Holiday Meme

Tonight is Sammy's first-ever preschool Christmas program, so I should have plenty to say tomorrow, but today, I have nothing. So here's a Christmas meme.

Egg nog or hot chocolate? Tough choice. I wonder how hot chocolate made from egg nog would taste? Might be something to explore.
Santa wrap presents or set them under the tree? Wrapping, without a doubt.
Colored lights on tree or white? Colored.
When do you put your decorations up? The weekend after Thanksgiving, usually.
What is your favorite holiday dish (excluding dessert)? Excluding dessert? Seriously? OK then, probably the Christmas cheese ball.
2 - 8 oz. blocks cream cheese
1 c. shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 c. mustard
1 pkg. chopped dates
Mix all ingredients together. Serve with crackers.
Favorite holiday memory as a child: I don't have a lot of specific memories, but I always enjoyed the Christmas Eve service at the church (performed by the Sunday School kids), followed by opening presents back at our house.
And how did you learn the truth about Santa? I honestly don't remember believing in Santa. I must have learned the truth at an early age.
Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve? Yes, we have Christmas Eve with my husband's family. The kids will open their presents from Santa & us on Christmas Day, though.
How do you decorate your Christmas tree? Lights, garlands, ornaments - both store-bought, and made by the kids. We buy an ornament for the kids each year and date it, so those ornaments are my favorite.
Snow! Love it or dread it? Hate, hate, hate it. Did I mention I hate it?
Can you ice skate? Not very well. I might try harder to learn if it wasn't something that had to be done outside in the bitter cold.
Do you remember your favorite gift? Not really, but I remember getting a pottery wheel for Christmas one year, and it didn't work. It ended up being returned and I got the money instead. I was really disappointed because I was so excited about that pottery wheel.
What's the most important thing about the holidays for you? Being with my family.
What is your favorite holiday dessert? Tough one - anything chocolate.
What is your favorite tradition? We're still trying to develop our own traditions, but starting this year I'm going to have Sammy tell me his favorite memories from the year so I can write them down on notecards. When Natalie is old enough, I'll do the same with her, and I'll save all the cards so each Christmas, we can go through all the cards from previous years and relive memories. I think that's going to be my favorite. (Although how many years have to go by before I can call it a tradition?)
Which do you prefer, giving or receiving? Giving, definitely. Especially to my kids. I can't wait to see the excitement on their faces as they open their gifts.
What is your favorite Christmas Song? I don't generally like traditional Christmas music, but my sister introduced me to some new stuff this year that I actually like. "Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)" by Death Cab for Cutie is my new favorite. I've also always really liked "Happy XMas (War is Over)" by John Lennon and "Feliz Navidad" by Jose Feliciano.
Candy canes! Yuck or yum? I'm impartial on this one. I will eat an occasional candy cane, but if given a choice between chocolate or a candy cane, the candy cane doesn't stand a chance.
Ever recycled a Christmas present? Not that I can remember.

I'm not going to tag anyone, but feel free to grab this meme and post it on your own blog, if you're struggling for content like I am!

Tag! I'm It

Mommy Vern tagged me to play. I love games! The name of this one is, locate the 6th photo in your 6th online photo album and post it.


This was taken at Grandma and Grandpa's house. Sammy looks so young in this picture! Looking at the date stamp, he would have been 16 months old, just a little older than Natalie is now. Time goes by so quickly.

Anyway - this was a really funny moment, but it might have been one of those "you had to be there" type things. That cow that Sammy is holding, plays "The Chicken Dance" when you squeeze its udder. Riley, the Sheltie in the foreground, loves to sing/howl along. Riley and Sammy were fighting over that cow toy the whole time we were there that weekend. In this picture, Bailey (the Sheltie looking over Sammy's shoulder) looks like she was about to get in on the action, too.


So, who wants to play? Colleen, although you've already made your post for this month? (Just teasing! I kid because I love!)

Seven Things

I was tagged by the beautiful and hilarious Beth to tell you seven things about me that you might not know. There probably won’t be any surprises here to those of you who know me in real life.

1) I worked my way through college, and managed to finish without any debt. It took me 7 years to complete my Bachelor’s degree. (Hey, a lot of people go to school for 7 years! But they’re called doctors.)
2) Midway through college, I burned out on computer programming and switched my major from Computer Science to Psychology. Strangely enough, my current job has more to do with computer science than psychology. Go figure.
3) I have a weakness for good-smelling things. Lotions, perfumes, laundry detergent, etc. I know, parabens and all that, but I can’t help myself.
4) I love to read. I read so many books, that I had to start a spreadsheet to keep track of which books I’ve already read. Too often, I was getting halfway through a book and realizing I knew how it was going to end. I have another spreadsheet with my to-read list. Since there are over 2000 items on my to-read list, I don’t have the time to read books more than once, unless they’re really, really good.
5) I used to have awful eyes. So bad, that if I would put my glasses down somewhere unusual, I was up the proverbial creek without a paddle since I couldn’t see well enough to find them. Six years ago, I had Lasik surgery and I still think it’s the best thing I ever did for myself.
6) I’ve never actually fainted, but came very close twice. The first time was in high school, when the class had a “job shadow” day. I didn’t have any idea what I wanted to do with my life at the time, but I loved animals, so I thought I’d work at the vet clinic that day. I pictured getting to help take care of the animals and maybe watch a couple of examinations. When I showed up that morning, the vet informed me that he had scheduled a spaying. With the first cut of the scalpel, I got very hot and faint and started seeing black spots. I had to sit down to keep from passing out.
7) I have a tattoo. It’s a dolphin, and it’s on my leg. That was the second time that I almost fainted. I made the mistake of watching the needle go into my leg.

I'm supposed to tag seven people, but I don't think I know seven other people who haven't already been tagged. So, if you haven't already played, go ahead and post seven things about you on your blog!

Six-Word Memoir

Mommy Vern tagged me (in this post) to write a six-word memoir. I tend to get a little....wordy, as you already know if you've read this blog for any length of time. I'm not sure if I've ever written a six-word sentence in my life, so this was a challenge!

Some intial thoughts:


Stressed Out, Trying to Find Balance
My Kids Are Driving Me Nuts
Calgon, Take Me Away (Pretty Please)
Looking for a Moment of Peace



As true as those might be, they don't really sum up who I am - and how I want people to remember me. After much thought, this is what I came up with:


Loving my Family While Seeking Enlightenment

I like this picture because it captures a moment in time with two of my favorite things - reading, and my children. I hope to pass on to them my passion of knowledge and learning.

Here's the rules to this game:

1. Write a six word memoir.
2. Post it to your blog, maybe with a pic.
3. Link to the person who tagged you.
4. Tag a few folks.
5. Leave a comment for them with an invite to play.

Colleen and Tabitha, wanna play?