One of my favorite traditions

Tomorrow is my big Christmas shopping day! I can't wait! Every year, my mom, sisters & I take a whole day and go shopping. We've been doing this, maybe 5 years now. We start early in the morning by going out to breakfast and then it's all day shopping. We stop for a nice lunch and then, you guessed it, more shopping! We have a blast! We are pretty much assured of three things:

1. by day's end, the car is always stuffed full & we can't fit ourselves in it
2. it always ends up snowing
3. we usually end up laughing until we cry over the silliest stuff

This is one of my favorite traditions and I look forward to it every year. Now grant you, I'm lucky because I get to see my mom & sisters several times a week. However, this is pure fun--no men, no kids, just us! Oh how I love the holidays!

Thankful

With Thanksgiving upon us, I decided to compile a list of things that I am most thankful for this year. I'm also going to go for more than the obvious here.

1. I'm thankful for my dh, my children, my family.
2. I'm thankful that my mom comes over every morning at 7 am to get my kids ready for school so that I can go to work at 7:45 am.
3. I'm thankful for clean, running water.
4. I'm thankful for my new job that I love.
5. I'm thankful that dh is off from work the day after Thanksgiving. I put the tree up every year on Black Friday. He will handle all of the awful/annoying jobs associated with decorating (heehee) and do so graciously.
6. I'm thankful for fresh dough and mozzarella so that I can make a kickin' homemade pizza tonight.
7. I'm thankful that although I'm overweight & horribly out of shape,I'm still alive.
8. I'm thankful that dh's aunt makes the best sweet potatoes for Thanksgiving dinner. (loaded with butter & brown sugar, they practically float in all that goodness)
9. I'm thankful that I've found the itch to scrap again.
10. I'm thankful that I can watch the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade tomorrow and get tears in my eyes when the Rockettes dance. (I've wanted to be one since I was a kid!)
11. I'm thankful that the very sweet Rebecca Sower emailed me to thank me for wishing her a Happy Thanksgiving and then wished me one as well.
12. I'm thankful that I have so many wonderful internet friends that I treasure, even though I haven't met them in person.
13. I'm thankful that my first paycheck arrived in the mail today! Yahoo!
14. I'm thankful for good music, good food and lots of laughter.
15. I'm thankful that my kids have left me alone long enough to compile this list! LOL

Happy Thanksgiving friends!

So creative!

I was perusing the Two Peas gallery and found something I just have to share. Is this not cool? I love it! Such creativity that Rhonna has. I might actually try to make one of these one day soon.

Retail therapy

I have come to the conclusion that I need some serious retail therapy. I need to shop 'til I drop! I feel as though I haven't had an all-out, no-holds-barred shopping trip in ages. I'll be getting my first paycheck next week and I think it's time....time to spread the money around and feel the joy that only shopping can bring me. You know, this whole "joy of shopping" thing really is true for me. The last time I had a big shopping extravaganza, if you will, I could literally feel the blood flowing and my heart beating rapidly. As a matter of fact, when dh came home from work that day and I babbled on & on about my wonderful purchases, he looked at me strangely (as he often does) and said, "It really is a high for you, isn't it? It's your version of crack!" I had to laugh, dh always cracks me up, but the sad thing was, it was so freakin' true! That's when I realized the blood was flowing & the heart was beating quicker than usual.
This all be said, I am now warning all retailers: WATCH OUT! I'M GOING TO BE SET LOOSE VERY SOON! :)
Have a wonderful weekend friends!

Slacking, friends and a crush

I sure have been slacking off when it comes to my blog. Is it that I don't have the time or that I don't have anything interesting to say? Hmmm.
My friends from my former job took me out to dinner last week. We had such a super time just laughing & talking! They gave me a card which I'll treasure and a nice big gift card...Macy's here I come! I love my new job but I have to say that I do miss these girls so much! (that's my mom on the left, in the blue sweater)

Want a good laugh? One of my morning students has a crush on me! I'm practically old enough to be his mother! OMG, it is so funny...and sweet...and just plain funny!
Have a great week friends!

A whole week

Oh my goodness, I can't believe it's been a whole week since I last posted. I started my new job last week and I really do like it! It's alot slower paced than I'm used to (I'm accustomed to doing 5 things at once) but I'm sure I'll be in the slower groove soon enough. So, thank you for all of your good wishes! I appreciate it!
Not much to say today, but since I missed a Halloween post, here is the fisherman, er fisherwoman, and the construction worker. Have a good weekend (or what's left of it anyway!)