Game Night

A few weekends ago when I was supposed to be shopping for OTHER people, I picked up a new game for myself. (That's pretty much how my Christmas shopping has gone...for every one gift I buy, there seems to be one for me as well!)

I have this closet desire to have fun game nights with my family and friends. But it's hard to find a game that my parents and 8 year old niece can equally enjoy and play together. And then there's the issue that part of our blended family is not much for trivia heavy games- so that knocks out a few options.

But I think that Dicecapades will be perfectly forced family fun! Just one potential issue with this game...and that's loosing some of the 100+ dice! It's bound to happen.

I played it once with the bf and we had fun on a particularly cold night in front of his fireplace with some homemade beef/vegetable soup...

So this is fair warning for my family to get ready for Dicecapades! Even though I'm keeping this for myself, I highly recommend it for a last minute Christmas gift or family activity when you're couped up together this weekend!

Falalalalalalalala

I got my first ever live Christmas tree this year! I love the smell every time I walk in and don't ever want to go back to a fake tree! I've had it up for a few weeks, and have so enjoyed the extra Christmas sparkle around my apartment.

I've had a purple/silver theme for a while and was thinking it would be my last year with this stuff. But it turned out so pretty, that I might have trouble switching themes!

I love the subtle purple snowflakes and sparkly silver stars!

The extra clippings from the bottom of my tree helped spruce up the Santas on my bookshelf...

Pine cones may be my new favorite thing to decorate with! I've had these since October and they transitioned nicely from my fall decorations to Christmas...

I even have a mini-tree with a DC theme....

This is a wreath that I put together for my front door. I just used a bow I already had and added some red ornaments....

One rookie mistake I made was buying lights that have a white chord. Ooops! Otherwise, I've been extremely happy with how my holiday decorations are right at home in their new home!

I'll Be Home for Christmas!

After visiting 7 or so houses on the Homes for the Holiday Tour last weekend, I think we were even more convinced and proud of our own family's traditional Christmas decorations.

I helped my mom decorate last week, and it was amazing how she can remember where almost every single ornament came from- a child in her children's choir from years ago, a gift from a friend the year she was diagnosed with breast cancer, and so on. There are soooooooo many ornaments on her tree. It's so colorful and meaningful...

There's the handmade Santa and reindeer paper garland my mom cut out herself years ago....paper doll style. You may wonder how delicate paper like that has survived. She carefully folds it and wraps it in tissue paper every year.

There are some other handmade ornaments by my mom....

Others by us when we were kids.....

And of course our "Baby's First Christmas" ornaments....

Quite frankly, I can't remember a Christmas tree at her house without the toy soldier, red and gingham bows, and candy apples on it!

This old Santa was a special gift to my mom when she was a child. She was at a Christmas party with my grandparents when she was about 3 years old. All of the other girls got dress up high heels, and my mom couldn't wear them because she had some feet problems and had to wear corrective shoes. The host of the party saw my mom's dissapointment and ended up giving my mom this Santa instead. It's been a part of every Christmas since!

And then there's a second tree that has only gold and white ornaments. It's always so pretty!

The nativity scene that my stepdad's mother hand painted....

Her simple display of angels....

Hmmmm, something is definitely missing. Ah, yes...my mom's real life angels! Pictures she had made of my sister and I when we were younger....

And I guess that's what this time of year is about for me....memories, traditions, and family.

Cute DIY Christmas Magnets

My sister saw this easy DIY Christmas idea somewhere last year. After Christmas, we got mini ornaments and magnets at like 80% off. Cheap AND Easy...just my style. So while my sister and mom were busy filling adorable Spoonful of Stitches orders, I finished this Christmas magnet project.

Supplies...

EASY!

Out with the old (but probably useful) HVAC repairman magnet at my mom's house(and yes, the guy mispelled "Cell" when leaving his number)...

And in with the cute new Christmas magnets!

I found a bunch of old family Christmas photos and put the rest of these to use....

There were plenty to share! I plan to use mine to display the Christmas cards I get this year!

My Weekend....

...was restful, lazy, and rejuvenating! I was fighting off a cold of some sort and took it very easy.

Saturday morning, the rain held off long enough for my mom, sister, and I to go on the Homes for the Holidays Tour in my hometown. It's the first year I've been able to go. It's always fun looking at other people's houses, but overall this year was quite underwhelming. The houses were historic and beautiful, but the actual Christmas decorations were surprisingly sparse.

How awesome is this outside fireplace at one of the first houses we toured? I mean, couldn't they have slapped a wreath on this thing or something?

One house stood out as our favorite by far...

Loved the mailbox. I wonder if it's free of lizards?

A dreamy southern porch...

There were SO many fireplaces in this house. This was in the front den. It's hard to see, but they had pretty candlesticks with a simple silver balls sitting on top...

I loved this wintry kitchen window...

Yet another fireplace in the dinning room...

I also loved the collection of Santa's and the antique Christmas card garland....

And if all of that weren't enough to seal the deal as my favorite house of the day, there was an ENTIRE room with a Braves theme! Pendants, signed baseballs and photos displayed proudly....

Even the pool table was getting its Tomahawk on...

And finally for the weekend wrap-up, my favorite quote was from my mom while we were out eating breakfast:

"I'm surprised this didn't come with fatback. That's what they usually use as garnish here."

Favorite Single Meal

There are times like my last post, The Tale of the Mailbox Lizards, that I hate being single. It would be easier to be able to leave the reptile trapping up to someone else. But there are other times that I get to enjoy my "secret single behavior." In one episode of Sex and the City, the girl's "secret single behavior" is exposed. Miranda liked to watch infomercials while lathering her hands in Vaseline, Charlotte stares at her pores in a magnifying mirror, and Carrie eats stacks of saltines with grape jelly while standing in her kitchen reading the latest issue of Vogue.




I recently had a conversation with a married friend that she sometimes misses her "single dinners." She would eat veggie chicken nuggets, frozen veggies, and mac and cheese. My own favorite single meal is really simple: plain noodles with olive oil, salt/pepper, and basil. Sometimes I add other spices, cheese, spinach, or tomatoes if I'm in the mood. But other times, it's just the olive oil and salt and pepper. It's so easy and hits the spot every time.

I know I'm not alone in my secret single behavior...I found a few articles on the same subject!

And here are some other single eating ideas on Stone Soup.

The Tale of the Mailbox Lizards

The first time I checked my mail at my new apartment, I thought the lizard hiding in my mailbox was a fluke. It jumped out of my mail as I quickly dropped whatever was in my hands. Shutter. Skin crawls. It runs away.

The next day, I reached to open the top of the mail box and the little slimy thing was there again.

I proceed day after day to shake the mailbox before checking it and the lizard usually runs out. Still grossed out, but at least I know it's there. I even snapped a picture of it so people would believe me. Here it is, holding my mail hostage.



Then one day last week, I warn the lizard by knocking on mailbox. As usual, my unwanted pet scurried out. It was safe to take my mail. Fast forward a few hours...I'm going through the mail and a SECOND lizard jumps out of the sales papers. In. My. Apartment. UGH. It's a lime green color. It's a reptile. It's disgusting.

I have no idea how to catch a lizard. But something told me I needed a broom to do so. There's no way I was touching that thing. I chased it around for at least 30 minutes. It went from the kitchen, to the dinning room, to the living room. Up the wall, JUMPS on the bookshelf, back down to the carpet where it CHANGES COLORS. This is not natural. This thing needs to get out of my apartment and fast.

I finally grab the biggest mixing bowl I have and trap the little monster underneath. It was late, I was tired, and thought it was safely trapped under the bowl. I could see it's shadow through the plastic. I could at least sleep and worry about it the next day.

I got home from work the next day, and tried to slide the bowl to my back door and let it run free. I saw the shadow again, so I know it's still under the bowl. I start sliding. I have to slightly pick up the bowl to make the transition into the kitchen. Something must have went wrong, because by the time I got to the back door ready for the grand release, the critter was gone!

That's right...loose again somewhere in my apartment. It probably changed colors, stayed on the floor and then ran away laughing at me while I kept sliding the bowl. I left for Thanksgiving, it's been a week, and I still haven't found the thing. I sure hope it's gone. If it's not, I feel sorry for my downstairs neighbor when it decides to make another appearance as I'm sure there will be screaming involved.

The other lizard was still on my mailbox yesterday.

Anybody know a good way to get rid of creepy, mailbox-jacking lizards besides calling one of the Swamp People?

The Thankful Scrooge

For the first time in my life, I'm simply not in the holiday spirit! I can't put my finger on it, but the red and green sparkle hasn't hit me yet. Usually I get the holiday fever well before Thanksgiving and then Turkey Day seals the deal with the parade, the food, the taste of Christmas vacation. But not this year. I've tried everything I normally do...

-Listened to all of the Christmas music on my iPod and even turned on my holiday Pandora station- nothing.

-Watched not one, but TWO of Oprah's Favorite Things episodes- the screaming audience was funny as always, but still nothing. Who can afford any of that stuff?

-Watched the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade, a tradition my mom ingrained in us- but the Rockettes cheery kicks did not even put me in the mood.

-Ate a yummy Thanksgiving meal- still felt nothing.

-Watched Elf- ended up falling asleep before the whole lesson of "The best way to spread Christmas Cheer, is singing loud for all to hear." Guess I could be considered a cotton-headed ninny-muggins?

-Helped my mom with her Christmas tree- nada.

-Sorta kinda tried to go shopping- ended up buying stuff for myself.

-Got invited to a holiday party- don't really want to go.

-Watched the Advent Conspiracy videos- helped, but still not feeling it.

I'm running out of ideas. I still have to watch Little Women, Miracle on 34th Street, and Love Actually- my holiday favorites. And maybe I need to make some cookies, drink some marshmallowy hot chocolate, stir it with a candy cane, and decorate my apartment. I considered not even bothering with the decorating! It's only December 1st, so hopefully I will come out of this holiday funk in time for the big day!

There's something about this time of year that makes me reflect on things. While I know I have so very much to be thankful for and am happy with some of this year's accomplishments, it was not without some deep sadness and challenges. I'm missing Randy more than ever, and feel so alone without him sitting beside me at our holiday table and whispering his sarcastic comments to me.

Since I couldn't bring myself to write a Thanksgiving post last week, I'll take a stab at it now.

I'm so very thankful for...

My view: I started the year staring out an office window looking at a concrete building. Now, I enjoy trees, a lake and a green golf course!

My commute: Used to be one of the worst parts of my day. The angry DC traffic is enough to put anyone in a bad mood. Now, my only traffic jam was waiting for a family of geese to cross the road.

Chemo: I'm not sure my grandfather would agree with me right now as he's in the middle of some tough chemo treatments that's making him weak, skinny, and depend on others for help. But despite the difficult side effects, the latest tests show that the cancer is GONE!!!!

Shira coming home!!: It's been a long year without her and in just a few short weeks, I get to see her! My secret dream of her getting a job and moving to SC didn't exactly come true, but I have a new place to visit once she gets settled.

New friends: Let me tell you, trying to meet new friends in your late 20's in SC isn't the easiest thing in the world. People are so settled into their mostly coupley lives with their coupley friends. And the rest of them are deeply grounded with their high school or college cliques. I feel like an intruder in their very established world. But I've met some nice friendly people willing to give me a try! (The pic is from Halloween. Just in case you thought I started wearing a feather in my hair.)

Old friends: When times are tough, like a sudden death in my family that turned our year and world upside down, I had some amazing support from old friends. The kind of friends that you call and they know immediately by the sound of your voice that something is wrong. They're kind of friends that show up or send a card, even if I hadn't talked to them in a while. Or even let you live with them for 5 months. It's hard to believe that my former "new" friends in DC, are now my "old" friends. But thanks to them, and my other close friends from home and college, I'm so thankful that each of them are in my life.

My family: Ohhhhh family. The ups and downs of another year have brought some of us even closer. I am very blessed by my family!

Braves back in the playoffs: Even if they lost a lot of steam at the end of the season, at least they squeaked their way back to a respectful position. Only 120 days until Opening Day! They inspired my jack-o-lantern this year...that I never posted pictures of. It could have been mistaken for an Alabama "A", especially sitting beside the USC pumpkin the week of the USC/Alabama game. But don't be mistaken...it's a Braves "A!" Next year, when they're playing in the World Series, I'll remember to include a tomahawk.

So out with the November blahs and in with a Merry December...I'm already feeling more Christmasy and thankful after writing this post!