Something In The Water

I'm sorry, did I miss something? Yesterday (ish), I was just graduating high school, and by the afternoon, I graduated college, then by the evening, I was moving into my own place. Somewhere along the line, it seems like everyone started doing one of the following:

1) Getting engaged
2) Getting married
3) Becoming pregnant
4) Having a baby
5) A combination of two or more of the above.

I won't say who, but I know of at least five people who are having babies, a handful of weddings to come, and honestly, I have lost count on engagements within the last three months.

At first it was all happy and exciting, then it was "gee, this is getting to be a normal announcement..." and finally, it turned into "I am no longer convinced the timing here is all coincidence, there must be something in the water that is producing rings, flower arrangements, and babies."

 It's making me a little unwilling to get my daily intake of water because I don't really feel old enough to be attending so many weddings as a friend rather than extended family member, and I definitely do not feel old enough to know of people I graduated high school with who have been married, had a couple kids, and then got divorced. 

I mean, honestly, I'm thinking back now on all the summer afternoons I wished would speed up because I was just "sooo booorrreeddd, Mom," and yes, it's disgustingly cliche, but I am feeling like time is now in fast forward and I don't have time to adjust to all the new things coming my way before another comes along.  I say this as I think "the vacuuming and bathroom cleaning needs to happen this weekend, and I should really get to that mounting pile of laundry, and oh, I need to call the insurance guy, and I need to decide what crock pot to use for the chili I'll be making..."
 
Meanwhile, my un-old brain thinks "I am within 20 minutes of three breweries and that snow looks like more than a lot of fun to play in this weekend."

All I'm saying is, while everyone else is either planning a wedding or buying a lifetime supply of diapers that really only lasts a week, I'll be at the brewery, because it appears beer is safe...because something is definitely in the water.

Christmas Memories

So glad Cameron loves Christmas as much as
I do!

Recently, I have noticed something, something a little exciting: this Christmas, as I sat beside the family Christmas tree (kudos to my mom, it was beautiful!), I realized the little things really bring me lots of joy, perhaps more than I thought. A good book (not surprising) can keep me entertained for hours, but put me in a kitchen with all the right ingredients, and I could probably spend the whole day just putting a dash of this, and a tad bit of that into a glorious-smelling concoction. You can imagine my excitement, then, when I opened a brand new panini maker (for the record, I could live off paninis if it was socially acceptable...). It's safe to say I had visions of sun dried tomatoes and fresh mozzarella dancing in my head. Yummmm!

Then came the biggest moment of the season...drumroll?

I GOT A KITCHEN AID MIXER! Yes, the stand-up kind that makes me think of adorable little 1950s housewives. and it's RED, my absolute favorite color in the whole wide world. I am beyond excited to use it and have all kinds of plans for home-made breads and pizza dough, not to mention all the cookies and muffins.

However, what I have been unequivocally blessed with this season is a group of incredible people who constantly surround me with love and support. My family and friends mean the world to me, and I could not have been happier to spend the holidays with them. My grandmother has always loved Christmas, and I can remember her asking in June for our lists ever since I was a kid. Seeing her kid-like joy on Christmas is a memory I will always treasure, and watching my  expanding extended family laugh and talk was so fulfilling to me.

Perhaps the most meaninful gift I received this year was a box from my grandmother filled with old family photos. Everything from photos of me as a baby, my dad growing up, and my family as we grew together was included, and I must say, the note she included made me tear up.

Here's to a wonderful year, to health, to friends, and to family. May your New Year be filled with joy and the happiest of memories.

...Remember Me?

I cannot believe how long it's been since I last blogged. It's horrible.

This is me trying to keep track of my life.

In the last month, I have been getting accustomed to my new job, I have officially moved, spent a week (yes, WEEK!) without internet, washed more dishes/pots/pans/appliances in my new place than I care to count, and fallen asleep pathetically early during the week, only to go back to my parents' house every weekend to pack up all my stuff, attend Christmas parties, and continue on my path to the proverbial Loony Bin.

Whew.

I'm exhausted.

The holidays have completely suprise-attacked me. I am no where near as decked out in Christmas decorations at my new digs as I'd like to be, and I feel like I do not, and will never, have enough time to decorate before, you guessed it, I make the trek back home for Christmas.

It is for this reason that I have decided I need an unpaid personal assistant intern. He or she would need to feed my coffee addiction while keeping me headed in the correct direction, keep my schedule straight, and go grocery shopping for me (because honestly, it is not fun to live on a college diet of pizza and Ramen noodles anymore. It was fine before I had my dishes unpacked, but this is getting unreasonable).

And so help me if I have to make one more trip to Target to get a random assortment of things I can't seem to remember to write on my ever-growing list. I mean, come on, why do I keep forgetting to buy trash bags?! Wal-Mart bags are only going to work for so long until I get irritated with going to the dumpster every other day because the bag is full.

Ay.


As I look at the clock, I am realizing that I am in my 20s and thinking "gee, it's getting kind of late"...and it's 8:00. Must remember to negotiate a mandatory nap time meeting at work. Maybe after HR just laughed when I proposed my personal intern idea, they would go for this one. I'd consider it a Christmas miracle.

Anyone else feel blindsided by the calendar this year??

Well Hello, Snow!

I am a royal dummy. I was at my parent's house for the Thanksgiving weekend, which was so much fun. However, when I left to return home and to work, I stupidly forgot my coat there.

Not to worry, I thought. The forecast said high forties...I can handle that. Come on, I'm from Michigan, when it gets into the 60s, I'm ready to break out the bathing suit for a little tan!

Guess what? It snowed, and I mean snowed. When I got to work yesterday, I was cursing my lack of a coat, but quickly clicking my heels against the pavement to get into the front doors. When I left, I very slowly tiptoed my way across that same pavement (or should I say ice?!) in a state of constant instability. I'm so grateful that my boss called my office to tell me I could leave early to beat the winter storms that were headed our way, because I have an hour long commute...and I had no idea what was going on outside (I have a beautiful window above my desk-which I can't see out of because it's a sort of opaque stained glass).

All the way home, I fought the slipping, sliding, and fishtailing, but I made it. It was plenty dark by the time dinner was finished cooking, and I suppose I didn't pay much attention to what was going on outside after that. When I woke up at 5:30 this morning to get ready to leave, everything was covered, tree limbs in the yard were down, and the road and driveway were impossible to find. Uh oh.

Again, I got lucky when I opened my email and saw a new message from my boss which said I could work from home today to avoid the road conditions. I gladly accepted and have been ticking away at my to-do list since this morning.

Whew. Lunch break over. Enjoy the snow!!

Oh, Black Friday

I am the stereotypical blood-shot-eyed, half asleep, bargain-hunting shopper on Black Friday. I have found some great deals over the years that keep me setting my alarm for the wee morning hours and using coffee as my lifeline throughout the morning full of shopping.

But the madness has to stop.

I refused to go out shopping on Thanksgiving, when many retailers opened their doors. You see, I feel bad enough that the employees of those places have to be ready to deal with the masses at 4 in the morning, but really, why do we need to take them away from their families on a holiday? Come on. In my opinion, if the pampered big-wigs sitting in their plush offices want to make the "lowly commoners" stay up all night, literally risking their lives by unlocking the store doors, and deal with the atrocious attitudes of the Black Friday shoppers, maybe they should come down off their velvet-covered, gold plated memory foam pedestals and join their employees. I can almost guarantee that would cut down on the Thanksgiving day openings.

And let's talk about the person who pulled a knife on another shopper over a towel. A towel. Honestly, who are we, heathens? Towels go on sale all the time. If you're really that desperate for that perfect shade to match your shower curtain, buy a different color at the sale price and go back for an even exchange when they have your color back in stock. What about the pepper spray over video game consoles? Congratulations, you not only made yourself look like a greedy, crazed person, but you have also landed yourself in jail...over a towel or an Xbox.

It's time for some prospective, people. When did getting a deal trump safety? Do you really need that new T.V. or should you think about buying some medicine for your sniffly-nosed child? Is it necessary to have those new video game consoles, or should you buy school supplies?

I understand that the economy is rough. I understand that many people feel like if they didn't buy something on Black Friday, they wouldn't be able to afford it. I suppose what I'm really wanting to say is that if you are really strapped for cash, take a good, hard look at what you actually need versus what you want. What will help you survive and what would be utterly useless in an emergency? Think about it. Enough is enough. It's the holidays, people. Help your fellow man, don't stab him. Do a little good for your community, don't pepper spray them. Prepare a special dish for Christmas dinner, turn off that brand-new LED TV, and talk to your loved ones like you actually care about them.

From the looks of it, though, that's the crazy idea.

Sad, isn't it?