Alright, alright, I'm a giddy Christmas lovin' fool!

Today is the Eve of Christmas Eve and I already can't even think of sleeping. There is just way too much cheer and magic surrounding me right now!

And right now nothing else can even waltz with this feeling. It's off twirling around in the imaginary snow all on its own.

I wrote about Christmas on "Her Kids" which is a blog I contribute to for delawareonline.com. You can read the post here, thank you to those who already follow that blog, I appreciate your comments.

In other news, Braeden is sitting beside me in his penguin pajammies. He is playing his Leapster and reciting the alphabet and each letters special sound. I am wearing cozy Hello Kitty pajammies! Carrie bought them for me for Christmas and I love them!

Yesterday we went up into Wilmington to Carrie's house because it was Charlotte's birthday party. She had a dance party of sorts. As dance party as you can get for a two-year-old. She had a blast and her excitement was infectious. Braeden has told me twice now that he had fun at the party. It was one of the first things he said this morning actually.

It's not 9 a.m. yet and Brian is already awake and out of bed. Everyone write the day on their calendar and go play the numbers on a lottery ticket.

Labels: christmas

Today is December 20, 2007 and you can still get two-day free shipping if you are an Amazon Prime customer. =o) Or over-night shipping for $1.99 what a steal. For me that means still wanting to get more little things for my family. When it comes the holidays the best thing for me is giving gifts. I put a lot of thought into gifts and always get excited because I can't wait to see how the receiver likes them...or in some cases, doesn't like them. Usually I'm pretty good at being on par with their tastes though.

This is our first Christmas in our own home, our first Christmas as husband and wife and our first Christmas as a family. We have had our decorations up for nearly a month and it still hasn't gotten old. Every time I drive up the street and see all the lights it makes me smile. And I love sitting in the family room just to be near the lit Christmas tree.

In other news, I have such a wicked headache today. I'm not sure why. The weather isn't rainy and I have eaten. Perhaps it is just because we're nearing the end of the work week and this old pup is tired. (Yes, I'm just a pup, but even pups can feel old).

Chris bought me an Emily the Strange calendar for Christmas. I love it! She apparently bought it off my wish list and I had no idea! Tomorrow is her birthday and she is taking off so I won't see her again until the new year. This will definitely become posters for my office. My Tinkerbell calendar is already hanging, I cut out each of the months and they border the top of the wall to the left of my desk. I also have an "Of Montreal" poster, a "Cat Power" poster and a Strangeling poster....and of course my Emily the Strange poster. I think the only reason I can pull off such crazy decor is because I am a designer. ;oP

Well now back to work. Happy Thursday!

Labels: christmas, emily strange, work

Okay, so I need to know your favorite holiday drink?

I was reading an article on MSN about America's six favorite holiday drinks and I found that I'm not sure I can narrow it down to just one.

You see, I very much enjoy hot cocoa, apple cider and egg nog...all of which are considered holiday drinks. And as it turns out there are two seasonal beers which I also find delicious. Blue Moon puts out Full Moon during this time of year and it is simply divine! And then Brian introduced me to Samuel Adams' Winter Lager and it is also yummy!

So I gotta know folks, do you have a favorite holiday drink and if so what is it?

Labels: christmas, drink

This is just cracking me up!

Labels: chicken, christmas, comic

To see the Stephan-Mannering Elf Family, click here.

Labels: christmas

Hello there blog world. How are you all doing on this fine Saturday evening?

Me?

I'm irritable and irritated and irritating. Can you be all those things at once?

I'm tired of seeing this same commercial for the Delovely Kohl's sales. It's not delicious, it's not delightful and it's not delovely. Are we unlovifying something? What is "delovely" and who thought that marketing slogan would do a bit of good? I never shop at Kohl's anyway. The reason they have all their sales is because items need to be 50% to be closer to a decent price and even then they are sometimes high.

Braeden is still snotty but he has more energy today and has eaten a bit more; very sporadically and undecided as it may have been.

Every muscle in my body feels as though it was pulled. I didn't run any marathons that I know of but I imagine one would feel this sore afterwards..but have nothing great to show for it like a race time or knowledge of having completed a feat.

Brian, Braeden and I watched National Treasure this afternoon. As someone who loves Nicholas Cage, I am upset with myself for never having seen the movie until today. It was excellent, very intriguing. I am finding that I also enjoy Justin Bartha, he played Riley in this movie and was Ace in "Failure to Launch." Anyway back to the flick, how can you not be interested in possible conspiracy theories and mysteries involving real historical facts? Very cool movie.

Turning the movie off we immediately were faced with the last 15 minutes of the Polar Express movie which Braeden has watched at least two dozen times. But afterwards we saw part of the making of that movie. Much respect to Tom Hanks who played nearly every adult male in that movie if not all of them. And all in green screen and digital which was then transposed into animation. Awesome!

You know what stinks? The fact that I have been intensely and passionately excited about Christmas up until very recently. And now. I don't know. I guess it's like when people keep telling you you are ugly and you start to believe it...well...when people keep bah-humbug-ing around you it starts to rub off. Plus I'm sick again and have zero energy or motivation to even begin making cookies. I should be wrapping presents and I haven't had the gumption. I was so excited about the gifts I have in my room waiting to be wrapped. What happened? Where did Christmas go? Sitting here three feet from the Christmas tree glowing, I can't help but wonder why the magic went away, how did I let that happen?

Cocoa. Candy canes. Sparkling lights. The smell of cinnamon and gingerbread. Christmas music. Presents. Love. Magic. Peace. Contentment.

I am down.

Labels: christmas

Idea from the always hilarious and enlightening "Pickled Beef"

Labels: christmas, mistletoe

Okay so maybe not exactly full force, but I am back to work today.

I have had some sort of cold/flu/virus something or other all week. I did come into work on Wednesday but probably should not have done that. Yesterday, I made myself sit and rest as much as I could. But the house is such a mess I just want to furiously attack it. Disinfect!

Brian and I have now been married for 7 days, well in about 45 minutes it will be a complete 7 days, haha. For me it has been blissful. Brian says it is weird to hear people call me his wife. I suppose to some extent it is a little bit weird. But I love being his wife and I feel so blessed.

Braeden is doing better sleeping in his room and eating. His Gram and Pop Pop bought him a Gameboy to celebrate him staying in his room through the night. This was quite a task as I had him sleep with me all through his early toddler years. It began because he was so sick all the time, then stayed out of habit. Plus I was in school and the only way I could get homework done was to have him fall asleep in my bedroom as that was where my computer used to be at my parents' house. Next month I will have been out of school for a year and the times have so changed!

I'm part of my own little family now. We have our own home. We are married! I have a new job and so does Brian. Braeden sleeps in his own room. And he even eats fish and perogies now. Last year at this time he was a three-year-old who still ate baby food. Needless to say his digestive system could use a little bit of work but overtime I feel it will develop. He has been healthier and is growing stronger each day. If only we could get rid of that cough.

I'm hopeful that my brother will be moving home soon.

And Thanksgiving is next week. I'm looking forward to spending family time together. We'll begin decorating for Christmas after the thanks and the giving. Brian tells me he has a fantastic Christmas tree so I'm super excited about putting that up with him and Brae. Woohoo!

Life is great!

Labels: brae, brian, christmas, home, married life, thanksgiving