Too Much Perfection?

At the risk of pointing out the obvious, today is the last day of 2008. It hasn't been an easy year, but as I recall, 2007 wasn't really either.

I am blessed with a beautiful child that is truly the light of my life. I also have a wonderful husband, a mostly supportive family, and amazing friends both online and off.

My thoughts and prayers going into the coming New Year are for the health of my loved ones and myself. I pray that all of my friends and family have a glorious New Year that brings many blessings and joys.

~*~crickets chirp~*~














More tomorrow. Promise.

This year, I've buried four dogs. Yes. Four. It wasn't easy. Any of them.

But today has got to be the worst.

As I type this, my in-laws are out in the pasture with my wonderful mare, Sera. There is a massive hole dug and she's been led to it. I know this because I should not have looked out my window. There just seems to be something so wrong about leading an animal, still alive, to its final resting place. I understand why it is done, but it will never feel like the right thing in my eyes. But I digress.

The vet will soon put Sera to sleep. As much as it hurt me to say goodbye to her this afternoon, I know she will no longer be in pain. You see, she has crippling arthritis and even walking has become too painful for her. It just wasn't fair to keep her alive for the sake of my feelings anymore.

So earlier today, I went down to the barn and fed her a bag full of carrots and a large scoop of grain. I spent time brushing her and combing out her mane and tail. Once I finished, I picked the wutz up and let him say goodbye, too. He said, "Bye bye, Sera!" then gave her a loving pat on the nose while I boo-hoo'd.

Finally, I forced myself to leave. I just couldn't be there to watch the hole dug or the vet to do the final deed. I am very capable of being there when a beloved dog or cat needs to be sent over the Rainbow Bridge, but there is something about the death of a horse. It is such a massive loss, literally and figuratively. It is just so final, that I cannot bear to be there for it. So here I sit, forcing myself not to go out to the window to see if it is done, because I don't think I can bear to witness either scene that I might find.

I only pray that her passing is swift and peaceful.

Rest well, sweet Sera.

I braved the crowds at the Alltel store today to purchase a belated Christmas gift for myself. I got the HTC Touch Pro phone. I think I am in love. Granted, I still have barely a clue how to use the damned thing, but thus far it is much better than my old 700wx Treo.

Thus far, I have synced up all my contacts, added my email accounts (yes, plural!), and figured out how to connect it to my laptop to use as a modem. I am very very pleased!

... I am sick again.



Blah.



My house has been sick in one form or another since Thanksgiving. I really wish we could catch a break soon.

I'll blog more later when I don't feel like a truck backed over me.

This afternoon, I took my three teenage nieces to see Twilight. We were running a little late, so when we got there we had to stand in this massive line just to buy our tickets. Next we were herded through the ticket collector line, which we actually had to stand in line for also. It was crazy! I've never seen it that busy.

We made our way to the back of the theater where the movie was showing and were surprised to see that the theater was packed! I couldn't believe it was. The only set of four seats available were in the front freaking row. So, I sat with three teenagers on the front row of the movie theater to watch Twilight for the second time. It was an experience, but I think I'm too old for sitting that close now. I could even see the weave in the screen's fabric. It was totally distracting, but after about fifteen mintues I was able to ignore it and focus on the movie. Which I enjoyed the second time around. I loved being able to pick up on things I missed the first time. And fortunately, it was a great audience that laughed even during parts I don't remember anyone laughing at in the first showing I saw. It was great!

After the movie, I took the girls to another mall and we shopped a bit then ate dinner at the food court before we proceeded home. It really made for an enjoyable day. I am glad I got to have a girls' day out with them.

We just about shut Christmas completely down. It is 1130 and we are just leaving the 'rents.

Today was the annual Santa Fly In. Santa, as always, arrived in style.


(That's my sister in black, btw.)


Once Santa and Mrs. Claus settled in, Mrs. Claus read a book to the children. After the book the kids got to sit on Santa's lap and tell them what they wanted. The wutz loved it. He told Santa he had been a very good boy.


Then when Santa asked the wutz what he wanted, he proceeded to point to the object of his desire:







What was it that my dear child wanted, you ask? Here, let me show you:

Yes, I know have a twisted sense of humor, but I found this Christmas decoration to be pretty freaking funny. What you see are two standard Santa's reindeer all aglow. Pretty benign, right? What you cannot see, because it was way too dark when I snapped this picture with my cell phone, is that these poor unsuspecting reindeer are grazing beneath the sign for Dean's Deer Processing plant.


Oops.

I am actually thinking about driving all the way to town tonight to do more shopping. I have enough gifts to get by, but I feel like I could still buy a few more things. I think this has become a sickness!

I'm so tired of wrapping presents and I'm doubly tired of shopping, but I want everyone to have a great Christmas. Sooo... I guess I'll get dressed and tromp out in the sweltering weather to brave the crowds. Again.

My nephew volunteered to watch the wutz for me this morning so I could have some time to myself. He loves the wutz and absolutely enjoys spending time with him, so to say I was elated is a gross understatement.

I took the wutz over to him around 11am and my nephew was just rolling out of bed, so I hung out while he got showered and dressed, then I left the wutz with him. I went downtown and got a great cup of coffee and did a little bit of window shopping. The crowds were insane though, so I decided to escape them and go to Hell (Wal-Mart) because that's sooo much better. *rolls eyes*

Hell was busy, but it was tolerable. It was a successful mission. I shouldn't have bragged about having all my presents wrapped, though, because I bought a few more things for the wutz that I now have to wrap. I am happy since I was able to buy a few things I've heard him say that Santa is going to bring him. We can't have that fat man disappoint, now can we?

After my trip to Hell, I grabbed lunch then bought one movie ticket. I settled into the movie theater to see Four Christmases. There were only two other people in the theater. I proceeded to munch on my smuggled lunch while I enjoyed a pretty cute movie. Alone. It was bliss. The only thing that could have possibly made it better was if I were watching Twilight instead. But that movie was showing too late and I wanted to get the wutz home for a nap.

The entire day made for a great early Christmas present. I really had a great time just being my own company for once.

I spent several hours yesterday and a little time again today wrapping Christmas presents. I am about 95% finished with it all! I am quite pleased with myself. DH even helped wrap with me. He is sooo great at wrapping the big gifts, so I let him do all of those. He tells me not to tell anyone, though.

The only wrapping I have left to do is DH's gifts. I also need to put bows on all the packages, but I always wait until the last minute for that because I hate when they get smushed.

I'm pleased as punch to have so much done. And I think all of my shopping is done, too. With the exception of possible last minute gifts such as stocking stuffer ideas. Nothing I cannot live without, though.

Yay me!

Sheer torture, I know!

My Magic 8

8 T.V. Shows I watch:
1. Grey's Anatomy
2. Supernatural
3. Gossip Girl
4. Dirty Sexy Money
5. My Own Worst Enemy
6. 90210
7. Smallville
8. TrueBlood

8 Favorite Restaurants:
1. Macaroni Grill
2. Mom & Dad's
3. Olive Garden
4. Outback
5. BoneFish
6. FishBones
7. Savannah Moon
8. Steak & Shake

8 Things that happened today:
1. Woke up too early
2. Took the wutz to Granny's
3. Went to work
4. Ate a cookie for breakfast
5. Enjoyed a great cup of coffee
6. Munched on spinach dip at 10am
7. Spent too much time on the internet already
8. Finished all my work by 10:30am. (It's gonna be a longggg day)

8 Things I look forward to:
1. Christmas!
2. The wutz's bday
3. Taking a week off at Christmas
4. Spring
5. Summer
6. Vacation at St. George Island
7. Riding my horses
8. TTC

8 Things I wish for:
1. A booming economy
2. DH not losing his job
3. Winning the lottery
4. Healthy wutz
5. Healthy DH
6. Healthy T-
7. A great Christmas with no bickering
8. Wii & Wii Fit

8 people I tag:
You, you, you, you, you, you, you, and YOU!

1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted, cooled
1/2 cup shortening
1 cup lightly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
102 g box instant vanilla pudding mix (must be instant!)
2 tbsp milk
2 large eggs
1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 cups AP flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
2 cups milk chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350F. Mix butter, shortening and sugars until creamy. Stir in pudding mix and milk, then eggs and vanilla. Add flour, baking powder and baking soda; mix until batter is smooth. Stir in chocolate chips.

Drop batter on non-stick cookie sheets with a tablespoon. Bake for 12 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Cool 10 minutes on cookie sheet. Transfer cookies to wire rack to cool completely.

I am currently standing at the island in my kitchen, baking cookies like a madwoman! The wutz's Christmas party is tomorrow and so is my office party. I just finished throwing together a batch of my delicious oatmeal cookies.

I also tried a new recipe for chocolate chip cookies. I found it online but, of course, I tweaked it severely to my own personal preferences. I have my fingers crossed they turn out alright. They are supposed to be thicker, more moist cookies because there is pudding in the ingredients. We'll see!

Now I'm stuck in the kitchen while I bake batch after batch after batch of cookies that I'm too full to even snack on. (Yeah, I ate wayyyy too much dough. Shhhh. Don't tell anyone I know!)

Update! I just pulled the first batch of chocolate chip cookies out of the oven. They are actually staying fluffy! I hope they taste as good as they look.

The wutz spoke his first sentence yesterday! He's been talking in three word sentences more recently, but finally, for the first time, he said:

Colter, good day at Gramma's house!


I think it may make Granny a little jealous, but I'm excited he made a sentence! Yay Colter!

I'd honestly never heard this! Too freaking funny.




I am so not done with my Christmas shopping. I still have to buy for my Dad. And my FIL. Both of which are nearly impossible to buy for since they just go out and buy whatever the heck they want! Just like I do. ~sheepish grin~

In addition to not being done shopping, I haven't even begun to wrap presents. I seriously loathe that job. It has to be done, though. And if it is going to get done, I'm going to be the one that does it. ~sigh~

I spent three hours this evening getting my hair done. Damn at the high maintenance things I do to stay low maintenance!


I'll blog more tomorrow. Too tired tonight! Sorry.

We may not have snow, but we have lights!








Sorry for the poor, blurry image quality. My Treo hates me and I didn't have my camera with me.

This has to be the creepiest Christmas decoration. Ever.

Helping put the lights on the tree:




First Ornament of 2008:






Bits of the tree:

This morning when we woke up, we discovered that our Dish DVR had bit the big one. It was making a weird clicking sound that made me believe the harddrive was DOA. I called Dish. At six in the freaking morning. After waiting on hold for twenty minutes, the gentleman in tech support confirmed my fear: a dead dead deadsky harddrive.

The solution? A new DVR will be shipped to me on the twelfth. Great. Except that means I'm stuck watching *gasp!* commercials until then. Not only that, every show that I had saved on the DVR is a goner. Most notably Gleaming the Cube, which is near impossible to find.

Additionally, all of the wutz's Christmas cartoons are gone. He has been watching Tom & Jerry's Nutcracker for days on end. And Mickey Mouse's Once Upon a Christmas. In an effort to save my own sanity, I spent my lunch hour in Wal-Mart Hell purchasing $50 worth of Christmas DVDs to keep the little elf happy. A small price to pay.

Now I am off to get ready to watch Private Practice. Commercials included.

*sigh*

I was tagged to do this Meme by Lisa, the cool One-Hip-Mom.

Here's what you do...

Grab the book nearest to you, find page 56. Go to the fifth line. Type it, and the few following. Of course, tell us the name and author of the book. Let us know if it's a good read, because we all need good reads!!

Here's mine:

"A fitting attendant for Mara. Noreis!" Raising her voice, she beckoned to a tailor. No adept, he hastened to obey. "Will you see to it? Something elegant, not this seasons's forsaken nonsense." "Of course." He bowed his head. Genuis rules in Eglantine House. If Favrielle was unfit to serve Naamah, she clearly reigned over the fitting room.

And that is from Kushiel's Chosen, the second in the Kushiel's Legacy series by Jacqueline Carey. This series is one of my all time favorites. It is an addicting read about love, heroism, and beautifully fantasy. I'm not normally a scifi or fantasy reader, but these novels are amazing. I've recommended them before, but I do so again!


Tagging my fellow readers:

Stephanie
Athenley
Shannon


And anyone else who would like to play!

Have you seen this child?


Many of you know him as the wutz. He's my son. A darling boy with a disarming smile and big brown eyes that just reel you in and turn your heart into a mushy puddle of goo. I love this child. Unfortunately, he's gone missing.



He's been replaced by this child:



So, if you've seen my angel of a son, could you please mail him back? Thanks eversomuch.

I spent the day shopping with my mom and my sister. It was surprisingly stress free. Very unlike our usual yearly trip to the mall! I think we only bickered twice. A record, I'm sure.

My shopping trip was successful. I am very pleased with the dent in my shopping list I made. I'm not as pleased with the dent in my wallet that it made, though!

However, the biggest shopping victory occurred after I got home. I got a call from my in-laws, informing me that Wal-Mart was having a one day sale on 42 inch flatscreen televisions. It was the same price they were selling the TV I wanted on Black Friday, but was too sick to get out and get. But the store in town was sold out of them. So was the store one town over. I ended up calling a Wal-Mart about an hour away from my house and a rather frazzled Wal-Mart worker told me they had a few left. We loaded up in the car and raced over there and indeed they did have a few left! The manager was at the ship-to-site section of the store where they were, and she said they were the best kept secret in town. Apparently they hadn't been advertised at all! Lucky us since I paid HALF PRICE for it!

I managed to snap a picture of our Christmas tree with my cell phone. It actually all fit into the frame with it, unlike my SLR camera! We put 1500 lights on it last night. Unfortunately, the poor quality of the photo simply does not do the tree justice!

Ah well.

ETA: The tree is about 8ft and that doorway behind it is one of those large double doorways!

My latest form of amusement is browsing Craigslist's Missed Connections. Some are very lame. Others are quite sweet. And some seem sweet until you get to the last line and it says "Hit me up sometime." Classy.

There are a few that are noteworthy or just so pathetic, I can't resist sharing them:

You were driving a grayish/blue BMW. I first noticed you as my friend pointed out your beautiful roundish southern face. He noted that he wasn't into that look so i decided to take a glance. As you finished pumping your gas in to your shiny and stunning car, you went inside to get a copy of your receipt. At this point I decided to make my way inside to get a delicious blue Gatorade. Before I could even make it into the store, you were at the counter and on your way out. I opened the door for you, but you still decided to use the other one. Our eyes met and we exchanged similes as if we were both riding unicorns over a magnificent rainbow. I wanted to say hi or hello, but was overwhelmed and didn't want to ruin the moment. Your beauty stole all the energy I had and almost couldn't make it back to the cooler where my 32 ounce thirst quencher laid. If you read this, maybe I can fill up your tank sometime?



Dearest Caped Crusader - m4w - 28 (Tallahassee)
I saw you the first time in your red cape and spandex on Apalachee Parkway swooping down from the sky to save a biker from getting hit by a truck ... Some nights, on my way home from the bars, I see you sitting on top of the Capital Building looking down upon us; ever vigilant ... Just wanted to say, I don't know why you chose Tallahassee, but we are grateful. You really are a Super Hero.

Caped Crusader's reply:
Dear Concerned Citizen,
Thanks for your message. Sometimes I get to feeling no one notices me anymore. I never asked for these powers ... but here I am. And so I am doing my best to use them for good, you know.

Being super is kinda lonely sometimes ... everyone wants autographs and pictures ... and then they go home to their families and loved ones.

Sorry to be down ... maybe its the weather. What say you and I go to Paris for some coffee? I can have us there in 20 minutes!

- the Caped Crusader




And finally a sweet one:

We dated for a long time-- 3 years. I messed things up in the end.

Just wanted to let you know that even now, after a few years, I still love you. I can't help thinking what might have been--we were so great together. Making you smile and laugh was all I liked to do.

I see you occasionally and act like I'm whole, but I'm not. You are the missing piece of my life. Its not fair to you, or me.. or anyone else involved.

Just thought I would vent anonymously.

23 Days Til Christmas!

Even though we've been sick as dogs since Wednesday night, we managed to haul our sorry butts out of the house this morning to pick out a tree. When we got to the tree place, none of the trees I saw were ideal. I was crestfallen. And wet. Did I mention it was pouring down rain? Fortunately, a very nice gentleman was helping me. He went around to talk to the owner and a moment later he's hauling in this tree that was wrapped up. Wrapped up you could see that the bottom branches almost reached up to the tip of the tree. He asked if I thought it was too full and I told him I didn't think so, but I wanted to see for myself. They cut the bindings on the tree and unfurled the most beautiful tree! It is so wide and full! I'm in love.

Unfortunately, pictures of the entire tree just aren't possible. It is too big and I can't get enough distance on it to take a picture with my cameral in the room that it is in!