Merry Christmas!!

We're enjoying the snow here in WA and it looks like enough is still here to say we'll have a White Christmas. Have a very Happy Holiday!

About Me- Christmas

Christmas Survey
1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? Wrapping paper
2. Real tree or artificial? Artificial. Real smells amazing, but I like the whole pre-lit convenience.
3. When do you put up the tree? Strive for the weekend of Thanksgiving
4. When do you take the tree down? Around New Year's
5. Do you like egg nog? Yes, esp. with Sprite!
6. Favorite gift received as a child? American Girl Samantha doll
7. Do you have a nativity scene? A teeny-tiny one
8. Hardest person to buy for? Mom & Dad
9. Easiest person to buy for? myself :)
10. Worst Christmas gift ever received? probably the orange in the stocking
11. Mail or email Christmas card? neither this year....but please still send us one- I love the photos & updates- I'll be better next year!
12. Favorite Christmas Movie? Home Alone for sure (right, Kim?)
13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? whenever....no timeline there, I'm not organized with it all quite yet.
14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? Nope
15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? PB Ritz dipped in chocolate, pie! cookies! sweets!
16. Clear lights or colored on the tree? I used to be all about colored. But we actually have one tree with each (both in storage this year)
17. Favorite Christmas song? All the Home Alone & N Sync songs
18. Travel at Christmas or stay home? Travel to WA to be w/the fam.
19. Can you name Santa's reindeer? Yes but too lazy to type.
20. Do you have an Angel on top or a star? angel, but I would like a brightly lit star...
21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or Christmas morning? Christmas morning, except for our pj's Christmas Eve
22. Most annoying thing about this time of year? Crazy shoppers! And hearing the Mariah Carey song a zillion times.
23. Favorite ornament theme or color? Unfortunately not. Another goal to have one fancy tree and one fun tree.
24. Favorite for Christmas dinner? Costco ham and homemade rolls
25. What do you want for Christmas this year? freshly fallen snow- so pretty! And a book or two would suffice :)

To my defense

In my defense though to my last post, I believe that Kim is improperly scarf-clad. It looks great though Kim. It wouldn't fly in Europe. Why won't you join Facebook?

People are mean...

I recently returned from a quick trip to Chicago and Boston for some post-grad interviews. Let me start by saying that I now know what it feels like to be a frozen turkey. I had no idea that it would be so painful to walk around outside in subfreezing temperatures wearing little more than two shirts, a sweater, a fleece jacket and leather jacket all at once (i.e., everything in my suitcase). Being from a city that prides itself on great A/C, I was unprepared for my journey to the North Pole. I quickly found myself in need of some nice gloves and a scarf. I know how to wear gloves but apparently there is a learning curve to properly attire oneself with a nice looking scarf. I had never bought a scarf before. I had never worn a scarf before. The closest thing that I know about scarves (pl.) is from my experience of growing up with this timeless classic below.

Okay, so I bought a nice gray cashmere (ooooh) scarf because I thought that it would match my extensive collection of winterwear. So here it is. The problem was that I now had to attach it to me. I tried to look inconspicuous as other people walked by me with their scarves and hats and long black wool-trench coats. They seemed to stare at me when they walked by and thought, "Look at this guy, who does he think he is walking around here without a scarf and gloves...the nerve?" or better yet, "The scarf goes around your neck, moron." I tried to think of an excuse as to how to ask someone from Chicago to show me how to wear my scarf. "I recently woke up from a long coma and I can't seem to remember how to tie a scarf. The last time I wore one, my mom did it for me, could you help me out?"

So, I finally asked the lady who sold me the scarf how to wear it. She must've been the worst person to ask because she said that it didn't matter, just as long as it kept your neck warm. Hello? I'm in a department store... style matters, too! I hope you are reading this lady. So, I did what any sensible guy would do. I wrapped it around my neck the way I saw Randy do it from A Christmas Story. It was warm and when I walked outside I felt that I had been inducted into the common populous of The Windy City. I looked natural. I fit in. I was hip. Then the wind came.

I suddenly realized how silly it must've looked to everyone else how I tried to maintain the scarf on my neck without using my hands. I tried walking backwards to keep the free ends flapping forward and would occasionally walk sideways in an effort to "wrap" it around my neck again. I was smooth. It probably looked like I was dancing. So, I did this for a few hours and went and ate at my favorite pizza joint.

So I had great pizza and went to my interview the next morning and then flew to Boston. I stayed the night at Heather's friend's apt., Kim. She is an english teacher and no doubt would only use a red pen on my blogs. The next morning William (the Husband from Central America, no worries he is legit) cooked me breakfast (which was awesome) and Kim even walked me to the T. Before we left though, I had to put on my "cashmere" scarf and did so with much pride. Kim burst my bubble as she could not help but point out that I was not wearing it correctly. Why are people in Chicago so mean? She showed me that if I simply fold it in half and stick the free ends through a man-made hole that the scarf now creates a self-sustaining and greatly fashionable noose. Why didn't I think of that. I walked to the T that cold morning with Kim and quielty dried my tears of humiliation on my cashmere scarf. It is now at the bottom of my sock drawer.

Here You Go, Laura

Courtney tagged me quite a while ago, and I've just been super lazy on the blog posts. We actually have some good photos and such to share, so hopefully, I'll be motivated soon to add them:) In the meantime, read on...

Eight TV Shows I Love to Watch (in no particular order)

1. How I Met Your Mother
2. The Office
3. Big Bang Theory- Sheldon is hysterical
4. Gossip Girl!
5. Grey’s Anatomy
6. The Hills, although I'm getting bored
7. The Amazing Race
8. Food Network, except Iron Chef

Eight Things That Happened Yesterday

1. Work
2. Acupuncture
3. Dinner at Whole Foods
4. Picked Alex up at airport
5. Cleaned
6. Bought Britney cd & book Outliers
7. Crossword
8. Listened to a lady out the window playing guitar & singing at 11:30pm while we tried to sleep. Then Alex yelled at her and I don't know what happened next- I was out.

Eight Favorite Places to Eat

1. Whole Foods
2. Red Robin
3. Claim Jumper
4. Fog City Diner
5. Zuppa with the fam
6. Rose's Cafe for brunch
7. Jungle Jim's back in Orlando
8. Elephant Bar

Eight Things I'm Looking Forward To

1. Going to WA in 2 weeks for Christmas!!
2. Alex being done with interviews
3. Match Day for Alex- January 26
4. Printing out all our photos and one day scrapbooking them
5. Moving somewhere....in June (and Alex graduating, too:)
6. A Christmas Carol on Sat.
7. Gingerbread houses in Seattle
8. Getting my hair done

Eight Things on My Wish List

1. Sharp Kitchen Knives (me too, Courtney!)
2. New couches
3. Another Disney Cruise, preferrably the 7 day one
4. Kids
5. The camera I wish Alex could have
6. Cute boots
7. A BMW X3
8. To be out of this recession

I tag Rira, Danielle, Christina...