Thinking positive.

There are two HUGE life altering possibilities in my near future that are weighing on my every thought. Those thoughts I am desperately trying to keep positive.

#1: School
Now that my mom is living with Hubs and I the conversation arose dealing with my schooling. You see, this quarter I have to leave early from work 2 days a week, which work was not happy about, and that is just the start. For the program I am entering in to I will need to enter a two quarter nurse practitioner course that will require me be in class/ clinicals for most of the day.
I sat down with husband and told him this and, with my all or nothing mentality, told him that if I couldn't continue with school after winter quarter I didn't want to continue at all. He doesn't want to see me stop my studies and neither does my mom, and myself for that matter. But as I told him, we can want me to be in school all day long but of the funds aren't there I can't do it.
So we crunched some numbers and my wonderful mother offered to help. If this happens I will be turning in my resignation letter late February. Those few words
rank among favorites right behind "will you marry me?" and "I do". I have been working at my current job going on 6 years, yes it puts bread on the table but it is a far cry from what I want to do. This was supposed to be an in between school and my career but life got in the way. The. A few months ago we got word of some vendors dropping us as a distributor and others pulling out as well and you could feel the fear rising. The possibility of lay offs has taken this already poor morale crew and turned it just plain cut throat, so the idea of walking away to something better is more than tantalizing.

#2 Baby:
Yes we are still trying, have been for 17 months last count and this is the last cycle force are tying since I am going back to school but I still remain hopeful. To tell you the truth I am looking forward to a break from the heart break of it all. I think I am going to dedicate a post to my year of trying unsuccessfully for a baby, so look forward to that. Anyway, because this is the last cycle for awhile I am staying positive that maybe this what THE cycle to take. If I am pregnant I am still not going to give up on school but it maybe pushed back 9 months.

So there you go. My two possibilities.


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You'll shoot your eye out kid...

Today I want to talk about the beloved Christmas movie, the ones that are only socially acceptable to play after Thanksgiving but before New Year, but we all know my get a guilty pleasure watching in mid-July. What? Only me?

So here it is my list of favorite Christmas movies!

Number 10:

The Ref

This is one of those black comedy Christmas movies that always has me laughing so hard tears run down my leg.

Number 9:

Little Women

I watch this movie all year but I love that Christmas is shown throughout the movie and the closeness of the family

Number 8:

Christmas vacation

This movie cracks me up “Merry Christmas, Shitters Full” Every time I see a Winnebago in a drive way I shout this. I like this movie because I can so desperately relate to Clark and his aspirations at having a wholesome family Christmas and it going totally awry.

Number 7:

The Santa Clause

I wish this movie would have come out when I was young enough to really appreciate it. My favorite thing is how they show Santa getting in to a house without a fireplace, this was cool because I didn’t have one and for my little mind I would have thought “well that explains it”.

Number 6:

The Grinch (both versions)

The cartoon version is classic, and I love the Grinch’s grin when he comes up with his evil plan. It took me awhile to like this movie because when I was little I hated how he treated Max and always felt sorry for him. The theatrical version with Jim Carrey because I love the back story of they give of the Grinch.

Number 5:

Elf

One word: SAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAANTA!!!!!

Number 4:

Charlie Brown Christmas

The music is amazing and Linus is a man after my own heart with his blanket. I love his speech on the true meaning of Christmas. And who doesn’t dance around when they are Schroder is jamming in the auditorium?

Number 3:

White Christmas

I love everything about this movie, the singing, the dancing, the heart felt deed for a man in need.

Favorite song is Snow, Snow, Snow, SNOW!!!!

Number 2:

 Muppets Christmas Carol

This movie is watched on Christmas Eve because of the song “One more sleep till Christmas” this movie was funny when I was little and is still funny now that I am older. There is so many little humorous things that you don’t pick up on when your younger but find hilarious when you are older.

 Number 1:

A Christmas Story

This is the epitome of Christmas Eve for me, and is a story that we can all relate to. I watch the marathon on TBS every year. EVERY YEAR!!!! It is constantly on and is the soundtrack to my day. I love every aspect of this movie, the one Christmas present that you are coveting, the one you get that is the most horrific gift you have  ever seen, your crazy dad, your loving mom and the friends that get you in trouble and vice versa. My favorite part (other than the whole movie) is the very end when the Mom turns out all the lights and she and Dad sit and just take in the day in the glow of the Christmas tree. I try to do this every year, just take some time and slow down and reflect. I think the Christmas tree is a great way to reflect because the ornaments, at least for me, represent years and years of Christmas and memories.

Honorable mention:

The Nativity Story

This is an amazing story about the birth of Jesus and tells the story of how things went down that blessed night.

Five Golden Rings!

Ok I am just going to put it out there that I ABSO-FREAKING-LOUETLY love Christmas music. I was going to do a top ten but for reals I couldn’t narrow it down. So I decided to give you my holiday play list and let you choose.

Here is my playlist that I have had pretty much on repeat since Thanksgiving:

O Come all ye faithful-Amy Grant

Christmas Waltz- Frank Sinatra

White Christmas- Bing Crosby

I’ll Be Home for Christmas- Michael Buble

The Christmas Song- Nat King Cole

Sleigh Ride- Instrumental

Carol of the Bells- BarlowGirl

Christmas time is here- Charlie Brown Christmas

You’re a mean one Mr. Grinch- Thurl Ravencroft

Let it Snow- Michael Buble

Jingle Bells- Bing Crosby & the Andrew Sisters

Baby its Cold Outside- Elf Soundtrack

Linus and Lucy- Charlie Brown Christmas

O Tannenbaum – Nat King Cole

12 Days of Christmas – The Muppets

Santa Baby- Ertha Kit

Little Drummer Boy- Choral

Must have been old Santa Claus- Harry Connick Jr

Merry Christmas Darling- The Carpenters

Holly Jolly Christmas- Burl Ives

Mistletoe and Holly- Frank Sinatra

Christmas is Coming- the Muppets

I want a hippopotamus for Christmas- Gayle Peevey

Jingle bell rock-Bobby Helms

The Chipmunk song- Alvin and the Chipmunks

Rockin’ around the Christmas tree- Brenda Lee

Happy Holidays- Andy Williams

One more sleep till Christmas- the Muppets

It’s beginning to look at a lot like Christmas – Michael Buble

Mistletoe- Colbie Calliat

The man with the bag- Kay Starr

Wintersong- Sara B. and Ingrid M.

Have yourself a Merry little Christmas- Michael Buble

Winter Wonderland- The Eurythmics

The Holly and the Ivy- Choral

We need a little Christmas- Angela Landsbury

Here comes Santa Claus- Gene Autry

Sleigh Ride- Harry Connick Jr

Christmas in Killarney- Bing Crosby

Whew! Still with me?  Yes I really did just type all that out. 

For me the Holiday season wouldn’t be complete without listening to all these songs at least once.

Dear Santa, I have been very good this year...

I didn’t have to long of a list for Santa this year but I did have a list:

Needs-

More cookware/prep ware/ bake ware:

I only have one pot big enough to make spaghetti…. Enough said.

 Cookbooks:

My meal planning has hit a wall. I am doing the freezing method and will make a month’s worth of meals and freeze them, only problem is you run through the cook books fast when you are making 30 meals.

Euphoria by Calvin Klein: 

Yes this is a need because this is my FAVORITE scent and I have been out for about 3 months now, and it is too expensive for me to justify getting for myself.

NIV Quest Study Bible

 I want to know more. 

A Gym membership

I need to get in shape, for reals.

Wants:

Kindle Fire.   

Having a kindle has shown my love for reading that I didn’t know I had. I know I liked it enough because let’s face it, you don’t read the harry potter books in one sitting if you don’t like to read but this new found love is so much more.  I am able to discover books and authors that I never would have read in the past and that is why I want this new technology, also because I can’t have an iPad and this is close. 

The Glee Wii games

I love to sing and have never done Karaoke before in public and have vowed never to do so, this is the closest I will get.

A pedicure to go with my new nails

The Christmas tree Pandora Charm

 To commemorate or first Christmas at home

A Kitchen Aid Artisan Stand mixer in orange

I have been coveting this since my wedding registry and 2. The Pioneer Woman says I need a good mixer, and I pretty much listen to whatever she says (she says that Bassett hounds complete her, which in turn makes her my hero)

Dancing Wii games

Have you ever done this? These are so much fun and help you burn calories.

If this were my dream list it would include

This coach purse

These Tory Birch shoes 

These Tiffany Earrings and necklace 

With a K or G of course

This iPad

And finally this little surprise 

I interrupt my regular programing

Ladies.






I got this lotion for Christmas from my Sister in law and for reals it is the best lotion I have used to date. It's thick, creamy, non oily and smells like heaven.

The company is family run with a small store front in Tipp City, Ohio and I plan on making a trek out there to buy more.

They have tons of yummy products, like body frosting, scrub muffins, and bath bombs.

Check out their website if you're interested.

http://livingsimplysoap.com/store/Default.asp









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Christmas Traditions

Husband and I are avid Christmas lovers.

And with an avid Christmas lover comes strong traditions, and when it came time to blend our homes it was hard to decided which we would keep, which we would adapt, which we would leave for our parents and which we would use once kids came (bet you didn’t know there were so many categories).

I am not going to lie and will tell you most all were kept in some facet or another.

Tradition #1: Christmas tree set up, when to do it? Early vs. Late
In Husbands house they put up the tree a couple weeks before Christmas, when he told me this I was holding my breath that he wouldn’t be against my family’s tradition of putting it up thanksgiving weekend.  He wasn’t opposed to putting it up early but didn’t want one up that early due to the fact that we get a live tree and didn’t want to risk it being close to dead at Christmas time. The compromise was putting up the tree the first weekend in December (I think I amended that to a December date, I wasn’t going to wait too long once we flipped the calendar page.) Also, we adopted my family’s tradition of going to a local Garden center for our tree. I have done the whole “Let’s cut a tree down” but I didn’t fall in love with it. The Garden center we go to is small enough but has an awesome selection… and they have Christmas music and free popcorn.

Tradition #2: Christmas Eve: Church vs. Stay at home
If it is Christmas in the Buckeye state we stay home like I did when I was a kid, if it is Christmas in Birmingham we go to church like Husband did when he was a kid. When we would stay home we would play board games, watch Christmas movies and listen to Christmas carols.  I didn’t know what I was missing when by not going to service until I went with the G family, the service was beautiful and really did make me feel the reason for the season. We would talk about the Christmas story but when you are little you are listening but only barely… I mean SANTA IS COMING!!!  This is one tradition that I want to merry, I want to go to Christmas eve service and then come home and have some Christmas eve fun.

Tradition # 3: Christmas PJ’s

I think I have received a pair of PJ’s for as long as I can remember.  This was the only gift that we were allowed to open on Christmas Eve and I always loved slipping in to my new Christmas Threads. Husband had never had this before and loves this little tradition that my Momma started and we plan on keeping.

Tradition # 4: Gifts from Santa:

This has actually caused a rift between Husband and me. Growing up his gifts from Santa weren’t wrapped; they were just sitting under the tree with a bow and tag, whereas all my gifts were wrapped, but my mom was sneaky and would wrap only the gifts from Santa in special wrapping paper. I want to go one step further and print out special tags (my mom has very distinctive hand writing and that is what gave it away).  He says it is too much work and I say that is all part of the magic for little kids.

Tradition #5: The Gingerbread house:

I don’t know how long my Dad and I have been doing this, but if I had to guess it has been at least 6 years. I love this because it is just my dad and I; we come up with a concept and decorate the house. Sometimes they are pretty cool and others have been… not so great. But it doesn’t matter because we did it together.

Finally the traditions I can’t wait to start:

Elf on the shelf: 

My mom got me the book for Christmas and I can’t wait to have little ones and see what elfin tomfooleries that little guy gets in to, I have already started researching ideas.

 The Christmas pickle

 

Nothing like a little competition on Christmas morning.

Other contenders are:

Homemade cinnamon rolls on Christmas morning

A toothbrush in your stocking

Watching the Christmas Story Marathon on TBS

What are some of your Traditions?