Hello everybody,
I had a wonderful month of December, and such a fantastic Christmas this year, and got everything I have wished for; plenty of great gifts, boundiful holiday meals and most of all, a fantastic day with my friends & family!
Starting on Sunday, December 21st, and on my father's birthday, I went to watch the Lowry's Christmas Parade, an old-fashioned style Christmas parade filled with lots of festively decorated tractors and horses. There, we all sat near a friend's house where a barbeque buffet was held (including hot dogs, cheeseburgers, chicken wings, etc.), and across two great friends of ours who were just across the road from us, who had offered us some appetizers and Candy Apples. After the parade, many were getting their campers, seats, canopies, picnic supplies, blankets and other belongings packed up and ready to go, but before returning to the car to go back home, we all took time to visit Santa Claus, who was sitting on the front porch of the house, everybody who met him shared some of their Christmas wishes, had pictures taken, and even received surprise (wrapped) Christmas presents. Santa Claus was very nice, I was happy to talk to him and share a few Christmas wishes with him, and as a gift, I received a Winnie the Pooh Stamp Activity Set.
The next day (December 22nd), I had been invited to come to my boyfriend's parents' house to join them for their annual Christmas Celebration, and during hours of fun & enjoyment, I got to meet socialize with his family members, decorate my own Gingerbread houses to take home, enjoy some delicious holiday appetizers (such as meatballs, chips and dip, etc.) and a delicious holiday lunch (with Fried Chicken, Macaroni & Cheese, Corn, Mashed Potatoes, Dinner Rolls, Green Bean Casserole, etc.), exchange & open gifts, and even attend a private memoral in honor of the beloved Aunt of the family, who had passed away a few weeks ago. We even held a mini contest for our Gingerbread houses, and it was a three-way tie between the three female participants (including myself), for prizes, we were given one candy cane each.
This is the Gingerbread House that I decorated while at the Christmas Party, for the Holiday Season of 2013, I was so happy with how it turned out, and during this year's Holiday Season, I displayed it in my bedroom next to my little White Christmas Tree.
On the morning of December 23rd, two days before Christmas, I attended a 2-hour Cookies & Crafts Class, where participants can choose one wooden craft of their choice to paint (such as a picture frame, a wreath, a door sign, etc.) and decorate cookies to eat. I spent the whole class working on a picture frame (featuring a snowman and a penguin in a winter scene) that I chose to paint, I even enjoyed two decorated Christmas cookies with a cup of Sprite to drink while I was finishing. After Cookies & Crafts Class, my mother and I went to Steak n' Shake for lunch, a great way to bond with each other on the day before Christmas Eve. For lunch, I had a Bacon N' Cheese Double Steakburger with Fries, a Cup of Vegetable Soup, and Cherry Limeade to drink, my mother and I even shared a side order of Onion Rings together.
Christmas Eve, it was a simple, peaceful day, but when nighttime arrived, it was time to get started on our Christmas Eve buffet-style dinner, with honey-baked ham, gravy, mashed potatoes, dinner rolls, butter-glazed corn, and sliced pinapple. After dinner, and during the rest of the night, I stayed in my bedroom to continue working on my computer, do some of my personal activities (watching television, playing with my Nintendo 3DS, etc.) then get ready for bed for Santa Claus to arrive.
Christmas morning, I heard a knock on my door, reminding me that it was time to wake up and unwrap the gifts from underneath the Christmas tree, and greet my folks with a "Merry Christmas"! I even enjoyed a Cinnamon Roll with a cup of coffee for a little Christmas breakfast. During the rest of the morning, we, especially my nieces and nephews, had plenty of time to enjoy some of our gifts, until my uncle came over for Christmas brunch. While finding good places for some of my new things, my boyfriend gave me a call to wish me a "Merry Christmas" and to tell each other what we got for Christmas this year. A few hours later, Christmas brunch was served (in buffet-style, just like Christmas Eve dinner) we all helped ourselves to some delicious bacon, sausage patties, scrambled eggs, and biscuits. During the rest of the day, we all continued to do our own things, and even spend quality time with each other, especially with my father, my uncle and nieces & nephews before it was time for refreshments, in which I helped out by baking for everybody, and for refreshments, we had potato skins, mozzarella sticks, and crab rangoons, and they were delicious!
As Christmas gifts, I have received...
Novi Stars Dolls: Una Verse (one of the original four basic dolls) and Anne Arctic (from the Novi Invasion set), I have wanted one or a few of these beautiful & unique dolls for a while, and am so happy to now own a few. I definitely plan to get more in the near future, especially since I have actually decided to start my own Novi Stars collection.
CD's: Owl City: All Things Bright and Beautiful, Katy Perry: PRISM, Lady Gaga: ARTPOP, Donna Lewis: Now in a Minute, and Plumb: Beautiful History - A Hits Collection
Video Games: Style Savvy: Trendsetters and Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D for Nintendo 3DS, Imagine: Figure Skater and Imagine: Fashion Designer World Tour for Nintendo DS
Products from Bath & Body Works: Twisted Peppermint (Body Lotion, Shower Gel, and Fine Fragrance Mist) and Merry Marshmallow Kiss (Body Lotion, Shower Gel, and Triple Moisture Body Cream)
Books/Manga: Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon: Vol. 10, Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon: Vol. 11, Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon: Vol. 12, Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon: Short Stories Vol. 1, and Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon: Short Stories Vol. 2
Sailor Moon T-Shirts from HOT TOPIC
A Hello Kitty sleep mask, Hello Kitty body sponge, a new electric toothbrush, pink knitted finger-free gloves studded with golden sequins, pink & orange shower sponges, and a box of Ferrero Rochers
A Hello Kitty Optical Mouse, Roogoo PC Game, and a Hello Kitty Nintendo 3DS Travel Kit (all given to me by my sister and her boyfriend, who were visiting us for Christmas Day)
Some new beautiful jewelry (including a lovely Cross Bracelet, and a pretty sterling silver "Hope" charm bracelet), a pretty, rainbow jewel-studded headband, a lovely new fashion chain to attach to my glasses, and a beautiful new pink, diamond-studded waterbottle (with a saying, "Dream it, believe it, do it" printed on it)
VHS'/DVD's: Sailor Moon: Tree of Doom on VHS, Sailor Moon: Moonlight Knight And The Garden Of Evil on VHS, and Katy Perry: Part of Me on DVD
- New pairs of fun, cute, and cuddly socks (one pair including lip gloss) (two pair given by one of my boyfriend's aunts, and a box set of several pairs given by my grandparents)
- A Christmas greeting card with a Best Buy Gift Card (given to me by my uncle), and a check (given to me by my grandparents)
- A beautiful, purple jewel studded hair clip (by Selena Gomez's beauty/fashion line, Dream Out Loud) with a big, beautiful purple jewel bracelet to match, a Hello Kitty Rainbow Light Keychain, and a beautiful silver headband tiara (all given to me by my boyfriend)
- An Estee Lauder bag, Hello Kitty Shampoo & Bath Gel, a pack of Skittles and a Hershey's Chocolate Bar, Paradise Spa "Vanilla Icing" Body Lotion (all given to me by my boyfriend's family)
On Friday evening, I went to my boyfriend's parents house for dinner, and to the movies to see Walking with Dinosaurs. About a few minutes after we arrived at the house, my boyfriend and I took their dog for a walk, then when we came back, his mother made Hot Chocolate for us to enjoy on a cold day, and until dinner time, we all just relaxed by sitting down and doing our own things... my boyfriend and his mother sat in the living together and watched television, his younger brothers did their own personal activities in their bedrooms, and I sat back & relaxed in the guest room and played some Wii Play and Mario Kart Wii on the Nintendo Wii. For dinner, we had Cheeseburgers with some leftover greenbean casserole and macaroni & cheese from the Christmas party, baked potatos, and fruit. At the movies, my boyfriend and I sat on the couch on the first floor and shared a bag of popcorn with butter, Walking with Dinosaurs was a great and fun movie, and we all truly enjoyed watching it.
Tonight, I attended my boyfriend's birthday party at Empire Pizza & Bar, it was lots of fun! There, I ordered and helped myself to a delicious plate of angelhair alfredo pasta with mushrooms, a slice of garlic toast, and a side garden salad with honey mustard dressing. Before entering the restuarant to join the party, my boyfriend, one of his younger brothers, and I decided to walk over to G2K Games (a video game retailer located at the same plaza, and a few doors away from the restaurant), and there, I decided to treat myself by doing something that I have been wanting to do for a while, trading in a game (Donkey Kong Country for the Gamebody Advance, which I received for Christmas last year in 2012, but I already had the game since Christmas of 2003) for a different one in exchange (Donkey Kong Country 3 for the Gameboy Advance, which was possibly the only Donkey Kong Country game from the Gamebody Advance generation that was in store, especially since Donkey Kong Country 2 wasn't anywhere to be seen). I even helped out by handing presents to my boyfriend during present opening time and before it was time for cake, he got lots of great things and was happy with everything he got, my gift to him was a handmade birthday cake with a Subway Gift Card inside, and he liked that.
I hope that you all have had a safe & Happy Holidays too, and best wishes for another one in 1 year, 12 months, 52 weeks, and 361 days. In two nights, on New Year's Eve, I will be back again with another new journal, a special entry that will feature recaps of some of my greatest and favorite moments of 2013, along with revolutions and desires for the new year of 2014!
Take Care,
As promised to many, I will continue to make & submit artwork for all to see, without ever putting a stop to anything I enjoy doing to make myself and others happy. 
HAPPY NEW YEAR! 
