A Friend Inspired

My goody good, wonderful friend, twin-in-another-life, is having the same Christmas issues I am having (que Cindy Loo Who singing "Where are You Christmas") and as I read her blog I teared up. She listed a few things that she loves about the Holiday season so I thought I'd copy her in hopes of rallying up some holiday cheer.

Favorite Christmas Cookie:

This is easy peasy.
Hands down-my Daddy's Spritz.
I have since mastered the recipe but they still just don't taste like the ones Pops makes.
We only made them at Christmas.
It involves a lot of butter, sprinkles, and my Mom to handle the clean up.

Decor:

This one was a little harder for me (because I tend to love all things holiday).

Music:

I do indeed love me some Amy Grant Christmas, thank you Elsa's Mom for agreeing with me, but I also induldge in a little Celine Dion (please DON'T TELL ANYONE). On the whole I mostly listen to Bing, and random songs from my childhood. It amazes me how very much ones childhood influences the holidays (meaning the memories, smells, and traditions are the strongest...be they good or bad).

Movies:

In no particular order the following movies must be watched at least 49570367 times each holiday season.
The Grinch (the new one).
Holiday Inn (with Bing and Fred)
White Christmas (Bing and duuuh...holiday classic)
The Snowman
Planes, Trains, and Automobiles
Meet Me in St. Louis
Uncle Buck
Home Alone
Love Actually (be quiet. I love this movie. corny, I know but just shush)
and most importantly...

The Muppets Christmas Carol.

I literally know every. single. line. The sad part of this movie is that it makes me miss kunckle Max soooo much and it also makes me want to be 10 again.

Traditions:

live tree the weekend following T-day
Home Alone while decorating said live tree
Spritz cookies on the same plate I used to leave for Santa
Family gifts on the Eve and Santa at 4 am on the Day
chez mix and shrimp cocktail at Grammies

And one tradition that the Monster isn't old enough for yet: Mom would let us open just ONE wrapped gift before Christmas Eve Mass (we opened the rest after church). I ALWAYS, ALWAYS chose the one from my Uncle Chris. He's as artist and you can find him here. He gave the most awesome gifts. Funny thing is that I don't think he even knew. When the Monster is big enough he too, will get one gift before Mass.

The other tradition, which Little O will never celebrate, is that of Dad pulling the sled down the middle of Main St. in the middle of the night of a big snow fall. Sorry O, we ain't got no snow down here in the deep South.

Lights:

I like the big ole vintage looking lights on the tree but outside on the house I like the big ole vintage lights in clear only. I love red lights too.

Outside Decor:

I like white lighting, very simple and lots of pine and ivy. All natural.


Gifts:

I already managed to blog what I want for Christmas but I added an address book and my job.
I really, really want to keep my job. I love my coworkers, my boss, and my clients.
I want this job and I'd feel stupid losing it over a speeding ticket.
So... Dear Santa, tell the Judge that I was a good girl this year and to please not give me a bag of coal but rather give me an appeal on the ticket. Much Love, Kate


Tree:

I've never had a fake tree.
Not ever in my whole life.
Nor will I ever.
I only use one strand of lights and my awesome antique tree skirt.
Minimal ornaments that all have meaning and a story.



Food

Ah, food.
Christmas is a time to eat with family.
If Grammie were still alive we'd have Maria's spaghetti, New York strip steaks, twice baked potatoes, italian salad, key lime pie, shrimp cocktail, and chex mix.
but she is gone.

I've continued the tradition of shrimp cocktail and chex mix but I suppose from here on out I must make my own traditions.

Miss you Grammie.

Show Me Christmas

Week 2: My pathetic attempt at decorating


Here is my lame attempt at decorating and my even more lame attempt at taking pictures of them....

This is an old picture frame (duh).
I found it in the garage (read: D hung it in the garage and I asked if I could have it).
Then I strung lights on it and some ribbon.
Then I started getting Christmas cards.
yay woo.
Can you tell how NOT in the Christmas spirit I am?

I think someone gave this to my Mom eons ago.
I stole it from her.
Sorry Mom.
It's mine now.

I have this really weird obsession with nightlights.
I have no idea why.
I think it may have something to do with the fact that I HATE light.
I like a room with only low light.
This drives D insane as it would any normal person but I am not normal.
This is just one of about 8 holiday night lights around the house.

Grammie's tree...
Grammie loves the Greenbriar.
I say loves because I am sure that up in heaven she is sipping tea with Dorthey Draper and strolling leisurely (and without struggling to breath) down to the Spring House.
She has endless amounts of ornaments from there and had several themed trees throughout her home.
For more than 7 years I would drive up to her home around Thanksgiving and would help her set up all the trees and wrap the insane amount of Christmas gifts she tended to buy.
I set up the little tree that she bought me for my first dorm room at 18 on my favorite red book shelf and decorated it with only a handful of her collected ornaments (the tree is full if that gives you an idea of how many more there are).

I will not take a picture of my tree because I hate the lighting from the camera each time I have attempted it. So just imagine a vintage tree skirt from the 50's, big ole vintage lights that might explode and kill us at any moment, and a charlie brown lopsided tree that looks as if it had a little too much eggnog.
Ok, got that image in your noggin?
Now, imagine 99% of the ornaments placed at the very top and the rest being "cweaned" in the tree water by the Monster.
Ok, got that image?
Next, imagine presents that once had ribbons and bows on them which are now stuck in the Monsters hair, on his tummy, and flushed down the potty.
That, my friends, is my tree.

I love to decorate for Christmas but four things stand in my way...

1) time
2) my social workers paycheck
3) my lovely but very minimalistic partner in life
4) my equally lovely, often covered in some form of sticky, Monster.

Someday I will dream of a Christmas decorations that don't annoy D and that don't instantly become: necklaces (beads), baseballs (ornaments), rocket ships (the entire cast of the Nativity and some angels), and Santa Clause (read: sanity clause...thank you Chico Marx).

For some reason, I am just not in the mood this year. D mentioned the other say that I seem "not in the mood for much of anything lately". Maybe he is right. Depression? Boredom? Three sunless days and I have seasonal affective disorder? Am I just stuck in a rut?

Maybe part of it is that:

a) I've said the words "stop brushing the Christmas tree", "ornaments ARE NOT BASEBALLS", and "WE DON'T LAUNCH ROCKETS INTO THE TREE" about 4275349867938645876495 million times.

b) The sight of another plastic blow up snow globe thing in my neighbors yard might cause me to throw up a little or go get my bb gun.

c) Nothing screams "holiday cheer" like a cranky women in her pajamas (at 11am), with a cart full of $1 for 10 ornaments yelling with the cashier at the Manor Grocery store when asked not to smoke inside the store.

d) I am broke. There is no better reminder of just how broke you are than the holiday season. It's like "you need to buy --- fill in the blank---" and you suck as a parent/co-worker/neighbor/friend/and general person because you can't afford to buy one more cheese ball or the latest greatest waste of time gadget.

Hopefully, by the time next weeks Christmas post rolls around I will be in a happier mood but today I say to all those stupid happy, glade candle smelling, snow angel making, Christmas cookie decorating with shit eating grins families on TV...bite me.

Merry Christmas from K8 the Grinch.

Show Me Christmas: Phase 1

I honestly don't want much for Christmas.
This is a new thing for me...I kinda grew up just a teeny bit spoiled rotten.
Since having the Monster though it seems I get more excitement out of the holiday traditions with him.
But....I did see this on a friends blog site and thought I participate.

Week 1: Christmas List
Both real and fake.

More than anything in the whole world I would like to be pregnant again.
As most of the world knows (and if ya didn't now ya do) I've had some problems with infertility in the past year or more. Everyone says it will happen when I stop worrying about. Easier said than done.
It has become harder as Little O moves from baby to boy.
I love being pregnant and love being a Mother.
So if Santa hears me...throw me some hormones please or have a stork deliver another Monster to 3 Forks Ranch.

Toes Socks.
I adore toe socks.
They feel all cuddly and squishy.
It is finally cooling off down here in Texas so I actually get to wear socks!
Even better...I can wear toe socks WITH flip-flops.
And yes, I know I am a dork.

Roaster.
I cook.
I cook a lot.
The one gift that I didn't get from the wedding that I REALLY wanted was a roaster.
I have heard people say that they only really use their roaster on Thanksgiving but they have yet to meet me. I am dying for one.

Coat hooks.
For some reason our home came without storage space or decent shelving.
It's a mystery to me.
Did people in 2004, when the home was built, not own items that needed to be hung up?
Did they not have games, shoe boxes, or read books?
Because there is literally NO storage (besides the garage) in this home.

So, I have developed a lightly disturbing obsession with funky coat hooks.
I like owls, butterflies, dragonflies, fairies...you get the idea.
I like the in all colors, metals, shapes, and sizes.

Antique butter molds.
They are actually kinda hard to find in actual antique shops but are plentiful on the internet.
I keep meaning to order one but there are so many styles and designs that I get overwhelmed in the decision making process (that and I HATE ebay with a passion). Instead I just end up looking at pictures of them and saying "oh, I liiiike thhhhaaat one"!

50's style print fabric.

I want some very, very badly.
I want to make curtains, skirts, skirts, and more skirts, and some napkins, and a table cloth, sheets, pillow covers, and more skirts.
I do. I do. I do.

I truly want an evening out with my husband.
I am not kidding...we see each other about 3 hours a day.
Those 3 hours always involve the Monster, discussions of work and bills and the Monster, or we're cleaning or fixing something.
I would kill for even two hours alone in some dark corner of a seedy bar sipping on a cold beer and just being with him....or a movie together....hell, I'd take going to the grocery store alone with him.


Last, but not least...
I want Kunckle Max to visit.
He hasn't been to 3 Forks Ranch in a hell of along time.
yeah, yeah...the whole school/mid 20's/rock star/working thing but...
sheesh... I miss him.
And yes, I saw him at the wedding...
For like 6 seconds in between getting married and hot gluing ribbon to stuff.



So... Dear Santa,
Please fulfill just one of my wishes and I'd be happy.
If you so feel the need also pay off my mortgage and student loans, I'd love a massage, and go ahead and throw in that 68 powder blue Stingray.
Oh, and can the Cubs win the series or is that asking too much?