Christmas decore, dos

As promised, here is my odd assortment of nativity scenes. I'm not overly religious, albeit spiritual- but I love nativity scenes, creches, etc. I do love Christmas time! Without further ado-

My newest addition, this little bird fits over the TINY little scene for the rest of the year- and reveals the delicate little scene hidden on its base.

Another peak-a-boo nativity. This gourd is decorative all by itself, but you can open it up to display the beautiful pained star on top and the scene inside.

Maybe my favorite- Hecho en Mexico, this colorful (although washed out from my iPhone camera) nativity scene can hold a candle at the top.

The first one I collected. A tin set, also from Mexico.

A gift from a friend who traveled to Peru. I love all the pieces- the sheep, the wise men on camel, the chorus of angels.

A gift- also from Peru, but purchased in Seattle. My only hanging piece. I love the shapes and texture to the scene.



All my tabletop nativities together!

Shopping day

Since my folks get in tonight (YIP- to the EEE!) and our Christmas is Friday and our Christmas with D$'s folks is Sunday and we leave on Wednesday- I had HAD to get everything done yesterday.
Did I?
no way Jose.

After work I managed to go to Target THREE times. The number one item on my Target list? Candles. Did I ever get candles? nooooo.

But you know, how sometimes at the grocery store or Target, you see a person walking back to the store with a cart? And you want a cart, so you offer to take it from them? I did that last night. I saw a woman pushing a cart (just one) and I walked over and said "I'll take that from you, I'm going in!" and she reluctantly said "okay". As I pushed my cart into the store I realized the woman was a few steps behind me. Then as we walked into the store and she took of her jacket to reveal her Target name tag- I realized I had just done this woman's job. So, good news- if I need to, I can always add Target cart fetcher to my resume.

Its beginning to look at lot like Christmas

This year is the first year anyone is coming to our house for Christmas. And by Christmas, I mean this weekend. My parents are awesome and are flying out for D$'s graduation party on Saturday. We are exchanging gifts on Friday with them and gifts with D$'s family on Sunday before we head out to spend Christmas in DC onWednesday.

We decorate every year- but now we actually have people to share our decorations with! We did have a real tree last year, since we were in AZ for the holidays- but with being gone for a week, we just put up my little fake one.

I really like the look of trees with just pretty ornaments on it- so this year I decided to hang some swags over our fireplace and put all of our personalized and non-uniform ornaments on the swag. I love being able to see all of "our" ornaments in one place!

A few of our ornaments: a Russian doll we got from our friends M+M in Russia (it was a key chain, I made it into an ornament), a knitted 'b' since both of our last names begin with B, a San Francisco stocking from our honeymoon, a squirrel, a hand made ornament from a friend and my purple "runner girl" ornament.

A few more: Our "engaged" ornament from 2007, my Steelers, D$'s Jeep, a few other handmade ornaments.

D$'s UA basketball, a Virgin Mary made from a can lid and glitter, a beautiful southwest pottery piece, another Russian key chain doll, a topless mermaid and a bear angel my momma gave me.

The swag with the tree and obligatory Christmas pumpkin (what, you don't have an obligatory Christmas pumpkin? How about a Hanukkah gourd? no? whatever). We already have presents under the tree for Fridays gift exchange! Yippee!

Next up- My collection of nativities!

You like me- you really like me!

Thanks to Kate of Busted Plumbing for the Circle of Friends Award! Two awards in one week- sweet!

The Rules: Say 5 things you like to do and then pass this on to 5 friends. Ok, easy enough.

1. Bake.

2. Read in bed. I finished a book last night in bed and was still awake so I started another. D$ came to bed and found that I hadn't even made it past the prologue in book #2 before I was sound asleep! He was still chuckling about it this morning.

3. Go to the mail box to get my mail. Especially at this time of the year- Holiday cards! This is my responsibility in the house- and its like the smallest amount of power 1 person have go to their heads. I love screening D$'s mail (don't worry no federal offenses here!) but I toss out all the Capital One offers, less they pile up on my kitchen table, and I am able to flip through his magazines before he gets home from work! Also when the wedding rsvps were coming in- we made a deal to open them together- that didn't stop me from holding the envelopes up to the light and reading through! Seriously- I love getting the mail!

4. Run. I have been a bad runner lately and I tend to have a love/hate relationship with some of my running group friends that try to pressure me into running the same distances they do or join the same training groups they do. I'm learning to love running by myself again-and although I've been bad about running in the last few weeks- I am looking forward to getting back into it- for myself!

5. Plan parties! D$'s graduation party is Saturday! Woot! And this is the best part- all the RSVPs are in, caterer confirmed, friends delegated with tasks (thanks Mel!), entertainment booked! (Now Saturday when I have to write a bunch of checks to caterer and entertainment- I may not like this party so much!)

Now 5 fellow bloggers:

I just handed out awards Sunday- so no more for me. But feel free to snatch this award for yourself!

2009 recap in photos

In March, D$ and I traveled to PHX for the Chhihuly exhibit and a quick visit with friends.

On the same trip- a nice time with D$'s sister, Jaime.


The next week in March, my folks came out for Spring Trainng, hiking and a great visit.

In April we traveled to Texas to see good friends (Ben, above) and for a family wedding.


Memorial Day weekend we traveled with Joe, Marisa dn baby Nick to the North Rim of the Grand Canyon.


In June I traveled first to Pittsburgh to celebrate my Grandpa's 97th b-day. In hindsight, I am so thankful for that trip.

The next week in June, I ran my 2nd half Marathon started celebrating my 32nd b-day in Denver

Later that week, D$ and I celebrated my b-day with our favorite friends Jenn and Todd.



Also in June (a busy month) we attended the wedding of M+M and I got to see some of my favorite ladies Marisa (mother of cutie Nick above) and Laura.




In August we traveled to Fla for the annual beach vaca.

In October for our anniversary weekend we went back to SF for another wedding and site seeing.

Enjoying our "wedding cake" (Mexican wedding cookies) on the morning of our 1st wedding anniversary.

Just last month our buddies Nate and Mike came down for a UA football game.

This past week, although in Pittsburgh for my Grandpa's funeral we had a great time hanging out with family. (left to right: my brother Paul, D$, cousin Matt, brother David)

Saturday is D$'s graduation and following that we head to DC for Christmas- so the year of celebrating will have a few more great memories to add!

Happy 101 Award.

Thanks to Tara of the In This Instance for the award! It's always a great exercise to think of the things that make you happy through the day!

Ok- here's the award rules:

List 10 things that make you happy, try to do at least one of them today, and tag 10 bloggers that brighten your day. For those 10 bloggers who get the award, you then link back to my blog and create your makes you happy list.

10 Things That Make Me Happy:

1. Lazy Sunday mornings.

2. Exercising- running, walking, a DVD, Zumba whatever- I love the feeling of strength and completion afterwards.

3. Creating: whether it is baking, cooking, writing, coloring, knitting- whatever- I love the act of creating.

4. Traveling. D$ and I love to travel, to explore. But I really love returning to a city and visiting a bar, restaurant, hotel- whatever- that we've been to before. I love the familiarity in a place I don't live.

5. Eating out. I love the process. Selecting, ordering, tasting, evaluating, the presentation, etc.

6. Reading. I love to read books, magazines, etc. I love getting lost in a book of fiction, being opened to an idea I never knew through non-fiction.

7. Spending time with D$. We spend a lot of time just sitting next to each other on the couch. He may be playing wii, I may be reading, we may both be watching tv. Doesn't matter. I love just being next to him. Being able to reach over and scratch his head, or him to squeeze my foot...

8. Planning meals. I love reading cook books, picking out recipes, asking D$ to pick out the wine, shopping, setting the table, prepping, cooking and serving. We are having our families over on Saturday for a quick Happy Hour before D$'s graduation party and I already have the menu planned!

9. Napping. Reserved just for weekends- but I love laying down on top of the made bed with a book or magazine and a blanket. Just 20-40 minutes is all need, but it is such a luxury on the weekends.

10. Facebooking. (does this count?) Im addicted to FB. I love reading up on people, looking at photos, connecting ith old friends, etc.

Now here are 10 bloggers that brighten my day just by being them!

Linda at Silly little Mischief

Sabrina from Introverted Wife

Jenn at Rants by Jennifer

Jennifer at Not Just Another Jennifer

Bikini at Bikini By 30

Lindsey at Learning to be a wife

Princess Christy at Christy and David

Jen at Haute Whimsy

Kate at Busted Plumbing

Jenna at That Wife

A loss

My grandfather died yesterday. He was 97. He survived my grandmother for 14 years, 1 month and 9 days. I can tell you he missed her all 14 years, 1 month and 9 days. I am so happy they are reunited (yes I believe in that). My Pap (our nickname for him) also mourned his mother everyday. She died when he was young, from influenza. He remembered her and her spirit. He loved and appreciated his "mom" (his step mom) but missed and loved his "mother" dearly.

He survived all 5 siblings and he was the second oldest. When his brother Joe died 2 years ago- Pap was devastated.

He lived independently until 2 weeks ago- living in a retirement home after moving from his home at the age of 93. He loved his retirement home, except for all the old people (his words). he took daily rides with the shuttle service, helped the guard at the front desk check people in and out and as a retired chef, he "helped" the kitchen too.

He loved to dance and sing- and even in June when I last saw him- he would sing and recall the words to songs that I never even heard of. He loved to draw and create. Every card came with a drawing.

Pap cared deeply for my Grammy- caring for her so lovingly in her final days- and I'm sure inspiring her to live to see their 66 wedding anniversary and celebrate it.

One of Pap's first jobs was installing telephone poles for Bell- Pennsylvania. These were like the first poles ever. He reminded me every time I called (too infrequently) that if not for him the call wouldn't have gone through--- never mind those poles had probably been replaced a 100 times over.

He used to cut my hair. He made me my first filet mignon. When I decided I hated roller coasters and didn't want to go to the amusement park 20 minutes away- he drove me 2 hours to a more me friendly amusement park.

He put both of his children through college. He was so proud of his 2 children, 5 grandchildren and 7 great-grandchildren.

I will miss him.

it's December?

What has happened to my fall? My favorite time of year with college football, NFL, cool evenings on the porch, Thanksgiving, etc, etc?

It's all gone. In a flash.

I know I shouldn't complain- in an economy where person after person is getting laid off, remains unemployed or goes through furloughs, pay cuts- D$ and I are thriving and both are receiving promotion after promotion and raise after raise. We are truly blessed and lucky.

However, we are so busy we can't see straight. We crash on Friday nights, we barely see each other during the week, my overall health has deteriorated and we aren't in places we want to be. We keep saying to each other "in just a few months, I'll be able to pull back" or "once I complete this". But we complete that and nothing changes, after a few months its the same old same old.

However, this month- we have much to look forward to. In 17 days D$ will be a college graduate! A goal he has struggled with for 16 years. We are having a party and looking forward to celebrating with a bunch of our friends and family. In fact, my parents are flying out for it- we couldn't be more excited!

Just 3 days after my folks fly out- D$ and I fly to DC to spend Christmas with my brother, SIL and my niece Lucy. We will be in DC for a week to celebrate and explore.

And just this week I saw my favorite thing of end of year celebrations: THE YEAR IN REVIEW! And guess what- It's the end of a decade- so these lists are even better than usual. I look forward to making my own year in review every year- counting down my top 10 or 15 experiences- but also anticipate all the list compiled by bloggers, People Magazine, TIME, SI, etc, etc...

What's your favorite part of the year coming to a close?