~Cozy, Cozy Christmas~

Tommy and I had a very Cosy Christmas this year, minus our 11ft tree falling down. We stayed at home this year and my parents over in the afternoon for dinner and presents. Below, the fake tree! 2nd time's a charm I guess!
Christmas Eve we each go to open one gift. Tommy got me an ornament that we had seen in a store while walking around, the week before. I love giraffes and was soooooo excited to hang it.
Christmas Eve Service at Quest was beautiful! I was so fun to get dressed up. We were not planning on going anywhere after service but other congregation members kept asking if we were going to leave the Red Carpet and go out the for the night so we couldn't let them down, we went out for Sushi!
The next morning after stockings, Tommy finished prepping and planing the final details for Christmas Meal. Mom and Dad got there at noon and we opened gifts together. It was so fun to see this look on Daddy's face! I found him a Cleveland Indians Toaster that "prints" Chief Wahoo on the bread! It doesn't get any cooler than that. I am so happy that Jill told me about them.

~Tommy loved his gifts from my rents.~
Mom got a Robe from me for Christmas. A yummy one from Victoria Secret. I knew that she didn't have one and thought she'll either love it or tell me there's a reason why she didn't have one. I took the "risk" and bought it. Oh my, Mom was thrilled. She had been looking for one for a year, one that she would really love for years to come. She opened that box and I am very surprised she didn't jump right in it.

Tommy did such a fantastic job cooking for all of us. The meal was as amazing as it looked! Yum!
My rents looked so cute together at the dinner table. I loved Daddy is his bow-tie and Mom in her matching scarf. Almost 43 years together! Wow, what an example you both are to us! Love you both!
We did so much on the video camera this year that I have few photos to show but that about sums up one of the Coziest Christmases of all! I know it's March now but I hope that you and your family had a Wonderful Christmas.

~A Pencil Collection~

There is still a story to tell about how I got one of my first pencils. I was probably as young as 5 when we were on vacation, at a baseball stadium and my Daddy was buying a Baseball Cap and I said I wanted one. Daddy collects hats from each stadium he has ever been to, yes that's a lot. I remember him saying, "Here you can buy this pencil and have a souvenir of your own.". 22years later I have over 170 pencils and only 13 of them are sharpened. I have never used any of them.
I have pencils from all 49 states that I have traveled to, every baseball stadium, all the national monuments we've been to, plenty from Columbus (like The Zoo, COSI, Franklin Park, etc.), I got a few in London and Paris, and even a 24 pack of baseball team pencils that my grandpa got me for Christmas in 1994.

That same year, in the fourth grade my parents got me a set of "Meredith Stohrer Pencils". I kept one in the collection and used the rest. I will never forget the day that a boy in my class took my pencil then claimed to the teacher that is was his. I said to Mrs. Caw, "Please look at the pencil, my name is engraved in it. I know it's mine!". She did and he had to give it back! Normally it would be a silly story but it was test taking time and I was getting yelled at for not having a pencil out on the table and being "ready to go".
I collected the "Rock Pencils" for as long as I could find them... AZ, TX, OH, UT, VA and more!
Family and friends have also brought me back ones from their vacations. Here are my smallest and largest ones; Barbados and Japan!
I remember the first time I found a wooden pencil! I was so excited! It is rare to find one with any text. Thank you Missouri!

Just this past year when Tommy and I stopped through Seattle to visit my friend Chantelle I got a second one from the Space Needle. They are different styles and I have been there twice! :)
I have a two boxes that I keep them in. One with all the "standard sizes" and one with all the over-sized ones or ones with toppers. When I was really little it was fun to pick out the largest craziest pencil I could find. I love the creativity behind the design of some of them. I have a yellow pencil with a skillet and sunny side up egg on top, one that is shapped like a red heart with a little stem on top to make it look like an apple, a light bulb topper and a plastic container shaped like a pencil that says Chicago. Inside of the container I keep all the pencils I got from all our site seeing in the Windy City.
Over the years I have had so much fun collecting them. I hope that someday one of our kids will want to continue the tradition of getting one each exciting place we go. I also hope that when I am old and grey I can look through the boxes and travel down memory lane, just like I would submerged in a scrapbook.

~A Warm December~

I can't believe how nice the weather has been to us this winter. We have gotten the opportunities to do lots of fun things so far this season. December so far has included a second trip to Cincinnati with Mom & Dad, a Bridal Shower, Great times with Great friends and getting ready for Christmas - TWICE! Long story - Read on!

My Mother-in-Law Vicki gave me this hat and I had been saving it for a special occasion! She got it when she was in Paris and offered it to me to wear. I thought it looked cute with my white winter coat while hunting for the "perfect real tree". We decided to go to Oakland Nursery somewhere I used to go every year with my Mom and Dad on Mother's Day, to pick out flowers for the front bed.

~There was an Ice Sculptor there and it was soooo much fun to watch him work!~

There were lots of other activities to partake in and one of them was a carriage ride. Tommy and I went around and I just had to pet the horses after!

Our "First Christmas Tree" of December 2011 was this 11 foot tall Fir. Yes, we took this sucker home!!! Notice I said first...

That night I made lots of homemade cookies for us as well as an upcoming Christmas Party. I got creative with cutting up Mint and Peppermint Hershey Kisses for them! Boy of Boy they were good!

~Not bad, Mrs. Feisel, not bad! Lol!~

I never got a photo of just the 11ft tree by itself, decorated but got one of me and some of my friends with it. Left to Right: Me, Lauren, Emily, Bethany, Kyla and Kara. The girls came over and we made GLITTER Shoes. Yes, there's more where that came from. But, that's a future Blog Post!

Brooke had her 7th Birthday Party at Menchies in Dublin! Menchie himself even came out for a little while. The girls all had so much fun hanging out with him, picking out what ice cream they wanted, decorating t-shirts, playing with their prizes, watching Brooke open her gifts and eating cake that had 5 cool characters on it! I think that it was a great idea to have the party there. If you have not been before it is worth it! The host of the night was amazing with the kids as well. I give them 5 stars, hands down!

~Tommy being silly with Menchie!~

~Brooke and her friends at the best birthday party ever! :) Xoxo!~

Jill, Courtenay, Me and Kara after The Party. All the "Big Girls", the little ones were already buckled up in the Jeep.

For many many years we have gone as a family to The Living Christmas Tree at Grace Brethren Church. It has become a tradition. This year I invited 12 other people to come along! We all went and took up a row in the church. I had the kids I watch there (with their parents) and the were very engaged! If you have not been before you must go next year! They change the plot of the play each year to some how revolve around Christmas and have 120+ cast members with lots of music, animals (including camels and donkeys) and two HUGE Christmas trees that fill 60 choir singers!!!

~Me with The H's, the kids I nanny and their parents!~

~Theo, Kyla, Ryan, Kara, Me & Tommy~

~The Four Of Us~

After A Living Christmas Tree the four of us went to the Kahley's to Celebrate Christmas with them. Hannah makes our gifts every year and this year she made Cookies! They were so yummy! I put a "Beauty Basket" together for her and she loved it. It had shampoo, body wash, make up brush set, glow in the dark nail polish, a necklace, eye make up remover and candy of course! I love you Hannah and I am so proud to call you my sister! Xo!

My Rents wanted to go to IKEA in Cincinnati this month, of course I went along! We had a great time, the three of us, in the truck on the way down laughing and telling stories about what all has happened so far that month. We ate breakfast there, each got a few things and were on our way to a Market that we had not been to before. Daddy wanted to check it out!

~Dorthy Lane Market was very cool, cool as Ice!~

When I posted this photo on Facebook my friend asked me if it was a photo of the erasers from my Pencil Collection? Of course, that was just at a "thumbnail glance".

~What's up cool way to display carrots?~

I came home to something I never thought would have, our 11ft tree fell down. Tommy tried to get it (by himself) to stand upright again. Ten minutes after that, it fell again and this time, so much was lost! I love ornaments (practically collect them) and so many broke. Tommy tried to cheer me up by saying that it's a good excuse to go to Bronners the next time we are in Michigan.

~Behold Tree #2~

Jill put on a Bridal Shower for her good friend Courtenay and I came over to help. We had a fun time playing games and talking. Jill was so creative to make it a "Takeout/Microwave" Themed Shower because the Bride to be does not cook. The gifts were so creative, as you can well imagine. Everyone did a great job buying for her!

Mom had a party for her Friend Terry at her house since Terry recently moved to Florida. Tommy and I were so honored to be invited. We spent the night looking at photos of Terry's new home, eating (of course) and laughing at everyone's stories - all were great story tellers. Tommy also had a lot of fun talking to one of the husbands about all in the world that is "Techy"! :)

Ending on a sweet note: Kara brought over the two youngest children that she watches one day. I had just gotten my wisdom tooth pulled and she came over to help me around the house and she even gave me a pedicure! How nice! During that time Caitlin and Bree had to nap. I set them up to do so on the couch and while Kara cleaned the kitchen I made sure (over and over) that Caitlin stayed on the couch! I got photos of the two of them after they fell asleep... so adorable. Especially Bree with my Childhood Teddy Bear!

Hope you had a warm and cozy December!

~Thanksgiving in MI~

It was the WORST drive to MI we have ever made as a married couple! I could not get over the rain and the wind this year! I am just so glad we made it there ok. I was a back seat driver in the passenger seat the whole time!

Of course "coming home" to this smile from my little nephew made the whole day/drive better and totally worth it! "Hi, Baby Justin"!

We hung out with Tommy's rents, the boys and Danny (our Brother-In-Law) for the day! Not a bad photo for four boys who never stop! Yes, I said four!

The next day the family came back over again to Bob and Vicki's. This would be Tommy "trapping" our oldest nephew in a box while the middle child stairs blankly into the camera! Oh to have little ones!

I cuddled with the baby, of course, on the couch for as long as I could keep him there.

Christine (Sister-In-Law) found an amazing recipe for us to make. We went shopping for everything and got to bakin'! They were so yummy, check them out here!

So much fun to swirl them all!

While Christine and I were baking the guys were slaving away cooking us an amazing meal! I loved every bite of it!

One Thanksgiving morning we headed over to my Aunt LuAnn's house! I had to get a photo of PREGNANT Susan, Sarah and Me - the girls! Susan was due Jan 14th and about ready to pop!

Tommy put my cousin Alex to work for H'ordeuvres Night! This is them making marshmallows for a Sweet Potato and Torched Marshmallow Ice Cream!

As Always we played some games. Apples to Apples is a Tradition!!!

My Aunt Sue roots for Michigan State and we spent all year going back and fourth (via text) all season, giving each other crap! When I saw this shirt, I just had to... Ha, she'll never wear it. Maybe she'll re-gift it. I hope so cause I heard rumor she might use it as a rag!

We usually always see a movie while we are there, this year The Muppets! I thought it was well done and the cameos were great! There were people that I never would have expected to show up and did!!!

Aunt LuAnn held a Baby Shower for Andrew and Susan and Baby Madelyn Marie! Everyone brought a $10 gift and as they opened them they tried to guess who got them what! It was a GREAT idea and so much fun!!! I love how Pete tricked them with Little Pink Baby Shoes!

~Tommy "made" Susan try the Ice Cream he and Alex made before everyone else!~

The Official Baby Pool! I was so excited that I won Date! Uncle Bill and I tied for length and my Mom won weight! How fun!

We Celebrated Alex's 20th Birthday! This year he made his Cake (yes, he and Sarah have made them the last couple years) Football Themed!

WE WON! WE WON! WE WON! University of Michigan beat OSU... FINALLY! LOL! The seven of us went to Bar Louie and the Mall and watched both Michigan Games. It was fun watching both games and observing other people at the same time. Boy oh Boy some men can get maaaad!

We had a blast that night watching movies, playing pool and other games and of course eating leftovers. Aunt LuAnn always announces, "Remember, I don't want any leftovers!".

The next Day we went to Bob and Vicki's to cook and eat Dinner with Grandma! It was so fun for Tommy to help her out in the kitchen. All 5 of us had a great time!

Tommy's Grandma made Pumpkin Pie and brought if over. It was the Pumpkin that Nick grew in his Garden - how special! It was so good and CAN'T WAIT to have her in February! I know we will cook and bake up a storm with her then!!!

While we were in Michigan I found out that Fred Meijer passed away. I never met him but have ALWAYS loved the store Meijer and felt like I knew him!!! Growing up we would go to Meijer every Saturday evening after Church and as a wife of four years, it's still the only place I shop!!! All the Columbus, Ohio locations had a table and guest book out to sign. I wrote something inside! It felt like I had closure!

We hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving!
Next up Winter Fun and Christmas at The Feisel's!