Blech....

I hope this is not a new tradition. Last year I was sick for New Years..... This year is going to be a duplicate. Wicked sore throat, stuffy ears & sinus pain. Fun is.

My plans for tomorrow is to go to the store after work & get fun food & some sparkling wine (because that mixes so well with medicine!). I am going to curl up on the couch in font of the fire & watch movies. Low key I know, but I have decided I want to pamper myself :)

I hope that everone has a happy, safe, and healthy New Years!

Tired!

Saturday was lots of fun! Got to play in NYC for the day. Went to see Rockefeller center and the HOARDES of tourists. Damn tourists go home already! Bren took us to American Girl to see what it is all about. Let me just tell you it is an experience. (One that I hope my niece does not obsess about in the coming year) The store is 4 floors of madness (the crush of people added to the chaos). Parts are very cute, they have a 'Hospital' that you can take your dolls to to be fixed, they have a cafe on site & you can have a professional portrait taken in American Girl style.

Got to try my very first hot toddie at an Irish pub called Connely's. I apparenly am not much of a scotch fan, but the drink was much better once all the sugar was poured in! I have to admit that it made me nice and warm & a bit loose.

One of our goals was to catch Twilight before it went out of the theatres. No such luck. We got to the theatre with minutes to spare, but the movie was sold out! Darn it. We tried, we really did, went to several other theatres but no luck. I guess someone is trying to tell us that we need to wait for the DVD release & have our own release party. Italian food & red wine anyone?

Fun!!!

I am really looking forward to tomorrow. I am going to NYC with Brenda & Michele. We are planning on playing a bit in the city (watch the skaters in Rockafeller center maybe); have some hot toddies & get our Edward fix! Our plans earlier this month didn't pan out the way we originally planned & we wanted to catch the movie before it leaves the theatres. I will remember to take my camera & load some pics this time!!!

Whew!

Wow, I finally have a chance to breathe a bit now that the Christmas rush is over!

So... I got the last shipment of presents on Christmas eve about 2 in the afternoon. UPS ran just under the wire. I guess that is what I get for procrastinating so much.

Both Christmas & Christmas Eve went beautifully. It was wonderful being able to spend time with both sides of the family. We don't get together nearly enough.

Christmas eve is for mom's side of the family. We went to my aunt's house. It's a tradition that the adults (those 16 and over) have a round robin (like a Yankee swap). We all bring a gift, we then get a number and go around the room. The person who draws #1 is the first to select a present. One the round begins the person who goes after you may steal your gift if they like it & you get to select again, if you get your present 3 times its yours to keep. I was lucky enough to grab the 2 movies (the last 2 batman pics).

On Christmas we meet on my Dad's side of the family. This year we had christmas at my grandparents. Like Christmas eve we don't buy everyone presents. On this side of the family we draw names at Thanksgiving & play secret santa. I was Santa for my step mom & got her a beautiful wine colored pashmina and silk wrap/scarf. I got a gift certificate for a local spa/nail salon for a pedicure! Yay I can't wait to get over there!

Presents were fun this year. Mom got me some beautiful tops for work/play & some really fun stocking stuffers. I finally get to try Yoga Toes (funky but they make your feet feel good!) I also got a nourishing skin care kit from Suki. Suki is a skin care company whose products are organic & 100% natural. They are fairly local- out of Northhampton Mass. I had tried a small portion of their products earlier this year and loved them. Now I get to really play! Dad & Patty got me my Ipod!! I finally have a Nano. I had an Ipod Shuffle, but was itching to upgrade to the next size. I also got a small gc for Target that proptly went to an Itunes card which is now gone! I want to get a cover/sleeve/case for the ipod. I am afraid I am going to scratch it.

I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday & hope that you spent some quality time with your family. We all lead such hectic lives and time speeds by like a blink of an eye; that we should make time to spend with our loved ones especially aunts/uncles/grandparents, or those who we only see infrequently. Someone told me this wonderful philosophy: "You only go around once, you have to make every day count"

I am so confused!

I finally hopped on the shopping online bandwagon, and everything was going so smootly until 2 days ago & now have a serious snafu! I don't know what the F@#! happened, but only 1/2 of a present for my dad has shipped. He really likes the Smart Wool brand. I had decided to order some (pricey) socks for christmas. I got confirmation that both pairs were in stock & that Amazon was releasing payment to the company that sold them.... then I get an email on Friday morning from the company saying that one of the pairs was sold out & asked what did I want to do. I responded back & did not hear from them till today. Today I get another email saying that something is sold out. I have no idea if its the same pair of socks that I ordered or if this is the other pair. I then get an email from a service rep at the company offering a substitution for the original pair. I am really hoping that its just the one pair of socks they have screwed up on & that I will still get the other part of my order. I AM SO CONFUSED!! Now I am having doubts that the order will be here before Christmas, just freakin fantastic!!!!

Ugh.. now I am off to bed so I can be coherant for work tomorrow. I hope that everything will be sorted out within the next 24hrs. I am running out of time!

Let it Snow!

We just got the official word, we are closing at 2pm today.


Hurray!!!!!!

more animals

more animals

In the spirit

Going to go have fun at Michele's tonight. Wine, snacks, sugar, friends and crafts :)

The theory is we are making ornaments to put on our trees. Maybe I can use one for a christmas present!

Fun is....

I am watching the news & getting the great news... They have increased the total snowfall that we are getting tomorrow to 8-12 inches. It will be most horrid just about the time that I will be headed home. Do I dare pray that we close early tomorrow??

It should be a fun ride home in my itty bitty car!!! Time to find the snow shovel & salt for the walk

Uh oh....

To borrow a phrase from my neice, 'uh oh...'

How is it that its December 14th?? Where did I get so far behind? The tree is up, the lights are on & I have 6 ornaments on the tree. Cards have yet to be done, cookies & nuts have yet to be made, and 75% of shopping still has to be done & I have no clue what to get people!! This whole year has seemed to go by so fast, that I should notbe surprised that the holiday season is flying by.

My stepmom called tonight to give the surprise news that my grandparents are hosting Christmas. I don't think we have celebrated there in almost 10 yrs. My aunt was going to host the festivities, but her mom is not doing well. I hope that she makes it into the new year; she has been in a nursing home for about 5 yrs, but the last few yrs she had a remarkable turnaround, she was talking again & eating on her own. Apparently things have taken a nosedive in the last month or so, and every day is a bit different, some good some very bad. I am saying a special prayer for her.

On a happier note,Mom's birthday is in 2 days... still have to get a card & a little something. I am going to take her to lunch, but it would be nice to have something nice to open too.

We get to babysit Peanut tomorrow evening, so not much will be done. I am usualy too tired to do much of anything when she goes to bed :(

I am lucky enough to have the next 2 days off of work. I want to at some point, do more shopping, make out & mail my christmas cards, and hit AT&T to check out new phones. My contract came up in August and I am finally ready to get rid of my phone.

Yuck!

I am sooo happy that the storm that we had last night ended up being just rain in my area! HOWEVER I was less than happy with having to wade through water past my ankles to get to my parking lot this morning. In the courtyard to my apt complex, we have poor drainage flooding- it usually goes away once the rain stops.... not today. My niece slept over last night & my brother had to pick her up this morning so I could put in 1/2 a day of work. HE got to take the lucky way out & left through my patio, still puddles plus mud, but less than the 10-12 foot long puddle with no way around it!

It was all good though, I know we could use the rain & with it being just rain we were blessed with having our power & heat this morning!

Christmas Songs

So I just realized that I can listen to Christmas songs at work :) I got my radio to come in for 100.5 They have christmas songs straight through the 25th. Not all the songs are gems, but I heard one this morning that had me rolling in my isle at work. Apparently Porkey Pig has done a cover of Blue Christmas. I think it is freakin hysterical!

Owie!

Went to yoga tonight & did a new move that I may be feeling tomorrow. We did a move called the boat? It's where you lean back on your hands & butt while with one leg at a time you bring up your leg till your calf is parallel to the floor then you straighten your leg toward the ceiling.... wow muscles I have not used in a while. Its not really a good thing when the legs shake like that! Still I am so relaxed when I it is still definitely worth it!

Time to read a couple of pages in Eclipse (for the 2nd time) then go to sleep. I get to watch my neice tomorrow night at Daddy's now that Daddy is back to work (yay!!!) I don't think I will be getting much of anything done tomorrow night :)

Cookie swap

One of the girls I work with had a bright idea of having a cookie swap in a couple weeks, and I said sure what the heck.... well I just got the final number and all I have to say is " well crap!"

I have to make 12 dozen!!!!!!... yes that is 144 Rum balls for the 18th!! And naturally I chose a recipie that I have not made in about 10yrs... time to find the little slip of paper & figure out how many times I have to multiply the ingredients. I need to make them this weekend so that they have time to sit & mellow a bit

Maybe I'll pull a Julia Child and take a swig or 2 or 3 or even 4. I wonder how they would taste with spiced rum?

Decoration envy

I am starting to have decoration envy! I hate to admit I want to put up my christmas decorations, but I am afraid of the ladder to the atic... (and of course that is where all the decorations are!) I know I am an adult, but its one of the ladders that folds out of the ceiling. I hate ladders as it is, but I am also afraid that I will break it.

Ugh. now that I admited it I realize how stupid that excuse is! It still is not getting my but up the stairs. I am going to call my brother tomorrow & see if he can do it on Saturday. Its tough that he works 2nd shift, so I can only get him on the weekend I would like to get more done, but someone told me good things come to those who wait :)

In the meantime I am going to put together my christmas card list.

I must be crazy

I think I must be crazy because I am actually planning to go to Target today! Although I am not stupid enough to go to the one near me in New Britain ( too near the mall for my sanity). I am thinking of going to the one in Southington. I figured it is far enough away from any other type of shopping opportunity, that it may not be too insane. Wish me luck!

Tis the Season

Its official, the countdown to Christmas has begun. We have a local radio station that is playing nothing but Christmas songs this weekend. I got to hear Dominic the Donkey :) Now its stuck in my head because it is so silly!

TSO is playing in Hartford tomorrow. My mom & I were toying with going to see it. We are both big fans of TSO but have never seen them in person. When I went online however I was really disappointed with the seats available. I would have thought with the economy the way it is, that there would have been more tickets available. The only seats we could find online were up in the second tier (not bad) but the section was the same part of the arena as the stage, meaning that we would have to crane our necks to see the sides of their faces & profiles. Too bad. I think we will plan ahead next year & get tickets at least a few weeks ahead of time so that we can really enjoy the concert. I will be happy to listen to my cd's this season.

cell phone

The time has come to shop for a new cell phone.... well the contract expired over the summer and I have been procrastinating ever since. I think it is time to start looking for the next phone, I just have to figure out when would be the best time to go. Of course the store that I have gone to for the last 4 yrs is in Westfarms Mall; which is going to be a freakin nightmare until 12/26 !! I think it may be best to check out ATT.com first & see what options I have in my price range first :)

Thanksgiving

There are a few times of year that both sides of my family get together, I look forward to them because its a great time to catch up. I got to spend time with Dad & Mom's sides of the family (dinner at one & dessert at the other)... It was a busy but very enjoyable day.

Thursday I had the turkey dinner at my Dad & Stepmom's house. It was wonderful to see my grandparents and aunts and uncles. I am getting a bit concerned with my grandpa. I know that he had a bit of a slip & fall a couple of weeks ago at home, but I was not prepared to hear about the bandage on his forehead, a new melanoma that was removed earlier this week. I remember last year he had another melanoma that he had to have radiation for that killed his salivary glands... When he came in that day as I was giving him a hug he lost his balance (this I could understand - he had 3 large dogs swarming around & I think the puppy got a bit too excited). I just really hope that all will be ok with him. I will have to say a special prayer for him. I also heard that my great aunt Penny is gravely ill with cancer down in FL, and was asked to say a special prayer for her to...Her daughter passed away within the last year, also stricken with cancer. I have to remember to send a card to my cousin out in MA.

Dad is also undergoing some medical issues, some skin cancer on his forehead (thank god not melanoma!) he looks like he has a rash & he can't wait to finish the medication! Sometimes being so pale of skin is NOT a good thing.

The holiday was a good one (aside from the medical issues) I wish we would get together more than we do now, but as we are all growing up & are busy with our own lives I know it gets harder. It will make me treasure & appreciate every chance that we have to be together.

Almost there...

It seems like today went on forever & I did so much at work.... that is until I looked at my productivity, then I got depressed.... thank goodness tomorrow is the last day of the work week for me! YAY

Oh my Edward

Went to see Twilight last night in Hartford with Michele, Vizma & Julie. Wow the Oddesey theatre that we saw it in was awesome, almost IMAX size. Made looking at Edward all the more enticing. :)

The movie was good, but does not compare to the book, although I have to say that Carslile was much yummier that I expected! I wasn't ready for the movie to end... I can't wait for the next one. Darn it hurry up! We ended up being the last ones in the theatre & could have easily stayed for the next showing, they never would have known.

I so would not mind going back when Brenda gets back from her honeymoon!

Twilight movie

In wake of huge debut, studio green-lights sequel ‘New Moon’! Woohooo!

And I have to say seeing Twilight on IMAX screen was awesome

Grrrrrr

I got home yesterday to the lovely surprise of having no phone... Once again AT&T is having problems with my phone line.... I have nothing but dead air. I tried using a corded phone to no avail....still no luck.

I searched for the repair phone # in the Yellow Pages and made my call from my cell phone. I never spoke to a live person, only the computer. One of the options was if I had no dial tone on my line; I selected the option & then I get asked "are you calling from that number now?" WTF??!!! How can I call on a line with no dial tone???

After about 5 more min of pointless questions I get the message that my service should be restored by 8pm tonight, I guess we will have to see if that is acurate. Thank God I have a cell phone.

And thank goodness its FRIDAY!!!!!!!

Sugar Crash

... in 3...2....1!!!

We have a potluck today as a good luck send off to one of the girls in the department and it is all pastries, cookies and bread...... I just wish I could stay away!

New SpringWidget

OME!!!

So, I was just a little bit later than normal leaving the house.... I was listening to theToday show when I was making coffee, and EDWARD was on!! Of course I had to stop what I was doing to watch, but now I have my Edward fix for the day :) YAY!

Getting started!

I am taking the plunge and starting my very first blog. This month I have had a few firsts, why not continue!!