First of all: Merry Christmas and Happy New Year
This is going to start off with another apology for not writing anything in several months. Here's hoping to change that.
I wanted to let you know that this blog is going to take on many different facets from now on. It's going to be a little mix of everything from food stuffs, recipes, makeup/nail polish/beauty reviews, home decor pics and reviews, crafts, etc etc. I don't want to stick to just one aspect of my life. I want to sort of make this a showcase of many of the things I love as well as things that have been recommended to me by friends.
One of my Christmas gifts was a super nice Nikon d5100 digital SLR camera so expect lottts of pictures of the dogs, friends, products, and more.
*cheers* Here's to a new year and new blog ideas!
Showing posts with label Holidays. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Holidays. Show all posts
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
Friday, December 31, 2010
New Year's Resolutions and a New Start
Here we go folks, the New Year is upon us. In a little less than 12 hours, all the promises and resolutions we make for and/or to ourselves will take effect.
What are yours this year?
Mine...
No using the "F" bomb until 0001 on January 1, 2012
Limit soda drinking to 1 can per day
Read 20 classic novels
Lose 20 lb.
Save $2,000.00 for emergency purposes and/or downpayment on a house
The hard part for me is sticking to them...I usually can last about a month and then something causes me to revert back to "life before the resolution". I don't think I'll keep all of them for this year but I'm going to try and that's what matters right? That we all atleast try?
So when the clock strikes midnight, and you share a kiss with your special someone, remember to atleast make an attempt to keep the promises you've made to yourself.
Be safe and have a verry Happy New Year!
What are yours this year?
Mine...
No using the "F" bomb until 0001 on January 1, 2012
Limit soda drinking to 1 can per day
Read 20 classic novels
Lose 20 lb.
Save $2,000.00 for emergency purposes and/or downpayment on a house
The hard part for me is sticking to them...I usually can last about a month and then something causes me to revert back to "life before the resolution". I don't think I'll keep all of them for this year but I'm going to try and that's what matters right? That we all atleast try?
So when the clock strikes midnight, and you share a kiss with your special someone, remember to atleast make an attempt to keep the promises you've made to yourself.
Be safe and have a verry Happy New Year!
Sunday, December 26, 2010
The Gift Of Love
So just when we were all having fun and laughing, just relaxing this morning when present opening was coming to an end, my dad said he had one last present for my mom. Now, you'd really have to spend a few hours with my dad to understand his sense of humor and odd way about him, but I'll do my best to explain it.
You know how there are those kinds of people that like to wrap a present inside a box inside a box inside a box inside ANOTHER box? My dad is kinda like that. He wrote out "instructions" that my mom had to follow, things like, "To open this present you must first stand up, grab your tongue, and while holding your tongue say 'biddie biddie bidde'," stuff like that. So he goes through this whole set of instructions right?
Finally she gets to open this present which ends up being a beautiful photo album with pictures that he had professionally taken off their original wedding slides (yes, they're old enough to have used slides) all put into 4x5 slots in the album with their wedding picture on the front. He also had a dvd slideshow made of the photos that played through while their wedding song was played in the background.
My father is 67 and my mom is 58 and they've been married for 30 years. How awesome is that?
Divorce has NEVER once come up, they fight but it's mainly cute old people fighting, and they just seem to be as happy now as they ever have been.
Because they adopted us when they were older than most adoptive families, I never met or remember meeting my grandfathers. My mom's mom is still alive and I see her as much as possible but she's in pretty rough shape. Dad's mom passed away a few years ago. I don't really even remember seeing any pictures of either grandpa except for the small ones my mom has in frames here at our house.
But I looked through the album and saw pictures of my cousins as children (cousins who are now in their 40s) and I finally came to one of a face I knew all too well, a younger face of my Grandma B, dad's mom, my mom in her wedding dress, and there stood Grandpa next to them. It brought a tear to my eye because I always hear stories of grandpa's and their grandkids and how they teach them the ways of the old world and tell them stories on their laps, and I never got that. I never even met him. As a baby, I was able to meet Grandpa S though, but I was only months old and have no recollection of him whatsoever. Kinda sad:(
Alas, the photo album let me look into a side of my family history that I never knew. My parents would every now and then describe their wedding to me when I saw their wedding photo and asked about it, but it was always so hard to imagine. I was able to see my parents on one of the happiest days of their lives together and I was able to see my grandparents, all together.
The Gift Of Love sure is a rare thing these days and when we find it, we need to hold on to it. Maybe in 30 years I'll give my husband a wonderful gift like that or vice versa. It's amazing to think that in 30 years, cell phones will probably be considered a thing of the past and who knows what new technology we will see. But one thing's for sure...the human capacity for LOVE will always be here until the end of the earth and as long as humans inhabit it.
You know how there are those kinds of people that like to wrap a present inside a box inside a box inside a box inside ANOTHER box? My dad is kinda like that. He wrote out "instructions" that my mom had to follow, things like, "To open this present you must first stand up, grab your tongue, and while holding your tongue say 'biddie biddie bidde'," stuff like that. So he goes through this whole set of instructions right?
Finally she gets to open this present which ends up being a beautiful photo album with pictures that he had professionally taken off their original wedding slides (yes, they're old enough to have used slides) all put into 4x5 slots in the album with their wedding picture on the front. He also had a dvd slideshow made of the photos that played through while their wedding song was played in the background.
My father is 67 and my mom is 58 and they've been married for 30 years. How awesome is that?
Divorce has NEVER once come up, they fight but it's mainly cute old people fighting, and they just seem to be as happy now as they ever have been.
Because they adopted us when they were older than most adoptive families, I never met or remember meeting my grandfathers. My mom's mom is still alive and I see her as much as possible but she's in pretty rough shape. Dad's mom passed away a few years ago. I don't really even remember seeing any pictures of either grandpa except for the small ones my mom has in frames here at our house.
But I looked through the album and saw pictures of my cousins as children (cousins who are now in their 40s) and I finally came to one of a face I knew all too well, a younger face of my Grandma B, dad's mom, my mom in her wedding dress, and there stood Grandpa next to them. It brought a tear to my eye because I always hear stories of grandpa's and their grandkids and how they teach them the ways of the old world and tell them stories on their laps, and I never got that. I never even met him. As a baby, I was able to meet Grandpa S though, but I was only months old and have no recollection of him whatsoever. Kinda sad:(
Alas, the photo album let me look into a side of my family history that I never knew. My parents would every now and then describe their wedding to me when I saw their wedding photo and asked about it, but it was always so hard to imagine. I was able to see my parents on one of the happiest days of their lives together and I was able to see my grandparents, all together.
The Gift Of Love sure is a rare thing these days and when we find it, we need to hold on to it. Maybe in 30 years I'll give my husband a wonderful gift like that or vice versa. It's amazing to think that in 30 years, cell phones will probably be considered a thing of the past and who knows what new technology we will see. But one thing's for sure...the human capacity for LOVE will always be here until the end of the earth and as long as humans inhabit it.
Saturday, December 25, 2010
MERRY CHRISTMAS! (I haven't even slept yet)
So it's 0154 and I've been playing Farm Frenzy Pizza Party for the past I don't know how long. I've gotten into a terrible habit over the past few years of staying up as late as possible just doing nothing in general and then only going to sleep when I'm absolutely exhausted and then the vicious cycle continues.
Hubby has been sleeping for a while and no stores are open so I'm just sitting at my dad's computer messin' around.
It's Christmas morning:)
I'm really thinking that I'm going to grab a pillow and blanket when I eventually do wear myself out, turn out every light in the house, turn on the Christmas Tree lights, and go sleep by the tree like I used to do when I was a kid. I just feel a bit nostalgic this year. My parents have a big tree in the living room, and a smaller one sitting on top of the dining room table so they can fit more of their collected ornaments instead of just keeping them in boxes.
I LOVE our Christmas ornaments. I always (when I was a kid and now when i'm home and able to) help mom put up the ornaments and we have a few very special ones. There's tons of original ceramic Disney ornaments that are a blast to hang up each year, we have 2 wooden baby rattle ornaments that were handmade by a lady from one of our old churches when my parents adopted one of my older brothers (the one that's here right now) and one when I was adopted, and then...there's the plastic pickle. It's just what it sounds like, a little 4 inch plastic pickle. We used to play a game that whoever found the pickle in the tree could open up the first present or would get to hand presents out. Needless to say, I'd scope out the pickle during the night and always be the first one:)
I always used to be a little present snooper too. I'd carefully untape boxes or peek through the tissue paper to see if I could get a glimpse of what was inside and waiting for me lol!
See what I mean about nostalgia?
Orrrrr...my brother (again, the same one who's here at the house right now too) and I would wake up at 0200, turn on A Christmas Story (yeah, you know the one. the one that loops 24 hrs a day every Christmas), line up our presents, and fall asleep on the couches.
I was telling my husband on the way here that I miss asking for toys and games and stuffed animals. I thought of this when I realized the first thing that came to my mind when my mom asked what I wanted for Christmas was quite literally, "kitchen stuff". I asked for things like mixing bowls, cook books, pans, etc, anything for the kitchen. When did I get so boring?
No really, when did we all grow up? I'm 22 almost 23, haven't graduated college, and am now asking for kitchen stuff...
What did you ask for/get this year?
Alright, well I think it's time for me to go curl up out by the tree. Goodnight/Good Morning, MERRY CHRISTMAS, HAPPY HOLIDAYS, HAPPY FESTIVUS, HAPPY KWANZAA, and all those wonderful things:)
Hubby has been sleeping for a while and no stores are open so I'm just sitting at my dad's computer messin' around.
It's Christmas morning:)
I'm really thinking that I'm going to grab a pillow and blanket when I eventually do wear myself out, turn out every light in the house, turn on the Christmas Tree lights, and go sleep by the tree like I used to do when I was a kid. I just feel a bit nostalgic this year. My parents have a big tree in the living room, and a smaller one sitting on top of the dining room table so they can fit more of their collected ornaments instead of just keeping them in boxes.
I LOVE our Christmas ornaments. I always (when I was a kid and now when i'm home and able to) help mom put up the ornaments and we have a few very special ones. There's tons of original ceramic Disney ornaments that are a blast to hang up each year, we have 2 wooden baby rattle ornaments that were handmade by a lady from one of our old churches when my parents adopted one of my older brothers (the one that's here right now) and one when I was adopted, and then...there's the plastic pickle. It's just what it sounds like, a little 4 inch plastic pickle. We used to play a game that whoever found the pickle in the tree could open up the first present or would get to hand presents out. Needless to say, I'd scope out the pickle during the night and always be the first one:)
I always used to be a little present snooper too. I'd carefully untape boxes or peek through the tissue paper to see if I could get a glimpse of what was inside and waiting for me lol!
See what I mean about nostalgia?
Orrrrr...my brother (again, the same one who's here at the house right now too) and I would wake up at 0200, turn on A Christmas Story (yeah, you know the one. the one that loops 24 hrs a day every Christmas), line up our presents, and fall asleep on the couches.
I was telling my husband on the way here that I miss asking for toys and games and stuffed animals. I thought of this when I realized the first thing that came to my mind when my mom asked what I wanted for Christmas was quite literally, "kitchen stuff". I asked for things like mixing bowls, cook books, pans, etc, anything for the kitchen. When did I get so boring?
No really, when did we all grow up? I'm 22 almost 23, haven't graduated college, and am now asking for kitchen stuff...
What did you ask for/get this year?
Alright, well I think it's time for me to go curl up out by the tree. Goodnight/Good Morning, MERRY CHRISTMAS, HAPPY HOLIDAYS, HAPPY FESTIVUS, HAPPY KWANZAA, and all those wonderful things:)
MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!
Just a quick note to say Merry Christmas to everyone!
Will have another blog post later today with pics and whatnot:)
Will have another blog post later today with pics and whatnot:)
Friday, December 24, 2010
Merry CHRISTMAS Eve
Merry Christmas Eve to everyone!
I had such a great time, regardless of short amount of time, spending a day with my sister in law and nephew, her fiancee and his adorable girls. Kind of reminded me what Christmas is supposed to be about and with the amount of seemingly terrible news I've been getting lately, I needed this bit of spiritual pick me up:)
We are now on the road again. We were able to get some rest yesterday after we got to my sister's house and slept really well. I heard little voices and footsteps so I woke up and the kiddos were all wide eyed and bushy tailed oogling their presents from Santa under the tree. I woke my husband up while crawling over him to get out of bed and he got out of bed and went out and sat on the couch and waited with me for the mayhem to commence:)
Let's just make this short and say that Christmas at my sister in law's house really reminded me of what Christmas is about. It's a time to forget anything bad and negative in the world and just reflect on what you have and WHO you have in your life.
We arrived in Michigan a little bit after 1900 and showed up at the Christmas Eve service at my dad's church. We were a little late so we tried to sneak in but he saw us come through the door and smiled and almost started crying, which of course made me tear up a little bit.
Mom was reading the scripture and there was a good 50 minutes or so left in the program. Allllll my favorite church folk were there and this amazing man Cal, invited 20 people and 18 of them came. He does such amazing community outreach and what appeals to me is his dedication to the military and our nation's veterans. He's spoken in front of congress, traveled overseas, led rallies, you name it, and this man has done it.
The church service finally ended and my mama came down off the stage and gave us hugs and then I worked my way up through the people talking to dad and gave him the biggest hug I could. It was a great feeling being able to surprise him on Christmas Eve. I'm almost on the verge of tears just replaying the moment in my head.
My favorite older brother is here also. It's amazing that in High School, we never got along and now, we take advantage of when we see each other because it's very rare that it happens. His girlfriend (hopefully sometime in the near future, fiancee) is spending Christmas with her family so we won't get to see her while we are here or their awesome american bulldog, Capone.
Hmm...well, seeing as how it's almost midnight, I should get some sleep but I'm just too excited to be home. I love the Christmas tree, the backyard, the weirdly shaped driveway, the kitchen, I just love being here. Makes you really believe that home is where the heart is.
ahhh...*dreamy sigh*
Goodnight world, and Merry Christmas Eve to ALL :)
I had such a great time, regardless of short amount of time, spending a day with my sister in law and nephew, her fiancee and his adorable girls. Kind of reminded me what Christmas is supposed to be about and with the amount of seemingly terrible news I've been getting lately, I needed this bit of spiritual pick me up:)
We are now on the road again. We were able to get some rest yesterday after we got to my sister's house and slept really well. I heard little voices and footsteps so I woke up and the kiddos were all wide eyed and bushy tailed oogling their presents from Santa under the tree. I woke my husband up while crawling over him to get out of bed and he got out of bed and went out and sat on the couch and waited with me for the mayhem to commence:)
Let's just make this short and say that Christmas at my sister in law's house really reminded me of what Christmas is about. It's a time to forget anything bad and negative in the world and just reflect on what you have and WHO you have in your life.
We arrived in Michigan a little bit after 1900 and showed up at the Christmas Eve service at my dad's church. We were a little late so we tried to sneak in but he saw us come through the door and smiled and almost started crying, which of course made me tear up a little bit.
Mom was reading the scripture and there was a good 50 minutes or so left in the program. Allllll my favorite church folk were there and this amazing man Cal, invited 20 people and 18 of them came. He does such amazing community outreach and what appeals to me is his dedication to the military and our nation's veterans. He's spoken in front of congress, traveled overseas, led rallies, you name it, and this man has done it.
The church service finally ended and my mama came down off the stage and gave us hugs and then I worked my way up through the people talking to dad and gave him the biggest hug I could. It was a great feeling being able to surprise him on Christmas Eve. I'm almost on the verge of tears just replaying the moment in my head.
My favorite older brother is here also. It's amazing that in High School, we never got along and now, we take advantage of when we see each other because it's very rare that it happens. His girlfriend (hopefully sometime in the near future, fiancee) is spending Christmas with her family so we won't get to see her while we are here or their awesome american bulldog, Capone.
Hmm...well, seeing as how it's almost midnight, I should get some sleep but I'm just too excited to be home. I love the Christmas tree, the backyard, the weirdly shaped driveway, the kitchen, I just love being here. Makes you really believe that home is where the heart is.
ahhh...*dreamy sigh*
Goodnight world, and Merry Christmas Eve to ALL :)
Thursday, December 23, 2010
Surprise!
So a few days ago I was complaining about not getting a christmas tree and that sort of planted the idea in my head to try and convince my husband into surprising our families with a spontaneous visit to see them over the next few days. Surprisingly it only took a few minutes of convincing and we came up with a route.
We cleaned the house, got some laundry done, packed up and left a couple days later. We left upstate NY around 1530 and drove straight through. Finally we arrived in WI on my sister in law's front porch around 0900.
We kind of planned everything with her fiancee and he had told her that she was going to have to take work off on Thursday. She asked why and alls he said was that there were two things, ones big and ones little and ones white and the others a golden brown
Sister: can I sit on it?
Fiancee: well...I guess you could...
Sister: is it something I can keep inside?
Fiancee: yeah...but I mean, you could keep it outside too. well how about this, what's the one thing you'd least expect?
Sister: my little brother and rebekah on my front porch
Fiancee: ha! I'm not that good, I can't pull that one off.
Sister: damnit, what is it?
So I txtd her fiancee around 0645 and let him know that we were about 2 hours away and I guess he told her to wake up and get dressed.
Finally we got here and my husband's sister must have been looking out the window because she came outside with tears in her eyes:)
I guess my opinion on the holidays is definitely changing.
Even though we are only here for the rest of the night and we drove 16 hours, it was well worth it. Obviously the military lifestyle doesn't allow us to travel much and we don't make it to Wisconsin even remotely close to as much as we'd like to, which makes the short day we've had TOTALLY worth it.
Got to go out for breakfast with my sister in law and nephew, relax at the house, give my sister in law her baby gifts (she's expecting a little girl in March!), go out for pizza with her and her fiancee, her son, his 3 kids. It's just been nice to be able to forget about the past few days of terrible news and stress.
Alright, well I'm writing this on my Moto Droid and my fingers are starting to hurt so I'll stop for now and update from the road tomorrow.
Goodnight and Merry CHRISTMAS
Oh and ps: anyone else amazed by the fact that Christmas is almost here and 2011 is already juuuuust around the corner? :/
We cleaned the house, got some laundry done, packed up and left a couple days later. We left upstate NY around 1530 and drove straight through. Finally we arrived in WI on my sister in law's front porch around 0900.
We kind of planned everything with her fiancee and he had told her that she was going to have to take work off on Thursday. She asked why and alls he said was that there were two things, ones big and ones little and ones white and the others a golden brown
Sister: can I sit on it?
Fiancee: well...I guess you could...
Sister: is it something I can keep inside?
Fiancee: yeah...but I mean, you could keep it outside too. well how about this, what's the one thing you'd least expect?
Sister: my little brother and rebekah on my front porch
Fiancee: ha! I'm not that good, I can't pull that one off.
Sister: damnit, what is it?
So I txtd her fiancee around 0645 and let him know that we were about 2 hours away and I guess he told her to wake up and get dressed.
Finally we got here and my husband's sister must have been looking out the window because she came outside with tears in her eyes:)
I guess my opinion on the holidays is definitely changing.
Even though we are only here for the rest of the night and we drove 16 hours, it was well worth it. Obviously the military lifestyle doesn't allow us to travel much and we don't make it to Wisconsin even remotely close to as much as we'd like to, which makes the short day we've had TOTALLY worth it.
Got to go out for breakfast with my sister in law and nephew, relax at the house, give my sister in law her baby gifts (she's expecting a little girl in March!), go out for pizza with her and her fiancee, her son, his 3 kids. It's just been nice to be able to forget about the past few days of terrible news and stress.
Alright, well I'm writing this on my Moto Droid and my fingers are starting to hurt so I'll stop for now and update from the road tomorrow.
Goodnight and Merry CHRISTMAS
Oh and ps: anyone else amazed by the fact that Christmas is almost here and 2011 is already juuuuust around the corner? :/
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
