Anyone know? 

Neither of us had been to the arboretum, but this is exhibit was quite impressive. Each gazebo represented a day and was intricately decorated with the "item." Which we also realized that the first half of the days are all different types of birds....partridge, hen, doves, swans, geese...I mean, so many birds. 

Here's all twelve!

And...funny story. So Kelsey hates pictures. Always has. Well, after she whined about me wanting to take a picture, I asked her to pick her favorite day. She said March 26th. I said how about a day between 1 and 12. She said she liked the #8. So I sang the song in my head, and then said "REALLY? the MAIDS A MILKING?!" We got quite the kick out of this. 

So here you go, ladies and gentlemen. Here's our roommate picture at the exquisite 12 days of Christmas exhibit. Me, Kelsey, and a cow hiney. #sigh

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TWENTY DAYS DOWN!!! 5 more to go. And boy do I have a lot to do in those 20 days. 

Have a great week everyone!

Until next time,

Katy