randomness

I'm seriously considering spending my Christmas iTunes giftcard on the whole Wicked album.

Caffeine is consuming me.  I have to cut back.

John got me Personal Trainer Cooking for the DS.  I cannot wait to use it.

He also got me a hair dryer.  I already have used it!

I would not make it through the winter without our kerosene heater.

My new license came in the mail yesterday.  I'm an organ donor so it has a cute little red heart on it.  I got a form to fill out if I would like to put any restrictions on what organs/tissue/etc. they can use.  Honestly, the thought of them using my skin grosses me out.  But then John reminded me it could be for a firefighter who was burned....so I agreed to it.  As long as they don't take it off my face or anything.  I would like an open casket.  (In case you were wondering...)

I still have ornaments and strings of lights around the living room that I need to pack away.  I'll be doing that when I get out of work early this afternoon.

I secretly feel special every time I park in our garage.

Three-day weekends make me feel like I can accomplish anything!

Wicked

So Monday night I got to experience one of my Christmas gifts.  John's Mom took me and his 2 sisters to see Wicked at Proctor's. 

Oh. My. Gosh.

It was incredible!!

I love music, I love singing, and I love shows.  I had no idea (except a very small, basic knowledge) what the story line was.  I didn't know any of the songs.  Didn't know any of the performers either.

The story was awesome.  The songs were so great.  The dialogue was hilarious.  The performers were a-mazing!  Elphaba was my favorite.  She was the Wicked Witch of the West!  I know, I know...but unless you've seen the show or read the book, you don't know the whole story!  The WW of the W got a pretty raw deal.  And Elphaba was very sarcastic in the show...I loved that.

Ga-linda (with a 'ga') the Good was actually the understudy.  You'd never know it.  She did an awesome job.  I didn't like her voice as much as Elphaba's, but she was very good.  I just prefer the more alto voice, I think.

There were quite a few tongue-in-cheek references to The Wizard of Oz.  And some not quite so tongue-in-cheek.  It was very funny, and I liked finding the little 'clues' that came from the original movie.  (The WW of the East having those striped stockings on was one I particularly enjoyed!)

I wish I could go again.  It was such a fabulous show.  And I wish everyone I knew could go see it!!  If I ever have the chance, I will for sure go see it again!!

yesterday was my birthday

The Christmas tree is down.  Yay!  I took all the ornaments off.  (They're still sitting on the table, I haven't had time to actually pack them away.)  I took the strings of lights off.  (They're casually strewn about the living room.  I'm trying to figure out a good way to store them so they don't get all twisted and tangled.)  I actually brought the naked tree out to the curb.  (John was impressed.  That's usually his job.)  I vacuumed up all the pine needles that dropped en route.  (There were a lot.)

Tonight I'll take care of the lights and ornaments.  I'll also start my thank you notes and (hopefully) pay some bills.  Actually, I'm gonna go pay a bill right now.  Because it's due today.  Today is work.  Blah.  Tomorrow is work, but only till 3pm.  Friday is a holiday!  I'm excited for another 3-day weekend.

I'm putting a lot of thought into my New Year's resolutions.  Trying to come up with some good ones, that I'll actually be able to stick to.  I love the 'fresh start' feeling.

I had an awesome birthday!

perspective

Life is all about perspective.

My life seems pretty crappy.

Until I open my self-absorbed eyes and take a look around.

There are many people who have it a lot worse than me.  A lot.

Today, a child is dying.  A family is mourning.

Life is all about perspective.

"Never underestimate my Jesus...when the world around you crumbles, He will be strong, He will be strong." ~RelientK

birthday list

I was blessed this Christmas.  Very blessed.  I got lots of great gifts, and much of what I got, was what I had asked for!

So, not to sound too greedy or anything...but yesterday I was asked what I wanted for my birthday.  So here's a small list.

• A hair dryer.  I didn't get one for Christmas, and mine died this month, remember?
• A ring clip.  I've heard you can get them at a jeweler, and it holds your rings together.  Mine are always getting twisted around.  I don't think they're too expensive.
• A new Nalgene bottle.  Preferably one with a small opening, not the large one.
• Clothes are still good.  Clothes are always good.
• Gift cards are always good too.  Old Navy, iTunes, etc.

And while we're on the subject of my birthday...I'd just like the world to know that this will be my last official birthday.  Henceforth, birthdays (of mine) will not be celebrated.  I will stay in my 20's forever.

no pictures

*Phew*

Not to be all bah-humbugy or anything.  But I'm so glad that Christmas is over.  I'm fighting the urge to start undecorating right now.  The only reason the stuff is staying up is because my birthday party is tomorrow night and I want everyone to see our house all decorated!

I took no pictures on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day.  I don't know why.  I thought about it, but just didn't feel like pulling out my camera.  I'll have to beg, borrow and steal (from facebook!) pictures from my family. 

Christmas Eve we spent with John's family, eating a delicious dinner, opening our gifts and playing games.  We had such a great time.  Unfortunately, John had to work from 11pm until 8am.  He then went to a fire investigation while I had breakfast with my parents, grandma and Granny T on Christmas Day.  Everyone came to my parent's house around noon and we opened a mountain of gifts!!  We then had another delicious meal.  John left shortly after to try and catch a few winks before the Stone Family Christmas that evening.

All-in-all John got about 2, maybe 2 and a half hours of sleep yesterday.  And not all together!  He got home this morning around 7:30 and is now snoring away.  My poor baby.

Even though Christmas is over, the next few days are still chock full of stuff.  Party at 6 tonight.  Birthday party tomorrow night.  Wicked at 8pm on Monday.  Day off Tuesday (for my birthday!) but Nuzback Christmas get-together that night.  Wednesday night, nothing, but then Thursday is New Year's Eve already!

Today's plans are cleaning, laundry and relaxing.  I've been so busy the past several days I've had no time to just sit and enjoy the quiet.  Probably part of my breakdown on Christmas Eve night.  I did have a wonderful Christmas day though, so thank you all for the prayers.  I know that's how I got through!

the night before Christmas

As I sit here in my dark living room, staring at the multi-colored lights of our Christmas tree, all I can do is cry.  I've had a good day.  Don't get me wrong.  It's only Christmas Eve and I've already been blessed with lots of presents and wonderful time spent with family.

Maybe it's because I'm over tired.  Maybe it's crashing from the massive caffeine high of the day.  Maybe it's the fact that John just left for work and I'm alone for the night.  Maybe it's just all the emotions and stress of Christmas getting to me.

But I know it's not.

It's the fact that right now, there should be a 5 month old baby sleeping in the other room.  Or maybe crying.  Maybe needing a bottle or a diaper change.  It should be my baby's first Christmas tomorrow.  Maybe there would be a special ornament to commemorate 'Baby's First Christmas 2009.'  For sure there would be lots of hugs, kisses and snuggles. 

Not only that, but I also should be 3 and a half months pregnant.  Over the morning sickness, past the worry of the first trimester.  Beginning to plan the nursery and maybe starting to wear maternity clothes. 

Sorry to be a downer, for anyone reading this.  But I'm just so sad right now I can hardly stand it.  The tears just won't stop.  I guess this time of year makes it harder.  I hate to say it, but I just want Christmas to be over.  I'm afraid that tomorrow, as my beautiful niece is celebrating her first Christmas, I'm not going to be able to hold myself together.  And I know my family understands.  But who wants to have to have an emotional basketcase bawling all over Christmas?

I feel like here I am, again, the exact same place I was last year at this time.  Spinning my wheels, not getting anywhere while the rest of the world keeps going.  Families are growing, but not mine.  The only thing I've ever truly desired has been given, then taken away.  Not once, but twice.  I don't understand. 

Last year, I embraced the beginning of a new year with open arms, ready to put 2008 far, far behind me.  Now I face 2010 with dread.  Maybe that's wrong, but that's how I feel.  Like if I dare to be hopeful again, I'm just in for more heartache and pain.  Because truly, right now, my heart is breaking.  Over and over and over again.

Five Days 'til Christmas

December 20, 2009
7:12am
Location: my house

Me: (drying hair in bathroom)

John: "zzzzzzzz"

the hairdryer: *choke* (silence)

Me: (tiptoeing into our bedroom) "John?"

John: "grunt"

Me: "Did you get me a hair dryer for Christmas?"

John: "I don't know"

pause....

Me: "You don't know?"

John: "Ummm...I can't remember."

Me: "So that's a no?"

John: "Yeah, I don't think I got you one."

Me: (wrought with disappointment) "Okay."

Thus, the half wet/half dry hairstyle I'm trying out today for church.  Please don't laugh at me.

my explanation

So, I still have other ornaments to blog about.  But I have to take the pictures, upload them (and I have no room on my computer) and actually do the blogging.  More than I have time for!

The season of busy is upon us.  Lots of shopping, baking, cleaning, wrapping, working, planning to do.  And eating, of course.  And parties!

I love this time of year, I hate this time of year.  For various reasons. 

Hormone levels are at 6.  Not sure precisely what this means for me, but I'll be talking to the midwife tomorrow.

Our new bed (the Vera Wang I blogged about awhile ago...) is incredible.  Just incredible.  So glad we made the investment!

On Friday John and I are doing Christmas shopping for, among others, our nephews.  I was going to shop for them when I was out by myself, but I resisted, knowing it's John's favorite thing to do.  I think he's more excited about buying for them then getting his own presents!

Oh, and Christmas cards.  I didn't do them last year because I was still in a bummed kind of mood.  I am now, too...but I really want to do them.  I'm thinking about just doing a picture, then doing one of those card things from WalMart and skipping the actual 'card' part.  To save a little time.  We'll see what happens, since we haven't even taken a picture yet!

Okay...I'm gonna go make a list of things to do.  Fun times.

Happy Christmas

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas around our house!  I absolutely love all the Christmas decorations, Christmas music and Christmas candles!  I won the battle (yet again!) this year, and we have another real tree.  To me, it's just not Christmas without a real tree.

Of course, it is always me who does the decorating.

But if John helped, I would probably just end up fixing rearranging it.  Instead, while I decorate John prefers to hide from my camera.

Zoe's always willing to lend a helping paw.

Ah, here's the table I unearthed a few days ago.  I love the little basket of shiny ornaments.  So proud of that one.

And of course nothing says Christmas better than chocolate covered peanut buttery balls!

Happy Christmas to all!

Vera

I now own my very first Vera Wang.

Eight & Nine

I know, I know, I missed yesterday! 


(John & I spent the evening playing volleyball at church, then hanging out at the Taylor's!)


So here are two ornaments, just to catch up.


This first ornament was a gift to John & I from his Mom.  I love it because you can hook a light onto the back and it glows through the fireplace.

This second ornament actually belongs to John, but I like it.  :)


It was a gift from my sister, to John, years ago.  Long before we were married!

I actually gave John the nickname "JohnnyMac" and it's stuck for years. 


And of course, John's a fireman.  So this ornament is perfect for him.


Especially if you notice the firebear is wearing yellow turnout gear.

Little bitty snowmen...

How cute is this snowman?

And I have 5 more of them.

They're itty bitty snowmen, of all different colors.

I bought them at Hallmark before our First Christmas together.

Before we were actually even married, I believe.

Some of my favorites, because they're so itty bitty and cute.

They look so adorable, just hanging in mid-air.

I really like this picture, too.

The end.

in our hearts

I was going to wait to post this as my final ornament.  Then I realized that would be on Christmas day.  And I know I'll be sad enough as it is this Christmas.  No need to add this to my torture.

So this is my ornament for December 6th, a day late.  I'll post my seventh ornament tonight.  Isn't this a beautiful angel?

This angel was a gift from Amy, Dave, Caleb & Zach.  They gave it to me last year at my parent's house a few weeks before Christmas.  As soon as I opened it, I knew its significance.  I immediately teared up.  I had wanted something to remember my baby by at Christmas.  It was a very difficult holiday season last year.  Definitely wish I wasn't repeating it this year.

Amy told me if it was too difficult to put it up last year, to not feel like I had to.  But she has an ornament in memory of her baby in Heaven as well. 

As soon as I got home, I put the ornament on the already-decorated tree.  It's so special to me. 

Last year, it was the last ornament placed on the tree. 

This year it was the first.

Christmas Ornaments, Days 4 & 5

These ornaments, while they are mine, don't live at my house.  They reside on my parent's (fake) tree. 

A little background: Each of us kids has our own first Christmas ornament.  We were all born on even years.  But since I was born after Christmas, my first Christmas ornament is the only one that doesn't correspond with my birth year.  I was almost a year old when I celebrated my first Christmas. 

As for the second ornament...my brother and I both made ornaments with our pictures when we were in elementary school.  Sarah & Christine, however, did not.  It was always a competition between Dave & I to have our picture ornament front and center on the tree.  Many times the picture ornaments would mysteriously move or disappear altogether...only to be found on the very back of the tree.

I guess my sisters were jealous, so my Mom made them their own ornaments with elememtary age pictures.

But I think know mine is the best.  :)

Me & the Boys!

No time to blog right now, my ornament post (for yesterday and today) will be coming later.  But for now, I'll just show you how I spent my evening yesterday, instead of blogging!

Friday the 13th

Today is the 3rd day of December!  Ready for ornament #3?

Wondering why I'm talking about Friday the 13th?

On Friday, January 13, 2006, I received this beautiful ornament.  Can you guess what happened on that day???

If you guessed that we got engaged...you're right!  :)  More on that story in another post, with another ornament.  This ornament was given to me by my (future) mother-in-law on the very day my (then) fiance proposed.  Obviously, she knew what was going to happen on that chilly day in New York City, and was prepared with a gift when we returned home!

She also gave us a snowman pillow which has been well-loved, but still sits on my couch.

If any one is keeping track, that's 3 ornaments, 2 of them (so far) snowmen-themed! 

This is a test...only a test...

I'm using a new post editor...or something like that.  All well and good.  However....does anybody know how I can get different fonts?  I only have the option of, like, 7 fonts or something.  And not the one I prefer.  Oh well.  Wow, I just realized there's no spell check.  Guess I'll have to be extra careful.

My grown-up Christmas list!

Here's a small list of some of the things I want for Christmas. Just in case any one's wondering. :) In no particular order.

1. A food processor. Not a massive one, but big enough.
2. A new hair dryer. Mine is petering out.
3. A George Foreman-type counter top grill.
4. A video camera. Digital, no tapes.
5. A new laptop. (Yeah, I know, keep dreaming.)
6. Books. Any kind of books.
7. Clothes. Any kind of clothes. (Mostly shirts and tops.)
8. Household decorations stuff (candles, pictures, little shelves, knick-knacky things...I have no real 'style', so anything works!)
9. Lovespell lotion/body spray from Victoria's Secret
10. Scrapbooking stuff. I'm hopeful I'll have time to scrapbook sometime soon!
11. A new washer and dryer. :D
12. A new Nalgene bottle
13. SOCKS!
14. Gift cards: Old Navy, Target, iTunes, etc!!

Just some ideas to get you started... :) Merry Christmas all!

Twenty-three days to go!

Today is the second day of December. That means...my second ornament! This is actually a set of 2. No real story behind them, except that I love, love, love snowmen, and my Mom bought me these. Maybe at some kind of craft fair? I don't even remember. But I love them, and I always try to find the exact perfect place for them on our tree. Aren't they cute???

The first day of Christmas

I got this idea from another blogger and decided to do this for something different! Each day, from now until Christmas, I'll show you a picture of one of my tree ornaments and tell you about it. To start if off, I'll begin with my newest ornament!

As you probably know, John and I made our first trip to the West Coast last month. Our tradition (well, it began as my tradition, but John has indulged me many times over) is to get an ornament everywhere we visit. I'm sure you'll see many of them in the days to come.

When you buy an ornament everywhere you travel, it's hard to find unique ones after awhile. I was glad to find this one because it has some sand, as well as mini sand toys and shells in it. We don't have any other ornament like this. We bought this at Seaport Village in San Diego with John's whole family. It was a great trip, with some great memories made!

Do you blog? Does this idea sound fun to you?? Post your blog address in the comments, and I'll be sure to read about your special ornaments too!

Guess what we bought!!!