Christmas Quiz

Two blogs I follow have done this and I'm going to hop on the band wagon so I will not focus on how much I don't want to be at the office today :) Thank you Velcro Dog and The Wiegands.

1. Egg nog or hot chocolate? Both! Not mixed together. 
2. Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree? Both. But, most of Santa's presents are unwrapped. He's just too busy to wrap them all! 
3. Colored lights on tree/house or white? My parents have done both...different every year. 
4. Do you hang mistletoe? My mom used to! I wish I did? Next year...
5. When do you put your decorations up? Well, I always mean to the weekend after Thanksgiving, but it hasn't happened yet?? Decemberish...when ever I get to it usually. 
6. What is your favorite holiday dish? My mom and grandma's homemade toffee. Divinity- I die. Chocolate! All the repeats of Thanksgiving. Broccoli-rice casserole, pumpkin pie. Love it all.  
7. Favorite holiday memory as a child? Waking up at Granny's and Santa had brought a trampoline and set it up in Granny's backyard :). 
8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa? I don't even remember? I pretended to believe for a long time because I have a little sis who is 7 years younger. I think I still wish I believed. 
9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve? Omg yes! Christmas tradition at my house is to open pjs and wear them the night of Christmas Eve. Usually it's just me, my mom and sister, but last year, Robert and my dad got matching ones too. I love it. Oh and we always get together with my aunts and uncles on my mom's side of the family and open presents from each other on Christmas Eve. It's so fun. 
10. How do you decorate your Christmas tree? Well, Robert and I have never had an official Christmas tree since we've been married, so I'll have to plead the 5th on this. BUT, my mom got me a bunch of cute ornaments after Christmas last year. So when we do have a tree, it'll be really fun with bright colors and lots of random ornaments. 
11. Snow! Love it or dread it? oh goodness. Love love love it, especially on Christmas. 
12. Can you ice skate? ha. I doubt it. I maybe have once? Or maybe I dreamed that? 
13. Do you remember your favorite gift? hmmm. I don't know? My parents have been so good to me and spoiled me rotten. Last year's ipad was a big surprise! But, what I'll never forget is my mom got me this pretty little box and it was empty and she said the most precious gift she could give me or I could give her was time. I've always loved that. My mom is amazing. Time is the most precious gift.
14. What’s the most important thing about the holidays for you? Remembering that God sent His son to earth and through him we are known by God. And family, family, family!!! 
15. What is your favorite holiday dessert? Well, I think I covered that earlier :). I love all desserts. Pies, chocolate. Homemade candy that my mom and grandma make are the best!! OMG and Chelsea's gingerbread cookies!!! ahhh! I will miss those this year :)
16. What is your favorite holiday tradition? I love my family's Christmas Eve tradition with the pjs :). Oh, I also love how my mom used to wrap everything individually in our stockings and then say they were from famous people. Like I'd get chapstick from Marilyn Monroe. Awesome. Also, used to love to go to the candlelight service at our church every year. 
17. What tops your tree? once again, we have no tree. #bahhumbug ha. 
18. Which do you prefer: giving or receiving? Giving...I get so giddy when I think I might have got someone something they will like!!! Ahhh! Receiving is so humbling and pretty fun too :)
19. Candy canes: yuck or yummy? Yummy.  
20. Favorite Christmas show? so many. It's a Wonderful Life, Elf, Home Alone, Miracle on 34th Street, The Holiday...they are all so goooddddd
21. Saddest Christmas song? Song and Movie - The Christmas Shoes. I mean slit my wrists...makes me want to bawl! The Little Drummer Boy always gets me too. I mean all he could do was play his drum??! 
22. What is your favorite Christmas song? Well, "All I want for Christmas" by Mariah Carey, of course :). I also, used to love "Mary's Song", pretty moving!


hmmm, k. Merry Christmas everyone!!!  

In West Philadelphia......

Nothing says Christmas like a Fresh Prince of Bel-Air Reunion....click here. How random. How great.

Where was Mrs. Banks?? And Geoffrey the butler?

Talk about a theme song really shaping that show. I think I liked the show so much because I loved the opener.

One of my best friend's, Adrienne, would start rapping the theme song at date parties in college and everyone would join along with her. It was kind of amazing. She still does it sometimes. Actually, I think she busted it out on her honeymoon in July? Her husband sent us video footage of it. 

The Fresh Prince....still bringing people together....

479

So, if you know me or if you've read this blog a little, you have probably gathered that I love pugs. They are my favorite. I grew up with a pug. My mom has two pugs at home. I just really like pugs. Shout out to Doug and Daisy.

For a while I was updating petfinder.com and adoptapet.com for the DFW Pug Rescue. It's not much on the scale of what they do for the Dallas area pugs, but it was just a little way that I could help them. When I got pregnant, I noticed that I was delaying in updating the pugs. I didn't want to click on another pug that needed rescuing. I was too emotional and the sad pugs made me very sad and I couldn't do it. So, I handed over my duties and now I am not actively doing anything for them. It makes me sad because I want to be helping the pugs find happy homes, I just can't in this season of my life. Thankfully, there are lots of awesome people volunteering and working hard for the Pug Rescue that will continue to support and help the pugs get medical care, foster homes and eventually forever homes.  

I still get all of their email updates and follow them of Facebook, so I know what is going on in the DFW Pug World. Yesterday, they posted that they have saved 479 pugs this year. Isn't that so exciting??!!

One small step for mankind, one giant step for pugs. They have tons of great events and always need volunteers and donations if you want to hop on over to their website and check them out.

and yes i just google imaged Christmas pugs

Next year, I'm hoping Santa will get me a pug and maybe a bulldog and maybe a kitten too. What? Too much?? :)You don't understand I grew up around a minimum of 3 animals. I need an animal or 3. I want Doug to come live with us, but Robert says no because he pees on everything. :( Doug...why?? why??! 

Oh well, for now, I'll just pray that the little pugs that need rescuing find great homes. 479 is a lot o' pugs, you guys :) Yay for the pugs! 

IIIIIIIIIIII don't want a lot for Christmas.....

and that is the beginning of the Christmas song that just keeps on giving by Mariah Carey.

here it is if you need a refreshing of it's greatness



never gets old. it just doesn't. (old school Mariah in the video is kind of cute too?) WOW. I'm calling Mariah cute?? I am definitely in the holiday spirit.

And yes, I'll state it, it is official, I have crossed over from stress and dread and I am now fully excited about Christmas. How does that happen?? Maybe I just decided to buck up and change my horrible attitude? Yes, that could be it. Or maybe I can't really control my attitude because I'm pregnant and my hormones are insane. Who knew hormones were such little bitches? I mean, we girls experience it a little, but this pregnancy thing is a WHOLE other monster. So, really, I could be out of the Christmas spirit in the next 12 hours, I better embrace it while I can....

DECK THE HALLS!!

HO HO HO!!!!

SILVER BELLS!!!!

RUDOLPH!!!! 

Yes, my mood is like the wind. Ever changing. Ever unpredictable. Ever annoying. Ever full of debris that could kill someone that gets in it's path. Sounds scary, doesn't it?? It is! You can ask Robert! ha. but not ha.

So with all this Christmas cheer all about, I've declared a new Christmas tradition for Robert and I. So far our Christmas traditions have been

a. we don't get a tree
b. i have a major breakdown

Brief recap:

For Christmas of '09 we were just married and got back from our honeymoon on December 20th and then we were going to Houston for Christmas, so there was no time to get a tree. Even if we did, we would have had it up for like 4 days. What's the point? Also, I had minimal half ass gifts for Robert's family because after the wedding and running around like a crazy person, holiday shopping was LAST on my priority list. My first Christmas with the in-laws and I was playing at the junior varsity level with Christmas gifts? Omg, did I even buy one thing for Mamaw?? Panic. This caused me to have major guilt and turned into me having a major crying breakdown pre-Christmas '09. Yikes. Welcome to marriage, hang on because I am going to freak out now. Everything ended up being fine. We had a great Christmas.

Christmas of '10 came about and we kept putting off getting a tree. Eventually we rationalized that we couldn't afford it, plus we would have to buy lights and ornaments and it just seemed like it would be "more economic for us if we didn't get a tree". How depressing? No tree. That year we were driving to New Mexico to be with my family. We were packing and loading up the car and suddenly I turned into Satan towards Robert. I emailed my friends afterwards that I had just turned into the "black swan". It was really bizarre in casa de Scarff for about an hour. It started out with me being REALLY hateful to Robert and saying some awful things, then I packed the whole car by myself out of rage and then starting crying because I realized that I was being a complete psychopath. I mean. WOW. Girl Interrupted on Christmas. Please admit into the ward with Winona Ryder and Angelina Jolie. It was really weird/disturbing. Luckily, Robert didn't file for divorce and forgave me and all was well. We went to New Mexico and had a great holiday.

And here we are Christmas '11. And guess what we don't have...oh a tree. We moved the first week of December and are still in the process of "putting up" and "organizing", so once again a tree did not make sense for us. NO CHRISTMAS TREE....3 YEARS RUNNING. I bet Santa is angry. I bet the Easter Bunny is angry. I bet the Great Pumpkin and Charlie Brown are angry. Why no tree?! My office has a tree up and they are the cheapest, non-celebrating Christmas people on earth. I mean, my boss is Jewish. On what planet would my office have a tree up and my home not??? Mars?? No, this planet. I do have some decor up. Stockings (from the Judds...yay), garland, a couple snowmen, Christmas dish towels, a Christmas candy bowl with all three Christmas Hershey kisses...I'm kind of proud of that actually...here's a pic

Merry Kissmas :)

All that is well and good, but still NO tree. Hoping to break this tradition in 2012. 

Also, I think my Christmas of '11 breakdown may have happened last week. At least they are getting earlier every year? I had a couple days that were touch and go. I could NOT stop crying at everything and I was just overwhelmed with life. All things Christmas made me want to throw something. Friday things started to look up and Saturday, Robert and I had to go to the mall to buy his Mamaw a nightgown and it really ended up putting me in the spirit. Things have been looking up since then! And I am so thankful. When they say the bad days make you appreciate the good days, it really is true. I appreciate the days when I'm not crying every hour on the hour. I appreciate them a lot. 

Okay, so onward to the new Christmas tradition that we are going to instill. Maybe something positive this time...this "no tree" bit and "mental breakdown" thing is not what Christmas carols are made of. Last night, we watched Home Alone and made spaghetti and it may sound like a little thing, but it was just really nice. I want to do it every year with Robert. It can be our thing every Christmas. Our tradition. We will always have good times with our families, but this can be just a little something we can do that is ours. 

Spaghetti +Home Alone=happiness 

So happy to have Christmas cheer right now ...hope you have some too. And if not, don't fret, maybe you'll have a breakdown and then it'll kick in like mine. :)

I can't resist, I'm sorry

Another Suri post. Someday, I will get a life. No, I doubt it. I'm guessing I will always have some weird interest in Suri Cruise. pppfffffttttt.

Read here about Suri visiting FAO Schwartz.

Seriously, what does this girl have to cry about? I don't know.

BUT -

I can't really fault her, because I too have had the same kind of feelings the last couple days. The feeling of wanting to cry in the middle of a toy store. My toy store is a metaphorical one. My life is this array of blessings (married to a guy i love/healthy baby/good true friends/need i go on) and wonderful things, yet I have wanted to crawl under the covers the last couple of days and hide. Holiday stress? Maybe. Burned out? Definitely. I'm burned out of my routine, burned out of having to plan and stress for the future. Exhausted and maxed of all on ALL of it. Plus, I'm pregnant and have all of these extra hormones and estrogen pumping through my system that helps every thought and emotion be that much more heightened.

Deep breath. Pray for Robert.

But, the good thing is that God provides even when I'm ignoring Him and asleep at the wheel. He's with me and I have to let him guide me out of these bad days and know that better days are ahead.

Plus, it's the Christmas season and there is all this love, joy and peace floating all about. I bet some of it will hit me if I let it :)

If you too are having a rough week/day...just here to tell you that I feel you. It's Friday. Time to move forward, let the past be the past and know that goodness is all around us.

Here's some happy Christmas pinterest pics to make everyone feel better about life....

Thank you Lord that you make all things new, especially my heart. Also, thank you for this bulldog. He is super cute. 

this is not a drill - Suri Envy - Year End Re-cap

People.com had a little slideshow on "Suri's Five and Fabulous Year". I gasped upon seeing it and immediately felt the Suri Envy swirling inside of me.

Let's begin....

Is she Rachel Zoe?? Who can get away with hats?? And she has a clutch?? At least she is playing with a baby doll. That is a normal 5 year old thing to do. As for the shoes...the ones on the left are too matchy matchy and the ones on the right are a little "Golden Girls". Is Suri slipping?? She better get it together. No one likes to end up on the last pages of US Weekly.

"Oh, no big deal!! Here I am at Miami Beach in my Ray Bans!! I'm just going to jump in the ocean in my clothes!!"- Suri

People.com's caption on this was "mo' money, mo' haagen-dazs". I thought that was pretty funny. I think Suri is saying, "What are these, dad?? Ones?? I like the One hundreds better."

Here's Suri and Mom on one of Dad's film sets. Suri is grabbing a bite with her legs crossed. So proper for a 5 year old. I bet she's already read all of the Emily Post books. 

Just another normal day for Suri testing out lipstick shades. Lipstick? Seriously?? I was afraid of real lipstick until college.

And here's Suri WEARING lipstick and toting a magazine. I'm guessing it's W or Haper's Bazaar...maybe Vanity Fair. 

For some reason this is causing me to have flashbacks from the Pretty Woman shopping scene. Where's Richard Gere? When does Suri ask the salesman for his tie??

Omg, you BABY, with a PACI!!!! That is so not chic. The lavender converse are a little juvenile too, but the pea coat evens it out. Oh but then the teddy bear shows her age. Must have been an off day? Maybe the NASDAQ was down? Maybe she had to cancel her weekly mani/pedi or acupuncture appointment? 

Suri, put down the $10,000.00 bag. Just put it down. Other kids your age just have a backpack with their name monogrammed on it. 

What will next year bring?? 6 can be a pivotal year. Hello, first grade!!! Suri goes to Elementary School. She'll probably have her own Bravo show documenting this. 

2 years

2 years ago today, I was on a plane almost to Maui. I was about to begin our honeymoon. Honeymoons should be an annual requirement. Every year couples should go on a week long vacation to celebrate their marriage and just enjoy each other. I guarantee the divorce rate would go down. But, really why are honeymoons only a once a lifetime thing?? There should be more. I suppose they take time, money and planning, so technically it wouldn't be possible for most people. But, I wish it was. It should be possible for most people! Who is with me?

I'm really on this "Americans work to hard" protest lately. I'm over work. Work is pointless. Okay, off my soapbox now. Get me to my Christmas vacation days off. It's clear that I am in need of them.

Anyway, obviously, since two years ago today, I was about to start my honeymoon, that means that yesterday was my 2 year anniversary.

Memory lane....

I've probably posted these pics before? Sorry for the repeat. 

I can't believe it's been 2 years since our wedding. It was so fun and special because of our friends and family that came to celebrate. I wish we could re-live it, but since that's impossible, I just have to enjoy the memories. It's so fun to look back at the pics. I still haven't got any sort of an album made? Tack that on the to-do list....

When a marker in time happens...an anniversary or a birthday, it's normal to reflect upon the time past and how things have changed. This has been a year of changes for us. Would I have guessed on our honeymoon that in 2 years I would be pregnant with our first little one? I don't think so. To quote John Lennon, "life if what happens when you're busy making other plans". Life is definitely happening and I'm grateful to be along for the ride. We had a successful visit to the doctor yesterday and everything seems to be on track and healthy with the baby. After every doctors appointment that I leave and they tell us everything is fine, I feel like someone needs to pinch me. I'm thankful to God for a good pregnancy so far. Though there are things I can do to keep the baby healthy (i.e. stay away from vodka), I keep having to relinquish the control to God. The miracle going on inside of me is a constant reminder that God is in control and the baby is His. I am overwhelmed with gratitude that I'm involved, but I know that this really isn't about me. Even though I get to endure labor.  

That's all I've got today, folks. In normal pregnant girl fashion, I am tired and it's really not good for my blogging life, but I'll try to get better :)

Eight working days til Christmas weekend. EIGHT. We can do this. 

Anyone else?

Anyone else out there who reads or rather looks at Atlantic-Pacific??

That Celine bag. I die. 

I've never wanted to look or dress like someone so much in my life. It's a love/hate relationship because though I love seeing what she wears, it also makes me come to terms with how out of style I am. Then, I feel fug and realize I haven't had a manicure since last Easter or my hair colored since July. ppppfffffffttttttt. Still I'm addicted to seeing what styles she'll come up with next. Love the preppy undertones in her looks. and her jewelry. and her nail colors. you get the picture.

My sister loves her too. We showed my mom this blog over Thanksgiving. My mom was in awe with her clothes and accessories and had several entertaining musings. First she was like, "I need help with my clothes. Crocs just don't work." No, mom, crocs do not work. Atlantic-Pacific helping Moms out of crocs.

Then, my brunette mom also said, "I should dye my hair blonde!" Okay, whoa there.

Her final thought was, "You know, you really can have great style with out spending a fortune!!" My sister and I just looked at each other, because Atlantic-Pacific is NOT a bargain shopper. That girl buys the nice stuff and let's face it, the nice stuff just somehow looks better than the cheap stuff most of the time. We told my mom this and she said, "well you do need to splurge sometimes." OR all the time, like Atlantic-Pacific does. :)

Oh well, someone out there needs to shop like that so the rest of us can live vicariously through her and try to find the knock off versions at Target and Forever 21. Right? Right.

happy monday

Walrus Dance Party

Click here and turn it up.

Don't be afraid!! Okay, be kind of afraid. Thank you to my husband's good friend who sent this through his frat's yahoo group.

And for the origin of this tune.....click here.

I mean...I love Europeans.

J. Crew Wishlist of a pregnant girl

stuff that always fits. okay, so the pjs would need to be an XL. 

entertaining

Here are two websites that I've been made aware of in the last 24 hours. Pretty funny.

1. Texts From Bennett
2. I waste so much time

I hope these help you get through Friday afternoon. Why do people work of Fridays? I will never know.

Britney is 30, yall!!

Happy Birthday, Britney Spears!!

(and yes, i'm serious)

I loved her then and I still love her now.

Sure, she's had her rough patches. But, I ask you, who hasn't? She picks the pieces up and moves on and I dig that about her. 

Plus, the fact that she's turning 30 makes me feel less old. Keep on keepin' on, Brit. 

Speaking of pregnant celebs....

I was just waiting for this. (click here)

Typical. She would.

Still upset that she divorced Nick

Baby #2

A couple celebs have announced their pregnancies with Baby #2 this week. Kourtney Kardasian and Maggie Gyllenhaal. Congrats to them and their growing families! The fact that women are willing to do this whole thing again gives me hope and motivation for pregnancy #1.


(sidenote: my dear friend, Brooke, had baby boy #2 early this morning. what a rockstar. he's perfect and precious. God is good. :) )


Anyway, Maggie Gyllenhaal's description of motherhood excites and frightens me.

“I just didn’t have a clue,” Gyllenhaal, 34, has said of motherhood.

“There’s no way to prepare for the challenges, the immense joys, the surprises, the disappointments and the shocks,” she said. “Your heart just rips open. It’s amazing.”

Why must things "rip open"?? That sounds like labor stories I've heard. But I guess the "ripping" metaphorically  continues during motherhood. 

Bring it on. Bring on the ripping. ppppfffffffffttttttt. 

Aversions

So, they say it's completely normal to have food aversions and cravings during pregnancy. This is very true for me. Especially during the first trimester, I could count on one hand the things I could physically get myself to eat. The second trimester has been better, but I feel like I have aversions to anything that is "healthy". I don't think I've had any vegetables unless they were smothered in ranch or butter. Sad, but true. Bring on the gestational diabetes. ha. I hope not. (Robert is still encouraging me to exercise. I'm still looking at him like he's crazy.)

I was kind of prepared for my tastes in food to change. Actually, I'm lying. I totally wasn't. For some reason, I thought that even when I got pregnant, I'd be one of those women that just felt normal. ppppppfffffttttttt. That's funny. I should know better. Nothing in my life is usually "normal".

What I wasn't prepared for was my tastes in my internet life to change. This is going to sound weird, but ever since I've been pregnant, I've had a major aversion to The Pioneer Woman blog. I have not clicked on her blog since I've found out I was pregnant which is a big change, since it used to be a daily read. I feel like I've broken up with her. Ree Drummond and I are no longer together.  I no longer know what she's cooking, what she's teaching her kids during her home schooling sessions, her travels, her book updates or her home and garden tips.

I'm not sure what caused this break up or complete aversion to The Pioneer Woman?? It might have been because I was constantly nauseous at first and the mere thought of looking at any of her recipes made me very ill. Or it might have been the disenchantment of her talking about her four kids on the ranch and how they are always covered in manure. Maybe it started out of frustration with her because she gets to frolic around and bank off of her blogging and I was sitting at my desk feeling pregnant and miserable.

I really just don't know exactly how or why it all began, but I still can't get myself to read her blog. Is this break-up permanent? Are we never getting back together? We really had something she and I. I even read her book, Black Heels to Tractor Wheels. I know more about her life than the lives of some of my own family members. But, still, I just can't get myself to click on that blog.

I guess for now, I'll try to let The Pioneer Woman go. Along with my other aversions...healthy food, perfume, exercise, cleaning and the Whole Foods prepared food section. Just recently I've felt like cooking again which is huge. I still haven't acted on that feeling but at least it's there. I haven't touched a pot or pan since the pre-pregnancy depression hit in mid-August. Poor Robert. At least he likes fast food and take-out.

I bet the Pioneer Woman's husband never has fast food or take-out.....well, actually I'm quite certain of that since they live an hour away from civilization. Thank God that's not us. We might starve.