Nosey Relatives

You know what makes me even sadder than Christmas being over? Nosey relatives who keep pushing and prying, wanting to know when we are going to have kids. And by "sadder" I mean pissed off. It's like the instant you get married, you are immediately supposed to start popping out kids. Excuse me?? First of all, it's none of your damn business if or when we are going to have kids. Second of all, it REALLY pisses me off when I tell them that we are most likely not going to have kids. Like, ever. And they just look at me like I have three eyes. Is it that difficult to accept that some people just don't want kids??

I like my "me" time. I like being able to pick up and go anywhere at a moment's notice. I like sleep. I like being able to just sit and read a book if I want. I like my money and being able to spend it on things I want. The thought of having a child who will steal all this away from me does not sound appealing at all. I have accepted that I am selfish and impatient and I don't plan on changing any time soon. We might get another puppy and/or kitten, but that's about it. At least you can put them in a cage for 8 hours of the day and not have CPS called on you. They don't talk back and they don't throw tantrums in the middle of the store. And I don't know if you've noticed or not, but this world is going to hell in a hand basket. Is it really fair to bring a child in to this world?

Who knows, if the "motherly" urge hits me in another few years, I may change my mind. But for right now, I don't want kids. End of story. I may punch someone in the face the next time they ask.

COLD

Temperature is currently -1 with a wind chill of -25. Rock on. I guess it's only fitting since it's the first day of winter. As long as it stays cold enough to keep the snow on the ground so we have a white Christmas this year, I'll be happy.

In honor of Christmas, here's a picture of the outside of our house all decorated and our Christmas tree. I especially love that the ONLY lights that decided to go out were right at the top of the peak. Awesome.

One of the little joys in life

I would like to profess my love for Zappos.com. It is the greatest thing in the world to order a pair of shoes at lunch time, and have them waiting for you on your doorstep after work the next day. Don't know how they do it, but I love them for it.

On another note, the weather today is FANTASTIC. Rain, sleet, slush and ice...can we say Merry Christmas? And apparently, it's also thundering and lightning? Weird stuff. I also appreciate that the parking lot here at work had not yet been salted. I had a blast trying to walk from my car in to the building on the inch of ice that has turned the parking lot in to an ice skating rink. I was secretly hoping I would fall on my ass and could collect worker's comp, but alas....

And thirdly, one of the main reasons I even came in to work today is because I have a hair appointment so I'd have to be driving out this way anyway. I could have rescheduled but it would be six weeks before I could get in again and my hair hasn't been touched since before the wedding so it's past due for some attention!

Kieflies

One of my favorite things about this time of year is kieflies. They are hungarian crescent-shaped cookies with a filling made of egg whites, powdered sugar, lemon juice, vanilla, and walntus. SO yummy. Every year my mom and make a bunch. Just a couple nights ago we made about 80 kieflies. It always amazes me how many people have never had one. You have not lived until you have tried these little bits of heaven.

Christmas Survey

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? Wrapping Paper but gift bags are handy every now and then

2. Real tree or Artificial? Artificial...easier and less mess.

3. When do you put up the tree? Usually around Thanksgiving

4 . When do you take the tree down? after New Years

5. Do you like eggnog? Yes!

6. Favorite gift received as a child? hmm, that's a toughie. Maybe my weeble wobbles house?

7. Hardest person to buy for? My brother because he will never tell us what he wants

8. Easiest person to buy for? My mom

9. Do you have a nativity scene? No

10. Mail or email Christmas cards? mail, but that's not happening this year

11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? I received an UGLY pin, like, a pin you're supposed to wear on your shirt.. I was like TEN. What ten-year-old wears pins???

12. Favorite Christmas Movie? Home Alone, A Christmas Story, The Family Stone, Elf, National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation....I have a lot.

13. When do you start shopping? November

14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? yep

15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? KIEFLIES!! --- for those not in the "know" they are hungarian cookies...you take dough ball, roll it out, drop some filling in it, roll it up, bake it, and sprinkle powdered sugar on it. Little pieces of Heaven!!!

16. Lights on the tree? yep

17. Favorite Christmas song? I'm copying off of Kristen, I love Mariah Carey's "All I Want for Christmas is You". And for a more traditional song, I love "I'll be Home for Christmas" or "Sleigh Ride"

18.Travel at Christmas or stay home? Stay home...well, within the area.

19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer's? Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner, Blitzen and of course Rudolph

20. Angel on the tree top or a star? Star

21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? Both...Aunts and Uncles and Cousins we open Christmas Eve, with my parents we open Christmas Day.

22. Most annoying thing about this time of the year? The lines for shopping and when there's no snow on Christmas

23. Favorite ornament theme or color? My ornaments are all gold, and then I have red ribbons on the tree, so I guess red and gold?

24. Favorite for Christmas dinner? Homemade noodles and mashed potatoes

25. What do you want for Christmas this year? Peace on Earth, Goodwill to men....on the more materialistic side, I want a black pair of Uggs and Guitar Hero for Wii.

Fearless

From the liner notes of the "Fearless" album. I just thought it was worth reading...

"Fearless is not the absence of fear. It's not being completely unafraid...Fearless is having fears. Fearless is having doubts...fearless is living in spite of those things that scare you to death.

Fearless is falling madly in love again, even though you've been hurt before. Fearless is getting back up and fighting for what you want over and over again...even though every time you've tried before, you've lost.

It's fearless to have faith that someday things will change. Fearless is having the courage to say goodbye to someone who only hurts you, even if you can't breathe without them. And when someone apologizes to you enough time for things they'll never stop doing...it's fearless to stop believing them. It's fearless to say you're NOT sorry and walk away. Loving someone despite what people think is fearless.

Allowing yourself to cry on the bathroom floor is fearless. Letting go is fearless. Then moving on and being alright, that's Fearless too. But no matter what love throws at you, you have to believe in it. You have to believe in love stories and prince charmings and happily ever after. Love is fearless."
- - Taylor Swift

Black Friday

I had a successful Black Friday. Got to Kohl's at 4:00am, that's right...4:00 IN THE MORNING. Got my 600 TC Egyptian cotton sheets for $39.99 and a griddle for Randy for $9.99. Visited Sears and JCPenney's for some more bargains and went home and was back in bed by 7:00. Good Times.
Later in the day, my lovely husband put up Christmas lights for me.
I decorated the house and put up our Christmas tree and my cat decided that it would be a good idea if he helped.

Now our house is all festive!! I still need to get more lights to put around the other two bushes, since we ran out!

Thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving week is upon us!! Thank the Lord. I am very grateful for only having to work two and a half days this week.

Usually for thanksgiving, we just go to my aunt and uncle's house so it's a fairly small group, maybe fifteen to twenty people, kids included. Well, this year, my grandparents have delayed their winter migration to Florida to be here with us for Thanksgiving for the first time in 22 years. Needless to say, it is going to be craziness. We have rented a hall and there are probably going to be between 60-70 family members joining in the festivities. It should be interesting!!

Snow

I love snow. There's just something magical about it. The world seems much quieter when there's a blanket of snow on the ground.

What I do not love is driving in it. Or, rather, all the other idiots on the road driving in it. Why can't people grasp the fact that you do not need to go 5 miles an hour, nor do you need to blaze down the road at 60 miles an hour. There is a happy medium. And just because you have a four wheel drive vehicle does not mean that you need to ride my ass - My little G6 does not handle snow well and not everyone has the luxury of a gas-guzzling monstrosity, so could you just calm it, please??

And for the idiots in the parking lot: stop being an idiot and learn how to park. Just because you can't see the lines, does NOT mean you need to leave half a car length between you and the next car, nor does it mean that you should try to squeeze in to a not-big-enough space to the point where I'm sure you had to crawl out your trunk to get out of the car.

Ode to Starbucks

I would like to profess my love for the White Chocolate Peppermint Mocha from Starbucks. It's like heaven in a cup. And for some reason, the red cups just make them taste that much better this time of year, not to mention the Peppermint Whip Cream!!!

I used to go to Starbucks about three times a week, then I started doing the math. $4 times 3 days times 4 weeks in a month....well, it was kind of a lot of money to be spending on coffee so I made myself cut back. I try to keep it to about twice a month, but it's just so hard becase I LOVE those drinks. And you would think, with Starbucks sales being down 97% like they claim, that they would cut their prices or at least have specials of some sort. Would a punch card be too much to ask? All I ask is that my fifth, or even tenth cup be free!! But alas, for now, I will just have to savor my twice monthly little slice of heaven.

Check 'em out

Two new cds were released recently that you should definitley check out!

Taylor Swift - Fearless

She sold over half a million in the first week!

David Cook

American Idol winner and amazingly talented.

Twilight

Unless you've been living under a rock as of late, you've heard of the Twilight phenomenon...the movie, the books, etc. Well, up until about a month ago, I couldn't have cared less. But then my lovely friend, Robyn, innocently suggested that I read the books. She had already read them (in record time, I might add) and loved them. I was skeptical as I had heard both good and bad things regarding the quality and entertainment factor of them, but decided to give them a try. Much to my chagrin (!!), four books and thousands of pages later, I am officially sucked in (no pun intended). I think I even went through a slight withdrawl phase after I had finished the last book. Thanks, Robyn. I appreciate it.

I'm cotemplating re-reading them, but I think Randy's glad that I actually have time to pay attention to him again, so I may give it a rest for a while.

The movie opens on Friday and I feel like a freaking 8-year-old the night before Christmas. Antsy, anxious, impatient and excited. I just hope the movie isn't completely lame - although, even if it is, the eye candy will be nice - Robert Pattinson is the epitome of Edward.