Celebrating Christmas Early and Brooks Running Shoes

Happy Monday friends!

I have to start this post out with a birthday shout out to my dad and sister-in -law. (yesterday)

This morning just so happened to be the only time N and I could celebrate Christmas together and do our own little gift exchange. He works tomorrow and we have 3 Christmas eve services tomorrow evening then we will be flying the friendly skies on Christmas morning, so today it was! 

I stopped by the store yesterday to buy some supplies for today’s Christmas dinner…

So, I woke up today around 7 because I planned to make a pot roast that we could enjoy for a late lunch, and I just have to say my house smells AMAZING right now as it cooks away!

 I put on a pot of coffee, played some Mannheim Steamroller Christmas music, and we read through the story of Jesus’s birth in Luke 2 together before opening gifts. 

We let brandy open her gift first and it was hilarious watching her try to figure out what to do with the wrapping paper ha!

Then Nathan and I took turns opening gifts that we got for each other. He usually does a theme when he gets me gifts, and this year’s was a fitness theme. 

Check out these babies!

I’m officially a Brooks owner 😉 I’ve never tried this brand of running shoe, mainly because they are so pricey, and I love my Sauconies.  HOWEVER, I am super excited to test these babies out on my run today! Thanks Nathan!

After gifts, we headed to the kitchen and made omelets with goat cheese and spinach. 

I love goat cheese, it’s probably my favorite cheese out there. 

Oh, and there has been mass amounts of coffee consumed over here this morning, because dad shipped me some of our favorite coffee only sold in Northern Michigan. We discovered it on a family vacation one summer and have been fans ever since.

The flavor is “Chocolate Cherry Festival”, which gives it a hint of amaretto and mocha. I highly recommend it!

 

Last night Nathan challenged me to yet another board game. (I think he was still holding a grudge from all of my recent Monopoly victories). So, I gladly accepted his proposal to play Settlers of Catan.

Well, guess who swept the board yet AGAIN?

yep, I think it’s safe to say he won’t be challenging me to any rematches any time soon. 😉

Well, I’m off to break in my new Brooks and brave the chilly 40* weather. 

Have a great day!

-Lauren ❤

 

Back to the Grind

It’s good to be back and blogging again, this week has been insane!

I’m in the process of transitioning from my summer schedule to a super busy “back to school” one. Nathan and I have hardly been home all week, poor Brandy.

You know it’s serious when our first chance to get actual groceries since camp was last night at 10:00 pm! This morning was our first meal together at home all week, which is why I don’t have any great recipes to share today. But I have a few ideas up my sleeve for the upcoming week.

This week’s haul…

I received some really exciting news on Monday evening…

 

My little sister is getting married to the love of her life! I couldn’t be more excited for Lindsay and Ben! He proposed on their 4 year dating anniversary, how special!

In other news, we had some visitors this week! Monday evening my Uncle John flew into Austin for business and we were able to meet up with him for dinner. It’s always a privileged getting to spend time with him because he lives so far away . Unfortunately, this happened right before dinner…

Big Blue blew a tire, yikes! But, we were able to have new ones put on while we were eating dinner.

 Thursday evening my aunt Lisa stopped by for the night and we all headed down town to have dinner on the River Walk.

 

 

It was so great to show her around the city! 

Today, I am off to hit up some teaching stores and get to work setting up my classroom for back to school night on Tuesday! I’m doing a jungle/monkey themed classroom again this year, it’s just so fitting for First grade. 😉 Hopefully I’ll have time to fit in an evening run tonight, but we will see!

I’ll check in later!

Lauren