it's beginning to look a lot like christmas

I'm not sure what causes it.  Perhaps the fact that it has been 70 degrees ALL week and this morning there is ice on roads.  Or it's the fact that it's December 22 and I'm starting to get out-of-office-until-after-christmas automated replies to emails at work.  Or that I finally finished all my present shopping AND got everything wrapped.  Whatever it may be, I'm finally feeling Christmas.  Before now, it still seemed kind of far off.  But now, starting to make plans with family and buying presents, I'm getting really excited.  Christmas is my absolute, hands down, favorite time of the year.  Everyone is friendly, every house/building is warm and decorated beautifully, and there just seems to be a certain magic that surrounds everything.  I just feel happier, I think mostly because of the sense of togetherness everyone has, even with perfect strangers, just because of the spirit of the season.  I see Christmas and how it makes everyone act differently, better, and it gives me hope that despite all the suckiness of this world and our current state of affairs, there is still a lot of good left.  And I think that's just what Jesus likes to see on his birthday - a whole lot of love.

I decided that I really wanted to decorate my desk for 

the holidays this year - something I neglected to do last year.  With limited resources, this is what I ended up with: 

Not too shabby, I don't think.  I stole the big red bow off a gift basket we received at the office.  And I got the little tree from the Dollar Tree.  We already had the ornaments at home so I just brought those.  I thought it added a nice touch to my desk!  (My messy, messy desk - look at all those post-its!)

This past weekend, Cory, Stephen, April and myself got together and rented one of the funniest movies that I've seen in a while.  It's called "Run Fatboy Run" and it's got the guy from "Shawn of the Dead" in it.  (If you haven't see that movie either, please do.  FUNNY!)  Simon Pegg, the main guy in both movies, is absolutely hilarious.  Here's a trailer for Fatboy:

I am super looking forward to going home.  My mom is making her famous chicken and dumplings.  Trust me, hers are the cream of the crop when it comes to chicken and dumplings, so I can't wait.  We're also going to the candlelight service at my church on Christmas Eve.  This service is SO beautiful, it makes me want to have a Christmas wedding, in the evening, and have it be a candlelight thing.  It's just so unspeakably beautiful to me to have no other lights but the flickering little flames in the hands of everyone there, the lights illuminating everyone's faces as they look around singing Christmas carols.    There is such a warmth and glow to that moment - I wouldn't miss it for the world.  

In case I don't get a chance to post again - Merry Christmas everyone!  I love you all :)

i wanna grow old with you

I always feel like a bad person when I say this, but I have never liked being around the elderly.  It's not that I don't like THEM personally, I just usually feel uncomfortable.  In thinking about this, I think I've realized that the majority of times that I have encountered old folks (other than my grandparents) has been in nursing homes.  I think with nursing homes, the air is so thick with the anxious anticipation of someone passing away at any given moment that you can't help but feel uneasy there, no matter how cheerful and sweet the staff and how sunny the decor.  Especially with my grandpa, he was in the Alzheimer's ward at his nursing home.  The door to this wing was locked and you had to be let in by a nurse - then upon entering you hear someone screaming, several people are wandering around aimlessly, and one of them may come up and ask you who they are because they forgot.  It's really very sad and not a fun place to be.  Thus, this is likely the reason I have deluded myself into thinking I didn't like to spend time with the elderly.

But today reminded me that I DO like to be around them - especially talking to them and listening to their stories about their younger days.  The way their eyes light up when they start into a story about when they were growing up.  Telling you about their favorite Christmas present they ever got or when they won the science fair at school.

Today, we had a holiday luncheon at the Country Club.  The majority of people that attend this are little old ladies and occasionally their husbands.  Two of the performers, Bettye and Anna, are 70+ and were there with their husbands, and after everyone left, we got to sit down with them and have lunch.  They told us the cutest stories about how each of them met.  The way they told the stories was so romantic, so detailed - like it had happened just yesterday.  Made it sound like it was straight out of a movie, how fate brought them together.  For example, Anna was singing in a Christmas pageant and her husband said he went to see the show, and the second he saw her, he knew he wanted to marry her.  To this day,  you can still see how much they love each other.  I love to hear how people met, but it's even better with old couples.  It makes me wish I lived back then, when everything was so much simpler and true romance was still alive and well.  

My favorite movie of all time is When Harry Met Sally (if you haven't seen it, please do sometime).  Throughout the movie, they have little interviews with old couples as they tell their sweet stories of how they met and lived happily ever after with each other.  I LOVE it!  In case you haven't seen the movie, here are the clips.  Enjoy!

this little piggie owned your colon

http://www.holytaco.com/if-i-die-bacon-related-death-id-it-be-because

Please, go read.  This made my day (and also made me want to hurl).

warm tingly sensations

Dear Brooke,
I don'​t reall​y know how to tell you this,​ but I'm in love with your cat. I think​ I reali​zed it when your dog humped my leg under a street light and I saw you sit on my boyfriend . I'm sure you'​re high enoug​h to under​stand​ that you need a sex-change. I'm retur​ning your toe ring, but I'll keep your glass eye as a memor​y.​ You shoul​d also know that I always will remember the pep talks and thanks for the cocaine​.​

Warm tingly sensations,
-​Katie



Dear (​name of frien​d)​ ,
I don'​t reall​y know how to tell you this,​ but (1). I think​ I reali​zed it (2), (3) and I saw you (4), (5) . I'm sure you'​re (6) enoug​h to under​stand​ (7). I'm retur​ning (8), but I'll keep (9) as a memor​y.​ You shoul​d also know that I (10) and (​11)​.​




(12)
-​(​your name)​




1) What'​s the color​ of your shirt​?​
Blue - I'm in love with your cat
Red - Our affai​r is over
White​ - I’m joini​ng the Conve​nt
Black​ -Our roman​ce is over
Green​-​ Our socks​ don'​t match​
Grey - You'​re a lepre​chaun​
Yello​w - I'm selli​ng mysel​f for candy​
Pink - Your nostr​ils are insul​ting
Brown​ - The mafia​ wants​ you
No shirt​ - You'​re mean
Other​ -I disli​ke your eyela​shes

2) Which​ is your birth​ month​?​
Janua​ry - That night​ you picke​d your nose
Febru​ary -​When you smack​ed my ass
March​ - When your dwarf​ bit me
April​ - When I tripp​ed on peanu​t butte​r
May - When I saw your cat
June - When you put cuffs​ on me
July – When I quote​d Forre​st Gump
Augus​t - When I saw the purpl​e monke​y
Septe​mber - Last year when you peed your pants​
Octob​er - When we skinn​y dippe​d in the batht​ub
Novem​ber - When your dog humpe​d my leg
Decem​ber - When u final​ly chang​ed ur under​wear

3) Which​ food do you prefe​r?​
Tacos​ - When you final​ly chang​ed your under​wear
Lasag​na-​ In your car
Pasta​ - Outsi​de of your offic​e
Hambu​rgers​ - Under​ the bus
Salad​ – As you were eatin​g Kraft​ Dinne​r
Chick​en - In your close​t
Kebab​ - With Jean Chrét​ien
Fish - In a clown​ suit
Sandw​iches​ - At the Elton​ John conce​rt
Pizza​ - At the menta​l hospi​tal
Hot dog - Under​ a stree​t light​
Annat​-​ With Georg​e Bush and Steph​en Harpe​r

4) What'​s the color​ of your socks​?​
Yello​w - Ignor​e
Red - Carve​ your initi​als into
Black​ - Hit on
Blue - Knock​ out
Purpl​e - Pour syrup​ on
White​ - Put whipp​ed cream​ on
Grey - Pull the cloth​es off
Brown​ - bit of
Orang​e - Castr​ate
Pink - Pull the pants​ off of
Baref​oot - Sit on
Other​ - Drive​ over

5) What'​s the color​ of your under​wear?​
Black​ - My boyfr​iend
White​ - My fathe​r
Grey – The Catho​lic Pries​t
Brown​ – The Montr​eal Canad​ian’s​ goali​e
Purpl​e - My corne​d beef hash
Red – My knee caps
Blue - My salt-​beef bucke​t
Yello​w - My illeg​itima​te child​ in Ghana​
Orang​e - My Blink​ 182 cd
Pink – Your ‘My Littl​e Pony’​ colle​ction​
None – My prize​d statu​e of Micha​el Jacks​on in the nude
Other​ -​-​The eleph​ant in the corne​r

6) What do you prefe​r to watch​ on TV?
One Tree Hill - Senil​e
Heroe​s-​ Frost​bitte​n
Lost - High
Simps​ons-​ Cowar​dly
The news - Scarr​ed
Ameri​can Idol - vexed​
Famil​y Guy - Open
Top Model​ - Middl​e-​class​
Other​r - Slutt​y

7) Your mood right​ now?
Happy​ - How awful​ you are
Sad - How borin​g you are
Bored​ - That I get turne​d on only by garba​ge men
Angry​ - That your smell​ makes​ me vomit​
Depre​ssed – That we’re​ relat​ed
Excit​ed - That I may pee my pants​
Nervo​us - The middl​e-​east is plann​ing their​ reven​ge on you
Worri​ed - That your Ford sucks​
Apath​etic - That you need a sex-​chang​e
Asham​ed - That I'm aller​gic to your earlo​bes
Cuddl​y - That Santa​ doesn​'​t exsis​t
Silly​ - That there​ is no solut​ion to you being​ a dumb kid
Other​ - That your drivi​ng sucks​

8) What'​s the color​ of your walls​ in your bedro​om?​
White​ - Your toe ring
Yello​w - The cut toena​ils
Red - Your Hanna​h Monta​nna under​wear
Black​ - Your pet rock
Blue - The couch​ cushi​ons
Green​ - Your car
Orang​e - Your false​ teeth​
Brown​ - Your nose hair clipp​ers
Grey - Our match​ing snoop​y under​wear
Purpl​e - Your old New Kids on the Block​ blank​et
Pink(​ish)​ - Your love lette​rs to me
Other​ - The pictu​res from Vegas​

9) The first​ lette​r of your last name?​
A/B - Your colle​ction​ of butte​rflie​s
C/D - Your photo​ with the moust​ache drawn​ on it
E/F - Your neigh​bour’​s dog
G/H - The oil tank from your car
I/J - Your left ear
K/L - The resul​ts of that blood​-​sampl​e
M/N - Your glass​ eye
O/P - My commo​n sense​
Q/R - Your mom
S/T - My virgi​nity
U/V - Your crimi​nal recor​d
W/X – Your sucid​e note
Y/Z - Your credi​t cards​

10) The last lette​r in your last name?​
A/B - Haven​’t showe​red in a month​
C/D - Will tell the autho​ritie​s that you did not steal​ that whale​ in the back yard
E/F - am bette​r off witho​ut you
G/H – Hate your cooki​ng
I/J – Mocke​d you behin​d your back const​antly​
K/L - Alway​s will remem​ber the pep talks​
M/N - Told in my confe​ssion​ today​ about​ the moose​ poach​ing
O/P - Was inter​viewe​d about​ the car you stole​
Q/R - Alway​s wante​d to break​ your legs
S/T - Get sick when I think​ of your feet
U/V - Will try to forge​t that you broke​ my heart​
W/X - Told my psych​iatri​st about​ the bruis​es
Y/Z – Never​ will forge​t that night​

11) What do you prefe​r to drink​?​
Wine-​ Our frien​dship​ is ruine​d
Soft drink​ – I’m off to lead a new life as a lemon​
Soda – I will haunt​ you when I’m reinc​arnat​ed as an Eskim​o
Milk - The apart​ment build​ing is on fire
Water​ – You shoul​d get that embar​rassi​ng rash check​ed
Cider​– I have a passi​onate​ inter​est for mice
Juice​ – You'​re my best frien​d
Miner​al water​ – I'm scrat​ching​ my butt as you read this
Hot choco​late – Your Cucum​ber-​fetis​hism Is Weird​
Whisk​ey - I love Oprah​ Winfr​ey
Beer – you shoul​d stop picki​ng your nose
Other​ – Thank​s for the Cocai​ne

12) To which​ count​ry would​ you prefe​r to go on a vacat​ion?​
Italy​ - Warm tingl​y sensa​tions​
Austr​alia - Best of luck on the sex chang​e
Franc​e - Love alway​s
Spain​ - With tears​ of sadne​ss
China​ – You make me sick
Germa​ny – Pleas​e don’t​ hurt me
Japan​ - Go milk a cow
Greec​e - Your everl​astin​g enemy​
USA - Greet​ings to your frog Leona​rd
Egypt​ – Kiss my butt
Engla​nd - Go drown​ yours​elf

hrm

I apologize for the lack of posts lately.  I have been up to my eyeballs in projects and deadlines at work and by the time I get home, I don't even think about checking email or blogs.  Honestly, I'm freaking out a little bit on the inside about work.  I have more to be done than I have ever had, I think.  There is so many things that have to be done, like, NOW, and there just aren't enough hours in the day to do it all.  I constantly have this twinge of panic that picks at my stomach when I think about what all I have to do, and the consequences if I don't make it happen.  I've been thinking about it a lot lately, and I just have WAY too much stress in this job.  Way too much put on my plate.  I feel like I'm drowning in a sea of to-do lists and it's impossible for me to climb my way out.  I don't get paid enough for this kind of anxiety.  Every day gets me closer to seriously sitting down and Googling my fingers off to find a new one.  Honestly, the other day I got so overwhelmed, I decided to take a break from what I was doing and do a quick 5 minute search.  I think I found something that sparks my interest...so I may look into that.  I don't know...wish me luck.

In other news, I'm on the third book in the Twilight series, Eclipse, and it is really good so far too.  I'm so happy that I got turned on to these books because they are just so amazingly good.  I'm really glad too that so many other people are getting into them to - I like to be able to talk to people about books.  I know that Austin reads Harry Potter too, and so should the rest of you!  I think if like Twilight, you'd really be into it!  

Alas, I must get back to work now.  I just had to vent a little. 

and so the lion fell in love with the lamb

Oh.my.GAWD.  Like, whoa.  If you haven't read Twilight, please PLEASE do so.  Also, you need to go see the movie.  I don't think I can even put into words how awesome they are.  Edward Cullen...holy crap.  Perfect man.  (cept the fact that he drinks blood.  minor detail)  I never thought I'd say this...but Harry Potter has some stiff competition as my favorite book series.

Whew.  Now that that's out of my system, I'll continue.  I've realized that I never really divulge about the happenings of my life in my blog.  My posts are typically about a specific thing that happened or an idea or something that's been on my mind, etc.  But I think I'm the only one who doesn't really catch anyone up on what's going on with me.  I love hearing about what is going on with everyone else, so maybe I should give that style of blog a whirl.  

So, today I've got to make two appointments.  1) A haircut appointment.  My hair is looking a HOT mess and I simply can't tolerate it any longer.  2) Doctor's appointment.  I believe that I have a condition called GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease).  It's where the sphincter (*giggle*) at the top of your stomach that keeps your stomach acid, well, IN your stomach, doesn't function properly and some of that acid backs up into your esophagus.  Over the years, I've had loads of digestion and stomach issues, the most alarming of which is my "episodes" that I have at night sometimes.  I wake up about an hour after I go to sleep, shaking uncontrollably, my teeth chattering, and I'm so nauseous that I feel like I might die.  Either after a little while of sitting by the toilet or throwing up (whichever comes first) I feel better and can go back to bed (of course feeling like crud in the AM).  This has gotten increasingly worse recently, along with unmistakable heartburn following each episode, as well as heartburn often after eating and laying down.  I read online that these symptoms sound a lot like GERD, so I've deduced that I need to do something about it.  I got kinda nervous because I read (stupid WebMD!!!) that if this goes untreated for long enough, you can develop something where the acid starts to actually burn holes in your esophagus and you could die.  Not good.  So, I'm gonna go talk to the doc and see what he's got to say.  Wish me luck!

Thanksgiving was really good and fun.  I got to go to NC to see my grandma, aunt, uncle and my two adorable cousins Elijah and Finnian.  We had a fabulous dinner in this really cool lodge in Hendersonville overlooking the mountains.  Speaking of mountains, we got a mountain of food on our plate.  Turkey, ham, stuffing, cranberry sauce, gravy, mashed potatoes, yams, green beans, salad, rolls, and carrot cake.  Whew!!  I thought I would die from how much food I jammed into my stomach.  Alas, I survived.  My mom and I tried to go shopping on Black Friday.  We didn't go out until 9am so the crowd wasn't too bad (all the 5am people had already spent all their money I guess).  We got in on some pretty nice sales and I got some cool stuff.  We didn't stay out too long because my mom didn't sleep well the night before and after walking into Abercrombie to look at something for my brother, I got a raging perfume headache.  That place is ridiculous.  Not only does the heavy scent suffocate you when you walk in, but you are surrounded by naked people.  Okay, not NAKED naked, but pretty close.  There were several men's buttcracks visible.  One time my mom and I went in there and there was a picture of a guy's pelvis with jeans so low you could literally see pubic hair.  WTF?  Since when is that even legal?  

Then Brooke and I hung out on Saturday for her birthday.  Georgia and South Carolina lost.  Boo.  We went shopping.  Better!  We saw Twilight.  AWESOME!!!  So that was fun.  So far, things are pretty dang good if I do say so myself.