My New Years Week

Last NYE was crazy. This time last year I was stressed out and planning details, rentals, food, tickets, outfits. It was a lot. And the night was amazing. Seriously, amazing. And this year will be perfect as well. Last year was almost a rite of passage. I had gotten sick, laid off and changed my living situation. I survived and threw one hell of a prom. This year, life is stable and normal and the night will be too.

Friends, drinks, food, local bar. Done. However, this week is my celebration. The night is just the night. I only work a couple hours today, exchange a Christmas present for something cute and new at a local fav boutique, go for 2 hours of total spa relaxation, and then come home to my absolutely favorite meal of pepperocini pot roast in the crock pot. Today is close to perfect. Except tomorrow is my last day of work this week and we're having an in-store event, which is always a lot of fun. Followed by mimosas on The Boulevard my alma mater in a bowl game the next day and three days off! Throw in another spa appointment in those three days and a little shopping with Christmas money and this, my friends, is a perfect week.

Cheers to ending 2010 relaxing and enjoying the great things in my life: my store, shopping, football, family and Boo. So happy to relax and enjoy Boo this week.

Things that make me smile today

1. Winter candle from Bath & Body Works

2. Manheim Steamroller "Carol the Bells" (always been a fav since I was little)

3. Glee Christmas "Welcome Christmas"

4. Cold weather

5. A weekend off

6. Shopping this weekend for presents

7. My mom's present: Christmas tea at the Arboretum next week

8. My ET "Spencer" boots

9. My SMU baseball tee

10. Painting my nails red

11. Our Christmas tree at home and in-store

12. My seat warmers

13. Working with Nicole

14. Champagne with Molls last night and at the store today

15. Upcoming bowl games!

16. White Cheddar Rice Cakes

17. Cherry Almond Zone Bars

18. Lunch just the family girls next week at Seasons

19. Having so many things that make me smile

20. Scotty's Bday party tomorrow night!

21. Baking a cake and making appetizers (and having the time to do so) tomorrow

22. Misty at work with me today

23. Having a Friday night off to be with Boo

Welcome Christmas

I found my Christmas spirit. It was hiding in the Glee Christmas song "Welcome Christmas" from the Grinch. The music sinks into the background and I never truly listen. This song has probably played over a dozen times and I've never truly heard it. But this morning, it came on and with the first harmony I found myself frozen, listening, smiling and almost teary-eyed.

It's Christmas.

The New Christmas

It's Christmas, y'all. Are you ready? I, most definitely, am not. What in the world do you get for an ESL Venezuelan missionary brother-in-law that lives in Kentucky? Que? And I'm fairly certain what I've picked out (not yet purchased) for my sister is exactly what I gave her last year. Not such a good thing. Especially since I can't remember.

One week to go. Do you have all your presents? Waiting for a sale? Or just no time to buy? I think as adults Christmas isn't so much a season as another thing on the to do list. And if you have kids, something you create for your children to experience. But the "experience" of Christmas I remember for so long, hasn't existed in my life in years.

Living in NYC, the weather dropped, it snowed and Christmas decor was everywhere. People were on vacation, "experiencing" the Holidays. That made it actually easier to feel being up there. But here, where it's 70-degrees one day and life is so busy I can't find time to let nail polish dry, it just doesn't feel like a festive season for family, friends, fireplaces and hot chocolate.

So what is Christmas to an adult? I'm still searching for that answer. Any help out there? I'll keep my Winter candle lit (which smells divine!) and Christmas music on the IPod, turn on the tree lights every time I'm home and maybe attempt some hot cinnamon tea for special effect. I'll let you know if it starts to work before next week.

Successful Fooding

The holidays are here. I have bypassed my Bah Humbug, but am not quite at Happy Holidays yet. I'm stuck somewhere in the middle with a massive stressed out to do list and nothing in my bank account. It pushes the mood back towards Bah Humbug quite easily, but... I'm working on it, people!

Thanksgiving has come and gone, but I will call it a successful food endeavor. Food is a touch dicey for me at times, given the whole medical condition thing, but I survived. It was possibly questionable at times, but I learned a couple lessons and am all the better for it. I shall explain.

I made the best healthy sides. Last year I conquered the whole meal due to a last minute hospital trip for my Mamaw, but this year was spent with Boo & Co at the lake. So I made sides. I had to make sides. I was faced with casserole and die-if-you-eat-casserole and might-not-want-to-risk-it-casserole. I will admit, topped with the fact that it was my first Thanksgiving not with any of my own family or friends, I was upset. I feel like there are a handful of places in the world I can expect that I don't have to work so hard to be "normal." That there will be something for me to eat just because. I know I'm different and it's not everyone else's problem. But this was one of those places. (Expectations will bite you every time. Ouch.)

I shed a couple tears; I called my Mom for a "missing home" talk and moved on. What other choice did I have? So I made my own mashed cauliflower and cider-cinnamon sweet potatoes. They were good. They were actually great. And I had seconds of both, tossed the rest (as no one else enjoyed my personal sides) and lost 4 lbs over the last week.

Yup - you read that right.

So that's my successful fooding reward. Suck it up. Move on. Take care of your self so that you can enjoy the time with everyone and the conversation and know that you are losing weight while everyone else is gaining. That's right.

A Song For Boo

I’ve been a walking heartache
I’ve made a mess of me
The person that I’ve been lately
Ain’t who I wanna be

But you stay here right beside me
Watch as the storm goes through
And I need you

God gave me you for the ups and downs
God gave me you for the days of doubt
For when I think I’ve lost my way
There are no words here left to say, it’s true
God gave me you

There’s more here than what were seeing
A divine conspiracy
That you, an angel lovely
Could somehow fall for me
You’ll always be love’s great martyr
Ill be the flattered fool
and I need you

God gave me you for the ups and downs
God gave me you for the days of doubt
For when I think I’ve lost my way
There are no words here left to say, it’s true
God gave me you

On my own I’m only
Half of what I could be
I can’t do without you
We are stitched together
And what love has tethered
I pray we never undo

God gave me you for the ups and downs
God gave me you for the days of doubt
God gave me you for the ups and downs
God gave me you for the days of doubt
For when I think I’ve lost my way
There are no words here left to say, it’s true
God gave me you, gave me you.
Gave me you.

It did not disappoint

I spent last weekend in NYC and it was awesome! My fantabulous Boo got up basically in the middle of the night to take me to the airport and see me off to spend some time with my girls. And spend time we did. Brunch at new West Village hotspot August, spotting celebs on the street, walking aimlessly through the historic streets, wandering in and out of unique and cute shops, stores and boutiques. I was starved for urban, fashionable, independent life and I got it!

We curled up on the couch with a bottle of red to wait out the night, chatted and had good girly time. Then painted the town with old friends, ending at Cibar - the most awesome, fabulous, fantastic martini bar outside of Union Square. I can't believe it's still there, considering I went 6 years ago!

Sunday was full of walking, shopping, mimosas, more champagne, wine, wine and a little more wine. The best and cutest that Brooklyn has to offer. I love it! Even though the weather SUCKED on Monday, it was still a day of friends, memories and great food.

I super miss that city, but I triple miss my friends. And I'm glad to have had the break so I feel fashionably and personally invigorated for my own version of reality down here in the South.