Since we got new floors in the entire house, we decided to set a $40 limit on spending with eachother this year. There was no need to out spend each other when if we really needed or wanted something big we'd just go buy it any other time. So it forced us to be creative.
My big gift to AJ was ruined by the ACE Hardware people who decided to call our house and leave a voicemail about what exact items had arrived at their store for me... AH! Of course AJ listened to that voice mail first and ran upstairs giggling at me, since my gift was spoiled! If you don't know us, EVERYTHING is a compitition!! Especially Christmas gifts, and the tags on the gifts are probably the biggest competition yet! It has to be creative, funny, whitty, and have a double meaning or inside joke to us... AH! AJ prides himself in trying to out-do me every year. But this year I had the best tags, even if his gift was the best suprise (thanks, Ace Hardware).
I got AJ a log grabber (his 10" log poker that came with the fire pit has effective allow ALL of AJ's knuckle hair to be singed off during our many fire pitts in the fall and winter evenings). I also got him the small fire shoovel to easily get out the burned ash and logs from hours of burning. I got him 2 lighters since someone broke ours at the Halloween party... weird toy to play with... and I got him the movie "The Hangover" which was sadly not all it was hyped up to be. If you saw the previews that's about as funny as it gets.
AJ got me something I've been wanting my whole life, a beautiful real, nice, snow globe. I didn't want a tacky santa one or something but he had it engraved saying "Our Blessings" and it plays "What a wonderful world" and has a picture frame in it where we can always update it as we add family members! ;o) It was seriously a great gift and so thoughtful! We also got me a Chick-fil-A calender which I get every year because they are SOOOOOO funny and have a ton of coupons! Lastly, he got me our yearly tradition of a personalized tree ornament. We have one for every year we've been married. I love that almost all of our Christmas tree ornaments are personalized! It's a fun tradition we have this time of year! AJ always gets excited to pick it out on his own to suprise me too! It's his one time of year to shine and show his romantic, thoughtfulness to prove he's studied me all year and knew exactly what I'd love.
Here are some pictures from our quiet morning together!
Here is Stephanie and Alexa. This is probably the best picture we have of Stephanie since her wedding. AJ tricked her into getting at least half her face. Good memories! ;o) 
Here is the happy Thuman Family, Joe, Angie, Kayla and Matt!
Here is a shot from the kitchen to the front of the house of me and AJ's Dad. AJ was trying out our new camera, that we actually returned.
