This Above All

Give every man thy ear, but few thy voice;

Take each man's censure, but reserve thy judgment.

Costly thy habit as thy purse can buy,

But not express'd in fancy; rich, not gaudy;

For the apparel oft proclaims the man,

And they in France of the best rank and station

Are of a most select and generous chief in that.

Neither a borrower nor a lender be;

For loan oft loses both itself and friend,

And borrowing dulls the edge of husbandry.

This above all: to thine ownself be true,

And it must follow, as the night the day,

Thou canst not then be false to any man.

~ Hamlet, Act I Scene III

I would love to be all pretentious and say I typed that from memory, but . . . yeah, no. Much as I love Shakespeare that is so not happening.

Anyway.

I'm not really one to make New Year's Resolutions (and I'm beginning to think that might be a genetic thing, lol) per se, but the week after Christmas does strike me as a good time to take stock and maybe make changes since everyone else is talking about it. So I've been thinking all week about this year and what could be better next year.

And I have to admit, I've been having a bit of a hard time. That's not really normal, but I think it's a comparative thing. Everyone's been posting their end of the year blogs and talking about how glad they are to see 2010 go, but I have to admit we've had a pretty good year. Much better than '09 - by far!! So what to do, what to do?

I read "The Happiness Project" recently (side note - it's crazy how much non-fiction I've read this year . . . I almost never read it. And it's even crazier that I've liked it!!) and ever since I've liked the idea of doing my own, but again, I've been having a hard time deciding how to do it. Blargh!

And, inevitably, the thought occurs to me - the resolution that surfaces as predictably as giving up procrastination for Lent (next year). I touched on it a bit a few months ago, but I'm not sure how well I've done since then.

So. Here it is. I care way too much about what other people think of me. I've turned down invitations and been vague about the things I do and like out of the crippling fear that I will be laughed at, either in front of my face or behind my back. Honestly I've always known it, but it's gradually sinking in that there's really nothing I can do. Some people are just like that - they're going to find something to mock if it kills them. I cultivate a Pollyanna persona, and when it cracks for some reason that drives people away. I had some harsh awakenings this year with people I'd taken for friends - turns out they don't think that highly of me. That hurt, naturally. Still does.

But I think I'm finally starting to believe it doesn't matter. I can't be someone else. Clearly, I can't please everybody, even though I feel as if somewhere along the line my brain was programmed to think I have to. All I can be is me. And being me has brought me true, wonderful friends (like all of you), an amazing husband, and the adoration (if I do say so myself, haha) of some adorably sweet little kids.

So this is it for me. Not a happiness project exactly. Not a word of the year. Not a virtue to seek out. In 2011 I intend to do my best to live up to Polonius' words - to thine ownself be true. See also: embodying the spirit of this song. (ummm . . . Grandma and Grandpa - you probably want to skip that link.) Maybe some people want everything I blog about to be happy or perky or silly, but I'm not going to stop blogging about things that upset me. I'm not going to smile and nod when someone does or says something I don't think is right. I'm not going to be what other people tell me I'm supposed to be. You get one life to live, and I'm living mine my way. Everyone else can take me or leave me.

Anyway. Happy New Year! And all that jazz . . . you know, it's still 2010 here but in New Zealand it's practically almost the second day of 2011 already? How's that for trippy? (Also - I just had to add "Zealand" to my computer's dictionary . . . weird.) Best wishes to you and yours, and insert all those other standard empty phrases here (except I promise I mean them). :-)

P. ost S. cript
My favorite song changes pretty much daily - and sometimes more often than that. But this one will ALWAYS be in the top ten. We had a lot of this these last half a million minutes. Thanks for sharing in some of them. :-)

That Was Fun

So. Christmas. It came, it saw, it snowed the next freaking day. Seriously? Can I just say that "I'm Dreaming of a White Day After Christmas" really doesn't have the same ring to it? Lame! And believe you me if the weather gets all wintry and snowy now, at the point in time when I merely tolerate snow . . . heads are gonna roll. I don't know whose, and I don't know how, but heads are gonna roll. Maybe I'll make some snowmen . . . and a snow guillotine.

Anyway. Christmas was awesome. A few thoughts ~

~ At the risk of waxing a little mushy again, I have to start with how awesome Luke is. I'm a huge fan of Phineas and Ferb, mostly because it's the only decent cartoon on these days. So naturally it was always on in the tank break room, and we all learned some of the best songs quickly. (And yes, I may or may not have several P&F songs recorded as ring tones for my phone.) So when we were checking out the new Toys R Us in the mall a couple of months ago and discovered a Perry the Platypus that transforms into AGENT P!!!!!!! . . . well, I kinda geeked out. And said I wanted it for Christmas. I was only half serious, but if my parents can get a stuffed Ewok as a present, I figure there's nothing wrong with me having a stuffed platypus. (side note: I will never stop being depressed that said Ewok disappeared when we moved to Utah. I was SO claiming that in the will!)

So. I'm sure you can see where this is going. Christmas morning, there's Perry waiting for me. And it was awesome. I'm so glad I found a guy who doesn't mind when I act like a kid sometimes. Because seriously, where's the fun in life if you can't enjoy a cartoon made for five-year-olds sometimes?

~ We (well, Luke) also solved an almost two year long recurring disagreement of, honestly, epically silly proportions. 'Kay, so I hate how butter from the fridge won't spread. But Luke can't stand the idea of leaving butter out so it's soft, even in a dish. So then I remember that once upon a time I was eating dinner at a friend's house and they had a butter bell. Seems like the perfect solution, no? Except Luke doesn't like the idea of the butter being in the water. But he goes looking for one anyway, and ends up at Kitchen Kneads. I have to admit, if I ever started visiting that store I would end up buying tons of awesome gadgets . . . and then never using them. But they'd look so cool!! Anyway, while he's looking he gets a recommendation from the lady he asked for help from - a butter boat. Brilliant! I kind of love it. Seriously, I ate toast yesterday JUST because there was soft butter. It's awesome.

~ Luke had to work Christmas. It sucked. We are both SO over the whole "working on holidays" thing. And seriously, you close the place one year but not the year after? LAME!!

~ We all went in together to get Mom and Dad Rock Band for Christmas. I'd never played before Saturday, but it was fun. Simultaneously easier and harder than I'd expected it to be. But TONS of fun. Absolutely have to get our own copy eventually. Along with the original Rock Band we also got the country track pack and the Beatles version. It is now my life's ambition to get a video of my dad singing "I Am the Walrus" ad put it online . . . those of you who know my dad will, I'm sure, understand why. :-)

~ After Jason talked to Rian he made the comment that he still didn't really have an idea of how he was doing. I have to concur. The kid doesn't say much, and at this point I'm thinking he never will. (That shouldn't be so surprising . . . he is my father's son, after all!) However, his list of Christmas presents set to the was memorable. Mostly because he forgot 11 and 12. :-) But the "6 pounds of fudge" coupled with "4 more pounds of fudge" was highly amusing. Especially since mom insists she didn't send him 10 pounds of fudge. However, we'll never know since said fudge is long gone. Of course.

~ On that note, it was made more obvious than ever before how much my mother over does it when it comes to holiday food. Every Christmas she makes enough to feed the proverbial small, starving army, and spends the days leading up to Christmas worrying that she hadn't made enough to feed 4-8 regularly fed people. With Rian not here to inhale everything on sight, I wouldn't be surprised if a good chunk of food ends up getting tossed because it doesn't get eaten before it goes bad. I'm not complaining by any means, but when it takes a degree in engineering to figure out how to fit all the leftovers in the fridge and LITERALLY every available surface in the kitchen is covered with munchies (half a dozen kinds of fudge, veggie trays, crackers and cheese balls - yes, plural! - punch, cookies, and a million other things . . . suffice it to say I do not understand why my mom worries EVERY year that there's not enough food. Also - good thing we have a wii fit!

~ I can feel the blister forming on my left thumb already . . . this is going to be painful. But the bunnies are going to get their pile to the moon if it kills me! So. Freaking. Awesome. Can't wait until we have the other to Raving Rabbids games too! :-)

~ Remember that project I mentioned I was so glad to finish? This is it. I made it for Luke's mom for Christmas. SOOOOO glad she liked it. I've got to find more reasons to cross-stitch. No one out there wants a pretty cross-stitched table cloth, do they? Dresser scarf? Set of napkins? :-)

So Christmas was pretty great this year. No real complaints . . . well, just the one. (stupid Convergys!) And now there's only 363 days until Christmas! :-)

P. ost S. cript
Have I posted this one before? Oh well, it's still awesome. :-)

I Work for the Department of the Redundancy Department

. . . I have no clever commentary for this one. None.





I've had a few theoretical blog posts floating around in my head. As I was formulating them they all struck me as a little too familiar, and since they were all variations on a Christmas Theme, I decided to hop in to my flashback machine, and lo and behold I've hit them all before. Blargh. Talk about there being no such thing as original thought left in the world!

Suffice it to say I stand behind everything I said last year, with a couple of small addendums:

1) To those who are celebrating winning the "war" on Christmas - if you are referring to trees for sale being referred to as "Christmas trees" as opposed to "holiday trees" which was rather silly, great. I don't really see what the difference is, but I'm glad you're glad. If you are celebrating that your favorite store no longer carries menorahs, however . . . how I wish I could subject you to the vengeful wrath of Apophis.

Also - this is quite probably the UGLIEST thing I have ever scene. And there are no words for how disturbing I find it.

2) Only two Christmas cards this year, and I'm such a hypocrite for being a little disappointed by that. Especially since I've been mocking The Christmas Letter for years. This one, however is the most awesome (and accurate) one I've ever come across. (Also - a new homestarrunner.com toon?!?! Talk about a Decemberween MIRACLE!!! YAY!!!!)


Anyway, all y'all know pretty much everything we've been up to this year, and if you don't there's a really easy way to get caught up. But if that's too much work for you . . .

*ahem*

On the 12th day of Christmas my true love gave to me

12 months of blogging

11 months and three weeks of no problems with my car (and counting!)

10 paychecks with my name on them :-)

9 local restaurants tried out (to varying degrees of satisfaction)

8 no longer the first number of my student loan balance

7 seasons of Stargate SG1 watched

6 books won online

5 months of no rent!

4 awesome Wii games

3 out of town guests

2 years being married (almost)

and a . . . partridge in a pear tree, I guess. I think my creativity has run dry for tonight. I thought about "and a little one on the way . . . NOT!" but I don't think my mother could have handled the crushing disappointment had she heard about it. Perhaps next year. Or the next . . .

Anyway, happy holidays, season's greeting, Merry Christmas, and all that jazz. And could someone please adjust the dosage of Mother Nature's bi-polar meds, because seriously, this snow-one-day-rain-the-next thing? Soooo not cool.

P. ost S. cript
So this is as un-Christmas-y as it gets . . . but also pretty much as funny as it gets . . .

Well. I Feel Awkward.

I would.




So today was the last day of school before Christmas break. And let's just chalk the day up with another few dozen reasons why I have an awesome job. First there was the hysterically amusing hour-long Christmas sing-along assembly this morning - special guests, Santa and the Grinch. Then there's the fact that, like Halloween, I didn't really do much actual work today, but I still got paid to be there. Woot! But of course, everybody knows the best part about Christmas is the presents. :-)

(*insert corny sentimental something or other to show that I do understand the "true meaning of Christmas."* Seriously though, if you haven't figured out by now when to take me seriously and when not to . . . yeah . . . just . . . yeah . . . )

I was aware of the fact that sometime between the time I was in elementary school and now it became not only acceptable, but also expected and possibly required for kids to give their teachers something for Christmas. (btw, can someone explain to me when/how this happened?) And I figured I might get a token cookie or three from a couple of the kids, but I really wasn't expecting much. After all, I'm just an aide, you know? Aren't I, like, invisible or something?

(side note: I'm sure you can all see where this is going, but I'm going to draw it out anyway. Because I can.)

So imagine my surprise when I walk into my first class (the 4th grade one) and literally before I've gotten more than about 5 steps into the room one of the girls hands me a little box containing a tube of lotion with a cute little handwritten "to Miss Lacey" card. Say it with me kids - aaaawwwwwwwwwww!! Possibly the best/most surprising thing was I also got mobbed with hugs along with the "merry Christmas" wishes coming from kids who were already bouncing of the walls. I mean, isn't fourth grade about the time when kids start to lose the huggy-ness? I thought? But it was really sweet to get hugs from a couple of the "toughest" guys in the class. :-)

Fast forward to third grade, where kids were handing out cookies like they were . . . well, cookies. :-) Then there was a box of raisinets from one kid, and I was really surprised to have another boy hand me a "full size" gift bag - and by full size I mean roughly the average sized gift bag one would typically expect to see under a tree. Inside? A full package of oreos and a pair of flip flops. Talk about going all out, eh? I'm kind of curious as to how much input this little guy had in to what went into my bag, because he's one whom I'm pretty sure has had a crush on me since I was in his class last year. He's a really sweet kid, and one of the reasons that I'm always teasing Luke about having competition. :-) The flip flops are really cute and have a peacock design on them - I feel kind of bad about giving them to Shayla, but I'm just not a flip flop person. There was also a small gift from the teacher waiting for me on "my" table when I came in. This would be the point where I started feeling a little awkward because yesterday the kindergarten teacher I work with gave me some dish detergent with a little card that said "wishing you peace happiness and JOY" and it was all pun-y and cutesy and greatly appreciated because that means it's that much longer before I have to buy more. But I really, honestly was not expecting anything . . . so I didn't get anything for anyone. And now I feel really silly, and a little guilty. Anyway. About this time I'm thinking "at least the fourth grade teacher didn't give me anything." Yeah, famous last words. Of all the teachers I figured he'd be the least likely because, well, he's a dude. He's also the third grade teacher's brother-in-law, and knows I'm in her classroom during their math time. And since there was the whole assembly-and-things-are-kinda-crazy thing going on while I was in his classroom, when I'm in third grade he slips in really quickly leaving ANOTHER full size bag on the table. This one turned out to have a loaf of bread from one of the super yummy local bakeries and a very kind "thanks for helping so much" note that I really wasn't expecting. It's so nice to feel appreciated . . . like I'm actually helping . . . you know?

Anyway - second grade - a cute little candy dish with chocolate covered nuts and pretzels. First grade (where I've been subbing for the last two months after the old aide adopted a baby, and today was my last day) - a clearly handmade, absolutely darling little card purse (as opposed to a coin purse) and a Jamba Juice gift card. Have I mentioned I adore Jamba Juice? And that even though I don't yet know how much it's for, it could be for fifty freaking cents and it would pretty much be the best present anyone got me this Christmas? And that this one came with another very sweet thank you note? And was presented as the class sang "We Wish You A Merry Christmas" to me? After which I got uber-mobbed by hugs, at the end of a day full of hug-mobbings?

Yeah. I feel like a horrible slacker. I mean, I'm not a teacher, I'm not supposed to get this much attention, right? I suppose I should have seen it coming after getting half a dozen valentines back in February when I'd only been there for about three weeks. Feeling SO. Dang. Guilty. Blargh. I'm totally giving everyone little shillelagh rolls. Maybe if I make them tonight they'll taste as good as grandma's by this time next year . . . or maybe I'll just have to have grandma make them for me. ;-)

P. ost S. cript
What the what?! True story - once upon a time Lacey took a bowling class in college. Her average went from a 33 to a 110 over the course of the semester. 110 is still pretty craptastic, but considering the fact that it's more than 3 times better than 33 . . . Lacey was quite proud of herself at the end of the semester. Also: I'm totally a pro at Wii bowling. And I would LOVE to be able to pull something like this off. But I would just end up looking ridiculous.

I Have A Bad Feeling About This

I like to think of myself as fairly technologically savvy. My family has had a home computer ever since I can remember, and from talking to other people I get the feeling that we were pretty early adopters as far as that goes. So I've always more or less known my way around with them. And as I've mentioned, Dad got a cell phone pretty early on, so even though I didn't get one until I was a junior in college it was hardly foreign to me when I started carrying it around all the time. The first time I played a Wii was shortly after they were first released because a friend of mine camped out overnight to get one. Dude, I even had a myspace page! Technically I suppose it's still there, but I haven't signed in for ages.

Anyway, I guess I'm trying to say don't think I'm some backwards techno-phobe who doesn't like adapting to new things. (but don't even get me started on facebook's obnoxious updates!) That said, there are some things I absolutely don't get the point of . . .

1) Smart phones. Why do you need to carry the internet around with you all the time? If you really can't go more than an hour without checking your email/facebook/blog/whatever you probably need more of a life in REAL life. Either that or a less demanding job. I'm sure I sound like a centenarian or something, but put down the freaking gadgets and interact with the real world for crying out loud. Also, I kind of like the whole "dedicated device" thing. I like my phone for communication, my camera for taking pictures, my computer for surfing the internet . . . that sort of thing. It seems that when you try to cram them all together something gets lost in quality along the way. At least, that must be the case if all the jokes about dropped iphone calls are based in even the slightest bit of fact.

2) Twitter. Absolutely don't get it. As far as I can tell, it's just facebook status updates, and that's it. So . . . why can't you just update your status? I'm sure following celebrities is fun and all, but don't you get the same stuff from skimming the occasional celebri-gossip article online, as - I admit - I do if a headline catches my eye. Someone please explain this to me. Preferably quickly

BECAUSE . . .

Oy. I can't believe I'm doing this. Or admitting it. Someone knock some sense into me or something.

Anyway, I found this article this morning, and it's really pretty interesting. So I ended up checking out a couple of the sites it mentioned, and holy crap there is some awesome stuff being given away out there! I could feel myself getting sucked in as I looked around a bit, and then I discover things like $25 gift cards where the deadline to enter is today and there are only four or five entries. So I'm like . . . "wait . . . what?!" because those are pretty good odds, you know? So I'm like, what the heck, it's free and stuff, so I'll give it a go. And then I discover that a lot of these giveaways involve liking them on facebook and following on twitter to enter. Blargh. I'm still holding out on the whole liking things on facebook, mostly because it annoys me, but I'd heard of getting freebies and stuff from twitter before. You can probably guess where this is going.

Yep, I'm on twitter. I'm not sure what I was thinking, and I'm pretty sure I will regret it - either because I never touch it after today, or I get so sucked in that it gets ridiculous. Go ahead and place your bets as to which one happens.

So, umm . . . I could kind of use a crash course into what I've just gotten myself into. I know how the whole @whoever thing works, and I know about hashtags, and how to follow people . . . but beyond that I'm kind of like my mom with any new phone or computer - it takes her months to figure everything out. Seriously, ask her. She says so herself all the time.

Anyway, LJo was taken . . . grrr . . . so I'm @veriladaine. Let me know who you are, and PLEASE help me out here.

I better win some pretty freaking good prizes this way.

P. ost S. cript
If you didn't know I would be posting some sort of Star Wars video the second you read the title . . . well, there are no words. Other than this video is awesome.

It Can't Be

Dear Winter,

I'm so confused. Are we over? So quickly? Why?

I know we don't have the best of relationships, but every time you come back into my life I'm so excited to see you. Your snow lifts my spirits and helps me look forward to the end of the year. I know, I know, after a couple of months I have nothing good to say about you, but that doesn't give you any right to taunt me like you're doing.

And I'll admit, I was pretty disappointed by the blizzard-that-wasn't-really last month, but that's hardly the fault of either of us. Could we help that all the news people freaked out and over-hyped the storm? Don't let them dictate what you do. What we do.

It's been so bewildering watching all the snow melt this past week. So perplexing to hear it raining outside. It's the beginning of December, Winter, so why when I go outside do I find myself wondering if it's not really the end of March?

It's not that I have anything against Spring . . . and I think you know that. Spring and I have a much more stable relationship than we do, there's no denying that. I always look forward to Spring's arrival, and I'm never glad to see it go. We both know that the same can't be said of you. But there's also no denying that there is a passion in our relationship that Spring just can never match. I don't get excited watching snow melt. I don't post ecstatic facebook statuses about the first flowers blooming. Easter is always Easter no matter what the weather is like. There are only two holidays for which I need - need! - a specific type of weather to feel complete. The second holiday is coming quickly, and I need the weather that only you can provide - please don't let me down.

Please, will you at least tell me if I should just put off buying closed toed shoes for another year? I already bought some wonderfully cute boots (mostly) just for you.

If this truly is an early goodbye, I suppose I will just have to accept it, won't I? But please, as you leave, just know that for the first time ever you've left me well before I've had enough of you. Know you'll have broken my heart and I'll be counting the extra large number of days until we can be together once again.

Love,
Lacey

P. ost S. cript
Perhaps I can tempt you back to me with an icy serving of fail?

A Christmasy Moment

I am SO doing this as soon as there's enough snow on top of my car again!



Let's get one thing straight right now - I love Christmas music. Absolutely adore it. Have it playing pretty much 24/7 from the day after Thanksgiving until Christmas. Can't get enough. It. Is. Awesome. The list of Christmas songs I don't like is very, very short.

There is an even shorter list. The List of Christmas Songs I Absolutely Cannot Stand. Consists of about three or four songs. And topping that list is the Christmas shoes song. Oh, how I loathe it.

I'm not saying I'm not a sentimental person . . . heck, I cried a bit at the end of Toy Story 3 for crying out loud! And I will occasionally tear up at a Christmas song. When something is good and then it tugs at your heartstrings, that's pretty awesome. When something is written deliberately to attempt to wring tears out of you - well, that's obnoxious to no end. And I can't stand it. Seriously, the thing sounds like it was written for a sappy holiday shoe commercial. In fact, I'm surprised Payless hasn't used it in an ad campaign. As a well known miser once said, if I could work my will every idiot who goes about with "Christmas Shoes" on his lips should be boiled in his own pudding and buried with a stake of holly through his heart. Unless, of course, you like it. Then let's just agree to pretend it doesn't exist and never let it come up in conversation. (random side note: totally didn't have to look up that quote, and it is exactly word for word. Check it, I dare you! A Christmas Carol ranks high on my list of all-time favorite Christmas obsessions.)

Anyway. Contrary to what that little rant would indicate, I am not that heartless. And while I am also not generally one to get all gushy and mushy on my blog (as you may have noticed), I can't help telling a super sweet story about Luke.

So last week on Luke's day off we ended up at the mall, as we often do. And they have an angel tree up, conveniently enough close to Luke's favorite store. Somehow (and I have yet to figure out how) Luke had never seen one before, and was quite intrigued. I think we spent a half hour - maybe more - walking around the tree while he read every last child's request. I asked him if he wanted to get one, because I love pulling off one or two every year. He was on the fence about it until he came to the tag for a ten-year-old boy who asked for legos. At which point I seriously watched him completely melt. Luke was quite the legos man himself back in the day, and it just broke his heart to think of some little boy not having legos under his tree Christmas morning. So we took that one.

And the next day we spent half an hour in Walmart looking for size 7 shoes. They had plenty in every size but that one, of which they only had, like, three. Obnoxious! But that was nothing compared to the time we had trying to get the right legos. See, on the tag whoever typed everything up had written "Lego's Toy Guns." Raise your hand if the picture that brings to mind is a toy gun made out of legos. Yeah, us too. So we're thinking, cool legos makes guns now? Bigger than the tiny ones that little lego Indiana Jones carries? Interesting. We went right into Toys R Us after taking the tag to get one.

Nothing. So we went home and googled it.

Nothing. Not even on the Legos web site. Which was really confusing. And we spent a lot of time scratching our heads and wondering where to find this really cool toy, and Luke spent a large chunk of time on hold with Legos customer service trying to figure things out, but never got through to a person. So we figure the kid had to have seen this somewhere in order to ask for it, so we'll just hit up every store in town until we find it. And then, walking through a parking lot, Luke figures it out. Wait a minute . . . the name "Legos" doesn't have an apostrophe in it . . . it's supposed to say "Legos, Toy Guns!!!"

(thi's would be the point that we both went off on a bit of a rant for a few minute's. I mean, really, what i's with people today and the way it seem's they think any word with an 's' on the end need's an apostrophe? How freaking dumb doe's thi's look?!?!?! IT'S NOT THAT FREAKING HARD PEOPLE!!!!!!! The ELEMENTARY SCHOOL kid's I work with get it, why dont you?!?!?! GOOD FREAKING GRIEF, IT'S A'S SIMPLE A'S GRAMMAR GET'S AND YOU LOOK LIKE A MORON WHEN YOU GET IT WRONG!!!!! LEARN IT!!!!!!!)

*large exhale* I feel better now.

Anyway, after finally finding the size 7 shoes that our anonymous boy needs, we headed to the toy section, grabbed a small Nerf gun and then proceeded to spend at least 45 minutes looking at legos while Luke agonized over what to pick. All the while talking about how when he was this kid's age he was all about the pirate legos. But now there are Star Wars legos and Toy Story legos and these branded legos and those branded legos and everything is a kit that makes something specific and you can't just buy a tub of random legos and build whatever you want (and seriously, how lame is that?), and Luke's going on and on about how important a decision this is and how he wants to pick something this boy will be excited to get, but it's so hard since we don't know what he likes, but legos are a big deal and you have to get it right. And he's going back and forth debating the merits of the helicopter versus the fire truck versus the SW snow speeder, and this would be the point where I completely melted. Like I said, I'm not one to gush, but I married a really sweet, really awesome guy. And should the day come that we have kids, he will be an absolutely fabulous dad. At least one of us will be good at it. *insert half smile here*

Anyway, that's all. I act Scrooge-y, but if I am of that ilk, I answer to Fred Scrooge. Next year we might have to take two. I was at a restaurant a few days later and they had an angel tree . . . and I nearly took a couple more home. I always worry about the ones who don't get picked - how sad is that? Get out there people, and give some sweet little kids a Christmas!!

P. ost S. cript
Some of my favorite Christmas musical numbers. :-)
BTW, Happy Hannukah Eric and Ian!