It's Almost a New Year...

I say this every year, but damn, time really does fly by.  I remember us just being in Nashville like it was a few weeks ago and sadly it was in June.  I remember sweating our butts off and now I'm freezing my butt off in NY.  I wish I had something poignant to say, but I really don't.  Time is flying and I'm just along for the ride.  I say all the time to my customers and to my friends that I hate growing older and growing up, yet what other option do we have?  I mean I want to grow old!  I don't want to be dead yet!  

So this year I want to stop wasting time.  No more mindless hours in front of the television, I really want to be productive.  Well, more productive.  I'm tired of always saying that I wish there were more hours in the day to get things done.  Well, honestly, if I didn't get in my couch potato moods and my I'm addicted to words with friends mode, I'd be completely fine trying to shove everything in to one day.  I need to take advantage of the time I do have to get things done and stop bitching and complaining that I have no me time.  It's really not that I have NO me time, it's what I do with the me time I do have.  I have to start being productive with the time I'm given.

On my list

1. Pick up the guitar for at least 15 minutes a day.

2. Do Rosetta Stone for at least one lesson a day.

3. Write more.

4. Search for jobs within my degree.

5. Give the house a good cleaning at least once a week.

6. Fresh sheets once a week.

7. Eat out of necessity not out of desire.

8. Push myself with my workouts and aim for a minimum of four days a week.

9. Swim (I really love swimming and I miss it).

10. Go to church every week.

I'm hoping I'm not the only one with grand ideas for the new year.  I don't want to say (as always) that I'm making any resolutions.  I just want to better myself as I get older.  It's a good time to start fresh right?  And most of these are already in motion, I'm just trying to make myself accountable and keep them going.  What are your plans for the new year?

A Very Merry Christmas...

I have to say that this was the first Christmas that I've had in awhile without tears.  No sadness from being alone at the end of the night or from missing my family entirely too much.  Granted, I still missed my loved ones, but I was lucky enough to get to at least see my one brother (have I mentioned just how much I love FaceTime?).

I felt so much love and support during Midnight Mass this year.  For some reason the homily that my priest gives every year (and pretty much every week at mass) just speaks to me; he has this amazing ability to just make a connection with everyone.  The candles, the incense, the songs, and my family just made mass just a tad perfect this year.  It reminded me of Christmas mass when we were younger because of the random bought of laughter over my hiccuping during a song and my mom's horrible choice in what I think could be considered dress crocs (her poor feet deserve better).

It was nice to wake up today and open presents.  It was nice to feel some sense of normality.

 We traveled from house to house on little sleep and my hubby was actually wishing for work (it's exhausting!)  I can't even imagine what we would do if we had a child because our poor little Luna pup was so tired by the time we reached my moms house that she could barely keep her eyes open anymore! She definitely was a trooper.  

 

I loved seeing my mom's face as I FaceTimed my brother and she got to see him for the first time in months.  She cried like a baby and I loved every minute of it.  The best presents really are free (or at least the cost of an Apple product).  I loved seeing the smile on her face.

After all the hustle and bustle of the day, it was nice to come home and settle in under blankets and watch some Christmas movies.  Nothing is ever perfect, even on Christmas, but doesn't it make you just believe that all your wishes could come true?

From My Family to Yours, 

Merry Christmas!  

I hope it was a great one!

A Really Good Gift Giver...

Do you have someone in your life that is just an amazing gift giver?  Like the kind of gift giver who listened throughout the entire year to everything you ever wanted (and then forgot about) but they remembered?  Then at Christmas you're completely giddy when you open your presents because you realize that all those little things you mentioned, you now have.  Yea, that's my hubby.

Now you may think to yourself, "wow, she's so lucky!" but NO— not really!  Well, ok it is kinda fabulous, but what do you get the person who is the most amazing gift giver ever?  And who doesn't really talk about what he wants (unless it's an 85 inch flat screen tv!).

Every year we set a limit.  He never keeps it.  I always feel like the worst wife ever for it!  But then I have the other half of me that's just so excited to have fabulous presents!  We all know about the fabulous guitar he bought me (I'm almost playing Ode to Joy like a champ!).  

Well one day at the restaurant my bar-back was mentioning how he was going to buy an American Girl doll for his daughter.  Oh gee, I was so jealous!  Every girl should own an American Girl doll, but they were a tad too expensive when I was growing up.  But I took every opportunity I could to play with my friends'.  I'm not gonna lie, I googled them when I got home and sat and reminisced over the fun times playing with Molly and Kirsten.

After coming back from vacation I was going through the mail and saw an American Girl magazine on the table and all I could think to myself was, wow Google is kinda creepy, how did I get sent a magazine?! Then I looked at the back of the magazine and saw my hubby's name.  Interesting.  

I always wanted Molly and to my shock she's the only original American Girl doll left.  Now, I thought he must have searched my history, but nope, apparently my bar-back and him were in cahoots while playing Words with Friends.  The hubby was a little sad that I put two and two together and figured it out.  I can't even tell you how cute it was to open the present.  

I felt like a little kid.  I cried a little.  Ok, I bawled like a baby, but it was like the best feeling having a childhood gift that you couldn't get and seeing it wrapped up.  

I'm not exactly sure what I'm going to do with her, but she's just too precious.  I just think of how much I wanted her when I was a kid and I hope that one day I can play with her with my kid, so I don't look like too much of a weirdo.  Maybe if I have a daughter I'll buy her Molly's best friend Emily.  Oh gee, I am a dork.  

Do you ever have those moments where you want to buy your kids the things that you couldn't have as a kid just so you can be a kid again? I don't even have a baby, but I'm sure I could come up with a list of toys I'd love to get him or her.  One day.

Now I'm still trying to figure out what to buy the hubby, I mean how do you top Molly and a guitar?  I have my work cut out for me for the next few years.

I Really Need to Start Keeping Track of These Things...

Sometimes it's really easy to forget how lucky you are in life.  Sometimes it's really easy to fall knee deep into the shit and forget all the blessings that God has put before you. 

I love the Holiday season because for some reason we convince ourselves that everything is better with a Christmas tree up and decorations.  That somehow everyone is nicer and that everyone respects everyone else.  Lord, knows we're wrong, but maybe it's a good thing that we convince ourselves that there is a time when everyone has the best of intentions and that only good comes out during this season.  Maybe with baby Jesus watching our lives unfold in our homes from his manger, we think that only good will come from our mouths and from our hearts.

I'm a sucker for Christmas and I'm a sucker for being a trustworthy person.  And this season just brings it out in me full- force.  I see lights on houses and happy children and I think that all is good in the world.

I saw snowflakes falling from the sky today as I locked the door to my house and I couldn't help but smile, even though I was going into work early on a Saturday and I had a horrible night of sleep.  It's hard to smile through the shit, but at Christmas I can only hope to have just a little bit more time with my family and a little bit more time with my friends that I do have, and say Thank You God for blessing my life with the people you have blessed me with and for giving me free will.

I have a good life—a family I can count on, a hubby that loves me, a beautiful home, and a puppy that makes me smile like she's the child you haven't yet given me; everything else is just icing on the cake.

Thank you God for caring for my heart and making me a good person—I hope I never disappoint.

Back to Reality...

Being with my brother is fabulous; it makes me feel like we’re kids again, especially since he still punches me in the arm (I bruise like a peach brat!) and I always feel the need to kick him.  Fortunately, he doesn’t throw gum in my hair anymore or tell my mom every time I pick on him (that would have been kind of annoying for my mother on this vacation because I just couldn’t keep myself from wanting to poke him or flick him!).  Apparently, I’m still a party pooper because I don’t partake in the alcoholic beverage often enough.  Boo me! I know he already misses me because as I looked back while in the security line at the airport, he was standing there waving at me; I got a little choked up brother, just a tad.  But it definitely made me smile too—I miss you already too! I guess we’re kinda grownups; the little girl in me can’t live without my family.

As I’m writing this on the airplane back to NY, I can’t help but realize that my little four days of fantasy living is over.  No more ladies that lunch.  No more life of leisure.  No more shopping like the bill isn’t going to come at the end of the month. 

He took me on my first official trip to Anthropologie—I’ve visited the website so many times and oogled over all the pretty things.  He was a trooper for participating in my “I need to buy something from Anthropolgie” mission and for sitting back and relaxing in the posh dressing room while I tried on the same dress in three different sizes with three different belts.  But I found the perfect thing—mission complete and it probably won’t happen again (I love sale items with 30% off!).

It’s nice going on vacation and having zero responsibility, but it also makes me feel like I’m being a horrible person; I leave housework responsibility, job responsibilities, and I always have this feeling like I’m being so unbelievably selfish for taking some time for myself.

And the pup missed me.

I’m pretty sure the hubby did too.

Even though I missed my family back home, I think this is something that I need to do more often or at least once a year.  I need to see my brother.  I never want to forget my family and how much that they mean to me.  We grew up being pretty tight knit—my Florida brother and my cousin were my first best friends and I never want to forget or lose that; I’d like to actually get that back into my life.  

Who Needs Bar Hopping...

Today was a fabulous day in Florida.  Not exactly the best day when it came to weather (I have the best of luck when it comes to bringing crappy weather with me to Florida, not for bringing the good weather back to New York), but the crappy weather actually worked in our favor; crappy weather equals slow days at theme parks.  

We woke up extra early (before 7:30 in the a.m. I tell ya!) but didn't get a chance to really make our way down to Orlando till about 9:30—from us fatties needing breakfast, to getting stuck in traffic, it just wasn't our day for an early wake up call.  Thankfully my brother's friend drove down, so I passed out for at least a half hour and then my brother did too; I'm really not a good passenger, the second I have to opportunity to fall asleep, I take it—I hate long drives and my back just isn't getting any better.  

My brother got us Disney hopper passes, which is the best invention ever!  I can't begin to tell you how awesome it was to step into Animal Kingdom, hop on a ride, and move on to the next park and with the weird weather (it was overcast, but sticky humid, then chilly, then humid, then just plain old cold) it was nice to be able to jump back into the car and either put on a sweater or lose it completely.

  

I don't know what it is about Disney parks that's so different from all the other parks out there... it just always makes me feel like a kid the second I step through the gates.  It just never fails to amaze me.  I've never been to Disney at Christmas time and I have to say, it was absolutely beautiful and it changed the whole park experience for me.  I felt just like a kid—even if at some points I might have felt like the cranky, whiney, tired kid.  

We hit Epcot and had a few drinks from around the world and then hit the new ride that's in the globe (at least it's new to me and it was pretty cool to see your photos from the future). 

Then we were off to the Magic Kingdom; which after a couple of drinks from around the world on an empty stomach I kept calling the United Kingdom (I was so confused on why my brother kept saying it back to me and laughing—it took me awhile to catch on).  

We hit Thunder Mountain...

Ate some lunch (did you know Disney weeded out McDonalds' and is now going for healthier fare in their parks?  Couscous is on the menu!) But not everything is healthy...

We tried to hit Pirates of the Caribbean, but unfortunately it was down due to technical difficulties.  It didn't matter, I was on a mission to find stuff for my bestie's little peanut that's growing in her belly in FantasyLand.  I'm pretty excited about the upcoming addition of Bell's and Ariel's castles come this time next year—I guess I have another excuse for a December vacation...

We were the most excited about heading to Disney's Hollywood Studios, so it was the last stop on our hopper pass (so sad to see MGM studio name gone).  

We needed to see the Osborne Family Light Show (no, not that Osbourne Family) and it was absolutely amazing!  I'm so glad my brother had the idea to go!

These lights take months to put up and then months to take down.  Set to music, the spectacle is a sight to see!  And I have to say, being with my brother and seeing snow fall around us with the Christmas lights and music, did make me a tad teary eyed—SHHH!

But they both made up for the moment I was having by taking me on the Tower of Terror; let me just say, I am NOT a fan of heights and this ride terrifies me!!!!  But my brother got me on by reminding me that years and years ago, my Grandma went on it with us... kudos to her, I wish I could find that picture!

This is Us Being Silly...

This is No Joke—That's Pure Fear on My Face!

Then they tricked me onto the Aerosmith Ride... I didn't realize it was a roller coaster with flips and spins, thankfully it's in the dark; I'm still not sure why the shoulder bar wasn't a dead giveaway for me!

I think the park hopper pass is the best idea ever; I really never realized how close each of the parks are to each other until going like we did today.  It was an amazing experience and I really did feel like a kid; which is a really nice feeling.  To just let go and have fun and be silly is kind of a relief!  But after a long day and a long drive back filled with dance songs, Christmas music, and glee soundtracks, I'm glad to be in bed.  I can't wait to sleep in!

Look at Us, All "Growed" Up...

So I realized one thing from being at a party with my brother—he is a social butterfly, which trust me, I never thought I'd say!  Normally, I'm really good with not hanging on the wall, but I just wasn't in my element, but my brother, it was so nice to see him be outgoing and with his friends.  It's funny how people are so different when they just feel like they're at home.

I did take the opportunity to dress up in holiday attire.  I'm pretty sure i've never worn a red dress and I know I've never worn a red dress like this!  

Like I said, I planned on letting loose.  But a few Malibu, Cranberry, and Ginger Ales just weren't enough to let me out of my shell and I think I was a tad too tired from my early morning flight to really feel like letting go.  But the house looked gorgeous, the liquor was flowing, and the fireplace was keeping everyone warm.

It's been a while since I had as many belly laughs as I did at this party.  Thanks for making sure I flew down just in time brother—the memories will last a lifetime!  And if one of us ever has kids, you know how you tell the story about Mom pulling me out of a restaurant when I was eight by my hair for being a brat, well, I'll always tell the story of your party.  I love it and I love you!  Thanks for the invite!

The morning after included brunch at a cute place in walking distance from his house.  I'm just not use to this morning after a party etiquette; brunch was definitely needed even though I didn't drink too much, I'm pretty sure my brother had a really good time—I don't think I've ever seen him with a hat on (I guess I'm learning a whole new grown up side to him—strange!)  

He's the best though, he even took me shopping at a antique shop where I bought plenty of vintage clip ons and some for pierced ears; he was pretty patient with me too because I just couldn't stop myself from the earring cases. I'm pretty in love with all of them, I can't wait to wear them.

Now we're watching Home Alone 2 and tomorrow we're off to Disney to see the Christmas lights.  I've never been to Disney during Christmas, but I hear it's a sight to see.  I can't wait! I love not having a care in the world.  Thank God for FaceTime, it's keeping me from missing my other half too much!  Now, I can have fun without going too crazy.  Although, I'm pretty sure I FaceTimed him three times during the party—Oh well, I'm trying.

I Am Missing this Little One too—She Doesn't Recognize Me Through FaceTime