I got to help be Santa Claus for the first time since my youngest sister stopped believing. :-)
I'm staying at my sister's tonight, and she has 3 children: 7, 4 (almost 5), and 1 week. My camera batteries are charging as we speak.
I hope all of you have a wonderful day, spent in whichever fashion you prefer.
Thursday, December 25, 2008
Sunday, December 21, 2008
so...
I started to write something else here. It was even up for about an hour until I edited it. Nothing bad, just had some second thoughts after checking on some pertinent definitions.
Who knew that "dork" is slang for penis?!
I may have my moments of social awkwardness but I don't think I qualify as a dork after all. :-)
Who knew that "dork" is slang for penis?!
I may have my moments of social awkwardness but I don't think I qualify as a dork after all. :-)
Friday, December 19, 2008
holiday arrivals
For the 1st time in about 5 years or so, I'm really enjoying December. Not just Christmas itself (which I generally always enjoy), but the whole month. Well, except for the whole cold weather bit, but hey that's my fault for choosing to live where I do. ;-)
Today was a particularly good day. I had fun with some friends after work, eating pizza at a great local place on campus and then driving around after to look at Christmas lights. The goal was to find the tackiest displays possible, and we certainly found some. I was in the back seat of the minivan with the one friend's 2 y/o son, and when he started getting cranky, I helped amuse him by singing Christmas songs. He loves Little Drummer Boy and Jingle Bells in particular.
When I got home, it was to a surprise package from another friend. She sent a box of items from her program along with some stuff that she made specially for me related to my running. It was very sweet and unexpected. I can't wait to make the soup and dip and the candle smells absolutely lovely.
But the best parts of today were long-awaited arrivals for my family. Today, my brother-in-law Mark arrived home from his deployment to Kuwait with the National Guard. He was overseas only for 9 months, but was in TX for 3 months before that, so other than short leave in mid-summer, he's been gone for a year. My sister is letting all calls go to voice mail so the two of them and their children can enjoy being together without interruption.
Also today, my newest niece was born to one of my other sisters via scheduled c-section. Hooray for Norah! We did not know until today whether she would be a boy or a girl, and the anticipation was fun. I was antsy all morning until I finally got the call from my mom. I've already seen photos and can't wait to cuddle her. Since Mark's unit is based in the same town where Norah was born, he and my sister planned to stop by the hospital before heading home so they could meet her.
I won't get to see Mark or Norah until Christmas Eve or Christmas Day, since that is when I next will be in my hometown, but that's ok. Knowing that both of them are here, safe and sound, is the best gift of all this year. The lights, the presents, the music are all wonderful and fun, but in the end they are not really what is important. Friends and family are.
Today was a particularly good day. I had fun with some friends after work, eating pizza at a great local place on campus and then driving around after to look at Christmas lights. The goal was to find the tackiest displays possible, and we certainly found some. I was in the back seat of the minivan with the one friend's 2 y/o son, and when he started getting cranky, I helped amuse him by singing Christmas songs. He loves Little Drummer Boy and Jingle Bells in particular.
When I got home, it was to a surprise package from another friend. She sent a box of items from her program along with some stuff that she made specially for me related to my running. It was very sweet and unexpected. I can't wait to make the soup and dip and the candle smells absolutely lovely.
But the best parts of today were long-awaited arrivals for my family. Today, my brother-in-law Mark arrived home from his deployment to Kuwait with the National Guard. He was overseas only for 9 months, but was in TX for 3 months before that, so other than short leave in mid-summer, he's been gone for a year. My sister is letting all calls go to voice mail so the two of them and their children can enjoy being together without interruption.
Also today, my newest niece was born to one of my other sisters via scheduled c-section. Hooray for Norah! We did not know until today whether she would be a boy or a girl, and the anticipation was fun. I was antsy all morning until I finally got the call from my mom. I've already seen photos and can't wait to cuddle her. Since Mark's unit is based in the same town where Norah was born, he and my sister planned to stop by the hospital before heading home so they could meet her.
I won't get to see Mark or Norah until Christmas Eve or Christmas Day, since that is when I next will be in my hometown, but that's ok. Knowing that both of them are here, safe and sound, is the best gift of all this year. The lights, the presents, the music are all wonderful and fun, but in the end they are not really what is important. Friends and family are.
Thursday, December 4, 2008
Holiday Meme
I've received this as an email and also saw Melissa post it on her blog. I'll follow her lead. :) If you want to play along, copy the questions onto your blog, post the answers, and leave a comment here so I know to go read yours.
- Wrapping paper or gift bags? I prefer wrapping paper except when it is a weirdly shaped package.
- Real tree or Artificial? Grew up with real, but only do artificial now.
- When do you put up the tree? If I put one up, usually on the Sunday after Thanksgiving. The past two years, I only put up a tiny 12" tree. This year, I haven't done anything yet.
- When do you take the tree down? I'm really lazy about putting it away. Ideally by Jan 6. I've had the little one up as late as March before, however.
- Do you like eggnog? As a child I did but not really anymore.
- Favorite gift received as a child? As a young child, probably Barbie stuff. As a 6th grader, my cassette walkman. I could finally tune out my little sisters. ;-)
- Hardest person to buy for? My sister-in-law Margo
- Easiest person to buy for? the nieces and nephews
- Do you have a nativity scene? I have close to 30 by now. I collect folk art nativities. I usually set up 5-10 each year. My favorite is an African one, carved wood figures from Kenya.
- Mail or email Christmas cards? I don't think I've remembered to send cards the past 2 years. But I mail them when I do.
- Worst Christmas gift you ever received? I honestly can't think of anything for this category
- Favorite Christmas Movie? National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation
- When do you start shopping for Christmas? November or early December
- Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? No
- Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? those darn cookies
- Lights on the tree? White mini lights for my big tree, colored ball shaped ones for the mini tree.
- Favorite Christmas song? religious- O Holy Night, secular- that John Lennon one with the kids
- Travel at Christmas or stay home? travel to my parents, it would be pretty lonely here by myself.
- Can you name all of Santa’s reindeer? Yes but only by singing that bit at the beginning of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.
- Angel on the tree top or a star? Angel on the big tree, a snowflake on the mini one.
- Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? With the family, it is Christmas Day. With friends, it is when we exchange them.
- Most annoying thing about this time of the year? Christmas decorations and music in the stores before Thanksgiving
- Favorite ornament theme or color? no theme. I prefer an eclectic look.
- Favorite for Christmas dinner? it's all good...
- What do you want for Christmas this year? to be happy (stealing M's idea)
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
guess you never really know a person
Yesterday, while at work, I learned a bit of news about a former co-worker that completely shocked me. He was arrested over the holiday weekend and charged with a crime that even now I can scarcely believe. It made the local news and will continue to draw interest and publicity due to the nature of the case.
He and I always got along well. He started a few weeks after I did, so we basically trained together. We ate lunch together regularly, kept up on each other's lives, and I occasionally did social things with him and his wife. He changed jobs a few years ago, but we still would meet every once in awhile for lunch and share office gossip (we still worked for the same employer, just in different departments). I last saw him in September and life seemed to be going well for him.
Never in a million years would I ever have imagined him getting caught up in something like this. From what is being said, it sounds like there is very strong evidence against him and the other people involved. If the allegations turn out to be true, he has just ruined his life. I feel so badly for his wife. She must be in a living hell right now.
You know, I always believed the "innocent until proven guilty" ideal was to protect the rights of the accused. This week, I could believe it also serves as a buffer for the family and friends of the accused, to give them time to get used to the idea that the accused might not be who they thought he or she was.
He and I always got along well. He started a few weeks after I did, so we basically trained together. We ate lunch together regularly, kept up on each other's lives, and I occasionally did social things with him and his wife. He changed jobs a few years ago, but we still would meet every once in awhile for lunch and share office gossip (we still worked for the same employer, just in different departments). I last saw him in September and life seemed to be going well for him.
Never in a million years would I ever have imagined him getting caught up in something like this. From what is being said, it sounds like there is very strong evidence against him and the other people involved. If the allegations turn out to be true, he has just ruined his life. I feel so badly for his wife. She must be in a living hell right now.
You know, I always believed the "innocent until proven guilty" ideal was to protect the rights of the accused. This week, I could believe it also serves as a buffer for the family and friends of the accused, to give them time to get used to the idea that the accused might not be who they thought he or she was.
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