Tuesday Tell All: Greatest Gift

I know it's Saturday night and not Tuesday, but this week we didn't have our regular Tuesday Tell All and I wanted to play catch up. I am happy to report that Marcie was off enjoying the sand and sun in Maui and Sally had her baby girl on Friday, February 1. Happy times for both of the creators of TTA.

Since there was no assigned topic this week, I decided to go back and write on the topic that was to be posted on Christmas Day. It is one I was eager to do, but never quite found the time.

The assignment was to write about your favorite gifts of the Christmas season. They could be ones you gave or received. I am all about buying and giving presents- this is how I often show my love for others, so I chose to write about the top 3 I gave this past year.

Gift #1. I was sitting at my piano playing Christmas songs a few days after Thanksgiving when started going through my mind about what I was going to give to our family this year. I always love to make handmade gifts because I think it shows more love for the person. But as I thought I came up completely blank. I had no idea what to do and knew I had only a few days to decide so I could start and finish before we headed home.

As I was playing I had this brilliant idea to run over to my neighbor Laurel's house and ask her for ideas. She had gone to Louisville to attend her sister's Super Saturday a few days before, so I hoped she had something amazing.

I hit the jackpot. She had made this darling frame out of paper and Mod Podge. It was perfect. I could give a new picture of the kids to the grandparents and it was something I could actually make with little possibility of destroying while assembling.

We got the frames at Michael's ($2.99- and I tried to get some with my 40% off coupon) and the paper was from Hobby Lobby. You can get the paper on sale for 4 sheets for $1.00. Once you get the glue, ribbon and little brads you have enough to complete many frames. I made 13 frames and I bet the total cost of supplies was under $45.00. That is a bargain! It was easy and didn't take long. The hardest part was deciding how to lay it out.

I am excited for use it for years to come. Here's a Valentine version I made last week. I was very pleased with how it turned out. You really could do every holiday. I have Halloween paper and I'm already dying to get started on it. You also could personalize one for a baby or birthday gift too.

Gift #2.

I first heard of Jim Brickman when I was in high school. There was a gorgeous piano song on the radio and I was hooked. I went out and got the CD and was an instant fan. I bought tickets for a Christopher Cross concert because Jim was the opening act. It was at Buzz Field in 1995. They set the stage up in the outfield and there he was up on his piano. He was even more magical in person.

As time passed he got more famous and he got his own tour. I think I was home from Hawaii for Christmas in 1995, or it could have been when I engaged and living at home in 1996. Anyway, I bought the tickets at an Albertson's in Orem and gave them to my parents for Christmas. He played up at Abravanel Hall and my parents had amazing seats. Boy I got lucky. I had no idea they were that close. They loved him and had a great time.

Fast forward years later to Christmas 2004. Jim had a Christmas tour and was coming to Louisville. Rich and I went to the concert and decided that if we could, this would be our favorite Christmas tradition we could do together. Jim is witty, funny and very, very talented.

This year he was coming to Kentucky while we were in Utah, and his Utah concert was going to be a Valentine's one. While it didn't work out for us, it was perfect timing for our parents. I bought tickets, this time it's at Kingsbury Hall and our parents are going to have a Valentine's date courtesy of us next week. Rich's parents are going on Thursday night and mine are going up on Friday evening. I hope they enjoy the show.


Gift #3.

I can't take full credit for this gift. There were other people involved to carry this one out, and I thank Rich's parents for taking the kids.

I have a hard time deciding what to buy Rich for Christmas. It's just not that exciting to open up socks and ties wrapped up under the tree every year.

Since he and his mom were so kind and helpful when I went to up Chicago and Milwaukee, I knew Rich need a break from the kids and that we needed a date, but our Utah social calendar was bursting full with events and parties and I didn't know how I could fit it in. Rich's entire family was going to the Jazz game on the 26th. I realized I could ask his parents to take the kids home with them and we could stay in the night in Salt Lake City or Park City. My parents thought it was a great idea and said I should stay in SLC and then go to the temple the next day. When I called to ask his mom, she quickly said she would use her Marriott points and we could stay downtown. That was very generous and the hotel is right next to the temple.

I wrapped up a box with our hotel photo and a note and gave it to Rich on Christmas morning. He was very surprised and excited about having an actual date with his wife.

The Jazz game was wonderful and after we clicked the kids in their car seats, we switched cars and were off. It is a great, but strange feeling to suddenly be kid free.

The next day we slept in, worked out in the hotel gym and headed to the Gateway for a bit of post Christmas shopping and lunch. Then we caught the 2 PM temple session and were the witness couple. It really was perfect. The whole day, the full week and the entire Christmas season was more than I could have wished for.

Hope your holiday season was wonderful too.