And the beat goes on..

Well, Christmas is officially over, but like most vacations, i'm suffering from jet lag. Too much stress and not enough sleep resulted in me coming down with a sinus infection last night. Not that I can blame it entirely on christmas. Work, my car dying, and just life in general probably had alot to do with it. So now along with an eye tick so bad i'm wearing my glasses today, my ear hurts and i have a headache. Not to sound like i'm whining, which i'm sure that does. Just kind of the after christmas let down of emotions i guess. It always seems like such a build up that afterwards your'e just totally drained.

But I had a wonderful Christmas. Wednesday, after washing the pin curls from my hair, Carl and I went out for sushi for lunch. I looove sushi. I want to learn how to make it myself altho i'm a bit hesitant. Im just now grasping the basking concepts of cooking, not sure if i'm ready to start messing with raw fish. So for christmas I bought Carl a sushi making kit. I figured he could do the experimenting.

Ken came over around 7 and the 3 of us had the Christmas dinner that I had prepared: ham, mashed potatoes, corn on the cob, wild rice, peas and green beans, rolls and a salad. And of course wine. Ken had bought himself a video camera for his present to himself so was following us around the house. I figured out how to keep the camera off of me tho, just start making obscene jokes and comments. He'd turn it off and be like 'this is a christmas video, i'm going to show this to my parents!"

He gave me a pink blue tooth to go with my pink blackberry phone. I just love it! Carl gave me the 'Tales of Beedle Bard" book, the one from Harry Potter. I think they both liked what I gave them, and we had a nice dinner. It's funny how that was the only real family dinner both Carl and I had. My family celebrates christmas on christmas morning around 9 am and we have a huge breakfast then everyone goes their seperate ways. We used to do it at 4 in the morning when there were more little kids. Everyone would spend the night at my parents and the adults would stay up in the living room, playing games until time to wake the little ones up. Personally, I like the 9 am one better. I'm all for sleeping in.

Christmas morning was spent with my family, which was nice. No one had alot of money this year, but it seemed that that inspired everyone to give more thoughtful, meaningful gifts. Usually I get alot of non personal gifts, like candles and bath products. Stuff thats nice but doesnt take alot of thought. But this year, everyone seemed to really search for that perfect gift. I got 4 mudpie piggy banks, which I totally love and collect. I'm up to 40 piggy banks total now and 25 of them are mudpie. I also got all four Twilight books, which I started again last night. I loved the books. Not so crazy about the movie. But owell. Hopefully the second one will be better.

Over all it was a wonderful, peaceful christmas. No drama, no illness, no tantrums. Just good food, good times, good friends. Wonderful.

Hope everyone had a wonderful holiday also.

Blonde moment #1

It may not look like it now, but yes I was born a blonde. And even though the color has darkened over the years (no one say dishwater blonde please), the spirit remains. Every now and then I do something so ... so.... well, blonde that it even dumbfounds me. So in the spirit of laughing with myself instead of at myself (wait, is that right?) I'm going to share my moments.

Insert blonde moment #1.

I usually curl my hair everymorning with a large barrel curling iron. For some reason last night I decided that I wanted to try pin curls. Now, there was no alcohol in this decision. It was right after a long hot bubble bath and I was watching The Muppets Christmas Carol. Not sure what they had to do with the decision, but setting up the scenario. So I went to town. Now my hair is probably about 2 inches below my bra strap to give you and idea of the length. I've done pin curls before, but never ever when it was this long. So I wound them all up, pinned them tightly, and went to sleep. I also toss and turn quite a bit in my sleep (an important side note).

I should also mention that the carpet people were coming at 9 am to shampoo the carpets. I, in my non-inebriated state, forgot to set the alarm. Fortunately, Bella woke me up at 8:45. I hade time to have a mini heart attack at what my hair turned into and wrap a bandana around it just before they got here. I dont know if it was the length, the tossing and turning, or simply just a why you shouldnt try a new hair technique the eve of christmas eve lesson.

Notice the likeness to dreadlocks. (sorry for the crappy pictures. During the night Bella decided that my camera cord was made of liquorish.)

Carl got home just as the carpet guys were finishing up. Perfect timing as usual. I immediately hopped into the shower where it took 3 apps of conditioner to get all of the knots out of my hair. Maybe I should have left it and just started a new look for a new year.

How much is that doggy in the window?

Apparently $49.95, without tax of course.

It's beginning to look alot like Christmas

All of my shopping is done.

All of my cards are out in the mail.

The carpet people are coming tomorrow at 9 am to shampoo the house.

I still have to go to the store to get the ham for tomorrow nights dinner.

And can you believe I havent gotten anything for Sunshine or Bella's stockings yet? I'm such a bad mommy.

reflections...

I've been thinking alot of what I want my goals for next year to be. So much in my life has changed in the past year. Last december 17th was my last day in my home with V. After 5 years it was over. I moved in with my best friend emily, who graciously let me stay in her guest bedroom until I could get back on my feet. That took me until March. Then I moved in with my boss/friend Nicole's daughter, Beth and her 2 year old daughter. The day before we were supposed to move in, John, Nicoles' husband and my boss for 5 years, died of cancer. We knew it was coming but it still hit suddenly. Topped with the move I think it took me until just recently to get back on my feet. In August Beth announce she was getting married and I would have to move again. I found a great townhome in an older part of town that was just what I could afford. I was a little nervous about being totally on my own for the first time in 6 years (and that was only for about 8 mnths) but I was excited. I painted the entire house different colors, any color I wanted to. I have always love mismatched furniture anyways so my dumpster diving lifestyle fit right in with the odd color walls. In October Carl asked me if I was still interested in a roommate. Carl and I had lived together for 2 years back in 2001-02. He was at the time my boyfriends best friend (Ken). But we had known each other since we were 18. When I found out that I was moving out of Beths house I had asked him if he was interested in getting a place together but at the time he was settled where he was. I think I just needed that time to adjust to being truly alone. And honestly I loved it. No one to tell me what time to do anything or be anywhere, I could come and go at any hour, eat what I wanted and do what I wanted. Total exhilarating freedom. When he asked if I was interested in rooming again tho I jumped at it. Altho giving up the solitude was a bit hard, I love having a friend here. And he truly is my friend. I've always called him my brother. And now that Ken and I are trying to rekindle our relationship, it's the three of us hanging out again. I just love it, and they have both said how they love it too. It actually feels like home here. For the first time in a long time. I have a home. And that's what struck me as odd. For the 5 years I was with V, I strived to be the best wife I could be. To make our house a home. And try as hard as I did, it just never got there. The old cliche of it wasnt meant to be guess rings true I guess.

So looking back at moving 3 times in 8 months, loosing my boss and trying to find my footing in the business, starting my own used online bookstore, trying to raise my two dogs and keep them from eating the house, straightening out my finances, learning to eat better and smarter, it's been a hell of a year. I dont know if I really want to have any goals for next year. Maybe just continue down the path i'm going. It's been going pretty good so far.

5 pillows

I've been trying to leave Sunshine and Bella in my bedroom when I leave. I have a doggy door on my patio door so that they can go outside, but arent cooped up either outside or in a kennel. I figured if I lock them in my bedroom then the destruction is at least limited to one room. Well, I went home for lunch and found that she had ripped and shredded 5 pillows. There was stuffing everywhere. And there was nothing of the pillow cases or pillow sack left either, all ripped to shreds. Why she feels the need to do this to pillows is beyond me. Altho her frustratation (or glee) wasnt just limited to the pillows. She also ate the cover to The Simpsons movie and a picture frame that i carelessly left on the headboard of the bead. What was I thinking? So for this afternoon they are back in their kennel. I wish I could find an alternative to locking them up but at this rate i'm not going to have a house left.

Bellas score: 2 couches, 7 pillows, 4 pairs of shoes, countless move boxes, 8 books, 3 chair rungs, and 3 inches of pine off of a bookshelf.

And the beat goes on...

The weekend ended up much better than the week was. Friday nite Ken made homemade pizza using the pizza dough from Fresh and Easy. It turned out so good. We are all hooked on those stores here. It's pretty much the only place I shop anymore. I used to be all into the coupone and price comping thing, spending hours going over all of the ads and seeing what I had coupons to match, and then taking the whole mess to Walmart since they will match all comps. I supose since money is still a little tight I probably should, but i've started eating better. Not really better, just more conscious. I couldnt believe the amount of sodium and carbs I was consuming. Shopping at fresh and easy has made my diet healthier, plus they have amazing deals. Today I bought a package of 7 chicken thighs with the skin and bone for only $2.10. I seperated it into 3 packages, doused them with different marindades, stuck them in the food saver and straight into the freezer. Gotta love that.

We watched PS I Love You saturday while Ken cooked breakfast. It was really good, better than I expected. I'm not a big Hilary Swank fan, she could stand to put a little more weight on in my opinion, but it was a really sweet love story. And yes, I cried. I did think that James Marsters (forever known as Spike) could have been in it a little more. That might have helped it some.

Today is the winter solstice. This site has some cool history and ideas for celebrating today.

I cant' believe thursday is Christmas. I finished my shopping up today, thank goodness. But the next two days are going to be just insane at work. I have 4 houses to clean, we have to do the year end and month end accounting, plus we have 7 evictions pending before wednesday. Why i'm still wide awake typing I dont know. I'm sure it doesnt have anything to do with the 5 glasses of sweet tea I consumed today.

But overall it wa sa nice relaxing weekend. I spent friday nite at Ken's but he spent Saturday night here. I know he's not comfortable here (I only have a queen bed) but he said he'd start coming over here on the weekends until Bella gets older and I can leave her unattended. Right now i'm working on just leaving her in a room by herself for an extended amount of time. Carl and I went out for lunch today and just in an hour she ate a book off the bookshelf and destroyed a pillow. In her defense the book was a copy of the Kama Sutra and the pillows was Ken's, so maybe she was just telling me she was pissed he spent the night and she had to sleep on the floor.