Talkin' 'bout framily

Happy holidays, bloggies! I hope Santa is good to each of you this year - from the display of (still wrapped!) gifts under my tree, he's been pretty good to me too. And yes I did follow all the rules and have not opened one gift - even though James told me I could open his, I told him no, I will wait until tomorrow when it's ACTUALLY Christmas. (Who am I? What is this? Is this a preview of patience? So foreign to me.)

I am spending tonight and tomorrow in my sweatpants with Bailey, and I'm actually pretty excited about it. Would I rather be at home in Maine with my crazy family? Of course, but it's pretty expensive to fly home for the holidays (plus having to board B breaks my heart) - and this way, I can save up a bunch of PTO time at work and take a longer vacation in the summer. Hermit Island is my Christmas, my absolute favorite time of year. I've been working 50-60 hours a week since Thanksgiving, and I am tired.

My Mama's sticky buns showed up on Saturday (yeah, we send breakfast foods via USPS. No big deal.) which means it is officially Christmas for the Foster/Traver families. Speaking of Foster family - this is the whole point of this post - I absolutely love the fact that my family extends far past just the 4 of us. Friends and boyfriends over the years have been "adopted" (as adults) into our family, and regardless of current relationship status, they kind of just... stay. Most people don't get it. If I wasn't a part of this giant heap o' crazy, I wouldn't get it either. We use the word "framily" to describe it.

For example:

Me + HS boyfriend + his wife + his former work wife (my BFF) + her boyfriend + teenage cousin Jess = Hermit Island 2012

what?

That's just how it works around here folks! And I wouldn't ask for it any other way. So when Gabby sent me pictures of these ornaments that she got for my parents, my heart was so happy. (God that is the gushiest thing I think I've ever said.)

So damn cute, AMIRITE?!

Basically the gist of this is that I love my actual-related-family and my framily, and wish I was home with them right now, but there will be a countdown soon enough for when I see them again!

hand-me-down tree, hand-me-down star. HOLLA.

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Wall hanging. HomeGoods. $8. EIGHT. DOLLHAIRS. Bought it.

I'm not sure if I've blogged about this company before but if I have, I'm gonna do it again. A few years ago my sister found this soap company at a craft fair, and we've been obsessed ever since. Botanical Soaps makes something called Leg Shaving Soap. This stuff will change yo' life. I despise using shaving cream on my legs because then the shower water gets all over it, the shaving cream rinses away and its just a big ol' pain in the ass. This leg shaving soap leaves your legs so smooth and moisturized - I stock up like once a year and it lasts for-ev-er. I just got my annual shipment so I figured I'd tell you guys about it - she makes a bunch of other soaps and lotions (I love the peppermint foot scrub soap) and it's all really great stuff. That website doesn't list her products, but all you really need to know is that the leg shaving soap is amazing and you should order some. Yesterday.

STOCKPILE!

NC sunrise. what. the sky looks like this EVERY DAY.

Merry Christmas!