girlymama

everything you always wanted to know about how we celebrate christmas

Since I LOVE Christmas, I'm copying my girls Jo-Lynne and Grace with this meme! This week is super crazy between helping with the Holiday Extravanga and Holiday Card orders. (By the way, the card deadline has been extended - I'll take orders until Friday!) Feel free to play along - leave a comment so I can go check out how YOU celebrate!! 

1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate? Since I loathe egg nog and I'm not a huge fan of hot chocolate, I'm going to go with a Starbucks Peppermint Mocha.

2. Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree? We don't do Santa in our house. (Read why here.) Wow, so far I'm like a Christmas Meme Scrooge!!

3. Colored lights on tree/house or white? White, white, WHITE.  I hate colored lights on a tree!! (I'm also refusing to buy those LCD lights because I think they look blue. Has anyone else noticed that? Or am I as neurotic as my husband says I am?)

4. Do you hang mistletoe? No.

5. When do you put your decorations up? The Friday afternoon after Thanksgiving, of course!

6. What is your favorite holiday dish? Pie. My mom's turkey dinner on Christmas Eve. Cookies, cookies, cookies and cookies.

7. Favorite Holiday memory as a child? Waking up with my brother at around 3am and "staying quiet" until it was time to open gifts.

8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa? I guess around 5? I don't really remember.

9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve? I think I used to open the gifts my father and stepmom sent on Christmas Eve with my brother. But my mom would NEVER let us open gifts! (Or course, her grandchildren are given gifts on Christmas Eve......)

10. How do you decorate your Christmas tree? WHITE lights, red beads, lots of red ball ornaments and lots of ornaments from around the world. And, more recently, lots of handmade goodies from the kids.

11. Snow! Love it or Dread it? Love it - when I get to stay inside. When it messes with travel plans... nosomuch.

12. Can you ice skate? Technically.

13. Do you remember your favorite gift? I got my engagement right after seeing the Nutcracker on the steps of the Philadelphia Art Museum right by the huge Christmas tree. Not technically a Christmas gift, but does that still count?

14. What’s the most important thing about the Holidays for you? Family. Teaching our kids what Christmas is really about.

15. What is your favorite Holiday Dessert? Yes.

16. What is your favorite holiday tradition? Christmas morning at mom's house. The candlelight services on Christmas Eve.

17. What tops your tree? Star.

18. Which do you prefer giving or receiving? Of course I love getting presents. But I honestly, really, truly love giving presents too!!!

19. Candy Canes: Yuck or Yum? Yum!!!

20 Favorite Christmas Show? National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, Elf and the old school Muppet Christmas with John Denver.

21. Saddest Christmas Song? What?

22. What is your favorite Christmas Song? O Holy Night.

Since I LOVE Christmas, I'm copying my girls Jo-Lynne and Grace with this meme! This week is super crazy between helping with the Holiday Extravanga and Holiday Card orders. (By the way, the card deadline has been extended - I'll take orders until Friday!) Feel free to play along - leave a comment so I can go check out how YOU celebrate!! 

1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate? Since I loathe egg nog and I'm not a huge fan of hot chocolate, I'm going to go with a Starbucks Peppermint Mocha.

2. Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree? We don't do Santa in our house. (Read why here.) Wow, so far I'm like a Christmas Meme Scrooge!!

3. Colored lights on tree/house or white? White, white, WHITE.  I hate colored lights on a tree!! (I'm also refusing to buy those LCD lights because I think they look blue. Has anyone else noticed that? Or am I as neurotic as my husband says I am?)

4. Do you hang mistletoe? No.

5. When do you put your decorations up? The Friday afternoon after Thanksgiving, of course!

6. What is your favorite holiday dish? Pie. My mom's turkey dinner on Christmas Eve. Cookies, cookies, cookies and cookies.

7. Favorite Holiday memory as a child? Waking up with my brother at around 3am and "staying quiet" until it was time to open gifts.

8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa? I guess around 5? I don't really remember.

9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve? I think I used to open the gifts my father and stepmom sent on Christmas Eve with my brother. But my mom would NEVER let us open gifts! (Or course, her grandchildren are given gifts on Christmas Eve......)

10. How do you decorate your Christmas tree? WHITE lights, red beads, lots of red ball ornaments and lots of ornaments from around the world. And, more recently, lots of handmade goodies from the kids.

11. Snow! Love it or Dread it? Love it - when I get to stay inside. When it messes with travel plans... nosomuch.

12. Can you ice skate? Technically.

13. Do you remember your favorite gift? I got my engagement right after seeing the Nutcracker on the steps of the Philadelphia Art Museum right by the huge Christmas tree. Not technically a Christmas gift, but does that still count?

14. What’s the most important thing about the Holidays for you? Family. Teaching our kids what Christmas is really about.

15. What is your favorite Holiday Dessert? Yes.

16. What is your favorite holiday tradition? Christmas morning at mom's house. The candlelight services on Christmas Eve.

17. What tops your tree? Star.

18. Which do you prefer giving or receiving? Of course I love getting presents. But I honestly, really, truly love giving presents too!!!

19. Candy Canes: Yuck or Yum? Yum!!!

20 Favorite Christmas Show? National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, Elf and the old school Muppet Christmas with John Denver.

21. Saddest Christmas Song? What?

22. What is your favorite Christmas Song? O Holy Night.

pampers is trying to get me to have another baby

Look what they sent me in the mail:

Its so cute and teeny, teeny tiny!! UGH! I'm only human!!! Come on!

six unimportant things that make me happy

I have about 6 blog posts floating around in my head but am not finding the time to sit down and actually write them. Anyone else in that same boat? No? Just me?

Anyway, due to having no more than 5 minutes to get anything done it being summer and approximately 300 degrees outside, I'm just going to copy Jo-Lynnethis morning. Because copying Jo-Lynne is usually a good idea ;-)

six unimportant things that make me happy

1. sunshine.
i find it difficult to get motivated on gray, gloomy days. even if its only 10 degrees outside, sunshine makes all the difference in the world to me. so i probably will never move to seattle. sorry, edward.

2. my ipod.
a gift from my husband, i find it amazingly therapeutic. i'm surrounded by noise all day: often loud, sometimes whiny and/or annoying. when i'm making dinner or cleaning, i put on my ipod and suddenly the chaos is just background noise. a definite sanity saver.

3. a good cup of coffee, a comfy chair and something to read
my favorite form of therapy.

4. naptime.
mine or theirs. equally wonderful.

5. pens.
especially gel ones. in different colors. ooo - and sharpies. i just can't write a whole list or note in just one color. that would be wrong!!

6. dvr.
best. invention. ever. well, since food network, anyway.

What about you? Leave a note if you play along and I'll come read yours!

for all my friends who are obsessed with facebook

25 Things I Hate about Facebook

after last night's episode, i need some of this

Shannon linked to this HI-LARIOUS video for those of us who are total Lost-addicts. Also applies to 24 addicts and possibly Twilight addicts as well....

i'm never too busy to blog about purses...

Beth, from Total Mom Haircut has made up her own meme. About purses. I knew I liked that chick! I was tagged! Here are the rules:

"1) Post a picture of whatever bag you are carrying as of late. No, you cannot go up to your closet and pull out that cute little purse you used back before you had kids. I want to know what you carried today.
2) I want to know how much it cost :) And this is not to judge. This is for entertainment purposes only. So spill it. And if there is a story to go along with how you obtained it, I’d love to hear it.
3) Tag some chicks. And link back to this post so people know why the heck you’re showing everyone your diaper bag/non-diaper bag."

1) Here is the Burberry goodness:

2) My husband bought this purse for me. In Turkey. In the bazzaar. So it maayyyy not be exactly "Burberry." It might technically be Burburry or Barberry or Beberry. It cost about $35 or 3 jillion lira. (Actually, I have no idea how many lira. I'm not very good at math, particurally when decimals or fractions are involved.)
I asked for a bag that was not huge, but big enough to stash a diaper or two in and this one is perfect!! I totally love it and don't care one bit if it is actually Barblurry or Boobarry. It also is not leather, its this coated canvas, so if you spill your coffee on it, you can just wipe it off! Perfect for someone as coordinated as me!

3) I'm tagging:
Jo-Lynne from Musings of a Housewife - handbags are in her tagline, for pete's sake!

My sister-in-law from Sunny Side of Life - "obsession" does not begin to describe how she feels about Vera Bradley. Although if they made Steelers purses, she would be carrying one.

Heck, the rest of my family members who blog. You know who you are.

Jenny from Chicago from Chased by Children - I'm sure she has a cute bag. She just seems like someone who would carry a cute bag.

Megan from Mommy Esquire - I'm also picturing something cute, yet business like here....

Feel free to consider yourself tagged! I'm running late, so I can't tag anyone else! Clearly blogging about my purse is more important than getting my kids ready for school!

a meme! remember those?

Have you guys visited Sources of Joy? Its such a cute blog. Anyway, she tagged me for a meme, which I haven't done in forever! Perfect for my crazy week!!

10 years ago I...
1. Spent the summer in China. (Ni hao!)
2. Started dating a friend of mine. (Who I ended up marrying.)
3. Had the best roommates ever. (Hi, Erica and Kelly!) 
4. Was ten pounds lighter. (I was way too skinny. Really)
5. Got lots more sleep. (Oh, sleep. My old friend...)

Things on my to-do list (for tomorrow):
Finish up sewing burp cloths, run kids around, go grocery shopping, bake cookies, clean the house for a dinner we're hosting on Thursday, return library books and go to story hour, go to bank, arrange playdates for next week, drop off shipment at post office, go to church dinner to hear missionary speak, and - if I'm lucky, sleep.

Things I would do if I were a millionaire:
1. Help people. We're surrounded by people in tough situations who could use a little help. 2. Move. Our house is so nice, but I would love a house not on a busy street, in more of a neighborhood.
3. Make sure the house I bought had a really big yard with a swingset. And room for a dog.
4. Go on vacation. And bring our families.
5. Buy my husband a new car. He's driving an old car that is starting to fall apart and I know he would just love to have an awesome car. But he's way too responsible to actually buy one.
6. Get pedicures. Often.

Places I have lived
1. Solon, Ohio (Hi, Mom!)
2. Albion, Michigan. (Burr!)
3. Several places in Connecticut (Hi, Grandma!)
4. Mission Viejo, CA (Lookin' pretty good in this weather!)
5. Philadelphia, PA (Center City. Oh, we had so much fun!)


Jobs I've had:
1. Fundraiser/Event planner (Busy, but fun!)
2. Dance teacher (Also very fun!)
3. Tutor (for junior highers. Not so fun.)
4. Program Advocate at an extremely liberal women's organization. (really!)
5. Bank teller (Only set off the alarm twice!)
6. Cashier (I actually liked that...)
7. Data Entry (Awful. So awful.)
8. Preschool aide (LOVED that!)

I never know who to tag. If you are related to me (including you, Megan), consider yourself tagged.

rachel ray officially sells everything

 

Yup. That would be dog food.

don't cry over spilled starbucks

I was leaving a brunch hosted by one of the moms in Grace's class. Almost all of the other moms were there, which was fun and it was hosted at this gorgeous house in an incredible neighborhood. Not that I was coveting or anything ;-) We had a great time chatting, eating scones and drinking Starbucks to go coffee. (Did you know they did this? I didn't!)

I walked out the the car, chatting away, trying to balance Colin, the diaper bag and my coffee while digging around for my keys. I just can't find them. I drop my diaper bag on the ground, balance my coffee cup on the roof and squat down to rummage through my (incredible messy) diaper bag. FINALLY I manage to locate my keys. I strap a now screaming Colin into his car seat, grab my purse and prepare to zoom off, as I am now late to pick Ellie up from school.

Clunk!

A glance in the rear view mirror shows my coffee cup bouncing down the street.

Way to make a suave impression on the other moms, Girlymama.

And, to add insult to serious injury, my coffee cup was gone. Filled with delicious Starbucky goodness. In the street. Spilled all over. Gone. I almost never get Starbucks anymore, what with the economy being a disaster and all. And I didn't even get to drink it. On a day when I clearly really needed the caffeine!

Sigh.

call me marilyn

So on Sunday, we walk into the church ten minutes late (ahem) and Colin starts wailing. I turn around and head right back out the door. Just as I step out, a gust of wind goes by and

WHOOSH!

Up goes my skirt. As in all. the. way. UP.

Did I mention that church is located on the main, super busy street? Where people are stopped at a stoplight? Across from a diner that was packed with people having breakfast?

Seriously, you can't take me anywhere!