a plethora of perfect presents

I made out QUITE well this past Christmas morning ending up with more goodies than I could have possibly dreamt up in my little sugar-plum-filled head.

The goods from my stocking!

Some extra sharp kitchen utensils, 2 fabulous, reusable, 

and easy-to-stash grocery bags, some new running socks

and who doesn't always need another pair of Hanky Pankys?

Among my favorites were the bright pink and orange

 J. Crew PJ bottoms, my creamy brown riding boots,

2 divine-smelling fancy candles, and an overabundance 

of fine jewels - necklaces, bracelets, earrings, you name it!

While I could not have been more excited about my receivables, what really got me going that morning was the host of gifts I had graciously been asked to assist with.

From my parents to my college-aged and football-playing brother, I helped out with two fab presents.

I hand-crafted a pair of tickets to the Green Bay Packers

2nd playoff game (WHEN they make it) January 22nd.  As you know,

we are Wisconsinites, Beer Lovers, and - most importantly - Cheeseheads. 

The Green and Gold pumps through our veins. 

When they make it, my dad will take my bro.

Sam is also a master of party-throwing on campus. For his birthday last spring, he asked for a pig roaster (yes - I am talking about one where you put the WHOLE pig into) so he could throw a Brooks Brothers Birthday Bash Pig Roast. This semester he organized and hosted a Thanksgiving Turkey Roast (where he pit-roasted birds, dished out fresh and savory stuffing by the barrel, and filled glasses with homemade spiked apple cider and plentiful beer) as well as a Holiday Celebration (where he red-and-green-wrapping-papered every wall of the party house, poured up buckets of creamy eggnog, and wore his favorite red onesie). 

So to help him celebrate in 2012, I assembled

the fittings for a blow-out black-and-white bash

- a party my parents loved to throw in their college days. 

Besides having the people and place dressed to the nines

in black and white, they'd serve one of the most dangerous

concoctions known to college kind: the White Russian.

All courtesy of my parents' wallet. 

Not a bad gift for a college kid if you ask me.

From my parents to my lovely grandmother Kaka, I assisted with another gift.  Kaka is Miss. Socialite Extraordinaire attending some type of event almost every. day. of. the. week.  Seriously, this woman has more friends and social obligations that Sam, Gretchen, and I combined.      

Kaka with Gretters and I last spring

So to assist her in meeting the needs of her sizzling social calendar and allow her to indulge in one of her favorite treats: an oaky, buttery glass of Chardonnay, my parents decided to give her a gift certificate:

The card is just the car (not the white table the automobile is sitting on)

made out of black and white Paper Source card stock.

For my mom's dad - an aspiring and darn witty writer whose words you can find on this blog here, they also decided upon a hand-crafted gift card - this time for a creative non-fiction writing course he and my mom would team up and take this January.

For this gift card, I designed a little book with deets on the class within.

Get excited - he'll be guest posting some of his musings come 2012.

Us grand kids also put together a little something for Nana and Pops - our Masters of Ceremonies for this past Christmas weekend - more on that soon. Given their love of music and their new gift of an iPad 2 from the generation above us, we decided to get them some portable, easy-plug-in speakers along with unlimited assistance in downloading their favorite tunes.

From my mom to my dad, I helped out with another super cute gift certificate for a present that was in the mail:

Pacific Dualie Tandem Bike in Green

I guess I sort of forgot that a tandem only

has two wheels when I designed the pic. 

Oh well.  He got the idea.

From my dad to my mom you ask? 
Well, you'll just have to hold your horses - that story is a post in and of its self. 
More on that tomorrow. 

While I positively adored all of my fabulous gifts, it was amazing how right they are when they say "it's better to give than receive."  I got to be in on the surprise for so many delightful presents this year that my Christmas morning could not have been more delectable.

But really the best present for me has yet to come.  This afternoon I hop on a plane and head to Switzerland to finally see my little Swiss soldier after 28 painful days without him.  Getting to spend the next week relaxing with him and his family in the Swiss Alps is what I am most excited about. 

But don't worry - I've stocked up on lots of good stories from my weekend o' fun here, so you've got plentiful posts headed your way while I'm gone. 

xoxo
KK