2 On Tuesday: Christmas Traditions

This week Andrea wants to know about our Christmas traditions.  I've been up since 3:30 AM for no apparent reason, so I figured now's as good a time as any, right?

My family is big on tradition, and my little sister is responsible for making sure that we don't miss a single one.  (She will remind us if we do, trust me.  But that in itself has become a Christmas tradition.)  On Christmas Eve, we go to my mom's side of the family and have Christmas.  It's always a little insane because that's the big side of my family so, depending on which kids, grandkids and great-grandkids are home it can be as many as 35 or so people.  We always bring lots of appetizers and desserts and the kids open presents and everybody visits and drinks the newest homemade wine.

When we leave, we go to my parents, where we open the presents from Mom and Dad.  This is usually two things, one of which will be pajamas.  This is also when my parents open their gifts from us.  Then, we go into the family room and stay up to mock the local choirs on TV (which may not sound festive, but totally is) and then wait for Mom to put out the stuff from Santa.  Yes, we are all in our 20s or now 30s (yikes!), but Mom loves surprising us with goodies.

Christmas Day, my dad's side comes over to my parents' and we do the whole thing over again.  And then, I usually go and visit Crys and now Sheena's family because Crystal's parents' house is where everyone who has come in for the holidays seems to congregate after their family stuff is over.

What are your family's traditions?  Leave a comment or join us over at Andrea's blog!

Happy Monday!

This week is going to be brutal because it's the first full week I've worked since the end of October.  Poor, poor pitiful me, I know.  Good news is there are only two more Mondays after today that I will be working in 2011.  Where did the year go?

I was a total blog failure and didn't take a single picture during Thanksgiving.  We had so much to be thankful for, especially for my Uncle James who making a great recovery.  He is able to be without oxygen for hours at a time, and considering how sick he was, that's huge.  We had two big family dinners, I didn't go Black Friday shopping, and pretty much spent the rest of the vegging out.  Oh, and then there were the cake pops.  I got my sister a cake pop maker for Christmas and it's pretty awesome (and yummy)!

I can't believe it, but I am almost done with my Christmas shopping already.  However, I have seriously amped up my baby-related shopping for my niece, The Divine Miss M.  Her baby shower is this Sunday.  Let's just say Aunt Katie is going a little bit crazy!  But I'm loving every minute of it! 

That's enough rambling for now, but let me hear about your holiday in the comments! 

Wednesday Hodgepodge - 11/23

1. Let's start with something controversial...dressing or stuffing? What's it called at your house and what's included in your recipe...cornbread? oysters? sausage? chestnuts?

It's called dressing.  My grandma makes two dishes of it, one drier and one a little wet.  It does not have cornbread, oysters, sausage or chestnuts.  And it is something I am already dreaming about...

2. Who do you sometimes compare yourself to?

I try hard not to compare myself with anyone, but that doesn't always work.  It seems like women are way worse about the comparison game than men.  I tend to compare myself to my friends, to people I went to high school with, to other bloggers.  I wonder if I am missing something or on the right path.  I think of how I could be thinner, be more organized, try harder.  And sometimes this comparison is good and spurs me on to new things.  And sometimes, it's not.  But I am learning to take the good, leave the bad, and love myself either way.

3. When were you last inside an airport?

Hmmm...it's been a while since I have flown anywhere.  I think the last time I was in an airport may have been in 2006 when I went to DC.  I don't really remember another time, and I have done most of my traveling by car since then.  (In fact, we are already gearing up for the 5th Anniversary of the All Girls Road Trip heading to Virginia this summer!)

4. What is one side dish that absolutely must be included in a turkey dinner?

Mashed potatoes is the very first thing that came to mind.  Homemade rolls would be a very close second.

5. What Christmas song do you dread hearing?

"Christmas Shoes," which is hands-down the worst Christmas song ever.  This song does nothing but make me cry.  And they aren't happy tears, either--we're talking big, fat, ugly sobs.  And Christmas should make you happy, end of story.

6. If someone approaches you and asks for money do you give it to them? Do you drop money 'in a tin cup' that belongs to a person on the street? Do you have a specific charity you support during the holiday season and/or year round?

I live in a very rural area, so it's rare to have some approach you for money, like I saw in New York or other larger cities.  I think that sometimes it's better to go get them something, food or a warm blanket than to put money in a cup, but I suppose it depends on the situation.  I don't have a charity that I support all year long.  What I have found myself trying to do, especially with working in a high poverty school system is to try to find ways to help in disguise.  Last year, I had the opportunity to play Santa to several families and while the coordination sometimes stressed me out, it was so worth it to know that kids would have Christmas under the tree.  The big organizations are good and help many people, but I like keeping it personal, too.

7. Share a favorite Thanksgiving memory. If you live in a country that doesn't celebrate Thanksgiving share a favorite memory associated with food.

Every year, I would (and still do) wake up early and watch the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.  the performances at the beginning were as close as I would get to seeing a real Broadway show most years, and there was just something magical about the whole thing.  When Lib was older she grew to appreciate it, too.  In fact, we have been known to call each other while getting ready to talk about the parade before I head over for lunch.

8. Happy Thanksgiving, everybody!!  And a Merry Black Friday to all the shoppers out there, which does not include me!  I hope you have a day filled with love and delicious food and I can't wait to hear all about them next week!

2 On Tuesday: Thankful

It's that time of year, but I should probably be taking stock of all I have to be thankful for more than just the week of Thanksgiving.  I am so ridiculously blessed!  And I don't say that to brag, but because when I look around this house and when I think about my life, I just can't believe how blessed I really am.

One of the things I am most thankful for is the blog community.  My blog has gotten me in a little bit of trouble lately with some people, but blogging is by far one of the best decisions I have ever made.  When I feel like I am the only person in the world struggling with an issue, there have always been people to say they are praying or that they understand because they find themselves in the same type of situation.  Realizing you are not the only single girl in the world is pretty awesome.  I know that there are trolls out there, but I have never really had a bad experience.  I am thankful for every ounce of love and encouragement I have received. 

On top of that, I get to glimpse into others' lives as well.  I've been a people watcher all my life, which is basically a first cousin to the blogosphere.  I certainly haven't met everyone I read, but I have gotten to know a few of you, and that's been a lot of fun!  Blogging started as a way for me to get out the things that were on my mind.  It was my therapy in the rough patches, and those posts serve as encouragement to me now.  It's the ultimate reminder of where I've been and where I am, and just who has been traveling along with me. 

Thanks for coming along for the ride!

Let The Games Begin!

I haven't done a weekend recap in a while, but this weekend provided a lot to blog about (not that I have pictures to show for it, of course!).  Let's start at the top....

Friday night, I met up with Amber for dinner as per the usual.  We had lots to talk about since we hadn't met up for a couple weeks!  We then joined up with more friends and went to hear our favorite local band play.  It has been a long time since I laughed as hard as I did that night!  The band was great, but the company was better.

Saturday, I got up bright and early (which was a little painful since I didn't get in until 2 AM), for a day at the craft fair with Mom, LuLu, and Mel (my SIL).  We hit the show right as the doors opened and 10:00, and spent the entire day there, leaving around 5:00.  Of course, we did break for lunch, as there are some things more serious than shopping!  I actually got part of my Christmas shopping done, which is a rarity, since I am one of those people still buying things the week of.  It was nice to just hang out with my family and to buy things for my niece (due this January!).  I will try to post some pictures this week of some of the goodies that aren't Christmas presents.  We got some great things, but after a lot of consideration, we decided that maybe we should open our own craft booth.  (Half serious, half joking.  Stay tuned...)

Sunday, I went to the church I talked about last week (in the post that caused a serious uptick in local readers), and loved it yet again.  When I am there, I am sure that I am in the right place.  This week, LuLu joined me and I think she felt the same way.  It feels so good to be excited about church again, and with the changes going on in this particular congregation, it's plain that we are on the ground floor of something big.  I can't wait to see what God is going to do!

And tonight marks my favorite time of the year--the start of the high school basketball season!  For as long as I can remember, basketball has played a big part in my life.  I never played, as I have a serious coordination deficit.  But, I remember being in first and second grade, maybe younger, and going to games all the time (of course, I went to play dolls with my friends at the time, but you get the idea).  Of course, I went once I was in junior high and high school, social butterfly that I am.  By the time I graduated, my brother was playing, and by the end of that, I was teaching.  To me, basketball marks the start of the holidays and ultimately the winter.  And though it's my best kept secret, I'm very much a sports junkie.  With so much talk about the corruption in the college game, there's just something special about the pure sport at the high school level.  Plus, it's a place where being loud is mostly encouraged, which is always a plus for me.

All this and it's a two-day work week!  I can hardly stand it!  What did you do this weekend?  Anything fun?  Tell me all about it in the comments!

It's Deer Day Already?

So, today's the first day of shotgun deer season and I don't have to work.  Sometimes being a teacher in a rural district has definite perks.  And how did it get to be the middle of Novemeber? 

Anyway, this gives me a three-day weekend, and unless something really great happens, I have decided that I will spending it away from the blog.  Rest my brain (because obviously this is sooo taxing...ha!) and get some plans together for next week.  And watch daytime TV.  You know, the finer things.   So, I will be back on Monday to tell you about Girls' Night Out, the craft fair, and whatever else the weekend holds!  I know you can hardly wait.  (And we all know that I may break this self imposed vacation at any time should I find myself with something to say or an hour to kill...)

Have a great weekend!!

Pop Culture Round-Up

Normally on Thursdays I make a list, but since I am a little low on list material with everything going on this week, I decided we would take a short stop over for a little entertainment news.  I know that I shouldn't care about this stuff, that there are wars and economic issues and people occupying things, but sometimes you just need something that is so light it's ridiculous.  So, consider this your dose for the day...

Kancel the Kardashians? -  There is a petition going around that the E! Network should stop airing shows about the Kardashian family.  I would say that I'm all for it, but then who would I mock?  I'm not a huge reality TV fan anyway, and I don't watch their shows (unless I'm with Amber), but I could do with a little less K-Dash in my life.  Also, please stop using the letter K in words that do not begin with one.  Thanks!

Justin Bieber is NOT the Father! Or maybe he is? -- Originally, it was reported yesterday that Justin's accuser was going to drop her paternity suit.  Maybe we will still get a Maury-style moment for the big reveal, but it would seem that Justin's accuser hasn't fully realized that, if her claim proved true, she could be prosecuted.  If I were his publicist, I would have disbatched this mess already, but here's hoping that Justin can get back to making mid-grade pop music soon without all the drama.

Bradley Cooper named People's Sexiest Man Alive - I think he's really handsome with his icy blue eyes and his day-old stubble, but for me this came out of nowhere.  Has he really had a better year than the also delictible Ryan Gosling?  I mean, did you see Crazy, Stupid, Love?   His abs alone should elevate his status, forget when he's all smoldery and awesome!  This issue is probably one of my favorite all year, because there's nothing as much fun a page after page of eye candy. 

Adele feeling good after throat surgery  - She's one of my favorite singers ("Someone Like You" is practically a personal anthem), but she's been downed with a hemmoraged vocal chord.  This has to be so scary to someone with such huge talent, but she's tweeting that she's feeling great and the doctors believe she will be back and better soon! 

Breaking Dawn cometh -- I don't mean to knock on the Twi-hards, but I couldn't be any less enthused about the release of this movie.  There must be something to it, because people I love and respect are all freaking out over it, but I'm just not that into it.  The only part I really get is the whole Taylor Lautner is a big hunk of man candy part, and even that feels a little sketchy to say because I could have taught him in junior high.  I am saving my excitement for when this craze is finally over...

What is your pop culture guilty pleasure?  I know I'm not the only one.  Share your thoughts, opinions, thankfulness the week is almost over in the comments!