Merry Christmas from Iraq

"Bright colored packages tied up with string, these are a few of my favorite things." Perhaps when writing that song for the movie The Sound of Music they did not yet know of Tiffany's. Because if they had perhaps the line would go, "Little blue boxes tied up with white bows..." It totally goes right?

So Christmas morning at my parents' wraps up and my mom tells me I have one present left. So she sits me down in a chair in the middle of the room, my family and neighbors have cameras out watching and waiting for my every move... hmmmmm. What are they doing? And why am I the last to know what the heck is going on? So I open a gift of a blue box tied with a white bow, which can only mean one thing- Tiffany's! And from who might you ask? Brent! He ordered me a gorgeous necklace and had it sent to my parents' house for me to open on Christmas day. Thank God for online shopping! Kidding. I was going to be happy if I had gotten even an e mail from him that day. I was totally surprised and could not believe he did that. I absolutely love it and I think I wore it every day for the rest of my vacation. Thanks to Brent for being so thoughtful and for such an awesome present!

Here are some pictures of a few of my other favorite things- good times with my family and friends. Thanks to the rest of my family for all the great gifts and for putting up with the dogs- it was great seeing everyone!

Maureen and I on Christmas Eve

My parents and brothers and I

Lovin' the sweater vest Dan

Had to take a family portrait to send to Brent

The puppies on Christmas morning

Johnny showing off his new Under Armour

All the Chase cousins

Molly drinking beer out of a cat food dish

Nicky, Shelby, and I

"The Moose says Relax"